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

116 1N SIGHmUT OF' MIEt.
Such. was our first day's march, lipon the many painful incidents of which I have forborne to dwell. Much censure
was lodged at the time against those who conducted it, but
as I think, rather unjustly. Prudence should perhaps have
suggested the employment of the wagons allowed for the conveyance of water; bint I presume it was supposed that the
length of the marchl (about five leagues) scarcely rendered it
necessary. The late hour of startilng, the unusual (even for
that climate) heat of the day, and the physical debility of
many of the soldiers, no human sagacity could have prevOnted.
Under ordinary circumstances, the same men could, and fieqluently did march with ease, twice the distance in less tinie.
The second day we suffered less fioom thirst, and having,
started early, reached OUr' camp before noon, without I1much
fatig'ue. The country passed over was level and dry, but, in
many parts, well supplied with mesqueet wood, and grass.
Nlear our encampment, which was upon the banks of a deep
and rocky ravine, one of our soldiers discovered a mineral
spring, the water of which nearly resembled that of the Blue
Lick, in Kentu-cky. On the morning of the third day, the
men, though still qlnite foot-sore, took the route with all the
cheerfulness of gay and thoughtless youth, and mlade a good
mnarch-more than six leagues-before 11 o'clock, A. M}i.
We ascended the brow of a hill, overlooki ng Mier, just as
the sun pushed his broad disk above the horizon, and porured
a flood of rosy light upon the white walls of that pretty and
interesting village. We did not enter the place, for our road,
the general direction of which had thus far been parallel
with the 1lio Gralde, after bringing us within sight of it,