The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico--1846; including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an accurate detail of the Storming of Monterey; also the Daring Scouts at Buena Vista together with anecdotes, incidents, descriptions of country, and sketches of the lives of the celebrated partisan chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker. Page: 12
251 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.View a full description of this book.
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12 SUNRISE ON TIE OCEAN.
from a long brass piece, which had been put on board for the protection
of the vessel, and the sun coming out in all its wonted
splendour as we passed the barracks, we returned the hearty
cheer which had saluted us from our friends on shore. Pursuing
our course as we swiftly glided over the turbid waters of the Mississippi,
which was soon to lead us to the blue waves of Mexico,
we saw, as it were, our homes receding far in the distance from
us, and to many it was a last and eternal farewell. At 7, P. M.,
we crossed the bar, and discharged our pilot at the Balize. As
the sun sank beneath the blue waves, the men, too, seemed to
settle down in a quiet contentment, and if any regretted his patriotic
enthusiasm, which had caused him to enlist, it was now too
late, for the land we had left was then but as a dim cloud in the
distance. It was a most lovely night. The sea was as smooth as
a mirror, and the moon never looked more sweet and fascinating
with her silvery beams dancing on the rippling waters, caused by
the motion of our boat, which was a most delightful one, and sat
on the waves as graceful as a swan. At midnight we retired,
many of the officers preferring a pallet spread on deck, to a stateroom
in the cabin.
We had often thought what must have been the glorious splendours
of the first breaking in of light upon the world, but never
did we fully realize the conception, until the morning of the 6th.
The breaking of day at sea is certainly one of nature's grandest
spectacles. It was just at gray dawn, when the last lingering
stars of heaven were fading from sight, caused by the gradual
rising of the sun, though still far below the horizon, that the edge
of the blue eastern sky became beautifully tinged with a most
delicate roseate hue, gradually spreading and deepening into vermilion
; the light fleecy clouds assumed a softer and a richer glow,
melting by degrees as the sun approached nearer the surface, into
a pale golden tinge, which extended itself along the encircling
edge of the sky, now mellowing into a brighter golden light, as the
day-god rose in all his gorgeous brilliancy, casting a veil over the
soft features of the queen of night, which still rode high in midheaven.At 8, A. M., the death of one of the men was reported, and preparations
were made for a burial at sea. The poor fellow was
sewed up in his blanket, which served as his winding sheet; and
being ballasted at the feet with round shot for the purpose of sinking
him, he was placed on a plank which was laid half-way across
the rail of the ship, arid as his companions stood around, prayers
were read, and the body launched into the deep. This cast a
gloom over the men, who had become duly sobered, and began to
understand their duties and positions. In the afternoon we had
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Reid, Samuel C., Jr. The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch's Texas Rangers; or, the Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico--1846; including Skirmishes with the Mexicans, and an accurate detail of the Storming of Monterey; also the Daring Scouts at Buena Vista together with anecdotes, incidents, descriptions of country, and sketches of the lives of the celebrated partisan chiefs, Hays, McCulloch, and Walker., book, 1859; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth38096/m1/14/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.