The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-26
George w. Kendall, New Hampshire
Yankee, and the Other Men Who
Rode With Taylor and Scott Blazed
the Way in New Field of Journal
ism i'm the Mexican War Seventy
Years Ago

and as full Of witticisms as one OF
Thackeray's dreams after a light sup.
per- 1t made stir in "A city whose
| officials were accustomed to deferential
homage by printing lively sonnets about
/ them. 1t dared TO make jokes about
sugar and cotton and 1t "sneeZed at to-
/ bacco." The startling innovation caught
I the fancy of the people.
/ After a few years Kendall embarked
upon an adventure which took him to
Mexico for the first time. This was the
Santa Re expedition. the history Of
which Is contained In the graphic mar
rative written by the editor Of the
PicdDUHc. The members Of the "invad-
ing party" were seized near Santa Fe
and marched to the city OF Mexico. Sew
eral were shot and all were imprisoned.
Gen. Waddy Thompson was sent to
I Mexico To investigate the rumors which
came to the United States of the fate Of
the members of what was after all a
fllbustering expedition. and he found
Kendall among the lepers in a hospital.
His release secured after some time,
the writer returned to New orleans To
find himslf a popular hero in the city
where long before he had been accepted
as wit.
The necessity of the war with Mexico
was steadily maintained In the columns
Of his paper. and no sooner did the con-
fiict actually begin than Kendall was
away for the Rio Grande. Through the
summer of 1876 he was much of the
time wAh the Rangers of Capt Ben
jamin MCCulloCh. "A commander whose
men called him Ben" who could ride
anything that went on four legs" who
fought. camped and drank at his own
discretion, and who had not the slight
est notion of discipline or drill. but
nevertheless was invaluable to the main
body Of the army because Of his abilities
as a scout. with the Mexican mounted
bodies known as the l.ancers he had
innumerahle brushes. and in many Of
these Kendall had Il share.
Not sign Of "A tent do we take
along" said Kendall. and shade and
shelter are unknown here.
Almost as "A free lance he rode with
the Rangers. In the storming OF the
second height at Monterey member OF
his mess was shot. ON" morning just
at dawn after "A night under the Span
lSh bayonet trees Ten miles from Mon
tcrey with a little party of twenty
five horsemen Kendall set forth upon
a recommending expedition. During
the morning they fell in with large
body of Mexican cavalry whom they
rushed In approved prairie fashion and
compelled to fall back.
Some weeks later when Sal;illo was
entered by Taylor there We're other
skirmishcs between MCCulloCh's men
and the Mexican mounted troops. In
one of these small fights Kendall, who
much of the time was doing the work
uf soldier and could hardly claim the
immunity Of non-Comhatant usually
granted war correspondent, plunged
in'o the melee and came out with a
cavalry flag As a trophy, a flag which
upon occasion has been exhibited in
New Orleans.
Before the battle Of Iiuena Vista was
fought Taylor's veterans We're ordered
to Tampco to become part of the
army to be mobilZcd for service under
Gen. Scott, leaving thu commander in
the north with comparatively small
force. AS the central part of Mexico
was now to become the scene of the
most important operations Kendall
made his way To TamplCO. and his part
ncr, Lumsden, also established himself
there.
Thus Kendall missed the battle which
gave Taylor his greatest fame and