State journal & flag. [volume], June 19, 1846, Image 1

About State journal & flag. [volume] (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) 1843-1846

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OLD SERIES, VOL. XII.
“JP HESS O.V»Vf«»!)
CITY OF TUSCALOOSA, ALA., FRIDA Y, J UNE 19. 1846.
NEW SERIES—VOL. c
i-NO 31
Plau ot'tku Battle of Kesaca de la Palma—May 9, 1840.
Battle of Palm Bottom.
Fort Polk. Point Isabel, May 30, 1846.
Dear Sib :—1 regret deeply (lie delay
that lias occurred in completing the narimive
of the battles of the 8th and Uth. This is
the first moment 1 hove had of leisure, and
even now I cnnnwt expect to do more than
break ground in the scenes ihat occurred on
the 9th, and trust to the odd moments that I
may steal from business to complete the pic
ture.
On the morning of the 9ih the sun lose
bright and clear, und with the first drum
our hardy soldiery sprung from their bed
upon the naked pruirie, and even, before
partaking of their soldier’s meal of hard
bread, a small piece oftiult pork und a cup
of cold water, cast an anxious, hopeful eye
towards the chaparul in their Iron), along
which the enemy had encamped, and when
the straining eye could discern amid the
gray of the morning the enemy’s line, a glow
of exultation filled the cheeks of every one
from our brave and heroic General to the
lowest private in our ranks.
The first care of our General was to vis
it the wounded and see that every comfort
was supplied—the constant and well direct
ed energies ol the medical department left
but little for him to do, every one, whether
officer or soldier, had been intended with
unwearying care and watchfulness. The
troops having partaken of their mevl the or
dor was given to get the command under
arms. Gen. Taylor here summoned a eoun
cil of war, composed of the heads ol the
several commands in all thirteen excluding
the Commander-in.Chief. The General af
ter returning thanks for their support and
bravery on the 8lh, and wishing to be advis
ed as to what they thought best to be done,
called on each to give his opinion. It was
ti e i ascertained that but four out of the
thirteen were in lavor of going ahead, the
other officers Composing the council voted,
some to entrench where they were and await
the assistance of the volunteers, and others
to retire at once to Point Isabel, but the
General said “ 1 will be at Fort Brown by
night if I line." Those who voted for go
ing ahead, as they watched the countenance
of the General, might have seen the smile
of approbation that lighted the old man’s
honest face at the moment, though he bow.
ed with respect to the opinions of those who
differed from him, and in saying engrave, on
the sacred banner of the stars and stripes the
names til 1 aylor, McIntosh, Morns, iscolt
and Duncan, I mean no reflection upon
those who voted against them,they were m-n
tried in many a field before, and their deeds
on that day proved them equal to the best.
Lt. Ridgely, who was entitled to a vote
in the council, wns at the lime in attendance
on the lamented Ringgold, and therefore
had no voice in the matter, but ns he gallop
ed up to his battery on returning from his
visit to the Major, some one raid '‘Ridgely
were you at the council?” and he replied
“no, I did not know that one had been call
ed, but I hope old Zach will go ahead and
bring the matter to close quarters.”
The command at this time was under
arms and the advance sounded. The Mex
icans at this moment were arranged along
the edge of the chaparnl in no very regular
line,and so soon as we commenced our move
ment they retired into thechapural and we
lost sight of them.
Gen. Taylor advanced his line close up
to the pond on which the Mexican left rest
ed the day before; here he hailed to organ
ize his forces for an advance, well knowing
that Ihe Mexicans had merely reireuted to
the Resaca de la Palma, a point evident to
every one at which a desperate stand could
be made. Before despatching (he advance
guard a reconnoitcring party was thrown
forward into the chaparal. Lt. Duncnn
with his battery being thrown forward on
our left, discovered a large quantity of am
munition on the field and secured it. The
reconnoitring party under Capt. Ker left
no bush unsearched, and discovered numer
ous large graves in which the Mexicans had
buried their dead on the night before, but
no enemy was to be seen.
Gen. Taylor then gave orders to Capts.
McCall, of ihe 3d Inf., and Smith, 1st Art.
to select, at their option, 400 men, as an
advanced guard, and to select such officers
M they thought proper, from the whole
command, The command could not have
fallen into abler hand-i: McCall had distin
guished himself by his indefatigable oxer
(ions on a scout some fane before • and
Smith led the charge at the Colorado.
