, 1886-10-05
JEFF DAVIS AT sugnA VISTA. .


AnnIhnation of tho Mexican Lanoers-
The Fire from the Lines of the "v."
On the morning of the % | of Fe bruary,
1S47. as on the day before the wed
and even memorable POI, Col Davis led
eight companies of his regiment to the
field. two of them being left each day to
guard the camp at Saltillo. Arriving at
the battle ground he led the men up a
ravine to the left from the road. and soon
they were met by Col Bowles' Indiana
regiment. which had been overpowered
and driven back. Gen Joe Lane sat
bleeding on his horse. e~ndeavorlng to
rally them. 4Fall in." he cried, with tho
gallant Mississlppians Don't you see
they are not afraid" Davis walked. his
horse along at the head of his regiment,
calm, solemn, anil stern. Along the regi-
mental line his men shouted to the Indl-
anians: Fall in. boys, Wen drive them
back. and yelled enance Some of them
fell in and brought up the rear.
Then out of the %ravine. over the fiat
ground. and across another ravine
the saffron-faced devils were seer
numerous and ugly enough to explain
the panic ju+t passed. This sudden
return OF the men, re-enforceI as 1t may
have seemed to the enemy. staggered
them for a moment. the rifles were emp
tied vita fatal effect, and they In turn
were driven back, scattered and fed.
While the Missi- sippi and fragments of
Indi ina regiments were at rest in line.
Mexican hiders would rise out of a ravl ne
in their front, one by one to the extent OF
ten or a doz IN, and run for home base.
The hr-t one or two VINO emerged from
their hiding place may have reached base.
because IL was a surprise and they had
legged 1t too far when shot at 10 be hit
mi n aaFfafnfu. h.r h wa.t-w - go
eight or ten who tried the run after that
never reached there; they were shot
as they rose and began the run, which led
one of the men to remark; "rhis re-
minds me OF duck shooting at home"
When the Mississlppians were rormin
the line. after ward called JEFF Davis
VA captain waxing wrath" at his men
for not coming into line quicker-DivIs'
clarion tones were heard from behind
them, saying, Captains of companies
will be cool in their commands" There
was not much time for talk. Tne lancers
were advancing, faster they came, and In
force large enough to nnnihilate without
arms every man N the line; no %bayonets
on the rifles, salvation depended on the
first fire at the right moment. There was
a breathless suspense aud anxiety as they
galioped gallantly down, then trotted,
then head OF co.umn inside the top or
opening OF the "V' crack went Indiana's
muskets, from the short line o; the ""
crack follo wed Mississippi's rifles with
ont interval from the long line of q
dense smoke INSTRUCTED view, but when
1t cleared away ~lancers were seen on the
ground horseless, horses riderless, horses
and riders In retreat, dividing into two
parties, one going back 10 the mountain
whence they camel; the otner, encountered
by Col. Mays dragons near a rancho
where our wounded were being carei for,
fed faster, first toward SalIillo, then 10
the left, in an oppositite direction to that
taken by the other party, then up tine
mountain on that side, higher and higher.
until the horses looked little larger than
goats, and the riders smaller than mon
keys; then over the mountain top and out
OF sight, and this was their leave of Gen.
8 'nta Anna, for 1t showed them to be de-
sorting. -"Old Fogy No. 2" in Courier
Journal.