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

TRANQUILITY R ESTORED. 329
thirds its original strength by the small-pox. The North
Carolina and AMassachusetts troops were in rather better
plight; but still the force was entirely inadequate to the
enterprise of penetrating to the heart of the republic, even
if it had been in condition to encounter the melting suns
and incredible toils of the desert march. No great number
of the old volunteers could be induced to re-enter the service until they had once miore seen those homes to \7Nwhilch
amid all the various changes and chances of the war, their
hearts had been fondly turned.
In this condition of affairs, events began to stagnate, north
of the Sierra AIadre; and the eyes of' both nations, so long
fixed upon the fascinating drama which concluded amid
shouts and tears at Buena Vista, were turned to the moro
gorg.eously appointed spectacle upon which the curtain was
rising, at Vera Cruz. Even the robbers, awed by the rapid
and searching patrols of the few companies of Texan Langels, again in the field, were perflectly quiescent; and our
trains were permitted to pass unmolested with even saicl~er
escorts than at any previous time. Such protection was
given to the conquered States as they had never before enjoyed, and the people returnling everywhere to their homres
embarked in their various pursuits with a prospect of greater
rewards than they hlad derived under their own rulers. The re
is no lack of the material for general comfort and prosperity
in Mexico. The mere assurance that property will be
secure from the rapacity of officials and the numerous professed banditti, would of itself- give a great impulse to the
country. The protection alfforded by our military occupation