The banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, May 27, 1846, Image 1
} THE BANNER, j
[WEEKLY.]
Vol. III. Abbeville O. H., S. C. May 27, 1846. No. 13
i
Published every Wednesday Morning, bv
ALLEN <fe KERR.
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ItVUIVUU IUI l<JOO tIJU.II OiA
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( Correspondence of the Banner.)
Fort Melon, (Fla..) May 4, 1846.
Friend Allen:?I intended to write
you from St. Augustine, but concluded
to visit the country cast of the St. Johns
river before writing. We left Savannah
on Saturday, the 25th ultimo, at 4
P.M., and passing down the river, be1
r> ? 1. I 1
iuw uuuavcuiuiuj iuuit an iiiiauu pussage,
leading to Darien.
Bonaventure, is a beautiful residence,
4 miles below Savannah, on the right
bank of the river, formerly the residence
of Governor Tatnall. On Sabbath
morning, at 8 o'clock, we arrived at Darien,
which is situated on the left bank
of the Altamaha river. We had scarcely
touched the wharf before we were
boarded by an innumerable number of
pirates, who commenced operations on
our persons immediately. I, at first,
made most powerful efforts to resist their
attacks, but found my efforts vain, and
being overpowered by numbers, 1 yield
ed, in sullen silence, to be robbed of my
blood. 1 had often been attacked by j
gnats and musquitoes, but never before
llsif) T VUili'h*/! tn Q r\ rnio/l nrnnmofmn I
?*MVi * j vvr UII U1 III v-u jJUHUU
of my person, lo an invincible army of
sand, jlies.
Darien is situated on a sandy bluff,
gently rising from the river, and but a
few feet above the water. It is a place
of but little business, having but a thinly
inhabited back country to support it,
and is evidently on the decline.
After a detention of half an hour, we
bade adieu to Darien, and her sand flies,
and were on our winding way for St.
Marys. On our way to St. Marys, we
passed Frederica, one of the first preaching
places of the great John Wesly.
This place is almoit obsolete; I think
there are but two dwellings left. We
also passed the humbug city of Brunswick,
where may be seen the stuke
v\rM*
uiaiauu uuuiiuauuo ui ouvviui tuy KJlOj
and the foundations of several splendid
houses that were to be built. O Diamond
Spring! O Mcrus IVtUitic.aulis !!!
At 5 o'clock, P. M., we arrived at St.
Marys, on the St. Marys river, where
we remained until the following- morning.
St. Marys is an interesting place,
laid out in regular squares, each side of
wheh is 130 yards wide, and the crosing
at right angles, are 40 yards wide.
At the junction of every street is a public
pump, and the streets are all beautifully
shaded with ornamental trees. In
site, is a medium sand bluff, gently rising
from the river for the distance of
half a mile. The buildings are%eat,
very few of them expensive, and none
oi iuuiu vciy ciuyuui. amuusi uvery
citizen has an orange grove in his enclosure.
The j lace contains 14 stores,
4 churches, besides other public buildings
for various purposes. There arc
about 60 dwelling- houses. Judging the
inhabitants by the number of their
churches and the neatness of their receptacle
for the dead. I should pronunce
this people distinguished for their taste,
their morality and religion.
On Monday morning, at 4 o'clock,
we left St. Marys, and after passing the
bar, were, for the first time in the Atlantic
Ocean. We had but 27 miles to
sail before entering the St. Johns river.
Twenty-five miles up the river we hauled
up to the wharf at Jacksonville.
TV, \a Qoomc to V?n n r>lnr?n r\f pnnciHnrnVilo
Jk llio OVUI1JO tu II J/IUVU */J ^UUUIUVIMVIV/
business, having several stores, and the
inhabitants seem to be possessed of business-lik?
habits. The shallowness of
water on the bar at the mouth of the St.
Johns, and the want of a commodious
harbor, will probably prevent this from
becoming a place of much comm.rcial
importance.
On leaving Jacksonville, we sail nearly
due south, up the St. Johns river?
perhaps the only river in North America
running any great distance due north.
St. Johns river, for the first 150 miles,
will average from 2 to 5 miles in width,
and has, at this time, a current of from 2
to 3 miles per hour.
