The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-07-28
RESCUED FROM GUERILLaS.
"A "Reminiscences of Gen. Shields ScrV ice IN
the Mexican War.
From the Utica observer.


family from the city Of Mexico before the ca
pilulatOn by detachment of American sol
diers. The city had been invested some time,
when refugee one night entered that part Of
our lines which General Shields commanded,
lie was taken to the general, and to HIM told
his story He was an English boy and with
his mother and sister just arrived at woman
hood, occupied home in the capital at the
time of the investment. One Of the lawless
guerilla chiefs, who had held the people of the
city as well as of the country in terror, had
conceived a violent passion for the sister, who
repulsed his advances, and he had declared
in his rage that, unless she consented to his
proposals on the following morning, he
would carry her off by force, and cause her
mother and brother to be executed. The lad
in the extremity Of his terror had made his
way out of the city past the sentinels and the
lines, gained the American camp, and now
besought the general TO save his sister and
his mother. The ardent soul OF Shields (who
was then but thirty seven was fired at the
thought Of the tate OF these hapless ladies,
and without communicating at all with head.
quarters where fiat refusal would have been
certain he formed plan for their rescue. To-
call it rash, Quixotic or daredevil would be
the truth the best defense of his proceedings
of that night is that il was brave act, prompt.
ed by generous beart and that he succeeded
perfectly, where disaster would insure dis
missal from the army. lie had about 400
picked men Of his command detailed, and af-
ter briefly informing them what he proposed
to do he found every n an eager Tor the adven-
ture. Putting himself a; the head OF the little
column he silently left the American lines,
and favored by the darkness Of the night, ap.
preached close to the walls of the city without
discovery The sentlnels could be plainly
seen on the walls, and the cry, "Sentinela
alerte!" was heard as il passed from mouth
to mouth. Guided by the lad the party scaled
the wall at favorable place, and selzing two
or three of the astounded sentlnels descended
into the city, and quickly made their way
unopposed through the streets to the house toI
which the lad guided them. The boy ran in
and informed the ladies that deliverance had
come; they hastily gathered few valuablesI
and articles of wearing apparel in bundle,
and placing the rescued party in the center of
the column Shields started to return. But
meantime the alarm had been given, and
drums were beating and lanterns flashing all
around the walls. Arrived near the point Of
entrance it was found that the whole open
place between the houses and the wall was
filled with Mexican infantry and artillery.
Shields instantly deployed and gave the CON-
mand TO fire. a rafting yolley, followed by
a bayonet charge, threw the Mexcans INTO
disorder, and the Americans rushed through
and over them with their little party made
their way out and returned to their own
camp with but few casualties, although
they drew the fire Of both sides on their re.
turn, tor the American camp was now fully
aroused, and the piCketS were firing rapidly.
But the tumult soon ceased on both sides,
the adventurous soldiers returned to their
quarters as though nothing had happened out
of the usual course, and the ladies' were safely
bestowed for the night in hut made as COM
Portable as possible.
How he was called upon to account for this
nights work will be best told in General
Shields's own language:
THE next morning an officer OF General
SCOTS staff came to my quarters with mes
sage from the General that he would like to-
know the cause of the previous nights alarm,
as it originated in that part of the line which
was under my command. | answered that L
would report in person, which | at once did.
On the way | thought the matter over and
concluded that it would be better TO make a.
clean breast of it, and | did so. The story
threw General Scott into tremendous rage.
Ever since Cerro Gordo was fought he had
addressed me as My Cerro Gordo friend but
he now dropped that familiar name. General
Shields he Numbered, you are InsubOrdln-
ate and reckless in the highest degree. You
have put In peril the fruits Of the whole cam
paign; you have, perhaps frustrated all my
plans for the capture Of the city of Mexico =
SIR I'll disgrace you; I'll court martial you,
and have you dismissed the servicen At this
my temper rose, and answered him plainly
that he might COurt-martial, and perhaps get
me dismissed, but after all that had occurred
on this campaign neither he nor any other
man could disgrace me; and being by this
time pretty well stirred up, | said that under
like circumstances | would do precisely the
same thing over again. Instead of being more
angry, the General IS rather sOftened by
this speech. Il -. wrong, General Shields,
he said, lin saying hat | would disgrace YOU,
I ask your pardon r'r that. You are brave
man, and dlsgra"' i not the word tn use to-
ward you Bu' ~ are greatly to blame in
this matter, sir ia have acted without or
dcrs, and have inperiled the whole cam.
paign' Genera ;ott,' | said, before you
say anything moI nou, 1t suppose you come
over to my quart 'nd see these ladies'" AT.
ter some further t,ls L. promised to do so,
and | rode back to my tent pretty well salts
fed that | should have no more trouble with
the affair II an hour over came General
Scott and | at once introduced him to the la
dies The daughter was picture OF beauty,
with her golden curls and her blue eyes; and
after the mother had thanked the General for
their preservation with tearfu! eyes and lrem-
ping voice, The glrl selZeu MS nanus, Wcpt|
over them, called him her preserver and in
voked the blessings of heaven upon his head.
Scott looked from her to me with very he
nevolent face, and said. We'll, my CerrO
Gordo friend, if get you court.martialed for
this, shall have you promoted, too have
only TO add that long aiterward, when the war
was over, and we had returned to the United
States, | received from England, the gift Of
these ladies, costly diamond pin as token
OF their gratitude"
These are but few of the interesting and
varied "reminiscences with which General
Shields eDtertains his listeners in public and
private. For the benefit of those curious 10
know something Of the personal appearance
of the man, it may be stated that he is Of me.
dunn slse, hale and hearty, though slxty-scvcn
years of age, with keen eye and something
like the "broGuc" in his speech. His resi-.
--r.. !. ~ L-it.- NJ