San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-11-22
Written Tor the Pass PHsss.
"reminiscences OF o Texas Veteran'--ihe
Santa Fe Expedition, etc.
tcopyrighied.l
XLyII.
DY O. ERHARD.
KEspALL's NARRATIVE CONTINUED.

San Miguel is rough anu uho'on' i"
ming over hills, and crossing deep gul-
lies. Bad as it was, however, and
faint and tired as we were, we reach
ed small prairie within six miles OF
the latter place about midnight. The
heavens now became suddenly over
cast, and a dark thender-cloud soon
rendered it impossible for even our
guard to see the way any further
inst az the shower commenced falling
a halt was called, and lying upon the
ground without blankets, and in the
midst of tremendous rain, we slept
sound till morning.
A walk, or rather hobble of two
hours, for we were so stiff and foot
sore, that we could not walk, brought
us once more to the plaza or public
square of San Miguel. The place
was now literally filed with armed
men-a few regular troops being
stationed Immediately about the per-
son of Armijo, while more than nine
tenths of the so-called soldiers were
miserably deficient in every military
appointment. A sergeant's guard
of regular troops was Immediately
detailed to take charge of our little
party, and after bidding adieu to Don
Jesus, as we hoped forever, we were
marched to small room adjoining
the soldiers quarters. This room
fronted on the plaza, had small win
dow looking out in that direction; but
the only entrance was from the door
on the side. Sentinels were imme-
diately placed at the little window
and door, leading us to suppose that
this was our regular prison house;
but we were there scarcely ten min
utes before young priest entered the
door, and said that one Of our party
was to be Immediately shot! While
looking at each other with looks OF
eager inquiry, wondering that one
WAS to be shot and not all, and while
each of us was earnestly and pain
fully specializing on the question OF
which this fellow Armijo had singled
out for a victim, the young priest
raised himself on tiptoe, and looking
over our heads, pointed through the
window of our close and narrow pris,
on. We hurriedly turned our eyes
in that direction, and were shocked
at seeing one of our men, his hands
tied behind his back, while a bandage
covered his eyes, led across the plaz'
by q small guard Of soldiers. Who
the man was we could not ascertain
at the time, but that he was one O
the Texans was evident enough iron
his dress. The priest said that h
had first been taken prisoner, tina
while attempting to escape he hat
been retaken, and was now to suite
death. A horrible death it was, too
His cowardly executioners led him t
O. house near the same corner OF tn
square we were in, not twenty yard
from us, and after heartlessly pushinn
him upon his knees, with his hea
against the wall, six of the guar
stepped back about three PAGES, an
at the order of the corporal, shot tn
poor fellow in the back Even a
that distance the executioners bu
half did their barbarous work; TO
the man was only wounded, and la
writing upon the ground in grea
agony. The corporal stepped up, an
with a pistol ended his sufferings b
shooting him through the heart ;
close was the pistol that the man
shirt was set on fire, and continue
to burn until extinguished by h
blood. . r.
: Scarcely was this horrible scer
: over before we were taken by a stron
E guard from our prison. Witho'
even being able to divine their int
t tons, we were marched directly
!. our late companion, conducts
t through two or three streets and
d nally paraded in front of a small Al
a gloomy howell having single windo'
e Tie movement was conducted siler
= ". and there WAS mysterious lsoleI
, nity about it which, added TO the Ia
e barbarOus murder Of one Of our Pi
J. ty. overwhelmed MS with sensatiO
: ef doubt and alarm, even more
e suppoTtable than rOlh have been
e order fox Our instant execution
; ]