St. Paul from Lancaster, Wis., with a Washington hand press and a few
fonts of type, and he prepared to start a paper at the capital of the
new territory of Minnesota. Accompanying him were two young printers,
named Ditmarth and Dempsey, they being the first printers to set foot
on the site of what was soon destined to be the metropolis of the
great Northwest. These two young men quickly tired of their isolation
and returned to their former home. They were soon followed by another
young man, who had only recently returned from the sunny plains
of far-off Mexico, where he had been heroically battling for his
country's honor. Capt. E.Y. Shelly was born in Bucks county, Pa.,
on the 25th of September, 1827. When a mere lad he removed to
Philadelphia, where he was instructed in the art preservative, and, on
the breaking out of the Mexican war, he laid aside the stick and rule
and placed his name on the roster of a company that was forming to
take part in the campaign against the Mexicans. He was assigned to
the Third United States dragoons and started at once for the scene of
hostilities. On arriving at New Orleans the Third dragoons was ordered
to report to Gen. Taylor, who was then in the vicinity of Matamoras.
As soon as Gen. Taylor was in readiness he drove the Mexicans across
the Rio Grande, and the battles of Palo Alto, Monterey and Buena Vista
followed in quick succession, in all of which the American forces
were successful against an overwhelming force of Mexicans, the Third
dragoons being in all the engagements, and they received special
mention for their conspicuous gallantry in defending their position
against the terrible onslaught of the Mexican forces under the
leadership of Santa Ana. Soon after the battle of Buena Vista, Santa
Ana withdrew from Gen. Taylor's front and retreated toward the City
of Mexico, in order to assist in the defense of that city against the
American forces under the command of Gen. Scott. Peace was declared in
1848 and the Third dragoons were ordered to Jefferson barracks, St.