Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/35

Rh the fence with a tremendous shock that instantly killed him. During-all this fearful rage the elephant had three or four bullets shot into him, one went into his right eye which had the effect of bringing him too, and he was finally captured and fastened to a tree.

Messrs. Raymond & Co. had to pay the owner of the negro (slave) one thousand eight hundred dollars, beside one thousand dollars for other damages done at the carnage. Think of it, one thousand eight hundred dollars for a negro, when thousands of poor whites and blacks in the North are not worth eighteen cents. No wonder our Southern friends don't want their negroes to run away from them to the North, for in the North they are really worth nothing.

This evening I hear a rumor that we will go down below New Orleans to-morrow morning to encamp and drill; so we will all be on shore again.

Wednesday, December 30, 1846.—This morning after breakfast the United States Quartermaster came on board the "Messenger" and gave orders to Capt. James Nagle of Co. B, who was Officer of the Day, to get under way and proceed to the old battle-ground known as the place where Andrew Jackson gained the glorious victory over the British Army commanded by Edward Packingham. At 11 o'clock,, we arrived at the battle-ground, our place for encampment. All the soldiers were anxious to jump on shore with their knapsacks strapped on their backs and muskets upon their shoulders. We marched about four hundred yards from the river bank; here we were ordered to unsling knapsacks and select suitable ground on which to pitch our tents. Others could be seen gathering wood and building fire-places, while some of the rest were carrying water from the noble Mississippi, which is as muddy as our Juniata River after a hard day's rain. At noon other companies commenced to arrive in camp, and towards evening the battle-ground was full of tents and lively with soldiers. Different messes were formed, six in a mess. We soon had something cooked and eat it in