Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/113

Rh climate. When 10 o'clock came around the orders for marching were countermanded, that is, our division, but that of Gen. Twiggs, Second Division, left. He goes by the National Road leading toward the city of Jalapa, where he is to halt, provided he is not stopped by the enemy before he gets that far. Our division is to follow to-morrow. To-day I learn that Lieut. George Moore of Co. D, First Pennsylvania Volunteers, who was reported as having resigned his position in the army at New Orleans, reported himself to his company last evening for duty, and promises to stay with his company during the war with Mexico. He says that he never resigned his position in the company; that he got leave of absence from Col. Wynkoop to go home to attend to some very important business.

This evening we again had orders read, stating that we will positively leave to-morrow morning; also, that Brevet-Col. Henry Wilson, of the First Infantry United States Army, is assigned to the governorship of Vera Cruz, and that Gen. Worth is to take command of his division and follow us. Also, that the court-martial has found Isaac Kirk guilty of theft and attempting to commit a rape upon Mrs. Maria A. Gallegas, and sentenced him to be hanged April 10, at 5 o'clock, ; also, Joseph Grussenmyer and Francis Crystol, both of Co. D, First Pennsylvania Volunteers, were found guilty of theft, and sentenced to a fine of one month's pay and one month's imprisonment in the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa.

The sentence of Isaac Kirk for rape committed on a native woman, will no doubt convince the Mexican people that we are not a set of barbarians, murdering fiends, pillagers and ravishers. The sentence passed to be hung to death, on a citizen of the United States for an offense committed against an enemy. What a lesson it ought to be, too, to those to whom we have been painted as savages, outlaws, respecting neither religion nor law, and committing all over the country we have occupied, the crimes for which the poor wretch is about to suffer death. We hope the sagacity of our able commander will succeed in giving the lie, and the establishment of a military commission is the first step toward it.