: Journal of William H. Richardson a private soldier in the campaign of New and Old Mexico under the command of Colonel Doniphan of Missouri by Richardson William H - Mexican War 1846-1848 Personal narratives; Soldiers United States Diaries; Doniphan's Exped

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se for inspection. Our horses were also examined, and all being found in good order for the trip, we were dismissed and conducted to our quarters, in the court house; where we drew our rations, viz. thirty pounds of good American flour, with pork enough to last five days.

BATTLE OF BRACITO.

It were an endless task to attempt any thing like a minute description of that part of Mexico through which we travelled. Our route lay for the most part, on the Rio Grande del Norte, whose head waters rise in the Green Mountains, several hundred miles above Santa Fe. It forms the western boundary of Texas, and can be easily forded at almost any point above El Paso. In the dry season it is extremely low, and can be of very little importance for navigation, except near its mouth, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico. It is thought this river has a course of from 15 to 1800 miles. The country is elevated: being traversed by a range of mountains extending far to the northward. Among the inhabitants, I saw every shade of complexion, from a dark swarthy, or yellow, to the palest white. But few are handsome among the ladies; and this is principally to be attributed to their great love of coloring the skin with red paint. The mountaineers are mostly poor, and almost universally destitute of every thing beyond the bare necessaries of life. Their flocks and herds constitute their principal riches, and their implements of husbandry are all of the most simple character. Their ploughing such as it is--is effected by a wooden plough, to which is attached two or four oxen, and the wheat is slightly covered over, having been previously sown on the hard ground. There are some fertile valleys in this mountainous range, but the poor simple inhabitants have very little idea of taking advantage of the natural resources of their country. After we left Chihuahua, fields of cotton and corn, interspersed at intervals with the sugar cane, presented themselves. The ranchos are always about a day's journey apart, and the whole aspect of nature in these delightful spots, is one of the most inviting that can be imagined, as a field of operation, for the industry and art of man. The soil here is fertile, and what is generally termed bottom land; and with proper culture would be made as productive as any of our western lands, as the climate is more genial. They grow only a few vegetables, of which the red pepper appears to be a favorite, these they string and hang on the outsides of their houses so thick that on approaching I frequently thought I should see a painted dwelling, but was to see only a miserable dirty hut. The mines of Mexico afford her principal wealth, but of this the poorer classes obtain but little, they are kept in ignorance and degradation by a government which has borne the name of Republican, but which every one who sojourns in that country must soon discover to be a mockery, for the mass of the people are subject alone to the will of the Roman clergy, and are not free to act. There is no slave in any of our Southern States whose situation they have not reason to envy. The women are more degraded if possible than the men, and more slovenly in their appearance, and while this is the case in any country the morals of the people must remain at a low grade. Since my return, I have heard of the enthusiastic reception of Col. Doniphan at St. Louis, an account of which I annex as published in the Baltimore American. Our business was not, however, to see all that was worth seeing, but to hurry on to the place we started for and when arrived at that to make arrangements to hurry on again.

COL. DONIPHAN'S MARCH.

At the recent reception of the Missouri volunteers under Col. Doniphan at St. Louis, the address of welcome was delivered by Mr. Senator Benton. The speech is characteristic--exhibiting that clear and graphic narrative and those strong and concentrated expressions for which the Senator is remarkable.

"The whole table land of Mexico, in all its breadth, from west to east, was to be traversed. A numerous and hostile population in towns--treacherous Cumanches in the mountains--were to be passed. Every thing was to be self-provided--provisions, transportation, fresh horses for remounts, and even the means of victory--and all without a military chest, or even an empty box, in which government gold had ever reposed. All was accomplished. Mexican towns were passed, in order and quiet: plundering Cumanches were punished: means were obtained from traders to liquidate indispensable contributions: and the wants that could not be supplied, were endured like soldiers of veteran service.

"Such noble conduct was not without its effect on the minds of the astonished Mexicans. An official document from the Prefect of the place to Captain Reid, leader of this detachment, attests the verity of the fact, and the gratitude of the Mexicans; and constitutes a trophy of a new kind in the annals of war. Here it is in the original Spanish, and I will read it off in English.

"It is officially dated from the Prefecture of the Department of Parras, signed by the Prefect Jose Ignacio Arrabe, and addressed to Capt. Reid, the 18th of May, and says:

"'At the first notice that the barbarians, after killing many, and taking captives, were returning to their haunts, you generously and bravely offered, with fifteen of your subordinates, to fight them on their crossing by the Pozo, executing this enterprise with celerity, address and bravely worthy of all eulogy, and worthy of the brilliant issue which all celebrate. You recovered many animals and much plundered property; and eighteen captives were restored to liberty and to social enjoyments, their souls overflowing with a lively sentiment of joy and gratitude, which all the inhabitants of this town equally breathe, in favor of their generous deliverers and their valiant chief. The half of the Indians killed in the combat, and those which fly wounded, do not calm the pain which all feel for the wound which your excellency received defending christians and civilized beings against the rage and brutality of savages. All desire the speedy re-establishment of your health; and although they know that in your own noble soul will be found the best reward of your conduct, they desire also to address you the expression of their gratitude and high esteem. I am honored in being the organ of the public sentiment, and pray you to accept it, with the assurance of my most distinguished esteem.

"'God and Liberty!'"

"This is a trophy of a new kind in war, won by thirty Missourians, and worthy to be held up to the admiration of christendom."

The regiment arrived at Gen Taylor's camp at Monterey, and reported themselves ready for duty. They were prepared to go with the hero of Buena Vista to San Luis Potosi, or Zacatecas, or the city of Mexico. They regarded not their fatigues nor the approaching expiration of their term of service. "But unhappily," says Mr. Benton, "the conqueror of Palo Alto Resaca de la Palma, Monterey and Buena Vista, was not exactly in the condition that the Lieutenant General, might have been, intended him to be. He was not at the head of 20,000 men! he was not at the head of any thousands that would enable him to march! and had to decline the proffered service. Thus the long marched and well fought volunteers--the rough, the ready, and the ragged--had to turn their faces towards home, still more than two thousand miles distant."

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