Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/490

484 Karr, was sent to the Castle of Chapultepec for striking some petty officer in the city. He is to be confined during the war, forfeit all his pay and allowance due him, and to be dishonorably discharged at the termination of this war, and also to wear a ball and chain weighing twenty pounds, and his head shaved close. This has been the hardest sentence of a volunteer that I ever heard tell of It has created a great sensation and murmuring among the volunteers.

Sunday, February 13, 1848.—This morning the general talk or conversation among the men is about the removal of Gen. Scott and the severe sentence of the poor old man, Thomas Karr.

At noon John Kritser, of our company, and James A. Sawyer, of Co. H, both printers and working on the American Star, called to see us, and by their appearance and genteel looks the printing business must agree with them, for they both looked remarkable well. Mr. Kritser said the report of the removal of Gen. Scott was true.

Monday, February 14, 1848.—This morning I went to the city and partook of a good dinner at the Socida del Progress, after which I took a walk around the city and visited the National Palace, of which Capt. Charles Naylor, of the Second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, is now Governor. From here I went to Tacubaya and visited the Archiepiscopal Palace of Mexico. Here is where Gen. Scott made his headquarters during the battles around and in the city of Mexico Tacubaya, before the Conqueror Cortez's time, was a large and powerful city; it is a fine city yet. Here is where the people prophesied, before ever hearing of Cortez coming, that a strange people were coming to destroy their government and to take possession of the Mexican Dominion, and for making this assertion King Montezumas put them all to death. The prophecy afterwards proved to become true by the Conqueror Cortez subduing their government.

This place is guarded by the regulars, and like their brother soldiers at Cuyoacan are much mortified at the stain cast upon