Thursday, July 15, 1847.—This morning my old esteemed friend, Jacob Banner, left for the hospital on account of being very ill with the diarrhœa, and I am afraid that he will never leave that institution alive.
This afternoon the artillerists drilled in the square in front of the Alameda Park, and made some splendid movements in the way of drilling.
This evening some of our fellows went on a spree, and struck a dragoon, the abused dragoon, with the Captain and several privates, came to our quarters in a rage of fury, and wanted to search for the man who struck the dragoon, but our soldiers told the Captain and his men that they would stand no such nonsense, and that they had better leave, or else they might get more. This raised the Captain and his men, they drew their swords and made a big fuss. They went to see our Colonel, who just laughed at them, and said that he was very sorry for it; they then left with a flea in their ears.
Friday July 16, 1847.—This morning we were again marched out on the parade ground, and joined the brigade, which is composed of our six companies, First Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, New York Regiment of Volunteers and the South Carolina Regiment of Volunteers. This brigade is commanded by Brig.-Gen. James Shields, who, it will be remembered, was dangerously wounded at the battle of Cerro Gordo, and who may thank the Mexican surgeons for saving his life. They being better and more skilful surgeons in dressing wounds than our surgeons. The division is now under the command of Maj.-Gen. Quitman, both fighting Generals, and who will not leave their men in the lurch, as our's did at the battle of Cerro Gordo.
After drilling for an hour or more we came to a rest. Both Generals complimented us very highly for our skill in drilling; after which we were dismissed to our quarters, where we arrived in the evening much fatigued. Here I heard that one of the New York Regiment's men had his throat cut from ear to ear last night. The Yorkers are swearing vengeance on the agraziento.
