so far as his boast is concerned it is worthy of very little consideration, except as an evidence of the warlike animosity still existing in the minds of the Mexican people against the United States. If the time of our regiment expires, and our Colonel even then thinks that we could be useful, there is not a man in his regiment who would not sacrifice his life to obey him, so much has his gallant conduct raised him in their estimation. The degree of power his coolness, courage, and discretion have acquired for him in the army generally would hardly be believed at home. Everything difficult of decision is left to him, and I verily believe that if he should tell his men to jump into a cannon's mouth they would think it all right, and would all say, 'Colonel Jeff,' as they call him, 'knows best,. so hurrah, boys, let's go ahead.' He is always in front of his men, and ready to be the first to expose himself; and moreover, he has taken them into so many tight places, and got them out safely, that they begin to think if they follow him they will be sure to succeed, and they think so, too, with some reason, for during the conflict we attacked, and several times took, places and fortifications from which regular troops, greatly outnumbering us, had been three times repulsed by the Mexicans with considerable loss of life.

I never wish to be commanded by a truer soldier than Colonel Davis."

A short extract is subjoined from the report of General Taylor on the battle of Monterey :

"I desire also to notice Generals Hamer and Quitman, commanding brigades in General Butler's division; Lieutenant-Colonel Garland and Wilson, commanding brigades. in General Twigg's division; Colonels Mitchell, Campbell, Davis, and Wood, commanding the Ohio, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Second Texas Regiments respectively; and Senior Majors Allen and Abercrombie, commanding Third, Fourth, and First Regiments of infantry, all of whom served under my eye and conducted their commands with coolness and gallantry against the enemy."

CHAPTER XXVI.

· AFTER THE BATTLE OF MONTEREY.

AFTER the battle of Monterey my anxiety and depression were so great, and my health so much impaired by this and other causes, that my husband obtained sixty days' leave of absence, which, in those days of slow travel, were required in order to spend two weeks in the United States. In an entry in Adjutant Griffith's reports, dated "Camp Allen, near Monterey, October 19th," I find this note: "Colonel Davis left on furlough for sixty days." He left the camp with a corporal's guard, went at great risk but without accident to Camargo, and rode Tartar down to take him home, for fear he might be shot in battle. When at the Brazos it was necessary to transfer the horse from a lighter to the ship. The sailors struck him, to force him to jump on the vessel. He reared and snorted, but the blow only enraged him. He could not be induced to stir. Colonel Davis told the sailors to let him alone, and, standing on the ship held the bridle, calling him

gently by name. watched for the instant when the lighter and the ship were on a level, and then sprang lightly to his master's side, amid the cheers of the sailors.

Tartar crouched like a cat,

This same horse, when the rein was thrown over his neck at the battle of Monterey, instead of straying off, as was expected, to the regimental quarters, galloped into a reentering angle of Fort Teneria, and stood trembling, but perfectly still, until the battle

was over.

During our prolonged absence from home, of course many things had gone ill; but our faithful James had done his best, and, at all events, there was little opportunity, during Colonel Davis's short stay at Brierfield, in which to rectify mistakes. During this time, however, he made his will, and consulted James as to what he wished done in the matter of his liberty. James said he would prefer, in case of the death of his master, to take care of his mistress, but wanted his freedom if anything should happen to her. The will was framed to suit his wishes, and a bequest of land or money, as he might choose, added thereto.

In "the days that are no more," so confiding and affectionate was the relation of the master and the slave, and we who personally

loved many of them, cannot now easily become reconciled to the attitude of alienation in which the negroes stand toward us.

The time for Mr. Davis's return rolled around all too soon. To replace Tartar, he took Richard, a noble bay with black points, and sailed again for Mexico. He met, en route, Colonel Thomas Crittenden, of Kentucky, afterward a general in the Federal Army, whose account of Buena Vista will be given here, and, by taking turns with each other, one sitting up while the other slept, they avoided assassination, and reached Saltillo, safely, January 4, 1847.

Mr. Davis mentioned a peculiar fact while telling the incidents of this story.

When he passed down to Camargo, going home, there were constant alarms of guerillas, who hid in the chaparral that skirted the road and fired upon Americans passing by. He came near ordering his guard to shoot a Mexican, standing erect in a chaparral bush, but upon a closer inspection found he was dead. On his return the figure was still there, not in the least decomposed. This was the first of many occasions upon which he noticed that the dead Mexicans did not decay' like the Americans, but seemed to dry up, and he attributed it to their eating so much red pepper and the dry climate. During Colonel