About 5 miles from-Jacksonville, we
pass the elegant plantation of Captain
Saddler, formerlv a student of Dr.
Waddle, in Abbeville, but now, a very
intelligent, wealthy, and highly respected
citizen of Florida. He very politely
invited me to spend a few days with him
on my return. Three miles above Capt.
Saddler's place, we pass the plantation
of Colonel McIntosit, the brother-in-law
of Capt. Saddler. This is one of the
most desirable places of residence, in the
whole State of Florida. It is on the
west bank of the St. Johns on a beautiful
high bluff, and evinces great taste in
him who planned, and who inhabits,
that beautiful spot. There are several
bluffs on this part of the river yet unsettled,
and several others already settled,
but without much taste.
Mandarin, on the east bank of the St.
Johns, contains six or seven houses, and
those in a dilapidated condition. I once
thought that Mandarin would be my future
home; but it has no attractions
now. It is situated in a deep bay of the
river, with a northern exposure, and its
back ground is made up of sandy pine
barren, with but little hammock on either
side. Its orange groves, once the
source of easily accumulated wealth,
are almost entirely destroyed by the insect,
and Mandarin, poor old Mandarin,
must go down.
From Mandarin, we passed up the
river to the mouth of Black Creek, 10
miles to Garcy's Ferry, an important
station in the Indian war. The water
r .t n. t i r 1 1 .
oi tne at. jonns is oi a Drownisu tinge,
and that of Black Creek of a much
darker hue. Black Creek is from 50
to 100 yards wide, running very nearly
east, from Garey's Ferry, to its junction
with the St. John's. On either shore,
at but short intervals, through our whole
route, up and down this creek, we could
see aligators of every length, intermediate,
between 3 and 10 feet.
It has "been recentiy discovered, that
the oil of the aligator is equal to sperm
oil for burning in lamps, or for greasing
machinery; and a company is now
forming on the St. Johns, for killing
them and procuring their oil. The oil
sells at 81.00 per gallon.
After leaving the Black Creek, we
sailed up the St. Johns to Picolata. when
at 8 o'clock, P. M., I took the stage for
St. Augustine,"where we arrived at half
past lz. instance, Dy stage, ic miles.
St. Augustine is evidently but the
shade of its former self. Through every
part of the town, are to be seen the ruins
of what were expensive buildings; some
of them were elegant in their day. But
few buildings can be seen here of modern
origin. Here stands the oldest
church in North America. It is built of
shell limestone, not compact, but every
shell retaining its particular shape and
location, and so cemented, by nature, as
to remain strongly coherent, thus forming
a coherent rock. All the buildings
in the city, except those of wood, are
built of this material. The walls of the
very strong fort, at the entrance of the
town, on the water side, are built of the
same rock, as also the walls on each side
of the north crate of the citv.
This was oncc a strongly fortified city,
having an embankment nearly surrounding
the town, and a mart, outside of
the embankment, filled with water.
Our government is now building- a sea
wall, at a great expense ; and we have
one company of infantry stationed at St.
Augustine ; their b&rracks are not outranked,
ill elegance, by any other
buildings in the city..
The orange groves of the city are all
destroyed by the insect. They have,
however, a rich profusion of ornamental
shrubs and plants.
While in St. Augustine, a citizen killed
a bear, six miles from town, weighing
404 lbs. And on the morning that
T Al'rnro/I in Qt A aimictinn T oniir o
JL UUJIVU * II KJ V. iXUgUOHUUj JL OCi ? 11 IX Oil
cut up which was 7 feet long, 7 feet and
a half in circumference, and weighing
upwards of 400 lbs. The flesh, of
which I partook at dinner, was very
good, but as coarse in the grain as rapid
growth of white oak.
I expect to write you n?xt from Fort
King, or Micanopy, when I will give
you an account of my travelling in the
" people's line," east of the St. Johns.
Yours truly, B.
