The National tribune., 1889-04-18
AMONG THE "GREAsERs."
Comrade Of Two Wars Tells Chicken story.


Mexican war. was a private in Co. Fl, I'd
Ohio (reorganized), and at the time of which
I write was not quite II years old. A portion
of my regiment was stationed at Rio FREQ,
mountain pass 80 miles this side of the City
of Mexico, where we were when the welcome
news of the treaty of peace between the two
countries reached US.
The next day after receiving this informa-
ton we took up our line of march for Vera
Cruz, on our way to the States. Very stringent
and imperative orders were given US to desist
from committing depredations upon any private
or public property, and for this reason we were
compelled to suhsist upon our army rations of
salt pork and bareback. After march of
several days we made halt for two or three
days rest at place the name of which 1 can
not now recall. | remember it as quite an ex-
tensive plain, and off to the northwest Of US
could BIO seen Peon village, perhaps three or
four miles distant from camp.
The day after going into camp messmate and
chum by the name of Asheraft and concluded
to go out to the village and buy few chickens.
In order to give our mission as much Importance
as possible as we'll rs to enable US to pass the
guards | managed to secure a coat with
Second Lieutenants shoulder-straps from Lieut..
Marcus Olds of my company, and buckling on
light cavalry saber and showing one of Aliens
pepper-hox revolvers into my breast-pocket,
considered myself fully equipped for any
emergency. Asheraft took no arms excepting
his bayonet. We felt no fear OF any hostile
attack, as peace was made, although We had
learned TO place no confidence in greaser.
On arriving ut the village we were somewhat
surprised to find it seemingly deserted. We had
passed nearly through its entire streets without
meeting or seeing man, woman child, and
had about concluded that there was no one at
home TO do the honors of the town when we
suddenly encountered solitary greaser. After
the common cvilities of such an occasion, we
informed the Mexican that we wished to buy
some chickens, aud in order to assure him of our
honesty exhibited a dollar or two in Mexican
silver. This seemed to have the desired effect.
He told us that he know where there were
plenty of them, and volunteered TO conduct us
to the place We readily accompanied him,
and went until we passed outside of the
village. and seeing no sign of hen-roost l
demnrred to going further The Mexican said
we would get there POGO tempo tby-and by,
and as Ashcraft insisted we went on a short
distance further, when, upon reaching high
stone wall which we followed and turned its
angle, we came near running into a squad of
some 40 or % Mexieans-armed Mexicans-
armed with all kinds of weapons-old lances,
short-swords and clubs.
What did this meanP / began cursing our
guide in my choicest Mexican, which seemed
to have the effect of putting him on his mettle,
and he showing fight, | drew my saber. He
sprang away and stopped to pick up a stone,
when, quick as fash, / made q lunge at him,
my sabes penetrating the thick Muscles of his
posterior only being stopped by coming in con-
tact with some bone of his anatomy. He gave
fearful yell of pain and hobbled off towards
the group of surprised Mexcans. who were
about 40 yards away from US. who set up tre-
mendous yelling, and, fiourishing their weap-
ons, began to advance. Asheraft said Let's
run !" but l replied, Draw your bayonet and
lCta Nil ars,;U hot No Ill Had
At the same time with my left hand / drew my
pepperbox, and presenting it dared them to
come on, telling them the best / knew how
that there were 90 American soldiers near by,
and that l would kill every devil of them if
they made move. l had learned while III the
service 90 play game with cards that the boys
called bluff SO concluded that bluff was good
game to play now. and it appeared TO be just
| the thing, as it stopped the advance of the
enemy.
So with saber IN one hand and revolver in
the other, and Ashcraft with drawn bayonet to
support my right dank, and with our faces yet
to the foe, we fell back in good order until we
| turned the angle of the stone wall, which hid
US from view, when we executed rapid dou-
| ble-quick movement for couple hundred
| yards, but seeing that we were not pressed by
the enemy, assumed more composed and mill
! tary order of retreat. We had taken the most
| direct course through the village to lead us TO
camp, and this brought US into a part of the
town not taken in our route on our previous
passage through it. And here another surprise
awaited US. Our attention was arrested by q
| loud pounding and hal0wing from the inside
OF building that we were about TO pass. Rec
! ognizing the voice to be other than that pro-
| eeeding from Mexican lungs, we nlade inquiry
| as to what was the matter To our surprise we
We're informed that the person on the inside
| was soldier OF the 2d Pa, and that he was a
!. II
! ing made of stone, with one door and no win
dows. aud bad more the appearance of a lock
up than anything else Asbcralt auu / sue
ceeded in finding q heavy pole close by, and
| using It as a batterlng ram soon preached the
| door aud liberated the Pennsylvania. His
story was that he had come over from camp
alone, and IN his reconnaissance of the town
had dropped into the house, where he found a
| lore Mexican, who invited him to d seat, and
who, while kindly conyersing with him, sud
| denly leaped out of the house and closed the
door after him, the door fastening with q spring
| lock, and left the soldier without means OF
escape.
The soldier had his musket and plenty OF
| ammunition, so that thus reinforced we felt
able to hold the town. / told him that he
! could act as q one gun battery, and that
would support him with my Aliens pepper
box, which, by the way, was a wespon not to
| be despiSed besides, | knew how to use il
| with effect Revenge for our mishaps now
seemed 10 be the watchWord, and we concluded
to sack the town; but it resulted only in the
capture Of about a half-doZen chickens. Every
| thing else of value must have been hidden
| away.
In one house we entered there was some
thing like piano. upon which the Penusyl
Yanian tried to play a tune with his feet
/ Whatever may have been its value as a musical
instrument before he began. it certainly was Of
| bnt little value for that purpose when he got
through with the Highland fling played upon
/ its keys. However, we soon shook the dust oil
| the town from off our skirts, and made safe
/ arrival back TO camp.
As we did not know what Scrape we might
get ourselves into under the amnesty treaty
mum was the word, and there WAS little said
! about it among the boys.
/ There is no doubt that Ashcraft's and my
| presence in the town saved the life of the
Pennsylvania soldier, as the rascally greasers
| would have thought nothing of cutting his
| throat as his mpsket and other effects would
| have given them sufficient temptation to com.
| nit the deed, to say nothing about the gratif
cation it would have given them TO have gotten
| away with an Americana soldaTo.
do not know as thought of it then, but ]
| have no doubt now that my having on an off.
| GERS shoulder-strapS may have prevented them
| from attacking us in force they would have
naturally supposed that the presence of an
| officer IN their town would be known by the