The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-02-21

l MS lHe hTullgcT ltstIN GSAtlNCu W uO'--'
He'd fight on his own hook, lie said.
Wharton told him he must not do that.
He should like to see who'd hinder him he
spid and walked on. The next moment he
shot the first aI1ileryman. After that they
let him take his own way.
Neither Wharton, nor ANY of his men,
knew what had become of him; but at last |
met with bear-huntGr, who guve Inc the fol-
lowing information.
Calcalatin',' said he, that the wild prairie
lnau's rifle was capital good one, as good Il
one as ever killed bear, he thot it II pity
that it should fall into bad hands, so Went TO
secure it HIMSELF athough the irontcspiece of
its dead owner, warn't very inVitin. But when
he stopped to take the gun, he got such Il
shove as knocked him bacilwards,an OH get
ting up, he saw the prairieman openin' his
Jacket and eYamnin' u wound on his breast,
which was neither deep nor dangerous, al
though il had taken AWAY the mans senses
for while. The hall had struck the breast
bone, and was quite near the skin, so that
Iha wounded man pushed it out with his fin
gers; and then supporting himself on his rifle
got up from the ground, and without either a
tlankyc, or n curse, walked TO where his mus
tlng was tiedup, got on its back, aud rode
away in northerly Direction
This was all the information could obtain
on the subject and shortly afterwards the
m1in body ofOur army came up, and had
other matters 10 occupy my attention. Cen
Cral Austin expressed his gratitude and APP
probation to our brave fellows, after n truly
republican, and democratic fashion. He
shook hands with all the rough bear and buff
tnIo hunters, and drank with them. Tanning
and myselfhe promoted on the spot, TO the
rank OF colonel.
We were giving the general detailed ac-
count ofthe mornings events, when Next
can priest appeared with flag of truce and
several Wagons, and craved permission TO
take away the dead. This was of course
granted, nad we had some talk with the pa
Dire, who however, Yves too willy Il customer
10 allow himself to be pumped. What littc
we did get out ofhim, determined us to adj
vance the same afternoon against San Anto-
MO. We thought there was some chance,
that in the present pnnc-stiuck state of the
!meXicans, we might obtain possession ot'thc
place 10y bold and sudden assault.
In this, however, we were mistaken. We
found the gates closed, and the enemy on his
guard, but too disprited to oppose our taking
mp & position at about cannon-shot from the
great redoubt, We had soon invested all the
eutiets from the city.
san Antonio dc Bexar lies in fertile and
wel-irrigated valley, stretching westward
from the river Salado. In the centre Of the
town rises the fort of the Alamo, which at
ihnt time was armed with forty-eight pieces
ocartiIiory OF various calibre. The garrison
Of the town and fortress was nearly three
Thousand strong.
Her artillery consisted of two batteries OF
four six, aud five cjght-pounders our army of
eleven hundred men, with which we had not
uulv 10 carry on the siege, but also TO make
tto rl,.,tx In
gainst Us from Cohahuila, Oh tho trou,icr of
which province General Cos was stationed,
with strong body oftroops.
we were not discouraged, however, ard
opened our fire upon the city. During the
first week, not day passed without smart
siiirnishcs. General Cos's dragOons were
swarming about us like so many Bcdoins. Bat
although weil-mountcd, * capital horscmon,
those from the western states especially, nc
customed to Indian warfare and cunning,laid
traps and amDuScadcs for the MeXlcnnS, and
were constantly destroying their dctach-
m2nls. As for the bescged, tonc of them
showed his head for ten seconds above the
city wall, he was sure of getting a rifle bullet
through it, ! cuuuot say that our beseging
army was perfect model of military disc-
Tlihe; but any deficiencies in that respect
were made good by the intelligence Of the
men, and the zeal and unanimity with which
they pursued the accomplishment of one
great obicct-the capture of the city-the lib
erty and independence ofTeXas.
The badness of the gunpowder used by
the MeNicans, was a again of great service to
ls. Many of their cannon balls that fell far
short Of US, were collected and returned 10
Them with powerful effect We kept sharp
lookout for conveys, and captured no less
than three--onc of horse, another of provis-
lens, and twenty thousand dollars in money.
After an eight weeks siege, Il breach hav-
ing been made, the city surrendered, and a
mouth later the fort followed the example,
With powerful park of artillery, we then
advanced upon GoIiad, the strongest fortress
m Texas, which likewise capitulated in about
four weeks time We were now masters of
the whole country, and the war was apparent
" at an end.
But the Mexicans were not the people to
rive up their best province so easily. They 4
hlve too much ofthe old Spanish character
about them---1hat determined obstinacy
which sustained the Spaniards during their
prouacted struggle against the Moors. The
honor ofthoir republic was coppromised,a and
that must be redeemed laundering proc
la,nations were issued,d enounemg theTeXans
rs rebels, who should be swept off the face of
the earth, and threatening the United States
Ter Aaving aided us with money and volun-
teers. Ten thousand of the best troops in
Mexico entered Texas, and were shortly to
he followed by ten thousand more. The
President, General Santa Anna himself came
to take the command attended by numerous
uld brilliant staff.
The Texans laughed at the fanfarronades of
the dons, and did not attach sufficient Impor-
fance to these formidable PREPARATIONS
Their good opinion ofthemselves, and con-
tempt oftheir foes, had been increased to an