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WILLIAM D. COOKE, I : PBOPBIETOB. 3 All INDEPENDENT'FAMILY NEWSPAPER. TERMS, tW DOLLARS PEE AKHUM Slti'otcu- to all tije s$n (crests of Cfje Sottti), iterator, true ttton, rttulture; 3etos, tijc Jttatftets, &c. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLIRV; SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1855 yOL IV-NO. 40. WIIOLE NO. 196 SELECT POETRY THE LONG AGO. Oh! wonderful stream is the river Time, A it rurs through the realms of tears, With a faultless rythm and a musical rhyme, And a broader sweep, and a surge sublime, And bends with the ocean of years. Hownhe winters are drifting tike flakes of mow, And the summer lika W ""U-" And ibeyat In ";V eiuy coireanit they fa. ' i On the river's breast, with its ebb and flow, At it glides in the shadow and sheen, v There is a magical Isle up the river Time, , Where the softest of airs are playing ; ; -, r Therms a cloudress sky and a tropical clime, Afll a song as sweet as the vesper chime, ... And the Junes with the roses are staying. And the name of this isle is theLowo ago, And we bury our treasures there : There are brows of beauty and bosoms of snow There are heaps of dust, but we loved them so ! j There are trinkets and tresses of hair. There are fragments of song that nobody sings, And a partof an inlant's prayer; There's a lute unswept, and a harp without strings, There are broken vows, and pieces of rings j And the garments that she used to wear. There are hands that are waved when the fairy shore By the mirage is lifted in air ; And we sometimes hear, thiough the turbulent roar, Sweet voices we heard in the days gone before, When the wind down the river is fair. , - Oh! remembered for aye be the blessed is' e, j All the day of life till night i j When the evening comes with its beautiful smile;, And our eyes cloting to slumber awhile, j May that " greenwood" of soul be in sight. j SELECTED ARTICLE V From the National Monitor LIFE IN THE ARMY; . . on - REMINISCENCES OF THE MEXICAN WAR.; BY A XEW.YOKK VOLUNTEER.' A NIGHT AFTER GUERKILLOS. While surrounding 1 1 city of Ven Cruz, working all night in the trenches, building bat teries, keeping a sharp iouk-out, lest the beleag ured city should receive a reinfjrcement,iOur regiment was fiequently called up n to perfprm oiher duties. One of thesi-, was to take freqyent excurisons Into the. interior of the country, in a circuit of eight or ten miles, to prevent jt enemv trom concpntratino; in any coniaeriw force within, that distance from our camp.'lu ply our regiment w ft lr fresh beef, an 1 pick upj sucli of our men whose roving propensities or enauirinir disposition, misrht have led tliejh to 1 , . . stray so far from camp as to render their rc not only unsafe, but a matter of considerable dimciiltv. buinetimes but a tew men, acc bin panied Uy an officer, wquld be sent on an exi tlr sion of this kind; another times, one, two, t iree and four compani' s would be sent the size. of the force depending on the nature of the inform ation that our Colonel imcrht have received 1 roin those who were supposed to know the coiiutry for miles about us, and who were alwris HtSt- ed up" in what was going on. Tho-e aFairs invariably gave rise to numerous mcideri tS diversified in their chaiacter some pleasin and others sad. - The incident that forms the subject of article, occurred about two veek. after our i ibis ind ing at Vera Cruz. Early one morning i mall partv, under the command of a non-com mWjsion ed bfiicer, was sent out after a supply ot peh beef. Plenty of cattle were roaming-ahouit, the woods within a mile of the camp, thereione an expedition of the kind was not coniderejd-;an unsafe one, and consequently but a few men at a time were generally sent. ' This party T ber ieve consisted of four men and a Corporal. They started about six o'clock in the morning. -j Three hours was time enough foi them to con sunie, to enable tbem to secure as much beef as they could carry. But the three hours elapsed, and they did not make their appearance in camp. This, however, was not coiiMdeied at all Strange, for our men were generally jlispoed to k:ke their time when on any such duty when free from the usual ..restrictions.