Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/330

324 whether the other might not be full of Mexicans, and the moment our men got through the wall they might have been shot down before they knew where they were. It rained hard all night, which made the operation still more disagreeable and dangerous, for the fall of rain was so heavy that they couldn't hear whether there was anything in the next house or not.

During to-day's firing two of Co. D and one of our company (C) were wounded, and one riflemen, named Smith, was killed at Post 7. When his death was announced in our quarters, he was brought in and buried with honors.

Monday, October 4, 1847.—This morning there was another ringing of bells and firing of rockets—blowing the charge around all the Mexican quarters. This alarming and confusing of the citizens is another appeal from Gen. Rea to the people to arouse and take up arms and defend their firesides; but, like all the rest of appeals, was in vain, and the citizens would not rally around his guerilla flag. So the firing was not so brisk as it had been before, except the blanket agrazients, who are constantly firing at our pickets from behind the house corners, etc.

About 9 o'clock,, I called on several of Capt. Small's party—so called, and talked about picking their way through a whole row of stone houses. They all praised Capt. Small and Sergt. E. R. Biles as brave and heroic officers. Even Mr. John H. Herron, who shot the Mexican boy or young man at the window, says that Capt. Small is one of the most daring officers he ever heard or read off, but he thinks that the Captain was a little too hasty in expressing his feelings and sympathy for the Mexican boy or young man. He says that he saw the Mexican come up the street with his escopet in his hand, and going into the building the back way, and soon afterwards again saw him going to a window, and it looked to him (Herron) as if the Mexican was getting ready to fire. When he saw this, he up with his musket and fired first, and brought him (the young Mexican) to the pavement. He also says, that he is fully convinced that the Mexicans knew that our