Page:Into Mexico with General Scott (1920).djvu/143

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his side, he sat his horse and thundered his words so that almost every ear could hear. He called the troops "My brave boys"—and at the close of the speech they roundly cheered their "Old Fuss and Feathers," the "Hero of Chippewa"—that battle in the War of 1812 where he showed the enemy that the American infantry was equal to the best.

The march onward was supposed to commence the next day, April 8; but—

"'Peahs laike we Gin'ral Worth men ain't gwine," Pompey complained. "I heah Lieutenant Smith sayin' we ain't gwine yet. We-all got to stay. Wha' fo' we-all called Fust Division, when we ain't fust?"

Jerry had seen little of Lieutenant Grant lately; the lieutenant had been acting as quartermaster of the Fourth and was kept busy. Now when asked about the march, he replied shortly:

"Yes. The Second Division leads. General Worth is required here; but you can depend upon it we'll be on hand for the fighting."