Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-11-26

feet in front of the Abbeville company, and
covered it with cloud of sand. Nothing
saved us but the depth of the sand in which
the balls buried themselves. We continued
in pursuit of the retreating Mexcans, but
they kept beyond range of our mus skets.
We took shelter behind some little sand
hills. Col. Dickinson was with us, severely
wounded. The batteries from the city made
the most untiring efforts to drive us from
our position. They seemed determined to
batter down the sand hills that sheltered us,
Their balls sometimes struck the tops of the
hills and rolled over among US. Next they
tried bombs and they bursted them all ovel
US aud around us. saw bombshell burst
over our heads, and an iron arrow three feet
long fell from it. and stuck in the ground.
Captain Secrest was wounded by fragment
of an exploded shell We were soon recall
led, and we retired under another shower of
shells from the city.
Eight or ten Palmettoes were wounded,
among whom were COL Dickinson and Capt.
Secrest. 1t is really surprising that so little
loss was suffered, for the air hurtled with
deadly missiles.
Some companies of the Palmettoes pre-
sented in their costume ludicrous, and
some ferocious aspect. At Lobos all OF
them had bought from the sutler, coarse
heavy shirts. Some wore blue striped cot
ton, and some flannel of bloody red color
These shirts reached nearly to the knees, and
worn over the pants, made very snowy
frock coat. They looked so handsomely that
they were adopted as uniform, worn over
the pants and fastened at the waist by cir.
die and buckle. This fantastic costume
highly amused the Mexicans.
1t was now about MONDAY; the sun was
intolerably hot, the lazy Mexicans had gone
back to the city, and We, heated and fatigued,
retired to the woods to find a cool shade
The heat was iutolerable and most of us we're
out of water. One man tainted under the
effects of the heat and fatigue. We scatter
ed in every direction hunting for water, but
none was found. had very imprudently
given away about half my canteen of water
as 1 went into the fight. \ Pennsylvania
begged me for some water, and | gave him
my canteen. He drank it like famished
wolf, until an old soldier standing by, re-
proved him for taking the water from boy
who was going into battle and would need it..
The old soldier was right was green and
generous, and foolishly gave away my water
to lazy fellow who was not in the fight,
and might have gone for it. did need that
water badly before | got any more. After
search of some hours l discovered a little
pool of water full of wiggletails, but it was
no time to be squeamish and | drank it CO.
piously.
Late in the evening a Mexican rancho
was found about mile and a half distant,
where there was we'll of water. From this
we were amply supplied. The ignorant
Mexcans had heard us described as barba'
rians, who would devour them and their
property, and they had fed in terror to the
woods, carrying with them their most valua-
bic property. On the next day, however,
the owners of the shauty were induced to
return We promised them protection, and
left guard at the shanty to protect them
aud the we'll These were the first Mexi-
cans we had seen. They were poor devils,
as all Mexican peasants are. They had a
beautiful daughter, about eighteen who got a
dozen of us in love with her. She was a
sweet, innocent ignoramus. Her figure was
very graceful, and her face was half-divine.
An eye
"Darkly, deeply, beautifully o1ach'
glowed with gentlcness and sympathy, if not
love. Her style of dress was suitable to the
tropical clmate, where clothes are worn tor
ornament, and not for warmth. Her dress
was a gaudy barcge, from the waist down ;
above it linen ctcmi q believe that is the
uamc) and bare arms, neck and bust. The
chcmi was fastened with gold button, and
she had gold earrings aud Il number Of fin
ger rings. The only thing o"t'r about hcl
was that she was bareiooted, but as that Wa:
the fashion, and her feet were small and pret
ty, that did not spoil the romance. She
was the first senorita | had seen; she was {
pretty senorita like pretty girls general
ly; and of coulsc visited her every day
There was some difficulty, however, in ex
changing sentiments. She spoke nothing
but Espan( y)ol, and l could not exactly
speak Espauol. I was just from College
and could speak Latin glibly, so l tried that
Latin and Spanish are very similar, and II
was the best that could be done under the
circumstances. Long, long shall | remem
Der
The dark eyed senorita
The maid Of Vera Cruz.
Night came on, and found us much fl
tigued by the labor of the day. Our con
dition was as uncomfortable as can be imag
ined. In going into the fight that morning
We had thrown off our blankets, and many
had thrown off their haversacks containing
their victuals. Many had nothing to eat
and all were without blankets. And thu:
we were to spend the second night. Get
ting soft chunk for pillow, few leave;
for bed, and bush for covering we laic
down, exhausted and hungry, to soldier
rest. But we had achieved glory enough
for one day. We had fought the first hsh
Of the compaign; We had shed the frs
blood of the defenders of Vera Cruz W.
b,d f,.od that dov y fire which only veteran