Fighting Outside of Matamoras

This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2005

Autograph Letter Signed, “R.W. Nicholls” 4p. quarto, Camp opposite Matamoras, June 2, 1846, with good content, in part: “…[Edward] is at Burrita about 21 miles hence - Gen. Smith speaks of going there if so I shall accompany him - should he not I suppose we shall meet in a few days -inasmuch as our onward march will soon begin…vague rumor that Paredes himself is on the march with 30000 men but this …is universally considered to be one of those magnificent exaggerations for which the Mexicans are so famous. We have no doubt however that he will endeavor to make head agt. us between this & Monterey but it is problematical whether we can assemble force sufficient to oppose anything like resistance to our advance. Reynosa a town about 2 days march above us on the Rio Grande sent Gen. Taylor a formal deputation with an offer of surrender on condition of being humanely treated. As a matter of course the promise was made & the conduct of our Army towards the Inhabitants of Matamoras is the best earnest that the word will not be broken - the most unbroken respect for private rights has been observed here…I never saw so wretched a people. You can have no conception how low the scale of intelligence & physique is in Mexico. The most degraded squalid & ignorant of our own population are infinetly above the mass of the people here. They appear to be in fact only semi-human beings with bodies as undeveloped as their minds for it is rare to see a man of anything like masculine proportions. The most of them are dwarfed & nerveless things - the women too are detestably ugly…not only are they not pretty but they are wretchedly filthy…Direct to Capt. R.W. N. Staff Gen. Smith LV [Louisiana Volunteers] Army of Occcupation….Horses here are very cheap $25 being the price of the choicest…” VG.

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