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: 91
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RECONNLOISSANCE OF THE MIEB BOAD. 91
of any colour, by a decree of the Audencia,* which for ever after
gave him all the rank and privileges of being white. Guerrero,
the second president of Mexico, was a griff, one darker than a
quadroon, while others who took part in the government were of
the pure Indian blood. These grades exist to this day.
As we have seen in the last chapter, the road to China having
been deemed inadvisable as a line of march for our army, orders
were soon after issued for us to make a reconnoissance of the road
by Mier, s far as Serralvo, as the army was now ready for its
march to Monterey, and only awaited our report.
On the 12th of August, then, three days after our arrival from
China, a portion of our company, with a detachment of Capt.
Gillespie's Rangers, accompanied by Capt. James Duncan, of the
3d artillery, and Lieut. Wood of the engineer corps, with a bodyguard
of four men, and a guide named Baker, were in the saddle
for another scout. At 8 o'clock, A. M., we left Comargo, crossed
the San Juan, and took the road to Mier. The day was powerful
hot, the thermometer being by sensation about 110. Our horses
suffered much, ana we had to travel very slowly. After four
miles, we passed Rancho Risa, and encamped two miles beyond,
on the road-side, and stripped our horses to graze, while we sought
the shade of the chaparral bushes.! Here we stopped till about 5,
P. K., when we proceeded on about three miles, and encamped beside
a beautiful lake of fresh water, called Guardado, one of the most
lovely spots we ever saw; the fine large trees on its banks afforded
a grateful shade for man and horse. There is quite a large rancho
there, by the same name, and little Mexican boys came down to
our camp, bringing us tortillas, eggs and fruit. The lake is about
two miles long, nearly half a mile wide, and very deep. Its limpid
waters were too tempting to be resisted, and many of us bathed
in its refreshing coolness. The opposite shore was lined with a
deep verdure, while here and there might be seen a flower of
richest fragrance, whose perfumes scented the evening air, as the
melting rays of the setting sun cast a flood of light over the dimpled
surface of the waters, and the wild lay of the woodland bird
echoed sweetly over the lake, from the entangled thicket.
After a hearty supper, we saddled up, and at 7 rp. M., left the
lake, taking a W. S. W. course through a wild rugged country.
About nine o'clock at night, we crossed a deep ravine, on the other
side of which was a thick chaparral wood. As the head of the
command turned an angle in the road, a horseman came riding
towards us.
Buena noche," said our guide to him.
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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/m1/96/?rotate=270: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.