Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/138

132 wrong battery, ordered the guard to charge upon the men and drive them from the carriage. This naturally caused a murmur, much growling and loud talk. When presently Gen. Scott himself came to the door, and inquired what was the matter? Some answered the cause; he laughed, saying, "Well, let the boys have what is on the ground; for they fought and worked hard all day, and they deserve all they can get." This caused laughter, and a cheer for Gen. Scott, but from this time there was no more specie bags cut open. Some of our men got from twenty to thirty dollars, while others got nothing but sore hands, shins, and other bruises.

In our engagement to-day some of our men made some very narrow escapes. Some had the butt of their muskets shot off, out of their hands. Myself had the top of my bayonet shot off, while others had their canteens carried from their sides, one had his cartridge box carried clean from the belt, while Sergt. Joseph Faust, of our company, had his sword scabbard shot from his side.

On our way down from the battle-field it was reported that our Brig.-Gen. Pillow was wounded, but I put no faith in that report; knowing that he left us when the firing first opened, and, like some others, could not be seen or found anywhere near us. But I hear now that the report is true that the General was wounded with a musket bullet. The bullet fell short of us where we were standing. Gen. Pillow when the fire first began was in our rear, in fact so far that Col. Wynkoop's orderly could not find him. Now, I ask where was Gen. Pillow, and where did he run to when the fire first opened from the enemy's batteries? Echo answers, Where?

After cena (supper) several of us went over to the Tennesseeans' camp. They were just burying their dead comrades, namely:—Second Tennesseeans, Lieuts., F. B. Allen, C. G. Gill and B. F. Nelson; Sergts., H. L. Byrnirn, F. Willis and W. F. Brown; Corporals, W. O. Shebling and Franklin Elkin; Privates, Samuel Floyd, W. England, G. W Keeny and C. A. Sampson. R. L. Bohanan, J. N. Gunter,