minutes he returned to the same officer, and exclaimed
" Colonel, they've shot me again." He had then received
a ball in his left shoulder. " I am sorry for you stay with
your company as long as possible," was the reply to him.
Captain C. returned to his company, and in a few moments
an 18-pound shot struck the ground a few feet before him,
ricochetting over his head, and covering him \yith sand and
gravel, and stinging him severely with the pebbles thrown
58 ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
into his face. Faint with the loss of blood from his two
wounds, and under the impression that the explosion of a
shell had severely wounded ,him, he returned a third time to
the same officer, exclaiming " Colonel, I am now torn to
pieces, and must get away if I can, but never yielp! the day
to them." And yet he was neither a Mississippian or a
Kentuckian, but a plain, straight-forward Illinois man, that
required to be shot twice and torn to pieces once before he
gave up.
Storming of Chapultepcc.
On the evening of the 12th, about 5 o'clock, General Pil
low came to our regiment, 15th infantry, saying that this
post, Chapultepec, must fall by the next morning, and that
we could not advance without its possession, and that he had
the selecting of a storming party, from the different regiments,
men who would be daring enough to engage in this arduous
undertaking, and who would either seal their devotion to their
country with their hearts' blood, or gain immortal laurels. He
called upon those who were willing to join this dangerous
expedition to step forward ; and how many do you think
there were ready ? Only one man, and he was our leader,
and he offered his whole regiment, man for man ; not a single
man would stand back, although the castle lay before us, on
an almost perpendicular rock, and bade defiance all day to
our artillery, shewing us seventeen open-mouthed cannon,
and thousands of Mexicans crouched on its bastions. Never
theless, every one of the boys wanted to be of the party, and
with impatience they begged of the general to go at the work
that same night. This was a great moment. A tear stole
down the cheek of General Pillow, expressive of the feelings
which took possession of his breast. With but few heartfelt
words, he thanked us for our readiness, and called us, as he
STORMING OF CHAPULTEPEC. -59
has done ever since, his " gallant 15th." The attack could
not, however, take place that evening, but we moved silently
into the great corn magazine, immediately at the foot of the
rock, to be ready for the work at break of day. Pillow him
self took quarters in our midst.
##***#
We advanced, after three or four more shots from the
enemy, so* far that the walls of the castle protected us com
pletely, while the Mexicans blazed away with their small
arms over our heads. Now the call was made for ladders,
a few of which made their appearance ; but several times
the carriers were either killed or wounded, and the ladders
tumbled half way down the hill again. On a sudden the
fire of our battery ceased, and a lieutenant of the New York
Rifle Regiment, with a flag in hand, attempted to mount a
ladder, when the heads of a dozen Mexican rascals popped
over the walls, and fired their muskets and the gallant
lieutenant was wounded in the head ; haply, however, not
mortally. This was the grand finale, and the retreating of
the enemy commenced in right good earnest. But, oh, God !
the one ladder, which was near where I stood, was not
enough, nor were the six or eight more which were soon
procured. Despairing of our chance to be the first upon
the walls of the castle, we commenced lifting each other up,
by climbing on one another's shoulders, and soon the walls
were crowded with Uncle Sam's boys. Onward, over
death, we wended our way to the interior of the castle,
which the Mexicans defended step by step, while in the
rear of a platform they once more posted themselves and
continued the fight. Soon, however, they began to give
way, and hundreds took to their heels towards the city ; our
men followed quickly from building to building, and in less
than three quarters of an hour from the time of the com
mencement of the attack, the banner of the free waved in
triumph from the main turret of the castle. The colors of
60 ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
three regiments were nearly at the same time on the spot ;
but^the colors of the New York regiment were first unfurled.
With tears in his eyes, General Scott expressed his
thanks to us. " Had I millions of thanks to give you, it
would not be enough. Oh, that I had a thousand arms to
press you to my bosom ! " were some of his words, while
he embraced the officers, and shook hands with such of the
others as were within his reach. Letter from an officer.
Th'O TV.'O S
. . ,.- > . , ,
Lessons at " Single Stick." .