Among ihe officers selected by them, were
Lts. Dobbins and McCowan, two of ihe bes>
woodsmen in Iho army, and who can hit a
dollar at one hundred yards without trying
very hard. Their orders were to gojorward
and th«| the General would follow. The
main body was (lien organized, and a body
of artillery under Duncan, the 8th Infnn.
try, under Belknap, and the Artillery Bri
gade, Col. Childs, were thrown forwuid to
the chuparal. Gen. Tuylor then otdered
I the comixmy wagons forwards, and ordered
l.t. Churchill to thiow up entrenchments
where the main puck of wagons was then
I established, and place his 18 pounders, and
some long twelves, that were in the wagons,
in ti e works; and defend the train, should
it be attacked.
At this moment it was that the gallant
Blake received the sl ot from the accidental
discharge o: his pistol—ol which wound he
died on the same day. In the death of Capt.
Blake, the urrny sustained a great loss. A
mote gallant and accomplished officer could
not he found in our ranks.
The wounded were curefuily placed in
wagons, and sent to Point Isabel.
Nothing of consequence transpired for
several hours, when a message arrived from
Ctipt. McCall, then four miles ahead ol the
main b ,dy, that he had been fired on from a
(5-pounder, on debouching from the chupar
al on to Jackass Pruirie. This had no ef
fect on Gen. Taylor, other than to quicken
his go ahead character ; and he pushed on.
On arriving at the edge of the prairie, no en.
emy Was to be seen. Capt. McCall haden.
tered the second chaparal, and was about
one mile u|ie»d.
But now the eventful moment was draw
ing nigh, and scurcelv had we entered the
second chaparal, when word came from the
udvance that the enemy were in force at
Rusnca do la l’ulma, and within five hun
dred yards of the advance guard. Orders
were immediately given to puck the wag
ons, and form the order ol battle. The wug
ons were placed ns designated in the map
and the Artillery Brigude, with Duncan’s
Battery, left to protect them.—Capt. Ker’s
squadron covering the extreme rear. The
3d, 4th, 8th, and 5th Infantry, with May’s
squadron, were posted along the road, with
in the chaparal. Gen. Tuylor then order
ed Ridgely, with his battery, to forward and
clear the way—Capt. McCall and Smith to
deploy on the right and left, as skirmishers,
until reinforced by the5tn and 3th. Ridge,
ly waited not a moment, but sta.'ted bis bat
tery ut full speed, determined to have no rnoru
long, law shooting, but lest the Mexican met.
at ut close quarters. As he charged, with
uiic iuuu 11 uin ins men, me luexicuiis
opened llieir artillery and musketry (from
B) upon him. On he went, until he halted
pieces within one hundred yards of the muz
zle of the enemy’s pieces, (at A.) and com.
rnenced the action. Smith and McCall soon
deployed, ami engaged the infantry. Tne
fire from the Mexican guns was awful. The
infantry were engaged within twenty paces
ol Ridgely’s Buttery, and the whole fire of
their nine pieces concentrated on his battery.
The first shot from the Mexican Battery
knocked over one man and three liorsrs at
our first piece. The enemy fired too high,
ns on the day before. The 5th and 8th In
fantry soon came up, deployed as skirmish*
ers, and look u hand in the game—the space
separating the two lines of infantry not ex.
ceeding twenty puces. Our men and offi
cers seemed particularly determined to have
a close hug of the enemy, and so cool and
colle-cted were all hands, that not a shut was
thrown away. The command from one end
of the line to the other was, not to fire until
you could see the whites of their eves.
At this time no adequate idea can be had
of the showers of grape, canister, and round
shot thut flew from the enemy's butteries—
it was a perfect hail storm. Their battery,
composed of nine pieces, kept up an inces
sant roar, whilst Ri.lgley gave it to them at
the rate of four guns per minute from each
piece. The cunnoniers threw off their
coats ; tied their suspenders round their
waists; rolled their sleeves to the shoulder,
and plied the match unceasingly. For twen
ty minutes this battery, supported by the
5th nnd 8th, bore the concentrated fire of
ihe enemy. As yet the enemy budged not
one inch, but soon the entering wedge was
placed ; the 5th and 8lh, under cover of our
buttery, tried the effect of cold steel, and
whenever a soldier missed the Mexican with
his shot, ho advanced—as did the bruve
Mexican—and whoever got the first stab at
the other was the lucky man.
A moment before this Ihe enemy pressed
Ridgely’s battery very hard, the infantry
covering his bnttery, m deploying, got too
far at times from his pieces, nnd left them
exposed. I was requested by Ridgley to
ride back nnd say to the General that they
were pressing his pieces very hard, to send
up some jnfamry. I at once did so, and
met the General riding along as though no
thing was going on. He replied to the mes
sage—“Oh, never mind ! He is doing very
I
well. Let liim iilone—there is no Tear of
him.’' I returned and found them driving
the enemy.