- Three more hours elapsed, and they did not return ! Now fears were expressed by some in regard to their safety. The Colonel was informed of their abs ence, when, with his characterise promptness, - he ordered that nartr rf twenfv men iinHir j. .j , he command of a Lieutenant, should be sent in search of the absent " beef partv." I was the Lieutenant selected ; the party was made up of detachments from the different companies. We left camp about 1 o'clock, p. m., taking the ?ame direction that the "beet party " had taken. Marching up the Oriz ba road about a mile, we filed to the left and entered a dense wood. This we knew to be the usal leef-hunt-lng .ground, and of cou'se was in momentary expectation of meeting some of the party Of whom 1 wa in pursuit. Knowing the habit, dispositions and inclinations of most soldiers, I was certain that 1 would find the party in the cool woods luxuriating Unier tne shade of some mammoth tree. But a half-hour's tramn throtio-h the thick woods elicited not the least inform ation as to the whereabouts of those we were after. Not the slightest evidence was visible that they had been there, not a foot print could be seen, no blood of slaughtered animals the latter generally an indication that a "bee party " had been around. After, a rest of a few in oments and a drink at a cool stream, I order ed myento advance further into the woods Taking another direction, we grouped our way through dense chapparel, tickets and swamps and suddenly camoouton an open plain. I was a short distance in advance of my party the - mo Ky nut-. - i ,v v- -.Vi--- -- ----- . i Oti 4,' tliscoverea uaitv ir . bout: oue Irundf?! aiid"..y. yai"dflt uiwut, dkaiounted, the bridles of. their " horses thrown over their arms. On the ground in frou of them I d;scbvered the form of a man appar ently lifeless. I could not make out whether he was an Auaencan or Mexican, i immeaiiieiy - . i r ... x z .i.i- i ordered my men to bait, and cautioned them not to show themselves. I was anxious to sur prise the Mexican?, capture thera and bring them to'camp. IIrw to effect this I was debat- ng with myself, when I saw two of them stoop down and j attempt to raise the lifeless form of th e man upon ihe back of ahorse. This move ment revealrd to roe what I first suspected the dead body ofeneofthe "beef party" we were in search of. I knew his uniform, and could not ther fore be mistaken. They had not fairly got him on the horse's back, when I order-, ed my men to advance a few steps forward, in order that they might get a position that would enablerf them to make sure of their men for I intended to fire upon them. They were creep ing cautiously and noiselessly toward the spot I indicated, when thefyrigger of one the muskets caught in the branch' of a small bush, and the piece went off. In an instant the Mexicans drop ped the dead body of the soldier, and all mount ed tlieir horses, and dasded off with lightning speed. I ordered my men to fire -an order they promptly obeyed. One of the Mexiaans fell? from his saddle dead, three bullets having entered different parts of his body. The others succeeded in making their escape. I immedrately went up to the corpse that was lyig upon the ground and which the Mexi cans seemed so anxious to carry off with them d-discovered it to be that of the Corporal whi had command of the-". beef party." Poor iiellow ! He had been shot through the body, his throat cut, and his person otherwise shock ingly mutilated. After making an ineffectual search for the re mainder of the party consuming about an hour in so doing a Hide litter was made, and the murdered CoVporal was borne by his coii, tades back to camp, from whence he had depart ed lhat morning in the full enjoyment ol" health. Alas! how uncertain is life a soldier's lifts! I immediately reported the sad affair to the P.Colonel the annihilation of the whole party, as I believed. But I was mistaken. One of ti e Corpora.' party had succeeded in reaching 'camp about halt' an hour pievious to my return, aud was .then detailing to the Colonel and several officers asmlled in the former's marquee, the particulars of the attach and the death of every one of tl'e small party but himself. It appears as the survivor him-elf acknowl edged that instead of tije Corporal tak n; his men to the spot where he could have succeeded in getting his beef with but little trouble, and no danger whatever to himself and party, he had an excursion into the country about a mile farther than there was any necesity of going that they were suddenly attacked by an unseen enemy, and the Corporal and all but one of the ptrty shot down at the first fire. The survivor succeeded in making his escape. ''Now," said the Colonel after the relation of -he affair, " have you anything to propose, gen tlemen." " Yes sir," replied one of the officer?. "What is it?" " I believe, Co'onel, that that ranche in the woods yonder is the resort of a gang of guerril- IPS. i " What ranche do you mean !" - The locality was explained, pnd the officer continued. " Now, this man says that the Mexicans took three of the dead bodies of our men on their horses, and made off in the direction of that ranche." " Well, what of that?" asked one of the of ficers. "Enough ! I believe that the place is a resort of a land of murdering guerillos, as I