Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1877 — RESCUED FROM GUERILLAS. [ARTICLE]

RESCUED FROM GUERILLAS.

i A Reminiscence of Gen. Shields’ ‘Service in the Mexlean 'War. [Utica Observei.] I One of the thrilling episodes of the j Mexican war which are not found in ■ any of its histories is that of the res I cue of an English family from the : City of Mexico before the capitula- ! tioii by a detatchment of American ; soldiers. The city had been invested ; some time, when a refugee one night entered that part of our lines which I Gen. Shields commanded. He was taken to the general, and to him told his story. He was an English boy. and with his mother and sister, just arrived at womanhood, occupied a home at the capital at the time of the investment. One of the lawless guerilla chiefs, who held the people of the city as well as of the co.uritry in terror, had conceived a violent passion , for the sister, who repulsed his adI vances, and he had declared in his ; rage that, unless she consented to his i proposals on the following morning, I he would carry her off by force, and j cause her mother and brother to be i executed. The lad, in the extremity of his terror, had made his way out of the city, past the sentinels and the lines, gained the American camp, and now besought the general to save his mother and sister. The ardent soul of Shields (who was then but thirtyseven) was fired at the thought of the miserable fate awaiting these hapless , ladies, and without communicating at i ail with headquarters (where flat re > fusal would have been certain) he i formed a plan for their rescue. To ’ call it rash, Quixotic, or dare-devil, I would be the truth; the best defence l of his proceedings of that night is tlgjt it was a brave act, prompted by a generous heart, and that he succeeded perfectly, where disaster wo’d insure hie dismissal from the army. He had about 400 picked men of his command detailed, and after briefly informing them what he proposed to do, he found every man eager for the adventure. Putting himself at the head of the little column, he she itly

left the American lines, and, favored by datkness of the night, approached close to the walls of the city without discovery. The sentinels could be plainly seen on the walls, and the cry, “Sentinela, alcrte!” was heard as it passed from mouth to, mouth. Guided by the lad the party sealed the wall at a favorable place, and seizing two or three of the astounded sentinels descended into the city, and quickly made their way unopposed through the streets to the house to which the lad guided them. The boy ran in and informed the ladies that deliverance had come; they hastily collected a few valuables and articles of wearing apparel in a bundle, and placing the rescued party in the cea ter of the column, Shields started to return. But meantime the alarm had been given, and drums were beating and lanterns flashing all around the walls. Arrived near the point of entrance, it was found that the whole open place between the houses and the wall was filled with Mexican infantry and artillery. Shields instantly deployed and gave the command to fire. A rattling volley, followed by a bayonet charge, threw the Mexicans into disorder, and the Americans rushed through and over them with their little party, made their way out, and returned to their own camp with but a few casualties, although they drew the fire of both sides on their return, for the American camp was now fully aroused? and the pickets were firing rapidly. But the tumult soon ceased on both sides, the adventurous returned to their quarters as though nothing had happened out of the usual course, and the ladies were safely bestowed for the night In a hut made as comfortable as possible.

How he was called to account for this night’s work will be best told in Gen. Shields’ own language: “The next morning an officer of Gen. Scott’s staff came to my quarters with a message from the general that he would like to know the cause of the previous, night’s alarm, as it originated in that part of the line which was under my command. I answered that I would report in person, which lat once did. On the way I thought the matter over, and concluded that it would be better to make a clean breast of it, and I did so. The story threw Gen. Scott into a tremendous rage. Ever since Cerro Gordo was fought he had addressed me as “My Ceno Gordo friend,” but he now dropped that familiar name. ‘Gen. Shields,’ he thundered, ‘you are insubordinate and reckless in the highest degree. You have put in peril the fruits of the whole campaign; you have, perhaps, frustrated all my plans for the capture of the city of Mexico! Sir, I’ll disgrace you; I’ll court-mar-tial you, and have you dismissed the service!’ At this my temper rose, and I answered him plainly that he might court-martial, and, perhaps, get me dismissed, but that after all that had occurred on’this campaign, neither he nor any other man could disgrace me, and, being by this time pretty well stirred up, I said that under like circumstances I would do precisely the same thing over again. Instead of being more angry, the general was rather softened by this speech. ‘I was wrong, Gen. Shields,’ he said, ‘in saying that I would disgrace you; I ask your parden for that. You are a brave man, and disgrace-is not the word to use toward you. But you are greatly to blame in this matter, sir. You have acted without orders, and have imperilled the whole campaign.’ ’Gen. Scott,’ I said, ‘before you say anything more about it, suppose you come over to my quarter andjsee these ladies.’ After some further talk he promised to do so, and I rode back to my tent pretty well satisfied that I should have no further trouble with the affair. In an hour over came Gen. Scott, and I introduced him to the ladies. The daughter was a picture of beauty, with her golden curls and her blue eyes, and after the mother had thanked the general for their preservation with tearful eyes and trembling voice, the girl seized his hands, wept over them, called him her preserver, and invoked the blessings of heaven on his head. Scott looked from her to me with a very benevolent face and said: “Well, my Cerro Gordo friend, if I get you court-martialed for this, I shall have you promoted too.” I have only to add that long afterward, when the war was over, and we had returned to the United States, I received from England’ the gift of these ladies, a costly diamond pin as a toker of their gratitude.” Tnese are but a few of the interesting and varied reminiscences with which Gen, Shields entertains his listeners in public and private. For the benefit of those curious to know