P. S.?Capt. Duvall, has just furnished
me with a roasting ear from^tis corn
field.
j
Toothache.?Put a piece of
lime, about the size o1 a walnut,
I into a quart bottle of water; with
this rinse the mouth two or three
times a day, and clean the teeth,
dilute it; for it should be just
strong enough to tstste the lime
and no stronger, , I was tormented
with the toothache for some
weeks, till I used this mixture,but
1 ' / L ? J * a. -2
I nave never naa n since.
(for. Tilt: banner.)
MEXICO AND THE MEXICANS.
As hostilities have actually commenced
between the United States and Mexico,
the public mind is necessarily excited,
and inquisitive concerning our opponent.
It may not be uninteresting to your readers,
to have laid before them, a few
facts, relating to the social, and moral
condition of the Mexicans, by one whose
' residence amongst, and acquaintance
with them, has enablcu him to form unbiassed
and unbigoted opinions. There
is no error more dangerous, and in its
consequences towards those entertaining
it, more disastrous than that very
common one, both with individuals, and
Governments, of despising and undervaIueing
their foe. Had not the British, at
the commencement of the Revolution,
j so thoroughly despised, what they were
pleased to call, the t: miserable Yankee
rebels," our noble and sainted forc'athers,
would have found infinitely more
trouble than they experienced, in freeing
our hnlnvnd rotintrv. f'rnm tlin vr.lro nf
English tyranny. It was a commonly
received opinion, in their army then,
that one John Bull, was equivolcnt to
half a dozen Yankees ; and it was not
until they had been driven from the
country, that they began to believe, that
man, wherever found, was formed after
the image of his maker; and that if the
patriotism of a nation, was once thoroughly
aroused, their love of liberty
really awakened, they were not to be
conquered, though they might be exterI
minated. 1 his fuct is plainly illustra!
ted, even at the nresent time, bv Russia
' * /
and Afghanistan, and the unaviling atj
tempts of France to conquer Aijdkl kl
| Kaijek. Not that the Mexicans are
! equal to the Americans, either mentally,
morally, or physicall; nor is there any
doubt, of the possibility of Mexico's being
conquered by this government: it is
an universally accredited opinion,
throughout the United States, that the
Mexicans are commonly, weak, ignorant
and unskilful soldiers, without a
spark .of patriotism, and devoid of every
other virtue ; and that the general, who
I commands the American Armv, will
! have nothing more to do, than march to
I 9
the city of Mexico; plant the Star Span- j
gled Banner, and send to our capital, as
brief a despatch as Gresar's. " I caine !
1 saw !! I conquered !! !J' This, they
will certainly find to be an erroneous
opinion. First, however, let us exa.
mine the present condition of the Mexican
army ; the way it is recruited ; the
material of which it is composed, and
the inducements held out to the soldiers
to behave valiantly. The number of
the regular standing force, amounts to
thirty thousand men ; on paper quite a
formidable array, but with the exception
o?a few regiments, they are most miserably
armed, equipped and officered.
In Mexico, though nominally a Repubi
n i i.i
| lie, poiiucal innueiice anu weaun, go'
verns the appointment of all officers,
both civil and military, more even, than
in the most despotic governments of
Europe. Under the present system and
government, talents, courage, or ability,
are?of no avail to the aspirants after honor
or fame, unless aided by the influence
of powerful connexions, or great
wealth. Such being the fact, it ceases
to be a matter of astonishment, that so
many effeminate, ignorant, cowardly,
and inefficient officers, should be mustered
in their army. Nor is it a matter
i of surprise, that a regiment, having for
I i#o >?/ n A Ivi 1 /I cirtm A 4 s* ??7-?
no u umrvj ouiiio vu/CLUC "fjtlirs UI
age, who, perhaps, wfis never away
' from his mother, until he is sent to the
field of battle, should disgrace itself in
action, the more particularly, as it is invariably
the habit of these brave carpet
Knights, at the commencement of an en'
gagement, to retire to the rear, and after
having snugly ensconced themselves in
?ome safe place, tell their soldiers to go
on and fi<rht. This is not exafrfrernted.
