Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-10-31
Ml9OgllA AMY.
From the Marion Gala American.
The Palmettoes in Mexico.
BY ONE OF THE TWO HUNDRED.
NEW sERIEs-So. prOnr.

NEW sERIEs-So. p'0ur. s.t
The storm having subsldcd, our labors
were resumed. The Island was cleared up
for parade grounds for the different rcgi-
nlents. Ships continued to arrive with ad-
ditional volunteers, and the Island was cov-
cred with q city of tents. There were on
the Island the two Pennsylvania regiments,
the Now York regiment, Louisiana reg
iinent,- battalion from the District of Co
luinba, [ think, the Palmetto regiment and
perhaps other regiments. But Col. Butler
and 400 of the Palmettoes had not yet ar
rived or been heard from. They had left
Mobile bay in company with us, but we
soon left them at sea. Day after day we
looked for them, aud hailed every sail in
sight as the old Alhambra, until we felt the
most painful apprehensions for their fate
We believed that they had been wrecked,
until a numbering old ship was seen on the
18th of February which proved to be the
Alhambra.
They had been II days out from Mobile,
and had narrowly escaped shpwreck. A
few days after, the company from Newbcr-
ry, under Capt. Williams, which had been
received as the ! lth company of the Pal
metto regiment by the Secretary of war.
joined us, and increased the strength of
the regiment to1000 -G ~
During our stay on Lobos, we were drill
ed with great severity. We were under
arms, and on drill six hours every day, un-
der broiling sun. Otherwise our soiourn
on Lobos was very pleasant. The moon
light was soft and bright and as soon as the
sun went down, the temperature of the
Island was cool and bracing The cool,
sweet breeze that blew all night was bland
and refreshing. 1t was the sweet South
winds which
- Breathes upon a bank of yiolets
Stealing and giving ordor."
Lulled by its fragrant breath, and the
soft moonbeams, we sank to sleep upon a
soldiers bed-the hard ground, covered
with one blanket. We sank to sleep
'perchance to dream" of love, and glory,
and home
In our leisure hours, we went fishing and
bathing. The sailors caught large quaint
ties of red fish, and sold them to us. Our
Sutlcr arrived with his "grocerios,le and
being flush of money, and having credit
with the Sutler, we 'fared sumptuously
every day" More fully to occupy the
leisure hours games of "short cards" were
played. / was invited into ono as a "grecn
horn to be Victinised, but had such run
of luck that | won a hat full of silver and
gold, but having some fooiishscruple plesabout
the matter, gave tback.
The Palmettoes had begun to suffer
much from disease Measles and Mumps
had spread largely among them. twas
laughable to see some of the companies,
when called out on parade. Half of them
had their faces swollen with mumps,
and other parts of the body so symputhized
with their faces that they could hardly
walk. Pneumonia and dmrhea were very
prevalent, and almost every day, the sad
notes of !" the funeral march" announced
that another soldier had gone to, his grave.
We began to grow eallous ana reckless. -
We followed a brother soldier TO his shall
low grave, hastily lowered him i'm it, fired
the formal Dalute as his last requiem; but
no tear was shed, no emotion evinced, and
in moment it was altogether forgotten.
Death isterible only at distance.
Those who have often looked the old reap
or IN the face, pluck his beard and laugh
F. u.
1t is the same with tcrrors as with. pleas
urcs and hopes,
"Distancc lends enchontmSnt to the view.''
TO piloa a Pelion upon the ossa of our
affections, smallpox broke out among us.
1t was discovered among Pennsylvania
regiment quartered not further than $50
yards from US. Yet it created very little
excitement. / had given my washing to
some women in that regiment, and cared
40 little about the small 4poS (er the Devil)
that l did not even "moye my washing" !"
! Bst the smallpox is very slightly corita-
gious disease, and never an epidemic, Nei-
ther is Ii a dangerous disease. Rave bosn
exposed to it a dozen tines, and had it
mildly once. say this to sllay very
foolish terror which people have about
smallpox, Let them remember if tever
comes,along, that there is no danger in it,
and no danger Of taking it, If they keep
themselves four feet from the bed of the
ysrsoa diseased It Kills Indians because