Two of Lieut. Burford's men had been engaged in settling
a little difference by the approved method of knocking one
another down and pummelling each other's faces ; and so
hard did the blows resound on the empty pates of the dra
goons as to attract the attention of the commander. He im
mediately hastened to the spot, when the combattants desis
ted and were about separating, but the lieutenant stopped
them, and ascertaining the cause of the quarrel, informed
them he was willing to gratify their desire to thrash each
other, but that it must be done in a better and fairer manner.
He accordingly despatched the sergeant of the guard for three
good stout sticks, and upon their being brought, he gave one
to each of the men, and the third to the sergeant, and placed
the two men within fair striking distance. " Now," said the
lieutenant, " Smith, you are number one, and you, Jones are
number two. When I say number one, Smith will strike
Jones, and when I call out number two, Jones will strike
Smith, Now, then, make ready. Number one." Whack !
came the stick of Smith upon the shoulders of Jones. " Num
ber two." Crack ! came down number two's stick on num
ber one's head, and as " one, two," " one, two," were
called in rapid succession, the dust flew out of the combat-
tant's jackets in fine style. At length number one began to
BATTLE OF HUAMANTLA. 61
think that what was fun for the company, who were all gig
gling or grimly smiling or watching the curious combat, and
for the lieutenant, who conducted the exhibition with a face
as stern and unmoved as a marble monument, was all but
death for him, and raising his stick as number two was coming
down upon him like " ten hundred bricks," he warded oft
the blow. "Stop!" cried the lieutenant sternly. "How
dare you guard off his blow, Smith? Such a proceeding
cannot be tolerated, and you must receive a double blow.
Hit him again, number two." The order was obeyed.
" If the lieutenant please," murmured the discomfitted
Smith, as he winced under the flagellation of number two' " I
don't think that's fair, sir."
" No matter what you think," replied his superior, " I
think it is, and that is all-sufficient. Make ready ; number "
" If the lieutenant please," hastily interposed number one,
"I'm perfectly satisfied."
" Oh, you are ; and what are your views on the same
subject, Mr. Jones?" blandly enquired the officer.
" The same, sir, if the lieutenant please," said number
two, rubbing his shoulders.
" Very well, then, you can go ; but let me hear of no
more quarrelling or fighting in the company for the next six
months. The scene was so perfectly ridiculous, and the
poor fellows were so thoroughly laughed at by their comrades,
they soon shook hands and became friends.
Battle of Huamantla and death of Captain Walker.
On the evening of October 8, the train halted at a hacien
da two and a half leagues from Nopaluca. Geneal Lane
sent out a spy to the town of Huamantla that night, having
received information that Santa Anna had gone thither during
the day before. The next, morning he returned, and reported
6
62 ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
that the cavalry of the enemy had left the town, leaving be
hind six pieces of artillery. Orders were immediately issued
for the cavalry under Captain Walker, Col. Gorman's regi
ment, Major Lally's battalion, Colonel Wynkoop's regiment,
Captain Taylor's battery, and Captain Heitzelman's battalion
to be in readiness to march for the town, leaving the train with
about eleven hundred men and two pieces of artillery, under
the command of Colonel Brough.
At eleven o'clock the whole moved off in fine style. The
cavalry were ordered to keep some distance in advance. They
had gone about two miles when Captain Walker determined
to push on at a gallop and surprise the enemy. For five miles
the cavalry moved at a very rapid pace until they reached the
outskirts of the town, when Captain Walker gave the orders
to form fours and close up. He then entered a very narrow
lane, both sides of which were lined with thick maguey, so
narrow in many places that the sets of fours had to be broken
and the column moved by twos. On they went at a trot,
until the lane opened into the main street leading into the
plaza, when, in column of four, the order was given to draw
sabres and charge. Then rose a wild yell and such a charge !
The flashing of the sabres, the thundering- of the horses' feet
over the paved streets, were enough to strike terror into the
hearts of the enemy. Two of their cannon were pointed up
the street, another pointed down a cross street and the fuse
was burning in it. The terrified artillerymen moved merely
to the sides of the houses, at whom our men made their thrusts
and right and left cuts, killing many in this manner. The
cavalry rushed over their cannon ; the lancers, about three
or four hundred, fled, and the men separated into small par
ties, pursuing them beyond the town, on the outskirts of which
a good many were killed. Captain W T alker went beyond
the town for the purpose of overtaking the artillery which had
left the place. Captain Lewis went in another direction for
the same purpose. Captain Besan^on was ordered to follow
DEATH OF CAPT. WALKER. 63
the road to see if the artillery could be overtaken. In the
meantime, most of the men having gone in pursuit, Captain
Loyall with a few men, assisted by Adjutant Claiborne, se
cured some fifty or sixty prisoners at their quarters, together
with their arms, &c. Lieut. Claiborne then proceeded to se
cure and bring up to the Plaza the cannon, (three pieces,)
that had b^en captured. Captain Walker returned about
this time, and going to the Plaza, was collecting the men.
