Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/247

Rh not only intend to give us a warm reception, but to defeat our army and cut it up into fragments."

We have heard them boast before, and the country knows the result, whether they ever come true.

Mark what I am saying, I am confident that our army will be successful in every engagement. Our army has adopted a motto:—"Victory or death." Therefore, you can all rest assured that our army will be victorious in every battle. Yes! Victory is on every soldier's lips; victory is our only password in this campaign.

I expect by the time you receive this letter our flag will wave triumphantly over the halls of Montezumas.

Our whole army is in fighting order, and I, myself, am fully prepared to go into it; and, as I said in my former letters, if it should be my time to fall, it will be on the field of Gen. Scott's fame.

Our whole army is anxious to march on toward the capital of Mexico; yet, at the same time, we do not like to leave this beautiful and well planned city of Puebla.

Oh! How I love to hear the various tones of the church bells strike; they put me in mind (particularly on Sunday when you and I were little boys) of the bell chimes of the Trinity Lutheran and other churches of Lancaster.

The cathedral has its towers full of bells of different sizes. One strikes every half-hour, one every hour, others toll the curfew, and again others call the sinners to church to have their sins forgiven.

The whole of the bells chime out together at 6 o'clock,, 12 o'clock at noon, and 12 o'clock at midnight, when all must be in doors,

Sunday (like in all other towns) is the big day of the week. The stores and markets are opened in the morning; most everybody carries a revolver, bowie knife and dagger. They have no fist-fight, or knocking one another down—they shoot or tab one another. They carry a belt around their waist.