Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-11-22
4 STRANGE DELlVERA nee.
A Tale Of the Texas Frontier.

r. NJ, sharp. Thirty rounds. By order,
"CAPTAIN BORDER REGULATORS"
These were wild times on the Texan
frontier. No home was safe from
scenes Of rapine and pillage; no man,
woman or child secure from violent
death or fate even worse. Out OF
this condition Of things, and the leth-
argy OF our government authorities IN
obcying our urgent pleas for military
assistance, the independent organiza-
ton known rs the Border Regulators
was born.
We were stout, rcsolute body oi
men, made desperate by desperate
wlongs, and caring little for the dan
gers we encountered, so long NJ we
wreakcd vengeance on the bands OF
Mexican robbers and murderers who
infested our borders. SO every one OF
the fifty forming our secret company
knew, on receipt Of this laconic order,
That work was awaiting liz, for we had re-
ccivcd many similar ones before, and
many brave follow who then went
out with us never returned.
Our captain explained briefly the
motive of his call. A spy had brought
intelligence that II strong body of fero-
cious bandits were Congregating on the
Mexican bank of the Rio Grande, Mt II
point about m hours march distant,
preparatory 10 u rid on our people.
II was enough for us to learn that they
were under the leadership Of the cut
throat Cuchora, upon whose hands was
tho blood Of u nhundred butchered wo-
men and children of our Texan homes,
to secure an unanimous demand to be
led to their camp.
Ferrying the river, we made u stealthy
march through tho rank, tangled grass
and bush. The gucrrillas were all
asleep except y few guards, whom We
surprised and followed in so closely that
they did not succeed in arousing the
camp until we were charging back and
forth through it, dealing death and
destruction in our way.
The rout was complete the guerrilas
lying i'll all directions, with scarce an
attempt ut resistance, though, greatly
10 our surprise, thcy were -four times
the number Of our little company. In
five minutes after our first attack we
were separated into squads of five or
ten men each, all engaged in II frantic
rush in different directions after the
several wings of the iloeing robber
force.
never rcalizcdjus how il happened,
but III the rage OF this wild pursuit be-
came conscious that was alone III my
chase after u force Of twenty or thirty
fleeing guerrillas.
My foe seemed to discover the fact ut
the Same moment, and suddenly the
order of pursuit was changed fleeing
and the guorrillas III chase. Shots
hustled after me thick and fast, but !
would probably have escaped unframed
had | not run into the arms OF another
pnrty Of the flying gucnlllAs.
In u tricc was SGT upon, disarmed,
and bound in another breath should
have been mndc II target for II score OF
moro Of bullets had not II breathlcss
hrawnv cut-throat, whom | recognized
as the dreadful Cuchora himself, inter
fcred
Ten thousand curses ON him p he
Missed. killing is too mcrcilul for
him. Have not vowed to skin alive
every cursed Regulator who falls into
my hands2 Drag him away to the
Sallto stockade, and let him meet his
fate before lily al MI hour after daylight.
All hut five Of YOU follow me TO Our
new rendezvous mt La Posa.
An hours terrible tramp with the
five ruilians left guard over me,
brought us to Salito, II miserable little
Mexican hamlet, whose inhabitants
aMaked by our entry crowded TO their
doors and horribly rovilcd me, or re-
ioiccd over the terrible fate awaiting me
as revealed by my hoastfnl guards. !
felt relieved when thrown into a cold,
damp noisomo room, half under
ground, and strongly grated with iron
bars over the single aperture rear the
ceiling.
could hear the guards squatted out
side Of the aperture holding dosultory
conversation during the first fifteen ol
twenty minutes If my incarceration
and nj last coming u the conclusion
that one Of them was sufficient to stand
guard over mo. They agreed that they
would take turns 1T the task, the re.
manning four when of duty seeking
shelter and amusement i'll Il neighbour.
ing house, whose master possessed \
supply Of mescal, and was not averso
e Joining his guests in frequent hba
tons, and game of cards rs well
After they We're gone my remaining
guard found il rather prosN work keep
ing watch over 81 taciturn Il prisoner IL
mNself. and took frnnnenl strnlls q tha