hey sent forth a cheer which was answered by the rejoicing
garrison, and the valley of the Rio Grande reverberated with the
exultation of delight. Victory and relief; a routed foe and succored
friends, enlivened every heart, and even the foremost and bitterest in
pursuit halted a moment to exchange congratulations upon the events of
the glorious day.

Thus the separate forces of the United States were again brought
together; and FORT BROWN,--which now received its name from the
brave Major who died on the 9th,--was found to have lost but two by
death and only fourteen wounded during the whole bombardment.

* * * * *

Every war produces its singular characters whose influence or example
are not without their due effect upon the troops, and, at the conclusion
of these chapters, which are so stained with blood and battle, it may
not be useless to sketch, even upon the grave page of history, the deeds
of a woman whose courageous spirit bore her through all the trials of
this bombardment, but whose masculine hardihood was softened by the
gentleness of a female heart. Woman has every where her sphere of power
over the rougher sex, but the women of a camp must possess qualities to
which their tender sisters of the saloon are utter strangers.

Some years ago, in the far west, a good soldier joined one of our
regiments, with his tall and gaunt wife, whose lofty figure and stalwart
frame almost entitled her as much as her husband to a place in the ranks
of the gallant seventh. Unwilling to abandon her liege lord upon his
enlistment, this industrious female was immediately employed as one of
the laundresses, three of whom are allowed to draw rations in each
company, and are required to wash for the soldiers at a price regulated
by a council of officers. The "Great Western,"--for by this soubriquet
was she known in the army,--arrived at Corpus Christi with her husband,
and up to the period of our departure for the Rio Grande performed all
her appropriate duties, keeping, in addition, a "mess" for the younger
officers of the regiment. When the army advanced, the women, with some
exceptions, were despatched by sea to Point Isabel, while a few procured
ponies to follow the soldiers in their tedious march. The husband of the
Great Western was sent in one of the transports to the Brazos, but his
hardy spouse did not deign to accompany him in this comfortable mode of
transit, declaring that "the boys of