Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/148

142 not only the streets and houses, but the citizens, themselves, looked to me quite different from those we have seen at Vera Cruz and on our way here.

The population of Jalapa is about eight or nine thousand. Our quarters are as comfortable as we can expect without our tents. Most of our men can be seen making and putting up shanties. Here we have plenty of good water, and the promise from our Quartermaster of beef every day.

In passing through Jalapa, some of our men hid themselves in the city, and returned to camp this evening, telling high yarns and jokes they had with the senoritas.

To-day is the three hundred and twenty-eighth anniversary of the landing of Conqueror Cortez's forces in Mexico. He landed near where Vera Cruz now stands, and a more miserable and poorer spot is not to be found in all Mexico; it being Good Friday, April 21, 1519. The second conquerors of Mexico are now on their way to the city of Mexico.

Thursday, April 22, 1847.—This morning is kind of cold, raining and drizzly, which had the effect of some of our men trying to make their way to the city, and hunt better quarters. Having no tents we are exposed to all kinds of weather. A strong guard was ordered to be placed around our camp to keep the soldiers from going out.

At 10 o'clock,, ten men were taken in alphabetical style, accompanied by a non-commissioned officer, with the privilege to go to the city of Jalapa with strict instructions to take nothing except what was paid for.

At noon orders were issued for every soldier to brighten his belt and musket, and clean his clothing; but the men say, What is the use of cleaning our clothing as long as we are compelled to lay out in the rain and mud. "We want our tents, oh, Israel!"

The peak of Orazaba, the snow-capped mountain, an eminence above Jalapa, looks as though one was within a stone's throw of it, when it is reckoned to be about forty miles from this place.