Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-12-10
A SCOUTS FEAT
tOriginal.l

and veteran of tie war with Mexico.
He told ME this story one winter even
ing while we were sitting over a fire
blazing on the hearth.
II was not in the army" he said. 81
was scout. Born and bred in Texas.
where powder and ball We're of more
Importance than bread and meat l was
as familiar with firearms as most men
are with what they get to eat. Besides
this familiarity, | had a natural apti-
tude for quick and straight shooting.
It has always been a mystery to me
why soldiers are trained to everything
except craftsmanship. But they are
getting more of that nowadays
when General Zachary Taylor was
on the Rio Grande l was with him as
one of his scouts. While Scott, who
had landed at Vera Cruz, was fighting
his way to the City of Mexico he sent
up to Taylor for endorsements. They
were to be furnished, and | was sent
ahead to give notice of their coming.
carried dispatches from Taylor to
Scott, was not in uniform and if cap
tured would have been garroted or
shot by the Mexicans for spy. made
the most of my journey safely, when
was caught in trap.
Il reached a point within ten miles
Of Scott's lines at nightfall and, fearful
Of losing my way in the dark, conclud-
ed to lie down where l was and wait
till morning had crossed stream one
OF the tributaries to the Rio Grande,
and bivouacked on a knoll on the
south bank, having picketed my horse
below. didn't light fire, but just
lay down on the grass, with the stock
Of my rifle in my right hand, the same
rifle | had used for years and which l
considered part Of me.
1T was broad daylight when l
awoke. l had slept soundly and posi-
bly, might not have awakened when l
did had it not been for the sound Of
a voice. Turning my head without
rising, l saw five MeXicans riding sin
gle file on the opposite shore for the
ford by which had crossed There
was no doubt about their being Next
cans, for they wore sombreros, jackets
and slashed trousers, with no end Of
filigree and jingling spurs. Besides
they were talking in the Mexican jar
gon, which l could partly understand.
Il cast my eyes about me quickly to
take in the situation and was Mortified
to see that if l escaped it must be over
open ground. l knew my horse, who
had come long distance, wasn't up
to the work, and there seemed nothing
for it but either to give myself up or
fight the five men. The war proved
especially at Buena Vista, that one
United States man was worth four
MeXicans, and with my craftsmanship
thought ought to be worth five. At
any rate, l determined to try it. If
could kill one or two Of them by rapid
firing hoped the others would run.
There's no telling what surprised
men will do. These men didn't do as
/ expected at ALL | waited till they
had got into the ford, for | knew that
! disconnected than when on dry land.
AS soon as they were all wading in
water up to the bellies of their horses
l aimed at the first mans head and
fired. He pitched forward into the
river His horse stopped, thus block
ing the ford. The remaining MeXicans
for a moment did not seem to know
what to do. Those were days when a
rifle once discharged must be loaded
again, and the same was true of pistols.
l had two pistols in my saddle holsters
big fellows-and one at each hip. OF
course when picketed my horse kept
all my arms about me. In six seconds
after my rifle cracked a pistol shot
brought down the second Mexican. He
| slid out Of his saddle backward, de-
moralizing the man behind him, who
seemed to realize that his turn was
next, and it paralyzed him. At any
rate, he sat rigid to be shot at, though
the man behind him began to try to
turn his horse about. l dropped the
third man with the same certainty as
I had dropped the others, for you see
there were five Mexicans, and 1 had
only five shots without reloading. So
I couldn't afford to waste any bullets.
1.-The fourth mans way backward
was blocked by the fifth, who was toe
badly frightened to STIR But before
could fire again both men dropped
from their horses into the water, and
both made for the shore. Somehow
they got behind their horses, and
couldn't get bead on them, and. get
ting under an overhanging tree shield
ed by the branches, they gained the
shore. However, one Of them was
silly enough to expose himself for an
instant, and I dropped him.
This left one Mexican, whose arms
had doubtless been soaked, and three
horses that had come over to me.
knew enough Spanish to call out to
the fifth man to surrender (for | want
ed guide for the rest of my Journey