Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/544

538 Mexican greasers for various crimes. Amongst them I saw the one that shot at Col. Ward Burnett and Major F. L. Bowman several evenings ago. I saw some of the largest and finest squirrels running through this section of country.

Friday, April 28, 1848.—This morning is beautiful; the heavy rains of the past week, accompanied as they were with extraordinary discharges of electricity, have had the effect of cooling the air, and brought out a good many of the black-eyed senoritas, promenading around the orchard groves.

On dress parade orders were read that we will be mustered in the United States service to-morrow.

Saturday, April 29, 1848.—This morning most of our soldiers are busy in cleaning up, to be ready to be mustered in the United States service again.

At noon word came to our quarters that the mustering is postponed until to-morrow.

To-day we drew clothing for the whole regiment, and every company received their letters to put on their caps. So this evening the whole regiment appeared on dress parade with the letter of their respective companies.

To-night it is rumored that Gens. Paredes, Almonta and Bustamente had marched with an army of five thousand troops upon the Mexican Government at Queretaro City, and broken up the Congress. If this is true, the armistice is broken, and hostilities will soon commence again.

Poor Mexico! there seems to be evil-minded of both parties, for every cause has its traitors. Speaking of Gen. Bustamente puts me in mind of part of his history. In 1841 Gen. Bustamente effected a loan of $1,200,000. He received for it $200,000 cash, and one million in paper credits of the government, which were selling at the time in market for nine cents on the dollar. So hard pressed at that time was the government that it sold the coining privilege of Guanajuato for fourteen years, receiving therefor $71,000 cash, when they were offered $400,000 if they would take it in yearly instalments of $25,000. Thus, Bustamente had entirely stripped the