Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/375

Rh tobacco, worth several thousand dollars. This is the same tobacco we captured from the enemy September 23d, and our soldiers thought that they had as good a right to it and sell it as Capt. Webster had, who has been selling it to the Mexicans for forty-five dollars per bale. The quartermaster, hearing the back door forced open and the tobacco rolling away, sent word to the Officer of the Guard, who sent a force of men, under Sergeant Edwin R. Biles, to stop the taking away of the tobacco. This caused a little growl among those who were a little late in getting any, and rejoicing among the lucky ones, but soon all was quiet again.

Saturday, October 23, 1847.—This morning I noticed that around our quarters looked like a tobacco warehouse. Some of our men realized from ninety to one hundred dollars on it; in fact, it seemed that nearly every soldier was in the tobacco business; and I noticed some of Co. D, First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, after they had sold what they had to the Mexicans, got up a file of soldiers, headed by Sergeant Bill McMullin, went to the Mexicans to whom they had sold their tobacco and demanded the return of the tobacco, as they, the guard, were sent by Gov. Childs for it; but the poor Mexicans, who probably had paid out all the money they had, thought that this was a rather sharp game, and showed a disposition to decline giving it up after they pagoy (paying) for it. Finally the sergeant and his gang told the Mexicans that if they paga them so much money, they, our men, would let the Mexicans have the tobacco, and report to the officers that the tobacco could not be found. To this the Mexicans agreed, and paid to each man so much money, after which the pretended guard went away rejoicing and laughing over their rough joke of getting paid twice for their tobacco; this the roughs think is smart, but the more civilized portion of our soldiers think it was nothing else but highway robbery, and all should be punished for it.

In the afternoon, Col. E. Dominguez came to our quarters, and took with him several Mexicans, who have been our