Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-04-19
BY C.. CLEMENT.
THE LAUGHING HERO.
AN INCIDENT OF THE MASSACRE AT GoLlAD

most ever comes to the living greenery of the
plains of Goliad-a thing of beauty, queen of
the sky, on a throne OF burning amber robed
in The crimson of fire, with diadem of pur-
pie, ard streamers Of painted pink, Oh! it
was glorious dawn for the poet to sing of
earth, or the saint TO pray heaven bu; ne Their
poets song nor saints prayer made the mat
ms of the place and the hour Alas no ; it
was very different sort of music.
A number of hoarse drums roared the loud re-
veilIe that woke four hundred Texan prisoners
and their guard-four times their number of
Mexican soIders-the elite of the Chief Butch
er's grand army.
The prisoners were Immediately summoned
10 parade before the post, in the main street of
the village; and every eye sparkled with Joy,
and every tongue uttered its shout-the lnvo-
untary exclamation of confidence and hope
Thanks, noble Santa Anna! He is going to
execute the treaty We shall be shipped back
10 our beloved United States We shall see our
dear friends once more % Such were the cheer
ful cries with which the American volunteers
and the few Texans among them, greeted the or
der to form into line.
The line was formed, and then broken into two
columns, when every instrument of music in the
Mexican host sounded merry march, and they
moved away with quick step over the prairie
towards the west.
Five minutes afterwards, singular dialogue
occurred betwixt the two leaders Of the front
column of prisoners:
"What makes YOU walk so lame, Col. Neil
Are you wounded ?" asked tall, handsome man,
with blue eyes, and bravery flashing forth in all
their beams.
"Fannin, walk lame to keep from being woun-
ded do you comprehend p replied the other,
with laugh, and such laugh as no words might
describe-it was so loud, so luxurious, like the
roar of the breakers of sea OF humor: it was,
in short, laugh of the inmost heart.
Il do not comprehend you, for am no artist in
riddles, rejoined Fannn, smiling himself at the
ludcrous gayety of his companion, so strangely
i-timed
you discover that am lame in each leg
said Col. Neil, glancing down at the members
indicated, and mimcking the movements of
confirmed cripple, as he laughed louder than ev-
err And yet, he added in whisper, i have
neither the rheumatism in my knees, nor corns
on my toes, butt have two big reroluerS in my
boots :"
THAT is violation of the treaty by which we
agreed to deliver up all our arms" Col. Fannin
mourntully suggested.
you will see, however, that shall need them
before the sun is an hour high, replied Nell
these base Mexicans"
AT the instant the sun arose in sky OF eX-
traordinary briliiancy, and million fower-cups
flung their rich doors abroad over the green prai-
RE, as an offering to the lord of light, when the
mandate 10 halt was given by one Of Santa
Anna : aids, end the two columns of prisoners
were broken up and scattered over the plain, in
small hollow squares, encircled on every side by
Mexican infantry and troops OF horse with load
ed muskets and naked swords And then came
a momentary pause, awful in lis stiffness, and
disturbed only by All occasional shrek OF terror,
as the most timid among the captiyes realized the
impending storm Of fire and extinction OF LIES
last hope.
And then the Internal work of wholesale muir
der was bsgun, and Il scene en- ued such as
scarcely might b. ma cneIin the very annals OF
hell Itself. The roar OF mosketry burst in sWc-
cessive peals HAa appalling claps OF thunder, but
could not utterly Lrowh the pray of TIE living,
the screams OF the wounded, and more terrible
groans of the dying.
Col Fannin ten among the first victims, but
not so tue giant Neil With the order Of the
Mexican otlic or for his men 10 fire, our hero 1p-
cd almost TO the earth, SO that the vo.ly passed
entirely over him. lie waited not Tor second;
thrusting hand into the leg OF each boat, h arose
with a couple OF SIX shOOters--the dea iy r1VolE-
err of Aliens paent-and commenced de c.iarg-
ing them, with the quick "a Jidity OF Ii 5htnng, IN
to the thickest rank of his ioes--his immense
strength enabling him to pull Oft both the triggers
together.
Panic stricken with surprise and fear, the Mex
leans recoiied and opened passage through
which Neil bounded, with the spring of panther,
and fed away, as if wings were tied 10 his heels,
while half a dozen horsemen gave chase. For
Sc l FIJI hot bn wis n
lionel would net distance even thcs', so much had
the perils Of the occasion increased the natural
elasticity of lis mighty muscles But presently
charger heeter than the rest might be discerned
gaining On his human rival, and approaching so
near that the dragon raised MS flashing sabre for
the coup de grace. Neil became conscious of his
danger, and hastily slackeLol his speed, Ill the
hot stream of smoke from the horses nOsui ) APP
pearcd to mingle with his very hair; and then
wheeling suddenly, he fired another round iroma
revolver, and the rider tumbIed from his saddle.
The victim then renewed his flight.
A ma yell of grief and rag broke from the
remain ng uooi e-s as they Witnessed the late
of their comrade, and its effect was immediate
iy evident in the augmented canton OF their pur-
suit-ior they galIoped afterwards in one body,
thereby greatly retarding their progress, so that
Neil reached the river before them. lie paused
tlOl i lUCuleuls Uat iiulEtu AcduiOue dS"h NHC
steep bank into the current, and struck off for
the other shore. The dragons discharged
their side arms Intellectually, and gave over the
chase
In few minutes Neil landed, and as soon as
he felt satisfied that he was really saved, burst
into an indispensable convlsion OF laughter, eX-
claiming: ut will kill me Just TO think how
astonished the yellow devils looked when haul
ed the revolvers out of my boots !"
Such was Col. John Neil-possessing fund
Of humer that no misfortune could ever exhaust,
aud flow of animal spirits which would have
enabled him 10 dance on the graves OF all his
deares, friends, or to have sung Yankee Doodle
at his own execution!
Al a much later period of Texan history, the
writer had the happiness TO make the gallant
Colonel's acquaintance. The first time | saw
MIN was in the city of Houston in the summer
of lS45 He was standing on the ground step
OF the flight leading up TO The door of the ''Star
Hotel" Holding his sides with both hands, and
emitting through MS enormous mouth bolsterous
explosions, he seemed literally dying with laugh
ter his face turned purple, and the blue veins on
his forehead swelled out thick as a mans thumb,
while his eyes, cleaning with savage mirth, was
fixed on form in the porch above him. The
latter was lawyer Seth Allen, gentleman with
tall, meagre figure OF a BARRIERS pole, huge