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

70 WE REACH CAMARGO.
healtAs, five fathomn deep. And still below them on the
boiler deck, a number of soldiers are making merry over a
certain fatted calf, found couhctant near the landing; and
whose peaceful ruminations have been interrupted by a single
well-directed bayonet thrust.
Long before dawn of the following day, the steam was hissing like an angry serpent through the cleansed boilers and
pipes; and with the first light we were again upon our winding way to Camargo, which place we reached at noon on
Sunday, August 16th. The town is situated on the right
bank of the San Juan, about a league above its confluence
with the Rio Grande. As all our men were wearied, and
many indeed sickened, by a long confinement on the comfortless steamer, it was with unusual satisfaction that we
beheld our boat gliding, at an unexpected moment, into the
mouth of that beautiful little stream. Its limpid waves flowing between high banks (for draining a country of comparatively limited extent, its flood had subsided) formed an
agreeable contrast to the dark, swelling tide of the Rio
Grande. The water of the latter is, however, more palatable
and more healthful, when its 20 per centum (literally as well
as 7igurcatively) of mud is precipitated. The American camp,
with its right resting on Camargo, extended for a considerable distance along the river. The soldiers who loitered on
the shore filling their camp-kettles, or stood knee deep in the
water, washing their shirts, engaged in the usual skirmish of
wit with our men, as we passed slowly up. On reaching the
village, we pushed our prow into the landing where a company of Texas Rangers, with all the boisterous merriment of