Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/399

Rh After shaking hands and kissing one another, they walked straight forward and mounted the scaffold, accompanied by the priest, and after going through the Catholic ceremonies, the priest left them. The trap door was let go, and then the two Mexican officers who had three times broken their parole of honor, swung off in the air, in the midst of shrill cries and shock among the Mexicans.

All the church bells throughout the city were tolling while they were hanging; both died very hard, and hung fully half an hour before they were pronounced dead. After which they were lowered, and I believe, handed over to their friends for burial.

During the execution, some of the Mexicans in the back ground could be seen cursing and swearing.

After the excitement was all over we were ordered to march back to our quarters and stack arms, after which we marched with our side-arms down to Capt. Small's quarters to bid him good-bye, as he is going home to take his seat in the Senate of Pennsylvania, to which office he was elected last October. Sergeant Zeigle was the spokesman. After going over the career of Capt. Small's brilliant achievements as an officer and soldier, he wished him a safe return to the State and the bosom of his family, which he left nearly two years ago. Capt. Small responded in his usual happy style with very appropriate remarks, regretting that he had to leave us, as he would love to be with us on our march to the capital of Mexico, and wound up by saying that he had succeeded in getting James B. Wilson, of our company, clear of his sentence, and that he will march with us to-day to the city of Mexico. This announcement caused a great deal of joy amongst our company, and three rousing cheers were then given for Capt. Small, for the liberation of our comrade James B. Wilson. After this we all shook hands with the Captain and bid him good-bye and a safe journey to his family. We then returned to where we had stacked our muskets, when orders were given to take arms, shoulder arms, right face, forward march, and