The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-04-10
DEATH OF YOUNG HENRY CLAY.


It was near the setting Of the sun
when the men Of PalO Alto, Resaca de
Ia Palma and Monterey saw the clouds
come down on the charge of Buena
/ Vista, that a splendid scene, worthy Of
the days Of Washington, closed the day
in glory.
Do you behold that dark raTine, deep
sunken between those precipitous
banksP Here no sunlight comes, for the
walls Of rock wrap up the pass in eternal
/ twilight. Witbered trees grow between
masses of granite, and scattered stone
make the bed Of the Tavine uncertain
and difficult for the tread.
Hark That cry, that rushes Ike 9
mountain torrent bursting its barriers,
land quick as The lightning flashes from
darkness, the distant valley is batbed in
battle light. From its northern extrem-
/ ity a confused band of Mexicans, an
army in itself, came yelling along the
pass, treading one another down as they
hy 3: their banners, spears, horses aud
men tossed together in inextricable con-
fusion.
By thousands they rush into the shad-
ow Of the pass, their dark faces reddeDed
with the heated blaze Of musketry.
The caverns Of the ravine send back the
roar of the panic, and the gray walls are
washed with their blood.
But the little band who pursues this
army-Who are they? You may see in
! their firm, heroic ranks the volunteer
costume of Illinois and Kentucky. At
their bead, urging his men with shouts,
rides the gallant Mckee by his side
young Henry Clay, that broad forehead
which reminds you Of his father, bathed
in the glare, as his sword Quivers on
high ere it falls to kill. There, too,
wild figure, red with his own blood and
the blood Of his Mexican foes, his uni
form rent in tatters, his shoulders. stEik
ing terrible blows with his good sword
Hardin, of IllinOis-Came gallantly for
ward.
The small but iron band hurl the
MeEicans from the heights in the raTine,
and follow up the chase far down into
the eternal twilight of that mountain
pass.
Look As their musketPy streams
Its steady blaze, you would think that .
ceaseless sheet Of lightning bathed these
rocks in flames!
Over the MeXicans, men and horses
hurried back in mad disorder, the Amer
leans dash on their way, never needing
the overwhelming numbers Of their foe,
never needing the palpitating forms be
meath their feet, with bayOnet and sword
they press steadily on, their wei known
banner ever streaming overhead.
Tie howl of the dying Kar-hoFse-
bark Does it not chill your blood TO
hear it? The horrible cry Of the
wounded man, with the horses hoof
upon his mouth, tramping his face to ,
hide0us wreck-doe5 it not acken your
soul to hear it?
A hundred yards or more into the pass
the Americans had penetrated, when
suddenly a young Mexican, rushing
back, opens their ranks raises the fallen
fag Of Alahanae and dRshes to death.
70 see him, young and beardless, q
very boy, rush with his countFy's Tag
with barred breast upon the line Of sharp
steel-it was a sight to stir towards into
manhood, and 1t shot into Mexican
hearts like an electric flame.
Even in their paniC-stFiCken disorder
they rallied BY hundreds, they grasped
arms and rolled into one long wave Of
lanees and bayonets upo1f the foe. Woe
to the brave men of Illinois and Ken
tuckyt Locked in that deadly pass,
wall Of infuriated MexiCans between
them and that wall of rocks, above their
heads, through every aperture among
the cliffs, the blaze Of musketg pouring
a shower of bullets in their faces-Wllen-
ever they turned the long and deadly
lance pointed at their tlroate--it was
moment to think once Of home-snd
die.
Those who survived that fearful mo-
ment tell with shuddering triumph the
deeds of three herOes-Mckee, Hardin
and Clay.
Mckee, you see yonder with his shat
tered sword dripping with blood, he en-"
deavOrs to ward of those deadly lances,
and fights on his knee when he can
stand no longer, and then the combat
ants close over him, and you see him no
more.
Hardin arose from the slaughtered
dead, his face streaming from its hid
eous lance wounds, and waved q Mexican
flag in triumph, as his life blood rushes
in a torrent over his muscular form.
Then fiinging his captured flag to 3
brother soldier, "Give it to her as q
memorial of Buena Vista MS wifeP'
It was his last words. Upon his barred
breast the fury Of ten Iances, and the
horses hoofs tramped him into the heap
of the dead.
But most sad, and yet most glorious Of |
all, was to see the death of the second !
Henry Clay.
You should have seen him, with his
hack against yonder rock, his sword
Jped firmly as the consciousness that
he bore a name that must not die in
gloriouslv, seemed to fill his every vein, |
and dart a deadly fire from his eyes.
At that time he looked Ike the old
man.
For his brow, high and Eetreating,
with the blood-clotted hair waving back
from the outline, was swollen in every
vein as though his soul shone from it ere
it fed forever. Lips set, bTows knit,
hands irm-a circle Of men fighting
round him, he dashed into the Mexicsns
until his sword was wet, and his arms
weary with blood.
AT last, with his thigh Bplintered by a
ball, he gathered his proud form to its
full height and fell. His face ashy with !
intense agony, he bade his comrades 20 |
leave him there to die. That raVine |
should be the bed Of his glory.
But around him gathered 3 guard Of
breasts of steel, while two Of his com
rades bore him along. These men Of ]