The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-12-25
McCLELLAN AND BEA AUREGARD IN
MEXICO.

DOlnS SuaFu uuty OH oue VI tnese Ciea
frosty nights is what call "big thing.
Standing before a huge fire, whose g'im
mering rays shoot into the dense pine for
est which surrounds you, as if they, too
had partaken Of the spirit Of vigilance, AM
were searching for some hidden foe, one
mind naturally is affected, and every shad
"w and tree has an association which ava
kens the soldier to an appreciation Of hi
sentinel duties. But such a night as las
night-dark, dIeary. wet, and disagreeabl'
in the eXtremc-haS an entirely dIffercn
effect, and we clustered around the fire
piled high with "Secesh" rails, which a
times seemed to exert its best light AM
most genial rays to spread huner and d..
light among those who stood smokin,
around it. Then, as if exasperated at tn,
failure, it would splutter and crack, con
tending furiously with every drop Of rain
and hiss out a strong rcproof at the ele
mcnt which was making the sentinels 81
uncomfortable
But the guard must be vigilantly main
tained through thc night, anh We dare not
Sleep; for you must know, Mr.. Editor, that
sleep courts the soldiers eyeli,ls as sweetiy
under the dropping rain as it does in hi,
tent, il, perchance, he has gum blanket
for bed, and his knapsack for pillow.
I proposed a song, but the only music
that could be raised was made by little
corporal who doled out in most melan
choly style,
'Some Gays must be dark aud drsary."
This seemed to be the only song that the
corporal knew, and the only one Of tha,
kind which we wanted to hear. Under
these auspices, proposed a story, and the
sergeant Of the guard, an old Mexican sol!
dier "up and told' the following story,
which quote, as nearly as can recoliect,
in his own words:
SEATED in my tent, one evening, just be-
fore the battle of the city Of Mexico, the
Captain came to me with, Corporal, have
been requested to send trusty non com.
miSsoned officer to the general council to,
night. Will you gny"
"Ircplied in the affirmative. thanking the
Captain for his confidence Our company
was, at that time, detached from its regi-
ment, and was doing special duty at Gen.
Scott's headquarters. In the discharge o.
that duty, | had made a point 0. being
specially attentive, and had thereby gained
ihe confidence Of our Captain, and once or
twice was commended by old Fuss and
Feathers himself. brushed up my old
clothes, and frightened my shoes and brass
plates in the n.ateSt manner possible that
evening, and presented myself to the Ahju-
tant General for instructions. found that
the council about to meet for the consider
alton of Gen. Scott's plans for taking the
city, was To be composed of all the Colo
ncS in :hc division, and that my duty wo'd
b. to go errands, and attend to bringing
charts, paper, or whatever might be re.
quired.
| Well. the council met and I was at my
post. 1t was the finest body Of military
men | had ever seen together, and when
they assembled around that table, and the
old General stood towering high above all
the rest, could not help but admire hln
more than ever. After The customary sal
utation and organization, they sat down in
order Of rank, beginning with Gen. Wool.
and succeeding each other in seats, as sen
iority of rank gave them privilege. 1t was
no tim. for delay, aud the General spoke
rapidly and with earnestncss, occasionally
referring to some one on the right or lett for
infnrnarion or corrobUration. Thus care
fully and explicitly were the movements,
and marches, the sallies, and Sortics, the
! whole plan developed, SO that all seemed to
understand. But presently plan was dis.
covered, something was wrong, and saw
/ by the perpl.xed look Of those around thu
table that very serious mistake had been
,nads, but from what cause, my knowledge.
If military affairs dill not permit ME to
Judge A dispute arose between some Col
onel and the engineer. in. chief, in regard t.
the position and strength OF some battery.
and the topography of the surrounding
country. The Colonel said that frequent
reconnaissance Of the ground, from the fact
Of his being encamped near the place il,
question, led him, even in direct opposition
10 the chart Of the engineer, to protest
against it's truthiulness, and he would urg..
upon the general to make himself sure Of
the condition of affairs before he fully com
plcted his plan. BIT this would not do; it
was necessary that very important and Wig
orous movements should take place upon
that section Of the defence, and without y
correct knowledge Of the place no action
could be carried on with safety or certain
ty. 1t seemed, in fact, to be a main point
at which positive success would have to fall
to the American forces. Finally, the colo
mel said there was young leutenan: in
his regiment who had a correct chart Of the
dsftnces, and map Of the demesne thereto
adjacent The engineer-in chief sneeringly
said, "Vcry well, sir, you had better send
for your authority, and let US see this great
map" The general nodded his approval,
and the colonel gave me the name and ad-
dress of the lieutenant. The encampment
was not very Gar away, and l mounted my
horse and rode off in haste to the regimen
tai headquarters, and found the very man |
was in search of in the coloncl's tent, with
drau.hting paper on table before him, and
sketches Of the city and its surroundings
scattered everywhere. | handed him the
note, which he read and hastily tore up,
asking me if could wait till he could bor-
row horse l told him could, but had
not long to wait, far he came back in a few
m"ments, and carefully wrapping up his
surveys, he placed them in long tin case.
and, mounting, prepared to follow me. On
the way he co,vcr>c,l with SO much ear
II, stness, and in such n mill, interesting
u,anner, that | felt encourage to talk and
chat, contrary tO my usual practice when
on horseback. lie informed me that he was
Ia graduate of West Point. and that he had
there fallen SO much in love with the sci
ence of geometry that he had made it an
almost constant study, and that now he
found it very interesting, in the interval
of duty to make sketches and surveys of
the city.
When we arrived at the generals head.
quarters again, the lieutenant was intro
duced, and, at his colonels request, pro-
duced his charts. The party were, aston.
Shcd at their finish and fine execution, and
when, after examination, they were found
to be- perfectly correct, Gen. Scot: came
forward, and grasping the young lieutenant,
by the hand, personally complimented him
on his skill, and thanked him for his eficen-
cy. The chief engineer, somewhat cha.