By this time the 3J and 4i!> came gal
lantly on, deploying on the right und left.
Then came the heavy blows that kept the
wedge moving. First came u round from
the battery, then a blow on the right from
the 5th and 3d, and then one Icom the left
by the 8th and 4th j and so it was—the word
was “ Push along—keep moving !” until
ltidgley placed his battery where theirs first
stood, and our nienstoud on the same ground
that had been held by their infantry, und
which was then covered by their dead und
wounded.
By this time Gen. Taylor was up in die
front rank of the fight, with Cols. McIntosh,
Payne, und his stall'. His attention was
riveted on Ridgoly’s battery as though won
dering it it were possible a light artillery
battery could do so much service, for entre
nous, the General was not particularly an
ndvocate ol this ann before this campaign.
Very soon it appeared as though the enemy
in retiring with their battery across the ra
vine to the point C. had arranged it so as
to have the General and Itidgley’s battery
both in their line of tire, tor the grape Hew
thick and fast around him. Adj’t Gen.
Bliss advised him to change his position,
but no, he saw very well from where he was,
und did not leave it lor some time.
At this time the struggle was tremeudious,
ihe Infantry had captured ono piece of artil
lery on this side the ravine, and was chare*
ing across the pond of water. At limes an
interval would be left between two of our
companies and Ihe Mexicuns would charge
across the ravine and take a position there.
In one instance, Lt. Deas, the gallant Adju.
tnnt of the 5jn, with ten men, asking me to
rally ns many more and follow, charged in
to the bushes where a party of Mexicans on
our side of Ihe ravine were obstinately dispu.
ting inch by inch with our men, and after
placing the men in position, we wheeled to
ride out fur a reinforcement, when seven
Mexicans jumped from behind us and with
in ten paces of us and fired ns we charged
past them without doing any injure, hotvev.
er, of consequence. Fur some time Ihe can
nonading und musketry, though doing tre
mendous execution, could not drive the en
ui Iasi ns me mlantry closed the
distance the enemy hud to move. Every
regiment of infantry did its duty, iho fight
ing assumed the churactcr of hand to hand
combat, the bayonet was crossed and the
sword used. Ridgley still plied the dash ol
grape and round shot with terrible effect,
his Lieuts. Shover, Fremont and French,
were often engaged in carrying ammunition
to the guns and loading them. Just here
Lt. Duncan came up with his hutlery but
was unable to bring it into action lor some
time, from the fact that there was no room
to pluce it and open on the enemy without
[endangering our own infantry in front.
The enemy again wavered. Gen. Tuv.
lor ordered Capt. May to churge their butte,
ry, and on he started ; hut on reaching the
point ol the road where he would have been
discovered by the enemy, he was slopped
by Ridgely, who told him that the enemy
had just loaded all their pieces, and if he
charged then, he would he swept awav,
"Stop,” snvs Ridgely, “until i draw their
fire when he deliberately fired each gun ;
so terrible was the effect of the grape, that
the Mexicans poured their fire upon his
piece, and then May charged like a bullet,
drove of their cannoniers, took La Vega
prisoner and retreated. Here Lt. Inge, a
noble, gallant soldier, charged at tho fiend
of the squadron, was killed and stripped'
Lt. Suckett thun whom there is no better
officer, had his horse shot under him, and
was pitched head foremost into the pond,
rose ugntn, covered with mud and water, and
escaped.— The squadron suffered very much.
I am sure Charley May feels grateful to
Ridgley for his cool judgment and timely
advice- Had he charged on the battery,
loaded with grape as it was, I do not believe
he would have saved a man.
I lie Mexicans returned to their guns, and
immediately the 5th infantry took the mat
ter in hand, and resolved to try the bayonet
again. Or, tney went, and piece by piece
fell before their determined bravery, until
their entire buttery was taken. The infant
ry ondjiannoniers leught hand to hand be
tween the wheels. Ridgely and Duncan
then pushed their batteries across the ravine,
and both opened on the retreating enemy,
i he 5th, 8th. 3d and forth were all across,
having each Jriven every thing before them
Flie route commenced, the whip applied,
and the battle was won again. The 5th
charged cn the enemy's camp, where the
savory odor of the dinner in the aci of pre’
paring for a grand jubilee by the Mexicans
had probably lured (hern, knowing that the
Mexican would fight the harder for his din
ner. Here the struggle was short ; they
captured every thing, even to Arista’s pri
vate baggage and portfolio, thpir entire camp
equipage, and three hundred fine mules.