said before, and that the dead bodies of our men can be found there now." .A general ha! ha! greeted the officer's as- senion no one seemed disposed to believe what he said. The ranche the officer alluded to was located about mil. f,r, Mmn. in a delightful soot. shnded by tall trees perfectly isolated no other habitation bein in its vicinity. It w as oc- cipied by an'old lady and two daughters- handonle, intelligent, vivacious girls, with black, sparkling eyes, raven tresses and many other feminine attractions. It was a favorite resort of many'-of." the officers ibfe attractions I have mentioned not only being an inducement for them to repeat their visits, but the old lady used to serve up an excellent cup of coffee and delici ous chocolate, at a moderate chargeahd the daughter's would gaily chat with you, sinr; a j song, play on the guitar, and entertain vou in various other ways peculiar to the sex. As I said before, it was a favorite resort for many of the officers, and thertf jre they wouldn't for a for a moment listen to any such insinuation as had been cast upon the place and its inhabitants. But the officer persisted in asserting his belief offering arguments to subtantiate the feasibil ity of what he said relating singular and sus picious occurrences that had come under bjs own observation, and finally concluding with the em phatic remark. ' ' : ; - . 44 By G , sir, I believe it's a nest of robbers that the women and' robber sr and every sr J about the bouse are ro! ' t tij t. Uij? .fcfji.) fc'onel. t h ,'ir .... , jf- . .'. . -. i- - jea.f1 - n-v . i - j rroi. Are a hberty wtake yonr company.od go pursuit of the murderers of our men.' " The Captain a' gallant man he was, tbo-i was delighted. -' - . " Just what I wanted" he whispered in mj ear.' : . , , - ' - - About 9 o'clock that night a bright," moon light night he started from camp, with a full company, each man armed with a musket, and with a full cartridge box. He took a different route from that generally pursued by the officers in their frequent visits taking a more circuit ous one so that he could come upon the place when the inhabitants least expected him that he might, too, avoid the look-outs that their watchfulness might have suggested. It took but a short time to reach the place ; but instead of marching his company directly up to the ranche, he halted them about two hundred yards distant, secreted them in a dense chapparel, and cautioned them all to keep silence. Then taking Lme ( ne side for I accompanied hira b- com municated to me his plan of operations. " First," said he, "T want to asc -rtain who is in the place if anyone beside the women folks. Now, I want you to accompany me. We must approach the ronctie as noiselessly as possible, reach tt unobserved and unheard, and then we can learn al! we want to. Come, now, let's be off." Taking our swords in our hands, to prevent them from draggii g on the ground, we ap proached the ranche on our hands and knees. It was a calm, lovtly night.. Not a oreath of air stirred the leaves of the trees, not a human voice or breathing was heard all was still as death. Slowly aud noiselessly we approached the ran che i about half the distance had been gained ; then we paused a moment -io recover our breath and take a rest, for our manner of travelling was tedious and quite laborious. We listened ! Now we could hear the murmur af several confused voices, and as we approached nearer, we could distinctly hear the music of a guitar. The near er we approached, the more audible the voices became ; we could now distinctly hear the voice of a female, singing one of her native airs. We wt-re now within thirty yards of the ranche; brilliant lighti were burning, and we coul 1 dis cern through the half-open windows the forms of many men and three females who inhabited the place. Again we paused to rest ; our posi- i tion now was an advantageous one ; we were enabled to secrete ourselves in a ditch,, and at the same time keep our eyes upon the ranche watch the movements of those within, and see any one who might pass. We had not remain ed in our present position more than a minute, before the door of the ranche opened, and the three females and a man emergtd therefrom, and mounting horses that stood saddled at the door, rode off. As soon as they had got out o! sight, we approached nearer to t'le ranche were presently directly under its windows. We cautiously raised up, and peered in at the win dow, and there met a sight lhat fully substanti ated what the Captain bad previously said. A bout thirty Mexicans were there congregated savage-looking cut-throats, armed to the teeth, and all in the picturesque dress of the guerrillo. They appeared to be having a jovial time. Some were seated around tables sipping coffee, choco