Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/601

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NOTES OF THE MEXICAN WAR.
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when Gens. Pillow and Worth will be called upon, and stand before Gen. Scott to prove their charges, they will be so ashamed of themselves that they will leave the court-room, and hide their faces in their dirty hands.

These people listened, as the saying is, with their ears and eyes wide open, and by the tone and general conversation with the citizens we find they sympathize with Gen. Scott, and think he has been treated shamefully.

We are to remain here until to-morrow night; or, in fact, until the other four companies of our regiment comes up. We have plenty to eat and drink free of all charges. I have been informed by our Lieutenant, A. Haines, that we will be taken off the "General Hamilton" to-morrow, and put on a smaller steamboat, as the Ohio River is too low for large steamboats to run on. Late in the evening I had a long talk with some of the boatmen on the canal. I returned on board the "General Hamilton" to take a good sleep.

Saturday, July 8, 1848.—This morning, after breakfast, a party of us started out to visit the city, and I find it to be a great business place, particularly in the pork line. The wharves are all paved with large paving-stones, so are its streets, and splendidly laid out.

In the afternoon we were taken off the "General Hamilton," and put on board a smaller steamboat running between here and Pittsburgh—the water being too low for large or heavy boats to run. On this boat we all got state cabin passage, which is the first sign of civilization since we left Pittsburgh on our way to Mexico. The idea of private soldiers, or even corporals getting state-room cabin passage is something amazingly absurd; it makes us feel as proud as if we were promoted to a brigadier-generalship.

In the evening Col. Wynkoop telegraphed to Memphis to know whether the other four companies of our regiment had passed that city, as we are waiting here until their arrival; but no answer came, which signifies that they had not yet passed that city. So we are obliged to wait a little longer.