Sketches of the campaign in northern Mexico : in eighteen hundred forty-six and seven / by an officer of the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers.

SUFFERI NGS ON\ THE MAaRCh. 11
creasing agony was endured with calm resignation. Mliany,
whose scorched throats scarcely granted utterance, endeav-.
ored to cheer the weak with hopes of speedy relief, which
they, themselves, hardly entertained. Our skillful, sympathizing, and attentive surgeon (Dr. Chamberlyn,) passed to
and fro among the rankcs, distributing pills, cordials, and
other needful tonics, with which a mule, led by the hospital
steward, was laded. Thus onward, still onward, with feeble
steps, staggered our poor, uncomplaining fellows; all hoping
to reach water at every turn or descent of the road, if only
in sonme foul mud-hole.
_At lengtth, when about two-thirds of the march had been
effectedl with much pain and suffering, yet in tolerable
order, a solitary rancho was descried a short distance in advance. The foremost troops hastened toward it with exclamations of gladness, for there, indeed, we might hope to find
the much desired beverage; to us, truly, the precious caquac
uvice. Ah! deceitful hope! transient pleasunre! The house
was deserted, and the well contained not "I a drop, to moisten
life's all gasping springs." Each man as he arrived, hastened to gaze into its hateful depth, as if unwilling to believe
the sad report of the first comers: " the well is dry! " What
heart-sickening intelligence to those, whose veins seemed
swollen with liquid fire; whose dusky skins and mouths
were dry and crisp as ashes! Evein at this distant period,
the recollection of my own sensations causes some slight
aridity in the region of the jugular. The acclimatizing fever-as the surgeon termed the fever with which I had long
been daily harrassed-bhad seized me with renewed violence