INTRODUCTION.
When the United States Government first declared war against the republic of Mexico, Pennsylvania was called upon to furnish two regiments of soldiers.
Francis R. Shunk. then Governor of Pennsylvania, issued his proclamation calling upon the militia and citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to rally to the support of our national honor and to sustain the flag of our beloved country, which was then trailed and trampled in the dust on our frontier.
The time when this proclamation was issued, the author of this book was then living above Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., following boating in the capacity of bowsman on the canal boat "Mary," of McVeytown, of the same county, carrying freight and running between Hollidaysburg and Philadelphia.
We were on our last trip, it being in the early part of the cold month of December, 1846, the boats having hard work to contend with in breaking the ice.
We arrived at Harrisburg about the 9th of December; here we were met by Mr. Daniel M. Dull, the proprietor of our boat, who informed us that Adjutant-General George W. Bowman had chartered the boat to take a company of soldiers to Hollidaysburg, Pa.; the company of soldiers who happened to come on our boat were the Monroe Guards, of Philadelphia, Capt. William F. Small, commanding.
Having always had the inclination of either going into the United States Navy, or joining the United States Army, and particularly since the war and struggle with Mexico, the desired opportunities were now before me.
Having passed the age of twenty-one, I had already started out into life for myself, being thus young and healthy, and naturally ambitious for new enterprises and excitement, and had nothing to confine myself to any particular locality.