On pushed llidgely, Dutffeun, and Kerr,
like lightning upon the retreating enemy.
The Mexicans threw down their urms and
accoutrements, even their caps for the erv
was*' Saute quipeul!” After pushing them
lor a mile through the chuparel, the artillery
and dragoons encountered a body of lancers,
about 1500 strong, drawn up in line across
their path, with lances in rest ready for a
charge. Ridgely und Duncan immediately
hat ted anil came into battery action front ?
but the sight of the dread artillery was too I
much fur tbu Mexican nerve. They took
to their heels and ran for n like good fellows,
never druwing a rein until they brought up
at the upper crossing. The pursuing pnrtv
dashed on, taking the main road to Fort
Browe ; but the enemy retreated by a road
to ihe right, und escaped. I pursued on
with Lt. Scarret If t. Capt. A maid to carry
the news to Fort Bi own. But on inimerging
from the chaparral, we met with a most un
welcome reception; lor our friends at the
fort, mistukng us for rareheros, showered
on us n volley of grape, which was taken
up by the enemy with a round at the fort
from their eighteen-pounders ; and so well
directed did their fire happen to lie, that an
19-lb shot struck a stuim within eighteen
inches of Capt. Arnulds horse—Lt. Scarret
and mysell pushed on, and were welcomed
by a hearty cheer. No sooner was the
news heard, than three cheers were given
by the garrison. The man in tlir white hat,
who had proved tumsull a hero during ,he
boinbarlment, was mount -d upon n traverse,
and first quieting Ihe Iro ihled sea hy a rnag.
ie wave ol that same old hat, gave ihe signal,
and loud and long were the peals shouted
forth hy the galla'nt nod devoted Seventh.
I returned shortly to the camp and found
that our Irrcps were resting immediately on
the battle ground. Alas wji.it a sad picture
presented itsell ; around were lying heaps
of dead, dying and disnb'ed men—Ihe sigh,
the "groan, the shrek of agony filled the air,
whilst the eye could not rest upon a spot
but it met with a head, a leg, an arm, a
body cut oil" hy the waist, or the more for
tunate dead, who had reeuived their death
wound from the sure rille or musket.
Wow, my dear sir, Imiw can I describe to
you the personal ucls of bravery—not only
in one instance but in twenty—and not sim
ply by the olTicer but bv the common sol
dier. The whole battle was fought by indi
vidual squads, led sometimes bv an officer
and frequently by the non commissioned of.
fleer. 1 could not sav too much for every
man engaged. So eager were our men for
the fight that I cannot better describe their
enthusiasm than to give you the idea that
struck ine, it was this : Every man, officer
and soldier seemed Impressed with (he idea
that 1 boro was but a given quantity of fight
ing to be had—not enough for every man to
have bis fill of it—and, therefore, it became
every one to get what he could as soon as
possible.
Instances there were where one man in
charging upon their batteries leaped astride
their pieces and holding on with one hand
heat of!' the gunners with tl.eir swords, and
were there cut down.
An instance occurred when in a charge
upon u piece Lt. Jordan was attacked hy
two Mexicans and bayoneted in two places,
when Lieut. Lincoln of the 8th, rushed up
and with his own sabre made perfect mince
meat of the two. Again, when Ridgcly cliur.
ged with his battery across the ravine, and
was standing ut one of his pieces he was
charged on hy three Lancers, he mounted
his horse and drove them off with his sabre
alone. Out it would tuke a volume to recite
the whole, und 1 uin sure that in Gen. Tay.
lor’s detailed report all willuppear—the fact
is every man was a hero. If I may say,
wiihout’doing injustice to any parly, to which
arm the most credit is due, I would say the
artillery under Ridgely, and the Regiments
of Infantry, pariiculaily the 8 h und 5>h.
The charge of May’s squadron was a gallant
thing, its success, however, was attributable
to the timely advance of Ridgelv, and his
willingness to receive the fire of iheir but*
leries, when it was believed sufficient to
sweep whole squadrons—not meuning to say
but that May would just as live have charg
ed on the loaded gun as upon the empty one
—he is a brave, gallant and efficient officer.
