Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/634

628 Cerro Gordo. The tables were gems of neatness, and groaned under the weight of many good things. After supper I was called upon, by Col. A. H. Reynolds, President of the Scott Legion, to respond to the toast of our absent members. This was not only unexpected but I was unprepared to make any appropriate remarks to such a toast. And after apologizing for the surprise, and also for the unexpected call for a speech I responded to the toast as follows:—

":—We have assembled here to-night, what for? Not to talk about any of the political issues of the present day, nor anything that happened in the late rebellion, but to talk about what happened to-day twenty-five years ago—a long way ahead, but a short way back. It is now nearly twenty-seven years since our gallant and patriotic young men left the soil of Pennsylvania and other States to answer their country's call "to rally around their glorious country's flag," then insulted and trampled under foot in a hot and tropical climate; men who forsook their comforts of home, their wives, children, relatives and sweethearts (God bless them)—(laughter)—the society of friends to exchange their comfortable firesides and feather beds for the foreign, untented fields of Mexico, and to pour out their blood like water in defence of our country's flag. (Cheers.)

"Twenty-five years ago to-day, on a beautiful Sabbath morning, the battle of Cerro Gordo was fought; it was the second grand victory of our army under Gen. Scott in that campaign. We don't celebrate this battle as if it was the only victory gained in that campaign. Oh, no; there were other battles fought before and afterwards, just as gloriously fought and victoriously won as the battle of Cerro Gordo; but none so brilliant. It was like the battle of Gettysburg in our late rebellion, or like Sedan in France; it so shocked and discouraged its backers, demoralized their armies, and, like the wind amongst the dry leaves in autumn, scattered them all over the land—(applause)—captured a whole division of prisoners, 43 cannons and $60,000 in specie.