Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-04-07
MgggggIIAWsg0U ga

LIFE IN MEXICo-A Letter from Nary
land Volunteer. following letter, desert
bng day in the life of d soldier in Mexico,
is from Baltimore volunteer at Jalapa 5
You have asked me to give you descrip-
ton of soldiers life. Though not very good
at such things, there is no harm in trying
And as there is little variety in this kind of
life, when not engaged in actual operations,
will give you history of one day as speci-
men of all.
Conceive, then, about the first dawn Of day,
big burly fellow, with a matted head and a
greasy beard, dirty shirt, and dirtier drawers,
luXuriously reclining, with three or four 9th
erS, IN tent ten feet square, snoring away at
the rate of ten knots an hour, and dreaming Of
home and high life. Suddenly the shrll fife
and hoarse drum break in upon his sumbers
with "ReveiIle" A sleepy sergeant pokes
out and summonses all hands 10 'trol CALL
AS you may imagine, this, after fellows
been up half the night playing poker, is not
so pleasant But it is no use trying to beg off
or skulk out, for that would only bring dou-
bic duty or quarters in the guard house; so
after mutterings of discomfort he falls into line,
dressed if he has had time, undressed if he has
not, and groans out sleepy 'here'' as his
name is called. This over, if it is not his
cook day." he goes back to his blanket and
completes his snooze-if it is. he sets about
getting breakfast with as good grace as he
can. He blows up his fire, vets his flour,
burns his skinny beef with sinking grease
! from putrid pork, heats his water, and colors
it with a tbimblefuI of cofec-calls all this
breakfast" and wakes up his comrades to
the feast. Spiced, however, with few hear
| ty oaths on the commissary, and seasoned
Jokes and joviality, it all goes down very well.
The next thing, perhaps, is company police
sweeping, sprinkling, and swearing, Then
comes surgeons CALI and if a man does
feel sick, or thinks he ought to feel sick, he
puts out to the doctors for an excuse from
duty. Guard-mounting is next on docket
if on guard, you are marched out, inspected,
marched round and about, and then to the
guard house, TO relieve the old guard. Then
comes twenty-four hours OF solitary walking
and no sleep. Next, at Ten o'clock, is COM
pany drill, and then out comes a iackass in
broadcloth, with stripes up and down and a.
cross. sometimes called captain, and some
times leutenantO and you are "faced" and
''about- faced,' marched" and "counter-
marched,' brought Fright into line,' e lef,
into line" front into line,'' rear into line,
halted,' &c reSted,' (and may be arrested,)
for about two mortal hou,s After this you
look out for little fun and if you are not
running a rig on some raw recruit, you're ty-
ing tin canteens to iackass's tail, and if You
are not doing that you're playing "poker,'
and losing six months pay in advance, and if
you are not at that you're surely fighting OF
| foot-racng- if at none of these, I'll be
id If you aint dead drunk and fast asleep
Dinner at half past tWelve-much like break
fast After that, amusements very similar tc
those already mentioned. About four o'clock
comes regimental drill for two hours or more
This is much the same as company drill, tho
on larger scale About sun down is dres.
parade Every one turns out in his g Sun
day-go to meetings" Ranks are opened, COM
pliments passed, and you have to stand bolt
upright, eyes front, and hear string of orders
read, which are probably nothing but abuse
and SANDER on yourself or some one else
Then comes supper-1ough, cooked carbon
at 'poker'' Or g old sledge IF we have can
dies in our tents if not, and the moon shines
on the parade ground; ana # we have Meth
tell vertable lies. At o'clock is "tattoo"-
ordering all hands 10 their tents Half an hou
more, ''privates taps" for lights TO be pu
out-and all is utter darkness. You 60 tc
bed then, if you feel like it, and if you don't
wait till you do.
Such is a soldiers every day life IF you
like it, come out with the next bach Of re-
cruits. The most remarkable thing in it, is
that nothing can be done without drumming
and fiing-as if men couldn't understand any
other language. They drum you to bed, an,
they drum you out of bed they drum you Il
breakfast, TO dinner. and to supper; the,
drum you to drill, on drill, and off of drill
they drum you to the doctor-and if you hap
pen to die, they finally drum you TO the devil
J. H D.