The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04

bugle blast. Soon lines were formed
and the rolls called. There were no
soldiers inside the fort, only few of
ficers, who were counting the prisoners,
and making preparations of some sort in
a very quiet way. Now and then some
thing was said about the early release
AMI departure of the prisoners about
the necessity for Strengthening beeves,
and other preparations for voyage.
Soon number of prisoners, should
say at least $50, moved out OF the main
gateway, in the direction of the south
ern bastion. An officer came up to
where we were standing in line and or
dered us to move. AS we passed through
the gateway, the party that had gone out
ahead of us were turning the corner OF
the fortress, going apparently toward
the river. We turned the opposite way,
and entered small peach orchard, where
we were told TO sit down on the grass
and keep quiet.
THE CowARDLY CRIME.
On one side of this orchard, facing the
Matamoras road, was line of officers
tents. The other side was protected by
cactus hedge, beyond which was an
old graveyard, much dilapidated. The
western side was an open prairie, with
here and there a tree. The rest of the
prisoners then came out of the fort, one
half going three or four hundred yards
westward along the Matamoras road, and
the others in the direction we had taken.
The latter passed up the road, and, turn
ing round the orchard hedge, halted just
beyond the graveyard. A line of soldiers
marched on either side. A tall young
fellow walked at the head Of this party,
with Mexican blanket about his Shout
ders. He looked toward us, smiling
pleasantly. L had conversed with him
the day previous, when lie spoke hope
fully of an early departure for his home
in Pennsylvania. This party had barely
turned the cactus hedge when pro-
longed roar of musketry was heard in
the direction of the river beyond the
fort. The cry then arose among our
men that they were shooting the prison
ers. The firing was kept up for several
minutes, and then it died away in occa-
sional shots. The firing commenced at
the graveyard. The intervening bushes
prevented our seeing anything save the
could hear the trampling of feet and
the shouts and creams of dying men dis
tinctly.
Meanwhile my attention was directed
to the party that had marched out on
the road in front of the fort. They were
in plain view. Some accounts of this
massacre say that the prisoners were shot
while i'll sitting postures. This was not
the fact as to the party coming under my
notice. They halted when fairly out on
the open prairie, the soldiers forming a
line facing down the road. The prison
ers were then placed in single line
facing the soldiers. The soldiers then
faced the prisoners, and at the command
leveled their pieces, and each soldier
fired at the man directly in front of him.
About third of the prisoners fell,
others stood apparently astounded until
bayoneted, but about 40 of them ran in
various directions. Not one of these
fugitives escaped, however, as all were
pursued and either sabered by the dra-
goons or killed by the lancers.
THE MURDER OF THE WOUNDED.
The wounded prisoners, about thirty
in number, were murdered in the open
area, inside tho fertilization. Maj.
Dominguez, yellow, pink-eyed man, a
refugee from San Domingo, had charge
of the massacre. He obtained it by re-
quest, being friend of Gen. Garay.
This is the man, who, at Aqua Dulce,
caused Capt. Grant to be placed on the
back of wild horse, with lasso round
his neck. The horse was then whipped
till, maddened, ne dashed away, drag
cling Capt. Grant through thorny chap
parral. Grant was left dead upon the
ground and mangled in horrible man.
ner. This miscreant that morning
hacked wounded boy to death
while the lad was on his knees
praying. He and his assistants then
stabbed the wounded men TO death,
first dragging them from the hospital
floor.
Meanwhile, Father Maloney, the Gu
rate of San Patricio, pushed the three
American physicians and their assistants
into the vestry, and shut the door. He
had hardly done so when Sonora Pachita
Alavesque entered, and asked if they
were still alive. The priest answered
that they were still alive, but that he ex.
pected Dominguez for them every mo.
ment. Give him this note" she said,
"and if he dares to treat it with disre-
spect, lie shall never pass that door
alive" Soon DomiDguez entered.
"Show him the note, Father" said
Pachita. Dominique read the note,
which was signed "Garay," and
it directed that the three physicians
and their assistants should be re-
served from execution. Dominguez
walked away with an air of dlsappoint-
ment.
The last assassination was that of Col
Fannin. The Colonel, being wounded
was led out and sealed on q chair. Al
interpreter, Capt. Splan, had been left
for the purpose of explaining anything
the Colonel might have to say. The
Colonel took from his pocket letter
and his watch, and asked that they be
sent TO his wife. He then handed the
officer some doubloons, which he begged
him 10 accept, requesting that he would
have him shot through the heart and de
( Gently buried. All this was promised
the officer pocketing the money. Fan
min WAS then blindfolded, shot through
the head, his clothes stripped off, anC
the body dragged out through the mair
gateway, ard left lying on the grass.