? ?0 ^? - on?i?~9
but is sober truth; I have myself seen
aevsral b&ys, scarce higher than their
swords, Colonels, in actual command,
and ut the head of regiments, in which
were many old men, of known and tried
bravery, though poor, who had been second
Lieutenants Tor twenty years and
upwards. 1 was told by an American
officer, in their service, (Captain Carter
of Louisiana,) who was Aid d'Camp, tc
the commander in chief", during the
campaign, in Yucatan, where he high
ly imungusmeu nimseit ana uioa
from the effect of his wounds, shortly after
his return to the city of Mexico;
that the most difficult, and unpleasant
part of his military duty, was that of
finding the higher Mexican officers during
an engagement, being invariably
obliged to go from half a mile, to a
mile, in the. rear of the army to find
them. The effect of this conduct in the
officers, must be pernicious, and most
disheartening upon the soldiers. Having
Sllt'lj in ism'sililn nfTin?rc w nnr> nrivit
-? ** """ &
causo of the disgrace, that has so often
overwhelmed the Mexican army. But
what else could be expected? no one
looks fur virtuous actions, or noble sentiments
emanating from a man whose
mind is deranged ; and as the. mind is
to the hody, and the actions of a mortal,
so are the officers, the mind and governing
power of the army ; and it is as reasonable,
to hope tor wisdom in a maniac,
as it is for valor in an army, commanded
by cowards. Another reason for their
inefficiency and want of spirit, is readily
found in the way they arc enlisted,
and their ranks kept full.
Getting into the army as they do, instead
of its being astonishing, that they
fight so badly, it is a source of wonder,
that they fight at all. Men are wanted
to fill up vacancies, or to form a new
regiment; recruiting' partms are sent into
the country, and mountains, not with
music playing, to inspire ardor, and
martial spirit, into the breast of the industrious
and uflirctioiiiiic Indians j nor
with money, potent deity, to excite cupidity
in the rustic hearts; but. with
lariats, :?nd short pieces of rope, they go
prepared to hunt, against these orderly,
peaceful and hard working agriculturalists.
Wherever they see an Indian,
there they spy a soldier; no matter
where they find him ; if he is in the
field tilling the ground, that from its bosom
he may extract sustenance for his fam
i 1 y, spit rs a re c 1 apped to t heir horses,and
away they go, helter, skelter, until one
of them is nea*r enough to east the liner
O - -- "
ring lasso, over the poor creature's
lieaJ, and he is fast; if he is standing
by the couch of a sieU wife, or child, 'tis
no matter, the government wants him,
he must go; and without time being allowed
him, even to bid adieu to his family,
he is bound to the arm of some other
poor devil, and marched off with the
party, until the hunt is up. After having
in this way, collected as many
men as are wanted, and binding them
together by ropes, going round their
arms just above the elbows, a cordon of
soldiers, is formed around them, to prevent
all possibility of escape, and they
are marched ofT to the rendezvous : uoon
? I
their arrival, flaming paragraphs appear
in the newspapers, announcing a
recruit of so many biave and gallant
volunteers !! ready and willing, to die, in
the defence of the Republic, or for the
advancement of her glory. After being
thus forced into the service, it is but
reasonable to suppose, they are thinking
more about deserting, and the chances
of getting back to their families,
than of advancing the glory of the goverdment.
I have been eye witness to
this manner of recruiting ; have seen the
men Lassoed, bound, brought into town,
and had the privilege, next day, of seeing
in the Gazettes, these very patriotic
and bombastic paragraphs. We will
suppose however, the new refruit endowed
with a large share of that pliability,
and power of adopting itself to
present circumstances, so conspicuous
m the human constitution, and that he
has made up his mind, cheerfully to endure
the hardships of his situation. He
has no inducement held out to him to
behave courageously. The government
allows him twenty-five cents a
day, and his clothing. Very often Gofrwrrnta
nr lfl llnnVklp tr\ fnr lift) r-A
? Oi umtiH ? } ) " .V,
the funds; then he has to find his food
the best way he can ; but full or Jasling
he it compelled, strictly and rigorously, to
fulfill his duties. But if the government
does its part towards the soldiers,
the money is sent to the Colonel of the
regiment for distribution and he being
Advertisements
WILL be conspicuously inserted at 75
cents per square for the first insertion,
and 37? cents for each continuance?
longer ones charged in proportion. Those
not having the desired number of insertions
marked upon them, will be continued
until ordered out, and charged according'y
For advertising Estrays Tolled, TWO
DOLLARS, to be paid by the Magistrate.