F. F. marks the growth of chnpnral.
A Capital Hit!—In (he House of Rep
resentatives on Thuisdny, Mr. Severance of
Maine said, -He wished to show ilmt this
war was an unjust nnd infamous tear, and
that toe were committing gross outrages on
Mexico. It was idle to deceive ourselves;
to thrust our heads into the sand, and sup
pose that the world did not know how we
were doing. The opinion of (he world would
not sustain our course of action on this sub.
ject.—Tnis aroused Mr. Barclay Marlin
of Tennessee a man of lew words,hut strong
sense, who wished to ask the Chair one quo.
slion : •• Whether the Gentlemrn from
Maine, who had just spoken, held a seat
here by any nuthoi ity oi the people of Maine,
or as a delegate from Mexico? Me would ask
the gentleman himself who had displayed
here such anti-American feelings, whether
he representen Maine or Mexico on thisjLorl
Richmond Enquirer
Alabama Pbmtkntiaky.—While at We
lumpka recently in company with one of the
inspectors (Maj. R. J. Harrison,) we visited
Hie Penitentiary, now in charge of Mr. Tho
mas. We went into nearly every room,
and workshop in the State Prison, and we
must say that much credit is due to the in
spectors as well ns 'he warden, for the clean
ly condition of this institution. Not a sha
ving, or chip is to be found in any of the
Shops after they leave at night. The rooms
r»f the main building nre hs neat as any
dwelling, nnd the whole yard present alike
np|ienranee of cleanliness. The convicts
are all comfortably clothed, nnd nre remark
ably healthy, there being but two or three ip
the hospital out of about 104 who nre now in
the Penitentiary.—Talladega Walchlower.
The City of Mexico.
Tho city of Mexico is a»id to be the fin
!*t built eily on the American continent.
In some respects it certainly is so. In the
rrincipal streets the houses arc all construc
t'd according to the s'rictest architectural
rules. The foundations of the city were
aid. and tho first buildings were erected
>y Cortes, who did every tiling well which
le attempted—from building houses or wri
ing a couplet to conquering nr. empire.
Many of the finest building* in Mexico are
•till owned by his descendants. The pub
ic square is said to be unsurpassed by auv
n tiiq world ; it contains some twelve or
fifteen acres paved with stone. The ca
hedral covers one entire side, the palace
mother , the western side is occupied by a
row ol very high nnd substantial houses,
ho second stories of which project into the
ilruet the widili of the pavement ; the low.
•r stones are occupied by the principal re
nil merchants of the city. Tho most of
hose houses were Imilt by Cortes, who,
with his characteristic sagacitv nnd nn ava
rice which equally characterized him in the
atter part ol his life, selected the best pur
ion of the city for himself.
1 he President's Palace, formerly die pal
nee ot the viceroys, is an immense building
of three stories high, about five hundred
Icet in length, nnd three hundred and fifty
wide ; it stands on the site of the palace of
Montezuma. It is difficult to conceive ol
so much stone and mortar being put to.
gel her in a less tasteful and imposing shape;
it lias mncli more the appearance of a cot
ton factory or a penitentiary than what it
really is; the windows are small, and a
parapet wall runs .the whole length of the
building, with nothing to relieve the mono!
ony ot its appearance except some Very ill
different ornamental Work in the centre ;
there are no doors in the Ironl cither of tin
second or third stories—nothing hut dispro
portionately small windows, and too many
ol them ; ttie three doors, and there are only
three in the lower story, are destitute of all
architectural beauty or ornament. Only a
very small part ol this palace is nppropria
ted to the residence of the President ; all
the public officers arc here, including those
of the heads of the dilfercnt departments;
ministers of war, foreign relations, finance
and justice, the public treasury, &c. The
halls of the house of deputies and ol the
senate lire also in the same building, and
list and least, the botanic garden. After
passing through all sorts of filth and dirt on
the basement story you come to a dark nar
row passage which conducts you to a mas
sive door, which when you have succeeded
in opening, you enter an apurtment cnelo.
sed with high walls on every side but open
ut the top, and certainly not exceeding eigh.
ty feet square, and this is the botanic gar
den of the palace of Mexico; a few shrubs
and plants and the celebrated inanita tree,
are ull that it contains. I have rarely in
my life seen a more gluomy and desolate
looking place. It is much more like a pris
on than a garden. A decrepit, palsied old
man, said to he mo more than a hundred
yea's old, is the superintendent of the es.
tahlishmnnt ; no one could have been se
lected more in keeping with the general
dilapidation und dreariness of this melan
choly affair.
But the cathedria, which occupies the
side of this great idol temple of Montezuma,
offers n striking contrast. It is five hun
dred feel long hy four hundred and twenty
wide. It would be superfiious to add nroth.
er to the many dircriptions of this fimous
building which has already been published.
