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

SU'FFEllINGS OE T'HlE- MlARiCH. 1I5
move. begged to be left to their fate. With these, threats
and persuasions were alike ineffectual, such was their indifference to danger under the pressure of present pain. Soon
all order was lost. The two regiments composing the brigade were mobbed, and the stragglers from both increased at
every step. lHad we been attacked at the time by a resolllte
enemy our troops would inevitably have been cut to pieces.
This distressing and discouraging march was lengthened'about two miles, for the want of competent guidces to direct
us to the usual camping-ground, which was near a large
pond, and some distance from tlhe main roadc I9n our ignorance of the locality, the leading companies passed it and.
were compelled to retrace their steps. Upon reaching the
water, many noble fbllows, after satisfying the cravings ofl
their own thirst, filled their canteens, and hastened back to
administer to the wants of' their weary and straggling comrades. Not more than half of the column reached the camp
before dusk. The remainder came in singly, or in small
parties, at various hours of the night, and but two of' our
reginent were reported "absent, and unaccounted lbor; at
roll-call on the following morning. Those two unfortunate'absentees never afterward responded to their names, and
their fiate has often been to ime a nmatter of anxious interest.
It appeared that they had left their company by permission,
during a short halt early in the journey, to look for water.
Failing to return as soon as expected, their captain supposed
that they had wandered back toward Camargo; but they
never reported themselves at that post, or elsewhere, so far as
we could ascertain.