Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1857-09-12


loud reveille that awOkc four hundred
Texan prisoners and. their guard-four
times their number of Mexican soldiers
the ettte of the Chief Butchers grand
army.
The prisoners were Immediately sum-
moned to parade before the post, in the
main street Of the village, and every eye
Slarklcd with joy, and every tongue ut
tered involuntary acclamations of conf
dence-
Thanks, Santa Anna! He is going to
execute the treaty! We shall be shipped
back to the United States. We shall see
our friends once moro -
Such were the feelings with which the
American volunteers, and the few Texans
among them, greeted the order to form
into 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
Five minutes afterwards singular dia-
logue occurred between the two leaders of
the front columns Of the prisoners.
What makes you walk SO lame, Col.
Neil? Are you woundcd!" asked tall,
handsome nun, with blue eyes and brave
ry flashing forth in all their beams.
"Col. Fannin, walk lame to keep from
being wounded; do you comprehend 2"
replied the other with a laugh, and such
u laugh as no words might describe-it
was SO loud, SO luxurious, like the roar of
the breakers Of u sea of humor, it was, in
short, laugh of the Utmost heart.
I'll do not comprehend you, for am no
artist in riddles" rejoined Fannin, smi-
ling, himself, at tho ludicrous gaiety OF his
companion, SO strangely ill-timcd.
You discover that 1 am lame in each
leg" said Col. Ncii, glancing down at the
members indicated. and mimicking the
movements Of a confirmed cripple as he
laughed louder than ever. And yet, "
he added, in whisper, ~ have neither
the rheumatism in my knees. nor corns on
my toes, but have two big rcvolvcrs in
my boots ~
That is violation Of the treaty by
which we agreed to deliver up our arms"
Col. Fannin mournfully suggested.
"You will see, however, that I shall
need them before the sun is an hour high" t"
replied Neil. "Ah! Fannin, you do not
know the trcachcry of these base Mcxi-
cans"
At the instant the sun rose in sky of
extraordinary brilliancy, and million of
flowcr-cups flung their rich odors abroad
over the green prairie, as an offering to
the lord Of light when the mandate .,
halt was given by one of Santa Anna's
aids, and 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
horses, with loaded muSkets and drawn
swords. And then n momentary pause,
awful in its stiffness, and disturbed only
by an occasional shrick Of terror, and the
most timid among the captivcs realized
the impending storm Of fire and cxtinc-
ton of life's last hope.
And then the Internal work ofwholcsalc
murder was begun, and scene ensued
such as scarcely might be matched in the
very annals Of hell itself The roar of
musketry burst in successive peals, like
appalling claps of thunder, but could not
utterly drown the prayers of the living,
the screams of the wounded, and the more
terrible groans of the dyingl
Col. Fannin fell among the first victims,
but not so with the giant O'Neil. With
the order Of the Mexican officer to his
men to fire, our hero stopped almost to the
earth, SO that the vollcy passed entirely
over him. He waited not for second.
Trusting n hand into the leg of each boot,
he rose with couple of six shooters, the
deadly revolvers, and commenced dis
charging them with tho quick rapidity of
lightning, into the thickest ranks of his
foes.
Panic stricken with surprise and fear,
the Mexicans recoiled and opened a pas
sage. through which O'Neil bounded with
the spring of panther and fled away, as
if wings were tied to his heels, while half
dozen horscmen gave chase For a
while it seemed doubtful whether the
giant Colonel would not distance even
these, so much had the peril of the occa-
sion increased the natural elasticity of his
mighty muscle. But presently charger
hectcr than the rest might be discerned
gaining on his human rival, and approach
cd so near that the dragon raised his sa-
brc for a coup de grace. O'Neil became
conscious of his danger, and hastily slack
ened his speed, until the hot stream of
smoke from the horses nostrils appeared
to mingle with his very hair; and then
wheeling suddenly, he fired a round from
revolver, and the rider tumblcd from
his saddle. The victim then renewed his
fight.
A mad yell of griof and rage broke from
the remaining troopers as they witnessed
the fate of their comradc, and its effect
was Immediately evident in the augment
ed caution Of their pursuit-for they gal
lopcd afterwards in one body, greatly re-
tarding their progress, so that Q'sTTeil
reached the river before thsm. He paus.
cd not momept, but plunged headlong
down the steep bank into the current, and
struck for the other shore! The Dragons
discharged their fire arms intellectually,
and gave 0HOr the chase.
In q few minutes O'Neil landed, and as
soon as he felt satisfied that he was per-
fectly safe, burst into an insuppressive
convulsion Of laughter, and exclaimed
at will kill me, just to see how astOnish-
cd the yellow devils looked when hauled