Wichita eagle., 1889-06-07
TEXAS RIFLEMEN.


nnerring marksmen, and were accustomed to
handling the rife from boyhood UP.
When Gen. Cos, who was captured at San
5acinto, was asked, when a prisoner at Gal
geston, how he came to surrender fortress
with 2 800 regular troops at San Antonio to
less than 800 American civilians, without
discipline, and almost without officers, he re-
piled;
''Why, sir, what could I do? We could
not even show finger but it was shot Or.
BY men could not stand it any longer. They
would have as soon fought the devil himself.
had to surrender"
But of all the fights that ever l was in,
give me the battle of Conception, or, as it
was better known at the time, ''the battle OF
the Horseshoe 1t seems now to be quite
forgotten at home, and was never known
abroad. The capture Of the Alamo made SO
much noise as to completely swamp the glory
of my pet scrimmage.
The truth about the battle is this: BurliSon,
with 500 men, had taken post on the San
Antoine river, some distance below the town,
and there he lay waiting for re-enforcements
before he should attack q place that, de-
Tended by as many Americans as it had
a1exicans, would have been impregnable.
1t was deemed advisable TO advance nearer
upon the town, and accordingly volunteers
were called for to reconnoiter the country
about the enemy's position, and TO search for
d safe and convenient spot for the army to
advance ard encamp upon.
Ninety-two men stepped forward, and 1
among them We were ordered TO proceed
up the river until within six or seven miles
of San Antoine, and after selecting q proper
spot to return before night. The army was
10 march and take up their new position on
the next day. So OFF we started, every man
upon bis own hook, for although we had
those among ' who afterwards distinguished
themselves rs officers yet with the exception
of an old Indian fighting general no one
assumed any particular command We had
special orders to avoid any collision with the
enemy, and to retreat upon the least symp-
tom of danger. AS the men, however, were
fairly "froze for fight" there was little
chance of their orders being obeyed, if fort
une should send the Mexicans our way.
Not finding any within the prescribed dis
lance, we determined TO advance nearer upon
the town, and pushed ON until we found, near
the old Mission Conception, and three miles
ever fell to the lot of weary soldiers. a bend
in the river, known as the Horseshoe" had
upon its shore piece of bottom land, above
which the prairierose like a line Of wall, SO as to
form a perfect breastwork, and although the
latter was not more than four feet higher
than the bottom, yet, as it curved around on
either side until it met the river, better
position for infantry could hardly be conceived
81 on
for our rear defense, and the prairie wall for
our front, no wonder that we gave a cheer
when we found it, and no wonder, either,
that we determined not to return to the main
badly, but to send back two messengers, and
for ourselves to camp for the night and await
Burlison's arrival
All notion of fighting passed away, and we
foolishly imagined that our present situation
was unknown to the enemy. We were about
as wise as tho silly bird that hides her head
In the bush, and thinks herself perfectly safe
until "a fire il the rear" convinces her too
late of her error We had not been at our
new camp moro than an hour before Mexican
women began to come in, with their different
articles for s&lo We bought of their wares,
and they Immediately after leaving camp
went up to Gexar and reported our exact
number. found afterward that they gave
cur force tbs ninety-two, which 1t was at
the time. although two men were sent back
to Burlison.
Night drew on. We made our fire, cooked
our supper, ate, drank, smoked and were
merry. A guard was set, and one by one the
rest departed for the land Of Nod. Although
camped on BOTTOM" slept like a top.
Towards morning my neighbor-I almost
said bed fellow, for our blankets almost
touched-grasped my leg gently and woke
me up.
'Histln he said, in a low voice.
.What is itl" inquired 1, in half asleep
and thoroughly cross tone.
Hush, for your ifeI" he replied, in a
whisper; slisten, do you hear anythingY'
Like Bottom, was all ears in a moment.
Above the noise made by the rushing waters
at our feet, l heard a mournful and dismal
sound, as like the low moan Of dog as any
thing could compare it to.
'Pshaw!" said /, sits nothing but a wolf
or hound"
YES" replied my companion, who was no
other than the noted Col Bowie 'Yes, you
are right; there are wolves about, but that
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 rascals are upon the opposite side of the
river. ard they expect 70 surprise US Let
them thuAk 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 quoting ii, they Il
send back for grease. I'll bet that those
and that the horses feet are covered with
cloth OF buckskin, to prevent any sound frem
reaching ps Unless something goes wrong
with them when they ford the stream, you
will hear nothing further until the artillery
speaks"
It was a very fortunate thing for us that
they were Obliged TO cross not more than POO
wards below tie camp, for had they come
down on the prairie side we would probably
not have heard them, as we would have been
10 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
without the least noise being made III the pre-
mature reveilla
We spread ourselves entirely around our
small piece 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 VI
most by knowledge of impending and I'm
minent danger, we probably could not have
distinguished the slight noise attending then
crossing from the rushing sweep or the river
but so preternaturaliy acute did our hearing
become that the low toned words OF com
mand could be distinctly separated from th'
other surrounding sounds There was jus
air enough TO convey the slightest noise 10 u
without their being sufficient ID disturb ever
laaf