3. Gen. Patterson once asserted that volunteers were no worse than regulars, but the evidence of other officers and of the Mexicans was overwhelmingly against him. Regulars committed offences, but these appear to have been commonly pilfering, and to have been chargeable mostly to fresh recruits. It is probable, however, that the volunteers often bore the blame for acts done by soldiers dishonorably discharged, deserters, teamsters and other civilian employees and by the many "black legs" and "human vultures" who followed the army. The great difficulty was to identify the culprits. Mexicans were often afraid to testify against our soldiers.
4. After Matamoros was captured, crowds of women and girls continued to bathe naked in the river. The same thing occurred elsewhere.
5. A Mexican wrote to Gen. Mejía that Taylor expressly refused to accept any responsibility for such men, and that he said the people might kill them.
6. The Matamoros district. 91Ayuntamiento archives. Davis, Autobiog., 102. Meade, Letters, i, 86, 91, 105, 108-9, 147. 218Hershaw narrative. Tilden, Notes, 21. Robertson, Remins., 71. Scott (256 to Marcy, Jan. 16, 1847, private) gave an appalling account of the outrages and added, "As far as I can learn, not one of the felons has been punished." 291Cushing to Pierce, May 4, 1847. Smith, Chile con Carne, 292-4. Brackett, Lane's Brigade, 22. Buhoup, Narrative, 50. Oswandel, Notes, 37, 49, 198. V. Cruz American Eagle, Apr. 10, 1847. 13Giffard to Pakenham, May 28; to Bankhead, May 20; June 9. 13Bankhead, no. 118, 1846. French, Two Wars, 58. 65Taylor, gen. orders 62, May 17; 65, May 23; 94, Aug. 2. 65Patterson, orders, Sept. 29; Oct. 14. Picayune, Aug. 4, 25. New Orl. Commer. Bulletin, Sept. 22. 69Cushing, order, Sept. 24, 1847. 69Longoria, statement, Aug. 17. 60Patterson to Bliss, Oct. 21. 60Taylor to Hepburn et al., Nov. 2. Zirckel, Vagebuch, 45-6. Matamoros Reveille, June 24. Henry, Camp. Sketches, 118, 122, 124, 137. Giddings, Sketches, 89. Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1178. Niles, Aug. 1, 1846, p. 341; Sept. 12, p. 23. Davis, Recolls., 236. Spirit of the Times, July 4. Sedgwick, Corresp., i., 4-5. New London Morning News, Dec. 10. History Teacher's Mag., Apr., 1912 (Vieregg). 308Shields to Walker, Aug. 3. Nat. Intelligencer, Dec. 23, 1846. 193Foster to father, Aug. 14, 1846 (Matamoros a "complete sink of pollution"). 180Pillow to wife, Sept. 6, 1846. 76Mejía, June 20. 76Spanish consul, Matamoros, June 7. 76Oarcía to Parrodi June 20; Aug. 10. 76Division of the North, Noticias, July 8. 76Gaceta de Tamaulipas, July 16. 76Parrodi, June 3. 76Carroll to Faulac, Aug. 9.
7. In June, 1847, Taylor expressed the opinion that the Texan horse had scarcely made one expedition without committing murder, and asked that no more should be sent to him (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 1178). Sorre of them committed outrages at Parras, where the Americans had been kindly treated, and Wool then ordered that Texan volunteers should not be sent on distant expeditions except under "extraordinary circumstances" (69McDowell to Hamtramck, Dec. 10, 1847).
8. E.q.: No soldier quartered outside the town (as nearly all were) could enter it without a pass signed by his captain and his colonel. Such passes were good for only one day, and only two could be issued the sere day in the same company. Soldiers could use only a particular road and had to leave the city before the retreat was sounded (Ho. 60; 30, 1, p. 508). Besides punishing offences, our commanders endeavored, first of all, to
