goods thus lost belonged to Mexican merchants. In February, 1848. a party under Lieut. Col. Briscoe was attacked on its way to Orizaba. A number of other encounters are mentioned by Mexicans.
8. Oswandel, Notes, 156, 215-6, 365, 382. 13Giffard, nos. 19, May 30; 37, Oct. 20, 1847. 13Doyle, no. 1, Jan. 13, 1848. 61Hughes to [Wilson], Sept. 13. 65Scott, gen. orders 127, Apr. 29; 372, Dec. 12, 1847. Brackett, Lane's Brigade, 174, 186, 194, 196. 128Id., diary. 12Pell to Lambert, Nov. 30. Zirckel, Tagebuch, 50, 53, 61-2. Correo Nacional, Dec. 21. Henshaw narrative. Grone, Briefe, 37-61. 61Twiggs to Marcy, Mar. 1, 1848. Hitchcock, Fifty Years, 310. Scott, Mems., li, 575. Lerdo de Tejada, Apuntes, ii, 579, 582. 152Claiborne, mems. Sen. 52; 30, 1, p. 1388 (Marcy). Delia, Dec. 23. Apuntes, 386. 62Adj. gen. to Wilson, Aug. 12. Moore, Scott's Camp., 72. Ramírez, México, 241-3, 260. Fraser's Mag., xxxviii, 91-6. 76J. G. Terán, May 17. Stevens, Stevens, 1, 134. Vera Cruz Eagle, May 29. 61Wilson to adj. gen., June 7. 159Collins papers. Polk, Diary, July 16. 76Soto, July 23; Aug. 11. Negrete, Invasión, iii, app., 60-1. Flag of Freedom, i, no. 4. 305Richardson, recolls.
It was a common practice of these guerillas to mutilate wounded Americans. The lasso was one of their weapons. Their rule was to take no prisoners. After Scott had to abandon his communications with Vera Cruz, the government felt extremely anxious to have the line re-opened and kept open. August 12, 1847, the commander at Vera Cruz was assured that this was "of the first importance," and troops were sent to him expressly for the purpose. The volunteers in general, personally brave and enterprising, did good service against the guerillas (Stevens, Stevens, i, 134); but as the latter almost always had horses, there was a particular need of cavalry on our side. About the first of July, 1847, the governors of Illinois and Georgia were called upon for two and five companies respectively of mounted men to help keep this line open. Polk himself selected Hays's regiment (Diary, July 16). Walker, though stern with the guerillas, would not permit his men to pillage. Rebolledo was betrayed, and was taken by Mexican counter-guerillas in November, 1847; but he was defended by an American named Kennedy, who resided at Jalapa, and was merely imprisoned. Jarauta was shot in July, 1848, for revolutionary activities. Marcy wrote to Scott that the guerilla system was "hardly recognized as a legitimate mode of warfare, and should be met with the utmost allowable severity" (Sen. 52; 30, 1, p. 138), and ordered him to destroy the rendezvous of the guerillas. The guerillas failed completely to affect the general course of the war, as they were expected to do, but even as late as March, 1848, the road from Vera Cruz to Jalapa was safe for large parties only. Hays's Rangers seemed to aim to dress as outlandishly as possible, and with their huge beards looked almost like savages. The officers were like the men in looks and costume. The horses were of all sizes and colors. For arms each had a rifle, a pair of pistols and one or two Colt's five-shooters (Hitchcock, Fifty Years, 310; Brackett, Lane's Brigade, 174). Hays's usual order for attack was to point at the enemy and shout, "Give 'em hell!" (Zirckel, Tagebuch, 11).
9. 128Brackett, diary. Tributo á la Verdad, 58. Grone, Briefe, 33. 61Childs, Jan. 13, 1848. (Hostilities) 47Perry, Nov. 2, 1847. 76Mendoza to Soto, June 16, 1847. 47Private letter (Mexican), Orizaba, [Sept., 1847]. 307Roberts, diary. Porvenir, May 27. Picayune, May 6. 76Acuerdo, July 30. 76Mora, Apr. 23, 1847. 76Relaciones to Guerra,