late, and aguediente ; others were smoking cigaritos and playing cards. We di 1 not remain long at the window ; what we had already seen was sufficient to guide our future actions. We made our way as soon as possible back to our men, and the Captain hurriedly gave some or ders, cautioning them how to act, and then we advanced in two separate parties upon the ran che. We succeeded in reaching it within sixty yards before its inmates discovered us. Instant ly they made a rush for the door, but a moment sufficed to let them selrthat they were entrap pe that their escape from us was out of the question. They instantly retreated back, barri caded the door, and fired a volley at us through the window. Their fire was ineffective, nearly j every shot passing over our heads only one j of our party receiving a tery slight flesh wound. : We instantly closed upon the ranche, both part- j ie coming up at the same time. -The door and windows we found strongly barricaded, resisting ever.v effort we raade to force them "P- ' then calle1 uPn th?m to surrender, but they refused to do so, treating the demand with ap- P1 contempt a targe portion ot tnem made i brave, doubtless,by copious libations of agudiente, Another attempt was then made to force open the door. A large piece of timber was brought f into requisition used as a battering-ram. But J it defied cwr most vigorous efforts. The guerril I los inside two-tbirds of them madly intoxicat ed jerred and laughed at our ineffectual at tempts. The Captain now seeing that all his enorts to tl Mirrillos were fruitless, determin ,rt Lnrt to another expedient to set fire VVl V A the ranche. Ordering some of the men to gather a quantity of light brushwood, and other inflam mable materials, the same was placed around the ranche. Another demand was made upon the guerillos to surrender, but they treated jtin the same manner that they had the previous one- laughed atyj t-Iwre at us, and set up a de- ; make the slightest noise. The Captain and my fiani jelU - - . ' '. self then advanced cautiously, in the same man- ' -The Captain now became angry. I shall ' er that we had previously done, for the pur never forget hVlook and expression, when the Pse of reconnoiterfag the premises. We suc guerillos so tauntir-Iy refused his last demand ! seeded, after a short time, in reaching the ran- to surrender. Drawii upuM talloldierly figure erect, nervously un-ta sathing his bright sword, and 1 tyes C.isbng anger, he exclaimed " Ti..J0VfC$je place I By G--d, 111 sti? whai, Bostoulto 1 I'll burn every d n rn . , titrrnti linn or et as LTf ently obeyed the light brush vei v reajily " ignited, and in a few seconds , the, ranuta surrounded by a sheet of flame. . The Capt fa then drew his company oft about sixty yardl, and awaited the egress of the guerrillos. Presjriy we heard blasphem ous cursing and loud . iiouts within ; the clash ing of sabres, the ringing of ramrods, as they were inserted in the - fcstrrels of escopets ; then confused and noisy yoes it was evident that they were preparing to leave the ranche. lie .cautious, men, jsaid the Captain, ad dressing his compat y, f make every shot tell." The company was drawn up to a full front about sixty yards frorajihe burning ranche. Each man had his muset firmly grasped and at a " ready," expecting ;4every moment to see the enemy rush froitf'thejr now insecure retreat. "Don't a man fire till! give the world," said the Captain, again addressing his command. Now were voices heard! the barricade was re moved, and the door ot the ranche flew open, and with a demonical yell that broke the still ness of the night, aflout forty of the guerrillos rushed out. "Aim fire!" commanded the captain in a loud voice, and instantly every musket was dis charged among the guerrillos.- The effect was terrible ; at least twelve feldead and as many wounded.f The rest succeeded in making their escape. . The men, at the command of the Captain, in stantly re-loaded their muskets but no further use for them was required. Nol an unharmed guerillo was seen about the premises after the first fatal discharge. '- ' ' The sight that presented itself to my eyes at this moment, will tf.eA-oniy'. re, collection. Vast, glaring flames were looming up from the burning ranche, reflecting their red dish light upon the tall trees around ; lighting up with unwonted briljiancy the lurid landscape, made more gloomy by. the sombre, shades of n:ght, and reveal. ng to the sight the ghas.ily, rightful, distorted vis-ages of the slain guerillos as they were stretched out upon the ensanguin- ed-eai th. Those who had escaped our murder ous tire with frightful wounds, were stretched upon the ground, weltering in their own warm blood, and uttering the most impious curses frit'htful to think of. : Like all Mexican ranches, this was composed of light, dry, and inflammable material ; theie- fore but a short time sufficied to level it to the ground, a mere pile of lightfa.