Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-21
''0Id Lien" The MAN who
Led Three Hundred Ken
tuckiams mt Monterey.

IHeTe were crown Oh men seS =
ed en- the steps of the custom
house yesterday, talking about the
wars Of the country, and about
the time they mentioned the bat
ties of Buena Vista and Monterey
an old veteran who SIT in 49,"
and who had a plum-colored nose
ana look about him which plain
~ told that he could GU lie light
ning-rod man, got up, and brush
ing the dust frem the seat Of his
pants, said:
"Well, it kinder amuses me,
then agin ii makes me feel sad,
when | read the history of the
MexicSn war, and see the ALFRED
lies them history fellows tell.
They speak OF the old army gensr-
aIs jest as intimate like as if they
had slept together and scratched
each others backs. I'll just bs
essentially gol burned if I'd have
my name stuck in an old history,
cause my comrads who fit with
me knew what | did, but it raises
my dander wnen these here histo-
ry chaps git to talking about what
was done, when they wern't thar,
and you couldn't have pulled them
thar with a yoke of Arkansas
steers neither. Why, at Monterey
history sports about Monterey.
What was Monterey Merely a
little skirmish which didn't a.
mount to bar-room row. rec
ollect Monterey. / was thar, and
commanded the Kentucky volun-
teers, three hundred of tho BRAY
est boys from the Bluegrass dis
trict, and they used to call mo
"Old Lion Why? Not because
was Drawer than any one else,
but because they loved me. Dang
it, they used to try and keep me
from the from but / couldn't leave
'em when | knew they were liable
to be cleaned out. My place was
thar, and thar l stayed. AT Mon
terry, Gen. Taylor ordered us in.
Well, sir, you jest oughter seed
them boys how they lit into the
greasers, and took two forts and
1900 prisoners fore you could
wink your eye. But only did
what was their duty. What's the
use of loafing around and Dragging
about what you did and trying to
sneak your name into history ?
Dang man, Il say, who will do it.
It's true L got shot twice while
leading the right wing over tho
parapst, but you don't see me
hanging around asking for pen
sion. Not much"
The crowd gazsd at him silent
~, and, after reaching down for a
fresh chew OF tobacco, he continu-
ed; 81 recollect Il Buena Vista l
sat on my horse, with my leg rest
ing on the pummel, as a pistol
wound in it hadn't healed, and
Gen. Taylor was standing at my
side talking as if no fight were go
ing on. Confound it, his GOODNESS
under fire discounted an ice bill
A bullet came whistling along
and struck his horse in the shout
der, causing the animal to rear
and plunge forward with q sharp
snort of pain. Zack.-I always
called him Z,ck.-turned to me-
I'll never forget his words-snd
said: Major, those d-n greasers
are shooting pretty close, and we
had better get down. AT the
time | was busily engaged sur
vsyipg the field through my field
glass, and Tack, seeing that |
didn't move said: Major you're
the most obstinate and reckless
old war horse aver met but /
never had time to hear the rest as
/ ordered the volunteers int the
fight. When the victory had bean
gained rode up to old Jack, and
he had one of those pleased smiles
on his face-darnsd if | ever saw
a man who could throw so much
soul into his smiles-and all he
said was: Major, / guess you
had better wear this, and he held
out a sword-the very one he
wore at Monterey. Pshaw what
does them history fellows know /;
and the old veteran limped down
the street with q proud air of dis
gust, and left the crowd to wonder
if they could lie that way whom
they got old and had the rhsuna-
tism in their backs. -NetC orleans
Times.
NJ. 8. S. Sanderson informs 8