Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/640

634 "Now for the absent members. Previous to the late rebellion our association, the Scott Legion, numbered over two hundred members; now it is reduced down to fifty; yet we have a representation from almost every regiment that participated in those eventful scenes of strife, who meet to renew that friendship formed during the hardships and perils in the Mexican War.

"Where have our other comrades gone to? I will explain. Nearly all are dead. Many of them, and some of our best men too, fell in our dear land, where the best blood of the land was poured out in four long years of bloody and wicked war.

"Few are amongst us whose lives have been spared. Some have shattered limbs and disfigured heads. But, thank God, these bad and wicked men, with their hellish design—men who held high position in the gift of our people—men whom our government protected and educated—men who have been fattened with plunder, and accumulated spoils of years past—men who raised their rebellious yells of madness and despair, with wickedness and violation of all law and order against the best government in the land, have been subdued (cries of 'Good'); and the flag, the emblem of which we proudly and triumphantly bore from Palo Alto to Buena Vista, from Vera Cruz to the capital of Mexico; and in the late rebellion, again and defiantly waves over every foot of territory in the United States. (Applause.)

"Yes, comrades, to-day every field and staff officer of the First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers (the regiment I belonged to) are amongst the dead. Every commissioned officer except one of our company is dead. My early comrades-in arms, my mess-mates, where are they to-night? Echo answers, 'Nearly all dead." Many of them are lying beneath the sod of the sandy plains and hill of Mexico, whose bones long since have mingled with the dust of the field upon which they offered up their lives for their country's flag. Others in our late domestic struggle fell; others in some far distant clime do live; others, again, in our cemeteries around us cold