The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-18
An Interesting Letter Written Fifty.
 Two Years Ago.


 Through the kindness of Miss Meta Thompson. Corresponding Secretary of the Mobile Chapter. we have the pleas ure of publishing in our column another letter. written from the land of the AZtecs by one of the Alabama's then famous men. Jere Clemens.
 Huntsville. Feb. Sd, 1S49.
 My Dear Thompson: wrote you two long letters while in Mexico, one from the hacienda San Ycedro. in the neigh borhood of which place the Mexica IS had the day before been amusing them selves with a little escopet practice at my person, and one from Pachuca. of which department 1 was Governor. was. of course. surprised at receiving no answer, but Turner accounts for your silence by saying you did not re- ceive them. I am sorry that you did not receive the one first mentioned, Cthough in point of time last written) not on account of its history of my own personal perils or escapes, but because it contains a very full description. writ ten on the spot of one of the most re- markable places in Mexico.
 San Ycedro is on a large salt lake in the mountains. about 90 miles north of the City of Mexico. and about two days march from the famed city of Ilascala The achievements of the early conquerors has made every hill and valley of the surrounding country clas- sic ground, and I endeavored to give you all the information with which a careful personal inspection of the coun- try had supplied me. I regret the loss of this letter more. because it was my misfortune to lose also the notes and memoranda I made for my own satis- faction in a private journal. The purely military notes are all have left. such as the general face of the country. the roads practicable for artillery. the strong positions. the places where they might be turned etc.. etc.
 The other letter was of less import ance as it related almost exclusively to myself. referring believe to the scenes in which we have been actors together accompanied by such reflections as sug gest themselves, then recounting my own adventures GOT some of them), and winding up with a history of my hon. ors. etc It may be also that tried to give you an idea of the precise kind of music made by the whistling of bull let in an inch or two of the brain pan. I remember the first time I heard it I thought of Charles XII. and l con- fess to you I came to the decided con- cfusion that his tastes in such matters was wretched. You doubtless remem- Der the anecdote to which I allude.
 Suffice 1t now. Thompson. to say that from the command of a major up to that of a brigadier general. I gave en- tire satisfaction to my superiors, and some of the warmest friends I'now have are te be found among the general officers under whom I served. do not mean for you to infer that I had any higher actual rank that lieutenant col onel. At Vera Cruz I was given the command of my rank lieutenant col oneD; at Jalapa that of colonel. and during the illness of two superior off, cers I was for while commanding a brigade. Tn December. 7th. I took com mand of the Ninth Infantry. which I held until April. when was made Governor of Pachuca. depS rtment 60 miles north of the City of Mexico em- bracing in its territory the largest DOT ton of the silver mines My military command from this time till July, when we evacuated the country. consisted of the Ninth Infantry part of the Fourth Artillery and Third Dragons. You will pardon the egotism of this letter for it's motive l. e.. desire to give an old friend some faint idea of what I have been about. There are many things I would like to tell you. but they look postpone 1t until we meet. When will that be?
 Now for the future: shall be a can-