Lieut. Anderson of the Georgia volunteers, pursued and cap
tured Major Iturbide and Colonel La Vega, (a brother of
the General,) and a lieutenant; these he delivered to Cap
tain Walker. Lieutenant Claiborne, assisted by Corporal
Hescock and private Myers, and one or two others, limbered
up the six pounder and brought it to the Plaza ; leaving it
limbered up and the mules standing in it, and returning to
get the four-pounder, the lieutenant was in th'e act of bring
ing it up when he was forced to leave it by the appearance
of all Santa Anna's cavalry, two thousand five hundred strong.
Corporal Tilghman, of company C., (rifles,) brought up a
small howitzer. Private Dusenbery took a lieutenant of ar
tillery prisoner, and turned him over to Surgeon Reynolds.
By this time a good many of the men had returned, and were
in the Plaza in scattered groups, when the lancers charged
them suddenly and unexpectedly. The troops received them
with great bravery, and kept the plaza, with the exception of
a few under Captain Walker, who retired by a street leading
west from the plaza ; they were joined by Lieutenant Clai
borne and his party, who were approaching the square. Cap
tain Walker led them from the plaza the enemy close on
them at a charge ; he turned the next street to his left, while
the enemy seeing the four-pounder, rushed to it to retake it.
It was fortunate for the few men with Captain Walker that
the Mexicans saw this piece, for at the very next corner a still
larger force met him ; he wheeled, and dashing swiftly past
the rear of those who had cut him off from the plaza, again
64 ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
entered it. Here the men dismounted and occupied the con
vent yard, together with a large house on the corner of the
square.
At this juncture, Captain Walker, while examining the ap
proach of the enemy, and looking at the four pounder on our
right, was shot from behind, from a house displaying the white
flag. He sunk down immediately, and was borne into the
yard, the men bursting into tears as the cry spread amongst
them, " Captain Walker is killed."
Camp Hydropathy.
While the army was encamped at Buena Vista, the soldiers
frequently amused themselves by getting * corned' ; One
day a dragoon rode into camp so drunk as to be scarcely able
to keep a straight seat on his horse. One of his comrades
seized his horse's bridle and endeavored to hold the animal,
but the rider was obstinately drunk and digging his spurs into
his horse, he sprang from the grasp of his comrade and dash
ed off at a terrific pace. After driving up to a thick wall
and striking his head against it violently, he wheeled, and
bolting off in a different direction, the rider was thrown for
cibly to the ground, and it was thought killed. Upon exam
ination, however, he was found to be only stunned, and to
have received no injury of a serious character. " The big
drunk" was upon him very strong, though, and the lieutenant
ordered buckets of water to be brought, and the drunken^
man to be stripped. After half a dozen buckets of water had
been dashed over him, the operators withdrew, and the man
began to " come to." He raised himself up and stared va
cantly about, but almost immediately lay down again and
relapsed into his drunken fit. A few more pails of water
nearly restored him, and upon the lieutenant's calling him by
name, he uttered a very thick and puddingly " S-w-r !'*
COL. WYNKOOP AND CAPT. WALKER.
65
" Get up, sir," said his officer. After several ludicrous and
ineffectual attempts, he raised himself and braced up against
a tree. " Where are your clothes, sir?" demanded the lieu
tenant, sternly. The poor wretch surveyed himself from top
to toe with the most bewildered expression of countenance, as
if to assure himself that he was not dreaming, and, apparently
not perfectly convinced of the reality of his being in a most
complete state of nudity, he passed his hand over his breast
and shoulders, and then turning to his officer with a most
indescribable air, he replied, " It makes no difference," taking
another survey of his person, and then of the soldiers who
stood about him, he cried out in a most ludicrous tone of
command, " Bring another bucket of water," amidst a roar
of laughter. A frequent application of the pure element, not
in infinitesimal doses, soon restored him sufficiently to admit
of his being ' bucked' under the waggon for several hours.
