Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-08-03
YOUNG ETENRY CLAY:
A GsrnpIaic Account of this Gallant
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IT was near the setting of the sun,
when the men of PalO Alto, ReSaca
de la Palma and Monterey saw the
clouds come down on the charge OF
Buena Vista, and a splendid scene, !
worthy of the days of Washington,
closed the day in glory.
Do YOU behold that dark ravlne, |
deem suuRen between these preeipi- I
TONS ban se Hfereno'sunlight comes, |
for the walls of rock wrap up the |
pass in eternal daylight. Withered |
trees grow between masses OF gran |
ite. and scattered stones make the
bed of the raVine uncertain and diff
ficult for the tread. ~
Hank! that cry, that PUSHES, ike
a mountain torrent bursting It's BAR
riers. and quick as the lightning
flashes from darkness, the. dismal
ravine is bathed in battle light.
From its northern extremity con-
fused band of Mexicans, an army in
itself, came yelling along the pass,
treading one another down as they
fly; their banners, spears, horses
and men tossed together in inextri-
cable confusion. By thousands they
rush into the shadow OF the pass,
their dark faces Redeemed with the
heated glare of musketry. The GAYS
erns of the raVine send back the
roar of the panic, and the gray rocks
are washed with their blood.
But the little band that pursues
this army-whO are they? You may
see in their firm, heroic ranks, the
volunteer costume of Illinois and
kentucky. At their head, urging
his men with shunts, rides the gall
liant Mckee, by his side young Hem
nv CLAW. that broad forehead that re-
minds YOU of his father, bathed in
glare, rs his sword quivers on high
ere it falls to kill. There, too, a
wild figure, red with his own blood
and the blood of his Mexican foes,
his uniform rent in tatters, striking
terrible blows with his good sword
Hardin, of Illinois-came gallant
ly forward.
The small but iron band hurl the
Mexicans from the height i'm the ra-
vine, and follow up the chase far
down into the eternal twilight OF
that mountain pass.
Look As their musketry streams
its steady blaze, you would think
that a ceaseIess sheet Of lightning
bathed these rocks in flames! Over
the MeXicans, men and horses hur-
Americans dash ON their way, new
er needing the overwhelming num-
bers of their foes, never needing
the palpitating forms beneath their
feet. with bayOnet and sword they
press steadily on, their well-knOwn
banner ever streaming overhead.
The howl of the dying war-hOrse-
bark! Does it not chill your blood
to hear it? The horrible cry of the
wounded man, with the horses
hOof upon his mouth, trampling his
face to a hideouS Wreck-dOes 1t not
SicSen your soul to hear it?
A hundred yar1sOr more into the
pass the Americans had penetrated,
when suddenly a young Mexican,
rushing back opens their ranks,
raises the fallen flag of Alahanac
and rushes to death. To see him,
young and beardiess, very boy,
rush with his cOuntry's flag, with
barred breast upon that line of sharp
steel-it was a sight to stir towards
into manhood, and it shot into Mex
lean hearts like an electric flame.
Even i'm their panic stricken disOr-
der, they rallied by hundreds, they
grasped arms and rolled into one
long wave of lanceS and bayOnetS
upon the foe. Woe to the brave
men of Illinois and Kentucky /!
Locked in that deadly pass, a wall
of Infatuated MeXicanS between
them and that wall of rocks, above
their heads, through every aperture
among the cliffs, the blaze of mus
kets pouring a shower OF bullets IN
their faces-wherever they turned
the long and deadly lance pointed
IL n mr., ont
to think once of homeland die.
Those who survived that feaeful
moment tell with shuddering tri-
umph the deeds of three heroes
Mckee, Hardin and Clay.
Mckee, you see yOnder with his
shattered sword dripping with blood
he endeaVOTs to ward off those dead
ly4 lanees, and fights on his own
Is Knees When he can stand no longer,
and then the com batantS close ever
him, and you gee him no more.
Hardin arose from heap of
slaughtered dead, his face stream
ing from its hideOus lance wounds
and waved a Mexican flag in tri-
umph, as his likelihood rushes i'm a
torrent over his muscular form.
Then tlinging his captured flag to a
brOther-sOldier, "Give it to her as a
memorial of BUena Vista! My
wife ~ 1t was his last word. Up
Oh his.bared breast the fury of ten
lances, and the horses hOOfs tramp
eel him into the heap of the dead.
But most sad, and yet most glO-
riOus of all, was to see the death OF
the second Henry Clay. Aeu should
haveseen him, with isback against
wonder rock, his sword graSped
hC
bore Il name that must not die in
glOriOuSIy, seemed to fill his every
vein, and dart a deadly fire from
his ewes. At that time he looked
like the old man. For his brow
high and retreating, with the blood
clOttcd hair waiving back from the
outline, was swollen in every vein
as though his soul ShOne from it ere
it fled forever. Lips set, brow knit
hands firm-a circle of men fight
ing round him, he dashed into the
MRXicanS until his sword was wet
his arms weary with blood.
At last, with his thigh splinteTed
by a ball, he gathered his proud
form to its full height and fell. His
face ashy with intense agony, he
babe his comrades to leave him
there to die. That ravine should
be the bed of his glory. But gath
cred around him guard of breasts
of steel, while two of his comrades
bore him along. These men of Ken
lucky fought round their fallen he,
no, and, rs retreating step by step
they launched their swords and bay.
onets into the faces of their enemies
said with every blow, Henry
CIayp' 1t was wonderful to sec
how that name nerved their arms
and called a smile to the face of the
dying hero. How it would have
made the old man of Ashland throl
To have heard his name yelled as {
battle-cry down the shadows of thai
lonely pass! along the ravine anC
and up the narrow pass! The hero
bleeds rs they bear him on, anC
tracks the way with his blood
Faster and thicker swarm the Mex