For announcing a Candidate, TWO
DOLLARS, in advance.
0^ All letters or communications must
be d urected to ihe Editor, postage paid.
a man of influence, and connexions, of
course is above suspicion; availing
himself of which power, he only distributes
lo the poor privates, six cents per
diem, barely enough to keep soul and
body together, and appropriates to his
own benefit, the other nineteen cents.
This is a well known fact, but dishonesty
in office, is. so general a thing,
amongst the higher classes, that it excites
neither surprise or enquiry. Ia
regard to his clothing, the soldier is sew,
ed very much after the same fashion;
unless he be fortunate enough to get into
one of the few crack regiments ; the
Commisary who has control of the
lands for the purchase of clothing, thinking
with FalstafT, that ragged and barefooted
soldiers, make as good food for
gunpowder, as well dressed ones, and
that it is much more comfortable to him.
to keep the money, than to spend it for
them. But if the soldier is fortunate
enough, to escape starvation in barracks,
look at his situation on the battle field;
he has no pleasant prospect to look forward
to ; if he is victorious, and escapes
tin wounded, after performing prodigies
of valor, he is no better off than before.
The officers who were out of danger,
during the action, now come forward, receive
all the honors, and emoluments;
and he returns to his former hard lot of
starving and freezing. But if he is unfortunate
enough to be wounded, how pitiable
then, is his situation; his only
hope is death. The Mexican surgeons
being few, carelcss and inattentive, their
whole time is consumed in attending to
the sore fingers, and head aches, of the
lady officers,?without tent, hospital accommodations,
or surgeon, the wounded
can die, in the field, or recover, as Providence
may ordain; if he recovers
without being disabled, he is compelled
to remain in the army; should he
be maimed he is driven off. without pay
or pension, to find his way back home,
or starve on the road side, and so ends
the career of the gallant volunteer. The
arms now used by the Mexican army,
I ui >^IV II1>U1 1UI J iu^> iuuon.^1.0 CliC 1IUUI*
ly all blnglish ones, that have been condemned
; the sabres are generally brittle
; and the powder in use is very
weak, the grain course and large. This,
with the exception of a few Danish and
German officers of bravery, skill and
education, is the material of which the
present Mexican army is composed. To
drive these back into the Mexican territories,
will give the United States but little
trouble, and if our government is
content with so <?oing, and keeping them
there, the Mexican war will be soon ended.
But should the war be carried in
rt til A AM A *V* rtA? I %-% ?w?all
iv/ hivj biiviiiy o cuuuii^ iiiuu will UO
discovered the true character of the
Mexican people, and also that they are
possessed of bravery, patriotism, love for
their homes and children, and are gifted
with the powers of endurance and hardihood,
in no common degree. And here
it is that the Mexicans are so much undcrated,
by those who have judged of
the whole people, by the actions of their
armies and officers, during the last few
years. Forgetting the spirit of patriotism
that pervaded the whole land, the
deeds of heroism performed by these .
same people, the general rising of
the whole population, old men, women
and boys; whilst struggling to
free themselves from the power of
Spain, and which resulted in the
ejectment of the Spaniards in 1821.
Notwithstanding they had been in possession
of the country three hunared
years, and had large garrisons of veteran
soldiers in every village, town and city,
throughout Mexico; and these same
Mexicans arc descendants of those Incas
and Indians, who, though conquered by
Cortez, displayed the most indomitable
courage?to the last. It is true, they are
ignorant and superstitious; but this, instead
of weakening them, in a cause
where their personal feelings are interested,
only makes them the more dangerous
foes: all being from their births
Catholics, they are taught, and firmly
believe, they will all go to Paradise
thus robbing death of its stings and th^
grave of its terrors. Though the people
generally are poor, rney are warmiy attached
to their country, its climate, its
manners, and their rags; for knowing
no other condition, they desire not to-alter
their state. That the people are pet*
sonally brave, I am confident; for they,
being piqued with jealousy", Iliave tinrva
and attain seen two of them stand Iaa ia