Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-10-10
" Sogcring'' on the Pacific.

Of course every one knows the class and dress OF
the gents composing the rank and file of Uncle Sam
uels army but few, we apprehend, and except
it be some wandering Californian has even remote
conception of the genus homo composing the brave
army of illuminated Mexico--or enlightened Cen
trail America.
AS it was our good fortune to come in the course
of our wanderings, across few of these brave sons
of Mars. will endeavor if it be possible to at
tempt febe portrayal of them, that they may serve
as specimens of what we have right to expect. in
case we should ever get into another fitting match
either with Mexico, or further down south Every
one knows where Acapulco is if they don't. inquire
of Mr.. Morses Biography" and after diligent
they will find it on the back-side of America-where
it properly belongs.
Acapulco is situated in the rear of sort of all
round-my-hat" bay, big enough for the North Car
olina to ust find comfortable berth in On it's left,
and the southerly side of the town. on hill about
hundred feet above the level of the seat isn't
the only hill there. by a long shot-stands very
respectable and civilized looking fort This fort is
garrisoned by about hundred OF the guardians of
the republic and they receive two shillngsa day,
exclusive of Oles. it is supposed they are fully ca
pable, and sufficiently martial, to keep the nhabi-
tants in due order and subjection. If frightening
the people be the object of the Mexican government
they certainly could not have adopted a more sure
and efectual method-for if the garrison at Acapul-
is average specimen of the Army, q more
rghtul body of men could not we'll be collected to-
gether.
AS We had curiosity to sec how things "workcd''
inside the FORT We 'made bould' to essay an en-
trance. Passing q decayed bridge leading to
the gateway. the sentinel, as we supposed,
lying on the broad of his back cooly enjoying his
cigar. and at about twenty feet from him, the COM
mandant sergeant, one of the privates, and men,
ber of the chain gang playing monte. The inte-
rior of the fort looked sufficiently dlapdated to har
monte with the appearance of the soldiers. Rcir-
ing under the archway, we stopped while to look at
the interesting group at monte. The chain gen.
tleman, with three four iron links attached to his
ankle, and young" cannon ball attached to the
chain, was banker-the captain of the fortress sat
between the ranks and appeared to be the heaviest
would risk whole quarter on Ell Reg, the CabaHo
or some other equally important card. The gentle
man with the ball appeared to have good time Of
it for noticed that in course Of half hour he
gathered up and very cooy sccreted in his clothes
the last months pay of commandant, sergeant. and
private-and then coolly after considerable plead
ing and coaxing on the part of the captain loaned
him dollar.
The dress of these hom5res ticklcd our magination
amazingly. and as we knew the Secretary of War
was always on the lookout for the picturesque
in costume for his "sogers, " we thought we
would take a minute of the dress of the rank and
file before The commandant by right of rank
the most elegantly dressed-his military habili
ments being composed of an old California hat the
crown sufficiently "gone'' not to be secn-s blue
cloth military coat, the waist of which reached down
to his g behinds'' and the tails Tapped mitnre
in the region of the heel AS the captain was fully
four feet nothing. had a remote suspicion that the
coat must have belonged to General Scott after be
was boy,-a shirt of considerable length, with an
old boot and moccasin-shoe completed the dress
Tt evident he had left his unmentionables at
home, to be washed; an old rusty-not trusty-dra-
goon sword completed the man and officer and when
he stood on his military pins leaning the afore-
said sword the pace in his dexter fst-he certainly
pto1o of rf
Mexico.
Strange as it may appear the sergeant and high
private had not forgotten the important fact that
they had pedestals wherein to stand and probably
being little better off in the world than their cap
tain, had on each pair of pants-only that you
couldn't tell whether they were or not-as the seats
were sufficiently low to lead you to suppose their
bodies attached to their knees Neither had
coat nor hat and but for three stripes sewed the
dirty shirt of Of them it would have puzzled you
| to tell which was which.
bayonet without sheath. stack through hole
cut in the neither garment of the other, gave you a
remote idea that he was at least the private.
ROMANTIC SToRY.-A strange and romantic story
is afoat in Paris An English baronet. Sir D..
fell in love with beautiful Spanish girl who was
there with party of mountebanks. She rejected
all offers but marriage, and he married her. So
much for the first part of the story. A Spanish
grandee, who had left Barcelona in 1881, and who
separated from his wife and child in consequence
of political affairs, entered the Foreign Legion of
France, and served in Algeria. On returning to
France, he could obtain tdings of his daughter.
bat learnt the death of his wife. He read of the
above marriage. and from circumstances recognised
in the beautiful Juanita, his long lost daughter who
had come to Paris to search for her father who if
appears. had for months been confined by illness on
his return from Africa.
The cause of the decline of the stage is now attri-
bnted to the increase Of ornibnses.