The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-08-09
NY MATTAwANNE1i.

Itwas on the I'd Of June, lSl7 that Col.
Mcinkosh len Vera Crus for the main army
then at Puebla, with train carrying large
amount of funds in gold and silver for the
use OF tho pay; subsistanee and Quarter, mas
tcr's Departments, Tic had not penetrated
into the interior more than fneen miles, when
he met with n most determined resistancc'-
He Immediately Apprised General Cadwalla-
der then at Vera Cruz, OF his position and
the necessity Of reinforccmcnts. On the 9th
Of June, that General, with y force Of SOC.
men, came TO the assistance Of Mcintosh at
"Puente dc los Vegas" whore he assumed
tho command, & at noon on the lth took up
the line of march for "Puente Nacional" or
the Tationai bridge, FIVE aa.l - half milos dis
tAnt, where he designed cucamping for the
night II Was becoming dark when the van
guard arrived at the east end Of the bridge,
aud It was about eleven o'clock, p. NJ when
tho rear guard passed over During these
three or four hours, our brave troops were
receiving the fire OF their murdcrous assail-
ants without permission TO return 1t. This
was seYerc test for new troops The de
tails Of this dreadful and bloody night have
never yet been placed before the public. ]
shall not attempt to record its horrors.
merely giTc an SsessIss Cd tint, l.,ii-'ssiRa ain
gular incident.
A little after midnight, when all was quiet
as death, save the moaning Of the wounded
and the heavy breathing of the toll worn sol
dior, single shot was heard. The report
e. L.. ,,r tla Lgi nn ha
bridge, and appeared TO have proceeded from
n distanre beyond il, and to the right Of the
fork overlooking the bridge and the circuit
Gus upad approaching it. All who have been
in actual service in a campaigns, will at once
imagine tho excitement of the alarm. a shot
O., fred near camp, especially where the enc
my is'known to be in the vicinity, is always a
sigual for the troops TO jump to their feet.
and the companies or regiment 20 form in
line, and ''Staud at case" waiting the report
OF the officer OF tho guard, whose duty il is 10
ascertain the cause Of the alarm. This was
ordinarily the case during the campaign in
Mexico; but the present was extraordinary in
tho highest degree -Me-werein n measure
eneOmpassed on all sides by ruthless foo.--
They had bitter revenge to seek, and their
thir for gold was strongly tempted. Here
were two strong and marked characteristics
of the Mexican made kcenly active, impel-
ing our enemy to put forth more than his usu-
al pertinaeity of purpose. They had already
spread havoc in our ranks, Some of odr
brave comrades lay dead near US, and Others
were suffering from mortal and severe wounds.
.t.e L..
there was littie prospect of that strong feeling
being gratfed. The inaccessible "chappar-
,el y its thoFny thickets and rocky fastnesses,
were at this timesuiiicient barriers to protect
them from the American rifle. Scarcely had
the sound reyerberated among the lofty noun
tain knobs and died away in the diStance,e ere
our gallant fellows were in the ranks, await
ing the summons to meet the foe, or return to
their stone-paved couches, An electric shock
would not have brought them to their feet
sooner than the supposed discharge of a Mex
ican ''escopet." Being on duty, proceeded
20 ascertain the cause of the alarm. / went
TO the picket on the bridge, and ihterrogated
tho corporal on duty there, but failed in Oh
taihing any explicit information from him
aver makhlg All tne inquiry Poselbie, win
no better success, returned and reported
the fruidess result, when tho companies ~Uro
again ordered to rest on their arms.
Again all were wrapt in slumber, save
those whose duty is was to watch. Nothing
was heard but the firm and measured tread
of the weary sentinel, and the steady step of
the officer -whOse. duty it was TO 90 the rounds
long in tbis desirable condition, when the
stiffness was hroken by tha quick Tread Of
Psrsons- approaching, and making inquiry for
the oihoer of'the guard, who soon presented
hirnseh In,nediateiyone Of the guard stop
ped forward, salu,Od DC officer, and reported