Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-04-11
For the Nashville Patriot.
LEGENDS OF THE SOUrH--N0. ".
The Siege of Mauvilas
BIZ L. VIRGINIA TRBscH

IN the 3st of May 1889 Fernando de Solo, with body
thousand Of infantry, and three hundred and
Of cavalry, landed in magnificent array on the coast Of
da Garcilasso relates, amid the many exciting Incl
Of that romantic expedition that when Ma1vila or
ancient Mobile, be legged by the invaders the women
Pht ike men, and having fired their beautiful city, sur
dered themselves TO death and the flames, rather than
arms Of their victorious conqaerors-
Observed ye pageant sweep glitterng bJ'
Ger the hills Of the ming twas lost in the SKY;
And heard ye the minging of meody's stream,
With turf. mufied trampling.H Or did bet drsam3
Twas the voice Of old centuries over my soul,
Came stealing, and softly its cadences roll
And saw but a shade Of the dark, olden Time,
Assuming, in fancy, presence sublime
Those long buried agesl how start they again
From the sepulchres silent and desolate reign!
How glide they before Us, deep glowing and rife
With grandeur and glory, with beauty and life!
There sounds thro' the city the tocsin's alarms,
There Lu-sts thro' the forest sclashing Of arms,
Where conqering legion comes marching at speed,
To the blast Of the bugle and neigh Of the steed.
The foe is advancing; the echong glen
Resounds to the trampling Of well mounted men;
Thick glitter their helmets, and fold upon fold,
Spain's gold-blazoned banner is brightly unroIled.
Set the windnodding pumage Ike foam on their cress
And the rich mantes flowing FER mal.sheeted vests;
Mark their hgh-meed steeds with sabre and lance,
Far flashing in sunlight, the columns advance!
The valleys reecho the clarion's peal,
The clsshing OF armor, the ringing Of STEEL
Arouse ye, dark freemeni thus We repose,
When the shores of Mauvl4 are swarming with foes'
Harkl har from the city DER wild tumult flying,
al hacb h. hall limo
The drum is rolling, its thunder-tone Gals
Her squadrons to battle defending her walls.
rushing of multitudes-street unto street
Gives back the dull trampiing of hurrying feet
long, stormy roll, ike the up-coming breeze,
Deep-feighted at night with the swell of the
All day roars the battle: beneath the dun sky
What craven is quaing at Dangers dread eye?
What warrior benches, though low at his side,
In deaththroes his bravest have faltered, and ded'
The night gathers DER them the mother has prest
Her slumberiDg babe to her proud-heavng breast,
And paused but moment TO gaze its charms,
Ere she left it forever wild rushing "to arms"
The delicate maiden in pride Of her bloom,
By the side of her sire in the sulphurous gloom,
Fought nobly; the wife when her warrior fell,
sprang first to his station, then waved him FAREWELL
Vain, vain the struggle; yet scorn they to ny,
They strong endure and they fight but to die;
From the ranks Of the guard liUing retired;
"Hol Spain, and st. Jsgo!" the city is fred
Is't the deed of the foeman? No, star of her race
Beloved Of the sons Of the battle and chase,
Owhyls she stands in the gathering glare,
And waves like banner her dark flowing hairl
1t was bot this morning they hailed her a bride,
OF all who beheld her the beauty and prde
Now sitting her terrors warrior digit,
She has followed her lover all day thro' the fight.
She stands the steep, she has lighted the pile,
Apart for a moment as musing the while
She vows her to death, and thousa nds are now
In a wid-sweIling chorus repeating her vow.
Her high men is naughty, her glorious eyes,
Which the spIendor Of shrouded skies,
Behold the bold conqueror sweep on his path,
And she smiles in Defiance she heeds not his wrath
Still higher in strangely magnificent spires,
Borne up by the whirlwind arose the great fires,
Like the red tongues of demons to blight and devour,
The flames gIded swiftly thro' palace and bower.
Then loud shouts Of triemph pealed over the field,
Round the conquered Mauvaus yet think not they yield
To the black bearded spsnard their laboring BREATH
Tho drawn but in gaspings they yield but to Death!
The deep thirst OF vengeance that tortured Of old,
Their ancestors bosoms ragged uncontrolled,
Meath their blazing roof-trees, a desoate band
By their bood-drippng portals devoted they stand.
Undaunted their hearts, undated their ire
Red clouds scatter Ger them a tempest Of Are,
And the embers fall kissing and quenched in the food
or the patriots gushing, and fresh yelling blood.
The fires Of the temple shoot up to the heaven,
Whose soft purple gloom by its lightning is riven;
For the city is wrapt in a far flaming shroud,
Which springs from her BOSOM yet kisses the cloud.
The high-blazing vortex a moment uprose,
Clear.lightng the armies of victim and foes
Then hoarsely the fast falling structures resound,
And shake earthquake the deep-heaied ground.
One last look they gave to the lettering walls,
The fierce burning thickens-the red ruin falls;
Der the woe-strieken victims moment it flashes,
The mother, the maiden, the warrior, are ashes!
And where is 0whyls? Her rapture was high
In the height OF the battle uDconquered to die
To the heart of her lover all tenderiy pressed,
shs drew her last sigh on his high throbbng breast.
He wiped the cold dews from her forehead so fair;
Aasl twas the death damp swirl gathering there!
For she dropped in a moment her beautiful head,
1t sank on his bosom-he ciasped but the dead
The tears Of the lovely, the sigh Of the brave,
No, never, owhyls! shall hsIlow thy grave,
For a few snowy bones mid the smouldering fame,
Were all that remained Of thy people and name.
The din Of the battle RACES more,
The lone blast is moaning, the havoc is Ger,
Thy knights, dark De Soto, come red from the field,
With blot on thy banner, stain on thy shield.
Is this the religion Of Jesu? the love,
The mercy, the bounty, he brought from abov,?
Did the Master teach wi the broad banners
And the sword drinks the life blood obi Knight Of tn
Crossl"
In thy Watery grave on this far, foreign shore,
The blast Of the rump shall thee more;
But when the Arehangel his trumpet shah sound,
May thy great God OF Battles" in mercy be found
PoREsr HOME, jan, 1856.