-hts. And not till theujwere preparations made to return to camp- While these were making, the dead being yath" ered together for the purposeful' burial,, and the wouuded lifted upon biers pieparatory to their being carried into camp, oue of the latter a ruiseiable, half savaga-looking wretch, whose leg h ad been shockingly mangled by a musket ball, and who apparently suffered the mot ex cruciating agony, made known his desire to communicate something to the Captain. The latter went to him, aud anxious to learn what he had to say, questioued him. It was with the greatest possible difficulty the poor wr. tch tou d articulate, so rnteuse was the agony he was sui fering. In answer to a question asked, he utter ed a few unintelligible words, and then fainted. In a few moments, however, he recovered ; when some brandy, which I had the good for tune to have in my canteen was admiuis ered to him, which so revived him, he Was enabled to talk. In the first place, he prayed that the Captain would spare his lifeand render him such aid as his present conditions required, promising to make a confession that he knew would be of great interest. , , The Captain assured him that his life should be spared, and moreover, that proper care should be taken of him. The poor wretch them com menced a confession, acknowledging himself one of the party who had attacked the "beef party" that day, and killed four of ther number ; he pointed also to where the, bodies were, buried. Becoming again faiut from loss of blood and ex cruciating pain, he was unable to talk, but point ing to a woods on the left of us, Be made EUch gesticulations - as induced us to suppose that more of the party might be found in that direc tion. Anxious to learn whether we were correct in our supposition, more liquor was administer ed to the suflerer. He recovered again, and then informed us that in the woods about a mile distant, was located a ranche, where several of the band, with their leader, were assembled ; that they would probably remain there until daylight. Instantly the Captain resolved to make an effort to capture them. Leaving four or five men, with a Corporal, to take care of the wound ed man. We had marched about half an hour, when a feeble light was descried glimmering in to tbe distance, like a solitary lamp or touch. As we advanced, the light became more brilliant. The party moved slowly, slyly and stealthily forward, until within about three hundred yards of a small hut, or ranche, that the light now re vealed to us ; a halt was then ordered, and the men charged to secret themselves and not to Vcn unooservea, ana cautiously peenngm at the half-open window, we were soon made acquaint ed with ite contents. On a table in the middle of the floor wm a light ; an empty bottle, several tumblers," and a few puros lying scattered about certain indications that some men folks had been enjoying themselves. Further observation discovered to us the sleeping forms of two pow erful fellows lying on mats stretched upon the floor a short distance from the table. Theysp parentjy slept soundly, snoring lustily and give other indications that they did. The Capcain, in a whisper, ordered me to bring the company forward, and surround the house, as noiselessly as possible, while he remain ed in his present position, to " keep an eye on tiling," as he remarked at the t ime. I obpvpd the order as promptly as .possible, and without creating the least disturbance. Giving a few insfructions to the non-commissioned officers, at the suggestion of the Captain, I took five files of men, and advanced towards the ranche. We found the door strongly barred, but it finally yielded to our combined efforts, and we entered, the Captain, myself, and four soldiers. The.noise consequent upon forcing open the door awoke the sleepers, and wlien we. entered, they both stood erect, their escopets cocked, and firmly grasped in their hands, their fierce, warthly countenances pre-enting the most per fect picture of amazement that I ever gazed at. The Captain demanded them to surrender. They hesitated a moment, est their piercing black eyes at us, and showing no disposition whatever to comply with the demand, the Cap tain ordered tne soldiers to level their muskets at them. In an instant the four muskets were cocked and levelled at the two guerrillos. A word from the Captainvand both of them would, Jin an insiant, be beyond the reach of bullets. i'io violence, however, was found necessary the two surrendered, gave up their weapons, and were marched out of the ranche, each one between-a file of men. ; lJW, Conie, Ltemehatit, 'ex'ctofo