A campaign in MexicoScribner, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
History
A campaign in Mexico
Scribner, B. F. (Benjamin Franklin)
Mexican War, 1846-1848 -- Personal narratives
After gazing upon the placid countenance of young Warren, and
reflecting on his blasted hopes of the future, we raised him up,
and with assistance, bore his bleeding body to the summit of the
ridge. Having secured a wagon, a party of us went in search of others
belonging to our regiment. At length we found the horridly disfigured
bodies of Apollos Stephens and Francis Baily. They were stripped
of their clothing, and near the place where they had fallen in the
morning. At first the icy coldness of their naked bodies sent a thrill
of horror at every touch throughout my whole frame: but my firmness
of nerve increased a little as we progressed in filling up the wagon
with our fallen associates. How my blood chills when I reflect on
those dead soldiers stiffened in frightful attitudes, that were heaped
upon one another so promiscuously! On which side soever we turned our
eyes, could be seen friends and foes terribly mangled, and lingering
in torture. Many of the Mexicans would call out “Agua, agua!” and
gulping it down, they would appear resigned to die. And thus the day
was spent in wandering over the bloody field, and burying the dead.
The dead of each regiment were laid together. Our boys were placed
side by side--Robinson sharing the blanket of his college mate Capt.
Kinder. After preserving a lock of each one’s hair, as a memento for
their friends, we fixed a cross made with staves, with their names cut
thereon, and raised over them a pile of stones. Then we fired three
salutes, and with a heavy heart returned to our camp. But wherever
we went, the dead appeared to follow us, and the most solemn silence
reigned around. On one side lay fifty of our killed, all stripped;
and everywhere could be seen the effect of the raging conflict. After
a cheerless supper, we performed the last duties of humanity to our
worthy messmate Charles Goff. It appears that during the retreat he
received a lance wound in the left elbow, and repaired to a stream
below the rancho to quench his thirst and bathe his wound when he was
attacked by five lancers. Seeing him unarmed, they pursued him at full
speed. After chasing him some distance, they overtook him, and Charles,
finding it impossible to save himself, faced the foe and received the
lance in the breast, before assistance could arrive, and died with an
expression of calm resignation lingering upon his countenance. He was
a good soldier, taking pride in the performance of all his duties. As
a Christian he was invulnerable to the temptations of camp. The last
conversation I had with him was just before we marched out to the
battle. I inquired if he had expressed to any one his wishes in case
he should fall. He replied “No!” with great seriousness. “Hadn’t you
better?” said I. “Yes, and now is the time,” he answered. “I wish you
to collect my papers and things, and take them home to my friends; you
know who I mean.” I asked if he just meant those things that might
be preserved as mementos.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account