New York to Texas 55 



could ever have induced settlers to remain here I 

 can not tell, for the whole trip from Brov^nsville 

 to Camp Ringgold^ does not present one even 

 tolerable view; and the most pleasing sight to us 

 was our own bright flag, one minute fluttering in 

 a southeast breeze, then gently falling to its rough 

 flag-staff, and again, five minutes after, blov^ing 

 furiously from the northwest, so changeable are 

 the winds; we hoisted our flag in return, and came 

 to, just under Major Lamotte's^ tent. 



Col. Webb went in to see him alone, to induce 

 'him to allow us to go as far as Roma, but it 

 appeared that Major Chapman had given orders 

 to the contrary, as our boat was so large that her 

 return would be doubtful, so we were taken only 

 two miles further up the river, and put out on the 

 Mexican side, on a sandbar, opposite Rio Grande 

 City. It was two o'clock, the sun pouring down 

 on us, the mercury 98 degrees in the shade, never- 

 theless with all our winter blood in us, we had to 

 unload our heavy luggage. Casks of government 

 tents and camp equipage, which we were obliged 

 to roll sixty or seventy yards through mud and 

 sand, was hard work. This began to tell the tale. 



^ Camp Ringgold was an American military post below Rio 

 Grande City. Davis's rancho, mentioned later, was half a 

 mile above Camp Ringgold. 



2 Joseph Hatch La Motte, brevetted a major for gallant 

 conduct at Monterey, resigned from the service in 1846 and 

 died in il 



