The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-10-05

remOrseless cavalry behind, the bleeding
lines stumbled over dead and dying, and
reached the very foot of the walls. But
the nearer they came, the more deadly
became the effect of the Texan fire, and
the slaughter increased, until, despite
the cavalry in their rear, they broke
and fed in confusion to their camps.
Santa Anna now fastened to the field
in person, reformed the beaten columns,
and they were again driven forward, only
to be again hurled back with frightful
slaughter.
AS the stOrming column fell back, the
exhausted Texans ceased their fire, and
for some minutes a painful silence rested
on the bloody field, broken only by the
means of the wounded men, who lay
thick upon the ground without, over
which the assailing column had passed
It was fondly hoped by the besieged
garrison that the fercest of the struggle
was over, but they were disappointed.
The voice of command was soon heard
from the Mexican lines, officers were
seen hurrying to and fro, gathering the
remnants of their beaten regiments, and
the nearly exhausted garrison prepared
for a FINAL struggle.
Success was almost hopeless. The
excitement and exertiOn had left them
weak and Frustrated, several of their best
men rad fallen, and but a few rounds of
ammunition remained. But their firm
ness was mistaken. They removed the
dead, provided as best they could for the
wounded, and then renewed their pledge
to stand by each other to the last, and
never surrender while single defender
remained.
On came the dark lines of the enemy,
driven forward as before by the remorse-
less cavalry and the threats and en-
treaties of their officers. It was the
third and final assault. They struggled
through the same storm of bullets, only
less severe, as the number of brave men
had been sadly reduced but the yawning
gaps were quickly closed up, the living
pressed forward to fill the places of the
dead, and the terrible column swept to
the very foot of the wall.
With a shout of sxultation, fuller O
vengeful hate than the whoop of an
American savage, they planted the scaling
ladders, and, maddened with excitement
and frenzy, swarmed over the fortifca-
tions upon the struggling patriots, and
commenced the butchery.
There was no giving way no steps
backward, ne cry for quarter. Though
as one to ten, they continued the fight
with dubbed muskets, and died shout
ing for Texas. The brave Colonel Travis
was almost the first to fall after an
entrance was effected. Good save my
country, and bless my boy" were the
last words he uttered.
The death work was rapid, and in five
minutes scarcely a dozen Texans were
left alive. Seeing this, Major Evans
FASTENED with lighted torch to fire the
magazine as had been previously arr
ranged. He reached the spot, and was
on the point of applying the torch, when
be was riddled with bullets. The half
dozen who now remained were over
powered, disarmed, and the capture of
the Alamo was complete.
The bound captives were carried into
the presence of Santa Anna, who heaPed
upon them every conceivable insult, and
| finally ordered them to be taken outside
the camp and murdered. Among the
prisoners was the celebrated David
Crockett, who WAS captured with his
celebrated rifle, "Betsey," which had
been the gift of a club of Philadelphia.
The order was brutality executed, and
Mrs. Dickinson, wife of Lieutenant Dick
inson, one of the officers, her infant child,
a servant of Colonel Travis, and two
Mexican women who were employed by
the garrison, were all who remained of
the one hundred and eighty who had
fought so calamity for Texan liberty.
But they were not unavengsd, for before
the walls lay the bodies Of FIVE hundred
and twenty of the enemy, while eight
hundred and fifty more lay wounded in
their camps.