Into Mexico with General Scott / When attached to the Fourth United States Infantry, Division of Major-General William J. Worth, Corps of the famous Major-General Winfield Scott, known as Old Fuss and Feathers, campaign of 1847, lad Jerry Cameron marched and fought beside Second Lieutenant U. S. Grant all the way from Cera Cruz to the City of Mexico, where six thousand American soldiers planted the Stars and Stripes in the midst of one hundred and fifty thousand amazed people

by Edwin L. Sabin

“Well, you have a chance. One of the drummers of the Fourth broke his leg on the way up the hill. He got in front of a spent solid shot. You might report to Drum Major Brown and see if he can do anything for you. I hope,” the lieutenant added, with a smile, “you can drum better than you can cook or make a bed.”

“Hope so, too, lieutenant,” Jerry answered. “Thank you, sir. Hooray!”

Tall Drum Major Brown of the Fourth looked him over.

“Lieutenant Grant sent you, eh? What can you do?”

“I don’t know,” Jerry acknowledged. “I can’t cook.”

“Looks like he’s found that out. Whenever a man’s good at nothing he tries to join the band or the field music. Humph! Where’d you get that drum?”

“On the way up the hill.”

“What were you doing there?”

“Just following along, sir, to keep with the lieutenant and the company.”