Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/531

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
NOTES OF THE MEXICAN WAR.
525

Monday, April 3, 1848.—This morning most of our men could be seen in groups talking about the ratification of the peace proposition, and that the prospect of our going home is cheerful.

In the afternoon there was a Mexican funeral at San Angel, and it passed our quarters; and, directly opposite, one of the carriers of the dead corpse spied a claco, and he really stopped the procession to pick it up. After which they went on, and the man who found the cent was much rejoiced.

Tuesday, April 4, 1848.—This morning there is no news from Queretaro City concerning the treaty of peace.

This afternoon there was a Mexican child buried just opposite our quarters. The funeral was grand. The child was laid in the coffin, and it was decorated most beautifully with natural flowers, costly velvets and gold lace. Just before the procession moved the band played a beautiful air. After which it was taken from the house, and the procession then started off, with the band playing as they moved on. There were two women, who strewed flowers over the ground they passed, and some twenty little boys in front of the corpse bareheaded, crying and carrying lighted candles. It was carried to Churubusco Church.

This evening I have got another slight attack of the diarrhœa.

Wednesday, April 5, 1848.—This morning there is considerable excitement in the city of Mexico on account of a murder and a robbery, which was committed last night in one of the large merchant houses, next to the Bella Union Hotel; others have it that it was committed in a regular gambling house, that the banker was killed and his bank robbed of several hundred thousand dollars in doubloons. And that Lieut. Isaac P. Hare and Adjt. Benjamin F. Button, both belonging to the Second Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and others are the guilty parties of the murder and robbery. Lieut. Hare was wounded in the arm, and was immediately arrested and locked up, but Adjt. Button, and others have fled to the mountains.