The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-03-22
ANECDOTES OF PUBLIC MEN,

volition? A coward will fight for
his life; but 1 know a case where .
q single man routed a large armed
force while he was in a tremor of
fear. The death of Gen. Andrew
Porter, U. S. A., at Paris, France, a
few weeks ago, recalled the story,
and tell it as it fell from the lips
of one of my old transcribing clerks
In Washington, eighteen years ago
the popular and witty DR.. w. P.
Reyburn, of New Orleans. He was
a surgeon in a Louisiana regiment
during the Mexican war, and a
close friend of Andrew Porter, one
of the Captains in the Mounted
Rifles, and if Iaamistake not, attach
cd to that celebrated corps. He
was hand-in-glove with all the
Southern notables, welcome visi-
tor at every social circle-a fellow
of quick wit, with a contagious
laugh, fond of pleasure of every
kind, and, to complete the picture,
a very fat man, who loved his leisure
and his friends, and hated work con-
sumedly. He is dead, took but I
often think Of him rolling into my
room on his short legs, with his
broad face aglow, his large mouth
streaming with tobacco, full of some
quaint story, which he would relate,
till everybody roared with the merri-
ment he always started in his eX-
plosive way-fairly screaming over
his own fun. One of these incidents,
and one of the best, was the way
he charged and dispersed a squad
ron of Mexican rancheros. I have
seen a room-full of celebrities en-
joying this really original story, as
thus told by my departed friend:
"You will all recollect that Andy
POrter's company of mounted rifles
was detailed as the escort Of the
American Commissioners who We're
to carry the treaty Of Gaudaloupe-
Hidalgo from the city of Mexico.
then occupied by the victorious
American forces under Gen. Win
field Scott, to the city o! Queretaro,
for ratification by the Mexican
Government, which, driven out Of
their capital, had taken up its quar-
ters in that city. Among these
Commissioners were Ambrose H.
Sewer, of Arkansas, and Nathan
Clifford, of Maine, st present q
Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States. We had whipped
the Mexicans, taken their fortesses,
subdued their country. That mag
nifcent Empire lay at our feet. We
ought to have gobbled it then, as
we shall have to absorb it hereafter.
The war was over, but the entire
country was swept by the predatory
parties, and no American was safe
within few miles of the City OF
Mexico. The route from the CAPT
tai to Queretaro, distant some sixty
or eighty miles, was beset by guer-
illas, and the Commissioners, with
their attendants, occupying several
handsome scoaches, drawn by fine
horses, could not proceed on their
errand without due military escort.
Captain Andy Porter was, as l have
said, in command, and 1 was
elected surgeon, no doubt because
I liked him and he liked me. Be
fore starting a very fne-looking fl
" was set apart for me; for you
must recoliect, gentlemen, that we
laid under contribution the best an
finals the vicinage could afford. 1
am fond of a good horse, and you
can imagine my displeasure when
saw that the animal that had been
assigned me was considered by the
owner too light, who came to me,
saying: CDR. Reyburn you have
long Journey before you, and would
not like to find your horse lame. [
have, therefore, brought with me a
handsome roadster, capable of car
rying you comfortably. AS 1 am
the owner of both, and as you would
be certain to destroy the FLY by
your great weight, without helping
yourself, why not take the easy and
safe roadsters and thereby serve your
own comfort and INTEREST,"" Capt.
waited by the candor of my friend,
and not knowing that his only object
was selfish, and, above all, not know
ing that the roadster, as he called
it, had been an old campaigner. l
gladly mounted him, and the cor
tege proceeded on its way, headed
by Captain Porter. 1t was a beau
tiful day, and our course ran
through a picturesque country.
The commissioners were happy, the
command in good order, the sur-
geon Chat is myself in the rear
none happier than our gallant lead
or, none more perfectly at ease than
mysC If But you must recOlect,
gentleman, that I make no profess
sion of intrepidity; the fact i, 1
suspect I am a coward; at any rate
I always kept myself in the rear of
my valor. In the midst Of our
pleasantries we heard the ring of
the bugle in the front, then the
quiet roll of the drums, and now and
then n dropping shot. l, of course,
regarded this as among the pyro-
techpies of the journey, but as the
noise proceeded 1 felt quick tire
NOR of my horse, and no iced Il
strange movement of his ears, till
at last the firing became more brisk
) and the roll of drums and the blasts
of the bugle more frequent, when
he became ungovernable until Host
all control, and he burst ahead with
me, rast the Commissioners, past
the escort, past the gallant Captain
Andrew Porter-when, to my hor-
ror, found stretched across the
road large body of Mexicans,
arms in hand, resolved to dispute
our passage. You may well imagine
my CONSERVATION.
Never having set squadron in tho field
ban ivieipn n hatfIa know