Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1858-01-16
PIckENs COURT HOUSE, G. SATURDAY JANUARY lo 1853
the liberty of these States upon the field of

thc liberty OF these States upon the field of
Yorktown
So o,mueh then depends upon one battlc,and
ma held in his hands the fate of Mexico, and
the political history of this union. Like n
fool, lie wasted the golden moment and his
tory has recorded the fatal consequences of
his folly But even then the Mexicans nc ted
without wisdom. Had Morales been MS ca
pable as he was brave, he would have sent
from the city all the noncombatants, supplied
1T amply with provisions, and fought to the
death. Even as it was, had the city held
out IL days longer it would have been reliev-
ed by an army of 10000 men, The garrison
of the city might have fought to the last mo-
mont and thon escaped to the castle. Had
we taken possession of the city, we could not
have held it under the gums of the CASTLE
With this andap army ofrclicf Of TO- 900 men
against us we would still have been defeated.
In a few weeks the ycllow fever would have
come to the help of the Mexicans, and "sick-
ness swallowed whom the sword had saved y
am now done with the scige of Vera Cruz
have given n faithful account of the opera
tions of our army, and the incidents of the
sei9e and bombardmont. hope have left
clear and distinct impression of it upon the
readers of this narrative.
AS this chapter is shorter than the usual
length, and it requires another chapter to give
the march upon Alvarado, [ will close this
with a few remarks upon the history, topo-
graphy, and climate of Vera Cruz
1t is the Oldest city in Mexico, Of Spanish
origin. Cortcz landed in q few hundred Yards
of the point whore we landed, opposite the
Island of Sacritcios. He selected the sio
upon which the city is built, Designing, if
successful, to found thcrc maritime city,
1t is upon hcadlond extending little into
the gulf. Back of the city, high, shifting
sandhills extend for one or two miles. These
s-~>s a'enbln- nIal H. ll--c -....i.,-.-
entirely displuccs them. Just behind them
arc ponds and marshes rceking with malaria,
and from April till November, the yellow fe-
yer prevails with great fatality. One fifth
of the population die every year The frc-
qucnt northcrs which continue from Novcm-
bcr till April blow off the malaria, and puri-
fy the atmosphere. 1t has a population OF
about 5000, most Of whom are engaged in
commerce.. The city is very limited in cx-
tent. 1t is less than mile in lcngth, and
less than half in width. There is little
taste or elegance ofarchitccturc either in pub
lie or private buildings. The Custom House
is the most handsome building. 1t is built
of Massachusetts granite, and has a finc row
of corinthian columns. Vera Cruz is tie
most filthy, sckly, disgusting and intolcr,-
bic city in the world. The higher class of
AicAiNuHS Nlc hOHucIlully VI CREAMY ana clc-
giant, but the lower class are the most filthy
and obscene wrotchcs that ever saw. 1t is
true they wash frequently, because in their
climate bathing is pleasant, but they arc COW
cred with lice and vermn from head to foot.
They do not smell az strongly as negro, but
they arc equally as unclean. We found the
city intolcrnbly filthy and odorous as acuge
of mcloNn birds. | only wonder that araricc
can tempt anybody to live in such a HE'LL
About FIVE miles South of Vera Cruz is Nc
dellin city, beautiful place, where the veal
thy citiacns of Vera Cruz reside, and come
in, and attend to business every morning
There is a very fine railroad extending scvcr-
al miles into the interior beyond Mcdclin
city. the land in Vera Cruz is, in spots, ve-
ry fertile. Cotton, tobacco, ricc and tropi-
cal fruits grow luxuriantly.