Zenas Matthews' 1846 U.S.-Mexico War Diary and Service Papers

Sunday May 24th in company with Mr Hyman went to Industry but found no one bound west Stayed at Graysons Monday 25 Left this evening in com pany of Mr Grayson Hyman Leon and myself went to the School house at Mr Adrianco's and camp ed. Monday 25 Left camp and looked through the German Settlement on Cummins Creek beautiful settlement crops fine this settlement is beautifully A beautifull situation rolling black pararies interspersed with groves of timber. from here to the Colorado river is a high black jack and post oak gravely region and of no value whatever. Stopped in Columbus 2 hours and wrote a letter home. We learn that the flies are very bad from here to Victoria went 6 miles to skull creek and stopped on account of the flies having to [build?] fires to smoke them off [?] the evening went through the [Post oaks?] 8 miles thence 4 miles [?] and camped near Acorn [?] [Sunday?] 26 1846 [This?][morning?] at the Navidad we

Matamoras 150 miles from home Capt Irion and his company 15 our 10 making 25 men in all went 12 miles stoped cooked our dinner and rested 3 oclock started went 5 miles to the next water and camped here we found capt Wilson and men 10 in number making 35 in all. The country in these parts is all alike Flat pararies and scattering mesquite and [chapparall?] thickets No water except in [ponds?] To night we stand guard being whare we have to look out for parties of Mexicans Went 18 or 20 miles

Monday 8th 1846

Today we crossed an arm of the Laguna [Mathre?] about 1 mile wide The water several inches deep and some what Boggy 2 or 3 bogged down and had to wade out Camped near here. Put out a guard of 3 men tonight

Tuesday 9th 1846 Started early this morning and went 12 miles to noon it. One of the men killed a deer to day Mr Grayson and myself was ordered