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

iSW hlluuteS inc ueuu Oh inc Column OF man
try, having crossed the ford, assembled the
sloping bank, and defiled in the prairie oppo
site the island of muskect trees. AS compa.
ny after company appeared, we were able &c
form pretty exact estimate oftheir numbers
There were two battalions, together about q
thousand men; and they brought tield-piece
with them.
These were certainly rather long odds to
be opposed to seventy-two men and three
officers; for it must be remembered that we
had LETT twenty of our people at the mission,
and in the island oftrees, Two buttulions of
infantry, and six squadrons OF dragoons--the
latter to be sure, disheartened and diminished
by the loss of some fifty men, but neverthe-
less formidable opponents, now they were
supported by the foot soldiers. About TWEEN
ty MeXicans to each of us. It was getting
past joke. We We're all capital shots, and
most otus, besides our rifles, had brace of
pistols in our belts; but what were seventy
five rilesand five six score of pistols against
a thousand muskets aud bayonets, two hun
dred and fifty dragons, and a tield-piece
loaded with canister? 1.-THE Mexicaus had
n spark of courage or scholarship about them,
our fate was sealed. But it was exactly this
courage and soldership, which we made sure
would he wanting.
Nevertheless we, the officers, could not re-
press feeling of anxiety and selfre-
proach, when we reflected that we
had brought our comrades into such hazard
GUS predlcament. But on looking around
us, our apprehensions vanished. Nothing
could exceed the perfect GOODNESS and conf
dence with which the men were cleaning and
preparing their rifles for the approaching
conflict; no bravado-no Boosting, talking or
laughing, but calm decision of manner,
which at once told us, that if it were possible
10 overcome such odds as were brought IL
gainst us, those were the men to do it.
Our arrangements for the approaching
struggle We're soon completed. Tanning
and Wharton We're to max head against the
infantry and cavalry. l was to capture tie
tield-piece-an eight FOUNDER
This gun was placed by the McXicans upon
their extreme left, close to the river, the
shores of which it commanded for consid-
cradle distance. The bank on which we
were posted was, rs before mentioned, indeut-
ed by caves and hollows, and covered with a
thick tapestry ofvines and other plants, which
was now very useful in concealing us from
the artillerymen. The latter made Il pretty
good guess at our position however, and at
the first discharge, the canister whiZzed past
us ut n very short distance. There was not a
moment to lose, for one well directed shot
might eNtermiuate halfofuS. Followed by Il
dozen men, worked my way as well rs !
could through the labyrinth ofvines and bush
es, and was not more than fifty yards from
the gun, when it was again fired. No one
was hurt, although the shot was evidently in
tended for my party. The enemy could not
see us; bur the motion of the vines, as we
passed through them, had betrayed our
whcrcahout so pcrceNIng that we were dis
covered, sprang up the bank into the prai-
rie, followed by my men, to whom shouted,
above all to aim at the artlerymen.
had raised my own rifle 10 my shoulder,
when let it fall again in establishment at an
apparition that presented tselfto my view.-
This was tall, lean, wild figure, with face
overgrown by a long beard that hung down
upon his breast, and dressed in leather cap,
jacket and moccGsins. Where this man had
sprung from was perfect riddle. He was
unknown 10 any of'us, although | bad some
vague recollection of having seen him before,
but where or when, | could not call to mind.
He had a long rifle in his hands, which he
must have fired once already, for one of the
artillorymen lay dead by the gun. At the
moment first caught sight at him, he shot
down another and then began reloadng with
rapid deXterity, that proved him to be well
used to the thing. My men were as much as
tonished as was by this strange appariton,
which appeared to have started out of the
earth; and fort few seconds they forgot to
fire, and stood gazing at the stranger The
latter did not seem to approve of their mac
ton.
'Ye starin' FOOLS shouted he in a rough
hoarse voice, don't you see them artillery
men? Why don't We knock 'em on the head?'
1t certainly was not the moment to remain
i1ln No froI l,,tf osto,iSIEnnnt bo1
thrown us offour balance, and we nearly all
missed. We sprang down the bank again to
load, just as the men serving the gun were
Slowing it round, so as to bring it TO bear up
on us. Before this was accomplished, we
were under cover, and the stranger had the
benefit of the discharge, OF which he took no
more notice than ifhe had borne charmed
life L.. Again we heard the crack of his rifle,
and when, having reloaded, we once more
assembled the bank, he was taking aim at the
last artilleryman, who fell as his companions
had done.
Blame we, for laggin' fellersp growled the
stranger. why don't we take that big gun"
Our small numbers, the bad direction of
our first volley, but above al, the precipitation
with which we had jumped down the bank
after firing it, had so encouraged the enemy,
that a company of infantry, drawn up some
distance in rear of the field-piece, fired vol
ley, and advanced at double quick time, part
of them making small deto,u with the inten-
ton of cutting us from our friend. AT this
moment, we saw Tanning and thirty men
coming along the river bank to our assist
ance; so without minding the Mexicans who
were getting beeind us, we rushed forward
to within twenty PAGES ofthose in our front,
and taking steady aim, brought down every
man his bird. The sort of desperate cool
ness with which this was done, produced the
greater effect on our opponents, as being
something quite out of their way. They
would, perhaps, have stood firm against vol
lev from five times our number, at a rather