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

WIN our enemies, or else we Woilid not
have ventured so far. Allthat enow
wanted was quick resolution, unshaken
sang-froNl, which could be disturbed
/ by nothing, nor allow the enemy TO re-
cover from his first defeat. Ifhe gain
ed confidence, ne We're lost.
flaming and myself did not feel
! quite at ease. Our sens,bility and
/ sympathy reproaehed US with having
led the men into the unprotected and
dangerous prairie, as 1t were, to be
!, slaughtered, and that so inconsider-
ately, SO rashiy; we looked at each 9TH
! er, and at the men, with some consier-
nation. But in looking at the latter,
our courage and confidence were re-
vived.
| 'The manly, cool, firm and mistaken
American cuuraee-so different from
the quarrelsome, Observation-Disclosures
bnll's courage, was never on any occa-
sion displayed more clearly, visibly tan
gibly before my eyes. From that time
fully appreciated it. now under
stood how it happened that the British,
even when they fought successfully
/ against us, were always defeated every
where at the end, on land and sea.
'As to the Texans, | firmly believe
that if the whole Mexican army had
marched against them, they would just
as quietly and cheerfully have cleaned
their rifles. The only words that We're
/ spoken, were: spare your powder and
lead-do not lose shot.
with such men it is pleasure to
fight, and, If necessary, to die; for one
| fights and dies with honor. But as
we preferred not to die, we had to be
| quick. We accordingly quickly made
our plan. Tanning and Wharton were
to occupy the Dragons and infantry:
it was my task to take the cannon-an
eight FOUNDER.
sThe feld-piece was planted at the
extreme left wing, close to the border
of the prairie, on the steep bank, so as
to command the whole bend of the riv-
err. The bank, as have said already,
was overgrown with thick brake of
grape vines, which concealed us from
the enemy, but without protecting us
against the artillery; the first discharge
of the cannon made US aware that we
/ could not count upon our hiding place.
No time was to be lost, for a single
wei! directed discharge would make an
end of the fight. With a dozen of
men,I got through the entangled grape
vines, as fast as could, and was al
ready at fifty PAGES from the gun when
its second shot was fred and struck in
our vicinity; : the shaking of the vines
had betrayed us to the enemy,we could
not proceed by this way; / therefore
ordered those who were nearest the
edge ofthe prairie, 10 jump on it, and
first of all TO shoot the arliIlery-man.--
/ myself followed the third or fourth.
AS was dwelling my rifle to take
aim, it sunk down as if qnintal
weight had adhered to the muzzle, as
] if an invisible power had pressed it
/ down.
"A long, thin figure, with bewilder-
ed, unknown features, a beard several
inches long, dressed in leather cap,
shirt and moccasins, stood not more
! than three PAGES from me. 1t was a
riddle to me as well as to my men, how
the man had come there: they looked
at him not less anxious than myself
But he must already have shot once,
for one of the artillery-men was stretch
ed near the cannon, and he now shot
| down a second one, just as he was
pushing in the rarnmer, and then he
loaded again as quickly and mechani-
cally, as If he had been engaged in
this kind oftarget shooting all the days
of his life.'
sOn the battle field, as you may cas-.
lily conceive, one is not so very delicate
or scrupulous; the most agreeable
neighbor is always the one who kills
the mossenemies-who is most success
ful in the butchery;the rude bood-trade
in which one is engaged for the mo-
ment, stiles all tender feelings; and
yet there was something so butcher-l like
in the appearance and manners Of the
man, his actions betrayed so insensibIe
II might say so profigaie contempt
for his own life and The lives of others.
that, strange as tmay sound, | looked
at the man, revolted, shuddering and
amazed. And it was not so with me
! alone: my men were not less surprised
at this ghost-ike being. They had
been there for at least twenty seconds,
holding their rifles as If they were par
alyzed; -instead of directing their ct
tionte the enemy, their eyes were sta