Year: 1861




with Secesh rails, which at times seemed to
exert its best light and most genial rays to
spread humor and life among those who
Itood smoking around it. Then, as if exas-
perated at Che failure, it would splutter and
crack, contending furiously with every drop |
Of rain, and hiss out a strong reproof at the |
element which was making the sentinels so |
But the guard must be Wig |
ilantly maintained through the night, and |
we dare not sleep for you must know, Mr.. |
Editor, that sleep courts the soldiers eye |
lids as sweetly in the dropping rain as it
does in his tent, if, perchance, he has q gum
blanket for bed, and his knapsack for a
pillow.


proposed song, but the only music
that could be- raised was made by little
corporal, who doled out in most melan-
chOly style,


"some days must be dark and dreSry"


This seemed to be the only sorg that the
corporal knew, and the only one of that kind
which we wanted to hear. Under these
auspices, l proposed q story, and the SER
geant of the guard, an old Mexican soldier,
"up and told' the following story which
quote, as nearly as can recollect, in his
own words:


Seated in my tent, one evening" just be-
fore the battle of the city of Mexico, the
captain came to me with, " Corporal, l have
been requested to send trusty non-com-
missioned officer to the general council. to-
night as a messenger. Will you got" |
replied in the affirmative, thanking the cap.
tain for his confidence. Our company was,
at that time, detached from its regiment
and was doing special duty Mt General
Scott's headquarters. In this discharge of
that duty, had made point of being
specially attentive, and had thereby gained
the confidence of our captain, and once or
twice was commended by old Fuss and
Feathers" himself. 1 brushed up my old
clothes, and frightened my shoes and brass
plates in the neatest manner possible that
evening, and presented myself to the Adju-
tant-General for instructions. found that
the council about to meet for the considera-
ton of General Scotts plans for taking the
city, was to be composed of all the colonels
in the division, and that my duty would be
to 90 errands, and attend to bringing
charts, paper, or whatever might be re-
quired.


Well, the council met and was at my
post. 1t was the finest body of military
men I have ever seen together and when
they assembled around that table, and the
old general stood towering high above the
rest, could not help but admire him more
than ever. After the customary salutation
and organization, they sat down in regard
to rank, beginning with General Wool, and
succeeding each other in seats, as seniority
of rank gave them privilege. 1t was no
time for delay, and the General spoke rap
idly and with earnestness, occasionally re-
ferring to some one on the right or left for
information or corroboration. Thus care
fully was the movements and marches the
sallies and sorties, the whole plan developed,
so that all seemed to understand. But
presently plan was discovered, something
was wrong, and l saw by the perplexed
look of those around the table that a very
serious mistake had been made, but from
what cause my knowledge of military affairs
did not enable me to judge. A dispute
arose between some colonel and the enc
gineer-in- chief in regard to the position
and strength of some battery, and the to-
pography of the surrounding country. The
colonel said that frequent reconnaissance
of the ground, from the fact Of his being en-
camped near the place in question, led him,
even in direct opposition to the chart of the
engineer, to protest against its truthfulness,
and he would urge upon the general to
make himself sure of the condition of his
affairs before he fully completed his plan.
But this would not do; it was necessary
that very important and vigorous move
ments should take place upon that very
section of the defense, and without correct
| knowledge Of the place no action could be
carried on with safety or certainty. 1t
seemed, in fact, to be main point, at which
positive success would have to fall to the
American forces. Finally, the colonel said
there was young lieutenant in his regi-
ment who had correct chart of the de-
fenses, and the map of the demesne thereto
| adjacent. The engineer-in-c chief sneeringly
said, Very, weH, sir, you had better send
! for your authority, and let us see this great
map The general nodded his approval,
and the colonel gave me the name and ad-
dress of the Lieutenant The eneampment
was not very far away, and mounted my
| horse and rode off in haste to the regimen
1 tai head quarters, and found the very man
| l was in search of in the coloneps tent, with


drafting paper on table before him, and


sketches of the city and its surrounding


scattered everywhere. handed him the


note which he read and hastily tore up


asking me if could wait until he could


borrow o horse. | told him could, but haC
/ not long to wait, for he came back in few
I moments, and carefully wrapping up his
4 surveys, he placed them in q long, tin-case


and, mounting, prepared to follow me- Or


the way he conversed with so much ear


nestness, AID in such a mild, interesting


manner, that felt encouraged to talk anC
i chat, contrary to my usual practice wheI


on horseback. He informed me that he wa


graduate of West Point and that he hat


there fallen so much in love with the scienc


of geometry that he had made it an almos


constant study, and that now he found


very interesting, in the interval of duty, t


make sketches and surveys of the city.


When We arrived at the generals quar-


ters again, the lieutenant was introduced


and, at the coloneps request, produced hi


charts. The party was astonished at thei


finish and fine execution, and when
after examination, they were found to b


perfectly correct, General Scott came fol
ward, aud grasping the young lieutenar
, by the hand, personally complimented hil
, on his skill, and thanked him for his O
feiency. The chief engineer, somewhl
. chagrined at this display Of learning, on II


part of his young rival, sneeringly said


General, perhaps this young man hi
8 some plan by which this part of the defen'
! may be attacked" Upon inquiry it WI


found that he had plan, which was pr