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: 49
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A MAJOR IN THE RANKS. 49
juicy, and full of small seeds; the outside is covered with fine
furz, which is sharper to the touch than the points of fine cambric
needles. Those who had thus indulged, paid dearly for itfor
that night they were taken down with a violent fever and ague,
which this fruit invariably produces on those who have not become
acclimated.
The guard was posted, and as we spread our blankets down
that night, after the severe day's travel, we congratulated each
other on the pleasant night we would pass after all our fatigue.
In truth it was a peerless night; there was not a single cloud to
mar the deep blue of the boundless sky, and the moon's bright
orb, like some vast silver shield hung midway in the vault of
heaven, shedding a world of light upon the quiet scene. It
chanced that we had spread our blanket down by the side of one
of our messmates, who was a veteran of the Texas wars. Major
R. was among the first who emigrated from Kentucky to Texas.
He had commanded a company at San Jacinto; fought through
the Federal war, was Lieutenant-colonel at the " Parbon fight,"
and now, with the unasking modesty and unambitious zeal of a
true Texian, had, when his country needed his services, come out at
her call, as a simple private in a ranging corps. The Major was a
fine companion, and a specimen of the gallantry and chivalry of
olden days." He had been through the " tug of war," and as
he expressed it, 1, having seen the elephant, he was now going to
see the ca-ra-van." It happened that we were provided with a
water-proof cloth, which, upon this occasion, we proposed to
spread over both the Major and ourself, to keep off the heavy
dews. The Major readily accepted the proposition, and we
"* spooned" up together as affectionately as possible. About midnight
we were awakened by a tremendous thunder peal, and
found that a storm had been brewing during our sleep; the sky
was as black as ink, and the rain coming down in torrents; we
drew our head under the water-proof, and were piously engaged
in praying for those poor fellows who were exposed to the fury of
the storm, without any shelter whatever, when we suddenly felt
a little rivulet commence its meanderings under the very spot
where our blankets were spread. The windows of heaven were
opened," and the flood still continued to rise higher and higher.
The under blanket was now completely saturated, and the
water still continued to rise. We discovered that we were lying
in a little gully which was rapidly filling, but bore our affliction
as quietly as possible, and without murmuring, being ashamed to
grumble while the Major slept so soundly. But it was past
endurance, for the water had now risen half way up our side,
filling our powder-horn, which was unfortunately unstopped, and
6
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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/m1/53/: 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.