L ke nil the other churches in Mexico, it is
built in the Gothic style. The walls, of
several feet thickness -ire made of unhewn
stone and lime. Upon entering it. one is
apt to recall the wild fictions of the Arabian
Nights ; it seoms as if the wealth of empires
was collected there. The clergy in Mexico
do not, for obvious reasons, desirefiliat their
wealth should be known to its full extent ;
they are, therefore, not disposed to give
very full information upon the subject, or
to exhibit the gold and silver vessels, vases,
precious stones, and other forms of wealth,
quite enough is exhibited to strike the behol
der with wonder. The first object that
presents itself on entering the cathedral is
the niter, near the centre id Hit building ;
it is made of highly wrought und highly
polished silver, and covered with a prolusion
of ornaments of pure gold. Oil each side
of Ibis alter runs a balustrade, enclosing a
space about eighty feet wide und eighty or
a hundred feet long. The balusters are
about four feet high, and four inches thick’
in the largest part ; the handrail from six
hi eight inches wide. ITpon die top of this
kill n 11 !■;» ■ I nl lisa <1,1.1^.._ C _ . :_Li
Fef;t apart, are Hiiinan images, beautiful y
wrought and about I wo feet high. All of
those, the balustrade, handrail, and images,
are made of a compound of gold, silver,
and copper—more valuable than silver. 1
was told that an ofler had been made to
,ake ibis balustrade, snd replace it wilh
mother of exact the same size and work
manship of pure silver, and to give half a
million of dollars besides. There is much
tnore of the same balustrade in other parts
if ihe church ; I should think, in all of it.
not less than three hundred feet.
As yon walk through the building, on
:ither side lh' re nre difieient apartments,
ill filled Irom the floor to the ceiling, with
jointings, statutes, vases, huge candlesticks,
waiters, and a thousand other articles, made
jf gold or silver. This too, is only the
jvery day display of articles of least value ;
:he more costly are stored away in closets
md chests. What must it be when all
hese nre brought out, with imincnce qunn
ities of precious stones which the church is
mown to possess? And this only one of
lie churches of the city of Mexico, where
ihero nre between sixty snd eighty others,
tnd some ufthem possessing little less weulth
hnn the cathedral; and it must also be
remembered, that all the other large cities,
such as Peubla, Gaiidalnjara, Guanajuato,
Zacatecas, Durango, San Louis, 1‘otosi, have
each a proportionate number of equally
gorgeous establishments,
There ia not, 1 believe, a house in the
city without a court, of greater or less
dimensions, in proportion to the size of the
building. Tnere is only oiio door on the
lo'vor floor, and none al nil od the outside
of llie upper slory. This door is very
strongly built, and high enough for a coach
to pass through: it opens into the patio
through which you pass to the steps leading
to the upper stories, where alone every
body* lives except the lowest classes. In
all the establishments of the better classes,
the basement slory is only occupied by the I
servants und as lumber rooms, and what !
struck me us very strange, as stables. I do
not suppose there is such a separate build
ing iu the city as a stable. In visiting
Count Certuna, for example, whose whole
establishment is altogether princely, and oth
ers ol crpiul splendor and luxury, 1 louttd
this court on the ground floor used us a sta
ble, and passed through rows of horses and
carriages to make my way to the most spa
cious halls, filled with fine paintings of the
great masters, and furnished throughout in
a sty le altogether gorgeous. In some of
the larger private buildings thirty nr forty
diflercut families reside ; each one having
rented one or two rooms; all entering at
the only outside door into the court, which
is the common property of all—and from
which each one has an entrance to his own
rooms on the ground floor of the gallery
above, w hich runs all around the building.
I do not think that the areu covered by the ]
city of Mexico ettn exceed two miles in i
length, and a mile und a Itulf in width; u
vety sin,ill spuee to he occupied by a popu
lation of nearly two hundred thousand. Hut
it is not at all surprising when you sue thir
ty or lolly families, enough to make u re
speetable village, uttd huddled away in one
house, und consider what a large number
sleep in the open air in thut delightful cli- i
mute. How pure must lie the utmosphere
when the city of Mexico is so remarkably
healthy, notwithstanding such u crowded
and filthy mode of living, and with a tropi
cal sunsltining upon the moist surface of
the whole valley ! One would think the
latter sufficient of itself to produce the most
fatal inulurlu.
ii is u unit; cuiiiius uiiii wiiusi nit; uumi>
ings and population of Mexico arc thus
crowded into so small a space, and llie rems
are three times as higli as in the city of
Ncw'York, yet all around the city there is
a vacant ground, and as dry ns the city it.
self, which may he hud uhnost for the ta
king. 1 was riding uut with a friend one
evening when he showed me n square con
| mining between live and six acres, just in
the rear of the l*luza do Toros on the out
skirts, ol the city, and not more than hull’
or three quarters of u mile from the public
square, which he had just purchased for four
hundred dullars. Why these lots are not
improved and the city extended, 1 cannot
easily comprehend.—Gen. Thompson's Re
collections.
from llie flew York Sun.
