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Show 4 L APPENDIX TO PAHT llf. platoons, scrtiom , &r. in ~ani son, where they scn·c ns inf.1ntry, wttlt t h<'ir ro~rabines . In these man<ruvr<'S til<'}' Wt'l'<' 'ny deli( i( Il l Ull a 111arch <~ dct ~e:hmrnt fJf ra,·:dry ~~t' nl'l'alh <' IH','llljl in .1 circle. Thl'y l't'li(·\ c till ir g·u,ll'd'i at ni !~ ht , and"" !-non ~1s tht')" hJit tlw ll C\'' g·t!ard ib form ed 011 foot'' itll tllei1· caraiJillC s, <llld tlll'll nwrchtd hd'r1rC the conmJand.l lll's tent, where the conlni ~IIHiin g· oll'Jn:r ol the g11ard invokes tile holy Yir p; in three tin1cs: the COllll1li\1Hiin g· olliccr l'l·pli(·s, "It is well." Th('y then retire and lllOunl tll!'ir I orscs. and are lnld ofT. some to act as '' ~tw rd of the horses," as ca' airy, others a'> g u<11'<1 of the ralllp, as inl:1ntt'y. The old guard!-> arc lh<"n p.traclcd anc!J'l' lic' ·d, and tlw new '>l'ntincl'> t .d~ (· post. TIH·ir stnt illt ls arc sing-ing- h.df their tilll (', and it is no uncnmmon thin \~ for thrn1 to quit th <" il' post to rome to tl1e fire, g-o for wutn, S:.c. in t:tcl, alt\.'1' the oflircr i-; in hcd, frequently the '~ll ()le g· tl.trd COillt''> 111, ) Ct i 11{' \ l'r knew any rn,lll pnni•,lwd for those bi'C.tchcs of mi litc.1r} d ut~. I hl'it· moclc of attack ish} ~q 11a ct rons , on tl1<' dill'ciTill ll allk'> ot tht ir cncntil'!':, but without n·,~ ularity 0 1' o mccr t, !lhoutin;~ . lt <.dl(Joill g, and !iri ng- thcit· ca t·o~hincs, . d·t~-.·1· '' ltich, ir tlH'y t hink thclll:-.l·h t s Vj ll<tl to the enemy, they ch<.ll'~~·c with a pistol a1td th en :.1 l.;or<·. F10m my obsen ation on tl1cir di scipline I h:.wc 110 hc sit<~t ion in d t·cl.trin~ th ... t I would not b ·afraid to n.a n:h over a plai1 ,, \\itlt :>00 inl<~lltry ami a proportionate allowance' or hors('-<tltillery or tliC Uuited tate'> \.li' IHY, in the pt•cscncc of 5000 or these dragoons; yet 1 do not pre ~untc to say that an army '' iti\ that inferiority of lllltllbct·s would do to oppo'>e them, fot· they would cut off yout· supplies, ami harra-;s yout· nl<trch and camp, night and day, to such a (kgrt·<.· as to ohli),C you i11 the end to Stll'I'Ctldcr to them without eve!' h;nin ~-;· come to i.ICtion. H, how· CVC1'1 the event depended on one s in ~ le cnga~cmcnt, it would C\'Cntuate with g-lory to the A mct·icun arms. The conclusion must not be clrawn that I con id cr they are defi cient in phy ~i c al firmness mon~ than other nar ions, for we sec the savap,es, 500 of whom on a plain Ry before fifty bayonets, on other occasion~ bt·ave dang·cr and death in its most hot'l'id shaprc; with an uudanntcd fortitude never sur· passed by the most disriplinetl and barely veterans. It arises t;olcly from the wan( of discipline and confidence iu each other, as is always the case with tllH.Iisciplined corps, unless stimulated by the godlike sentiment of love of CO\tntry, of which these poot· fellows !wow little. The travelling food of the ci1·ag-oons in New Mexico consists of a very excellent species of wheat biscuit and shaved meat, well dried, with a vast quantity of red peppe1·, of which they rnake bouilli antl then pour it on their broken biscuit, when it becomes son and excellent eating. APPENDIX TO PART ITT Fa1·ther south they us<' large qu.lntities of parched r:om-mea l ntt<l sta~a r (as pr<H'ti. cd l)y our l11tnter") c.