16th.—We made an early start, and after marching 15 miles, came to some puddles of dirty water. Our horses and mules rushed in and drank all they could get. Ascending the hill before us a spring was discovered, but the water was muddy and brackish. At night had a slight shower of rain, with lightning and thunder.
17th.—On awaking, the first thing I heard was that a man in our company was dead. The poor fellow had left a wife and family in Missouri to serve his country. He was taken sick at El Paso, with the measles, and had come thus far to die. We followed his remains to the grave, where our Captain stood forth and made an impressive speech. He stated that “this was the third time he had been called, on occasions like the present, to perform the mournful duty to men in his command, and that it was wisdom for each and all to prepare for the worst,” &c. The usual rounds were fired, and we covered poor Tolly over with soap-weed, and filled up the grave. After trampling the dirt and leveling the ground, we marched off in right order to this spot, where we shall rest to-day.
18th.—Loaned my mule to a soldier who had lost his horse, to enable him to go in search. I was rewarded for this favor, by being compelled to stay behind my company several hours, till he returned with his horse. We pursued our journey two miles, and overtook the command at a Hot Spring, which was discovered on the top of a small eminence. It boiled up very curiously in the centre, covering the surface with bubbles. The temperature about 100 degrees. The water is scarcely fit to drink, having a very disagreeable taste, nevertheless, the men filled their canteens, saying they would drink it when it got cold enough. The country still presents a barren appearance, the soil sterile; the surface rocky and mountainous. We marched 14 miles, and about sunset, encamped close to a small stream, which supplied a few poor villagers with water. The people busied themselves in preparing for us, what they could, viz. a little muskeet brush to cook with, and corn for our cattle. In crossing this jornada, the teamsters were obliged to throw away 5000 pounds flour, and leave several wagons behind—the mules being unable to proceed.
19th.—After a journey of such length over uneven ground, the fatigue of the army induced our Commander to remain in camp to-day. About two o’clock the wind began to rise, and increased in violence till the tents were leveled to the ground. We tried to cook by digging pits in which to place the fire. The sand blowing in clouds, covered our food; making it gritty and unpleasant to eat. As night came on, a heavy storm of wind stripped our wagons of their covers. Quite unsheltered, we had to do the best we could, and that was bad enough. We laid down, as we had often done before, on our blankets. We slept uncomfortably on hillocks and tufts of grass.
20th.—The wind having abated, we were all in line at an early hour—came nine miles through this ranch, to the mouth of another jornada. Here the same scene of desolation is presented. No cultivation to be seen any where, nor scarcely any natural vegetable production except the thorn and muskeet brush. The days are warm, and the nights very cold, in this region.
21st.—Marched ten miles out to the Hot Springs, which are situated in a ranch, and encamped. The army will here halt a day or two. The same arrangements are to be made as before. While cooking my meat and bread, I was informed by the Orderly, that with 18 others, I was appointed to go before the command several miles. Hastily despatching the meal, we mounted and rode out a long distance, where we had to stand all night. We made a small fire of brush weed on the road side.
22d.—I was relieved from duty early this morning by the next detail. Feeling much disordered from loss of rest and fatigue. I was greatly obliged to a messmate who very thoughtfully brought me some water and a piece of bread for my breakfast. The army appearing—we went into line by sections of four, and marched 17 miles where we encamped at a place where the men had water; but none could be spared to the poor horses and mules. After eating some bread, we laid down on the ground and went to sleep.
23d.—Without waiting for refreshment of any kind, we came on to-day eight miles to a pond, where we watered our horses and mules—we stopped for the poor animals to graze awhile and then proceeded three miles, when we halted for the night at a stream of water. Several antelopes were killed to-day. After the tents were fixed up, we boiled some of the flesh, which made fine eating; the repast was seasoned with a good appetite; a fast of nearly forty-eight hours, had made us hungry enough.
24th.—In conversation with my Captain—I expressed a wish to go up a neighboring mountain, as I understood a large Tagoon could be seen from its summit. He told me to go and make all the observations I could. Having no time to lose, I commenced its ascent, by climbing over large rocks, in which were formed several immense caves—some of them I thought were well fitted to be the resort of robbers. At length I found myself on the top, and set down to write. At the distance of three miles a lake of considerable extent is seen, reposing in the bosom of a prairie, bounded by the horizon. To the left a continuous range of mountains loom up, whose bare and rugged tops present to the mind the idea of coldness and desolation. The whole face of the country is destitute of wood, and verdure, except a species of brush or thorn bushes. Looking towards our camp, I beheld a long line of wagons stretching along the road as far as the sight could reach. They were all in motion, and the sight made me hasten down the mountain at a brisk pace. It was our army preparing for a start and I did not wish to be left “solitary and alone,” in that rocky region. In a few minutes we took up the line of march—came 12 miles and encamped at sunset. We saw Mexican spies at a distance. The picket guard came in and reported, that 10,000 Mexicans were at a lake some miles off, ready to give us battle.
25th.—The sound of the reveille started every man to his post by light. We moved on eight miles to the lake, and watered our horses and mules. We saw nothing of the Mexicans. The country begins to improve as we leave the jornada, especially on the margin of these lakes or ponds, the water of which is brackish. Here prairie grass grows with some luxuriance. Kindling a fire, the soldiers commenced baking bread, made from the wretched native flour, now our only fare. A high wind prevailing—sparks were carried out, which set the dry brush and weeds in aflame. The Chihuahua Rangers had orders to subdue the fire, and we commenced threshing it out with our blankets, but the wind increasing we found it useless labor. The flames continued to increase in spite of us. The whole command was put in action with their horses, beating a track, to stop the progress of the fire. Unfortunately for us, the fire caught the grass on the other side of the track, and the wind blowing tremendously, the fire was carried in almost every direction. We then encamped on the burnt ground, off of which the grass had been burnt, and picketing our horses on the left of the road in the prairie, we laid down to rest. In a few hours we were awakened to bring our horses in, for the whole prairie was on fire. Coming out of my tent, a sight appeared of such magnificence as had never before met my eyes. It was an opposite mountain on fire, and the whole prairie, as far as the eye could reach, in flames. A strange glare tinged the clouds, and all surrounding objects, and presented a scene which was fearfully grand. It consumed nearly all the grass in the country 15 miles towards Chihuahua.