The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-10-31
Death Of Young Henry Clay.
BIT GEORGE LIpPARD.

It was near the setting OF the sun, when thu
men of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Mon
terey, saw the clouds come down on the charg'
of Buena Vista. that scene worthy ofthe days
of Washington closed the day in glory.
Do you behold that dark ravine, deep sunk
en- between these precipitous banks2 Here nc
sunlight comes, for these walls Of rock wrap the
past in eternal twilight. Withered trees grow
between masses Of granite, and scattered stone
make the bed of the ravine uncertain and diff
cult for the tread. -s...
Hark! that cry, that rush like 3 mountain
torrent bursting its barriers, and quick as tho
lightning flashes from darkness, the dismal ra'
vine is bsthcd in red battle light From its
northorn extremity, confused band of Mex.
cans, an army in itself come yelling along the
pass, treading one another down as they fy'
their banners, spears horses and men tossed to.
gether in inextricable confusion.
BY thousands they rush into the shadow oil
the pass their dark faces redeemed by the heat
ed blaze Of musketry. The caverns OF the ra-
vine send back the roar OF the panic, and the
grey rocks are washed by their blood,
But the little band who pursues this army
Who are they! You may see in their firm, he
roic ranks, the volunteer costume of Illinois and
Kentucky. At their head, urging his men
with shouts, rides the gallant Mckee, by his
side young Henry Clay, that broad forehead,
which reminds you Of his father, bathed in the
glare as his sword qulvers on high ere it fall
to kill. There, too, wild figure red with his
own blood and the blood OF his Mexican foes,
shoulders, striking terrible blows with his good
sword Hardin Of iIllinois---comes gallantly fer
ward
The small but iron band hurl the Mexicans
from the highest into the ravine, and follow up
the chase far down into the eternal twilight o.
that mountain pass. ~.
Look! As their musketry streams its steady
blaze, you would think that one ceaseless sheet
of lightning bathed these rocks in flames!
Over the Mexcans, man and horse, hurled
back in mad disorder, the Americans dash on
their way, never needing the overwhelming
numbers Of their oes, never needing the palp-
tating forms beneath their feet, with bayonet,
and sword, thay press steadily on. their well
known banner streaming evermore overhead.
The howl of the dying WARRIOR e-hark
Does it not chill your blood to hear it? The
bubbling cry Of the wounded men, with the
horses hoofupon his mouth. trampling his fac
into hideous wrcck-does it not sicken your
soul to hear it? f#.a
A hundred yards or more into the pass the
Americans had penetrated, when suddenly a
young Mexican, rushing back open their ranks,
aixes the fallen fag Of Alahnac and dashes to
death.
70 see him, young and beardless, a very boy,
rush with his couhtry's fa,, with his barred
breast, upon that line Of sharp steelit was
sight to stir towards into manhood, and it shot
into Mexican hearts like an electric flame.
Even in their paaic staicken disorder they
turned by hundreds; they rrasped arms and
rolled into one long wave Of lances ana bayo-
nets upon the foe Woe to the brave men Of
illinois and Kentucky now! Locked in that
deadly pass, wall CT inuria ed Mexicans be-
tween them and thai wall ofrocks--above their
heads through every apperthre among the cliffs,
the Blaze OF mdskets pouring a shower ofbu-
let's in their faces--wherever they turned, the
long and deadly lance pointed at their throatI
1t was q moment to think once of home and
die.
Those who survived that fearful moment tell
with shudlering triumph the deeds of three
Hardin and Clay. ..... .
Mckee, you see him yonder with his shat
tered sword dripping with blood, he endeavors
to ward off those deadly lances, and fights on
his knees when he can stand no longer, and
then the combatants close over him, and you
see him no more.
Hardin arose from heap Of slaughtered ia:
ces his face streaming from ts hideous lance
wounds, and waved Mexican flag in triumpI,
IS his life blood ru hes in a torrent over his
muscular form. That instant the full light oi
battle was on his mangled face. Then fllnging
his captured flag to a brother soldier, ''Give it
to her as memorial Of Buena Vislal My wifel"
IL was his last words. Upon his barred breast
the fury of ten lances rushed, and the horses
hooi trampled him into the heap of the dead.
But most sad and yet most glorious OF all
was to see the death OF the second Henry Clay.
You should have seen him. with his back a.
gainst yonder rock, his sword erasped firmly,
as tho consciousness that he bore q name that
must not die ingloriously seemed to fill his ev
cry vein and dart deadly fire from his eyes!
At that time he looked like the old man.
For his brow, high and retreating, with the
blood clotted hair waving back from the out
line, was swollen in every vein as though his
soul shone from it ere it fed forever. Lips
set brows knit, hands firm--a circle OF men
fighting round him--he dashed into the Mex-
cans until his sword was wet his arms weary
with blood. aa
At last with his thigh splintered by ball he
gathered his proud form to its full height and
lel. HIS face ashy with intense agony, he bade
his comrades to leave him there to die. That
ravine should be the bed Of his glory.
But gathering around him guard OF breast
of steel-while two oftheir number bore him
along these men Of Kentucky fought round
their iallen hero, and as retreating step by STEP
they launched their swords and bayonets into