San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1884-07-17
written for The Pass pSsss.l
"reminiscences OF q Texas veteran...The
Santa Fe Expedition, etc.
BY O. ERHARD'
coPrsIsnrEp.
LXXVI.


Wild and picturesque was the seem
presented by the train ofroadside fire
each with q bevy of men huddlinl
around the red-glaring and fitfu
lights, the heightened and fitting
shadows coming and going, whicl
was wild and spectral, and If any civ
ilized person had seen us then, the.
would have guessed from our dirty
and ragged appearance that we wer'
a lot Of captured savages or bandits
These fitting fires extended perhaps
for mile or two, for onr men being
weary and using an occasional oppor
tunity to warm themselves were scat
tered for a great length. The nigh
being dark made the scene more
ghastly, combined with the freezing
bowling North wind. The sufferings
the horrors Of that dreadful march
can not be effaced from the memory o.
those who endured them. Itstrongly
reminds us of the switch scene in
Macbeth" or "Der Wolf Schulcht" in
the opera "Der Freischutz."
The dragons informed us that
they met Col. Cookies command at
the city Of chihuahua, showing they
were many days in advance of us, be-
sides that we were told that the cap
tain of their guard took the route
along the Rio Grande, where there
were numerous settlements, and pro
visions could be had; they evidently
had humane officer. Salezar took us
the nearest route to Ell Paso regard
less of our sufferings, and probable
chance of perishing.
Thus we marched on through the
night, completely chilled, and being
SO sleepy we walked along like a set
of drunken men, some sank down by
the wayside and wished to be left be-
hind to perish. A stupor of perfect
indifference to life, came over many
of us, the stronger had to do all they
could to rouse and assist the weaker:
Daylight came at last, and with it the
hope that the sun would warm our
limbs. A halt OF an hour was called
to get up the struggling prisoners to
be counted; I used this short time
to get sleep, perhaps those in adj
vance did the same. AS soon as it
was ascertained that we had escaped
we were were ordered forward again.
Towards noon we passed the Dead
Mans Lake, which at this season
was perfectly dry. The coldness Of
the weather and having nothing to
eat, prevented that thirst, which in o
warmer season would have been in
snfferable.
During that days journey I was
fortunate enough to get some few
drinks from our guards canteens, be-
ing so young they pitied me, and on
my entreaty they allowed me to
quench somewhat my thirst. Before
noon I showed one of the guard a
sun-glass, the only thing I had which
had escaped the search which we had
to undergo. I explained to the Mex
ican how with it's power he could get
his spunk aglow to light his cigarette.
All the Mexicans carry flint, steel and
spunk with them and a pouch of TO-
bacco to make their cigarettes as they
go along.
This idea of lighting spunk with a
glass was novel to him. I told him 1
would giveit to him if he would let
me ride, to which agreed and dis
mounted from his horse. He then
got in conversation with his com
rades and took advantage Of it and
got long ways ahead of him, and by
this means / obtained ct least six
hour ride before he overlook me, but
he was not angry. This rest helped
me very much.
Some time towards evening, fee
bic old man who took out with the
expedition a small lot Of goods, and
the same maa, who while at Camp
Resolution, while on guard was shot
by an Indian through the heshy part
Of the thigh, this man, Golpin, offered
his only shirt TO a guard TO let him
ride; Golpin was already in the rear,
and this exchange and getting on the
horse still threw him further back.
and SAlezar, not wanting to be
troubled with such "a feeble man TO
hinder our progress, ordered him to
be shot GOlpin was q kind, inno-
fensive man. How horrible was tins
wanton act Of bArbArityi Then be
Wa stripped Of his clothes his ears
eut OF and his body left lying By the
roadside
After dusk a halt vzs ordered for