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: 62
251 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.View a full description of this book.
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62 PURSUIT OF ROBBERS.
which party whipped. But our orders were positive, and we
prepared to execute them faithfully. An old Mexican, who had
been attacked by these brigands the night before, was horribly
wounded and mutilated. One of his hands was nearly severed
from his body, and his face gashed up, while his nose was entirely
cut off. In this mutilated condition, he managed to effect his
escape in the night, and brought the news of these outrages to
Reynoso. After his wounds had been dressed, he volunteered to
become our guide, and conducted us to the robbers' encampment,
which was about ten miles from town, on the Matamoras road.
Pointing out the tree to which he had been tied, he gave us a
detailed account of the cruelties which had been practised upon
him, and described the agonies he had suffered. We found every
thing, in the now deserted camp, just as he had related it to us.
The robbers, however, had fled. Taking their trail, we followed
it briskly for five or six miles, when we suddenly lost it; upon
retracing our steps for a few hundred yards, we discovered that
they had-as if fearful of pursuit, and resolving to baffle it-separated
and diverged in all directions, so that it would be impossible
to'follow their trail.
Our party was now divided, and ordered to scour the chaparral
on both sides of the road in every direction; the order was
promptly obeyed, and the country minutely examined for miles
around. But no further clue of the rascals could be discovered,
and finding all attempts to do so fruitless, the party again assembled
at the diverging point.
Scarcely had we done so, when a large party was seen coming
over a hill, some distance in the advance. Hastily concealing
ourselves for an ambuscade, McMullen galloped on towards them,
to reconnoitre, and attempt to draw them into the snare. He had
not been gone long, when the heavy tramp of a number of horses
was heard upon the road, and our lieutenant hastened back to tell
us that it was the rest of the company coming up from Matamoras.
Joyfully we came out to meet them, and amid mutual inquiries
after healths, and hearty greetings, rode merrily back to Reynoso.
The most pleasant news that our companions brought up from
Matamoras, was the glad tidings, that we were ordered up to Comargo,
and were to move immediately. We were all delighted
to hear this, for although the life we had passed in Reynoso was
pleasant enough, we were right willing to exchange it for the stirring
scenes of active, and more hazardous service. Early on the
morning of the 9th of July, the bugle sounded the advance, and
we bid the town of Reynoso farewell for ever.
A steamboat, with troops and army stores, was already on her
way up the Rio Grande to Comargo; the 7th regiment of in
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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/m1/66/: 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.