Colonel Wynkoop and Captain Walker.
I heard a touching incident of Colonel Wynkoop and
Captain Walker yesterday, which I fear I cannot give as I
received it. It is known, probably, in the United States,
that difficulties had existed between these officers, which
their mutual friends always regretted. They had, I believe,
preferred charges against each other ; but when Colonel
Wynkoop heard that Captain Walker was seriously wounded,
and not likely to live, he sent a staff officer to request an
interview with the dying officer. Before {he return of the
messenger, the Colonel hastened to where the captain lay,
and found him dead. The shock to him was overwhelming,
and he could scarcely utter a word. In a few moments,
however, he said, with much emotion, "I would have given
six years of my life for one word with that man ! " and
66 ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
turned from the corpse to ask of General Lane the command
of Walker's troop, that he might dash upon the retreating
enemy, and revenge the death of the gallant trooper. The
General refused his request, as Walker's men had been
greatly reduced, and those not killed were much exhausted ;
the colonel returned to his command with a heavy heart.
Letter from an officer.
The night after the battle of Buena Vista.
The night after the battle of Buena Vista was one of the
most intense anxiety to the participators in the bloody fight.
After twelve hours of obstinate fighting, with the final result
yet unknown, nothing but water having passed the lips of those
gallant men for the last twelve hours, the flower of their re
spective corps dead or wounded, and the certainty of a re
newal of the onslaught the next day, it is hard to imagine a
period more calculated to " try men's souls" than that night.
After the cessation of the fight, came the lassitude superin
duced by the extraordinary excitement of the day : men fell
exhausted, and bivouacked in line" the weary to rest and
the wounded fo die." The depression of physical energy
was so great that neither hunger nor danger could incite them.
That bloody field was at eight o'clock as silent as the grave.
It can only be surmised what ^ere the feelings of that " great
old man" upon contemplating the results of that day's work.
No officers sought repose, and the camp fires, which on other
occasions had been the scene of jest and merriment, were
now still, and the deep anxiety depicted on the faces of the
various groups of officers impressed you with a
solemnity, a foreboding of ill, that was truly painful. All
eyes were turned ever and anon to the tent of one upon whom
all their hopes were placed, but not a light, not a movement
could be discerned. The occasion made that single tent an
A MEXICAN FANATIC. 67
object of intense solicitude. Some wondered if he was- alone,
others would have given their earthly wealth to have known
the thoughts, the hopes, the wishes, and the intentions of
the old hero ; but all was dark and silent as the tomb. Capt.
L., of the Topographical Engineers, had visited the battle
ground at night. He had made some discoveries he thought
important to be communicated to jhe commander-in-chief.
On approaching the general's quarters, he overtook his ser
vant, who had been attending to his master's cavalry, and
inquired if the * old man ' was alone and awake. " I spec
he fast asleep Captin, for he eat a monstrous hearty supper,
and when he eat a big supper he sleep bery hard* and sound,
and I reckon you wont see * de old hos ' 'fore four o'clock
in de mornin. Listen, you hear him snore clean out here."
When the Captain made a report of this last reconnoisance,
joy and satisfaction were diffused throughout the camp. They
knew that all was safe.
Capture and death of a Mexican Fanatic.
While at Camargo, that gallant Texan officer, Colonel
Cooke, first heard of the inhuman massacre near Ceralvo.
He started in pursuit of the murderers, to rain down retribu
tive justice on their heads for their dastardly conduct. He
succeeded in capturing one of Urrea's officers, whose fanati
cism no doubt instigated the atrocities, too revolting to de
cency and manhood to be described. He was identified as
the murderer of Burns, and was seen to mangle most horribly
the dead bodies of the American teamsters. Moved by the
spirit of a demon, he attempted, and would have murdered
the grief distracted daughter of the unfortunate Burns, but
for the interference of a brother officer in the same division.
