The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-23

4sOTnSH4 th0. sun arose IN a SplenuOr
u Ind booked snilingly down upon
the doomed victim Of Mexican treachery
and gave no token of the terrible butch.
cry about to take place. At an early
hour we were removed from our quar-
tcrs to a peach orchard, just outside the
fort, which overlooked the surrounding
c@lAtsy - Wbitas handkerchiefs war;
It'd fodhd GU arms to distinguish Eus
frdnrF aKotn amen ,swe were told. AT
nine o'clock Fannin's men were Of *, ed
to fall into line, and were drawn up
in double files, extending across
the yailssof ,'tAe foft from
the cannon at, the gate. to the opposite
wall. They were then divided into three
divisions, and being toll that they We're
required to drive a large herd of cattle
into town, the cowardly Mexicaus fear,
ing them even in their weakness and
without arms, were ordered to march.
The first division, as it filed out of the gate
of the fort. was marched straight for
ward, and the sdcppd division was
made to wheel to the right, aud the
third division to the left, on lines at
right angles with the line of the first
Thu Mexican intantry., with
foe&\ hjskc9. u.s. Saeh division came
odt! fIlfi6 On diffeieHt sides OF it nsin.
gle file, and at the same time cav.
alrymen, with drawn swords fell in
parallel with each line of infantry. The
brisopets III sst,isg time began to feel
greatly alarmed. The Mexicans sud
denly hated and began fixing bayonets,
and, Just a some one shouted; ''Boys,
we aye about to be shot!" a peal Of fire.
Aims, follb%ed by dismayed and terrific
shrieks from the prisoners in the mid
die division, announced that the bloody
outchery had begun, and the most per-
iidious act in the annals Of warfare was
about to be consummated. This OPEN
ing fire was a preoohserlsd signal Of the
cowardly executioners, who, advancing
within a few,fset of the prisoners, fired
directly into their faces. TO describe
he tef 4bleS bens would be impossible.
The agtnizne shrieks of the wounded
a. the bloody bayonet met them At every
turn. the dead and the dying, and the
demoniac yells u. the inhuman butchers,
are beyond the power of mortal tongue
to depict. With that hope born of des'
peration and agonizing fear. about fifty
men made a. break and rushed instinct
iuelt HwSH tBUaSk.bfthe SAN Anto,
mo- phrs1 N bt he.ihfurifted eQldiefY.
by whom many were overtaken and
killed. About twenty-five men, who
had divested themselves of their KNAPP
sacks and. such. articles Of clothing a:
they cod ,sasa thy I'm, 4hcoeedsd
in reaching the river, and plung
ed lin,1 But few lived to reacl
the opposite shore, most O
them being picked off 10 the water BY
musket shots. Some of them gained the
1 opposite bank and concealed themselve'
| in the bushes and timber skirting tn
river bank, onlyt to be hunted down ant
murdered by company Of Mexican
aaoapalsu, which had been posted acros
the river to intercept any one VIII
might escape the slaughter at the fort
A let isusaee6f iG ddncaaling them
selves in such a manner as to evade de
lection by crawling into the high gras
on the prairie away from the river. Tn
Mexicans, thinking they had extermi
mated the entire band, passed on, an
the survivors, without hats, shoes, an
no clothing except Abts and SHIFT, ra
for miles into the prairie Until they san
from utter exhaustion. They RENAME
in this position the entire day, not da'
ing to more 'oy speak, :4d. atlngt
started on their uncersaid tourney, h
! wildered, half;starved, and nearly fan
|isKed. The tiArdshibs Of these men, an
, their many hairbreadth escapes, a
It'd Ne aftee1as1 byeee Of the fey tn.
) q er| Ed he Shod (e aid fnsnd Noul
bok. Nteskhe Shasisera 4f wei
J taken back to our quarters, and in g
ing to. the fort. saw. Colonel. Fam
: bound IS q chair, where he was 'NiA
folded and shot. The bodies of Il
: murdered soldiers were stripped aakt
!. and piled up ip large heap and bhrnt
I ~ thu in6unia1, monsters. Colon
, Fannin's body was also stripped %
burned upon the same pile.
: Colonel Waeassad ten companio ,
: subsequently, Effected stheit escape I
: swimming the San Antonio River q,
!, taking to the woods, finally 'reaehi'
Shermah's advance cavalry; after s
: days Of terrible hardship.
I'll ,s',E7tVa .rs aEEl.. .. ,.'3
), An exceedingly ludicrous incide,
t not to be found Ia the accepted Shah
t spearean text Of "Richard ILL., to-
i place last evening at the Brush Strt
al Theatre during the performances Of I
ylabbve tragedy. The play had reach
oil tho, end Of the second act withe
: interruption, bur during the foliowi
J act and just at . climax the even ter
J. nlMhs ipsrfpKz7aacsl wssatar thA Il!
70 being serie usly disturbed. Mrs. Hayd'
Il wife Of the manager Of the Keene trouI
'e sat in the left hard sAgS bpx sYiths
II tragedian's son, Shttle boy Of sdmehl
" years Of age, who was leaning agsi