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

312 INCIDENTS OF THE ACTION.
wagon to load, and the next instant rising to fire at any
Mexican in sight, no matter how distant. MInch excited, he
continued his animated fusillade long after the troops had
ceased firing. Whenever he dropped to charge his pistol,
the driver of his war-chariot, who sat upon his mule, shaking with laughter, was engaged in selecting the next victim,
and at which the terrible piece of ordncance was leveled as
soon as loaded.
Another amusing scene occurred about this time. A teamster who had escaped from the massacre at Ramas, —and
who was a driver in our train also, —had been suddenly set
upon by a couple of Lancers; and failing in his attempt to
give " leg-bail," he had darted head foremost into a cluster
of chaparral about twenty feet in diameter. Into this the
enemy were nnable to force their horses; and being afraid to
dismount, contented themselves with riding around the thicket
and thrusting their long lances at the fugitive. Our driver,
now on his hands and knees, and dodging from side to side
like a wounded partridge in a brush-heap, succeeded by dint
of hard scratching, in eluding all the blows aimed at him.
The Lancers, alarmed at the proximity of some of our troops,
finally rode off; when the teamster, venturing cautiously
from his friendly cover, fled to the escort, with clothes torn
to shreds and hands and face badly lacerated by the thorns.
Overjoyed at his narrow escape and regarding himself as one
returned almost from the dead, he gave utterance to his
delight and attracted attention by some lusty cheers for himse7. Jumping into the air and swinging the remnant of an
old straw-hat exultingly around his head, he shouted,