The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-01-13
FROM Maync Reid's Magazine" onrart." "
n DaShing Dra.oon.
TIE NrRAr OF TIE AMERICAN ARMY.

~ 1IbSAAHS D&"NSS"s
THE MrRAr OF TIE AMERICAN ARMY.
There "a n namc among the heroes Of
America not 50 often spoken rs II
should be but wlich, when spoken.
never fails 10 strikI upon the ear with
M interest almost romantic. In II the
soldier recognizes the ring OF the true
metal; and It's mention calls up the
image of as fine drnSoon officer ns
ever drew sabre or set foot IN astirrup'
This officer WAS PHILIP kEAKNEf.
Was! How sad IN old comradc feels
in pcnning the past tense. Would
could say, is! -. -. ,,
Alas. it cannot be. His li:c-blood,
of which he was SO daringIy regard
less. has fcrtilizcd the sod OF Chantilly; :;
his ashes rest in the tomb OF his anccS-
tors: and his heroic soul has passed to
II more peaceful world. But tor that
fatal shot that made him corpse III
tho saddle his name would now have
been louder upon the lips Of his coun-
tryIncn. For the man who cried "cow-
ar,licc or trcnSonw when Malvern Hill
was 80 'basely abandoned to the Toe,
would have led to victory had he lived :;
und this man was General Phil p hcnr-
TO say this is no disparagemcnt to
the successful leaders who survived
him. don't think there is one among
them who will deny, that, had Phil.
kcarncr not met premature death. he
would have achieved rank second TO
none, as second to none has he won
reputation. And it is 4 reputation
that will, year after year. and day after
dar. grow brighter; ~, under the calm
retrospect Of peace. his deeds OF war
like daring-of high chiyalric hcroism
become better known.
1t is not my purpose to write the ol-
>o.raphy Of General Philip Aearncy.
There arc other pens better fitted tor
tho task: aud some one Of them VIII
10 doubt perform this national duty.
1t should be labor OF love Tor any
patriot to write the stor! OF such =
life; aud there Is no patriot who should
not read it. nm incapable; FOR whilc
Kcarney was engaged in that grand
struggle, that gave tho latest proofs,
alike Of his sallautry as devotion to
his couutry's cause. | was far away IN
q distant quarter Of tho globe.
IN the lesser strife, that by some
xhins more than u decade preceded It
the Second Conquest. Of Mexico!
wos by his side, and saw him do deed
that fixed him in my mind. forever
after, as "dashing dragoon."
1t is Of this deed, too little known,
desire to make record; so that it may
.assist the future biographcr Of the gal.
liant Kearncy, as also the historian Of
that spirited Mexican expcdi,ion-stlll
but fcebly chronicled. Partly for these
reasons, and partly, that the cyc-wit-
aesscs OF those far-d distant cYents-in
thcir day thought stirring, and still
picturcsquc-are gradually growing
Jess in number. 49,,
Alas. that from among MS Phil.
Kcarncy is missing! But his memory
Is with us; and now, for chapter that
vi not only recall him to the thoughts
OF his old comrades. but his country
lnen, in oil the dash. tho daring, the
unparalleled plsturcsqucness OF his
character
1t was the battlefield, known in his
tory as CHm1u6usco; SO called from
stream of tho name, with'a village up
on its Lauks-a cluster OF huts and
. churches, with a grand convent rising
, massivcly in their midst. 1t is on tho
famed National Road leading south
coward Acapulco from the city OF
Mexico, and about five miles from the
suburb OF the latter city-the g0'7ta OF
San Antonio dc Abad.
The crossing Of tho stream was de-
fcndcd by n battery OH the tete dc pont;
by flanking works along tho banks on
both sides; aud BY strong body OF
troops that occupied the convent OF
Churubusco. for the time transformed
into fortress.
It cost tho American army deadly
struggle to take thcao works; all the
dcadlicr that they were defended by
two hundred brave lrishmen, who, as
Is too often tho case, were lighting on
the wrong side. They were deserters.
and fought in dcspair--with tho pros
ucct Of halter If taken.t
The tetc dc pont, although desperate
~ defended, was at length carried:
tho sooner that brigade Of gallant
= Ths angular manner Of Phil. Kosrnes's
dnnfh In not generally known put 10 describe
IL n tasE too painful for o riond.
They .re,c taken, and MY OF them hanged
10 ono mornins-tbe morning 9f rn,Sa cS$p, .,
Snspp StspsS ~ rsn one piaeS ~
tan 81 drum. wcrc- they launched Into eternity;
II TSa 4 terrible relributiou., but eouto nos Vol
DO avoided. On that day the az Ss6 9! sdo snSfhs