Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/324

318 About 8 o'clock,, our Quartel San Jose commenced to shake. The things that were hanging on the walls were set swinging to and fro, and we all looked at one another with astonishment and much horrified, not knowing what it meant. But we were soon informed that it was a slight shock of an earthquake among the volcanic mountains.

At 10 o'clock, I was put on guard, and while going to my post, I noticed a dragoon who was watering his horse, was shot in his right thigh, fracturing it so badly that it soon afterwards had to be amputated; it is feared that he will die.

At noon two of Co. A's and one of Co. I's, all of the First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, were wounded while going to their respective posts. Co. A has but eighteen men now fit for duty, the rest being either dead or wounded.

About 2 o'clock,, Gov. Childs issued orders to the men to get themselves ready with sixty rounds of cartridges, as he was going to charge on and destroy some of these port-hole houses and all other barricaded buildings, from which the firing has been so severe on our men for the last few weeks. In fact, the bullets fly right into our fire-place, and men have been wounded while cooking; and I have known on several occasions, bullets to go through our coffee pots, and we have lost all our coffee.

The different detachments formed some time ago, were again ordered to form into their respective companies.

The first detachment, which is composed mostly of riflemen and Voltiguers, under command of Lieut. Morgan, is to charge on the barricade near the picket-post. No. 7 and 8. The second detachment, marines, under command of Lieut. Merrifield, is to charge on and take possession of a certain building from which we have been recently annoyed by receiving a rattling fire most every hour. The third detachment is composed of ten picked men from each company, (that is, from the six companies of Pennsylvania Volunteers), First Sergt. Edwin R. Riles, of Co. A, Fourth United States Artillery, volunteered his services, he was appointed Sergeant over the company,