Smyrna times., 1860-08-09
INCIDENT At BUENA
ea VISTA.
DEATH OF YOUNG HENRY CLAY.
BY GEORGE LlPPARD.

/ IL was near the settlng ofkne SUM- Wneu Tue
Man of Palo Alto. Rssaea de Ia Palma. and
| Monterey, saw the clouds come down on the
last charge of Buena Vista. and scene worthy
of the days Of Washington closed the day OF
glory.
Do you behold that dark ravine. deep sunken
between these precipitous banks! Here no
sunlight comes, for these walls of rock warp
the past in eier0sl twilight Wiihered trees
grow between the masses of granite, and scat
tered stones make the bed of the rayine uncer-
tain and difficult for the tread.
Hsrk! That cry, that rush like mountain
torrent bursting its barriers, and quick as the
lightning flashes from darkness, the dismal raw
inc is bathed in red battle light. From it's
northern extremity confused band of Mexi.
cans, an army in itself, come yelling along the
pass, treadiRg one another down as they fly.
! their banners, spears, horses and men, tossed
together in inexiricable confusion.
BY thousands they rush into the shadow of
the passHtheir dark faces Redeemed by the
sheeted blaze ofmusketry. The cayerns of the
rayine send back the roar of lhe anic, and the
grey rocks are washed by their blood.
: But the little band who pursnes this army
| Who are they! You may see in their firm.
heroic ranks, the volunteer costume of Illinois
and Kentucky. AT their head urging his men
! with shouts, rides the gallant M'Kee. by his
side young Henry Clay, that broad forehead
which reminds you of his father. bathed in the
glare as bis sword quiyers on high ere it falls
10 kill There, toe. wild figure. red with his
own blood and The blood Of Mexican foes, his
} uniform rent 10 taiters. his arms barred to the
shoulders. striking terrible blows with his good
sword--Hardn of Illinois--comes gallantly
forward.
The email but iron band, hurl the Mexcans
from the heights into the ravine, and follow up
the chase, far down into the eternal twilight of
that mountain pass
Look AS the musketry streams it's steady
: blaze you would think that one ceaseess sheet
Of lightning bathed those rocks in flames.
e Over the Mexicans, man and horse hurled
back in mad disorder. the Americans dash on
!. their way, never needing the overwhelming
numbers of their foes, never needing the palpi-
tating forms beneath their feet, with bayonat,
}, and rifle, and sword, they press steadily on,
r their well known banner streaming even more
n overhead.
The howl Of the dying war horse--hark! -
Does 1t not chill your blood TO hear il! The
bubing cry Of the wounded man, with she
% horses hoof upon his mouth irampling his face
into hideous wreck-does il not sicken your
soul to hear iti
d A hundred yards or more. into the pass. the
Americans have penetrated, when suddenly n
: young Mexican, rushing back upcn their ranks
= seizes the fallen flag of Anahsue. and dashss
+; 10 his death.
10 To see him, ysung and bsardless. a very boy,
y rush with bis eouniry's flag, with his barred
breast, upon that line of sharp steel--is was q
sight to stir towards into manhood, and il Shot
into the Mexican hearts like an electric fame.
. Even lin their psnie-stricken disorder, they
turned BY hundreds. they grasped their arms
and rolled 10 one long wave Of lance and bayo-
e. net upon the foe. Woe 10 the brave men o.
10 Illinois and Kentucky, now locked in thai
Or deadly pass, avail of Infatuated Mexicaus be-
re tween them and that wall Of rocks--abovs
d, their heads, through every aperture among the
70 cliffs. The blaze ofmuskets pouring shower o.
IN bullets in their faces--wherever they turned
.. tbs long and deadly lances pointed at the
10 throais--il wssa moment to think once Of hons
r. and die.
~ Those who survived that fearful nome nj
tell with shudderng triumph of the deeds o
the three heroes--M Kse. Hardin and Clay.
Iy M'Kee, you see him yondsr, with bis shat
r. tered sword dropping blood, he endesvors 4
ia wsrd off the aim Of those deadly lances, an,
:. fights on his knees when he can stand no long
:, er, and then the eombatants close over him an.
- you see him no more.
= Hardin arose from heap Of slaughlere,
n foes, his lace streaming from it's hideous lane
= wounds, and waved q Mexican flag in triumph
,, as his life blood rushes n q torrent over hi
- muscular form. That instant the full light o
battle was upon his lmangled face. Thel
N fiinging The captured flag TO brother soldier
!. he shouted--Give it TO her as a memorial 0
Ruens Vista My wife, II was his las
words Upon bis barred breast, the fury 0
90 ten lances rushed, and the horses hoofs ira mp
Il led him into the heap Of dead.
nm Bot most sad and yet most glorious Of oil
nd was to see the death of tho second Henr
Clsyl You should have seea him, with hi
,;s back against yonder rock, his sword firm
he grssped. as the consciousness that he bore
-. name that must not die ingloriously. seemed 3
70. OIL his every rein, and dart deadly ere fror
ha his eyes.
Ia AT that moment he looked like the old man
we From bis brow, high and retreating. wit
az the blood-cIotted hair waving back from il
outline, was swollen in every vein as thong
lily his soul ahone from il. ere she fed foreyer.-
ia. Lips set, brow kni, hand hrm--a circle of hi
,n- men fighting roand him--he dashed into tn
lad Mexicans until his sword was wet. his arr
ck- weary with blood
me he gathered his proud form 10 ts full heigh
led and fell. His face ashy with intense agonl
ted he babe his comrades 10 leave him there
We. die. That ravine should be the bed Of b
oh glory
lar But gathering around guard of breasts an
steel-whie two Of their number bore BIZ
tenderly niong--shese men ofKentucky fougi
round their fallen hero. and. as retseating sts
by step, they launched the swords and bay
'es. nets into the faces of the foo, they said wi
usl every blow--' Henry Clayr
lro. II was wonderful q, see how thag nan
de- nerved shsr arms. and called smile to n
eP- face of the dying hero How Il would hs
por-l made tho heart the old man Of Ashland thr
emf to have hoard ihis nam,s yelled - battle G
'wn down sas shadows Of TINT lonely pass.
alrl Along The r. vine. and Up this narrow Dat
Tbs hero blssds - thsj' bsar him o.. aud ira