Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-02-11
IRONTON. MO. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 1886.

day a messenger from Worth, whom
we had left with a small force at Mon
terey, overlook us, bearing dispatcl
stating that Gen. LaIjos was march
ing on that place with a large force
Leaving Gen. Twiggs in command o
the army, Taylor, accompanied 10y Col
Harney's Dragons as an escort, turn
ed back to go to Monterey, while
Twiggs, with the main army, march
ed on. But on the second or third day
old Trough and Ready. overlook us
again, having learned that Worth had
raised false alarm After leaving the
mountain range we found fine coun-
try, well timbered and plenty of good
water, and we also learned that we
were close to large force of the enemy.
How large force we did not know,
but they were falling back before us
toward Victoria, and the supposition
was they would make stand at that
place, if not sooner. The nearer we
got to Victoria, the closer we got to
this force, passing their camping. ground
every day about noon; and day or
two before we got to the city of Vic
toria, our advance guard came in sight
of them. Our men had just assembled
a high hill, and the Mexicans were in
full sight in an open plain not more
than mile away. The army was now
marching through beautiful and pro-
ductive country, which was in a high
state os cultivation-fine sugar planta-
tions and orange groves in abundance
and the boys had fine sport, eating
ripe oranges just plucked from the
trees, and IN chawing sugar-cane stalks
which grew to great size. and were
full of sap. On our route we passed
through several small towns. / don't
remember the names of any of them.
One was a pretty fine place; contained,
I should judge, from one to two thou
sand inhabitants. Right in the centre
of the town there stood fine, marble
monument, of some Mexican brave, !
suppose. The figure of man with a
drawn sword was placed on top of the
monument. We reached Victoria
about the middle of January, or per-
haps sooner, but found no Mexican
army to dispute us taking possession.
The "Alcalde'of the the city surrender
ed the place to Gen. Taylor. (Alcalde
is Mexican for Mayor. Victoria was
at that time beautiful city of fifty or
or sixty thousand inhabitants, and,
believe state capital. 'Tis located in
a fine farming country-sugar-can
oranges, lemons, and all kinds Of tropi-
cal fruits, together with lots of small
er fruits abound. Fine cabbage and
sweet potatoes were also in abundance.
During our stay there we feasted on
the best. We bought guineas (chick-
ens) for a quarter Us cents) each-some
fine and fat; eggs, for picayune::(5
cents); milk, one pint for an rea. 30
centsJ; and fruit of all kinds cheap
enough. Our oranges cost us nothing,
as all we had to do was to pick them
off the trees. We also tried our hand
at sugar-making, but it was no go.
Our camp was just outside of the city.
and every day we were visited by in
Vulnerable women peddlers. They
were not at all afraid to..come-g inside of
our lines, passing in and out as they
choosed. They dealt in chickens, eggs.
milk, butter, ponde rico, peculiar
kind of cake made of cornmeal, and in
fact anything that the soldiers would
buy. They were as good judges of
money as we, if it was silver, but
would have nothing to do with gold.
You might buy a chicken for twenty
five cents. and give them silver dol
lar in pay for the same, and they knew
just what change you were entitled to
as we'll as you did. Butter was quite
luxury with US until some of the
boys happened to see an old Mexican
woman churning one day, and told US
how she made butter, and after that
bntter was dull sale with the Tennes-
see regiment. She had, what he sup
posed to be, goat skin, which, when
green. had been distended in such q
way that 1t made kind of basin, aud
let dry in the sun until it became per-
fectly hard. Then the churn was ready
for use. He said she was sitting fiat
on the ground with the goat skin Gt
might have been a dog skin) full oi
milk before her, rocking it back and
forth as she would a cradle, with a
thousand or two flies around 1t. In
that way she soon made nice lot OF
butter to sell to the "Mercanos,n as
as they called US. / was always very
fond of milk, and nearly every day
would buy a pint, until one day / got
pass to go into the city. and in going
through one of the lanes that led into
the town, I happened TO see Mexican
woman milking an old goat. After
that had no use tor milk, as twas the
same woman from whom / had often
purchased.
Ito be COntinued.)
Capital and Labor.