quarters, and plenty to eat and nothing to do. We were compelled to either rent this room or go to the hospital, this of course we did not fancy, because the grub you get in these hospitals is nothing extra, and again, we would have been compelled to stay until they saw fit to send us to our companies, so I assure you we kept ourselves very quiet for fear of being found out.
Some good and kind friend of mine sent me several newspapers from Lewistown, Pa., of which I took great interest in reading. Oh, how I recollect the scenes that we passed through when we lived there. The next letter you will receive from me, will be from the halls of Montezumas, if nothing happens. I ever remain your brother, J. J. O.
Monday, December 6, 1847.—This morning there is quite an excitement in the city. The Mexicans had a procession, they carried banners with Genls. Scott and Jackson's pictures, with parrot noses and well specked with spots of blood and dirt. This was all done to raise an excitement among the citizens, as they, the Mexicans, have it reported that Gen. Paredas is within two days' march of Puebla, with five thousand troops, to attack us; and the train which left here several days ago for the city of Mexico, is on the retreat back to this city, all done by Gen. Paredas' army. Our mess is the least excited, as we are used to such clamoring and false reports. Don't believe a word of it.
In the afternoon we received another requisition from Capt. Herron, on the Commissary for to draw more rations.
Tuesday, December 7, 1847.—This morning I noticed the ordnance men went to Fort Loretto, to have the artillery and mortar ready so as to throw a shell in the main plaza, in case Gen. Paredas arrives and makes an attempt to attack us. But I can't believe that Gen. Paredas will be so foolish as to attack our present force with his five thousand, when Gen. Santa Anna with his eight thousand troops could not drive our garrison of six hundred men out. The new arrivals don't know
