The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-20
No. 13-Mrs. Elizabeth Coolidge
Sergeant James Brown.

NO. lo-WfS. ElzaDebn J0Ol0ge-
Sergeant James Brown.
few months prior to the breaking
out of the war between the United
States and Mexico. Samuel Coolidge, a
prosperous mercEant-trader doing busi-
ness between Mexico and St. Louis, was
found in the outskirts OF the Mexican
capital murdered. The body was man
gled by many wounds, evidently in
iicted with enthusiastically showing
that the assassins were natives. No
motive for the crime could be discov-
cred other than the increasing hatred
Of "AmericanOs" generally prevalent
among Mexicans at the time.
COOlidges wife had frequently accom-
panied him in his trading trips, which
always included long journeys overland
with pack trains and had thus become
an export hOrseWOman. a fine shot and
4 daring and resOurceful adventurer.
She was with him on his last trip and,
wild with grief and resentment, she fed
The country and returned to St. Louis
TO try and readjust herself to the world.
She had no children, and her migra-
tory life had made the word home"
almost meaningless to her. Add TO this
the force of her adventurous habits, her
Warlike accomplishments and a sense of
the bitter loss inflicted upon her by
cruel hands, and it is easy to conceive
why her heart leaped at the prospect Of
war with Mexico, and why she resolved
to have a part in the conflict and thus
satisfy, at once, the sentiment of a pa
triOt and the wrongs Of an individual.
A force of mounted infantry under
the command OF General Kearney was
on the point OF starting from Fort
Ieavenworth for a long march over the
mHaHv e. 20 1arnr Do
n quick resolution and hasty prepaTa-
ton, and one morning just before the
march commenced, a tall, 1.-THE and
beardless young man giving the name
of James Brown, presented himself in
Kearney's camp and was regularly en-
listed as a private soldier.
The command had not been many
days on the march when it was OBJ
served that young Brown was one of
the crack shots of his regiment. This
fact, coupled with his habit of quiet re-
serve, his remarkable horsemanship and
his great GOODNESS and courage in some
of the early brushes with the Indians,
quickly won him the respect Of his
comrades and shortly the attention of
Kearney, himself, who promoted Brown
to the position Of sergeant. 1t was also
noticed when skirmishes with the Next
cans began TO grow frequent that Ser
geant Brown seemed to be animated
with a special vindictveness toward the
enemy that always fired his green-gray
eyes and impelled him to lead the way
in battle with reckless bravery.
With such a reputation for daring, It
was natural that, when General Kear-
ney found it necessary to send dis
patches back from Santa Fe to Fort
Leavenworth. he should select Sergeant
Brown for the perilOus mission. The
young Missourian answered the sum-
mons to generals quarters, received his
instructio, with respectful attention,
pOcketed the dispatches, saluted and
left the tent without a word of COM
ment.
His preparation was quickly made. He
exchanged his horse for wiry, tireIess
broncno, filled his knapsaok with pro-
visions and ammunition and, bounding
upon his steed, set out, followed by
big, brawny ScOtChman called "ScOtty,"
who was to be escort and guide.
PerlIous Ride Through Wilderness.
1t is doubtful if the worlds libraries
of adventure can supply a parallel to the
exhausting and perilOus journey of this
American woman. 1t was A long trip
it had taken Kearney's command fifty
days TO cover the grOunj-and once out
of Mexican territory, 200 miles of the
way lay through the country OF war
like and bitterly hostile Indians.
The story Of that extraordinary march
Is much too long to be given here. The
daily struggle for subsistence, the in
cessant vigilance that shortened sleep
and rest, and the frequent fights and
flights which marked the entire jour
ney would furnish materials for half
dozen novels. Two illustrative episodes,
however, may be given.
Two days out from Santa Fe, while
following the trail upward through FL
Boco del Canon. the sharp eye of Ser
geant Brown sighted a party of four
mounted Mexicans coming toward them
armed and evidently hostile. One of
them in broken English demanded the
Americans to surrender and got from
Brown, in good Spanish. an abrupt re-
fusal. Translating to his companion
"Scotty" the demand OF the MeXicans,
and finding him game. Brown ana his
comrade rode forward. The MeXicans
treacherOUsly waving a white cloth in
token of peace allowed the Americans
TO pass and then suddenly opened fire
upon them. But Brown was alert and
a well-aimed shot from his rife sent the
Mexican leader down cliff, dead, while
a bullet from 'Scotty's" weapon struck
the horse of another enemy and the
rider was pitched headlong to the
ground with a broken leg. Like a flash,
Brown dismOunted, sprang upon the
fallen "Greaser' and, I'm a moment, had