Captain James Caldwell raised the Wayne Guards in the Southwestern part of Mifflin County, Pennsylvania when the Secretary of War asked Pennsylvania to supply 2 additional companies to fight in Mexico.  Our letter is dated August 24, 1847 from St. Augustine, Mexico.  It is 6 extremely long pages, written in nice dark ink on blue paper and contains some of the finest and most gruesome battle descriptions we have ever read! 

Background:        

On the 20^th of August, 1847, the American army, after a bloody struggle, carried Mexican camp of Contreras by assault.  On the same day the Americans took the strong fortress of San Antonio and gained a brilliant victory over the Mexicans at Churubusco.  Santa Anna’s army, virtually annihilated, fled to the capital.  During this bloody day the Mexicans lost 4,000 men killed and wounded, and 3,000 were made prisoners by the victorious Americans.  Scott now offered the Mexicans peace.  Santa Anna asked for an armistice, which Scott granted, but when informed that the treacherous Mexican general was improving the time by strengthening the defenses of the capital the American commander declared the armistice at an end on the 7^th of September.  The victorious Americans took by storm the strong position of Molino del Rey on the 8^th of September and the lofty fortified hill of Chepultepec on the 13^th.  On the 14^th Scott entered the Mexican capital in triumph and by his orders the Stars and Strips were placed on the national palace.  Order was soon restored in the city.  Santa Anna and the authorities of the Mexican Republic had fled.

Highlights from the letter:

·         “The Mexicans did not show themselves nor fire a gun until the four advancing companies marched onto the bridge preparing to make a charge over the breast work, when they got us where they wanted us they opened on us a most tremendous fire of musketry.  The two companies in advance broke in great disorder and fell back on my men.  I am happy to inform you that the Wayne Guard kept their ground not falling back an inch, but bravely returning the fire.  The other companies were rallied and brought into their positions immediately.  The fire was kept up on both sides for about 7 minutes and resembled much the rattling of hail amongst us, but the whistling of the bullets was anything but pleasant to the ears of those who never heard them.”

·         “We surmounted the barricade and had about 300 yards to run before we commenced the assent where the Mexicans were about 400 feet above us and nearly perpendicular although there was 150 men in our advance there was but 15 men on the top of the hill when the guards were them.  The Mexicans had fled.”

·         “…Although several of the men had balls pass through their clothes and the muskets of some ½ dozen were struck with balls.  But one of my company was wounded slightly on the hand.  We had in all 6 wounded and none killed although one man received 4 balls one of which still remains in his body… and we encamped on the western side of the bridges at a magnificent hacienda belonging to Santa Anna”

·         “The evening before I left I saw 14 bodies sewed up in their blankets thrown into a cart one on top with a little ceremony as you would pile up dead swine in your country (so great a luxury as a coffin cannot be looked for by the brave American soldier if he dies in Mexico).  They not infrequently throw 50 bodies into one hole and then cover them up.  These sights at first made me heartsick but their frequency is getting me hardened to it.”

·         “We all well knew that from ½ to ¾ of us would be killed.  In that charge, ‘conquer or die’ was our motto.  We well knew that if we were defeated not one of us would ever reach Vera Cruz.  Defeat would have been the signal for the whole of this cut throat nation to rise and cut off all retreat.  But thanks to God and the untiring vigilance of our brave old chief another way was opened.”

·         “We were to hold this place which was constantly threatened with an attack from several thousand lancers under Valencia who hung on our rear.”

·         “Our men got through the night (Old Scott on the ground all night) and by day sunrise charged upon this battery to the cannon’s mouth.”

·         “The carnage here on our side was dreadful…”

·         “Our men at times having to cross ditches where the water was heads at length… The carnage on our side was dreadful.  The Mexican grape sweeping whole platoons in width into eternity ever discharge.”

Condition is excellent and how amazing that the writer was killed some 3 weeks after writing this letter!!

#EL14 – Price $1,895