The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-01-28
INCIDENTS OF THE
MEXICAN CAMPAIGN.
By MEMBER OF THE PALMETTO REGIMEN,
The Alvarado Expedition.

C"c "Salhst tnlappn, 10 miles lii the interior
, and the other against the little seaport Of AL
varado, GO miles southwest Of Vera Cruz AL
varnd" had twice rcpnlsed our Navy-as 1t wa
said-bnt cannot believe That our NAVY was
III earnest when the attack was made, and on
! ~ designed to test the strength of the place
> lhe osJecL OF the present expedition wns to de
, htroy the military drfences of Alvaralo, and &c
take possession Of all md any government store:
found i'll it. We wished for this march, for we
were heartily tired of sand hill life, and lonpcd
to be away on some duty. We had heard n
great deal OF Mexico, hcsides having read more
, of its lofty mountains and elevated table lnnds
where re'gncd eternal spring. at the same
time. we painted to our ma-nnl,ons its fruit.
inl wales and groves of,r"rical fruits its coo
ing fountains and hospitahlr hacifnlas with
store houses of luxurious abundance.
This expedition was the theme Of many q
camp lire circle, and n we cnlargeL upon the
pleasures and benefits lihcly to accrue from it.
all expressed equal confidence IN the future
But. oh, what Il fatal dcuuuement awoi1e :,
all of ns. baggage wagon. drawn bv 6ro
stout mules was provided to each comr,nv
-i"glv. knap sacks, blankets DC, were trans.
| ' ~ " o '"e"s IA CLOCK p. m, March
'''lh. we were mustered und the western
walls Of Vera Cruz. The limc was formed with
the DrnGoons and sections of rillcrv in front
followed by ite Infnntrv. composed of the
Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina rcri-
men's Three vessels Of war, Commanded bv
| Lieut.. Hunter, OF the Navy, cooperatrd with
the land forces, under Brigalier General Quit.
| man: Our route was along the Gulf Of Mexico
and so near that the surf d"faceL the foot prints
! OF the marching columns. The sun was sc,rrb
! ing hot, and no water nearer than the occan
| appeared to our furnished view. 4 row of
! sand hills, almost dcuudcd of verctation. skirt
e" The en''rc route, on our right. We encoun.
| tered numerous fragments Of our wrecked veg
seis, and whole snrfb"ntS-the shade of which
| we were prone to seek often before tn. word
! halt had been given. Isaw private this ,f
ternoon rnrchn Sc n drink o water from one Of
Ills Immediate comrades, for which he paid
! down one qnId Of prime tobacco. Similar in
stances afterwards became by no means rare
III the succeeding few days ofthis evcntful wild
goose chase. Col Butler. having been seized
with violent illness, was compc led to r.turn
and Lieut.. Col. GLADDEN. assumed command of
the Regiment twelve mile jaunt brought us
; 10 the HHdeto". beautiful fresh water river
and the first. md only stream, we had met with
| in the country. The column fled up its banks
until the right ofits line rested N the lilac. Of
Madelon. 1t was now quite dark, and one.
third OF the Brigade was in the rear the most of
whom had given out from excessive fatigue
AMI other causes. Upon learning that we were
| III the town OF Ma'clon, home associations be.
| gan to revive, which forced upon our minds
numberlcss dormant memories, Restaurants hot
coffee. beef steaks, and other lnxuries. A uenr-
er approach pointed out the cupula and spires
of Gothic church. The faint outlines of its
| gloomy architecture appeared in the starlight,
and around its massive walls was clustered IA
! forest OF magnificent cxotics, which drew
around it neverending Sabbath Immediate.
~ across the street was n ITenda. These bull
dIngs together, certainly gave some Indications
Ola thrifty and we'll organized community
Dut we We're not posted up the Mexican
town question They were exclusively under
the control and patronage of the Fathers ofthe
Church, and all that the Padres failed to extract
from the poor natives on account of the Viygiu
| GdMdclonpe, sure TO find its wav in
to the grocery, one oftwo indispensnbly nee.
esSary establishments to Mexican village
The remainder Of the houses, some forty in oil.
| constituted the village. We only found one of
! its inhabitants at home-a superanuated old
man These village domicils were a curiosity.
from their rude and primitive structure They
were built OF small sticks, set perpendicular in
the ground. and tha,ched with ooarse grass or
palm leaves. One room served for all purpo
ses. BY this time tho teams and strayclers had
arrived in camp. and dry wood being abun-
dant. we were soon afterwards discussing the
events of the day, over a plentiful supply of
| hot coffee and dried crackers. In the mean.
time. we spread our blankets for a delicious
nights rest, and such one as weared soldiers
like ourselves. only knew how to appreciate
But alas! this boon was even denied us. The
whole place was alive with feas and the at
mosphere swarmcd with sand flies and Inusat,e-
toes. They assailed us, not by companies, but
by armies of fmyriads, armed with all. the terri
bic implements of insect warfare. All night
long could hear the groans and imprecations
of their tortured victims. Now we turned this
and that side TO the fire, while we beat about
for some place Of security. But at this juno.
ture. the enemy mustered all his forces and call
ing up an army ofifsas in reserve. they fell up.
> on us with such irresistible fury that we were
compelled to retreat in good earnest, and ae-
knowlsdged ourselves whipped for once, at
least. Towards daylight. fell into sound
slumber only to be aroused in few moments
afterwards by the reivells. a. u
: Morn ing of the .8lst. we arose reluctantly at
day dawn, and dispatehing hasty meal. We
girded on ourtrappings for q renewal of un-
forsssen trials, which,. from yesterdays expe-
! rienos stillasaited our further energies. Leot
Whitwsl, ,of the Navy, bad already constructed
asuhstantisl crossing over ths river, by lssh.
ing together Two, similar rows Of surf bosts. up
: ton xbieh the army readily gained tho opposite
! fShoss. ~ slloying spr ttaiI dong Che ,Gnl
!, foFssyea ,we passsd 4 esqntrR smilAr q
3, tsaA of yesterday. The massh was tedious ans
'lpsosssiiy stovSa - ne bad 10 halt o fssn - 81
Z ~ sa W 4 q n VI ss 500 @
- t.flSsy s.F. ~, 4,