JALAPA, (Mexico,) Nov. 7, 1847.
    The Pennsylvania Regiment arrived at this place from the Plan del Rio yesterday, on its return from escorting the bearers of Gen. Scott's and Gen. Lane's despatches. Its march down was a rapid and fatiguing one and many of the men were completely worn down. They will, however, remain here a day or two and if the fleas in their barracks will permit it, they will soon recruit strength enough for their return to Puebla, by way of Perote. Hereafter, the regiment I believe will be re-united, although it is yet doubtful whether Col. Wynkoop can or will be relieved from the command of the Castle and department of Perote.

    While the Regiment halted at the Plan del Rio, the Colonel, Captains Diller, Small and Bennett, and several other officers, accompanied the despatches to the National Bridge, where they met Major Gen. Patterson at the head of a column of about 3,000 men--a formidable body of the Texas Rangers, under Col. Hays, being among the cavalry. The General looked remarkably well and his meeting with old acquaintances was of the most cordial character. He remained at the Bridge only one day, but employed his time to advantage.
    Col. Domingo, who commands the Native Spy Company, and to whom Gen. Scott had confided his despatches, complained to Gen. Patterson that they had been taken from him at Puebla by Gen. Lane and handed over to Lieut. Sears. This was, undoubtedly, an insult to Domingo, which nothing could justify. Gen. Scott showed his confidence in him by placing the despatches in his hands, and Domingo had proved himself worthy of it by bringing them safely through from Mexico to Puebla, which was the most difficult and dangerous portion of the road. As soon as Gen. Patterson ascertained the truth of these facts, he very promptly caused Mr. Sears to hand the despatches back to Col. Domingo, to the gratification of every officer acquainted with the circumstances of the case and the parties concerned. Mr. Sears has but just arrived from the United States, and was in Puebla scarcely a week before Gen. Lane sent him on a mission to Washington, with his reports of the battles of Huamantla and Atlisco, and it was hardly fair that that he should monopolize all the despatches, as well as all the pleasure of a campaign at home with a young bride.
    In the afternoon of the same day, Father Ahrouta, (or Jarauta,) who commands a Guerrilla party, and has become notorious by his misdeeds on the road from Jalapa to Vera Cruz, sent in a flag of truce by two of his officers, proposing to surrender as a prisoner of war or join the American army, if Gen. Patterson would guaranty the safety of himself and followers, and their property. To this Gen. P. replied that he wanted to have no intercourse with the Guerrilla Priest, but would advise him to return to his prayers and send his band back to their honest employments, if they had any, as no one would molest them then, while if they continued to infest the road, and he should catch any of them, he would certainly bring [hang-chw] them.
    The name of Pennsylvania operated on the General here like a charm, and in a manner quite gratifying to us. Among the first of his acts on arriving at the Bridge, where the 13th regiment and the Baltimore artillery battalion were stationed, was to inquire what amount of provision the garrison had on hand. He was informed, among other things, that Capt. Diller had drawn 2500 rations for Col. Wynkoop's regiment. "What is that for?" said the General sternly.--" send him to me." Capt. Diller in a few minutes was before the General, who asked him why he had drawn for so many rations. The latter replied that he had brought but five days' rations with him, as he expected to meet Gen. P.'s train and obtain more. "It cannot be done, sir," said Gen. P., "you must return them." "But General," said Capt. Diller, "they are in the wagons, and I have given my receipt for them." "I can't help that," was the stern reply," you ought to have brought more with you." "But, General," again said Capt. Diller imploringly, "remember the Pennsylvania boys have seen hard service and fought nobly, it will not do to let them starve." "Ah, yes," rejoined the General, while his face relaxed into a benevolent smile and his eye sparkled with proud recollections, "they were with me at Vera Cruz and Cerro Gordo--say no more, but keep the rations and start back to the Plan with them the first thing in the morning--the Pennsylvania boys shall not starve!"
    On his arrival the next day at the Plan del Rio, General Patterson was received by the regiment with the utmost enthusiasm, and the joy of the men at seeing him seemed to know no bounds. He was much gratified by this demonstration, and appeared as happy to see us as if we had each and all been his own family and blood. We left him at the Plan that day, (the 5th) and started for this place, where, as I have already said, we arrived yesterday, the 6th. He arrived here this afternoon, but the rear guard of his immense train will not be in until long after midnight.
    ­The Baltimore light battery, with their splendid brass pieces, and large American horses, attract much attention and are the theme of universal comment. They number 110 men, volunteers, and Capt. Tilghman has great cause to be proud of the command of such noble looking and active fellows.
