The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1905-07-29

comes reminiscent, and everybody In
Carroll county. N. H., knows what
that means. Cap Ed" Is a man Of
leisure now; the experiences he de-
lights to recall happened anywhere
from forty to sixty years ago. and
when he gets started-it doesn't mat.
ter whether II is on the depot plat
form at West Ossipee or in Sumner
Gariand's hotel-the company pre-.
pares to hear some thrillers about
Mexican war times, sleuthing In the
wild and woolly West, or up in Canada
In the sixties, bringing back desert
ers from the northern country.
But 1t Is in the house In Tamworth,
where the veteran keeps bachelor hall,
and Is surrounded by relics OF the
past. that he finds inspiration. He
has lived alone for a number of years,
but is not recluse by any means.
There is hardly day that he does not
drive to one of the centers of popula-
ton In the county, and at the age OF
rs is still able to hold his end with
the best of them when 1t comes to
storytelling or discussion of local
political conditions.
Prominent at many OF the Grand
Army encampments, he Is the central
figure in several Photographic groups
OF veterans In blue. and few have more
to show for service performed for the
country. He always wears a silver
medal presented to him by congress
for meritorious service. on which is
recognition of his work In the battles
Of Palo Alto. Buena Vista. Vera Cruz,
Cerro Gordo. Churubusco. Chapulte.
pee and San Pasguai Tabasco:
Mexican War Story.
His favorite story OF the Mexican
war. is this: One of the most excit.
ing experiences had was in getting
into thr. Sc site at Vera Cruz. 1t is not
a pleasant task to kill a man in cold
blood In order to get past him. but
that is what We were obliged to do in
order to secure the Information the
commanders wanted.
Vera Cruz was q walled city. sup
posed to be strongly fortified. ! was
detailed from the army and 4 midship-
man named Rogers from the navy. We
were to get into the fort and learn
everything possible about It. the mum.
Der OF guns, their positions and any.
thing else that would be of value.
THE place was supposed to be
closely guarded. with sentinels placed
At each landing on the stone steps
leading up to the castle. In the dark.
ness Rogers and were rowed quietly
up under the fort. and We succeeded
In efecting . landing without being
observed. Our plan was to advance as
quietly ~ possible. surprise and kill
each guard We came to- and thus
reach the inside of the fort. was
to take the nrst man. Rogers the next.
I'm the darkness We were success.
full In reaching the arst landing with.
out any suspicion Of our presence be.
Ing aroused. waited an opportunity,
rushed up. seized the guard and ran
knife into him before he could make
any cutlery. Assured that he was
dead. we left him there. then silently
Asceuded the steps until the next
landing was reached. Here Rogers
found his man. and disposed of him
In the same manner.
The second man laid away. We
hurried along. and succeeded Ia get.
tinG inside the fort without much fur.
Their trouble. In less than half an
hour we had secured all the informa.
tlou We required. and got away In the
beat before the bodies II the guards
were discovered. A few days later
the bombardment Of the castle began
and We succeeded In taking Il.
mot long after that I was taken