The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-06-04
Inoidenis OF the iiexIcan war
The late Colonel Brooks, OF
South Carolina.

Il
Incidents OF the Mexican war
Ths late Colonel Brooks, O
South Carolina.
Colonel KeAt, Of Ssnth Carolina, ma lat,
speech in that State, thus adyerted 10 som,
incidents Of the late war in the Mevicur
Valley. Colonel keitt saids
"General Quitman told him that when
portion OF bis brigade was ordered into bat
tie, Colonel Butler was refused to De allow
ed 10 90, because the PaImettocs wefe scII
ally broken down by fatigue and privaton
and he was GOO feeble for duty. He detail
ed the New York Regiment and another, anG
ordered them forward. Colonel Pierce
Butler demanded "a place in III, picture >
l"No, sir, your place is in the h0spital."-
"Sh!n said he, elevating his noble figure
with fire hashing from his eagle eye-aNev.
er, sir, while the enemy is in sight, and our
flag moving onward!' He could not resist
him-his demand was acceded to, and the
regiment stock its place in the pIcture," o
brilliant light in the. canvas. General Quit.
man told him, too, that the flag Of the Pal
metto regiment was the first that waved over
the city OF Mexico. "Sir, was with that
regiment Of the gates ofthe city, and when
| called for flag to plant upon that gate,
the Palmetto flag was the only one there,
and that wns the flag that first spread its
folds in %iamph over the Capitol of Mexi.
co." ..-..-. ......-
He alluded to the noble Brooks his poor
friend Drooks-hIs coleague-his compan- l.
ion-bis room-mate. He spoke fhis noble
ness, his gentleness, his mugnanimity, and
related many beautiful incidents in i!lustra.
lion OF his character. He could not trust
himself to speak more OF him, but his object
was now to mention an incident he derived
from him, relative to his younger brother,
who fell at Churubasco> -. ..
Poor Preston Brooks had designed, and
wns having executed, to wear a signet.ring,
in memory OF his noble-spirited brother,
when he himself was taken from the scene
of oil his earthly honors and labors. >a.l. t..
When another regiment fed, AMI all the
horrors and scourges of war were pouring
down upon the gallant Palmettoes, bathed
in the blood Of their eomrades-when Shields
said: "Who will follow mel" and Butler
said, "We will" Brooks, yes the STRIPPING
Brooks, cried out: "Yes, oil will follow YOU
to death!'' and he did. The same ball which
pierced his body, shivered his mus ket--and
shivered musket was to adorn the signet
with the motto salts mer1isSe. When this
brother left home, Brooks told him his father
said to his old body servant, "Go with him
and take care of him, confide nv son 10
you" How did the old negro act! When
the baptism Of blood was going on .-when
the hot ignition of STRATUM was everywhere
with none to watch the wounded boy bu,
this old servant, he was at his labor of love,
taking care OF his charge. Crushed bones
worked out from the wopnd-he gathered
them up and preserved them, the noble spirit
passed out, and the corpse alone was LETT
What did the old and faithful slave! The
regiment gave him a mule and cart-the
soldiers helped him to make rude coffin
With his own hands he placed the earthly
remains of his beloved young master in this
hearse-he conveyed it to Mexico-he car.
ried it to Vera Cruz-he bore it on shipboard,
and by railroad to his masters home, and de-.
livered the body and the bones of her child
to his widowed and bereaved mother, at the
Intel of his birthplace. This is literally
true. In classic story-in Legendary annals
in ancient or modern times where is the
equal of this touching story! fs