New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1892-08-31

~ and sanguinary on
= record. All principles
OF humanity were set aside by the
ferocious butchers in authority till
at length guerra a la meurte death
and determination, became the fear
fulwar-cry ofeach alf-frenzied faction,
At the head of the royalist forces
was General Morales, as savage and
blood-thristy a wretch as ever existed,
and opposed to him, as chief of the
patriots, was General Bolivar, the
subsequent founder OF the five re-
publics of Venezuela, New Granada,
Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.
On one occasion some five and
twenty patriots had been taken by
the royaists; among them were three
OF four officers OF high rank. Morales
had their heads cut off and sent to
Bolivar, with an insulting letter in
which he declared that every captured
rebel should be served in the same
manner. Upon this Bolivar gave
immediate orders for the execution of
all theroy alist prisoners in the hands
the patriots; and inreturn for this act
OF retaliation Morales resolved upon
a massacre which should strike terror
to the hearts OF all.
On one pretense and another the
Spanish authorities had caused the
arrest of all persons suspected OF
being disafected toward the govern
ment, and some 500 in number were
confined in the dungeons of La
Guayra.
A large body ofcavalry and infantry
was drawn up around the fortress
where the poor prisoners were con-
fined, and soon these latter-pale,
emaciated, and almost naked-were
marched forth in chains and conducted
to gloomy spot called Macuto.
There CHANGED to be a. British man
Of-War in the harbor Of La Guayra,
and the commander, believing that
some OF his own countrymen misht be
among the victims, and that some
good to them might be effected by his
presence, resolved upon accepting the
invitation sent him by the authori-
ties and being present at the execu-
ton. He accordingly. with some OF
his officers and several of his men, fell
into the mournful procession, and on
arriving at the fatal spot was assign
ed to a post OF honor near the com
mander OF the bloody work
The prisoners were brought in q
body, and halted upon q spot which
overlooked the place Of execution.
At a. signal from the commanding Of
fcer some fifty OF the victims were
selected and marched forth to the
place OF slaughter. On their way they
had to pass within a few PAGES OF the
place where the general and his staff
and the British captain and his Off
GERS were stationed.
AS soon as they had taken their
station on the fatal ground, the
priests slowly withdrew, while the in
fantry marched up within q fewpaces,
leveled their pieces, and fired at the
word. Many were killed outright by
this discharge; many were mortally
wounded, but yet lived and writhed,
and a few We're scarcely injured.
None, however, were permitted to
escape long-for amid the prayers
and groans OF the poor wretches,
another line Of infantry took the
place OF the first, and another muir
derous volley was poured into the
breasts OF the wounded and dying,
and what yet escaped were shot dead
with pistols, or cut to pieces with
swords, in the hands OF the officers.
When the first fifty OF the prisoners
had been dispatched, the second lot
was selected and marched forward in
the manner already described. AS
these passed the generals stand the
British captain was panied to OBJ
serge some three or four faces which
he could not but believe to be fellow
countrymen.
Are not certain Of these men
English, Senior Comnlandante?" he
inquired, turning to the Spanish gen
eral.
cit is possible, Senior Captain, they
had English birth, but they trans
crossed Spanish laws, and must suffer
the penalty"
Would your excellency not permit
me to intercede for them in behalf OF
the government"
"My orders are very positive, Senior
Captain, to put.all the prisoners under
my charge to death"
The captain, seeing there was no
manned silent, and the ill-fated group
AlOFeu Oh W 1llccO 66tlc UlOOdy A1Co VI
those who had preceded them.
At length, as the eighth or ninth
division OF victims was filing past.
there looked up at the British officers
q pale, white face, and a pair of blue
eyes were fixed searchingly but mourn
fully upon them.
Farewell, gentlemen and fellow
countrymen, spoke q firm and
steady voice, "and when you return
to our glorious native isle, pray re-
port that Lorenzo Ferguson OF Scot
land met his death as became q gem
tleman and soldier!''
"Hah!'' exclaimed the captain,
"there is no mistake this time that
man is q Briton, and must be saved!
Senior Commandante, ask the life Of
that man in the name of his Britain
mic majesty
~ regret, Senior Captain, that my
duty compels- me to deny SO natural
demand, replied the Spanish gen
~,c1 Nf<,..