Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-01-05


ready for the impending charge But
the enemy did not venture out, and
the bright red sun went down beyond
the goldeu-Wntcd mountain leaving us
occupying the same ground
A DISMAL NIGHT.
"A portion of cur division again re-
turned to camp, leaving, as before q
strong force tc hold thr vapQulshed
ground. Tho Mississippi regiment
was portion of the force lett
10 the city, the commanding
The camp and leaving tie regi-
mental commanders in charge Fort
Diablo as before stated and several
other Qualifications ia oar vicinity had
never been evacuated hut on tbo con-
irAry had heen strengthened and Vein-
forced. Tho night following was very
dark. 4 slow rain fell u most az The
night aud q cold and o damp bivouac
Nongide 81 inhenclimen,s, formed
mostly Of dead MeXicans and mules,
1 with a leg on au arm protruding from
/ the cmbankment at intervals was
| anything but pheasant. Our commits.
shry pnd his assistants, under cover Of
the darkness, CROPPED their way into
our diamal quarters and distributed
/ ratlops, the first we had tasted since
the morning.
PREPARATIONS FOR A MtnNlGHr
CHARGE
Al midnight q slormlng party was
organized 10 be led by dashing
Buhnitern who wished 60 dlAhnpuish
himself Go attack and capture Fort
DiablO Company y the company to
which the writer belonged was q part
of the detachment Most OF us knew
the ground, and while there WAS not
spark TO guide US, we had no dill-
Guilty IN following the proper direction;
but our pickets, as we ascertalned,
were distant only about ten steps from
theirs. We had advanced but a few
steps when the blaze came forth from
the mug2le of NsentrY muaset which
almost reached cur lines. The hgave
sergeant ia tho lead fell dead
} The alarm WAS given at che fort
and very soon that whole vicinity was
lighted up by rockets. We returned
4 to our former position in time TO es-
3 cape the shower OF balls that swept
the ground where we had Just been
formed.
THE FORT EVACUATED.
! Very soon after the alarm we heard
a preparations for the removal and evac-
4 uRtion OF the fort and when day be.
( gan TO break they moved out leaving
, al their artillery, some ammunition
n and an immense quantity Oh hand
a gronadea distributed along the wall 10
2 be used In case of night ettnci. II
n waH the opinion OF our officers after
"a examining the trength OF the defense
/. and the facilities of the enemy for re-
a polling attack, that few, II any would
q have survived II we had been per-
= mitted 10 carry out the programme
Il and make the midnight charge
a aaa nHa avn A + d. Al
h GERS
a Just 40 daybrauk o terrible firing
K was commenced In the direction Of the
Y city and not more chan two hundred
4 yards from us. II seemed a prolonged
e volley, and Gs It would almost cease
e and then commence again, we noticed
B. that rifles were raising tho ruupus aud
u not muskois. The mystery was solved
as soon ne dayliqht came, IL seems
that large detachment Of Texas RAM
a gers had placed their horses IN a o0urt-
M yard adjacent TO one Of the eueny's
/ forts The bold rangers were 5000 dis-
e. covered and two on three companies of
.e Mexican infantry quietly took posses-
e sion Of the roof of large stone
~ building which overlooked the
rs squad of Texans who We're
x not slow 10 take In the situation, but
I. leaving their horses took possession OF
: another and higher houso-tOp. Here
I. IN the darkness they waited for tho
,e FIRST streaks OF day, tho MtXicans firing
e down AT the riderle6a horses and un.
j conscious OF the fearful danger that
hi was suspended over them. As day
l. light appeared they were so COM
h. pletely surprised and panic-stricken
% that they did not return The terrible
,g Gre of the rangers, but all who could
b jumped from the parapeis On the
y stone pavements below. leavinW
K hundreds Of their slaughtered oon-
" p8uionsOn the hOuaetop This was one
o occasion during the battle / am at
q tempting to deacybe where
Il THE wArER-sPoUrs FROM THE HOUSE
's TOPS RAN HUMAN HOOD.
The morning OF the 21d opened fair,
and the mists that hung over the city
n and along the valley were quickly dis
IF PEELED by the bright rays Of the sun.
!, The enemy's works had all been cap-
& tured In the southern, eastern and
n western suburbs except the Black
y fort, which, isolated and alone, still
a stood bold and defiant. The Mexican
/. army was gathered In the main plaza
u OF the city, in tho streets und on the
X housatopa, which, with their fiat roofs
y and pierced parapets, were admirably
n tuntAiItttN iDi bulH hAhN NA MNilAfet
every house being Of itself fort.
sACKINQ THE CRY.
h There was lulli the battle and IL
4 was announced that deAchments were
q TO be formed To sack the
/. city. That meant to Us
3 n free fight and every squad for itself
, Free and constant Communication had
= been and WAS still kept Up with Gen.
Worth hy mems OF earfielH, who de-
Il acribed three-foarths OF circle to
+ reach his headquarters. and travelled
d perhaps dozen miles, while on a d.
y rect line was barely three, We found
d that bis troops had similar orders to
Z our own, and his were 10 advance
/ from the northern and western por-
Llona Of the city while ours NJ IhesaIne