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

were 'hus advancing, they diu nor 1all
firing their carbines.
Thus gradually faniliarized with
the smell Of gunpowder, and our vicini-
ty, three of the squadrons, which had
not as yet been in the FIRE, formed
themselves into columns for the attack,
and then gaIloped some fifty PAGES
nearer. Presently, all the officers al
once gave the word ofcommand-'For-
I ward! with laundering voice, put
! their horses into gallop, and, carried
! away by the vigorous impulse, the
three squadrons advanced full speed. =
But this time, instead of six, we order
ed thirty of our men to get on the bank,
and to fire slowly, SO as not to lose a
single shot. But the shock Of the
charging enemy, however, made most
tof them lose their self-possession.-
/ They fired hastily into the mass, and
retreated behind the bank. The pre-
{cipitation nearly became fatal to US
The enemy staggered, It is true, but
did not retreat. In this critical mo-
ment, Wharton and / came forth with
our reserve: Take your aim and fire
slowly; and, when you are sure, single
your man out!' cried.we both-Whar
ton at the ight,I at the left. We our
selves did not fire. This at last sue
ceeded. One shot was fred after an
other; while | was again telling them
always TO single out the foremost, to
fire slowly, so as to give time Tanning
to load Before we had all fred Fan
ming was again by our side with do
zen Of his best marksmen. For three
minutes at least the enemy stood our
fire, which was really murderous, but as
we always, as just said, singled out
the foremost dragons, and as those
who advanced surely fell no one would
at last ride forwards; the squaerons
got into confusion, which soon was
succeeded by the widest flight. We
sent a discharge after them, which
made many horse run over the prairie
without rider; we reloaded our rifles,
and Withdrew in our grapevine bow
ers, awaiting what mightscome next.
'But now the enemy had lost all
taste for another attack. He would in
deed advance % within three hundred
paces--they still fired their carbines at
US, and very safely they might do SO,
for we did not ERE single shot in re-
| turn.
sThe fight had lasted about half or
three quarters of an hour. Onour side
not single man had fallen as yet, nor
even been wounded, though during the
attack of the enemy, we had been liter
ally exposed to shower of balls. We
could not account forlhis singular phe-
nomenon; the balls fell right and left
of us, many struck, but scarcely scratch
ed the skin, or lief: sore place. We
were beginning to believe that we
were invulnerahle-to consider the
battle as quite decided, when the Sc
cond picket, posted at the lower ford,
rode up to US, with the somewhat dis
quieting information, that considerable
detachments of infantry were marching
towards the ford, and would be in sight
in few moments. And sure enough,
at this very moment, we began to hear
the beating ofthe drums, and the sound
of the fifes;in the next the first columns
def!ed up the bank, into the prairie, TO-
wards the Mnsqueet Island.
we could now easily see their
strength as they were marching over
the prairie, company after company
There were two battalions-some thou
saad men. Besides this, they had a
field piece.
THAT was evidently much more
than enough for seventy-two men; sew
enty-6ve, including US three officers;
for, as | have said already, We had
left twenty men in the mission and the
Musqueet Island, so that there were
fully twenty Mexicans toone American.
1t was no joke, ifyou consider that the
enemy was perfectly equipped, consis-
ting oftwo battalions Of infantry, and
six squadrons of Dragons; for, though
the latter had lost some fifty men, their
new succor rendered them again more
dangerous.
! Our men were all excellent shots;
most of them had pistols in their belts;
but what were seventy-6ve rifles, and
about hundred pistols, against thou
i ....s.l..t, -, 4 3,,x,,,,c+e %,,,o h.x
dred and fifty Dragons, and field
piece charged with grape shot3 Ii
the enemy had ever 50 little military
skin, and resolyedness, We were caught
ike foxes in the kennel.
But we were almost sure that this
skill and resolvedness would be wan