Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/269

Rh full charge, until a large force of lancers were seen coming out from under the cover of a grove of trees or chaparral, numbering over three hundred lancers, who charged by a flank movement upon our little band of thirty-two men, but our men in an instant turned their horses and faced them, and fought like so many lions. But seeing that they were overpowered by re-enforcements, and their (our) ranks getting thinner, had to retreat, but not until nearly the whole band was either killed or wounded, and out of thirty-two that started only ten men returned to tell the tale of the guerilla fight of August 26, 1847. The rest were either killed or taken prisoners. Those who returned say that it was one of the most stubborn fights of the war, and had our men about fifty more men they could have whipped them and recaptured the mules.

In the evening thirteen of the unfortunate young men, who were in this guerilla fight, were brought in on a cart by a Mexican, dead, and mutilated in a most horrible manner. Every one was stripped astro (stark) naked of their clothing. Some of them were lanced no less than ten times in their breast and body.

This sad affair has caused great excitement in our quarters, and we are all threatening to avenge the blood of these poor victims.

This evening Gov. Childs issued orders that on and hereafter, no parties or companies would be allowed to go out in pursuit of the enemy, unless they had an order from him.

Friday, August 27, 1847.—This morning another one of the unfortunate victims was brought in by the Mexican on an old cart. He said that he found him laying on the road stripped of everything he had on him, and his body horribly butchered and mutilated. He was washed, and then laid out with the rest of his butchered comrades. The dead bodies were viewed by nearly the whole garrison; after which they were consigned to their last resting place.

This outrage and butchering of these men has cast a deep gloom over our little army of Puebla, and it will be a warning