The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-11-02
THE DARE DEVILS OF THE MEXICAN
ARMY.
IThoS. A. Janvier, in Harper's Magazine for
November.

IThO1. A. Janvier, in IIarper's Magazine for
November.
A very important subdivision OF The
army of the g~rnharIncria, Il force
charged with certain classes OF police
dutics, of which the most responsible
is that OF keeping The highways clear of
robbers. The section especially en-
p'Oyed IA Il road guard is known as
the ruralcs, and is by all odds the
most picturesque, and in sOrne respects
is the most m%criioriUus, body OF troops
in the Mexican service. The begin
niIg of this famous corps was in The
time of Santa Anna. when General La
garde organized "A troop Of r]anGhnen
that was known OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of
the ranchero dress OF leather that its
members wore-as the CueradOs. On
the fall of Santa Anna the Cuerados
took to the road and were such suc-
cesstul highwaymrn that they pres
emily were given, because of the lavish
O~rnaInentation of silver upon their
leather garments, the new nickname
of The Plateados. The headquarters
of the organization were in the noun
tain of the MalinChe, near Pueblo, and
its members very diligently worked
nv nv htli'"i ""N'
Vera Cruz. Nor must these highway
men be classed with ordinary vulgar
robbers. The conditions of the coun-
try ut this period were such that un-
dreds of men had no choice between
starving and stealing. and the PIateaios
conducted their irregular business in a
%clivalrous fashion, and frequently man
ilested "A generosity in their treatment
IF fhn irounIorS Whn fall into thar.
hands quite worthy of the gallant ira
dItions of Sherwood Forest and of the
courteous customs of Robin Hood.
In ComOnfort's time the good thought
was acted upon of turning the PIatca-
dos from road robbers into road
guards, and the rather startling propo-
sal was found to work out admirably
in practice. The corps was organized
and still is Notwithstanding now
about 1000 strong-upon Il footing un-
like that of any other section of tho
army. Each man provides his own
horse and equipment excepting his
arIns), aud is paid ten reGieS a day,
nj OF which he provides rations for
himself aud forage for his horse. The
men are armed with sabre, carbIne and
revolver, and have a service uniform Of
brown linen BLOUSE n trousers,
though this is worn less often than the
regular rnncherO dress of jacket and
trousers OF soft dressed brown leather.
The dress uniform is the rdRcherO cos
tune glOrified-lhe leather jacket and
trousers loaded down with silver but
tons and silver embroidery, and The
wide ielt hat richly trimmed with silver
or even with gold. The mountings of
the saddles and brides are of silver,
and frequently silver stirrups match
the riders heavy silver spurs. On
dress parade the horses wear housings
of fooled and embroidered leather, and
each man carries at the pOmmel of his
saddle n light horse-hair lariat, and
strapped last to the cantle a crimson
blanket. The horses are by far the
finest, excepting officers mounts, in
the service, and are greatly beloved
and 80 aff~ectionately cared for that
they seldom get N of condition, while
on review they positively shine. The
men are magnificent fellows, fully
looking the dare devils they actually
are.