The Man Who Won The West Mexican War 1846 – 1848
The Man Who Won The West Mexican War By Page #
However, we shall make an early start in the morning travel further and formally without doubt be the first company of the Illinois Regiment in Santa Fee. William looks well is in fine spirits and has enjoyed excellent health the entire route. Our company with one exception is likely to be in a very healthy state when we arrive at Santa Fe. The exception is the case of William Turner whose is very ill at this time of travel. He does not have one of the soundest of constitutions and could not certainly have thus far have withstood his present attacks. He however is still in a very precarious situations.
As for myself I have been unwell with the Chills & Fever a short time but William Fleming’s raw shanky bone & sinewy frame stands the “Storm and the tempest roar” remarkably well for after traveling all day he can kick up his heels and go a Buffalo hunting in the evening.
It is the same with Dingle is still himself with the same peculiar eccentricities that is the prominent trait of his character and which amuses us frequently on march when it would other wise would be dull and irksome. Coe W. Case has provided himself what indeed his name implies A. Case and a singular one at that. But I shall reserve all these jokes I have treasured up for our enjoyment sport when together again and simply state he is no longer one of us having joined the Colonel’s Division.
W.H. Wolley is still on this side of the border of eternity very much improved in health toward what he has been on the route and desires to be kindly remembered to you. Remember me to Mr. and Mrs. Prims and in most particular and special manner to their adorable daughters. Inform my brother how I am and remember me unto him as also all inquiring friends accept the best respects for yourselves.
Your Sincerely Friend Huling Major
P. S. I have not as yet received a letter from either of you but I trust you will
comply with my request when I ask you to answer this as soon as possible.
Additional end note in different ink likely made at a later date.
Huling returned to Belleville from the war and married the “Adorable” daughter of Mr. Aaron Prims then went to California leaving his wife with her parents, and disappeared perhaps died in some obscure mining camp. He was a house carpenter and good hearted clever fellow.
Military Cemetery ~ Fort Leavenworth
LETTER NUMBER 37
by LIEUT. JOHN SNYDER on SEPTEMBER 30, 1847
Company “E” 1st Regiment, Illinois Volunteers
September the 30 1847
September the 30 1847
Dear friends I take this opportunity to inform you that I am well at present hoping that these few lines may find you in the same state of health. I have come across some of your old chums John Gray and Thomas Short. We are all here together here in Santa fe. We have fine times a talking about old times.
They are boath well and send there best respects to you both. Your brother is well. He got a letter from you about one hour ago. I was glad to hear from you. That is the first letter wee have received from you
Figure No. 37 Saint Louis Red STEAM 10 “From the army”
To John F. Snyder Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois
Letter carried by a Missouri River steamboat from Fort Leavenworth to St. Louis.
The post office red Steam Ten frank added and entered the mails for the East.
We are looking for another mail in a few days. I hope that I shall get a letter from home. I am very much pleased with this country. There is everything a person wants to buy. They are very high when I came in sight of it. It looked just like a pasell of brickills. They are all mud houses. The Mexicans are very industrious and they are very civil now. They raised a lite rowe just before we came in and they heard that we were coming and they kept it all up. There was a response last evening that there was 7,000 mexicans at the pass (El Paso) 300 miles from here.
Transcribed as written
If that is the case we will leave here in the course of 8 or 10 days for the pass (El Paso). The pass is 200 miles this side of Chihuahua. I think that we will march to Chihuahua in the course of two weeks. If we do I shall rite to you is a few days. There is 25 hundred volunteer men here at this time.
There is a good many of them ordered. Of course Newbe [Colonel Edward W. B. Newby] is not thought more of than a dog. There is not a man that likes him here. He was shot at 7 times by his own men and he was obliged to get in the wagon and ride. William (Lt.William H. Snyder) makes a good officer.
He is well liked here by everybody excepting Col Shelby, I suppose you no how that is. We have found out that Lieutenant Luckey (2nd Lt. Enoch Lucky) is the best officer that we have got to the men. Him and old Shelby has a fuss every day because Lucky sticks up for the mens rights. Hook has not a friend in the companie. I think that he will meet with as warm reception as Price did in Bellville. When we get there, he youses his men scandless we hounded him all the way through and then he refused to pay us.
