Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 185?-1859, 1857-02-28
SANTA FE NEW MEXICO, FEBRUARY 2e, 1857

New batteries are erected by abe besiegers.
From every poin around the missiles Of des-
truction concentrate upon the Alamo. The f.
nal hour must soon come. ProVialons Gre not
vet exhausted, but the ammunition cannot last
many days longer. Water had long been sup
piled solely BY the daring efforts Of Mexican
woman, who through showers ofgraue and mus
ketry, has threaded the way to and fro between
the river and the cita del, while her own blood
has marked the path. The now bears within
her the stem and loft spirit Of her illustri5us
ancestor, stretched upon the rocks Of Cortes,
and il is not the fear Of torture or death that
can swerve her from her purpose.
The serge has continued for ten days. The
Mexican General has received large reinforce.
meDts, and his army now numbers thousands.
lie has been unceasing in bis efforts to batter
down the walls, but has thus far failed. The
triumph s with Travis, but it Is written in the
heart Of his ruthless foe that he must die, and
whom the cAnnonade is suspended on the 6tl
Of March small breach has been effected, and
Santa Anna has determined, without summons
to surrender, that the hour foi the ASSAULT has
arrived. Daring ten days bloOd-red Gag has
been streaming from tho sPire of the chOrch in
be given to the champions Of the Alamo--that
blood alone will appease the vengeance and
fury Of Mexican malice. When tho sun again
goes down the flag is no longer seen, for the
deed Of which ii was .he sign has been accom-
pished.
1t is midnight; stars are smiling in the frma-
menI, and lhe repose Of paradise seems hover
ing 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 before the strife and carnage which
are tu follow. A low murmur rises upon the
air, which gradually becomes more aud more
distinct Lights are glanclng mysteriously in
the distance, and indicate some unusual move
ment. The besleging army a IN motlln' There
, is no advance by columns. The force OF the
Mexieans is so great that the fort may belcom
. pletey surrounded, leaving intervals only for
/ the fire Of artillery. The place is girdled by q
deep line Of infantry, and these are hemmed in
and encompassed by another Of cavalry. II
the first falIer or shring, they must be thrust
! forwardto TO the assault by the sabres and lances
Of their comrades. Suddenly the batteries are
in blaze, and from their concentrlc positions
poui forth radii Of frefrom the circle Of San
/, ID Anna's vengeance, verging to single centre
/ Amid the thunders thus created, their owr
' shouts hardly less terrible, and the MARTA
blasts Of hundred Dugles, the Mexlcane ad
vance VI the Alamo. sheet OF flame, from
from the rifles that never failed, is the answe
. 10 the charge. The infantry reeoll and fal
back upon the cavalry, their ranks broken an,
y disofdored by the deadly FIRE Of the beslogOd
y The shouts from the fort are mingled with tn
y groans Of the wounded and dying on the plain
10 while tho officers are endoavorlng to rcforr
y their scattered masses. They return to the at
tack, but the eaden shower which they agai
f" encounter fels chem to the earth by ylaloons
/. Travis shows himself on the walls, eheern
is hls cool, undsunIed followers. Around him az
4 Crockett, Eynas and Boubam, iousei to tn
., last struggle, for they know their doom is sea
70 led 10 quick SUGGESTION rifle after rite is dis
is charged, sending hundreds to their last aeco
{. unit. The Mexlcans are again repulaed. the
e fall back d.smayei and dlshesrtsnOd by tn
II dead and dying around them. The batt"llion
x Of ToIuca, tho fewer Of Santa Annals army,
b reduced from fodr hundred TO twenty thie'
0, Men have become for q moment regardless 0
/. their officers, and are almost pelirious from th
4, cries Of anguish Of their falling and expirin
ID comrades, yielding to the influence which
is discipline can restrain and no efforts repres
10 But the breach now appears practicablej Il
ly disionted forces by the aid Of threats and Oh
l treaties, are rallied, and once more return
BY the assault. The fire from the Alamo has Il
Q. some time been growing slower and sowe
e. Rifles have dropped from many o yigoror
ly hand now cold in death, while others cling
id their weapona even in the agonies Of dissoll
ny ton, Ammunition, too, has been failing; OF
IL by one the muzzlos drop; and ere tho last rii
is loaded and discharged the MsxIcans gain Il
'e, wall. Fearfuly conspicuous IN that awful mi
o. ment, Travis roceiIos slot, stagg'rS an
i. falls. lie dies not unavongod. A Mexican o.
q. foer rnshs, upon him and Is abaut to plunl
OF h,s sabre into the bosom of tho fallen ma
o. when gathering his remaining energies Tor
Irt desperate effort, he bsthes the sword to viii
n; he sill clings IN the blood Of his enemy, nI
ty they die together.
~, In the meantime the conflict has bscou
Y hand t, hand, aud has been raging hot ai
" thick. The MexicanS have poured into the
tadsl like tamishod wolves furious for th'
=, prey. Each man struggles with bis adverse
=! w with the energy Of despair, dealing the deaf
u stroke with rifles, sabres, or whatever missil
" may be within reach. The Texans arc alm'
%, buried beneath the numbers Of their opponen
u1 The carnage has been so terrible that the Gle
VI are piled up in heaps Death stsrcs each 81
w viyor in the face, vet still no struggles {