Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-21
THE LAUGHING HERO.
AN INCIDENT OF THE MAssAcRB AT COLI,


AN INCIDENT OF THE MASSACRE AT ooLIAp
It was the morning of the 18th March 1886 !;
Aurora, mother of dews and mistress of golden
clouds, came, as she almost ever comes to the
Living scenery of the plains of Goliad-a thing
of beauty, queen of the sky, on throne of
burning amber, robed in the crimson of fire,
with diadem of purple, and streamers of
painted pink. Oh it was glorious dawn for
the poet to sing of earth, or the saint to pray
to heaven; but neither poets song nor saints
PRAYER made the mathis of the place and the
hour alas no (; it was very different sort of
music.
A hundred hoarse drums roared the loud re-
rsiIie that awokc four hundred Texan prison.
ers and their guard-four times th.ir number
of Mexican soldiers-the elite of the Chief
Butchers grand army.
The prisoners were Immediately summoned
to parade before the post, in the main street of
the village, and every eye sparkled with joy,
and every tongue uttered the involuntary ex-
clamation of confidence and hope
s.Thanks, Santa Asna! He is going to exc
cute the treaty. We shall be shipped back to
the United States. We shall see our friends
once more ~
Such were the feelings which the American
volunteers, and the few Texans among them
greeted the order to form in line.
The line was formed and then broke into two
columns, when every instrument of music in
the Mexican host sounded a merry march, and
they moved away with a quick step over the
prairie towards the west.
occurred between the two leaders eff the front
columns of the prisoners:
"What makes you walk so lame, Col. Neil
Are you wounded 20 asked a tall handsome
man, with blue eyes, and bravery flashing forth
in all their beams.
s.Col. Fannin, walk lame to keep from be-
ing wounded; do you comprehend 7'' replied
the other with laugh, and such 4 laugh as no
words might describe-it was luxurious,
like the roar of the breakers of the sea of hu-
nor; it was, in short, a laugh of the inmost
heart.
81 do not comprehend you, for am no ar
tist in riddles," rejoined Fannin, smiling him
self at the ludicrous getty of his companion,
so strangely ill-timed.
"1ou discover that am lame in each Leg"
said Col. Neil, glaucing down at the members
indicated, and mimicking the movements of
confirmed cripple, as he laughed louder than
ever. ssAnd yet, he added in whisper, ssI
have neither the rheumatism in my knees, nor
corns on my toes, but have two big revolvers
in my boots, !"
"That is q violation of the treaty by which
we agree to deliver up our arms" Col. Fannin
mournfuIly suggested.
ssYou will see, however, that shall need
them before the sun is an hour high," replied
Neil s'Ah Fanni1, you do not know the
treachcry of these base Mexicans.''
At the instant the sun rose in sky of ex-
traordinary brilliancy, and a million flower
cups flung their rich odors abroad over the
green prairie, as an offering to the lord of
light, when the mandate to shalt" was given
by Santa Annals Aid, and 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 loaded muskets and drawn
swords. And then came momentary pause,
awful in its stiffness, and disturbed only by an
occasional shrek of terror, as the most timid
realized the impending storm of fire and e1
;inction of hfe's last hope.
And then the Internal work of wholesale
murder was begun, and scene ensued such
as scarcely might be matched in the very an
nails of hell itself. The roar of musketry burst
in successive peals like appalling claps of thun-
der, but could not utterly drown the prayers
of the living, the screams of the wounded, and
more terrible groans of the dying.
Col. Fannin fell among the first victims, but
not so the giant Neil. With the order of the
Mexican officer TO his men TO FIRE, our hero
stopped almost to the earth, so that the volley
passed entirely over him. He waited not for
second; thrusting hand into the leg of
each boot, he rose with couple of six shoot