Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-07-23

|crIed man with cap made out of a
wildcats skin, ''not a step backwards;
the enemy must soon come, and then
we'll whip 'rm so glorious that it will
be pleasure to see it; the miserable
vampires that they are!!"
I "A fight! fight" shouted the sur
rounding 'hrong. "For Texas, now
or never!"
"Sam Houston is not of that orin.
ion, my fine fellows" answered the
General, "andit is not bis will to fight
Sam will not risk the fate of the repnb-
lie in single fooI-hardy battle. The
broad woods Of the Brazos shall do US
good service. Though yon are brave,
and willing TO risk your lives, it would
be small benefit to the country if you
! lost them. No, my boys, we'll give y
10 the vermin, never fear; they shall
have it,as sure rs Sam Houston stands
in his own shoes"
"lt'> impossible for us to go back,
General, "cried another speaker; "can',
be-must at 'em! What, General our
riches, plantations lie between the COL
orado and the BrazoS, and are we to
;.bandon them to these thieves? Old
Austin would rise OUT ofhis grave if he
heard the footsteps Of the mulderers up
on the prairie. No, generaI-mus,
be at 'hem-must conquer or die!
/ "Must conquer or die!n' was echoed
through the crowd; but the old General
sat whiting away, as cool as cucum-
be-, and seemed determined that the
next victory he gained should be in his
OWL camp.
| Boys" said he-and he stood up,
took another quid, Shu, his knife, and
con''nued-"Boys,y"u wan, to fight
very praisewor'hy, indec'l-your cour-
/ age is very praIsewor'hy; but suppose
the enemy brings artillery with him, can
you, will you, take the responsibility
of giving battle before our tarAy fellow.
citizens come up TO reinforce US? How
will you answer it to your consciences,
ifthe republic falls back underline Mex
lean yoke, because an undl>cipined
mob would not wait the favorable mo-
ment for fight? No, no, citizens
! we must retire to the BRACES, where
our rifles will give us the advantage;
whilst here we should have 10 charge
the enemy, who is five times our
strength in the open prairie. DON'T
doubt your courage, us you call it,
though its only foolharGineSs-but |
represent the republic, and am answer
able to the whole people for what do.
Cam, allow you, to fight here. Once
more ! summon you TO follow me to
San,e Felipe, and all who wish we'll to
Texas will be ready in an hours time.
Every moment we may expect 10 see
! the enemy on the other side Of the riy-
er. Once more, then, to the banks of
the Brazo>!"
The old General walked off to his
tent and the GROVE! betook themselves
! to the fires, normurIng and dIsconen-
ted, and put their rifles in order; bu, in
, an hour and IA half the Texan army left
their camp on the CoIorado-Sam
Houston prevailetl-and The next eve
ming he and his men reached San Fe-
lipe, and, wl,hou, pausing there, malch.
ed up the river. On the 30th of March
the first squadron Of the enemy showed
itselfnear Felipe. The inhabitants de-
serted their we'll STORED shops and hou.
SEES; Sc, FIRE TO them with their own
hands, and fed across the river. The
Mexicans entered the town, and their
rage was boundleS when instead of a
rich booty, they found heaps of ashes.
Houston had now vanished, and his
foes could nowhere trace him, till he
suddenly and ofhis own accord reap
peared upon The scene, ard fell on
Them like ,hunderboli; amply refi';ing
the false and base charge brought,
against him by his enemies, that he
had retrea,ed through cowardice.-
But 10 this day it is riddle to me how
he managed TO reduce to obedience
The unruIy spirits he commanded, and
10 induce them to retreat across the
BRACES TO Buffalo Bayou. OF one
thing ] am certain: olny Sam Houston
could have done il--no other man in
the republic could.