Z. Matthews' Diary

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Diary written by Z. W. Matthews during his service as a private in the War of 1846 with Mexico. Matthews served under Captain C[hristopher]. B. Acklin's Company B of Col. John C. Hays' First Texas Mounted Riflemen. The diary begins with mention of leaving to join Gen. Taylor's army on the Rio Grande and includes descriptions of the Siege of Monterrey and the taking of the Bishop's Palace. Dates: n.d., 1846, 1849, 1887

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and Salute their flag when taken down. Hays and Walker was very much chagrined and the men almost savage about it to think after our division had taken all of their out work west of the city and fought driving the enemy back into the circle of a few squares of the City and nearly surrounded by our troops so that their only chance of retreat was cut off and then to let them have almost their own terms of was too bad! An unconditional surrender would have satisfied the men and even if the enemy had persisted in fighting we could have silenced him in one or two hours and made him surrender at discretion for we had our heavy Mortars planted within range and 1 or 2 howitzers on the housetops The artillery in the Streets our men on the house tops the enemy being within a few squares. So we could not have failed to make great havoc among them and but comparatively little danger on our part. Genl Worth our commanding General is liked by all of the Vollunteers he seemed to avoid any unnicessary loss of life yet at the same time to use

Last edit over 12 years ago by rscottpatrick
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every effort to insure success to our operations. The loss of our Division was much less than either the first or second Divisions it being about 60 Killed & Wounded. The loss of the 3 Divisions was about 550 to 600

Friday Sept 25 1846 Quarters This Morning took a promonade through the city in full Texas uniform. U.S. ragged clothes bare footed and nearly hatless Whiskers and Mustaches too [long?] Find the city well built strongly built in the moorish style with flat roofs the principle streets are paved. The stores and shops are all closed so we cannot buy any thing as yet. Many of the citizens removed from the city previous to the Battle. Monterey is situated on the San Juan River at the mouth of the gorge near the [pass?] of Mounta ins. From the height of the Bishops the view is Magnificent the City with its gardens and orange groves on the one hand on the other as you look up the valley you behold a the continued sheet

Last edit over 12 years ago by rscottpatrick
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of corn and sugar farms as far as the eye can reach and on either side of the valley the towering Mountains whose peaks seem to pierce the sky. it has rendord him as {?} Saturday Sept 26 1846 Genl Worth for the gallant services has given his Regiment Quarters in the City. The house occupi ed by our company is a fine large building with out houses a fine well a stream of water runing through the lot a fine garden and a splendid orange Lemon and citron grove for our horses to luxuriate in and plenty of corn stored in one of the out houses. The trees have abun dance of fruit on them bananas and there are seve ral other kinds of fruit the names of which I do not know and in fact [?] all the tropical fruits [?] the whole of which is enclosed here with a high stone wall. The stores have opened las evening and to day so [?] purchase [?] such articles of clothing as we need. All articles the Mexicans have for sale such as blankets [saddls?] or they charge us about twice the usual prices.

Last edit about 11 years ago by trk
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Sunday September 27th 1846 This morning went to Grand Mass at the cathedral and found about several hundred Volunteers as spectators of the clergery there was but few communicants they were partly of our Regulars and voluteer troops The most fashionable Mexican Belle and servant girl the aristoc ratic getleman and the peone all kneel ing together at the threshold of the church All distinctions of society put aside but during service all are on an equality. There is nothing very extraordinary in this church. The paintin are very ordinary so far as I was capable of judgeing. the images were bronzed or painted the alter and fixtures were of wood and painted with some taste

Last edit over 12 years ago by rscottpatrick
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