Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-02-21

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portunity for service that might crowd the
remnant of his life with achievements in
keeping with his ambition; the President
just then embarrassed by a temporary non
intercourse with General Scott, charged
the Doctor with dispatches to the General,
of great moment and urgency, which must
be carried through a region occupied by
the enemy. This embassy was marked by
an adventure so romantic and so illustra-
tive of the character of the man, that we
are tempted to detail it.
On his way to the Gulf he secured a
horse in Kentucky, s'lch as night errant
would have chosen for the companion and
sharer of his adventures. Landed at We
ra Cruz, he asked for an escort to convey
him to the capitol, but the officer in COM
mand had no troopers to spare-he must
wait, or he must accept, instead, a band
of ruffian Mexicans, called the Spy Com
pany, who had takan to the business of
treason and trickery for livelihood. He
accepted them, and went forward. Near
Puebla his troop encountered body of
Mexicans escorting number of distin
guished officers to Orizaba. among whom
were Major General Gaona, Governor of
Puebla; his son, Maximiian, and General
Torejon, who commanded the brilliant
charge of horse at Buena Vista. The sur
prise was mutual, but the Spy Company
had the advantage of the ground. AT
the first instant of the discovery. and be-
fore the rascalS fully comprehended their
involvment the Doctor shouted in Spanish,
Bravo! the capital adventure, Colonel;
from your line for the charged And down
they went upon thr enemy; Kane and his
gallant Kentucky charge ahead. Under
standing the principle that sends a tallow-
candle through plank, and that the mo-
mcntum of a body is its weight multiplied
BY It's velocity, he dashed through the
opposing force, and turning TO engage after
break ing their line, he found himself sur
rounded, 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-f foot,
foored his man; and, wheeling suddenly,
the Doctor gave the other sword wound
which opened the external lilac artery, and
put him hors de combat This subject of
the Doctors military surgery was the
young Maximilian The brief melee ter
minated with cry from the Mexicans, we
surrender Two of the officers made a
dash for an escape; the Doctor pursued
them, but soon gave up the chase. When
he returned, lie found his rufians prepar-
ing to massacre the prisoners. AS he gal
loped past the young officer whom he had
wounded, he heard him cry, 'Senor,
save my father A group of the gucril-
la guards were dashing upon the Mexi-
cans. huddled together, with their lances
in rest. He threw himself before them
one of them transfixed his horse, another
gave him severe wound in the groin.
He killed the first lieut. wounded the sec
ond lieut., and blew a part of the Coloncl's
beard off with the last charge of his six
shooter; then graphing with him, and us
ing his fists, he brought the party to
terms The lives Of the prisoners were
saved, and the Doctor received their
swords. AS soon as Gen. Gaona could
reach his son, who lay a little distance
from the scene Of the last struggle. the
Doctor found him sitting by him, receiv-
ing his last adieus.
Shifting the soldiers and resuming the
surgeon, he secured the artery, he put the
wounded man in Il condition to travel The
ambulance got up for the occasion contain
ed at once the wounded Maxmilian, the
wounded second lieutenant, and the man
who had prepared them for slow travelling,
himself on his litter, from the lance wound
received in defense ofhis prisoners! When
they reached Puebla the Doctors wound
proved the worst Of the party. He was ia
ken to the government house, but the old
General, in gra itude for his generous SER
vices, had him conveyed to his own
house. General Childs, American com
mander at Puebla hearing of the generosi-
ty Of his prisoner, discharged without max
ing any term, and the old General became
tie principle nurse of his captor and sben-
cf.ctor dividing his attention between him
and his son, who lay wounded in an ad
joining room. The illness of our hero was
long and doubtful, and he was reported
dead to his friends at home.
When he recovered and returned. he
was imployed in the coast survey. While
engaged in this service, the government,
by its correspondence with Lady Franklin
became committed for an attempt at the
rescue of Sir John and his ill-starreG com