The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-11-26

!, f'>' ""u Wy SPeSiSi SOou |
,or.m l obtained all opportunity Of be-
holding the glorious pageant,
1t was n bright, beautiful morning, and
'he white domes, towers ami fOrtresses of /
the city were ha,king in the yellow sun.
beams, when the boat containing our par
ty put oil from the ship. We mad a de- ..
ilghiul passage TO tho shore, where, after
through The breakers. we landed. !
AMI found ourselves among as motley
a throng rs was ever collected. Officers,
soldiers, suffers, reporters for the press,
camp followers, hangers on, loafers, =: gen.
'leme" OF leisure" dogs, pigs and cats, all
mingled promiscuously together on the
long level sand beach, all striving to be
heard at the same timc--gsbbinr like SO
many geese, or the multitude u, lLe Tow.
or of Babel.
We had not heca many minutes on
shore, Hc'"re | had an opportunity of s,c
ns the gallant Genera! Worth. lie
came ga!l"png down on his fine s,eed,
accompanied Ly his staff Of officers. and
when lac had arrived opposite the spo,
"here our party were standing, he halted
to give some orders and had fine op-
rortunity Of Scrutinizing his appearance
Ho was dressed in fall uniform. and
th"nghl him one of the finest looking
mcn had ever bcheld. There WIS a no.
hIe look os trmrcss. decision and bravery.
about hIia. that At once stamped him "a
n" common man. Seeing us ali attentive.
~ and somewhat curlousIy regarding him,
he very politely and with pleasant smile
upon his hre features lifted his chappeau.
and with akind toned good morning
gen''cm"n,' ga!loped Off II, the head Uf
h's Division toward the city.
A large party ofus, consisting Of \ mum.
Der oi clerks IN The paymasler's and GUAR.
'crmns'cfS departments, several naval Of.
hcers and citizens started off over the
sani hills, forlhe spot where the capi,u
lat'on was to take place. This WAS inc
e'e' PLAIN OF green sword extending from
the Southern gate Of the city nearly two
m.hcs around was smooth and even
"s " bowling alley. As we advanced
along toward the city. we found the san.
~ ground literally covered with round
si'' oi ainos' every SIZE and ,lcscr pion
winch had been t.; own from the cncmy's
batteries at our army; and ever and anon,
We came TO the great holes. "iyht or ten
feet IN depth, where the terrible shells
from tue Castle bad struck and afte exp.o
ding scattered th2H iHoa fragments on
the plain. Now AMI then, horses and
mules that had been destroyed bv the
shot could hc deserted lying upon the
ground, with myrwds Of raveuous birds
lowering and shrieking around them, md
tearing the putril flesh from their white
bones.
Having arrived upon the plain, we
took position where we imagined we
should have fine view Of the whole
scene, but we had not been there more
than twenty minutes, when one Of General
SCOTS "il came gallopirg over the hills.
hs coal-black aud painting s,eed, covered
with foam and his sabre jinglng in its
iron scabbarI, with:
Gentlemen, the General in Chief di.
reefs THAI h's spot shall be kept clear, "a
the Mexcams are to march out here. !
am sorry to disturb you, but such ase my
orders"
And away he grllopod back to his
post agaln, and our party separated. and
each one looked out for himself 4 can
tain IN. the artillery, who from severe
wound was still invalid, and not on. duty,
and myself proceeded to hilk
the sides Of which were covered with a
thick growth Of chaparai, and which over
looked the whole field, and where the in.
tense heat WAS modified by cool, fresh
breeze that come sweeping over the great,
green bosom Of the Gulf of Mexico, and
passed with rustIing and mnsical sound
through the tangled and almost imperv.
ious boughs Of the dense thicket, beneath
whose shade we reclined and gazed with
de'shsea eyes upon the magnificent and
immense panorama beneath us. There
lay spread ont before us the far stretch
ing plain on which the conquered Mexi.
cans were 10 lay down their arms-,hs
city OF Vera Cruz with its old, grey, time
worn walls, ramparts, dpmes, stesples and
tor,resses. battered down broken into.
fragments and defaced by shot and shells
the old grim Castle Of San Juan DCJI
loa, with the half.nasted. flag Of Mexico
trailing above. it as II in distres.-and be.
yond, the great, solemn, sleeping sea on
whose quiet bosom the immense fleet of
ships OF war and transports were lszily
rolling 10 and fro, their masts, yards, ard
wilderness Of rigging clearly defined
agalns, the yellow sunlit sky. Ny COM
Danion bad with him an excellent tele.
scope, aud it afforded us view Of all tho
surrounding scenery, and of everything
that t:anspired.
About ten o'clock A. M. the American
army was marched up in two distinct
columns, the regular troops on the right,
and the volunteers on the left, and took
up n position in such manner rs to bring
a large portion Of the level plain before
mentioned within a sort Of hollow square.
with slight opening ai the end nearest
the city for the Mexican troops to enter.
At the further end OF this halIow square. a
white flag was flying, which was nothing
moro nor lees than oos Of Geoerai