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: 43
251 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.View a full description of this book.
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SCOUT TOWARDS LINARES. 43
to brave unsheltered as much of the sun and rain as heaven pleased
to send upon us. The consequence was, that wherever we were
,encamped for any length of time, we were obliged to construct
rude shelters out of poles, cane, rushes, or any other material
which the vicinity afforded. And the Rangers' camp frequently
looked Itrre like a collection of huts in a Hottentot hamlet, or a
group of rude wigwams in an Indian village, than the regular
cantonment of volunteers in the service of the United States.
We remained in camp at Matamoras, until the 12th of June,
when we received orders to follow the trail of Arista's army as
far as practicable-pierce the country in the direction of Linares,
to ascertain the condition of the road, the quantity of water, &c.--
in short, to discover if the route could possibly be used for the line
of march for a large division, with its artillery and wagons, intended
to-enetrate the enemy's country in this direction. Much rejoiced
at this prospect of active service, we saddled up with light hearts
and willing hands; and in a few hours after the order was received,
we were ready for the journey.
On the morning of the 12th, we were busily engaged in transporting
ourselves and horses across the Rio Grande to the Matamoras
side. The ferry boats used for this purpose were the same
formerly employed by the Mexicans at this point,-and poorer
apologies for ferry boats than these were, can scarcely be imagined.
You might cross half the rivers in the world, and never look upon
their like again--clumsy, leaky barges, that threatened every moment
to go to the bottom, and promised to deposit their cargoes
anywhere but on the opposite bank. At 12 o'clock, had crossed
the whole command, and we moved through the town of Matamoras,
to commence our scout. To throw upon the wrong scent
any Mexican spies who might be watching our movements, Capt.
McCulloch took the direct road to Reynoso, as if he intended to
join Col. Wilson's command, which was stationed at that post.
Accordingly, we encamped that night, at the Rancho de Guadeloupe,
and feasted on roasting-ears, water-melons, musk-melons,
and every vegetable luxury that the rancho afforded. The most
of us had a little pocket-change, and we drove a lively trade
with the Mexicans, for all the eatables they could bring to our
camp. Our orders were most strict as regarded our intercourse
with the Mexicans, and we were enjoined to take nothing without
giving an adequate compensation. Our government was wise
enough to suppose that they could conquer the Mexicans by
kindness, and force them to a speedy cessation of hostilities, by
affording them a ready market for every thing they could raiee,
and paying enormous prices for every thing we obtained at their
hands. The policy of the government was to conciliate the peo
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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/m1/47/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.