Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-11-27

ment, ndu, With remarkable calmneSS,
ordered his men to fire slowly, SO that,
as we returned from our attack, halt a
dozen of his men had not fred; and
Wharton S reserve, which now also adj
vanced, were all ready TO fire. The
company was completely scattered, and
were already some three hundred pa
ces from US, but in their stead we had
now the eight FOUNDER before us, (which
in the meantime had been e-manned,
and was just ready to be fled at U.S.
If the men had been artillery men, they
would, probably, have greeted us in a
manner which would haveput amend TO
the battle; bat it was served by infantry
soldiers, who did not get ready to fire
beforehalf of them had been shot down,
and we had again jumped down the
bank.
The gun went off. and we jumped again
upon the banl-a real war dance, which we
gradually began to find rather hol! Not q
minute had elapsed from the moment we had
jumped down to the present, but during the
short interval, the companies which were near
est to the one We had scattered, had come
much nearer towards US. We saw now that
the second battalion, arranged Ell echellon, was
also advancing against us; that it had ia
ken its onlique disposition in such manner
that the last lines should support the foremost.
We had not the least doubt but that we would
getrld Of the nearest companies as easily as we
had the preceding one; but it was to DE appre-
hended, and not without reason, that the enc
my might get over their panic terror, which
our rifles had hitherto caused them, and re-
nouncing the stupid platoon firing, charge us
with the bayonet. II a single company had
attempted such a charge, our situation would
have been dangerous, because our forces would
have been divided. We moreover remarked,
with some anxiety, that the cavalry, which
hitherto had quietly kept alta convenient dis
lance, were now also moving, not far from the
Musqueet Island, while the right wing of the
infantry was within shot distance of the same
place; they probably wanted to join the cavalry,
and then to advance upon us. But where
We're our twelve men?-what had become Of
them2 Were they still in the wood, or had
they been frightened by the superior numbers,
and retreated to the mission? That would
marksmen, all provided with pistols, who
the mission they were absolutely lost. We
had left them there, as we'll as the eight men
at the mission, rather because we had presen-
timent that they would become of use to US at
that place, than from any good reasons. But
what could twelve men do against two hundred
and fifty Dragons, and company or two of
infantry? We regretted now having exposed
in this manner these twelve marksmen,
w o b.r-a
tai services-for, to orr great annoyance, our
ammunition began to diminish; very few had
brought with them more than sixteen charges
of powder and lead, which now were reduced
to siX-items which / assure you, were not We
ry amusing music to this wardance of OURS
But a taitt heart necer aoon fair bride. A
moment we deliberated, and in the next place
we were decided. Without losing any tune, !
undertook to advance in the open place which
the scattered company had left in the line of
battle of the Mexicans, to attack their sides,
and get possession of the cannon, while Fan
ming and Wharton would attack the front.
The infantry men who had served the gun
had, by this time. been shot down, with the
exception of an officer, who had dared to re-
main alone with it, and load it. He fell at the
very nome t when turned to my men to or
der them to follow me; but at the same moment
something totters by my side. | turned round;
the CHASTITY wild man, whom had fortunately
lost sight of during the critical moment of which
just spoke, fell ON me, with shrlll cry, fitful
ly grasping his rifle with both hands, his eyes
distorted, wildly rolling in their sockets, and
turnbling down before me like one who has
be en- struck with butchers axe on the head.
In the frighttully rolling eyes, the horrible
looks, / recognise him
'Bub.' exclaimed l.
'Bob' repeated he, with rafting voice cas-
ting at mea terrified and terrible look; Bob
and who are you'
His eyes shot a wild glance at me, and then
closed for ever.
i fastened away as if a spectre were behind
me. My head was revolving on my shoulders;
was surrounded by terrible ehaos-at this
moment knew not whether was above, On,
or under the earth.
BAT battlefield with thirteen hundred
foes before you is capital thing to set your
head Alright again, to rid it of the impression of
chaos-at least it was 50 with me.
Some of my men had been up to the can
non, and had drawn it forwards with the pow
der-waggon. and loaded it, while the others
stood around Oh the left and right to protect
it.
'Ihey had not done loading when voice
exclaiming with surprise, Look! only see'
made me look up.
THE enemy seemed to me in a state of mind
similar to mine. The whole line ofthe columns
and the sluadrons were in agitation, as If they
also were frightened by ghosts. None of my
people had as yet fired shot, while Tanning
and Wharton had fired about twenty shots,
when not only the nearest, but also the reno
test lines, began to show strange agitation.
They had been overtahen by shaking and
earthquake, subterranean shock, commo-
ton overseeing everything. We kept our ri
fles ready for the protection of the cannon; We
were just printing it, when the foes began to
waiver so violently, that ordered the rifiemen
to stand on both sides Of the cannon. The
columns of the infantry appeared like enor
nous masses of rocks, and in their brown uni
forms they actually resenlbled rocks when torn
r IL tko ,tfo ofa;r