Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/404

398 Off they started and about lo o'clock to-night, they returned bringing in two of the guerillas as suspicious; they shot two. This is one of the seven wonders, that the Texan rangers brought the guerillas in as prisoners, for they generally shoot them on the spot where captured. But being captured without arms and on suspicion only, saved the Mexicans from death. They also brought in two of our men, (Massachusetts), tied on a mule, with their throats cut.

This ought to be a warning to all soldiers not to lag behind but keep up with the army. But it seems the men are entirely worn out and unable to march any distance, and thus they lay themselves down by the wayside and go to sleep, and the first thing, a guerilla comes out of a chaparral close by and cuts the soldier's throat while sleeping.

Thursday, December 2, 1847.—This morning we left camp and went through the El Pinol Pass without seeing a agrasiento (greaser), or having a shot fired at us while going through.

We went into camp at Amozoquco, and as we were going into town, one man named McCage, attached to our company, received a shot in his arm. At this, a party armed themselves and went in pursuit of the cowardly greasers; they set fire to several ranches in the vicinity where the shots came from, and in fooling around, they started up several lancers, and fired several shots at them, but without effect, they flying to the mountains.

Our men broke open a suspicious looking building, and found that is was an artillery school, having in it several pieces of light artillery, a small mortar and a few muskets.

Friday December 3, 1847.—This morning we left the town of Amozoquco. We saw several guerillas going over toward the mountains, but we did not think it worth while going after them.

We arrived at Puebla about noon, and for several miles out we were met by members of our regiment who were left here, they being too unwell to go on a big march; also a great many of our Mexican acquaintances coming out to welcome us back.