Tbc Hulls ol ibe Montezuma*.
Montezuma* II. ascended the Mexican
throne A. D. 1502, at tiic age of twenty
three, before Mexico had been discovered by
Europeans, lie died 30.It June, 1520, in
the forty-second year of his age, of wounds
inflicted by the Spanish discoverers whom
he had invited to his royul palace. Histo
rians agree in udmiring It s character.
On ascending the throne, not content with
the spacious residence of his father, lie erec
ted another, much more magnificent, front
ing on the plaza mayoo ol the present city
of Mexico. So vusl was this great shoe
lure, that, ns uno of the historians informs
us the space covered by its terraced roof
| might have utl'orded ample room ter thirty
; knights to run their atourses in a regular
j tournay. His father’s palace, although not
so high, whs so extensive that tile visitors
j were loo much fatigued ,n wandering through
i the apartments, ever to see the whole of it
—The paluces were built of red stone, or
namented with marble, the arms of the Mon
tezuma family (an eagle heuring a tiger in his
talons) being sculptured over the main en
trance. Crystal fuuntuins, fed hy great re
servoirs ol the neighboring hills, played in
the vast halls und gardens, anJ supplied wa
ter to hundreds of marble baths in the inte
rior of the palaces.—Crowds of nobles und
tributary chieftain* were continually saun
tering thruugh the halls, or loitering nway
their hours in attendance on the court. Rich
c irvings in wood adorned the ceilings, heuu
tiful mats of palm leaf coveted the floors.
■ The walls were hung with cotton richly
stained, the skins of wild animals, or gorge
ous draperies of feather work wrought in mu
itaiion of birds, in-ects and flowers, in glow,
mg radiance of colors. Clouds of incence
from golden censers diffused intoxicating
odors through splendid apartments occupied
by the nine hundred and eighty wives und
live thousand slaves of Montezuma.
Mu encouraged science and learning, and
public schools were established throughout
the greater purl of his empire. The city of
Mexico in his day numbered twice as many
inhabitants us at present, and 1000 tnen were
dull? employed in watering and sweeping its
streets, keeping them so clean that a man
could traverse the whole city with ns little
danger of soiling his feet as his hands- A
careful police guarded the city. Extensive
urseuals, granaries, wuieliouses, an aviary
for the most benunlul birds, menageries,
houses for reptiles and serpents, a codec*
ticn ol human monsters, fish ponds built of
marble, and museums and public libraries,
all on the most extensive scutes, added their
attractions to the greut city of the Aziecs.
Gorgeous temples— ir. which human victims
were sacrificed, und their blood baked in
bread, and their bodies dressed lor food to
be devoured by the people nt religious festi
vals—reared their pyramidal alturs far above
the highest edifices. Thousands ol their
brother men were thus sacrificed annually.
The temple ol Maxtili, their war god, was
so constructed that its great alarm gong,
sanding to battle, roused the valley for three
leagues around, and culled 300,000 armed
Aztecs to the immediate telief ol their mon
i arch. So vast was the collection of birds ot
prey, in a building devoted^ fo them, that
■ 500 turkeys, the cheapest meHt in Mexico,
[ were allowed for their daily consumption.
tjucli were the “Units of the Montezumns !’*
The summer residence of the monarch, on
the hill of Chnpoltepec, overlooking the city,
was surrounded by gardens of several miles
in extent, and here were preserved until the
middle of the las: century two statutes of
the Empernrund his father. Thegreatcy.
prus trees, under which the Aztec sovereign
and his associates once held their moonlight
revels, still shade the royal gardens. Some
of them, 50 feet in circumference, are sev.
cral thousand years old, but arc yet as green
os in the days of Montezuma, whoso ashes,
or those of his ancestors, render sacred, in
tho eyes of the native Mexicans, the hill of
Chnpoltepec. Natural decay and o wining
population now mailt the seat of power of the
great Montezuma*.
‘•This Halls ok Montezuma.”—Will
our editorial brethren inform us whether
these words do not begin, to use n Yankee*
ism, tu rile them ? We confess the unneces
sary, frequent and pompous parade of them
has, of lute, made us feel a little ipccarish.
