Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-08-08
TEXAS.

Col. FANN,No.-Nlr Joseph II. Spl,on a native
OF New Orleans and one OF Tanning detachment
IN Texas, who was saved from the massacre has
gwen IA long and crcnm,san,al account OF that
horrible aifaIr--thc murder OF prisoners Il does
not dilier materially from the details already given
TO the public, bn, the statement of the death of
flaming himself, possesses a melancholy interest.
and we believe has not been before published:
" About this time Col. Tanning, who had a room
III the church Tor la, use, came out of the church
ior Il particular purpose, when the Mexican cap
tam oi the battalion, called Tres \ llIas with q
soldiers, came up To Sphon and told him To call
Col Tanning, At the SAME time pointing 10 "A Ger
tam part of hc yard where lac wished linn to be,
taken; Sphon asked him If he was gong To shoot
HIM, and he coolly replied, " Yes. VIVA Suhon
approached flaming the Coloncl asked What was
that hr'ng, and when he told HIM the facts he made
no observation, but appeared resoIutc and firm
and told Inn he also was To be shot which mad,
n" visible impression on Col. Tanning, who firmly
walkcd'o the place pointed out by the Mexican
captain, placmpl's arm upon the shoulder of Simon
Ion support, beng wounded IN the right thirh from
"h'ch lie was very lame. All tins while, the sol
dier' "ero takng the wounded, two at a timc
near the gate, and setting them down ON the ground
aud bandaglnc til II eyes, would shoot them of
with the same indifference they would wild ami
NAL. There were three soldiers To each two. so
that II after the discharge OF two muskct. death
should not have been dealt forth, the tlir soldier
! placed The the muIhle of the musket near their
bead or breast and So ended thom.-Whcn Col
| tanning reached the spot required, the " W. cor
ner OF the fort, Sphon was ordered 10 in,crn,ct ,
following sentence =" That for having come viii,
an armed band to commit deprcdations and rcvoll-
| 'ionizo Texas, the Mexican government was about
10 chasiSc him."-As soon as the sentence was
I nltt .I In, l.. 1 -
SEQ tho comn'andan. The officer said he coud
not, and asked why hc wished IT, Col. E,nn;,o
then pulled forth valuable gold watch, which he
, SAD belonged 10 hiS wife, aud he wished 10 pre-
! sent II to the commandant. Tho captain then said
no could not see the commandant but if h,
would give linn the watch he woald thank him
and repeated in broken English, tank non
me tank you" Col. Tanning told him he micb
have the watch, nhc would have linn buried atic,
he was shot, which the captain said should be done
| - con tod as las iormalldadcs ncccssarias'-a,
'iic same time smiling and bowing. Col. Tanning
then handed him the watch, and pulled ont ot hi,
right pocket small bead purse containing douh.
looms, the clasp oi which was bent; he rave thi,
to the officer, AT the time saving that il had
saved l'is life as thc ball that had wounded lin
hau lost pail OF lis force by striking the clasn
when II bent and carried with it into the wound
also. part OF a silk handkerchief which he had IN h
pocket, and whleh on drawing out drew forth witl
II the ball, Out OF the left pocket of his oy,rc,at
(bclnS cold weather he had on one of India Rub
per- piece ol canvass containing "A double hand.
iui OF dollars, which he also gave To the officer
Sphon was then ordered to baulacc his eyes AN,
Colonel Tanning then handed him his pocket hand
Aerehlci. lie proceeded to fold it, bu, beng no
.a'ed Inc did II clumsly, when the officer >nni che,
+ u rom his hand and folded it himself and TOLD
: co aiming 10 SIT down ON "A chair which WA,
hcar, and stepped behind him and bandarcah;<cyes
s'y'"S TO Vol aiming in English good GOOD
,"ea,ihg II his eyes were properly bomd-t
, winch Tanning replied yes, ycs"-Thc cap,a;,
'nea came m front and ordered his men To inf
.'er oavo"e's and approach Col. flaming, win
nearing them nearing him, told Sphon to tell then
not to place their muskcis so near AZ o sco,,h h;
lace with the powder. The officer STANDING hc
,''nd them, after seeing thar their musk,ts w,r
oroug'" within two feet of his body, drew io,,h h;
handkerchief as signal, when they fired, and noo
RAINING fell dead on his right side ON the ,h,;,
and from thence rolled into dry ditcI, about hro,
'oet deep, close by the wall"