Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-04-22
The Fate Of th e "FOreign Legion.
By Il. q cH1pMAF.

The morning bf the 18th of Sep
e tember broke clebr and calm oyer th
n dark and frowni1g g battleAentb of tn,
E Castle Of Chepul ltepec. The flag Q
the Mexicans str canned proudly GU
from the rampar4s, and waved in al
> It's gorgeousness in the gentle breez,
!, which swept along the plain. Shi
ming bayonets al hd .glisteling sabres
reflected back the suns bright rays
1 and deep-mouthdd canndn doomed
out upon the surrounding country
threatening death and des struction tc
/ the advancing foe. On they came
filing out, column after column, from
the suburbs of the little village o1
Tacubaya, end sweeping like a de-
structiye tornado upon thh devoted
ramparts. Suddenly, from the bat
teries of the castle, stream of flame
and smoke shot forth, and all along
that heightened line, the missiles OF
terror and death went hand in hand,
cutting down the noble ahd brave,
the good and generous, and strewing
fall in one mingled heap of gore, and
blood. War, with all it blasting
and desoIating effects, wa$ carrying
grief and misery into many a hereto
fore happy family, and striking down
the father and husband, the son and
brother, in terrible and bloddy havoc,
and eonsigning them to one common
and sorrowing grave. While the
faces of the wife and sister at home
were, perhaps, wreathed in smiles,
that of the husband and b4other was
writhing in the agony of death upon
a foreign soil, and breathing out life s
last sigh amid the roar @f cannon
and the rattle of musk ets. The
scenes of that fearful and fatal morn
will never be forgotten.
But while this was thus transact
ing around Chepultepec, another, and
a still more terrible scene, was pass
ing in the little town of NIiscoux,
some half mile distant frpm Tacu-
baya. at the battle of Chhrubusco,
the deserters under Riley had been
captured, and, after an IMPARTIAL trial,
sentenced to be hung. They were
known by the title of the F'Foreign
Legion" and we're made .uH Of men
who had deserted from the ranks Of
the Americans and joined The force
of the enemy The day set for
their execution was the 18th of Sep
tember-a nd it also happe4ed that
the attack upon ChepultdIec took
place the same day.
The sun had Just risen, and tinged
the East " 18th his purple ray, as they
were led forth to die. Thirty in
number, and surrounded by a strong
body of men, they advanq ed with
slow steps towards the gallo dws, -ethe
muffled drum sending forth its sol
emn death-note, and giving to the
whole the appearance of a military
funeral, rather than a public execu-
ton. They were arranged u hder the
gallows, which was one erected for
the purpose-being nothing more
than two large posts set firmly in the
ground, across the top Of which was
placed pole of sufficient length to
admit the bodies. of thirty men.
beneath it the prisoners we're ar
hinged, with a moose around their
recks-the other end of the rope
being thrown over the pdle, was
9rasped by three or four stout men,
9eady at mon mept's warning, to
launch theminto eternity. Agloomy
Silence peryaded the spot, and las they |
gazed On the group collected there,
they found no sympathising glance
in the scbwling faces and glaring
eyes which we're fixed upoii them.
They bad destroyed the last feeling
of resp ect felt for them, when they
took up arms against their own
eountrymen. The usually dark
brow Of Col. Harney, who superih- |
tended the execution, was eoItractd ID
by a deep frown, and his deep gray
eyes twinkled savagely IN their sfpck- f
cts, as he galloped up to the spot
and reined in his smoking charger
beside them.
Isall ready, Lieutenant! NJ asked
of an officer who commanded the
guard.
Every thing replied the o tficer.
Then let them swing, was the
savage reply.