something of the personal appearance of the man,’it may be stated that he is of medium size, hale and hearty, though sixty-seven years of age, with a keen eye, and something like the “brogue” in his speech. His residence is at Kansas City, Mo. He speaks without the least bitterness toward any of his contemporaries, either in civil or military, and evinces the warmest interest in the prosperity and welfare of his adopted country.

Michigan has fifteen or twenty lawsuits hanging on over Presidential bets. White men are not yet allowed to own land or become citizens in Liberia. A murderer recently escaped from thejjail at Somerset, Kentucky, by eloping with the Sheriff’s daughter. An old negro preacher in Chicago on Solomon: “King Solomon had 300 wives and 700 other lady friends." A horse is used in the mail service at Lafayette, that once belonged to General Jackson. Mrs. McMahon, of Stowe, Vermont, who is now 101 years old, was discovered at the tub recently doing her weekly washing. Ex-Congressman Lynch, of Maine, proposes to start an Administration paper in Washington. He is® courageous man. The noble Garfield is pipe-laying Ohio to supplant Stanley Mutthews, whose term expires in 1879. How these Republicans do love each other! The Lake county soldiers have adopted the “blue ribbon” as a distinguishing badge on the occasion of the re-union. Ex-Gov. Moses, of South Carolina, and ex-Speaker Lee, of the House of Representatives, have been committed to jajl. Mayor Heath, of Chicago, showed himself to be a hoary-headed coward during the recent riots in that city. He was afraid to hurt his political supporters. An Irishman has described nothing to be a bootless stocking without any legs. A description by another Emeralder is better. “What is nothing?” was asked. “Shut your eyes and you’ll see it,” said Pat.

If you are stung by a wasp, apply the chewed end of a cigar for a few moments to the wound. Blaine is a fellow of infinite humor, but just now it’s l ad humor, because he “didn’t think,” and: take some Hayes-seed, before “letting out” at Woodstock. Mrs. Tiltou lives with her mother, on Madison street, near Nostrand avenue. She dresses elegantly, paints, has plenty of money, and fs said to be happier than ever before in her life, and more religious, too. John G. Saxe is 61. He derives great comfort from the thought that he descended from Hans Sachs, the old shoemaker of Nuremberg, the ancestor of Marshal Saxe, of whom “George Sand” was a descendant. The most heart-rending of all the troubles and agonies vs lifeis to know that some trusted friend has deceived us—as fir example, Dob Cameron, when he found “Counted-in-Hayes” had left him out of his “cabinet”shop. The New York Tribune indorses the Republican platform of lowa in such phraseology as this; “It is a regular junk-shop for all kinds of absurdities and inconsistencies.” Now point out the miserable eunuch who says there is any want of harmony in the Republican party!—Cincinnati Enquirer.

Our old friends, Jos. Rothrock and wife, of Monticello, are visiting their daughter, Mrs. Jas. S, Wigmore, and family. Mr. R. was one of the first settlers of White county, having located there in 1831—forty-six years ago—before the county was organized or Monticello mapped out. The father and a brother of Mr. R. were own ers of a large part of the original plat of that town, which they donated on condition that it should be made and perpetually remain the county seat of White. On Tuesday we noticed scattered around Remington and Rensselaer, in considerable numbers, a little circular on which we at sight recognized the familiar portrait of our neighbor, representing him in the act of bawling lustily for “QUARTER!” We give it. When in Remington, Tuesday, we had the pleasure of meeting our little friends, May and Jessie, daughters of the late Judge Reed, and Cora, daughter of Wm. Imes, all of Monticello, They were visiting Remington friends. Mr. S. T. Royal and wife, of Dayton, Ind., are visiting relatives and friends In Rensselaer.