Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-03-26
ADVENTURES TEXAS.
No. III.
THE STRUGGLE.

airy and right flank Of the infantry, soon became
general throughout their whole force II was a.
sort Of wayering and unseadness which, to us, was
quite unaccountable, for Tanning aud Wharton
had not vet fred twenty shots, aud indeed, had
only Just come within range of the enemy Not
knowing what il could portend, called in my men,
and stationed them round the gun which | had
double-shotted, and stood ready TO ire
The confusion in the Mexican ranks increased.
For about a minute they waved and reeled to and
fro if uncertain which way 10 go. and at last the
cavalry and right Of the line fairly broke, aud ran
for it, This example was followed by the centre,
and presently the whole OF the two battalions aud
three hundred cavalry we're scattered over the
prairie. in the widest aud most disorderly flight
| gave them parting salute from the eighPounder,
which would doubtless have accelerated their
movements had il been possible to run faster than
they were already doing
We stood staring after the fugItlyes 10 perfect
bewilderment, totally unable to explain their ap-
parently causeess panic. At last the report Of
several rifles from the island ofuees gave clue
to the mystery.
The infantry. whose len flank extended TO the
Salado, had pushed their right into the prairie as
FAR the island of muskeet trees in order TO connect
their line with the dragons aud then by making
general advance, TO attack on all sides at once,
and get the full advantage Of their superior num-
bers The plan was not bad one Infantry and
cavalry approached tue isldhu, quite uusuapiCiouS
Of its being occupied The twelve'rifemen whom
we had stationed there remained perfectly quiet,
concealed behind the trees, allowed squadrons and
companies TO within twenv PAGES OF them
and then opened their fire, FIRST from their pistols,
then from their rifles.
Some six and thirty shots, every one Of which
told, fired suddenly from close to their rear,
were enough to starte even the best troops. much
more our Mexican dons who already sufficiently
Ill. 81
into an ambuscade, and surrounded on all sides by
the incarnate didboios, they called us. The
cavalry, who had not yet recovered the thrashng
we had given them were ready enough for run,
and the infantry we're not slow to follow them.
Our first impulse naturally to pursue the
flying enemy but discovery made by some Of the
men induced US to abandon that idea They had
opened the pouches ofthe dead Mexicans in order
TO supply themselves with ammunition, ours being
nearly expended, but the powder OF the cartridges
turned out so bad as to be useless. II was little
better than coal dust, and would not carry ball
fifty PAGES to kill or wound This accounted for
our apparent nvulnerabiiiy TO the fire Of the Next
cans. The muskes also were Of very inferior
description Both they and the cartridges were Of
English make the former being stamped Birming-
ham, and the latter having the name Of an English
powder mandatory, with the significant addition
for expectation
Under these circumstances we had nothing TO do
but let the Mexicans run. We sent detachment
TO the muskeet island 10 unite itself with the twelve
men who had done such good service there, and
thence towards the ford. We ourselves proceeded
slowly in the latter direction. This demonstration
brought the ngitiyes back again. for they had, most
Of them, in the wild precipitation of their fight,
passed the only place where they could cross the
river. They began crowding over ia the greatest
confusion foot and horse all mixed up together,
and by the time got within hundred PAGES OF
the ford, the prairie nearly clear OF them
There were still a couple of hundred men on our
side of the water, completely at our mercy, and
Wharton who was a little in from, with thirty men,
gave the word to FIRE upon them. No one obey.
ed lie repeated the command Not a rife
was raised lie stared at his men, astonished and
impatient at this strange dsobedience. An old
wealher-beaten bear-hunter stepped forward squr-
ting out his tobacco juice with all imaginable de
liberation
Il tell We what captingr said he, passing his quid
over from his right cheek 10 his left Il calkilae
captng" he continued wed better leave the poor
devil sol dons alone
The poor devils Of dons alonep repeated Whar-
ton in a rage. Are you mad, manP
Tanning and | had Just come up with our
detachment, and were not less surprised and angry
than Wharton was, at this breach of discipline
| The man however did not allow himself TO be dis
concerted.
! lneres IroHeTD, gentlemen, sulu ne, turning
| 10 us, which says, that should build golden
bridge for beaten enemy; and good proyerb il
! is, cakate-a considerable good one
What do you mean man, with yonr golden
bridgeP cried Tanning This is no time for prov
! cribs
DO you know that you are liable to be punished
| for your insnbordinationF said /. It's your duty
to fire. aud do the enemy all the harm you can moi
to be quoting proverbs
| a I, l;adt la TaI
| kilate could shoot Them without either danger
or trouble; but reckon that would be like Span
iards or Mexcans not like Amercans-not pru
dent
"Not like Americans Would you let the
enemy escape, then, when we have him in oul
powerl
| 'Calkilate would. Calkilate we should do our
selves more harm than him by shootn' down hi,
people. That was a considerable sensible CON
mandment Of yourn, always to shoot the foremos
of the Mexicans when they attacked II discour
aged the bold Ones and was a sort of premium OF
cowardice. Them as Jagged behind escaped then
as came braveY on were shot 1t was good cal
kiation, If we had shot 'em without dscrimna
tion the towards would have got bold, SEEM the
weren't safer in than in front The coward
are our best friends. Now them runaways, con
tinued he, pointing TO the Mexicans who wer
crowdlng over the river, ARE just the most coward
ly OF EN- all, for in their fright they quite forge
the ford, and it's because they ran so far beyond il
that they are last to cross the water. And If yo
fire at 'em now, they'll find that they get noihin' b