Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-07-28
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Incideht- - Journey To Caitfornia
T.,f.,sas, Mexico IL 1870.
On ne paza % .iaiapa the hostile feeling
2f:niist the Yankees had ifs first outbreak
4 ste1t crowd gathered about the red
shlrftt horaeuep ~ we rode into the plaza
on SUNDAY and rush MAS made By the
mob to disuiOnrf NJ aud drive us from our
saddles Bur vigorous charge promptly
made against the mob with threatening
reyolyers drove them back and gave safe
escape % tie hard pressed horsemen
Through the Villages Of the country parts
we were received by the senoras and seno
ritas with Kindness, but by the males with
irowns and threats. and with the signif
cant gesture Of a finger drawn across the
throat In no place were we safe from at
| tack except in groups which commanded
| safety and respect. To them in their liz.
| rorance we were still Yankees and sol
| dados
One night, little way beyond Jalaoa.
our entrance into one of their walled towns
caused great excitement, general alarm
was rung on the cathedral bells, messengers
rode out in haste to alarm the surrounding
haciendas. and natives focked into the
town. two or three mounted on the back Of
each mule, armed with escopettes. But
we remained close inside the strong gates
OF our hacienda, and. the excitement sub
siding, we were allowed to leave without
an attack early the next day
| In camping for the night sentries were
stationed and pickets were posted, and the
/ animals were secured with lariats inside
the picket line, but sometimes, when guer
rillas abounded, ip the center OF the camp.
Once only did these ladrones make an open
demonstration We were in section OF
country covered with low bushes, In which
jackrabbits. wild turkeys and other game
were present. No towns were near, and.
feeling secure. large part OF the company
was scattered in pursuit of the game, hop
ing to secure enough TO fill our camp ket-
ties on our next halt, for we had been some
days on short rations. The Mexican WON
en- were always friendly, and presently
some were met on the trail, calling out to
u.s. "Ladronesl ladronesr' and pointing
forward on our path At this our stray
glers were called in
The robbers were a large band of well
mounted and well armed men, and had
filed across orr road in the bed Of an ar
roya or dry stream To fight as troop OF
cavalry, with camp equipage and cooking
| utensils dangling from our saddles, or to
wait charge from them. would have been
!
troop. and in platoons, at double quick
charged toward the guerrillas Evidently
fight with the hated Yankees in red
shirts was not what they desired, for. as
we came within short range. their leader
gave the word "Vamosi' and away they
galloped down the ravine heller SHELTER
and we saw them no more. We certainly
were not a handsome crowd at this time
At National Bridge we saw the wreckagt
and the unbur;ed bones of that battlefield
and looked with wonder upon the fortified
height that guarded the entrance of the al
most perpendicular heights up which Colo
nel Harney's dismounted dragons worked
their way with the help of bushes ant
props. and to which they chung in the facs
of a sweeping fire from the Mexican bat
teries on its summit. which they captured
with rush, turning their own guns upoI
the artillerists AS they ran down the oppo
site size of the hill We feared having tc
force our way over this bridge but wer,
not molested.
Upon the heights of Cerro Gordo VIZ
camped for our MONDAY meal Upon it:
central battlefield, where Santa Anna
made his most stubborn fight, we kinded
our campfres, and. dipping water from it:
sunken pools covered with Shiny greer
vegetation, we drank our coffee under tbs
shade of the same trees where the desper
ately wounded lay to die, glad Of the lux
ury of that stagnant pool to euench theil
thirst. 1t was the best those heights af
forded amid that deathiy struggle Al
around us lay scattered uncoffined bones
and CHASTITY skulls looked down upon u.
where in mockery they had been secured
among the branches of the trees, and every
where earth and trees and broken arma
ment gave silent witness of the awfu
struggles of our little army
All the way up the heights for miles tn,
pine trees from the roadside yet obstructet
the rational road as they had been felled
to hinder the onward march of our soldiers
while from point to point the Mexican
troops and batteries were rallied for an
other stand. We left the historic spol
with triumphant three times three ant
with uncovered heads in honor both of oui
dead and our living heroes. Colonel A. c
Ferris in Century