Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-06-18


rear defense, and the prairie wall fo
our front, no wonder that we determin'
ed not to return to the main body, bu
to send back two messengers, and fol
ourselves, to camp for the night anG
await Burlison's arrival.
"All notion of fighting passed away
and we foolishly imagined that our pres.
ent situation was unknown to the enc
my. We were about as wise as the silly
bird that hides her head In the bush, and
thinks herself perfectly safe until fire
in the rear convinces her too late Of hel
error. We had not been in our new
camp moro than an hour before Mexican
women began to come in, with 'polences
and 'tortillas' for sale. We bought of
their wares, and they Immediately after
leaving camp, went up to Bexar and re-
ported our exact number. l found af
terward that they had stated eur force
at ninety-two, which it was at the time
although two men were subsequently
sent back to Burlison.
might drew on. We made our fires,
cooked our suppers, eat, drank, smoked,
and were merry. A guard was set, and
one by one the rest departed for the land
of Nod. Although esmped on a bot
tom,' slept like top. Toward morn
ing my neighbor-I almost said bed-fel-
low, for our blankets touched-grasped
my leg gently, and woke me up.
"'HistP he said in low voice.
"'Whst is itg inquired 1, in half
asleep and thoroughly cross tone.
"'Hush for your lifeP he replied in a
whisper; listen. do you hear anything ?
Like Bottom, I was all ears in mo-
ment. Above the noise made by the
rushing waters at our feet, l heard a
moHrnful and dismal sound, as like the
low moan of a dog as anything that 1
could compare it to.
'PshawP said i. it's nothing but a
wolf or a hound
"'Yes.' repliei my companion who was
no other than the noted Col. Bowie.
Yes, you are right; there are wolves
about, but the sound you hear is the
creak of artillery Wheels
"'Let US alarm our men Instantly
said l.
"'No such thing he answered; keep
still those rsscals are upon the opposite
side of the river and they expect to sur
prise US. Let them think so, if possible,
until they make the attack. That wheel
has saved us. You do not hear it again.
and you will not, for if they have no
means of quieting it, they'll send back
for grease. I'll bet now that those
wheels are bound round with straw or
rags, and that the horses feet are cover
ed with cloth or buckskin, to preventan any
sound from reaching US. Unless some
thing goes wrong with them when they
ford the stream. you will hear nothing
further unit the artillery speaks
ut was fortunate thing for Us that
they were obliged to cross not more than
200 yards below the camp, for had they
come down on the prairie side. we would
probably not have heard them, as we
would have been to the windward.
Bowie went cautiously about the
camp, and arousing a few old scouts to
help him, soon had every man in camp
awake and prepared, and without the
least noise being made Ia the premature
reveille.
I'VE spread ourselves entirely around
our small placee of bottom land. facing
the prairie, knowing that thence must
come the attack. Presently we heard
the enemy cross the river. Had our
senses not been sharpened to the utmost
by knowledge of the impending and
imminent danger, We probably could
not have distinguished the slight noise
attending their crossing. from the rush.
ing sweep Of the river; but so prema-
turely acute did our hearing become,
that the low-toDed words of command
could be distinctly separated from the
other surrounding sounds. There was
just air enough to convey the slightest
noise to US without there being sufficient
to disturb even leaf.
"At last they were all over, and then
slowly and carefully did they march
round to take post on our front, prepara-
tory to their intended attack. We could
hear them unlimber the cannon, and
were very sure that they were in reach
of our rifles. What weary moments
were those, as we lay, silent as the grave,
expecting every instant to hear the roar,
and feel the hurtling storm of their ar
tillery. But the fog had disconnected
them, and although it was but little
past when we were first alarmed. the
ruddy tint impaired to the dense mass
of vapor, now told US that the sun was
rising.
Never can forget that weary watch
ing, but its prolonged anxiety was as
nothing to the dreadful feeling of sus-
pense we experienced when the fog COM
menced lifting. and we could see the
feet of the horses and the lower part of
the wheels of the artillery. At this mo-
ment word was whispered cautiously
the ranks for each man to pick
out his mark, and to fire from rest, at
the word of command. Higher and high
er the fog drew up. 1t was evident that
the decisive moment was at hand. Off
GERS passed in front of the line of horses,
issuing orders.
Take a tree, whispered Bowie to me;
take tree,th nearest one to our breast
work that you can
"a cool breeze fans our fevered cheeks:
dense mass of vapor rolls up as q cur