The Man Who Won The West Mexican War 1846 – 1848
The Man Who Won The West Mexican War By Page #
In our late fight with the Mexicans there was no man who rec’d from his commander more praise for his bravery on the battle field that I did & had I been an educated man I would have been raised to some post of honor as it was I rec’d only Great Praise & promises of not to be forgotten.
The Battle of San Gabriel River
A large military column from the USS Congress lead by Commodore Stockton and joined by General Kearny got under way on December 29, 1846. The army consisted of dragoons, marines, sailor and volunteer riflemen totaling 563 men and 44 officiers.
Then on January 6, General Andres Pico with six hundred troops while at the San Fernando Mission learned the Americans were on the march to the Los Nietos area on the San Gabriel river. The two armies were closing in on one another and the American’s began the battle with rifleman, and artillery at the edge of the San Gabriel river.
This took a heavy toll on the Pico’s troops. The Mexic an line of troops soon broke as the artillery fired rapidly into their ranks. This attack caused Pico’s troops of the line to break into a full retreat.
Nothing would give me more pleasure then to receive a Letter from him in his own handwriting. It is in that particular way that I feel my self so deficient. I hope he has a good trade and shall never go to Sea.
Thae you are doing well & keep good health is all I wish to nkow as for my self I am always Blessed with good health, and for my Circumstances I cannot complain. I have been enable since I left for me to have a small amount of money to pay the Commodore what I owe him which is still $125 dollars. Itold him the other day that I had at last got ssufficient money to pay him on me, he told me If I behaved myself I need not be under any anxeity about the money.
I expect to be home in 4 months or less. You must remember me to Tom Mason, tell him that I hope soon to be wiht him again, also to the rest of ther family and all Relations & enquiring Friends. I write this letter in Great haste as the Savannah merely stopped here for our letters. I would write a letter to you all if I had time. I think if I get home safe this time I shall never go to Sea again, but try and settle myself at home at present farewell. That all the favors that bountiful providence may be provide upon you is the prayer of your Affectionate Son.
William M. Broom
US Ship Congress
LETTER NUMBER 29
by 1st OFFICER JOHN C. BULL on APRIL 30, 1847
Bark Sasso – San Francisco April 30th / 47
Figure No. 29 August 26, 1847 Independence, Missouri
with red St. Louis Steam 10 date stamp
To Miss Elizabeth Bull Boston, Massachusetts, U. S. A.
care of Messrs. W. Appleton & Co. No. 26 Lewis’s Wharf, Boston
Carried by the Kearny’s Party Overland to St. Louis
My own dear sister,
how happy am I once more to be able to have an opportunity of sending you a few lines. for me it is the greatest comfort I enjoy to improve every chance of imparting to you the knowledge of how I am situated. at the time of writing, to hold correspondence with those we love & by whom we know and feel that we are beloved in return is certainly next to the greatest bliss that has survived the fall of man, my health is good & oh how anxious I do feel dear sister about your health, may the almighty grant my most earnest prayer, that it is a great deal better than when i Last heard from you
In a few days I shall no longer be the first officer of the Sasso, but the noble ship Loo Choo, she will leave here in about a weeks time either for St. Diego to take what hides their that are collected & home to Boston or otherwise to Manilla & Canton should we take the Hides we shall be in Boston next October if we go to Canton we shall not arrive until februry /48. I would not write until Mellus arrived from Leeward when I should be able to inform you more particular about it, but the U. S. Mail which will convey this to its destination. Leaves here the 3rd of May [carried on General Kearny’s trip East] & as I have two or three to write I am afraid to delay, Captain Arthur Left here to day May 1st for Manilla, but will touch at St. Diego where the ship Vandalia is now loading for Boston, & put letters on board, two for Melissa & one for Ephraim, I shall write to Albert & Harriet by this mail.
Courtesy Walske Collection
Mr. Teschemacher the Head Clerk upon the coast go in the Loo Choo should she to Canton which will make it very pleasant for me as he has been on board the Sasso ever since we arrived upon the coast & has been a very kind friend to me indeed & says that he will get me a Recommendation from Mr. Mellus & that will be sufficient of itself to insure me the command of a vessel at my return, which will not only be encouraging to me but gratifying to all the dear ones with whom I am connected, for that I have spent my youth and almost all of my manhood, for that I have torn myself from my beloved country & parted from those loved one’s to do which was like leaving out my heart strings & should I not succeed this time I shall be truly discouraged
I was very happy to hear that Harriet is a doing well, I wish her well from the bottom of my heart, concerning California I have not much to write there are about one thousand United States troops in the country who are divided among the different ports, emigrations are pouring in from all quarters & it is destined to be a great country & the key of the Pacific, no one can form any idea to what greatness our beloved country is & growing may god preserve her from Anarchy and confusion.
Take the Republics of old, may she not be swallowed up in here own vainglory. If we go to Canton dear Lizzey you may depend I shall not forget you but will bring you either a dress or a shawl give my love to all, kiss my dear Melissa & the children for me tell Lizzey she must continue to be papa’s daughter & in order to be that she must try to be the best.
Captain Hatch of the Loo Choo has the Reputation of being a gentlemen & a sailor & most assuredly his looks do not belie it, he wishes me to exchange with Mr. Lindsey his first officer not only because he engaged so to do when he joined the Loo Choo but because there has been no peace & quietness on board of her since She left home, but continual Rows between him & the other officers & crew, & Captain Hatch is very quiet man & wishes to preserve the same around him.
My dear sister how I long to see you no longer can express my heart yearns to behold once more the beings that I love & surely you are not the least among them next to my wife & children there is no one being I Love as well as I do you, do not forget the Phillipine, after receiving this you need not write any more letters to California for I shall be far from its fruitful soil ere they could reach me
I fear whilst I am writing that you are & have been much worse as I have not received a word from you for a great, great, while. I hope it is not the case from my heart, but sincerely hope that you are at least upon the mending hand. I am well excepting a slight cold as my sheet is nearly filled I must conclude by bidding you farewell for as I hope a short time when we shall meet at least for a season I remain your ever
affectionate Brother John C. Bull
San Francisco Harbor 1847
LETTER NUMBER 30
by SERGEANT JAMES H. MANEIS on MAY 2, 1847
Company E 1st Regiment New York Volunteers
San Francisco California May 2, 1847
Figure No. 30 Fort Leavenworth, Missouri August 31, 1847
To Capt. Seldon Deming Berlin, Connecticut, U S A
Carried by Fremont’s Party Overland to Fort Leavenworth
Dear Brother We are again permitted to address you after a long passage and safe arrival to the place of our destination where we arrived on 26th of March being just 6 Months to the day for port to port and supposing meet again and read our letters from Rio & Valparaiso I will only tour pass we made and had a exceedingly fine time from Valparaiso to this place for the first 28 days out we had fine weather days & night so that not a sail even were not taken in for any changing of any consequences as we neared the Coast for the last 2 or 3 weeks and in Lat about 26 we fell in with head wind and a heavy Sea which was rather a pleasant change from the Long Sameness which we had pass through, we spoke and boarded two Whalers from the States which was all the sale (sail) we saw from Valparaiso we were the last ship in the Thomas Perkins had been in 20 days when we arrived and the Susan Drew a few days later. This place its first appearance stood to meet our mast. Sanguine expectations the Bay and Harbor is one of the most magnificent & commodious in the world the Entrance & Anchorage suited to the Largest Ships and the advantages of fortifications Easy and Ample for any Emergency.
The inhabitants of the town or village are mostly Americans or English there are twenty or thirty good houses one pretty good hotel and a number of families living in Shanties.
The Man Who Won The West Mexican War By Page #