November 15. A general order was published to-day announcing the determination of the general to bring to trial and punishment all officers who shall, contrary to regulations, furnish for publication accounts of operations in the field, and censuring in the severest terms the authors of “Leonidas” and of the Tampico letter in the “North American.”
November 16. Colonel Duncan, in a letter breathing defiance to the general, announced himself as the author of the Tampico letter, and exonerated General Worth from all knowledge even of its having been written till it was well on its way. It was not written for publication, Colonel Duncan avers. Colonel Duncan was arrested in consequence of these matters.
November 18. The long-expected train arrived to-day, bringing me three letters from my dear wife, and news of my little family being in excellent health. Mr. Trist has been recalled, and it seems to be the determination of the government to abandon all attempts to negotiate a peace, and to prosecute the war unto the occupation of the whole country.
November 20. Much to my delight, I mounted my crutches to-day and moved about my room.
November 21. I made a call on my friend Major Kirby, and met several of my acquaintances.
November 22. To-day I got as far as the engineer office. General Pillow is in arrest.
December 4. Went into the streets to-day and was much rejoiced to be relieved from confinement. Called to see my friend Foster, and found him doing nicely.
December 5. Went to the theatre, and was charmed with Cañete. My friends had spoken of her in glowing terms, and I went prepared to find her overrated. She is remarkably natural, chaste, and graceful in all her impersonations, and I do not wonder that she is so very popular with the whole world of theatre-going people.
December 9. The train finally got off to-day, and proceeded as far as Venta Nueva. Foster and myself have a tolerable ambulance assigned to us. We got off late, the last wagons not leaving the city till towards noon. The mules were a good deal fagged, and the train will not probably get down so soon by two days in consequence of the length of this day’s march. Distance, main plaza to Ayotla, fourteen miles.
December 10. Proceeded to Rio Frio. Here I met my classmate, Colonel Irvin, in command of the 5th Ohio regiment. The night was quite cold, and, not finding a room, we were obliged to sleep in an ambulance.