\C'il dt·.l~oo n ha,·in!~ n small bag. l 11 short, thl'y live, wht'll 011 COIIllltiiiHI, o11 ;111 ;dlflWilllC'<' wl 1irh our troopc; would conc1'i' <' littl(~ bt'tl<' l' than 'it.tj'\ i11~;. llt'\'t·l·, e-xcepL at ni g·ht, <ltl t' 111)lting- to ('(ll lillY thin g· li ke ;.1 111 ('\11, llltl ,,it!! a pie r.e or biscuit, o1· drink SOll lC pat chul tn c.d and ~ug II' with water duri111r the ciay. From th<" pltyc;iral, as wel l ~~ mont proprrtir-; of the inhaiJitants of' !\cw Spai11, T do hcli<'' c til( y are rap,tldc of hl'in!~ made tl1e best troops in tid· world, poc,..,cssinf~ solH'it'tv, c·nteq>risc, ~~n·a t physical force, docility, and a ronc(· ption cqu;dly f}ll irk ancl pen<· tratin!~· T he mode of JH'OIIIOtion in the intem <J! provinccc; is s in ~;u lar, but probably p roducti\ t' or ~~noel dfct:ts. ~dlol tl d a vac,lllcy of lir!lt lieutena11t ofl'er in a compt~ ll y . the captain co mnt<llldin ,~ llomillatc s, '\ ith the senior S{'COnd li e ut t.: Jiilllt (who hy senio1 ity wo1tlcl fill the vacancy) two otl1cl' lic ttl t·nalll!-1 to t ltc gc11c rul, g·i, in g- his COilllllents Oil all three. The !;<'IH'J',d selects t\\O !'ol' a llolllination to the cotJrt, from whon1 is sckctccl the ((>rttnnle c,lllcl iclatc, whose colllllli 'ision js made out and l(H'\\ arckcl ; and, as the letters ol' JlOtni11ation ar :.~!ways kept a scrret, i1 is it~~ possihlc f()l' the Ollll!!; ofl'lcc r o.; to !;ay who is to hi<HllC ~hould they be disappointed, and the fortunate one is in a dirc·ct way to thank the kin g· only fo1· the ultimate de ci~ion , and thus " ith superior g-r<~dcs to the colo11C'l. The J.. . ing or Sp.l~ll'h ordinance<; for the ~O,'e l'lllncnt of his army arc gcucrally l'o11 ndcd on justi ·c and a hi~ h se nse uf honot·. I could not g t a set from any of the office rs to Lake it to 111y quarters, consequently my obser\'ations on them were e:xtrcmely cu rsory. They provide that no old !:>o ldic1· sh..tll ever he discharg-ed the senicc, ttnlcs~ f'c))' infamous cJ·itHes. \Vhcn a man b<IS served with reputation lor l5 ycat·:, and continue'>, his pay is au gmented; 20 years, he receives another aug-mentation; 27 years, he receives the brevet rank and pay of an cn;,i ~;n, and .12, a lieu tenant. &c. Those circumstances arc a ~real stimulant, alt hour~l' not one i11 a thousand arrive at the third period, when th<'y arc pcrmiLtL·d to J'ctirc from the service with full pay and <'molumcnts. All !;Oils of captains, or of grades superior, arc c ntitlt.:d to enter the kin g·'s schools as cadets, at the age of twelve yc.m;. The property of any ofliccr ot· soldie r, who is killed on the field of battle o1· dies of his wounds, is not liable to be taken for debt, and is secured, us well us the king's pcnsiou, to the relatives of the deceased. |