Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/221

Rh the strong and well-constructed Castle of Perote, and camped in the Castle, which surrendered on the 22d of April to Gen. Worth's division without any resistance from the enemy, with all its heavy artillery, ammunition and over five hundred muskets, carbines, escopets, etc. Here we remained from May 8th until July 3d, with good quarters, water and fresh beef It was afterwards made the headquarters for the sick and wounded soldiers of our army, and there were at one time over five hundred men in this hospital with that disease called diarrhœa, which disease takes more to their graves than the enemy's bullets. Many of the poor soldiers who died here were buried without any military escort or any honors of war bestowed upon them. As soon as they died they were wrapped up in their blankets and taken to the dead-house, and from there, soon afterwards, were carried or carted out to the place selected for burial, and were then thrown two, and sometimes three, into one hole dug for that purpose. There were no head-boards to mark the names of these gallant men who died of wounds and diseases contracted in this country.

During our encampment at Perote we were constantly on the National Road, and other roads, hunting and fighting guerillas. We had several hard skirmishes with them, one near La Hoya Pass and Las Vegas, where we put to flight, with considerable loss, over two thousand Mexicans. This was on June 20th. These guerillas are composed of men, mounted on spirited mustangs, well-equipped with rifles, pistols, carbines, daggers, lances and lassoes. They generally have good and brave officers, but the rest of them are the most wretched and desperate ruffians in the country, such as assassins and pardoned felons, pardoned on the terms of joining the guerillas. They are mostly divided into different bands, and each party is accompanied by a Catholic priest, there being no other religion allowed in this country. This priest's duty is to first swear each one upon the cross to watch every chance, if they can see their way clear, to pursue the enemy (us Americans) to their death, their motto is, "No quarters to the Yankees."