Scarcely un editorial paragraph is written
in relation to Mexico, that “the Hallo of
Montezuma” ure not mentioned. Our love,
ly Misses who present flags made by them
selves and make speeches written, ns they
should he, by their friends or relatives, never
fail to ornament the aforesaid “hulls” with
their handy work. The gullant, (a word,
by the way, very much used just now,)
Captain, promises Miss Mary Smith that ho
and his brave companions will flaunt said
flag in the breeze or die until they use it for
upholsterery purposes in “the Halls of Mon.
tezuma.” Our Congressmen who speak to
ltuncomb never fail to wnlk right into “the
Malls of Montezuma” with as little ceremo
tfy ns though they were quite at home. It
may lie bad taste in us, but we cannot resist
die belief that much truth is contained in the
old saw, “epeugh of n thing is enough.”
We propose, when we take the City of Mex
ico, tint we sweep out “the Hulls of Monte
zuma,” lake a ‘bran dance* therein, and brag
no more about them.—Marion Newt.
An Artist's Ukvknge—Tlie amusing
correspondent of tlie Courier des Utas Unis
! tells the following . V
••One of our most celebrated painters had
made, with a view of exhibition at the Gal
lery, the portrait of a lady, whoso fortune
had cuabledcher to occupy n very brilliant
position, and who bad been, for a long time,
regarded ns the most beautiful women of
Paris. Unfmtunately this reputation is of
such long gtundmg, that it is already on
the wane. The lady in question has al
ready reached an age to which 110 one is
: ever w-lting to acknowledge, however much
j it may have been extolled by the witty pen
of Balzac. The dusty files of the Civil Re
gistry kept the secret of her forty summers,
which she concealed as well as she could,
with a wonderful skill, and by her great en
deavours to be as attractive as in times
past. Puris is a place of greet resources;
ointments for all wounds are to be found
there, as well ns udinirersol all ages. Our
heroine maintained tier pretensions bravely;
her vanity wus tolerated, and being desir
ous of giving publicity to her attractions by
an exhibition ut the Louvre, she had her
portrait painted. She prepared her beqt
loooks for the purpose. wearing her most
becoming dress, ussutning a position most
favorable to her charms, seated before her
toilette table, leaning negligently on tho
arm of the chair, nod smiling upon her own
reflection in the mirror, which of course
wus to be most complimentary to her
charms. Tho painter sketched a most
striking likeness; in doing so be done just
what lie* should not have done. A little
more flattery, and a little less exactness,
would have been fur more acceptable. The
perfectness of the likeness made her less
willing to recognize its merits. The model
declared she could not see any likeness in
it, and the painting wus left on the hands of
the unfortunate puinter.
This was u double wrong t^ our aftist.
Attacked botn professionally und pecuniarily,
the painter hud not sufficient resignation to
enable him to look on cooly and see a por
trait woilli a thousand crowns left on his
hunds. A wav to bo revenged, or rather
to do himself jusice. presented itself lo his
mind, and he set himself ut once about put;
ting it in execution.
A few days before the time fixed for of
Turing painting for the exhibition at tho
Louvre, the lady who bad refused to tuk«
her portiuit was informed, by some Iriend,
that the rejected portrait had received
sundry additions, ot a character far from
complimentary. She immediately repaired
to the studio of our artist. The portiait
w.ia nun uiciu j nit* iinenest* c»i me lace as
perfect as ever; only the painter had
somewhat the hrows dismantled, and the
person so faithfully represented, was hold
ing in her hands two bunches of false curls.
Upon her toilet table were found several
phials on which were legibly written these
words “ white lead,” “ vegetable rouge.'’
cosmetic for the removnl of wrinkles;”
“ water for dying the hair.” Then in the
midst of nil this artidery could be distinctly
seen three billets, signed by three different
Christian numes.
“This is abominable!” cried the lady;
“it is.all a tissue of calumnies!”
“ Of what do you enmpluin 7” asked the
painter very coolly. “ Have you not insist
ed that there was not the least likeness of
yourself here ? You were perfeetly right.
This is no likeness ol yours; it is a mere
fancy sketch, and as such 1 mean to exhibit
it.”
“ What, Sir! Do you mean to exhibit
that painting 7”
“ Certainly, madame, I mean to exhibit
it tie a funcy sketch, as the catalogue will
show, in which you will find it set down
. under the title of—1 A coquette of forty
five.’”
At this last blow the lady went into hys
terics. As soon as she had recovered her.
self, she hastened to effect a Compromise
with the painter. The painter effaced be
fore her own eyes the ottinsive additions,
and the painting restored to its origins!
condition, wus purchased at the price orig
inally stipulated—three thousand franca.