The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico--1846; including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an accurate detail of the Storming of Monterey; also the Daring Scouts at Buena Vista together with anecdotes, incidents, descriptions of country, and sketches of the lives of the celebrated partisan chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker. Page: 154
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154 INCIDENTS OF THE NIGHT.
enemy's fire in the most spirited manner, doing good execution,
and beautifully covering our retreat-thus preserving the advance
from being cut off. Miraculous to say, not a man was hurt.
Our regiment hearing the firing had come up at a gallop, but
it was now nearly sundown, and we were ordered to encamp in
the yard of some jacales on the road side, (see B on the Map,) for
the night. The men were tired and hungry, as we had eaten
nothing since breakfast. The yard was filled with pigs and
goats; and the chickens had sought the trees to roost. An immediate
attack was now commenced upon the former with stones
and swords, and many a laugh was had at the unsuccessful racing
that was going on. While at the same time others ascended the
trees, and commenced an assault upon the chickens. In the
very height of our fun, and before we had time to unsaddle our
horses, which stood hitched around the houses, we received a rattling
fire of scopets from about five hundred of the enemy's
cavalry, who had suddenly come upon us, and had taken position
on the point of a hill near by, overlooking our place of encampment.
The tables were now turned, to the evident delight of the pigs and
chickens, and such a getting down out of trees and scampering
generally as then took place, afforded us many a hearty laugh
afterwards.
Col. Hays, with his noted presence of mind, immediately
formed the men under cover of the chaparral fence, to repulse a
charge, while Acklen's and Ballowe's companies (dismounted)
formed out in the road. The Texians gave a yell, and repulsed
the enemy with considerable loss, while only one or two of our
men were slightly wounded. This skirmish took place between
sundown and dark, and immediately after a heavy shower of rain
came up, while we were yet under arms, and which put a stop to
farther proceedings. We were kept in our positions more than
an hour, while the rain fell in torrents, drenching us to the skin.
The two companies in the meanwhile had come in and reported
that the enemy had retreated to the Saltillo road. The picket.
guard was then detailed, and the men ordered to look to their
horses. In examining the little houses, or jacales, in the yard we
found the doors all locked and barricaded. The heavy pole at
the well, which had been used for drawing water, was now made
use of as a battering ram, which soon opened the doors for us. In
the largest house, we found any quantity of dry corn, belonging
to the Mexican government, which was joyfully seized, and plentifully
fed to our poor horses.
The yard being within range of the battery on Independence
Hill, we were not permitted to light fires to cook, for fear of disclosing
our position. About nine o'clock, Gen. Worth came into
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Reid, Samuel C., Jr. The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico--1846; including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an accurate detail of the Storming of Monterey; also the Daring Scouts at Buena Vista together with anecdotes, incidents, descriptions of country, and sketches of the lives of the celebrated partisan chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker., book, 1859; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38096/m1/163/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.