After he was taken and bound by thongs around the wrists
he sprang, seized a pistol which Colonel Cooke had laid
6S ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
down, and fired at and wounded him in the knee. En
raged for an instant, he drew his sword, but his anger melted
away at the sight of the cords which confined his arms, and
he desisted from his hasty purpose. He was then placed in
a wagon, with a sick soldier, guarded by a file of men, and
was thus conveyed until they reached the spot where the mas
sacre had taken place. A halt was called until the rites of
burial could be performed. One of the company who had
lost a brother in the fight, stole with his rifle, unperceived,
to the distance of one hundred and fifty yards from the
wagon, where he secreted himself behind a bush, and waited
until his comrades left an open space between him and the
butcherer of his brother, when he fired and drove a ball
through his bosom. The desperate man, feeling that the
thread which bound him to life was cut, snatched the gun of
the sick soldier and made an almost superhuman effort to
shoot one of the guards, which he came within a hair's
breadth of accomplishing, and then expired.
Incident at Bucna Vista.
After the battle I was ordered with sixteen men to escort
Major Bliss with a flag of truce to Santa Anna. When we
arrived within about one hundred yards of a regiment of
lancers, which seemed to be the rear guard, we were halted.
Major Bliss was blindfolded and conducted to Santa Anna.
On the departure of the Major, a platoon of lancers was or
dered from the regiment, and took post facing my platoon,
and within ten steps of me. The lieutenant in command
dismounted his men ; I did the same. He was a fat, good-
looking fellow ; wore a short sack coat, neatly trimmed with
lace, and seemed quite pompous. As he dismounted he
handed the bridle rein to his orderly, and commenced strut
ting before his platoon, in a very haughty manner. Presently
RUM VS. SOLDIER. 69
he called his orderly, who handed, from a pocket in the side
of his saddle, a bottle from which he took a drink, without
saying a word to me, much to my astonishment, and com
menced strutting as before. I just then recollected I had in
my holster a small bottle of whiskey, and that it would not
do to be outdone by this Mexicano : so I handed my rein to
the right file of my platoon, and commenced playing the pea
cock in front of my men. In a few minutes I halted short,
and ordered my bugler to hand me the bottle out of the hol
ster, and I took a drink, curled my mustache, and continued
peacocking it. As soon as my Mexican friend saw my imi
tating movements he walked faster I increased my pace
he halted and took a drink ; I halted and took a drink. Thus
we performed for some time, until I actually bluffed him off,
for he walked to the rear of his platoon when I halted and
sat down on the grass. Letter from an Officer.
Rum vs. Soldier.
" Yes, sir, I'm a volunteer. I'm proud to say I'm one of
'em one of those patriotic sons that have left the comforts
of a home, the delights of a fireside, hove down the imple
ment of the husbandman, and chucked the tool of the me
chanic into the chimney place, buckled on the cartridge box,
and taken up the musket to go into the heart of an enemy's
country, and all for the honor of mine. Yes, sir, the flame
of patriotism was kindled in my breast, and went off in a
light blaze at the very first shot which was fired on the mortal
plains of Paler Alter, and it is a consuming me with its ter
rible violence." Such were the " neat and appropriate
remarks," which emanated from the lips of an individual in
a very war-worn and dirty suit of half-military clothes, after
the Recorder had addressed him blandly as Mr. Peagrim
and inquired of him whether he was a soldier.
70 ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS.
" You are charged here, sir, with being intoxicated last
night, and of disturbing the peace of the city."
" Is it possible that such a charge as that has been fetched
against me ?" said Mr. Peagrim.
" Well, it aint the fust time. My persecutors follers me
everywhere. I was accused of being drunk afore I 'listed, I
was accused of being drunk when I 'listed, and I was dis
charged for being drunk. In Mexico I fought the battles of
my country, and I poked it into the Mexicans lively. I was
in four battles, and distinguished myself in every one of 'em.
At the sound of the first gun I fell back, in good order to the
rear, to protect the baggage, but unable to appreciate my
great military skill and courage, they accused me of running
away, and my captain gave me fits. The physicians said I
had been cupped too often, and recommended my discharge.
I came home, sir," here he became very much affected
" but when I landed on the levee, I didn't hear ne'er a can
non thunderin' out my welcome. There wasn't no loud
shouts of the populace when I arrived, except when I fell
into the water in getting ashore. I didn't see no military
turned out to escort me through the streets, and I was com
pelled to walk alone in the place de armys and go through
the magnificent arch, that had been built for my reception