Washington telegraph., 1850-05-22
THE LAUC HING HERO.

ohu HtlSttCSS vi IIlc IudloiOA Ol SOiOCu
clouds, came, as she almost ever comes to
the living greenery Of Goliad, thing ol
beauty, queen of the sky, on throne OF
burning amber, robed in the crimson OF
fire, with diadem Of purple and stream
ers of painted pink. Oh. it was glori-
Gus dawn for poet to sing of earth. or the
saint TO pray to heaven; but neither poet S
song nor saints prayer made the matims
of the place and the hour. Alas, no; it
was very different sort of music.
A century of hoarse drums roared the
loud rereitle that awoke four hundred
Texan prisoners and their guard-four
times their number of Mexican soldiers
the elite of the chief Butchers grand army.
The prisoners were Immediately sum-
moneC to parade before the post, in the
man street of the village; and every eye
sparkIed with Joy, and every tongue ut
tered shout-the voluntary exclamation
of confidence and hope-"Thanks, noble
Santa Anna. He is going to execute
the treaty. We shall be shipped, back
to our beloved United States! We shall
see our beloved friends once more -
Such were the cheerful cries with which
the American volunteers, and the few
Texans amongst them, greeted tile order
to fall into line.
The line was formed and then broken
into two columns, when every instrument
of music in the Mexican force sounded a
merry march, and they moved away with
quick step over the prairie towards the
west.
Five minutes afterwards a singular
dialogue occurred betwixt the two lead
ers OF the front column of the prisoners:
"What makes you walk so lame, Col.
Neil! Are you wounded! asked a tall,
handsome man, with blue eyes, and bra
very flashing forth in all their beams.
"Col Fannin, | walk lame to keep from
being wounded; do you comprehend
replied the other, with a laugh and such
a laugh as no words might descrlbe-lt
was so loud, so luxurious, like the roar
of the breakers of sea of humor; it was,
in short, a langh of the inmost heart.
IL do not comprehend you, for am
no artist in riddles" rejolned Fannln,
smiling himself at the ludicrous gaIety OF
his companion, so strangely ill-tlmed.
"You discover that am lame in each
leg,' said Col. Neil, glancing down at
the members indicated, and mimlcking
the movements of a confirmed cripple, as
he laughed louder than ever. s'And yet,
he added, in a whisper. 81 have neither
the rheumatism i'll my knees, nor corns
on my toes, but | have two big reroiperS
in my boots.' t1 a
That is a violation of the treaty by
which we agreed to give up all or arms,
Col. Fannin mourniully suggested.
"You will see, however. that | shall
need the IN before the sun Is an hour hlgh,
replied Neil s.Ah. Fanniu you do not
know the treachery of these oase Mexi-
cans"
AT the instant the sun arose in a sky OF
extraordinary brllliancy, and a million
flower-cnps flung their rich odofs abroad
over the green prairie, as All Offering to
the lord of light. when the mandate ''to
halt was given by one of Santa Anna $
aids, and the two columns of prisoners
were broken up and scattered over the
plain, in small hollow squares. encl:cled
on every side by Mexican infantry and
troops of horse, with loaded muskets and
naked swords, And then came momen-
tary pause, awful in its stiffness, and dis
turbed only by an occasional shrek OF
terror, as the most tlnid among the cap
tives realized the impending storm and
extinction of life's last hope.
And then the Internal work of whole
sale murder begun, and scene ensued
such as scarcely might be matched IN
the very annals of hell itself The roar
of musketry burst in successive peais like
appalling claps of thunder but could not
utterly drown the prayers OF the lvlng'
the screams of the wounded, and more
terrible groans OF the dying
Col. Fanuin fell among the first victims,
but not so the giant Neil. With the
order of the Mexican officer for his men
to fire, our hero stopped almost to the
earth, SO that the volley passed entirely
over him. He waited not for second;
| thrustng hand in each leg of his boot,
he arose with coupleot six-shooters. the
deadly revolver of Aliens patent and
commenced discharging them. with the
quick rapidity of lightning, into the thlck-
est ranks of his foes, his immense strength
enabling him pull off both Triggers TO-
gether. - -
Pahic-sticken with surprise and lear,
the Mexicans recoiled and opened pas
sage. through which Neil bounded with
the spring of panther, and He'd away
as if wings were tied to his heels wnile
half dozen horsemen gave chase. foi
a while it seemed doubtful whether the
o;,nt COLONEL wonld not distance even
these, sc much had the perils OF the occa'
sion increased the natural elasuclty OF MS
mighty muscles But presently charger
f1eeter than the rest might be discerned
ga aing on his human rival, and approach
ing so near that the dragoon raised MS
his flashing sabre for the coup de grace