Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1907-02-15


severely. The ammunition soon be-
gan to fail in the convent, and Gen.
Rincon asked Santa Ana for supply,
and for re-enforcements, but was told
that "all had been given that could
be, and he must defend himself to the
last extremity" Santa Ana did, how
ever, send the San Patricio men and a
few others to the convent, as well as
a wagon load of ammunition, of which
the deserters made good use, but the
others could not use 1t on account of
their muskets being of small caiiber.
After nearly two hours of hard fight
ing, a part of Worth's brigade worked
it's way to the rear of the tete-de-pont,
and carried it at the point of the bay
onet, Santa Ana thereupon fed, and
the guns in the battery were turned
against the convent. Up to this time
the deserters had been making terri
BILE havoc in the American ranks, but
now, with their retreat cut off, and
their own guns turned against them,
the outlook began to grow dark. In
vain Rincon and Anaya rallied the
men for defense. The riflemen leaped
the stone wall, and hurled themselves
fiercely upon the deserters. They were
driven into a stone corral which ad-
Joined the convent building, and was
without doors or windows, save one
opening. Here they threw down their
arms and held up their hands in token
of surrender. But the riflemen were
not taking prisoners that day. Smith,
who had led the final charge, seeing
his Len shooting down helpless pris-
oners boldly jumped down off the wall
in front of them, and threw up his
arms.
Men" he shouted, "for Gods sake
stop. Are you going to lose all the
glory you have won? You are disgrac-
ing yourselves forever. Save these
men for the gallows."
Well" says Israel, 1--WE stopped
then, but if Smith had not interfered
we would have killed every one of
| them. Every man in the regiment
thought the world of Smith. He didn't
know what fear was. l saw him after
ward. at the storming of the Belen
gate, standing up there, with grape
and gunshot flying all around him,
thick as hail. and he was not more
scared than if it had been hail."
This is the true story of the capture
of the San Patricio battalion at the
battle of Cherubusco. 1t might give
the story more romantic coloring to
follow the lead Of other writer's, and
represent the final act as bringing the
San Patricios and the Contra guer-
rillas into deadly combat. But surely
the tale is romantic enough.
More than hundred of the San
Patricio men were made prisoners in
cluding Capt. Reilly. They were tried
by court-martial and all who deserted
on or after the Sth day of May, 1S46
(the date of the battle of Palo Alto)
were condemned to death. Those who
deserted before that time, it was
found, could not be executed, because
state of war was not then in exist
ence; nevertheless, ample punishment
was meted out to them. A few were
pardoned because cf their youth and
one because his son had remained
true to the flag, but so were hanged.
Those condemned to death were as
signed to the regiments from which
they had deserted and hanged by their
former comrades. The first lot of III
was hanged at the town of San Angel
on Sept. 8, 1S47 by the riflemen. On
the following day four more were
hanged at Mixcoac, and the 18th, 80
more, at the same place. Those not
hanged or pardoned were whipped
with so lashes each, the letter D. for
deserter, being branded with a red
hot iron upon the cheek, and then con
demned to wear an iron yoke weighing
eight pounds, with three prongs. each
about foot in length, around the
neck; to be confined at hard labor II
charge of the guard during the time
the army should remain in Mexico, ant
then to have their heads shaved ant
to be drummed out of the service.
These who were spared were alst
compelled to dig their comrades
graves Surely, war is -, what Gen
Sherman called it.