The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-01-23

very ocY, rush With his Dared breast,
upon that line Of sharp stcel-it was a
sight to stir towards into manhood, aud
it shot INTO the Mexican hearts like an
electric flame.
Evcu in their panic stricken disorder,
they turned, BY hmdrcos, they graspcd
their arms, and rolled in one long wave
Of lance and bayonet upon tho foe. Woe
to the brave men Of Illinois and Ken.
tucky now Locked in that deadly
pass, wall Of infurlatcd Mexcans be.
tween them and that wall Of rock
above their heads through every aper-
ture among the cliffs, the blaze Of mus.
kcts pouring shower Of bullets in their
faccs-whcrever they turned, the long
and deadly lance poised at their throars
it was moment TO think once OF home
and die
Those who survived that fearful mo.
mcnt. tell with shuddering triumph Of
tho deeds of the three heroes Mckee,
lIardin %nd Clay,
Mckee, you see yondcr, with his
shattered sword dropping blood, he en-
deavors to ward of tho aim Of those
deadly lanccs, and fights on his knees
when he can stand 10 longer, and then
the combatan,s close over him and you
sec him no more.
Hardin rose from heap Of slaughter.
cd ioes, his face streaming from its hide.
ous lance wounds, and waved Mexican
flag in triumph, rs his llc blood gushcs
in u torrent over his muscular form.
That instant the full light OF battle was
upon his mangled face. Then, Ainging
The captured flag to brother soldier
he shouted: "Givn il to her as u memo,
rial to Bncna Vista My wife n 1t
was his last words. Upon his breast
the fury Of ten lanccs rushed, and tho
horses hoofs tramped him into the heap
Of dead.
But most sad and yet most glorious
Of all was to SEQ the death o( the Second
Henry Clay You should have seen
Inn, with h,s back against yondcr rock
his sword graspcd firmly, as the consci.
business that he bore name that must
not die ingloriously, seemed to fill his
every vein, and dart deadly fire from
his eyes
At that moment lie looked like the old
man.
For his brow, high and rctrcaling.
cith the blnod-clottcd hair wa wing back
'ro!, It's outline, was swollen in every
VEN, "S though his soul shonc from it,
ere sue nso forever. Lips set, brows
ngns"s ng'"s roua 1afn cFIsaa aaasiCcdF &c dFf into }Gs
Mexicans until his sword was wet, his
,rm weary with blood.
At last, with his thigh splintcrcd by
bnll, he gathered his proud from to its
full height, and fell. IIls face ashy
with intense agony. he babe his com.
radcs to leave him there to die. That
ravinc should DO tho bed of his glory.
But gathering around him, guard of
| breasts and stcel--whilc two Of their
number bore him tendcrly along these
men of Kentucky fought round their
fallen horo, and as relrcat,ng step by
step, they launched their swords and
bayoncts into the faces of the foe, they
said with every blow: Henry Clay -
1t was wonderful to see how that name
ncrvcd their arms, and called a smile to
tho face of the dying hero. How it would
have made tho heart Of the old man of
Ashland throb, to have heard his name
yelled rs battle cry down tho shadows
of that lonely pass
Along the ravinc, and up this narrow
path The hero blccds as they bear him
on, andotracks tho way with his blood.
Faster and thicker ths Mexicans swarm
they sec the circle around the fallen
man. even his pale face, upliGcd as n
smile crosses its fading lincamcnts, and
like pack ofwclvcs scenting the frozen
traveller at dead Of night, they come
bowling upon The rocks. and charge tho
devoted band with ono dense mass Of
bayonets.
Up and on The light shines yondcr
on tho topmost rocks Of tho ravine. 1t
Is the light OF tho setting sun. Old Tay.
lor's ego is upon that rock aiid there we
will fight our way and die in tho old
mans sight
1t was mnrderous way, that path
up tho steep bank Of the ravine Litter
cd with dead, slippory with blood, it
grow blackcr every moment with Mexi.
cans, and the defenders OF tho wounded
hero, iell one by one, into the chasm
yownlng all round.
At last they reached the light, the
swords and hayonets glitter in sight Of
tho contcnding armies, and the bloody
contest roars towards the topmost rock.
Then it was that gathering MP his
dying frame, armed with supernatural
vigor, young Clay started from tho arms
OF his supporters, and stood with out
stretched hands, in the light Of tho sot.
ting sun 1t was glorious sight which
he saw there, amid tho rolling battle
clouds; Santa Annals formidable array
hurled back into ravine and gorge, by
Taylor's little band. But more rio.
rious thing it was to see that dying man
standing for the last time, in the light Of
that sun, which shall never rise for him
ngain.
"beave mel" he shrickcd, as he fell
back on the sod, ~ must die, and I will
dic here! Peril your lives no longer for