He promised to pay us when we got here. William Flemming (Sgt. William S.) is well & he is working in the printing office here. He sends his best respects to you. Wolley (Pvt. William A.) and Carlisle send their best respects to you. Our men is very nigh all well. I am well as present and have bean well even since I left you. Robert Linken (Pvt. Lincoln Deserted April 13, 1848) sends his best respects to you. The boys is in fine spirits. Nothing more at the present but remember your affectionate friend. Write to me every chance you get.
Give my best respects to all my friends. Give my best respects to Mr. Prim and family and most especially his beloved daughter, Elizabeth Prim. Let my bother know how I am. I send my best respects to you all. I would like to have some of (fathers bear cure here) I must fetch myself to close.
John F. Snider / George Willison
The Horses Go Home To Missouri ~ July 1847
John T. Hughes Doniphan’s Expedition and Conquest of New Mexico 1848
Col. Doniphan, now taking the sick men on board the transport that could be obtained, proceeded to the mouth of the river to engage shipping, as soon as practicable, for New Orleans.
Meanwhile the troops at Reynosa were obliged to lie a few days by the Rio Grande river in a comfortless and miserable condition as it rained incessantly. The men had no shelter but stood as cattle in the mud both day and night before transport could be secured.
On the 4th and 5th, the men having burned their saddles and horse rigging, and sent their animals by land to Missouri, went aboard steam-vessels, and on the 7th the whole force arrived safely at the mouth of the river, where they disembarked, and bivouacked upon the shore, here the soldiers spent a pleasant time bathing in the Gulf.
Lieut. Lea, quartermaster proceeded with his trains from Reynosa to Matamoras, and turned in all his mules and supplies to the quartermaster.
Gen. Taylor’s order requiring a number of men to be detailed at Camargo to bring the horses and
other animals by land back to Missouri, however order was not complied with as the volunteers did not choose to obey the order, regarding the stock of little value, and wanting to go home.
Sergeant Van Bibber, and about thirty-five other men voluntarily agreed to drive the stock home through Texas to Missouri and deliver them to the counties where the owners resided. The fee that was agreed upon would be ten dollars per head of stock delivered. Accordingly, this party with about seven hundred head of horses left Reynosa on the 4th, proceeding to Camargo, and thence into the United States. It was later reported that they arrived in Missouri with the loss of near half the animals on about the 15th of August.
On the 9th of August we walked to the harbor at the north end of Brazos Island to board the ship Murillo to New Orleans. Col. Doniphan along with over two hundred men boarded the sailing ship Republic and arrived safely at New Orleans on the 15th having in twelve months performed a grand detour through the Mexican Republic, of near four thousand miles by land and water.
LETTER NUMBER 38
by PRIVATE THOS. McDOWELL on OCTOBER 15, 1847
Head Quarters Santa Fe, N. M. October15, 1847
John, C. Riggins, Esq.
Dear and Respected friend although my time is exclusively taken up attending to the duties assigned me by virtue of my office still amidst the confusion & noise I remember a few moments to write you a brief scratch of matters and things as they exist in this Territory
I suppose you are aware that we left Fort Leavenworth the 15th day of July & arrived here the 19th day of September after a long march of 66 days through a desert uninhabited save those hostile bands of Savages who frequent this road for the purpose of plundering and murdering those who are so unfortunate as to fall into their cruel hands
Figure No. 38 October 15, 1847 St. Louis Red STEAM 10
To John E. Riggins, Esq. Madison County, Troy Post Office, Illinois
After we crossed the Arkansas we considered ourselves out of the Indian Country and in the Territory of Texas. The river North is the boundary. We were somewhat amused when we came in sight of La Vages which is the first Town in New Mexico. At last on the Route to Sante Fe their houses are built of mud 7-1/2 feet high Roofs perfectly flat covered with the same material. At some distance we could not tell whither is was a town or not it looked more like a Brick Yard than anything else. We marched through in Ranks the inhabitants got upon the house tops & in the streets to witness the procession I expect we made but poor show after coming out of the Desert I imagine that we answered Jack Falstaff description of soldiers better than any thing else.
The Man Who Won The West Mexican War By Page #