Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-07-03

Assisted In Its Capture.
There are in Washington many inter |
estirg characters. some Of whom, |
though they may not have held high |
positions, still have lived and done |
service with persons whose names arc
historic. When once In a talkatiye
mood such persons ~ this can give very |
entertaining accounts of incidents that |
are now almost forgotten. just such
character as this is Sergt. John Wal
ters, now one Of the watchmen at the
state, war and navy department build.
ing under Capt. Tyson, of Arctic fame.
Sergt. Walters served under Capt. (af- |
terward Gem Sedgwick in the Mexi. |
can war. and was for many years the
orderly at the headquarters of the
army under Gen. Winfield Scott and |
was with him in Mexico. Sergt. Wal. |
tiers was born May ). 1921, or, as he |
states, upon the very day that great
soldier, Napoleon Bonaparte. left this
world came into IT," Sergt. Walters
entered the army by cnisting i'm the
Second regiment of artillery. then com.
manded by Col. Bankhead, Jan. 81.
isi5, and with that regiment went 20
Mexico.
Before the siege of Vera Cruz lie was
detailed as an orderly at the headquar.
tiers Of Gen. Scott. When the siege
commenced he rcjoined his company
and was In charge Of three mortars
!, planted about mile from the city. The
landing was made in March, from the
9th to the 1lth. and the little band oi
~, 500 men opened trenches, threw up
(: breastworks and planted the mortars.
Upon the city's refusal to surrender fire
was opened. and on the 29th the garri.
son surrendered and the American
troops entered the walls According
TO Sergt Walters. Gen. Scott seemed
disappointed that the force promised
him, 25. 900 men. had not been sent
but nevertheless ON April l he started
: out for the City Of = Leo
At the battle of Cerro Gordo, Apri
: IL, Sergt. Walters says that his com
3 pany-Company II. Second artillery
were on the point Of thanking the Mexi
cans when they spied the coach o
Santa Anna in a gulch not far off
The coach had been left behind anc
D the Mexican chief and some half dozer
OF his suite were seen nearly a mile dis
tant riding rapidly on American horses
Dunean's battery opened fire on them,
but the MeHicans made good their es-
cape. The coach was what would now
be regarded az an old fashioned hack,
and the harness that was still fastened
To IL showed that the mules or horses
had been cut loose in a hurry. In the
3 carriage was found the wooden leg oi
Santa Anna and number of boxes oI
] gold and silver coin. This capture
8 says Sergt. Walters, was the founda
ton of the Soldiers home This money
was very considerable, but he does not
g know just how much there was
There was some controversy at tn,
/ time as TO whether the capture SHOULD
0 be paid into the treasury, but Gen
! Scott claimed that It belonged TO thu
army. Consequently lac turned II owe
! to the quartermaster's department tC
!, be spent in providing home In which
!, old and wounded soldiers could spend
! the latter part of their days To thi
sum was added the amount levied OF
e the inhabitants of the City of Mexico
!. on It's surrender.
Mr.. Walters says that when Gen
Scott returned to this city he sent fol
Gen. Wool and the two went out tC
: the present location of the home and
:, were shown over the place by Mr.
Riggs. II was not, however, until the,
had sampled the iron water in tn,
: spring that they concluded that tb,
: location was the proper one, although
I they had already admired the view
from the various sections Of ths
grounds. AS far as know. said tn,
old sergeant. II am the only man aliv,
: who participated In the capture of thaI
: coach. There may be Others who wer,
, In the battle, but Of company II. Sec
: ond artillery, do not know a single
survivor. Washington Star.