He wrote to his mother and Clara, congratulating them on their good
fortune; telling them that he, in common with many young men of St.
Louis, had volunteered for the Mexican War; that he was then in New
Orleans, en route for the Rio Grande, and that they would be pleased
to know that their mutual friend, Herbert Greyson, was an officer in
the same regiment of which he himself was at present a private, but
with strong hopes of soon winning his epaulettes. He endorsed an
order for his mother to draw the thousand dollars left him by Doctor
Day, and he advised her to re-deposit the sum in her own name for
her own use in case of need. Praying God's blessing upon them all,
and begging their prayers for himself, Traverse concluded his
letter, which he mailed the same evening.
And the next morning the company was ordered on board and the whole
expedition set sail for the Rio Grande.
Now, we might just as easily as not accompany our troops to Mexico
and relate the feats of arms there performed with the minuteness and
fidelity of an eye-witness, since we have sat at dinner-tables where
the heroes of that war have been honored guests, and where we have
heard them fight their battles o'er till "thrice the foe was slain
and thrice the field was won."
We might follow the rising star of our young lieutenant, as by his
own merits and others' mishaps he ascended from rank to rank,
through all the grades of military promotion, but need not because
the feats of Lieutenant--Captain--Major and Colonel Greyson, are
they not written in the chronicles of the Mexican War?
We prefer to look after our little domestic heroine, our brave
little Cap, who, when women have their rights, shall be a
lieutenant-colonel herself.
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