The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-01-08
From Bllck,coOd's Magazine.
Adventures il l.'eXas---Eattle of
St, Talinto,

The Niexicans advanced SO rapidly iha:
they we're upon Us before we were aware of
it, aud we were compelled to retreat, leaving
The garrison of the two forts 10 Their fate, and
a right melancholy one it proved to be.
One morning. news vas brought 70 Goiiad,
rAai number Of country people, principal
ly women ac.d children, were on their way
10 the for; CLOSELY pursued By the Mexicans.
aiming, losing sight Of prrdeuce in his
compassion for THESE poor people, immedi-
ateiy ordered battalion of five hundred men.
under the command OF Major Ward, 20 90
and meet the negatives and escort them in.
The Major ana several Of the officers of he
garrison doubted as 10 the propriety OF this
measure; but aiming, full of sympathy for
Ms :npi elected country women, insisted, and
the battalion moved ont. I hey soon came
in sight oftlc faoitiyeS, as they thought, but
on drawing nearer the later turned out to be
Mexican Dragons, who spraug upon their
horses, which were concealed in neighor-
Ing island If trees, and Il desperate fight he
gan. The Mcxicans, far 3erior in numbers,
recci-ed every moment accessiOns 20 their
strength. The Louis Potosi and Santa Fe
g. AIRY. fellows WHO seem born on horseback
were there. Cur unfortunate countrymen
were hemnied on all sides, The fight lasted
tao DAYS, and only two meu out OF five hun
dred escaped with their lives.
Before news OF this misfortune reached US,
otters had been sent to Tanning 10 evacuate
tae fort and join us with six peaces of artil-
iery. He received the order and proceeded
TO execute it. But what might have been
Practicable for eight hundred and sixty men.
va. impossible for three hundred and sixty.
Nevertheless, flaming began his march
through the prairie. His little band was i'm
mediately surrounded by the enemy. After
4 gallant defense, which lasted twelve hours
they succeeded in reaching The island. but
scarcely he'd they established themselves
there WHEN they foun1 their ammunition was
expended. There was nothing left for them
butte accept the terms offered by the Mexi-
cans, who pledged themselves that if they
lai! Gown theirarms, they would be permitted
TO return to their homes. But they were no
sooner piled, than the Texans found them
selves charged by their Ireacherous foes, who
butchere5 them without mercy. Only an ad-
vanced post Of three men succeeded in escap-
ing.
The I'VE hundred whom he had left in San
Antonio de Bexar, Jared no better. Not be-
ing sufficiently numerous TO hold ont the
town as well as Alamo, they retreated into
lllC ldlLtI- He -fIcNICdu soon ldlu
part of the fort in NUNS Still its defenders
held out. After eight days fighting, during
which the loss of the beseigers was tremend-
ousiy severe, TIE Alamo was taken and mot
a single Texan left alive.
We thus, by these two cruel blows. lost
two thirds of our army, and little more than
seven hundred men remained to resistthe mn
merous ligions of our victorious foe. The
prospect before Us was one well calculated
TO daunt the stoutesi heart.
Tbs Mexican general, Santa Anna, moved
his army forward in two divisions, one
streatchcd along the cost towards Velasco;
the other advancing towards san Felipe de
Austin. He himself, with small force,
marched in the centre. At Fort Bend, twen-
ty miles below San Felipe, he crossed the
Brazos, and shortly afterward established
himselfwith about fifteen hundred men, in an
n'renched camp. Our army under COM
mand of General Houston, had retreated to
harrisburg, to which place the congress had
retreated.
twas on the night of the twentieth of A
pm our whole disposable force, some seven
;lIa.eI men, bivouacking in and about an
.ra',; VI S!ednores. ltwas a cloudy, stormy
L.e nha a nigh wind was blowing, and the
oT"nches oil the trees eroaned and cre,cL- |
ed above our heads. ~ "nu 'iedoA-
,.b;nh wei enough with our feelings. |
n,en were sad and dispondiug wben we
thought Of the desperate State Of on mn eu we