Litchfield enquirer., 1856-01-31

venture so romantic, and so illustrative O1 the character of the man, that we arc tempt ed to detail it. @
 On his way to inc Cuff he secured a horse in Kentucky, such as knight er- rant would have chosen for the companion and sharer of his adventures. Landed at Vera Cruz, he asked for an escort to con- vey him to the capital, but the officer in command had no troopers to spare--he must wait. or he must accept, instead. a band of ruffian Mexicans, called the Spy Company, who had taken to the business of treason and trickery for Livelihood He accepted them. and went forward Near Puebla his troop encountered body of Mexicans escor.ing number of dissin- guished officers to Orizaba, among whom were Major General Gaona, Governor Of Puebls his son, Maximilian, and General Torrjpn, who commanded the brilliant charge of horse at Buena Vista. The sur prize was mutual, bat the Spy Company had the advantage of tha ground. At the first instant of the discovery, and before the rascaIs fully comprrhended their in. voIvement, the Doctor shouted in Spanish, !" Bravo! the capital adventure, Colonel. form your line for the charge!'' And down they went upon the enemy-Kane and his gallant Kentucky charger ahead. Under. standing the principle that sends a taIlow- candle through plank, and that the mo- menium of body is it's weight multiplied by iis velocity, he dashed through the op- nosing force, and turning to engage after breaking their line, he found himself fairly surrounded. and TWO of the enemy giving him their special attention One of these was disposed of in an instant by rearing his horse, who, with blow Of his fore foot, fooged his man-and wheeling sud- denly, the Doctor gave the other sword wound, which opeued the external lilac artery, and put him hors de rombat. This subject of the Doctor's military surgery was the young Maximilian. The briei melee terminated with a cry from the Mex jeans, f" We surrender" Two of the off, cers made dash for an escape, the Doctor pursued them, but soon gave up the chase. When he returned. he. found his rufians preparing 10 massacre te prisoners. As he galloped pat ihe y""nS officer whom he hat wounded. he heard him cry. |" Srnnr, save my fa,her." A group Of guerrilla guards were dashing upon tsr Mexicans, huddlrd together, with iheii iances in rest He threw himself before them-one of them uansiixcd his horse. another gave him severe wound in the groin. He killed the fisi.lieuie nant, woun- ded the second lieutenant, and blew part of the colonei's beard of with the last charge of his six.shootrr then grappling with him. and using his fists, he brought the party to terms. The lives of the pris- oners were saved, and the Doctor received their swords. As soon as General Gaona could resrh his son. who lay a. a little dis ,ance f,oin the scrne ot the last struggle, the Doctor found him sitting hy him, re criv:ng his last adi-us. Shifting the sold fer and resumiug the surgeon, he secured the artery, and put the wounJed man in condition to travel. The ambulance got up for the occasion, contained al once the wounded Maxitnilian, the wou unded second- lieutenant, and the man that had prepared them for slow travelling. himself on his litter, from ihe lance ound received in de. trnre "f his prisoners! When ,hrs frached Puebla, the Doct"r's wound proved the worst in th. party. He was taken [" the governin"n, house, but the olds(seneral, in gratitude for his generous services, had him conveyed to his own house. General Child., American commander at Puebla, hearing ct the generosity of his prisoner, discharged him without making any terms. and the old general became the principal nurse of his captor and benefac,ot, dividing his attentions between him and his son, who lay wounded in an adjoining room. This illness of our hero @as long and doubtful. and he was reported dead to his friends al home.
 When he reroverd and returned, he was employed in the Coast Survey. While engaged in this service, the eepeynmrn, by its correspondence with Lady Franklin became committed for an attempt at the rescue of Sir John and hts illstarred com
 panions in Arctic discovery. Nothing could he better addressed 10 the Doctors
 governing sentiments than this adventure. The enterprise of Sir John ran exactly in the current of one cf his own en,hGsiasms -the service of natural science combined with heroic personal effort-and, added to
 this, that sort of patriotism which charges itself with its own full share in the execu- ,ion of national engagements of honor | and besides this cordial assumption of his l coun,ry's debts and duties, there was no
 li,ile force in the appeal of a nob'y brave spirited woman to the chivalry of the American navy.
 He was bathing in the tepid waters ol
 ,h- Gulf of Mexico, on the 18th of May
 is50," when he received his ,elegraphie order to proceed forthwith 70 New York
 for duty upon the Arctic expedition. IL
 nine days from that,d date he was beyond
 the limits of ,he United States on his dis maj voyage 10 the North Pole. Of thi.
 first American expedition, as is we'll knowl
 to the public, he was the surgeon. the nat
 uralist, and the historian. IL returned dis
 appointed of it's main object, after winfe
 tn the regions of eternal ice and fiftsel
 mon,hs' absence.
 | Scarcely allowing himself a day to re cover from the hardships of this cruise, h,
 set on foot the second attempt, from whicl
 he has returned, after verifying hy actua
 observation the long questioned existenc I Of m open sea beyond the latitude of s3e snd beyond the temperaiure. also. of loo below the ireezing point. His :. P~rsoua
 Narrative" published early in 1853. rs
 counts the adventures of the first voyags and discovers his diversified qasli6catiuu