    The city is again all bustle and excitement, in consequence of the arrival of so many troops, and as this is Sunday and the shops open, the market crowded and the people in their holiday clothes, going to and from church and shopping on their way, the streets present an unusually animated appearance.
    We had two or three interesting incidents to-day, in the way of capturing Guerrilla officers of some note, and are on the look out for others. The prisoners are Lieut. Col. Angel Santa Anna, Captain Nunes, Lieut. Pepe Santa Anna, and Lieut. Sanchez. The two Santa Annas are natural sons of the ex-President and Dictator, who, I am informed, has a host of such relations in the country. All the prisoners are decent looking fellows, but idle and desperate in their habits. Nunes is a contemptible scamp, if report does him justice, and was at the head of a party of Guerrillas who entered the chambers of Capt. O'Donnell, of the quarter-master's department, and other officers left dangerously sick here when Major Lally's train passed up, and forced them, although scarcely able to write, to acknowledge themselves prisoners of war and give their parole. I hope Gen. Patterson will inquire into these facts and give the parties concerned their due reward. Captains Bennett and Binder, and Lieut. S. D. Breese, of the first Pennsylvania regiment, are entitled to the honor of capturing these Guerrilla chiefs, and deserve much praise for their activity in ferreting them out.
    Two or three outrages have been committed upon troops by the Ladrones already, but they will scarcely be repeated, as Col. Wynkoop has been appointed Governor for the time and has commenced drawing a tight rein upon the Mexicans. A valuable trunk, belonging to Capt. Small, was stolen in the afternoon, and a soldier belonging to company A, 3d artillery, was stabbed by two men in the evening, both occurrances happening in the most frequented streets. A demand for the trunk or its value was immediately made upon the Alcalde by Col. Wynkoop which will no doubt be enforced, and a short time afterward one of our sentinels mortally wounded a native, supposed to be one of those who stabbed the artillery man. The Mexican was approaching the sentinel, with a companion, in a suspicious manner and refused to answer or heed the challenge. The Pennsylvanians have had some practice in street firing and picket duty, and if the Ladrones of Jalapa attempt the games with them, which they practised on Lally's miserable sentinels they will rue the experiment.
    I met here to-day a little Frenchman, who ran an express through from the cities of Mexico, Puebla and Perote to Vera Cruz, a short time ago. He made a narrow escape from the guerilla parties on the road, had two horses shot and received six buckshot wounds in the neck, but got safely through, with our letters, for the delivery of which he showed me a receipt from the quartermaster at Vera Cruz. Several expresses of this kind were sent down during the months of August and September last, by nearly all of which I sent you letters. Some, I fear, have not reached you, as the couriers are still missing.
    Tobey, in his North American, published in the City of Mexico, says--What a strange idea one forms of the city of Mexico before seeing it--taking opinions from the books and correspondence of tourists--and, withal, how erroneous. We had pictured a low, dirty, sickly town, half covered with water and entirely inundated with mud and other et ceteras in unison. What was our surprise, on first entering the Grand Plaza, perhaps the most magnificent in the world! There stood the grand cathedral, a monument of art--a mine of wealth. There, too, was the palace, indescribable in its grandeur and extent--the red-white-and-green flag of the republic still floating upon it!
    There were the Halls of Justice, her palace of the Governor, the long portals, where fabrics of every nation are bartered for the products of the country, including its yellow and bright "castins." And there were groves of trees, and murmuring fountains, sparkling in the bright sun like brilliants! Such temples, such palaces, such portals, such almedas, such fountains! God of heaven! what an Eden is this! and how little is it appreciated by the thousands who daily behold and enjoy its beauties! Governed by good men and inhabited by an educated people, it would be the garden of the earth. But as it is--what climate is more lovely? where, as here, do the flowers always bloom so brightly? the birds ever sing so sweetly.
    Mexico! there are none among your wayward children who can appreciate the gifts that God has lavished upon them. Health, wealth and every enjoyment that man can covet are their inheritance; yet they are not happy. The iron foot of military tyranny has scourged the land in its length and breadth. Attila boasted that the grass never grew upon the ground trodden by his war horse. Santa Anna can repeat the boast, and no one will say no. His very name is a blight upon his native land. But Mexico begins to hope for better times. Gleamings of peace and disenthrallment are already breaking the darkness of her eastern horizon, and daily growing brighter. God speed them.

Source:

Unknown, "Letter From Jalapa," The Dollar Newspaper, Philadelphia, Pa., Wednesday, 15 December, 1847, p. 4, cols. 1-2.