The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1851-06-05

anu mucn ir1gHtened at the abrupt intrusion of
armed men. In one room, nearly the last we
entered, we found three beautiful girls, whose
peaceful sleep and pleasant dreams had been
suddenly disturbed by our knocking with our
sabre seabbards their door for admittance
When we went in, they were sitting on the foot
of the bed, en- deshabilte, bathed in tears, and
looking the very pictures of beautiful despair.
AT first they could do no more than supplicate
Us by eloquent looks and burning tears but in
a few moments words came to their relief, when
in terms that would have moved sterner hearts
than ours, they begged for their fathers life
and their own. Even if we had been blood
thirsty enough to have sought their lives, their
supplications would have surely stayed our
cruel purpose, for appeal could go more to
the heart than theirs did. And as looked upon
the two stern men who stood beside me-men
whose hearts and nerves had never faltered
amid the leaden hall saw tears of sympathy
and pity chasing each other down their fur
| rowed cheeks They called upon us in the name
of the Virgin Mary and all the kindred saints,
! to spare them. After they had ceased speaking
we explained to them, as well could, the
Object of our visit, and assured them that they
neeu DC unoer as We WOulu
hurt nor interfere with them in any manner
In answer to this, they smiled through their
tears, and invoked blessing upon US, from
their patron saint of Guadaloupe. We occupied
few minutes in searching their room, and then
passed on TO other parts of the premises. From
thence we passed to the out-buildings, all of
which We searched with care, looking into every
corner that could afford hiding place for a
man. The building was an old-fashioned Span
ish house, of stone, only one story high, and
surrounded by high wall and, as it was i'm
possible for any one to escape, we were sure he
was concealed somewhere within, but were
unable to find him, and SO we reported to
Colonel Wynkoop.
Whila We were searching the premises, some
one made an attempt to escape over the wall,
but was discovered by one of the sentinels ON
duty, and fired at he quickly dropped from the
wall into the yard, and let the sword which he
had in his hand fall on the outside. Who he
! was, and whether wounded or not, we could not
| learn Although we had assured the family
they were in no danger, they were yet in great
alarm-the women in tears, and the men too
much frightened to think of the least resistance
/
Of war, to determine what course to take, and
it was unanimously agreed to remain there until
daylight, and then give the place another thor
ough searching. We found several gentlemen
in the house, besides the two already mentioned,
and though none of us had ever seen General
Valencia, we were not willing to take either OF
them for him. One proved to be Colonel Arieta,
of Valencia's staff, whom made a prisoner
of war; and as the others appeared to be clti-
zens, we did not molest them. When they saw
that our search had been unsuccessful, they
seemed cheered with a prospect Of his escape,
aud endeavored by a TO draw Us away from
the house For this purpose, they told us that
the General was then staying at hacienda
about three miles off, and one of them offered
| to show us the way Colonel Wynkoop ordered
an officer and six men to accompany the guide,
the main body remaining until their return
Seeing this feint had not the desired effect, and
that we were determined to remain there until
he should be given up, they next began to make
terms for him, wanting to know in what manner
we would treat him if he shozld be taken This
confirmed more strongly IN the beilef that ne
was in the house. and we felt qnite snre of the
prize In the midst of this conference we were
interrupted by the entrance of stout good
looking gentleman, about fifty years of age, who
saluted us, and said, in Spanish, 81 am General
Valencia Colonel Wynkoop told him he was
very happy to have the pleasure of making his
acquaintance, and very politely informed HIM
that he must consider himself a prisoner OF
war The general assumed great deal of IN
d gnaion at the manner of his capture, and
said it was contrary to the rules of war to take
an officer who was not in the army, bnt living
quietly with his family in the country To TINS
Colonel Wynkoop replied, that he was very sor-
ry to put him or his family to any Inconvenience,
but that as he never gave us an opportunity OF
making his acquaintance ON the field OF battle
this was the only chance we had to pay our
respects to him.
We then informed the general and Coionei
Arieta, that We wanted the pleasure OF their
company to the city of Mexico, and the sooner
they were ready to go, the more agreeable II
j would be to US. While the two officers were
preparing for the journey, their family who mao
, become more assured, and found we were mol
the fierce "northern barbarians' they had IA
S ken us to be, placed refreshments before us
| which long fasting and hard riding made very
: velcome-and during this time some of u
a snatched few moments of sleep. While w
4 were in the house, the guard Of Mexican Ian