The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-14
WE LICKED THE FRENCH
SHOWED MEXICAN TROOPS HOW
TO CAPTURE A FORT.

N~~"---"
Whenever the Americans and the
French are mixed up together IN any
sort Of a civil function, such as the
opening Of a worlds fair building In
Paris or Chicago. It is always IN order
for the presiding dignltary to mention
the traditional friendship Of La Belle
France for Uncle Sam. Then the
minds Of all the hearers revert to La
fayette, Rochambeau. De Grasse and
the others. and everybody feels good.
There probably is not a Frenchman
living, ard precious few Americans,
too, for that matter, VINO has the faint
est idea that the hand OF the one ma
ton was ever raised against that OF
the other. excepting at sea during the
latter part Of the eighteenth century,
when the navies Of the two countries
made things exceedingly lively for
each other down the West Indies way.
There is a story. however. which vet
erans Of two United States regiments
tell occasionally which goes to show
that on one occasion at least the Yam
KEGS and the French faced each other
IN q land battle 1t was not until
some time after the affair took place
that the veterans told it. They waited
until times "ehacing finger Lad a
chance to remove all possibility Of the
French taking advantage in the way
Of damage claims Of the knowledge
which would then come to them for
the fret time.
Just before the French troops retired
from Mexico in 1866, following closely
upon Stewards famous communica-
ton beginning I'VE view with regret"
General Phil Sheridan, as everybody
knows. was sent witr an army corps
Of veterans fresh from the victories
attending the sweep through shenan-
doah and the subsequent campaigning
up to the gate o. Richmond. Two reg
lments Of Little Phlrs command were
isolated from the rest Of the outfit.
and were stationed on the frontier just
across the river from a place where
contingent Of Maxlmilians troops held
fort. Some Of Juarez's republican
soldiers started up across country to
take this fortlhcation. which was
among the last 70 hold out. The re-
publican troops went into camp about
two miles away from the fertilization.
which was nothing more than a re-
doubt with walls rather higher than
those OF the ordinary ~thrown-up" de-
fense. The Americans from the other
side OF the river, BY the aid OF their
glasses, saw the approach OF Juarez's
soldiers and It goes without saying
that subsequent proceedings Interested
them intensely.
The Mexican troops were dressed in
white uniforms, and the day after
their arrival the Americans saw them
leave their camp. pass ~ under the
cover Of the river bank and a bit OF
timber and then emerge into the open
not more than 800 yards from the for
tlhcatioB behind which the French
men were grimly waiting their ap-
proach. Suddenly the republican line
broke int q charge and headed
straight for the red0ubt- The French
men opened a CALLING hre, and the
white line wavered. hroke and fed
faster by several yards to the second
than Il had advanced
Every morning regularly for a week
the Yankee soldiers 10 the north OF the
river saw the Mexicans come out.
form. charge. break and ay. The whole
Yankee camp took a lively interest IN
these proceedings until they became
monotonons. when only a handful OF
the northern troopers would turn out
20 look az the regular after reveille at
tack.
one night the American regimental
adjutant visited al the officers Of the
command. Then there were talks with
the first sergeants. and after that the
privates sot an inkling that something
was up. Later IN the night a visitor
20 the camp Of the Americans II he
were close observer would have no.
ticed that about one-thlrd OF the men
were missing. In the morning the
tw0-thlrds that were leff-every mem
Der Of the ontht save the guard-lined
the north hank OF the Rio Grande. and
stood watching Maximilian's redouht
Pretty soon from a point FAR down to
the left the republican troops with
their white uniforms emerged. There
appeared q, be only about half as
many OF thpm as usual They marched
% a point not more than zoo yards
away from the fort. and seemed to
pay less attention than usual 10 the
shots that went through their ranks
They reached the place where Is was
their custom 70 form FOR a charge.
aad then. changing from column into
line. they swept for the reuoubt like a
storm. They reached the foot Of the
parapet. passed up and over and into
II ike unleashed war dogs There were
shouts. shots and yclls. and then in a
moment the flag Of republican Mexico
had replaced that Of the Emperor
Maximillan.
II was then that a curious thing oc-