Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-04

mostly by horses feeding upon the grain Of the
rancherOs.
awe could look directly down upon the
azotea, OF fat roof, Of the main building, which
was reached from below by a narrow sclIttie or
trap-door. The place, like all Mexican country
dwellings. was without windows, with only one
entrance TO the one great room within. by the
side of this house was a low, matched " leanto'
probably sometimes used by the occupants as 4
kitchen or store-room. The ascent to the rOoi OF
this was EASY, and from that to the main build
ing there were but a few feet Of rough VAN 90
climb to the azOtea.
IAN these things we had accommodated from
our biding places, and our mode of attack was
arranged accordingly.
soon as the fires were e~xtinguishtd in the
rancho, and we were satisfied that the greaserS,
doubless wearied from a hard days ride, had re-
tired TO the buildings, our plans were put into
execution.
First we recapped our r~evolvers and caTblnes,
and then, filling our haveTsacks with small cob
/ blv stones from the stream at the foot of the
hill. we directed our course cautiously, and IN
! silence. to the first building. With cat-ike tread,
we reached the outbuilding, assembled its ROOT,
| and without a challenge climbed to the azotea OF
the large building.
oAscertaining that we had all reached the
/ roof. the sergeant whispered, Now, boys, wen
soon clear the rancho Of these rats; for unless
! Pm greatly mistaken in greaser courage, the
| first latto of these chaps on their heads tap
ping his hayersack as he spoke-'wel send
them swarming to the chapparal. IheyAthlhk
| the dav of Judgment has come upon them with
its big hail Now for the trap!' And four OF
ms. each taking hold of a side, lifted it n%oiseless-
~ from its place TO the root. As we did so, a
J rush of heated air, and a confused sound OF deep
| breatlines, told US that the room below was tuli
Of sleeping men.
." WAKE EN- up now, boys, with a touch OF
Comanehei' shouted Frank Sprague, as we
leaned over the opening, each hand armed with
a cobble stone.
THE sergeant's voice was drowned IN a wild
fndian-like veil from every throat of us; and
before the startled and bewildered greaseTs had
sprung to their feet, we hurled upon them
the contents of our haversacks, and then IN
! rapid succession poured upon them a deadly fire
from our revolvers.
"Howls, grOans and cries of terror filed tht
place; and those who had escaped our destruc.
tive missiles, bursting open the door OF th'
| house. rushed terror-stricken from the rancho
a~rousia their comrades in the other building
with the terrible cry Of 'LadjOst ApdiOSn
"'Ha! ha! hai' shouted Frank, that was
well done, boys. As we expected, the cowardly
hounds have taken us for Comanches, and that
L AAE last w EAkdAA - Va AZ an ~ 0W ~
TO number mess-mates till they've put at least
GOOD league between them and u.s.
cat this moment the broad disc of the moon
which had been yelled by the clouds, emerge,
to view, and her light showed that the streets o
the rancho were clear and ia the distance, max
inc for the nearest chaparral, could be seen th'
panic-stricken g~uerillas, in headlong retreat
none hating long enough to mount their horses
which Were still tethered in the c%orals, as we haC
first seen them.
Again the clouds crept over the moon, anC
we were once more surrounded by darkness
And as we could not gather up our horses ant
start for camp till the return of daylight, VT
started forth in a body to r%ecOnnoiter the place
in search for the supplies we so much needed
Still, to keep up the deception, we initiated the
wild whoop Of the savages, with which the pool
rancheros were too familiar, for they had annual
y suffered from their awful visitations.
We were passing a low, but strong building
partially fortified, as many Of the dwellings
usually are IN Mexican village, when to our great
surprise, we were hailed by a discharge of eS
copets directed upon us from loop holes cut
through the adobes, Fortunately the guns were
badly aimed, and the shots ratified against the
opposite building, above our heads, and feb harm
lessly at our feet.
ave lost no time, but before they could give
us another round, made a rush to the door OF
the house, where covered by the thick walls, We
would be less exposed 70 the shots from within.
Still, however, those in possession Of the house
continued to blaze away at random, in a manner
that satisfied us that though they were not very
skillful soldiers, they were wei supplied with
ammunition, and were determined to keep us al
bay.
'What could we dol They were safely pro-
tected behind their walls-our weapons were
harmless, situated as we were, and after a hur.
ried consultation, we concluded to leave the
spot, and waiting for the return of the morning
light, then decide upon some mode of routing
the enemy from their stronghold.
"While in low tones we kept mp Our CONVEX
sation, aud were Withdrawing along the walls
the Mexicans ceased their firing, apparently lis
tenng to our words.
Z" 'rhey are not COmaHchest OH they are
not Indies they are observation-disclosures to ON
Mother of Gods we heard, uttered in the soft
tones Of a w0man's voice. And then we heard
the same musical voice addressed to some one
within:
" Speak to them, Senior! They are your own
countrymen, Pm sure. Oh, thanks be to the
Blessed Virgin they are not those terrible
Comanehes We and our darlings are now
/ safet Speak, Senior, speak TO themi'
"And then we heard a feeble, but manly voice
ask in English if we were Americans.
q" Good heavens . exclaimed Frank Sprague
] know that voice. It's Lieut.. Holman's, and
he livesi Yesi YES! lieutenant he shouted
we are friends, and we've come in search o
wont But what does this mean We thougbf
we had driven all the greasers from the rancho.
80 And so you have, for ought we know, boys,
answered tile other. But, come in, we're al
| friends here
aWhile this hurried conversation was carried
on. the door was unfastened, and returning to it
we entered the house. 1t was filed only witt
Mexican lo0meR and girls; while wounded ant
confined to a cot in a corner of the room, lay
our young lieutenant. His story was soon told
while his little party was attacked by thl
g~uerillas, and his companions murdered, he wa.
badly wounded, and taken prisoner to the rancho
Of San Juan, where his captors in revenge f0
the loss of some Of their own men, determined
to put him TO death. He was, however, ~secrete(
by the women Of the place, who took him, fG
safe keeping from the guerillas, to the hous,
where we found him. Here they stood guart
over him, keeping the cut-throats at a respectful
distance, and being well armed with the weapon.
of the cowardly troop, which they had possessed
themselves OF, were prepared to defend them
selves against the supposed Indians, when tn,
~rascals fled so ~precipitately from the place.
"There, hoys,' concluded Charlie Everett, a,
he resumed the cruteh he had thrown among til,
flowers, there was a specimen of true MexicaI
women, God bless them When daylight came
they had prepared a feast Of roast Kid, %tOrtiilas
aud chocolate for us, which you better believe W,
did iustice to; and when the sun was three
hours high, we rode into our little camp viii
every stolen horse, and our wounded lieutenan
suspended in a comfortable litter between +;
couple Of the gentlest Of them. SO much fol
los SeHOrast"