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: 76
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76 SOLDIERS' ANECDOTES.
It was on the afternoon of the 24th of July, when the sun was
slowly sinking to its " nightly bourne," and shedding upon the
camp-scene of. snow-white tents its soft mellow rays, which
breathe a " transient farewell," that we had awaked from a quiet
slumber, and became attracted by the colloquy of two of the sick
men, who were evidently speaking of the young man who had
but lately died.
"( Well, Barney was the pride of his company-a jewel of a
boy; Heaven rest his sowl," said one, as he drew himself up on
his elbow. oPass the pipe, Larry, darlint," said he, drawing
a long sigh and stretching out his hand to his companion, who
lay on the next pallet, and then, taking a few whiffs, continued:
" Sure that was the boy that had the heart in 'im. It was the
night after the battle of the-what's this ye call it ?-- Risecar de
Palmy,' that we were carrying the wounded Mexicans to the
hospital in the rear, when a dhrop of wather was worth a pair of
Mexicans, that self-same time-bad luck to 'em-and a poor divil
that had the leg off him, was howlin murther for a dhrink, when
up steps poor Barney-may the Holy Virgin kape him-and
taking the canteen from his neck, held it to the poor divil's mouth
till he got the fill of it; and could yees 'av seen the rollin' of his
eyes, as he looked poor Barney in the face to thank him, saying,
(Mi Tampico,' it would 'av made ye blink yer weepers."
( Wasn't it Barney that helped to find Gen. Arista's chest
of money ?" said Larry.
" Sure it wasn't anybody else," replied his companion; " and
iv it had a been me, be gor, I niver would a turned it in at all."
" Tut, man," said Larry, " its only talking ye are now; for
wasn't the order out to turn in every thing down to a brass button
? and didn't I have to give up me illegant pistols and silver
spurs ? Truth, then, how could yees kape from it ?"
" How could I kape from it ?" said his companion. 6 Sure, then,
it's givin' the box a dacent burial I would, and divil a bit would
I iver gone near it 'til I got me discharge, and would'nt that be
keeping from it ?" The convalescent here joined in the laugh at
Paddy's wit.
"'Tare an ouns," said Larry, ", it was mighty mean of 'em
any how to take away from us the little plunder we'd picked up
after such hard fightin'. Wouldn't it 'av been more dacent to
have divided it betwixt uz ?"
" Thrue for you, Larry," said Pat, 4 and sorry I am I didn't
enlist for the seas, instead of the land sarvice; for. there, I am
tould, they divides the plunder betwixt 'em all, whiniver they takes
a prize, and, be gor, it's no more than fair any how. But I hear
say it's the reconciliation policy of the government. 'Thunder
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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/m1/80/: 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.