The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-19

In MS ltcluTc giving Ills "REMINISCENCES vi
the Mexican War, Gen. Jas Shields tells the
following:
at was in the year 1916, that upon the
banks of the Rio Grande | first met Gen
Taylor. Before leaving my home in Illinois
| had heard OF him. He was The hero of the
day; the whole country resounded with his
name and his exploits, Well, when | was
presented to him | confess was considera
bly, surprised He was somewhat below me-
dunn height, was short aud stout, in fact was
what you would call dumpy. He wore a
straw hat, an old linen buster that looked
as if it might not have been washed since
ne fought the battle of Palo Alto. His pants
were large and loose, aud on his honest feet
he wore coarse soldier shoes, not very hand.
some, but very comfortable, let me assure
you. His face was not handsome-no, it
would have been at first sight called homely;
but there was about ii that which impressed
one with the grand honesty and decision of
the man. He stood upon his feet as solid
and determined as prairie buffalo.
AS | have remarked, | was considerably
taken aback when | was presented TO Gen.
Taylor, but when he held out his honest palm
to me and babe me welcome in his hearty,
off-hand way, knew that had old Rough
and Ready right before meas brave sol.
der as ever battled for his country, and as
honest soldier as ever Won the sutirages of
the American people. That day, continued
the speaker, | dined with Gen. Taylor, and
upon that occasion there were also present
Col. Bliss, and Col. Clay of Kentucky, son
Henry Clay. OF the four assembled together
at that time, | am today the sole survivor.
While we were at dinner guard filed in
with two prisoners that had just been arrest.
ed. The men had been tor two days peddlng
oranges through the camp, and by accident
one of the soldiers had discovered that under
their coarse garments they wore the finest
linen. So the two were arrested, and care
fully concealed about their persons had been
found papers containing very valuable intor.
nation concerning the American camp, the
number of men In arms, and the best points
for attack. These papers were handed over
to Gen. Taylor, and after reading them he
passed them to the rest of US. They were un-
mistakabe evidences that the two men were
spies. Call my interpreter demanded Gen
eral Taylor. The General could not speak
Spanish. The only Spanish word he knew
was "vamos," and he used 1t on all occasions
Whenever he invited the MexicanS into
camp, he said 'vamos,' and whenever he or
dered them out of camp he said "vamos.' The
interpreter having arrived, Gen. Taylor said
to him: ASK them who they aren The
prisoners replied that they were Mexican
soldiers 'Humphe Thought so. Now ask
them what their rank isr They looked at
each other moment, as much as to say, we
might as well tell the TRUTH and ans Hercd
that they were Colonels-one of them Chief
of the engineer Corps at Monterey 'Aha?I
said Gen. Taylor, so much the worse. And
now ask them wRo sent them here They
replied that they had come in obedience TO the |
orders of Gen. Ampudia. General Ampudla
sent you, did he" roared old Rough and
Ready. We'll, | say General Ampudia is no |
gentleman, or he would not have sent you
here on this sneaking errand, to spy about
our camp. | say he is no gentlemanr The |
prisoners had just begun to understand that
the man whom they were before was the |
American General, aud when he uttered this |
hasty opinion of their chief they bowed very
low. General Taylor asked them if they
knew the penalty of their crime; ifthey knew
that as spies they ought 10 be shot
At once the prisoners drew them up proud.
ly and SAID they knew the penalty, but if they
we're TO die they trusted they would meet
their fate like brave men. Their bravery
pleased the bluff old soldier. and after mo.
ments thought, he said We'll, I'll let YOU
go this time, but if | ever catch you Swing
here again I'll have you shot-shOi like Mex.
lean dogs! Now. vamOs! vamoS and tell
Gen. Ampudia that when he wants TO find out
about gu. army, he may send a delegation OF
his officers here, and | Will escort them about
myself and order review of the troops fur
their especial benefit
The liberated men scampered off briskly
Shortly after that. Gen. Taylor, at the head
Of his victorious legiOns marched in and took
possession OF Monterey.