the Captain" " let's fire the p'ace, and then be off." There was material enough in the room to satisfy our purposes. Two or ihree bunches of faggots and other light stuff lay on the bro-id . eath. This we deposited in the middle if the floor, and applying the light to it, instantly it was in a blaze, a flame, a flame ascending fiora the floor to the ceiling. Just as we were step ping out of the door, the creaming of two or three females reached our ears. We heard the shrill sound again, aud at the same moment we darted back into the ranche, where we were met by Unee females, who, apparently very much frightened, had just hastily emerged from an adjoining apartment that we had not discovei ed in our hurried search, into the main room, , i.ow filled with flame and smoke. We, of coarse, seized hdd ol the frightened creatures, and hurried tbem out. In two minutes alter, the whole building was in flames. The three fe ma'es were still under our protection. W"ho they were we did not, of course, know, not yet having had the curiosity to look into their faces. The bright flames, however, that arose from the burning ranche, illuminated everything around, soon revealing to our astonished sight the pretty faces of the two stnoritas and their mother, who occupied the ranche where we had made the first discovery, and where numerous officers of our regiment had so often sat and enjoyed them selves with a delicious cup of coffee or chocolate, as 1 have previously mentioned. The ladies implored us to release them, deny ing that they were guilty of anything that the present circumstances or their suspicious might naturally impute to them. The old lady fell up on her knees, and with her hands clasped and and eyes upraised, made the most piteous ap peal that I ever listened to ; while the daugh tars, their handsome faces pale with excitement and terror, seconded their mother's appeal with sobs and lamentations, the salt tears streaming from their sparkling black eyes over their plump cheeks, in a perfect torment. Such appeals and coming from women, too were resistless ; the Captain assured them that no harm would befal them, promising to release them if they truthful ly answered certain questions. This they pro mised to do, by all the saints that ever existed, in fact and imagination ; and the following facts were afterwards elicited from them. One of the last two prisoners that we had captuied, was a celebrated guerillo captain, named Jose Rodriguez. The party that we had had the fight with previously, was a portion of his company. Previous to the war, it appears that this chief had been confined for a long time in prison, at Puebla, for some serious offence that he obtained his release by promising to fight against the Americans as a guerrillo; means were given him to raise and equip a com pany, and he was ordered to confine his oper ations in the vicinity of Veri Cruz, until our army advanced into the interior. The old lady informed us that he raade her home his rendezv ous, that he did so forcibly, and that she could not prevent him; that he assembled his com pany there two, three, and four times a week ; that always on such occasions she was compelled to leave the premises was not permitted to lis ten to any of their deliberations. At the conclusion of this confession, uttered amid sobs and lamentations, the old lady again made a piteous appeal for the release of herself and daughters. The Captain again assured her that they should all be released after be got through questioning her. He then interrogated her in relation to the operations of the guerril los that day their participation iu the murder of the " beef party," fcc The old lady hesitat ed did not feel inclined to answer this last question. Finally, however, by threats, the Captain compelled her to answer. She infornv ed him that the guerrillo captain had, previous to his departure from Jalapa, solemnly and pub licly made a declaration that he would fill fifty graves with American soldiers, at every point the army halted for hostile purposes. In anwer to another question, the old lady replied " How many he has filled already, I do not know go, look for yourself," at the same time informing the Captain where the guerillo had buried his dead, w hich was but a short distance from her house. The old lady and. her drughter were then re leased. The three then moutiliug horses that were picketted at a short distance in the woods, rode off and were soon lost to sight. The men had stacked arms and were lying about on the grass, w ith the exception of the four who were guarding the two prisoners. " Sergeant, form the men," the Captain ex- r claimed, and in a moment after the company was formed. The Captain then turned to me for the purpose of saying something, and just at