Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/396

390 having violated their pledges as officers, will have to suffer the penalty of the law, and that is death, and nothing under heaven will save them from death. The ladies went away weeping and crying like little children.

Monday, November 22, 1847.—This morning the court-martial again sat, and, after transacting some business, passed sentence of death on the two American teamsters who, a few days ago, killed a Mexican boy. Their object was robbery; they will be executed to-morrow. The two guerilla officers. Col. Juan Clamaco and a Captain, who wouldn't give his name—on whom sentence was passed yesterday—are to be executed on Wednesday next. Also passed sentence of death on two privates belonging to Col. Geo. W. Hughes' Second Maryland Regiment. Their charge is, sleeping on their picket-post, and they are to be shot on Thursday next. This is the most severe court-martial that ever sat in Mexico or in any other civilized country. The court is now six days in session, and in those six days it has condemned to death two Mexican officers—which was just—and four American citizens. If this kind of court were held in every small division of our army, there wouldn't be many left to fight the Mexicans. The sentence of death of the two Baltimoreans is an outrage. They were not allowed the privilege of defending themselves, to show their innocence of the crime, and nothing under the sun convicted these poor soldiers except that they were privates belonging to a volunteer regiment. They were tried by regular officers, who, we all know, hold perjuicio (prejudice) against the volunteers. Also sentenced one of our men, named Jame.s, B. Wilson, who, while intoxicated, took a pair of socks, worth fifteen cents, out of a barrel. He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to be taken to the castle of San Juan de Ulloa in irons, and there kept at hard labor, forfeit all his pay, have his head shaved and remain confined until the termination of the present war, and then receive a dishonorable discharge from the service. Who ever heard of such a heavy sentence for fifteen cents? It is one of the most