The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-07-05

body OF red devils, who had burned
the corral and outbuildings. but the
stone ranch house and high, thick sur
rounding walls resisted. The vaquero,
being away with a drove Of horses.
had not hurried into the ranch and
kept beyond the reach Of the redskins
until the idea struck him to find the
rurales. In doing this he blundered
into the grove.
The romantic feature of this tale OF
war is involved in the fact that the
Major and his brother officers had
often visited the home Of the don and
enjoyed his hospitality. The Mexican
dons are noted for their genial and
generous freedom in social life to
Americans of the figher grade.
The deadly peril aroused the officers
and men to instant action. The
trumpet call of boots and saddles
brought promptly the squadron into
form for advance. They knew not the
number of their enemies nor cared fo-
consequences; the only thought and
cry of that superb band Of heroic men
was "To the rescuew And they sped
onward over the dry bed Of the river
across the prairie to the scene of con-
fict. The light Of burning buildings
indicated the locality through the dark
ness ten miles in the distance. In less
than an hour the rangers were within
hearing Of yells, shouts and wild war
cries, and, halting here, they formed
for the attack. resting their horses for
q spell after the swift ride.
The Apaches were all unconscious of
danger and mad with the excitement
of battle and its changing fortunes. for
the gallant don and his men still held
the rugged walls Of the ranch house.
while the frenzied savages in hundreds
ragged around and assaulted with horse
and foot time after time, but they were
always bafHed and driven back in i'm
potent fury. Yet numbers must at last
prevail, other things being equal. The
don and his force were fighting with
despair in their hearts. while laying
mine of powder to blow everything
into the heavens as final escape from
capture, torture and fate worse than
death, when a trumpet blast sounded
the charge of the Texas Ringers.
Every living thing along the border
line far and near had heard those ring.
ing and terrible notes Of coming bat:
tle., It sounded like voice from the
skies to the despairing Mexicans and a
warning of direful wrath from their
angry gods to the panic-stricken
Apaches. They knew the exterminat-
ing power of their awful foe by many
deadly trial. Confused, dazed and
scattered in groups, they were struck
as by thunderbolt in that cyclonlc
charge that passed over and through
them as the bosom Of destruction.
leaving in its wake dead, dying and
wounded in heaps and fragments here
and there upon the field.
Forming anew like lightning, the
rangers cut lines of carnage through
their helpless foes again and again. un-
til they were tired Of the harvest for
the grave, and paused, reformed and
rested on their horses until the fugitive
remnants escaped upon the plains and
in the nearest mountain ranges. 1t
was a fearful visitation upon the
Apaches and long remembered in JOY
and peace by the Mexican people in
those.regions exposed to the murderous
raids Of the mountain tribes.
It was a heavenly redemption to
Don Morales and his family, for it res
cued them from the valley and shadow
Of death that followed in the footsteps
of captivity by the vilest, cruelestssnd
most barbarous race Of Indians on the
continent Of North America.-J. Hid
rup.