The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1911-05-15
MEXICAN "REMINISCENCES.
A Soldier of a Former Mexican
War Makes Some Interest
ing Comparisons.

The most interesting events In
Mexido close to the international boz
der-tbring to my mind historical
"reminiscences of the French occupa-
ton tpf Mexico at the time of En-
perorl Macmillan. My three years
STAY In that tremulous time pretty
near 3similar of today may interest
your readers-as history repeats it.
self. permit me little retro
spectfon:
THE Imperial Empire Of Mexico,
undet Emperor Iturbide, having
GOMEZ to an end, the revolutionists'
elect tu Revito Juarez as President
of the Republic. The meeurial tenn
per and turbulent undisciplined
:, ,. he natives were source
of tfouble to the President, who
j had Ito face rebellion inside, and
foreign invasion outside. General
Jesus Marquee was the opposition
candidate for election of President;
| who,i not satisfied with the result
of election, raised the standard of
revolution and carried with him part
of the army, including the best
troops, the celebrated grey of the
guard corps. Having everything to
gain, by the restoration of the I'M
periah Regime, Gen. Marquee and
his associates had made an offer
of the Imperial Mexican Crown to
the Arch Duke Macmillan, brother
of the Austrian Emperor,who had
accepted it with the backing and
consent of the Emperor Napolean
Third, and to make his promise
good, the French Emperor had or
dered the transportation of 10000
French troops for immediate ser
vice to the Mexican territory, and
designed as commander one of his
favofites, Marshall Bazin. This con-
ting4nt was to include 10000 OF
the sbest elect French troops from
J Africa, under command of the Gov
ernotr of Constantine, the gallant,
brilliant General Marquis De Gallif-
fet. We, being in the light caval-
ry, departed from Algeria for Vera
Cru<. At this period the joint in
vasi pn Of Spanish, English and
Frehch came to an end by dissen-
tionk among the leaders, the Span
ish and English returning to their
ships and sailing home, leaving the
French in a critical position. The
number of troops under Gen. Loren
cez amounted to 5000, and after a
year of occupation of the Mexican
rrttory under climatic influence
half of the troops had been disabled
and on the sick list, and he had to
retire from the Terras Calliuttz to
a more healthy location, on the Orr
zabA, where he entrenchel himself.
awaiting reinforcements. We ar
rived in November, '62, in time to
relieve General Lorencez, after a
forded march of twenty days.
u Alt that time General Porfiro Diaz
wasl a leader in the Federal Army,
andl was intrusted by President Be-
nitd Juarez to oppose the invaders.
Tha troops from Africa were spien-
didly mounted and upon that ac-
count were placed to keep the
lineIs of communication open to the
sea- carry the government ail,and
bring the provisions to the field
whi ijch was one of the most impor.
tant positions to accomplished
} THAI depended the success of the
ARMY. The flat country extending
from the sea to the mountains, with
: it's charparrel, woods swamp anc
me$quirtte, were ideal places fol
guerilla warfare, and the numerou:
partisan bands took a grand ad
va1tage of it to ambush and dis
perEe our convoy. The country ii
spalrsely settled. Small villages q
adobe houses with church and padr'
we4e encountered the church spir'
having constantly a lookoutsman ol
duty to warn the guerillas of ou
approach by ringing the churcl
belHs, giving them time to disappea
and await their opportunity to at
tack us. The number of monasterie
and Catholic institutions had an i'm