Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-05-21


ancestor, stretched upon the racks Of Cortez and
it is not the fear of torture or Of death that cor
swerve her from her purpose
The siege has continued for ten DAYS The Nexi-
can General has received large reinforcements and
his army now numbers thousands He has beep
unceasng in his efforts to batter down the walls
but has thus far failed The triumph is with
Travis: but it is written in the heart of his ruth
! less foe that he must die, and when the cannonade
is suspended on the 9th of March, a small breach
has been effected, and Santa Anna has determined
without "A summons to surrender, the hour for as
sarlt has arrived. puring ten days blood red
flag has been streaming from the spirc of the
church in San Antonio, proclaimng that quar-
ter would be given to the champions of the Almo
that blood alone will appease the furry of Mexi-
can malice. When the sun again goes down, the
flag is longer seen for the deed Of which it was
a sign has been accomplished.
1t is midnight. Stars are smiling in the firma-
ment and the repose Of paradise seems lowering
over the armed hosts, and hills, and plains which
encircle the Alamo. The calm is so deep and
solemn that the angel of death seems to pause be-
| lore the stfife and carnage which are to follow
low murmur rises upon the air, which gradual
! ly becomes more and more distinct. Lights are
giancing mystcrionsy in the distance and indicate
! some unusual movement. The beSieging army is
in motion. There is no advance by columns; the
force of tine Mexcaus is so great that the fort may
be completely surrounded, Leaving intervals only
for the fire of artillery. The place is grdled by
deep line of infantry, and these are hemmed in and
| encompassed by another of cavalry II the first
| falter or shrink they must be thrust forward to
the assault By the sabres aud lances of their COM
! radcs. Suddenly the batteries are IN blaze and
from their cOncentric positions pour fourth radii
of fire from the circle Of Santa AnnaS vengeance,
verging 10 a single centre. AMID the thunders
thus created, their shouts hardly less terrible,
and the martial blasts Of hundred bugles, the
McXicaus advance to the Alamo A sheet Of
fame from rifles that ueycr failed is the answer to
the charge. The infantry rcco;l and fall back upon
the cavalry: their ranks broken and disorlered by
the deadly fire cf the besieged. The shouts from
the tort are mingled with the groals Of the woun-
ded and dying on the plain, while the officers are
endeayoring to reform their scattered masses-
They return to the attack, but the leaden shower
which they again encounter fels them TO the earth
by platoons. Travis shows himself on the walls,
cheering his undaunted follower Around him
Crocket, Evans and Borhanl. reused TO the last
struggle, for they know their doou Is seale,l IN
quick succession rife after rifle is discharged send
ing hundreds to their LONG account The Mexicans
are again repulsed; they fall back dismaved and
disheartened by the dad ard dying around them.
The battalion Of Touca-the flower of Santa
Annas army--iS reduced from four hundred to
twenty-three. MeR have become for Il moment re-
gardless Of their officers and are almost delirious
from the cries of anguish Of their fallen and ex-
pirinG comrades, yielding to Influences which no
discipline restrain end no efforts repress But
the breach now appears practicable; the disointed
forces, by the aid of threats and entreaties, are
rallied, and once more return to the assault The
fire from the Alamo has for some time been grow
ing slower and slower. Rifles have dropped from
many vigorous hand now cold in death, while |
others cling TO their weapons IN the sgones of
disaolatiou. Amnuntion, too has been failing;
by one the mazzles drop: and ere the last rife
is loaded and discharged the Mexicaus have gain
ed the wall. Fcarfully conspicuous in that awful
moment, Travis receives a shot, staggers and falls
He dies not Uaayenged. \ Mexican officer rushes
upon him, and is about to plunge his sabre into
the bosom Of the fallen man; when, gathering his
remaining energies for desperate effort, he bathes
the sword to which he still clings in the bloood of
lis enemy and they die together.
In the meantime, the conflict has been raging
hot aud thick The Mexicans have poured into
the citadel like furnished wolves furious for their
prey Each man struggles with his adversary
with the energy of despair, dealing the death
stroke with rifles, sabres, or whatever missiles NAV
be within reach. Tbs Texans are almost buried
benerth the numbers of their opponents. The car
mage has been terrible that the slain are piled up
in heaps. Denth stares each survivor in the face,
vet still he struggles on. Crockett has been con-
spicuous in the melee wherever the blows fell hot
test and fastest lie has forced his way piles
of the dead bodies of his enemies, has reached the
door of the chapel. Here he determines to make
his last stand. At one glance of his eye he sees
that the fate of the Alamo rests upon himself alone,
and that that fate nothing can avert. Travis has
fallen; Evans is no more; Bowie explores upon
bed of sickness, pierced to the heart By Mexican
bayOnet Borllam falls directly before him. and ne
finds himself the only livin" warrior of the one
hundred and siXty-three who had been his compan-
ions Perhaps at that moment the life-blood
creeps 10 his heart By natural Impulse but il is
onlv for a moment. The desperation of his posi-
tion sends it back with the force of an avalanche
His foes glare on him with blows from ni,lskets
Iances and sabrcs. The strength Of hundred nlsu
seems concentrated in his single arm, as he deals
out death TO his pitess and unsparing assailans-
Their bodies have grown into u ruiupart before
him Backened with fire and smoke, besmesred
with blood, and reused into frenzy, he stands like
some fabled god of antiquity laughing to scorn the
malice. and the power, and the fury OF bis enemies
New fire flashes from bis eye, and new vigor nerves
his arm On bis asailants rush, but it is upon
DEATH certain aud immediate They fall, but their
places are still supplied aud so quickly the dead
seem to rise up before Lu, ike armed men from
the teeth of Cadmus. At length u ball from an
unseen rife perces him in the forehead; he falls
backward TO the earth IN Tie streams of gore
which curdle around him.. No Sroan escapes his
lips; no cry Of agony grati6es the inplacable ran
cor of Bis enemies: lle dies-and tho Alamo has
laleu.-Puf,nGn's Moga=iAe.
Oh GRAVE YARDs.-Philadelpbi abouud5 IN
aged grave yards, to which the dead haze pcen
consigned during the past hundred years aoo on'