Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-02-20
BY c. L. SHOLES.

reserve Of six and thirty more, took their
places; but the dragons had almost had
enough already, and we had scarcely fired
ten shots when they executed right-about
turn, with an uni ,ormity and rapidty
which did infinite credit to their drill, and
went off at pace that soon carried them
out Of reach of our bullets. They had
probably not expected 81 warm reception.
We saw their officers doing everything
they coul1 TO check their flight, mploring,
threatening, even cutting at them with
their sabres, bat it was Of no use; if they
were TO be killed, it must be in their own
way, and they preferred being cut down
by their officers 10 encounterng the deadly
precision of rifles. in the hands Of men
WHO, being sure of hitting squirrel at
hundred yards, were moi likely to miss
Durango Dragon a: any point within
range.
Our object in ordering the men 10 fire
slowly was, always to have thirty or forty
rifles loaded, wherewith to receive The
enemy should he attempt charge en- masse
But our first greeting had been a sickener,
and it appeared almost doubtful whether he
would venture 10 attack US again, although
the officers did everything in their power
10 induce their men 10 advance. For a
long time, neither threats, entreates, nor
reproaches produced any effect We saw
the officers gesticolating furously, point
ing to Us with their sabres, and impatient
y squirting their horses, till the fiery
animals plunged and reared, and sprang
with all four feet from the ground. 1t is
only just to say, that the officers exhibited
degree of courag: far beyond anything
we had expected from them. OF the two
squadrons that charged us, two-thrds of
the officers had fallen; but those who re-
manned, instead Of appearing inundated
by their ccmrads' fate, redoubled their
efforts to bring their men forward.
AT last there appeared some probability
OF accomplishing this, after a most curious
and truly Mexican fashion. Posting them
selves IN front Of their squadrons, they
rode on along for a hundred yards or so,
halted, looked round, as much as to say.
"You see there is no danger as far as this, :"
and then galloping back, led their men on.
Each time that they executed this MANICURE,
the Dragons would advance slowly some
thirty or forty PAGES, and then halt as
simultaneously as ii the word Of command
had been given. Off went the officers
again, some distance to the front, and
| then back again to their men, and got
them on little further In this manner
these heroes were inyeigled once more to
! within hundred and fltY yards Of -onr
position.
Of course, al each Of the numerous halts
which they made during their advance,
they favored US with general, but most
innocuous discharge of their carbines; and
at last, gaining confidence, | suppose,
| from our pass'veness, and from the noise
and smoke they themselves had been max
ing, three squadrons which had not yet
been under fire, formed open column, and
advanced at tro,. Without giving them
time TO halt or ref ct-"Forward! Charged"
shoued the officers, urging their own
horses 10 their utmost speed; and, follow
ing the impulse thus given, the three
squadrons came charging furiously along.
Up sprang thirty of our men 10 receive
them. Their orders were to fire slowly,
and not throw away shot, but the CLEAN
ing sabrcs and rapid approach Of the dra-
goons Hurried some of them, and firing a
has'y voIley, they Jumped down the bank
again. This p. ecipitation had nearly
been fatal to us. Several of the dragons
! fell, and there was some confusion and a
momentary laltering among the others;
but they still came on. At this critical
moment, Wharton and myself, with the re-
serve, showed ourselves on the bank
"Slow and sure-mark your menr' shout
ed we both. Wharton on the right and |
on the left. The command was obeyed:
rifle after rifle cracked off, always aimed
at The foremost OF the dlagoons, and al
every report a saddle was emptled. Be-
fore we had all fired, Tanning and dozen
Of his sharpest men had again loaded, and
were by our side. For nearly minute
the Mexicans remained, as if stupefied by
our murderous fire, and uncertain whether
10 advance or retire; but as those who at
tempted the former were invariably shot
down, they at las, began retreat, which
was soon converted into a route. We gave
them farewell volIey which eased few
more horses of their riders, and then got
under cover again, 10 await what might
next occur.
But the MeyIcan caballeros had no no.
ton OF coming up TO the scratch a taird
/ time. They kept patrolIing about, some
three or four hundred yards of, and firing
voIIeys at US, which they were able to do
with perfect impunity, as at that distance
we did not think proper to return q shot.
The skirmish had lasted nearly three
quarters Of an hour. Strange TO say, we
had not had single man wounded. although
at times the bullets had fallen about us as
thick rs hail. We could not account for
this. Many OF US had been hit BY the
balls, but bruiSe or n Craze of the skin
was the worst consequence that had ensued
We were in fair way TO deem ourselves
invunerable.
We were beginning TO think that the fight
was over for the day, when our videtls at
the lower ford brought us The somewhat I'M
pleasant intelligence that large masses of
infantry were approaching the river. and
would soon be in sight. The words were
hardly uttered, when the. roll of the drums
and shril squeak Of the flies became audi
Bile, and in a few minutes the head of the
column of infantry, having crossed the
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