Chapter Twenty

EMBARCATION AT VERA CRUZ FOR HOME

Preparation for Embarcation. Captain Loyd and Steamer Petrita. Pass Officers on the Mole. Sup on board a U.S. Vessel. Hailed by War Steamers. Board the Petrita. Meet my Companions and Dr. Sinnickson. Mexican Officers come on board. My Berth under the Boilers: its Temperature. Dialogue with Steward. Passage and Arrival in New-Orleans. Once more in the Land of Liberty. "Tom and Jerry," "Hail Storm," and "Sherry Cobbler." St. Charles Hotel and a Soft Bed. Sail for the "Lone Star." Land at Velasco. Reese and Dan. Our Remaining Countrymen in Mexico. Their Destitution, Sufferings, and Deaths. The Cause, and Treasonable Armistice with Mexico.

Upon inquiry, our seafaring friends ascertained that the steamer "Petrita," formerly the "Champion" of Mobile, would be the first vessel sailing for the United States; that her captain had recently died, and she was now in charge of the mate Loyd. Loyd [365] was an old acquaintance of mine, and a true-hearted American; and it is easy to imagine that, both from personal feeling to me and duty to his nativity, he readily came into the plan of assisting myself and companions home. So, on the night previous to the morning upon which he sailed, my friend Captain H------, of New-York, called for me at my hiding-place. Between sundown and dark we started for the mole, where the captain's boat lay. I sauntered along in his rear a few paces without baggage, and while the officer of the customs was examining a portly Englishman, upon whom they found a wallet of silver more than he had given in, and which seemed to create a dispute between them, we walked past with as much apparent indifference as though the Mole1 and all the tax-gatherers belonged to us. Upon reaching the place where the captain's boat lay, we kimboed our arms and talked loud, pretending to be in no great hurry. In a few minutes it grew more dark, and we got into the boat and pulled to his vessel in the offing, lying near the Mexican steamers Montezuma, Guadaloupe, and Dublin City, which had that day arrived from Yucatan with General Ampudia's retreating army.2 Here we partook of a warm supper, a good glass of wine, and discussed our "father-land."

Just before nine o'clock the captain and myself slipped down the side of his vessel into the boat waiting to receive us. He steered past the war steamers, and was hailed by the sentinel, to which [366] he made no reply, and coming alongside of the Petrita, about one hundred yards still farther on, my good old friend Loyd was ready to receive us with open heart.

On board I found Forester and Cornegay, who had shipped as firemen, and