that moment we were startled by the sharp re port of a pistol. Instantly turuiug arouud, we discovered ,one of the prisoners, the captain of band, swiftly emerging into the woods at the right. It appears that taking advantage of a favorable opportunity, he had freed himself trom his captors, and drawing a pistol from his bosom, had dicharged its contents at one of them, fortunately, however, without any serious result, lie was immediately pursued, and every possible effort made to capture him, but he elud ed them all. He escaped ! The Captain's rage was unbounded. He rav ed, swore, and acted like a madman. A bird had flown that was worth caging. The captain of a band of guerrillos was a prize woith keep ing. The soldiers wtio had him in charge were censured, reprimanded, aud cur-ed. Finally the Captain cooled n-ue became ewm ana siep- ping to the right of his company, he gave the word, "Forward!', In h.lf an hour after, we 4 arrived at the plae of pur fonner operations, placed the wouuded upon b.evs, aud starie for ; camp. " We reached camp at dayl'ght next morning. After the wounded liad been sent to the hospital, the Captain and myself, with a few men, return ed. to the scene of our recent encounter. A short distance from where the ranche formerly stood on the exact spot mentioned by the woman and the wounded guerrillo, we found cle-en graves, all occupied by American soldiers, three of whom were of the " beef party " that left camp that morning. - That night the affair was talked about iu camp, the Captain's foresight and judgment commended, guerrillos cursed, and the fate of the dead lamented. At Chapultepec, a few months afterwards, at the head of hU company, encouraging his men by his gallantry and fearlessness, Capt. Pearson for it was him of whom 1 have been speaking fell, mortally wounded. A few days after, in the city of Mexico, Death called him away. Rest, honored soldier, rest! May the dews of the night distill in mildness on your narrow dwelling, and the winds of heaveu brush gently over it ! L-t the coward shrink from your late, and the ignoble spirit undervalue your fortune In the esiimatiou of the brave, in the eye of Glory, the earth that torms a pillow tor your head, is softer than "the thrice-driven bed of down." Thus fells the brare, who sinks to rest, With 11 his country's honors blest ! H:s turf shU form a greener sod Ths ever faXrj footsteps trod ; j-' . And faith and Love shall oft repair, To hold their hallowed con vers there; And Valor's self bs often seen, A pensive wanderer o'er-the green, And oft exclaim with dewy eyes, J " Bentaih that turf a soldier FARMER BURRITT AND HIS LIBRARY. Farmer Burritt was a plain, honest Penn sylvania husbandman, who had been brought j on ri pass Mr. Buritt's farm without receiving up very much as his father and grandmother j som improvements The external aspect of the had been before him that is, with just know- j 'd homestead has a more cheering and corn ledge enough to make him a respecuble tiller ! fble appearance. Instead of the straggling ofthesoiL For several winters w hen farm-work i nd objects which used to seen ' was slack, he bad been ,ent to acountry school, j lround the house, everything has a tidy look., and having some aptitude, he" learned to read The gwing, the flowering shrubbery and write Tolerably web, and to cast up simple rl -P f ? -don., the pathway, accounts. There his literary education ended, f the vegetable garden m bette, tast, the orna and henceforth his energies were devoted to vM. that kind Of labor which is so necessary to make th te m th a practical farmer. On the death of hi. thrifty studying the books on gardening. A father, he entered into possession of a large and ! deshow. a better-regul.ted family, Vm. nd in duTLe married. At the ! nd, re obedtent and well-dressed children.- & - , time to which we now refer,. ho had six child ren, all young, who had come into the world alternately boys and girls, and their father never dreamed of their being brought up in any other nratr tV.an Vo inH his Hnce.-,tors had been. Each one was destined to receive a little schooling, and to do a eood deal of work, suited to their respective ages. As is unhappily the case with too many farm-houses, there was but a dim light in that dwelling. Therei was no thought of cultivating the higher faculties of its inmates. Tbey jrere to go through the dull, plodding life of those who had preceded them ; and although the farmer had a good family Bible and Psalm- book, his library consisted of some few ragged elementary school-books, with the necessary an nual almanac. It was in this state of affairs that an intelligent neighbor, who had turned his attention from a city business to farming, ith the view of recruiting his health, became acquainted with