The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-25

fall enabled him to make good his
retreat from tho locality.
Lees important services Mt Ccrro
Gordo were rewarded BY promotion T.
tho brovet rank of major. + ]. Jnck-
son also won distinguished notice In
this battle. being brovetted captain
for his gallant conduct
What L have narrated OF the bat
tie of Cerro Gordo ! derived from the
letters OF my military friends VINO
We're so. fortunate rs To participate in
that brilliant action. When our army
took up It's march into the interior
to our intense disgust my battalion
was left at Vera Cruz to garrison the
place Here remained most unwil-
linSly I'LL Immediately after the battle
OF Cerro Gordo Twas promoted II full
second lieutenant In the Second in
fantry. then stationed at Jalapa with
the main army.
At about tho same time six more
companies OF the regiment arrived
from tho States. and with them came
a number OF officers much more 70 my
taste than those with whom had
been serving. did not stay at Vera
Cruz long enough after receiving nv
promotion to become very VOL &C
queinted with them.
Notifying my colonel OF my wish to
| Join my new regiment. requested
! permission to leave Immediately for
Jalapa. He gave his consent reluctant
~. saying that the road hithcr was
reported TO be Infested with Mexican
sucrillas, and. since there was at
| present no movement Of troops along
| that route he considered riding alone
to Jalapa an extremely hazardous IN
/ dertaking.
l. with the fooihardiness OF youth.
replied that IL he would consent to my
going, I would take the risk After
/ some hesitation he accorded me the
desired permission. and procuring "a
horse. started out alone on my ride
70 Jalapa, a distance Of some seventy
| five miles or SO
vas so much delighted at the pros
pee, OF getting away from Vera Cruz
and the command with which had
been serving there. that believe
should W lingly have faced any danger
IN order to do so.
one specimen Of the disa greea Die
] services that fall 10 the lot OF a young
! suoaltern In a regiment doing garrison
duty In u hostile country Will serve
perhaps to explain my extreme dislike
for my service there
At the breakfast table one morning
the commanding officers orderly hand
cd mo an official paper directing me
10 repair to the plaza or public souare
FN-+H lllb q 0FldCUflFnt OF
} eighty men. Of which I should take
command and thence march TO the
public ta'l and hond TO the taller the
enclosed paper
Upon receiving this pauer he would
deliver % my custody a prisoner there
In described 1 was then to take
charge % this paper. and marching
walls to given spot. where I would
hnf a gailows already erected. I was
70 hang tho man thereon
felt no relish for this painful duty.
as may well be supposed. and express
ed my surprise that I. the vary young B.
est officer IN tho regiment. should have
been selected for this dutv received
7 small consolation from my fellow ON b
GERS being told that in military execu-
! Nons that an officer was selected for
eNecutioner and commander OF tho es
cort whose rank was nearest that OF
the criminal. thus throwing this painfil
duty always on the junior oficer OF
the command
foiiowing ont my orders. 1 appeared
~ the fail with my escort of eighty
mon. and was supplied with the victim,
a tai. nno looking mulatto Cthe ser
want n some Kentucky officer in tho
regiment, ms afterward heard). ana
proceeded 20 carry OFT my orders. I
am not certain that did not hang an
innocent man. but my Office was TO
obey orders. not TO speculate as IN Tho
Innocence or guilt Of my prisoner. who
haH p"en convicted by military court.
on the charge Of having offered vio-
ience To Mexican woman OF a low
order.
Tho execution was very unpopular
with tho Mexican populace. and 1. very
large number OF the lower class Mex
leans assembled at the place OF exeou-
,ion AMI made many hostile and in
suIting demonstrations am CON
WINGED they would have Interrupted
the hanging by force mad they not been
overawed by tho presence of the mill
tary escort
This episode completely destroyed
what small appetite / may havo nos
sessed for garrison life In time Of war.
Hence the easerness with which 1
started on my lonely seventy-mile ride
through a hostile country To Join a
regiment which I knew was booked for
active service.