San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-30


''Mebbe you iS'n to me ner' ttmer"
the known vaIor or MS troops would be
sufficient to make the gates of the town
fly open to him. When he found that
the plucky garrison would certainly
fight him to the last moment he made
ready to reduce the place by siege; but
soon enough he discovered that the
works, although not formidable from an
engineering point of view, were suffi-
GENTLY strong to render them very hard
to reduce by the batteries at his COM
mand. At this point Gen. Lincoln
could not aid him much, having no eff
fective guns. Nothing was left but to
take the lines by storm, and this was
agreed upon between the French and
the American commanders.
The British were aware of what had
been determined on by the allied forces.
Maynard, now promoted to captaincy,
had managed to ascertain through spies
that preparations for an assault all along
the line had been going on during the
night. He was in command Of two
companies, stationed really outside the
works, but protected by the loop of
canebrake and wooded swamp through
which Grampus had led Rose. Little
did he dream that Miss Fenwicke was
so near him while he was maturing his
plans for distinguishing himself by TAX
ing the enemy in the flank whenever they
should attempt to charge past the swamp
where he lay in ambush. He was
good soldier enough, and he was cum
ming as well as daring. Two heavy
pistols hung at his side and his sword
was unusually long to suit his stature
and great strength. He was ready when
at last, just at daybreak, the grand
charge took place, and right stubbornly
did he meet it.
Prescott, now brave major, led the
storming column that was to attempt
the line in the rear of the swamp, and
so it happened that the rivals met in the
full food of the battle. With such vigor
and swiftness did the little body of
Americans come down upon their an
tagonists that it was scarcely a breath be-
tween the start and the crash of their as
sault. Firing as they sped forward, so
accurate was their aim that Maynard's
men were thrown into confusion and
broke badly. This apparent success was
bad for Prescott and his command, for
deeming themselves victorious they
yelled vigorously and swept on beyond
the swamp, unaware of the battery plant
ed there with curtains of earthworks
thanking it and manned with double
line of men.
A roar of artillery and a close, deadly
volley of musketry did the work. Itwas
useless for Prescott to wave his sword
and rave at his flying men. They were
now as wildly scared and as thoroughly
beaten as moment before they had
been enthusiastically victorious There
was nothing for him to do but to fly
with them and try to get them back to
their senses, but the farther they ran the
more they scattered themselves and the
more unmanageable they became. Be
fore they had reiterated beyond the
swamp they were badly cut up, and
every man was seeking his own safety in
his own way. Indeed it was so all along
than the Americans, Count d'Estaing
himself receiving wound, which seems
to have made him in a great hurry to
raise the siege and re-embark. The
charge while it lasted, however, was one
e tho c..cEt scl2 and even desperate that
was made during the Revolutionary
struggle. Viewed through mere de-
scriptions it loses most of its tragic pict-
uresaueness, because the whole affair
took place in q fiat and badly drained
area, where the mere matter of insecure
footing for the storming party hindered
moro than the earthworks and guns of
the enemy.
At certain point near the little loop
of swamp woods Prescott, as he ran back
after vainly trying to rally his men,
heard cry that brought him to a short
halt as if a bullet had struck him.
Wayne! Wagner it called forth,
with such strong, clear, beseeching &C
cent that it thrilled him almost pain
fully.
He stood still amid the awful din of
the fight that rolled to the right and to
IllO lCLJ VI lllILly anu 1lSOSnOu aL0 S"HSN
searchingly around.
"Waynel Lieutenant Prescott! Here,
for heavens sake Conner
Quickly turning to where the cry
seemed to rise, he saw Rose struggling
in the arms of Maynard, who had CHANGED
to find her and was trying to bear her
to place Of safety.
The surprise Of this discovery might