Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/486

480 Saturday, February 5, 1848.—Last night's rain had the effect of cooling and purifying the atmosphere to a temperature that is perfectly delightful; and, no doubt, will bring great relief to those who have been afflicted with the mumps and measles, but the most of our men are complaining of the erysipelas.

No news of peace to-day. "What has become of it?" Answer, "Why, it is on its way to Washington."

This afternoon one of our members took another drawing of our quarters at San Angel. His intention is to have it lithographed in Philadelphia, Pa.

Sunday, February 6, 1848.—This morning Gen. Lane and his party came back from their expedition to Orazaba, and reported that they did not see anything of Gen. Santa Anna; although they were only two hours behind him, and would have captured him had not a Mexican carried the news in Lane's advance, telling Santa Anna that the Yankees were after him, and for him to fly for safety, which Santa Anna did, and nothing has been heard of old Santa since.

Gen. Lane was also after Gen. Paredes, who was in the villa (town) of Tulancingo. They were in hot pursuit of Gen. Paredes. Their horses fell down and died in the road leading to Tulancingo, ridden to death; but they did not capture Gen. Paredes, but his brother; they say, it was one of the most rapid and fatiguing marches of the war. Gen. Lane, on his return, went by the way of Tlascalla, once the ancient capital of the Tlascallaian tribe, where he was informed that the banner of Cortez, the renowned conquerer of the Aztecs, was at the Palace of Tlascalla. When they arrived at Tlascalla City they were told that the Cortez banner, which was the first Spanish banner that ever waved in this country, was safely deposited in a church on top of a high hill. Gen. Lane started for the temple, and had the relic in his hand, and was about to bring it with him as a trophy of the present war, but the Mayor, or Alcalda, of Tlascalla, and the priests of the churches in town, plead and begged for Gen. Lane not to take it from the Villa Tlascalla, as it was here where Fernando Cortez placed it for