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: 17
251 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.View a full description of this book.
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CAMP AT BRAZOS ST. JAGO. . 17
CHAPTER II.
Camp at Brazos St. Jago-Scenes and Incidents-Capture of a Vessel with
contraband Good -The Trial and Punishment of the Offenders-The Regiment
moves to Burita-Arrival at the Rio Grande-Occurrences of the
March-Wreck ot the Steamer Frontier-Description of Burita.
THE weather was now excessively hot, and the men were suffering
very much from the heat and the brackish water; several
had already died with the dysentery, the prevailing disease of the
cliMate. The nights, however, were cool and delightful. The
only real pleasure which existed on the island was the fine seabathing.
On the sea-shore, back of the hills, is a most lovely
beach, where the waves roll in, frequently six and eight feet high.
It was most delightful to swim out a hundred yards or so, and
then ride in on the foaming crest of the waves. The men bathed
night and day, which was most conducive to their health. The
shore is lined with small shells, which are washed up by the sea,
many of which we picked up for their beauty. The sea view
from the beach by moonlight is charming. There were several
vessels of war and merchantmen riding at anchor in the offing;
and as they rose and fell with the waves, they seemed like things
of life. The billows sparkling with phosphoric light, and beaming
with the rays of the moon, formed a starry heaven below;
and as they rolled upon the shore, receding with a murmuring
sound, made a sweet and plaintive music for the ear. The view
of the encampment, from the hills, presented a very fine appearance,
as the number of tents had been augmented by the arrival
of the Alabama battalion, the long lines of which, with the officers'
markees in the rear, had a very fine effect.
To prevent intemperance, whisky and all spirituous liquors were
declared contraband, and not permitted to be sold to the men.
Notwithstanding, the soldiers frequently got drunk, and it could
not be discovered whence the liquor came. Our energetic lieutenant-colonel,
however, determined to ferret it out. So, watching
two of the men, one day, he followed them to the foot of the island,
where, back of the hills, on the beach, lay a small lugger, which
contained two men, and several barrels of liquor, which they had
been selling to the soldiers at one dollar a pint! Lieut. Col. Peck,
on making this discovery, returned back to camp, and at night proceeded
with a detachment of soldiers down to the beach, captured
the vessel and contents, and made the twomen prisoners, who surrendered
without resistance, though their boat was foumd to be well
2 *
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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/m1/19/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.