to run a horse without his falling. They have rendered the earth a mere share in many places. This let us know if we were discovered before reaching a certain point. We were lost to a certainty. Providence seemed to favor us. We traveled four long miles in full view of them "seeing them all of the time" yet was not discovered.

After we got out of that "scrape" we had nothing further to continue with but the distance to our Army and the great thirst that seemed to come upon us as soon as we were out of danger, we not having a drop to drink since our canteens were put to sleep the night before, nor could we hope to get any short of our own Army some 20 miles distance, so we pushed our horses as hard as their jaded condition would permit, reaching "Aqua Necara" about four in the evening. We had just dismounted at the water and was cooling our dry and parched mouth, "at the same time not forgetting our good steeds", when an officer rode up saying the General wished to see me. I asked where he was "as there was not a tent of the Army standing" it having been ordered to move as soon as Lieut. Alston made his report early in the morning. He answered where his Markee formerly stood. I repaired there without delay and found the General and staff. He seemed right glad to see me, saying Maj., I feared the Mexicans had caught you. I gave him an account of what I saw and what detained me, which appeared to satisfy him, saying you must be tired Maj., you had better repair to camp and take some rest and sleep. He and staff mounted and rode off for Buena Vista.

That night we passed on the battle ground, in the morning Lieut. Kelly of our company, the spies with 15 men was sent towards "Aqua Necara" to see what of the enemy. He had not gone more than two miles in advance of our position before he met the enemy coming upon us in great haste. The crack of his gun and those of the Mexicans as he slowly fell back before them notified our