Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1838-05-01
NO. SO.

r13eot tbat had been promised mel two
thousand chosen men, who to hasten Their
arrival. had marched all night. III has
then. been decreed by the Fatesi cried
wrinqing my hands, shat fhe great lnlqQ.-
ty should be accomplished; that toF the
bnrpose Of averti1g the deeds OF yesterday
froons should arrive today Cruel desn.
nv. how thou sportest with the aitairs Of
mortalsi Alas! it was but too true, what
the Nazarene exclaimed when wr'Inlllg Oh
lths cross: sAlast z -
4IFUenruyeS and escape of Col Whor.
Ton from Matamoras We have obtained
1 nom non the Hon. VIM. III. Wharton, late
M! nln Us ;,.,, Penipoteniiary from Texas to
Distressing captivity and miraculous es-
cape from the dungeons of his Mexican
oppressors.
On the 18th Of April last, after a fight
4 Of. more than seven hours, the Indepen-
1dence, on which he was a passenger, sur
\ rendered to two Mexican Is gun briggs.
The combat and the capture took place al
most in sight of the Colonel's residence,
i from which he had been absent for many
months on mission to the United States.
He was carried to Matamoras and con-
fined for four months in low damp and
dark prison, where he was almost sufo-
Gated with heat, continually tormented with
, fieas, exceedingly incommoded by the
stencil Of the Hospital which was next
t doorto him, and deprived of his rest eve
: ny night by the screams of the senhneis,
every fifteen minutes within a few feet Of
: his head. For four months such was his
situation, dependent, for sustenance entire
z ly upon his own resources, shut out from
the light of Heaven except what the mar.
+ row gates Of the dungeon admitted, and
e denied even the privilege of medical aid,
when languishing under anilIness brought
e on by the rigorous privations of his capti1-
il ty. His escape, however, was at last eff
S fected, the details Of which cannot now be
2 madepublic, for fear of compromitting the
d safety ofthe magnanimous individuals, re-
e sidents of Matamoras, to whose aid he was
IL indebted for deliverance.
ID On escaping from prison he was com
le PEELED by the treachery Of his guide to re.
re main hid in low prickly pear thicket foI
lg eleven days, within hearing of the drums
of and sentine.s of MatamOras, and very OF
IN, ten approached within a few yards by the
nd soldiers and Indians in constant search fo
e. him, tempted by a magnificent price o
u $4,000 set upon his head dead or alive. Il
this thieket ofthorns he could not stanl
q erect, being taller than most of the bushes
10 e. = sl'-rnvereds nor Tor th
ds same reason could he build shelter aeains
ed the burning rays o. an August sun,almos
as within the trepicsa During three day
k, and nights he tasted neither food nor wa
m, ter.-His suf1erings under this privatiol
,e- were inexpressible, aud such as none ca
nd realize-unles taught by experience. Az
ed ter suffering eleven days in this situation,
raj guide furnished him with horse, and b
m started on his journey home. DoubtinI
e. the fidelity of his guide, he dismissed him
he and set out tor home, a distance OF 60i
er, miles, without provisions, a pilot, o
i knowledge of his route, where after fifteel
ID days he arrived. -