15th.—I woke up the Sergeant, who said we had walked our post four hours over the time. I received the compliment, but did not tell him that we had sat by the fire all the time. In his Irish brogue, and with a pipe in his mouth, he proceeded to call the roll. We are to stay here till the 17th.
16th.—Having secured some beef, I made a large fire to get an early breakfast. Yesterday our Quarter Master pressed a lot of seven very good cattle from the Mexicans. Last night a strong guard of twenty men was stationed around our camp. The weather is still raw and cold. We are yet among the mountains.
17th.—This morning we reached the second crossing of the Rio Grande. Four miles beyond the crossing, we overtook Col. Doniphan’s command, and encamped near them. Having to walk and lead my horse, I did not come up till all were fixed. I found our boys very angry at a circumstance which they related and made me write down, with a promise to publish it—which promise I now fulfil. While on the march to-day, the Captain ordered a halt, and told the soldiers that he had been requested by the Lieutenants to beg them all not to come near their fire or tents, as it incommoded them greatly. He stated on his own behalf, as well as on behalf of the other officers, that it was quite a nuisance to have the privates lurking about their tents and fires. He said that something might be “hooked” and that the Lieutenant had already lost some saleratus, &c. This was a poser. Our poor fellows could hardly endure it. Some of them were much exasperated. I tried to soothe them, and told them no other harm was meant than a slight intimation that we must keep away at meal times, as a knowledge of their better fare might make us dissatisfied, &c. All passed off better than I expected. We had to go a mile for water, and the thermometer at zero.
18th.—The situation of our tents was by no means pleasant. There was much complaint about stones and hillocks, lying hard, &c. Breakfast over, I started with the wagons, in company with some others, whose horses’ backs were sore. I felt stupified from the cold and loss of rest, having walked my round five hours last night. We went on 12 miles, which we trudged on foot. At night we cut some branches of the cotton wood for our horses to eat. We were preparing to rest, when our Captain told us, if any man lost his horse he would have to walk back to Santa Fe. He further said, that we had to go through a gloomy region or desert, 85 miles in extent, where no wood or water could be procured. He advised us to go to work and prepare food enough to last three or four days. I made up 30 lbs. of flour and baked eighteen cakes, while the balance was attended to by my mess.
19th.—We were all busy providing against the perils of our difficult and dangerous march. We shall have to keep close company, as the Navihoe Indians roam this desert in bands. At 11 o’clock we moved off in fine order, and marched 15 miles over the dreary plain. At 8 o’clock at night the Captain ordered a halt. We picked up a few weeds, kindled a little fire, took a cold cut of bread and meat, and laid on the ground to rest, without erecting the tents. A young man having drank too much of the “ardiente,” very unluckily offended one of the officers, and was ordered to be tied to the wagon wheel. He cut a variety of capers while this was being done. His friends soon set him at liberty.
20th.—The news of a “spring in the desert” was brought by some scouts, who had started out on an exploring expedition. They found the spring in a place full 6 miles from our road. We drove the cattle over a miserably rough path to drink from the spring, which turned out to be a muddy pool. We afterwards marched 15 miles and encamped late at night. We took a slice of bread and meat and laid down to rest on our blankets.
21st.—The appearance of our Captain very early this morning aroused us. He came with the intelligence that Major Gilpin had sent on an express last night for a reinforcement, as he was expecting an attack every moment from the enemy. In a few minutes we were on the march, and without stopping to take breakfast we travelled 35 miles. We encamped late at night 3 miles from the river, where men and beasts, thirsty and weary, were refreshed. I was afraid my horse would kill himself drinking. With six others, I pressed some oxen from the traders, whom we found encamped here, as the most of our team had given out and were left upon the road.
22nd.—Passed over 14 miles of broken wretched country to-day, the soil of which produces nothing but a kind of shrub called soap-weed. The inhabitants, it is said, use this weed in washing their clothes. We encamped in a rough place, among stones and hillocks.
23rd.—I trust the end of this “jornada,” as it is called, and which means the “region of death,” is nearly reached, for a march of 12 miles brought us to a village, where we halted to take in provisions bought by our Quarter Master. Proceeding two miles further we came up to Major Gilpin, whom we found encamped on a large sandy plain. We had to go 2 or 3 miles for wood. Our flour was nearly gone, and we had a little beef soup and rice for supper at night. The boys being still hungry, we went to the village and procured some dried fruit and pumpkins, which we sliced up and stewed in our camp kettles. Of this fare we partook heartily, and laid down to sleep in the sand.
24th.—The first blast of the bugle this morning made us hurry into line. Some of the men being rather tardy, were too late, and they were told by the officer who inspected us, that any man who did not come into rank at the sound of the bugle, would be made to stand guard three days. We broke ranks and ate our breakfast, which consisted of a small piece of bread, made up with pumpkin. The weather is now quite pleasant, and the country, hitherto so uniformly desolate, begins to improve in appearance.