MEXICAN  WAR—1846.

On the 4th day of July, 1845, Texas became a State of the Union. The Mexican Minister at Washington had, previous to this time, ceased diplomatic relations with the United States, and soon after General Zachary Taylor was ordered to enter Texas with his arms to protect the border, and by reason of the annexation of Texas it became evident that war was in­evitable.
     When the call was made for volunteers in 1846 and 1847 to invade Mexico and settle the question of the annexation of Texas, the young men of Ohio responded gallantly to the call. The State furnished four full regiments of infantry, several companies of cavalry, and quite a large number for the artil­lery service—in all, upward of sixty companies, and now but one muster roll can be found on file in the Adjutant General's office at Columbus.
     Thirty-four Union County soldiers served in the Mexican War, two of whom were from Jerome Township—William Clevinger and Alexander Oliver—who served in Company E, Fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Captain James Cutler, who enlisted in Jerome Township during the War of the Rebellion, served in the Second Regiment, United States Infantry, in the Mexican War, and the service of William Lamme, buried at New California, is not known.
     The regiment in which Captain Cutler served participated in many of the hard battles and was a part of the army which first entered Mexico City.
     As the majority of the Union County soldiers served in the Fourth Ohio Regiment, an extract from a history of their services is copied, as follows:
     "On May 29th, 1847, a company recruited at Columbus moved to Cincinnati, which was the place appointed for the regimental rendezvous, and was assigned as Company E of the Fourth Ohio Regiment, commanded by Colonel C. H. Brough. Lieutenant Colonel Warner, Major Young, and Ad­jutant Kessler.
     "On the 1st of July boats were ready in the river opposite the camp and the regiment took passage for New Orleans. Company E, under the command of Captain M. C. Lilley, was placed on the steamer Alhambra.
     "New Orleans was reached on the 7th, and after remaining at this place until the 11th, the troops went on board the steamer Telegraph, arriving in sight of Brazos, Santiago, on the morning of the 16th. On the 18th Matamoras was reached and the regiment went into camp certain of being in the enemy's country. The camp was situated nearly opposite Fort Brown, on the Texas side, and adjacent to it was a fine parade ground, of which good use was made every day. In the latter part of August orders were received to proceed to Vera Cruz and march to General Scott's line of operations. Accordingly on the 4th of September the regiment took steamboats and descended the Rio Grande to the mouth. Here it remained until the 11th, when shipping being ready at Brazos, it marched over to that place, embarked on the sailing ship Tahmroo on the 12th, and on the evening of the 15th hove in sight of the sand hills near Vera Cruz. The following morning the Tahmroo ran in to the bay and cast anchor near the great castle of San Juan de Ullua.
     Having landed the troops, they marched to a place about four miles north of the city and encamped on the beach. On the 19th a brigade was formed of the following troops: Fourth Ohio Regiment, Fourth Indiana Regiment, Captain Simmons' Battalion of Detached Regulars, and the Louisiana Dragoons, all under the command of General Joseph Lane of Indiana.    Tents were struck and the long march commenced.
     "About noon on the following day, as the troops entered a kind of woodland, the advance guard fell in with a party of guerillas, gave them chase, and killed and captured several. In this chase Lieutenant Coleman of Columbus died from the effects of heat and fatigue. On the 21st the troops again moved forward, but after marching several miles, stopped at Paso de Ovejas, where they remained until the 25th, then pro­ceeded to Plan del Rio, and on the morning of the 27th moved forward, ascending the hills between the river and the heights of Cerro Gordo. This place, though picturesque-in appear­ance, is remarkable only from the fact that here Santa Anna and his army met with a signal defeat.
     "On the 1st of October the brigade started on the march toward the hills of Montezumas; on the Tth arrived at a place near the Aguas Calientes, or Hot Springs, and on the 8th pro­ceeded on the way with the understanding that Santa Anna was at Huamantla and would probably intercept them at Pass el Pinal. Early on the morning of the 9th General Lane drew off all the troops except the Fourth Ohio, Captain Simmons' battalion, and two pieces of artillery, which were left behind to guard the train, and proceeded toward Huamantla; when within two or three miles of the place he ordered Captain Walker, with his mounted force, to gallop on, and if the Mexi­cans were in considerable force, not to attack them but to wait for the arrival of the infantry and artillery.
     "On arriving near the town, the Captain found that the main body of the enemy had started for the pass, while perhaps five hundred remained in the plaza. Upon these he made a furious charge, killing several of them and dispersing the rest, while he and his troops took possession of their artillery and ammunition. But before the arrival of the infantry the Cap­tain was surprised by a charge from some 2,500 lancers. In this fearful fray the Captain was mortally wounded and fell from his horse while encouraging his men to still withstand the fearful odds against them until the other troops should arrive. Soon they came to their relief, and before many min­utes the place was cleared of the enemy. Among the prisoners taken on this occasion was Colonel La Vega, brother to the General of the same name; also Major Iturbide, son of the former Emperor of Mexico.
     "On' the 11th the troops entered the pass and after the principal part of the train had proceeded some distance a wagon in the rear broke down and seven companies of the Fourth Ohio were left to protect it until another wagon could be brought back and the baggage shifted into it. While thus detained a party of lancers, about 1,500 in number, appeared on the right and to the rear. The companies immediately concealed themselves behind some brushes and awaited the attack. After considerable firing and maneuvering on the part of the enemy, the wagon that had been sent for came rattling and thundering through the mountain pass, which they proba­bly mistook for the approach of artillery, and with no little haste these valorous Mexicans took their exit to the opposite side of the plain.
      "Continuing the march, the troops arrived at Amazuque, and, after resting a few hours, pressed forward, intending to enter Puebla and relieve Colonel Childs and his gallant band before night. On nearing the city the clash of arms was dis­tinctly heard, and also the Colonel firing a salute on his eighteen-pounder. The troops passed through the principal parts of the city, only occasionally being fired at by the foe concealed on the tops of the houses. This firing was kept up for some minutes, when, being returned with compound inter­est, the bells rang for a truce and the Mexicans abandoned the city.
     "The joy of Colonel Childs and his men seemed to have no bounds; and no wonder, for they had been hemmed up in the northern part of the city for nearly a month, and a good part of that time they had been scant of provisions and water. Day after day they had lived upon flour, water and coffee, and these not in abundance. The enemy, finding that Colonel Childs would not surrender the place, had attempted to starve him out. So destitute of meat were the Colonel's men that it has been told they even ate cats! Their ammunition was so nearly spent that they had to wrap six-pound balls to fire from the twelve-pound guns.
     "On the 19th of October details from the Fourth Ohio and other regiments started on an expedition against a party of Mexicans under General Rea, the noted guerilla chief. When about ten miles from Puebla the enemy was met with and a close conflict ensued. Retreating some distance, they again made a stand and fought desperately with the dragoons, but on receiving a shot or two from the artillery they again fled and ran into Atalixco. The loss of life in this engagement was considerable. The report of the Mexicans was 219 killed and 300 wounded; the Americans, two killed and one wounded. The forces were about 1,500 Americans and about the same number of Mexicans.
     "A detachment of some 300 men was sent to a little town called Huacalcingo, for the purpose of capturing two pieces of cannon belonging to the enemy. The guns were hid on the arrival of the troops, but by a diligent search they were found and spiked, and the Americans reassembled at Puebla, elated  with their success and the probable cessation of hostili­ties. The stay in Puebla was somewhat long — from the 12th of October, 1847, to the 2nd of June, 1848 — during which time the prospects of peace and war were alternating with a regularity perplexing and vexatious to the American forces.