The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 30, July 1926 - April, 1927 Page: 13

Diary of a Texan Volunteer in the Mexican War

9th. before day light started for volunteer camp 6 miles-
found Jo Marks and Tom Elliott quite sick-heard of the sad
intelligence of the Death of Jas Pope of our county-which oc-
curred on 8th, intered this evening at 2 oclock-company all
gone to the burying now-Recd orders to assemble at Head Qrs
at 6 oclock P M. for Regimental Organization-the country about
Matamoros and Pt Isabell being the valley of the Rio Grande is
a rich and fertile Perairie country-no timber but muskeet and
chapparal and Prickly Pear of which the country abounds the
soil of a dark chocolate collor-covered with the most delightful
muskeet grass-which is common in the western country-the
Rio Grande is a River of [the] size of [the] Sabine but in ap-
pearance resembling Miss River-it is larger than any other River
in State of Texas-cotton corn tobacco-mellons-vegetables of
every kind-orange fig-and many other delicious fruit-grow
here to perfection-also Pomegranate tomatto-wild onion cucum-
ber etc-every body getting confounded tired-several sick-
weather extremely hot-too hot for a lizzard to live and do well-
musquitoes intolerable at night-and a man has to be very in-
dustrious during the day else the flies will blow him-never heard
of such a thing before--but it is an actual fact-nothing occurred
up to
12th. Tom Elliot quite sick-many others complaining-
13th. Tom Elliott died-was buried on the 14th with military
honors-To day we drew our guns-Q A Finley and Goo Hazen
sick-J K IH went to Pt Isabel and returned a little unwell--
badly scared-Nations of Marshall Guards died to day, Tom Wil-
son of same company very low-given out Brook Davis is quite
sick and several others-some one from The liberty co-left this
vain world of sin and misery--
on 15th Tom Wilson is not yet dead to day-I think we Reed
our pack mules--
16th. moved to a new place-Marks Davenport and Hazen on
sick list-Tom Wilson died to day I think-
17th. not being pleased with our new Camp--moved again
and after we were comfortable fixed up--tents streached and all
we acertained that we had encamped on a Salt lake-but other
water being not a great way of [f] concluded to remain-Rained