Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-02-25
NUMBER 33.

NUMBER 81.
those reptiles crawl up his leg, and II
is amusing to see how quick lie can
jerk off bis pants and dra wers and
dance jig at the same time. Blu,
their sting, though painful for little
while, fs not dangerous. In fact, the
afflicted portion don't swell as much
as from the sting of. honey-bee.
something else not found in the Unit
ed States is kind of fowl called the
Paroquet which fly in large gangs, aud
when they alight, catch the limb OF
the tree with their bills instead of their
| feet, and let their bodies swing down.
This is the truth, but don't expect
anyone will believeit. We had hoped,
as our time was drawing to close,
that our soldier life Would end here.
but it was not SO. In few days we
got orders to strike tents, roll up bag
and baggage, and be ready, at a
moments warning, to 60 on shipboard
for Vera Cruz. In short time we
boarded a large steamer, called the
"Atabamn," and quite good load we
were for her, too. The time consumed
in running from Tampico to Vera
Cruz was four days and nights. We
had the usual amount of wind and
rain-the first rain we had seen for six
or eight months. The second or third
day out, while the wind was blowing
a.strong gale, a man fell overheard and
was lost. I saw him swimming for
the ship, until large wave rolled over
him, when he vanished from sight,
and never saw him afterwards. The
poor fellow struggled hard to keep on
top of the water. If the ships crew
made any effort to save him was not
aware of it, although ] was on the up-
per deck where would have been apt
to notice it, had any attempt been
made. Who he was don't know, as
there were great many people on the
vessel beside our regiment. We reach
ed the harbor of Vera Cruz on the
evening of the fourth day. The city
was in plain view from our ship. as
was also the castle, which is built out
in the Gulf six hundred yards from
the city, $50 stately but it don't look so
far. AT the time of onr arrival the
harbor was full of vessels loaded with
troops and supplies, as Gen. Scott had
not yet effected landing, but he was
there, however, and I suppose had
been for quite while. Gen. Worth's
Division had left Monterey and march
ed back to the mouth of the Rio Grande
and there took ship for Vera Cruz. but
he had not yet made his appearance,
and Scott was waiting to get his army
all together before he made landing
In the meantime, the navy, under
Commodore Perry, was having a good
time shelling the castle, at a very pru.
dent distance, however.
The day after we anchored in the
harbor, noticed a number of small
boats, propelled by sailors, chasing
something through the water, and as
they were coming directly towards our
vessel, I soon saw some dark object
coming. through the water, and the
sai]os er it with their harpoons. 1t
passeS right close to our ship, so 1 got
good look at it. To me it had the ap-
pearance of a big black COW skin, only
great deal larger, and was going
through the water at rapid rate. i
never learned the name of the brute,
and don't know whether the sailors
captured the object of their chase or
not, as the last I saw of them they
were chasing it out of the harbor. The
water of this harbor is remarkably
clear; one can see fish swimming down
as far as twenty-five or thirty feet, T.
suppose-fish large enough to swallow
a dog-and no scarcity of them.
The ships bearing Worth's Division
ran into the harbor the second day
after our arrival, and also brought our
Major Alexander, whom, the reader
will remember, had been left in the
hospital at Monterey. He soon learn
ed what vessel we were on and came
to US. We were glad to see him, and
to know that he had got well, as he
thought, but we will learn different,
shortly. BY this time, all of Scott's
army had concentrated in the harbor
and he made his arrangements to land.
Glad we were to receive orders to be
ready to go on shore, for we were tired
and sick of being cooped up on ship.
Everything being ready, on the day
of March, 1847, we embarked in long
boats, manned by sailors, each man
with his musket loaded and ready for
use. We fell IN right behind Worth's
division. All the boats were abreast
aud all moving like clock-work to-
wards the shore, some two miles away,
and in full view of the city, but good
way south of it. 1t was just sunset
when Worth landed and planted the
stars and stripes on small sand hill
in plain view of the outposts Of the
city, and not more than 3-4 of mile
away. Strange to say, the enemy
made no effort to keep the army from
landing. Had they placed battery
and division of infantry 80 as TO COM
mand the harbor where we were tol