Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-11-07
From the Marion (Alo.) American.
The Palmettoes in Mexico.
NEW sERIEs-No. TEN.

" Have yc sharpcned your swords for the bat
tic is nigl,
And the morn ofthc conflict is breaking"
On the evening of the 9Th of March SIG
sixty ships had moored at the rendezvous,
at Anton Lizardo, ten miles south OF Vera
| Cruz, Gen, Scott had been delayed three
weeks beyond his expectations, aud for an
entire month Ito Vera Cruzans had ex-
pecied our arrival every day. 1t was in.
dispensahle to the health of the army, and
to the success of any advance iuto the in.
lterior that Vera Cruz should be taken, by
ilhe 1st of May, and the army advanced as
far as seventy miles into tile interior, where
the table lands" afford security from the
yellow fever. Not day WIS to be lost
and at once preparations were made for
landing,
The weather was mild, and beautiful
Our ships were about two miles from land
We could distinctly see the Mcxicans at
the little rancho of Anton Lizardo and sec
horscmcn riding along the beech. Before
us spread out Il brilliant and picturesque
panoramic view OF the interior. Just above
| the beach rose range of hills covered with
the dense chapparcl; far beyond them
stretched out ohcquercd champaign, ri
sing gradually to mountain peaks and be-
yond ali hundred miles distant rose the
snow-cappcd peak of Orizaba, it's frigid
snow-fclds glstcning in the bright rays of
an uncloudcd sun. On the south rose up
the blue mountain caps Of Nucatan, which
reflected the waves of the blue pacific. Ten
miles to the north rose the tall and glitter
ing church spires of Vera Cruz, its rcd
walls, its frowning battemcnts, and its
mountain sand A thousand yards out
in the gulf, stood the grim castle of San
Juan de Ulloa, guarding like huge Ger
berus, the water gate to the city. Just out
of reach of the guns of the castle our block
aiding squadron was lying at anchor. In
the bay were few merchant ships of ncu-
tral nations, and armed ships of French,
England, Spain and Belgium. The 9th of
March was a mild and lovely day 1t was,
] believe, the Christian Sabbath, and it
was natures sabbath, too The tropical
sky was without cloud the gulf was still,
and upFufilcd by n wave; there was all
around solemn stiffness Nature herself
seemed awcd and hushcd at the contcmpla-
ton of what man was about to do.
On the 1th the expedition came very
near being thwartcd by an accident, which
would have left the army without General
officer.
Gen. Scott assembled all his Generals,
Patterson, Pillow, Quitman, Worth, Shields
and Cadwaladcr, on board a small steamer,
and made trip of reconnaissance around
the city and castle. Ncnturing too rashly
within range of the guns of the castle, a
number of shells were thrown at the little
vessel, and from the explosion of two Of
them, she narrowly escaped destruction
a single shell might have sent her to the
bottom, and all the Generals with her.
Such a disaster would have spread confu-
sion and dsmay through the army, and
most probably have caused the expedition
to be abandoned; disaster from which
fortune rescued us, in spite of tho indiscrect
tcmcrity OF vur dcncral There need not
have been such an accompaniment on a
reconnaissance, nor in fact was it necessary
that Gen Scott should perform such duty
in person.
The gallant little Steamer, came back to
Anton Lizardo safe and sound, with Gall
aboard" and was heartily chccrcd by the
army.
| On the Sth, the troops were put on board
the naval vessels and transports, and the
landing would have been effected on that
day. but was postponed on account of an
apprchcnded northcr
Early on the morning Of the 9th the fleet
of transports, under the armed escort of
several of our naval vessels, spread their
canvas and bore up to the city. 1t was
grand, gay, and animated scene. The
decks of all the vessels were crowded With
soldiers and spcctators-cagcr to see every
movement, and every moment expecting to
hear the guns of the Castle, or a masked
battery on the beach open on us. We bore
up bravcly towards the castle, and the can
nonicrs stood by their guns with lighted
fires, ready to bclch out their fury upon us.
But having come within four miles Of the
castle, our ships suddenly changed their
course, and anchored behind the little
Island of Sacriticious, which was three
miles from the city and castle 1t was
the best point for the landing, being just
beyond reach of the enemy's guns.
The fleet anchored about a thousand
yards from the beach. We certainly looked
for some resistance to our landing 1t was
an opportunity which a brave and yigilant
enemy would not have neglected. One of
our steamers ran near the beach and fred
her guns over tho sandhills, to draw the
/ fire of any battery that might be concealed
on the hills, but no response came back ;
not hostile soldier made his appearance
The honor of being the first to land was
| assigned to WOrth's brigade. At 4 o clock