Smyrna times., 1859-04-07
MISCELLAN n EO U s.
r.ItGA JAAAljTA.
A STORY OF TIE MEXICAN WAR.
SMYRNA. DEL.
pY LIEUT.. H., OF TENNESSEE.

TY LIEUT.. H., OF TENNESSEE.
Mexico had been aken but for all that, little
pc ice culid be tauud Oh the road from Vera
Cruz 10 the CIV of The Moulrzumas, for gueril
las w. rticd IN every paSS-doEged our trans
pOrtaiion and letter trains by day, and sneaked
arnuud our camps b. nght-secklng every
caaqce 10 slip knife or lance III a sentlr els
tii3e stampede, or do any other damage which
ta:r w,ld revenge could prompt.
Ia charge of an escort, had encamped early
ui- gay III what deemed u safe position, near
ur enlrance OF the pass OF Rio Fro. My rea-
sm, for encamplng so early were DOUBLE
Ii s., u gathering storm threatened a great an
nuyaIce aaG discomfort, such as even soldier
wni avoid, when he can with honor-nexi, |
w.sneI To reconnoiter the pass under cover OF
tle uighi; for | had every reason to suppose
inat Padre Jaranla, the guerilla priest, with
hani, was 10 advance. Knowing the pass well,
nteaded to satisfy myself that 1t was un' ecu
ped before my tram started in the morning
We mad not more than got fairly settled in
our camp, before the storm Came on, and such
a storm as your northern cIucs eau never boast
Of Rain, thunder aud lightning, IN quality
full as fine as Jura loving Byron could have
wished; and, IN quantity, beyond any reasona-
bic man. desires
Alter | had seen my men made as comtOrta-
bic as pass ole, senlInels stationed at all mp.
pfUachable p1nts, and also taken care to re-
fresh myself preparatory to hard night ahead,
selected a tvorIle EaLn from the gnarf aud
close wrapped IN a warm pouchO, which also
kept the RAIN from my revOlvers, started tor Lhe
piss on fIot-fOr | wished no clattering hooi 10
Lelray me there, if guerIllas were on the watch.
The wind came down cold as ice tron The
snowy crest Of lstacchuatl; aud l was GLAD
when We got within The pass, stumbling on as
best We coIld-lOr though had means 10 pro-
duce light, and the snuggest beIl-lantern one
could want, dared not light 1t. We knew no'
at what moment we might come III view OF
DIN watch-Iire of the enemy, or hear the qulch
cry of que uiua la p which had more than
once Jared unPleasantly on my ear IN the still
ness oil the night, from a concealed sentinel
all too wakeful for my safety.
But we moved on for a long time wlthou
hsarng other SQUADS than those made by tht
storm or ourselves; and | began. as we passed
spot after spot generally known as dangerous
and found nothing, to wish myself back IN M
tent, wrapped in my blanket, and dreaming o
my sunny home i'll Tennessee.
But suddenly we heard a tramp Of horses il
the road ahead and | knew in u moment, b
the jingle of the heavy bits and spurs, that the
were Mexicans.
Whispering 10 the soldier with me to ste
aside, as did, in silence, close under The huge
overhang,ng rocks, south of the road, wa te
to see what would turn up. The party did ne
seem to be large, and advanced slowly and wit
caution, as indeed was necessary in the DANCE
Gus darkness and condition of the pass: and
did DOT doubt it was small scout sent to e.
anime the position and condition of my cam
And my thought was TO let them pass in sllenc
for knew my men below would give goo
account of them it disturbed, and | intended
look further, and try and examine the poslIIC
of their main body, if it was IN the pass.
But Just as they came opposite 10 The sp
where We were standing, the horse OF one
them stumbled, and al the same instant, "
mat's voice came, loud and shrlll, screaming
Spanish ior help.
"a Bedad! the girl has got her head out Of /
blapket'' exclaimed the man whose horse h
stumbled, speaking 10 undoubted Milesan q
cent.
Aud he seemed to struggle 10 replace
while all the party stopped I; but the girl screa
ed all the louder, and struggled violently.
I'm not lady's man, in the recent W.
Point .acceptalion of the word, out | col
never stand still while woman screamed
help. To open the siding.door of my be
lantern, and throw full light on the matter, "
but an instant's work. My poncho was c,
aside as quickly and as cried to my man
do his duty, my revolver dropped one grea
from his saddle, who raised an escopette to I
} getize on me; and The next instant was lie
ing the girl fram the arms OF the rufian, v
had all he could do to hold her. The worl.
two or ihrer minutes was busy-hpw / got
to she ground, can hardly tell Or how IA