Mr. Burritt, and deeply inter ested in his family. The confidence he inspiredi and the kkidly feelings he manifested, made him a welcome visitor, and gave him no small influ ence. In the course of many conversations, he threw out oceasional bints about the proper training of children, and the advantages result ing from cultivat ng their mental faculties and. moral powers. Although he found farmer Bur ritt and his wife rather dull scholars, who with difficulty could look beyond the narrow sphere in which they themselves had been educated, he was nevertheless encouraged to give them line upon line and precept upon precept Tak ing advantage of what he supposed a favorable opportunity, he engaged one day in the follow ing conversation with the farmer: "Neighbor Buritt, I was thinking to-day that you were one of our most substantial andthriv- ing farmers." j "Thank you; I am pretty well jto do in the ! world, but it is because I work my way. I have i. no idle folks about me." 1 ! " True, friend Buritt ; and it is commendable in you; but yon will excuse me if I say I have mplements w hich a good farmer should have." " Haven't I, though ! I guess if you will look about, you'll find I have all I need."' ' W ell, I have been looking about, and I have not found half-a-dozen good books in the house." "Oh, that's it; arid what do I want with books ? What's the.use of them ? I guess they can't teach me farming. Your book farmers aren't worth much always trying something nes and coming out with short crops." " Ah ! but, friend Buritt, hooks teach many 'ood and useful things besides farming; and to tell you the truth, I real think they would be very useful to your children, whom T'know you love, and would like little more intelligent than their neighbors'. Now, if you would spend nfty dollars in good books, I will make such a selection as I am jure would be instructive to .our children. -v , . "Whew! fifty dollars laid out in 'books! Why, youmust be joking 1" "No, I, am not; I never was more seious in my life. My only motive for suggesting it is, the interest I feel in your family ; and I will promise you that if at the end of six years you epent of the purchase, I will refund the fifty debars, with full interest for the whole time." Farmer Buritt looked puzzled. He respected !iis neighbor ; he knew him to be a good. friend, and although he thought the suggestion a fool ish one, yet he was touched at the kind interest xpressed in his children. After a silence of some .minutes, as if he knew not what to say, he replied" Well, well, I will think of it." j. A day or two afterwards, the same friend . : visited the farmer, and before he had time to fe- ; turn to the conversation, the farmer said, " I have been thinking of what you said, and out i of respect for you, here are the fifty dollars for the books ; Ut's a foolish affair, and I wouldn't like to have it get abroad ; but," added he, l iughing, " I'll hold you to your promise of , paying principalnand interest at the end of six years. .1 can't lose much by the investment." . His friend took the money with grearpleas- I tire, and he saw that a new light was about to j dawn on farmer Buritt's household. The books j were purchased. Besides some good rthgious books, including several biographies, he had i selected a choice volume or two on agriculture and gardening, several on general history and ; natural history, a few good books of travels, and various other books, some to entertain and others to awaken thought. In due time they w ere properly disposed in a little case, and the kind friend, already familiar with the children, now carefully showed them how books were to be used, enticed them to read, and even made them promise to spend some of their leisure time in finding out what the-books contained. After some difficulty, he got things into a right train ; both boys and girls began to be interest, ed. j We pass over two years. The seed had been j sown, was there any prospect of a harvest t No Farmer Buritt acknowledges that Thomas, his oldest boy, has got something out of his. books which has saved labor and improved his crop, j Other years pass, and the improvement is still I moYe visible. Mr. Burritt, rather ashamed of p deficiencies, has been reading, and, marvel- ! ."u "7' " 'r u oinonai nityjdoUars iu books.! His conversation has become more intelligent He knows something besides farm ing, and his whole manner has undergone a favorable change. The religious books have ac complished their mission. . Religion dwells in that household and has its altar thera. There can be no complaint that books hare rendered I i. r
Southern Weekly Post (Raleigh, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 25, 1855, edition 1
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