Annotations to Blood Meridian: Chapter III

[31] “the war’s over”—the Mexican-American War (1846-48) which ended the year before this scene between the Sergeant and the Kid. This conflict between the US and Mexico concluded with a victorious America adding the entire Southwest to its growing “Empire of Liberty,” including the present-day states of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California, and swaths of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico.

[31] “plug hat”—any hat with a stiff crown and bill, such as a bowler or top hat.

[32] “blaze”—a white stripe down the center of a horse’s nose.

[32] “Lazarus”—a friend of Jesus. Jesus weeps when he receives news of Lazarus’s death, then travels to the man’s tomb and raises him from the dead (Gospel of John, Chapter 11). The sergeant is positioning Captain White as a Christ-figure—a metaphor McCarthy will have some perverse fun with in the coming pages.

[32] “halms”—stems or stalks.

[32] “town”—the town referenced here is San Antonio de Bexar (now just San Antonio).