The National tribune., 1885-01-08
A FEARFUL MARCH.
From Matagorda Bay to San Antonio.
An UnceremOniOus "NOrther."
[COncl,t9ed from last reek.]
A DAY OF MAppENING THIRST.


When in despair and desperation, at night
men usually pray for speedy day; but with us
it was different. With the day would come
the heat and the choking dust, and with these
would come tenfold more agonies. Often the
things worst feared soonest happen, and so
came that day-the 10th day of July, 1865.
With it came all the horrors our worst fears
conjectured. Worse than that, we knew We
had left many men by the wayside in the last
IL miles, but no one thought the number would
reach 500. Bat what of the five miles yet to
be accomplished? None knew; few even dared
to think. The scanty trees fringing the banks
OF the lake could be seen. How we longed TO
be there! What a haven of rest; what very
Heaven on Garth it presented but who would
live to enter? Who could possibly hold out
faithful to the end? Our ranks we're already
decimated % per cent. If any imagined that
they had suffered before, they certainly lost
all consciousness of it in the ensuing five hours
Five miles! awful five miles! With the des-
perate energy of despair they endeavored to
reach the haven. They moved from one spot
only to melt down in another. They staggered
from one side of the road only to fall pros rate
on the other. Organization was useless; in
fact there was no organization at all. There
was no leader but hope. Our gallant General
was in the rear, encouraging and assisting tho
fallen. All attempts at command were given
up in the mad rush for self preservation, if a
snail-like pace could be called rush.
Five o'clock a. M found us with about 500
men in line, in regimental organization; 10
o'clock a. m. found 30, all told of US at the
brink of the lake, with the coI0rs of the Sth
Kan, carried by Thos. Adamson. The colors of
the 32d lid. were few rods back. The other
1,400 men lay PROSTATE on the last five miles
of road in all, about 1900 men were scattered
along the 16 miles of sunburnt, alkali torture
No sound escaped their lips. The stiffness Of
death pervaded the brazen heat. To groan
was an agonizing effort. 1t was a literal con-
fict with death. The black flag was raised
and no quarter given. With our comrades
sinking down before and behind; sinking
away on the right and on the left, without a
murmur, only bidding us God-speed, was a
sight so sickening as never to be forgotten.
My mess-mate and 1 survived the struggle to
within 100 yards of the lake (being then in
advance), when he sank away from me. in
sisted upon raising him, but he forbade me,
and hurrying forward / was among the first to
reach the water.
Not a minutes time was wasted. Every en-
ergy was put forth to relieve the suffering, but
it was not until the 18th that all were gath
cred in. OF course, the revival of the stouter
was quick, but the weaker suffered for days,
and many died from the effects of that march.
Many more survived, and live yet to-day
walking monuments, living statues, remnants
OF struggle against death from heat and
thirst, living martyrs to the cause of liberty
and human rights-surviyors of fight in
which there was no excitement no noise, no
booming of cannon, no clash OF arms no blood
shed, nothing but simple, unadulterated death.
Practically banished by our Government and
fOrsaken by high Heaven-our woes and our
misfortunes were all that we could bear.