Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-03-16
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Oe and he must defend himself TO the
last extremity" Santa Ana did. how
ever send the San Patriotic men and a
Few others TO- the convent as well as
wagon load of ammunition. OF which
the descrtcrs made good use. but the
others could not use &c on account of
their muskets being OF small calibor
After nearly two hours of hard fight
ing, a part of Worths brigade worked
It's way 70 inc rear OF tDe tete-de-pont.
ana carried 10 at The point of the bay
onet santa Ana thcreuT0n fed. and
the guns in the battery were turned
against The convent Up 10 this time
the descrtc.s had boon making terri
Die havoc in the American ranks. but
now. with their retreat cut or and
their own guns turned against them.
the outlook began 90 grow dark. In
vain lNncon and Anaya rallied the
men for defense. The riaemen leaped
the stone wall. aud hurled themselves
hercely upon the descrtcrs. They were
driven into q stone corral which ad-
Joined the convent building. and was
without doors or windows. save one
opening. Here they threw down their
arms and held up their hands in token
OF surrender but the rinemen were
not taking prisoners that day Smith.
who had led the final charge. seeing
his men shooting down helpless pris-
onors boldly Jumped down OF the wall
In front of them. and threw up his
arms.
Men" he shouted. for Gods sake
stop. Are YOU going TO lose all the
glory you have wone You are disgrac-
ing yourselves forever Save these
men for the gallows"
Well" says Israel. eve stopped
then, but If Smith had not interfered
we would have killed every one OF
them. Every man I'm the regiment
thought the world OF Smith. He didn't
know what fear was. / saw him after
ward, at the stOrming Of the Belen
gate, standing up there. with grape
and gunshot ayi-s al around him.
thick as hail. and he was not more
scared than if 10 had been hail"
This is the true story of the capture
OF The san PatriCio battalion ~ the
battle OF Cheruhusco. II might give
the story more romantic coIoring TO
follow the lead Of other writer's. and
represent the final act as bringing the
San Patricios and the Contra guer-
rillas into deadly combat But surely
the tale is romantic enough.
More than a hundred OF the San
Patricio men We're made prisoners. in
Guiding Capt. Reilly. They were tried
by court-martial and all who deserted
on or after the Sth day OF May, 1876
(the date OF the battle OF Palo AIto)
were condemned 10 death. Those who
deserted before that time. IL was
found, could not be executed, because
state of war was not then In exist
ence; nevertheless. ample punishment
was melted out 10 them a few we're
pardoned because OF their youth and
one because his son had remained
true to the flag. but so were hanged.
Those condemned 10 death were as
signed TO the regiments from which
they had deserted and hanged by their
former comrades. The first lot Of I6
was hanged at the town OF San Angel,
on Sept. 9, lS47. by the rifemen. On
the following day four more were
hanged at Mixcosc, and the 18th, 80
more, at the same place. Those not
hanged or pardoned were whipped
with so lashes each. the letter d. for
deserter, being branded with a red
hot iron upon the cheek, and then con-
demned TO wear On .-on yoke weighing