New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-03
Tribune Correspondence
His First Sight of a
Federal Soldier.
HE'S BRIGAND, POLITE
AS HE is UNKEMPT
Clothed in Uniform of Calico
Pajamas, He Acts as Escort
to French Consul.
BY RICHARD HARDING DAVIS.

Vera Cruz, May 2.-Once every day
through the refugee special Vera Cruz
completes the circuit with Mexico City.
When the navy was in control this
train was in charge Of Lieutenant
Fletcher.
When he turned over his command
to the army, his brother officers, IN
recognition of his services, presented
him with a conductors punch. To-day
was the first time the train was run by
the army.
Lieutenant Richardson, Of the 18TH
Infantry, was in charge, and to assist
him he had junior lieutenant, Full
man car conductor, a wireless outht'
bluejackets and a train guard with pan
cartridges. The train schedule is to
run beyond our outposts to where the
track for three miles is torn up ana 10
where the ties are on fire to Sartilllo
Beyond that. to OriZaba, the Federals
are supposed to have employed the idle
hours of mediation in UNDERMINING
trestles and bridges, but as that Is
given on evidence only Of refugees 1t
is hardly worth cable tolls.
To-day the French Consul. NJ. outset
went with us to arrange with Geherai
Mas for a mail service between the
consuls here and the foreign ministers
in Mexico City. and he went beyond
our outposts. From our place or Cd
servation on the cowcatcher of the To-
comotive we saw him returning with
handkerchief for a flag of truce and
two brigands for his escort.
They were the first Of the enemy we
had seen. and not even the French
Consul's full dress uniform could wrest
from them the centre of the stage. III
always is a surprise when people look
exactly as they appear in their photo
graphs. 1t was almost as though the
brigands had dressed for the part, as
though they had made up for the NOV
les" Each wore a felt sombrero,
trimmed with silver, and a uniform OF
calico pajamas, while over his Shout
ders was slung a belt of cartridges and'
for good measure, the saddle blanket
was entirely covered with cartridges.
With utter indifference, with unseeing
eyes, they sat in their saddles, while
with gaping interest the train guard
surrounded them These, then, were
ho1 m these
cowboy Indians ferocious looking. saw
age. unwashed, unkempt, in their ar
NOR plate of cartridges.
In comparison, our own infantrymen
clear eyed. clean shaver, with white
skins showing below the collar line ana
with red and sandy hair, looked like
Young Vikings in khaki. Three nun
dred years ago Dane and Norseman
touched this continent. Slowly before
him the AngloSaxon has driven to the
south the red man and eXiled the
Spaniard, and to-day his descendants,
from the steps of Pullman car, came
to native Mexico. the Indian still saw
age and ignorant and as yet unsub-
dued.
The French Consul, with graceful
gesture. offered to his escort bundle
of bills. but with gesture equally grace
full the first brigand waved the money
aside. and, bending from his pony, OF
fered his hand. And then, without once
having let his eyes fall upon the Amer
lean soldiers, he galloped back to his
general. He was the first Federal we
had seen. We very much would like
10 know if he will be the last.