Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/477

Rh No dress-parade this evening. Had we known this before we left the city we would not have come to San Angel so soon; we would have had a little more sport with the senoritas.

Late this evening our men had nearly all returned from the city, and those who were at the grand masquerade ball speak of it in the highest praise as a grand success.

Monday January 24, 1848.—This morning I noticed that there is not so much of a rush for the city as there has been. I guess the finances are running short amongst some of the boys. In fact I know of some who hadn't any money the second day after they were paid off. All, all lost at the gambling tables, etc.

At noon, Lieut.-Col. D. H. Miles arrived in the city of Mexico with the largest train that ever came in at any one time. His brigade consists of over thirteen hundred men, mostly regulars; it also brings a large mail. I received several letters; one from my old master, Henry Grabill, of Lancaster, Pa., and I assure you I was much gratified in receiving a letter from that section of the country.

In the afternoon, friend Geo. Nightlinger and myself paid a visit to the once fortress of Churubusco. Here is where a bloody battle was fought, on the 20th of August last, when the gallant Col. P. M. Butler, of the South Carolina regiment, and many other noble soldiers were killed. We also visited Tet due Pont (bridge head), which was strongly erected on the main road, in front of the bridge, over Churubusco river or creek. Next we visited the convent church close by, which was strongly fortified; the wall of the church being pierced with two ranges of musketry. From here we went to San Pablo, where a company of one hundred Irish-American deserters from our army, and commanded by that notorious Col. Thomas Reily, also a deserter from our army. Here they made one of the most daring and desperate defences than at any other place that our army ever came in contact with. The deserters were mostly all artillerymen, and handled their pieces well and fought like so many bulldogs. They several times