Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-05-03
TEXAS RIFLEMEN.

dOU OfCA SDOW q IliSoCA Ouo ~ " do olOo JILL
My men could not stand it any longer They
would have as soon fought the devil himself.
I had to surrender"
But of all the fights that ever I was in,
give me the battle of Conception, or, as it
was better known at the time, ''the battle of
the Horseshoe" It 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 800 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 place that, de-
Tended by as many Americans as it had
Mexicans, 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 enemys position, and to search for
a safe and convenient spot for the army to
advance and encamp upon.
Ninety-two men stepped forward, and I
among them. We were ordered to proceed
up the river until within six or seven miles
of San Antoine, and after selecting proper
spot to return before night. The army was
to march and take up their new position on
the next day. So off we started, every man
upon his own hook, for although we had
those among US who afterwards distinguished
themselves as 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 a fight" there was little
g h.
une should send the Mexicans our way.
Not finding any within the prescribed dis
tance we determined to advance nearer upon
the town, and pushed on until we found, near
the old Mission Conception, and three miles
below Bexar, as lovely a camp ground as
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 line of wall, soasto
form perfect breastwork, and although the
latter was not more than four feet higher
I, then tae lbattoIa, yet, as it curved around
either side until it met the river, better
position for infantry could hardly be conceived
of. SWood and water on the spot, the river
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 the silly bird that hides her head
in the bush and thinks herself perfectly safe
until "a fire in the rear" convinces her too
late of her error. We had not been at our
new camp more than an hour before Mexican
women began to come in, with their different
articles for sale. We bought of their wares,
and they Immediately after leaving camp
went up to Bexar and reported our exact
number found afterward chat they gave
our force as ninety-two, which it 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," I slept like top.
said bed fellow, for our blankets almost
touched-grasped my leg gently and woke
me up.
s'Histi" he said, in a low voice.
"What is it?" inquired l. in half asleep
and thoroughly cross tone.
flush, for your lifel'' he replied, in a
whisper; s'listen, do you hear anything?"
Like Bottom, was all ears in moment.
Above the noise made by the rushing waters
at our feet, I heard mournful and dismal
sound, as like the low moan of dog as any
thing I could compare it to.
'sPshaw!" said I, Sits nothing but wolf
or hound"
eyes, replied my companion, who was no
other than the noted Col Bowie. Eyes, 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 I.
mo such thing" he answered; ''keep still;
those rascals are upon the opposite side of the
river, and they expect to surprise us. Let
them think so, if possible, until they make
the attack. That wheel has saved u.s. You
do not hear it again, and you will not, for if
they have no means of quoting it, they'll
send back for grease I'll bet that those
wheels are bound round with straw or rags,
and that the horses feet are covered with
cloth or buckskiil, to prevent any sound from
reaching U.s. Unless something goes wrong
with them when they ford the stream, you
will hear nothing further until the artillery
speaks"
1t was very fortunate thing for Us that
they were obliged to cross not more than 10Y
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
nrousing few old scouts to help him, soon
had every man in camp awake and prepared
without the least noise being made in the pre-
mature reYe,lia.
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 ut
aaosb by knowledge of impending and im-
minent danger, we probably could not have
distinguished the slight noise attending their
crossing from the rushing sweep of the river;
but SO freternaturally acute did our hearing
become that tho low toned words of com.
nland could be distinctly separated from the
other surrounding sounds There was just
air enough to convey the slightest noise to us
without their being sufficient to disturb even
q leaf.
At last they EYere all over, and then slowly
and carefully did they march round to take
post on our front, preparatory e. thef IN
tended attack. We could hear them rans6
themselves, but thick ndst was rising from
the river, and everything was by this time
concealed from ous eyes. We could esen
hear them unlimber the caupon. and were
very sure that they were in reach vi our
rifles What weary moments were those, as
we lay sile4t as the grave, expecting every
instant to hear the sot.f and feel the hurting
storm of their artillery. But the fog had
disconnected them, and although it was but
little past 8 when we were first alarmed, the
ruddy tint impaired to the dense mass Of
yapor now told us plainly that the sun was