The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1907-03-15
The Two Friends United.
BY COL. w. L. CLAYTON.

SuCCcoS III tfle SlduSHIeI VI lHS
Alamo, they then moved on the
Texas forces at Goliad, the two
friends being jingled in the pock-
cts of the two soldiers of for
tune. At the Alamo Travis had
said, 1t Will not do TO risk
Mexican, andif we Surrender we
will all be shot down like dogs.
All who are in favor of fighting
to the death step over this chalk
line which I-now make" and
fitting the action to the word. he
drew the lineeand himself first
passed over it, being followed at
once by his brave, but unfortu-
nate comrades, except Bowie
the sick Bowie who said, Boys,
move my cot oyer the dead lnel"
But at the Goliad the siren voice
of Santa Annals officer succeeded
in inducing the beaten army Of
the Texans to surrender on prom
ise of life;but when surrendered,
they were marched out and shot
to a man, and our two Friends
were among those who pointed
the fatal guns. After this Won
derful success and horrible butch
cry, the friendly Coins were so
elated that they thought that not
again would failure perch upon
their banner. But, the best
Laid schemes of mice and men
often gang agee, When the
slaughter of the Alamo and the
butchery of the Goliad hadreach-
ed the ears and sunk into the
hearts of the Texans and their
friends in the States, a little
band of brave and chivalrous
men-men of Mississippi and
men of Tennessee and old Ken
tuck assembled under the i'm
mortal Houston at San Jacinto,
first to wipe out the blood of their
countrymen at the Alamo and
the Goliad, and then to strike for
the independence of Texas. The
two Friends were then in high
spirits jingling in the pockets of
the two soldiers of fortune and
hoping soon to be reinforced
by many pieces, booty captured
Ifrom the Texan army. How
could it be otherwise, when eigh-
teen hundred trained soldiers un-
der the experienced General San
ia Anna, were to encounter sew
en- hundred raw troops under
General Houston, who had never
fought a battle. So believing,
and so anxious to annihilate the
little army of the Texans, Santa
Anna passed the bridge Hous-
ton had left standing, leaving no
sentinel to guard his retreat, and
moved on the Texans as they
rested on the impossible Bayou,
But as the liberty loving aad
Mexican hating irregulars were
burning with desire to cross
swords with the sfaughterers Of
TIE Alamo, Houston sent Deaf
| Smith with an axe and directed
him to cut dowa the bridge, the
only escape for either army in
case Of defeat, and to retutl to
the camp in time to let it be pub
lished to his soldiers as they
moved into the battle. As the
army under Houston was ready
for the charge, Deaf Smith dash
ed into camp at a gallop, waved
his axe above his head and an
nomced that the only avenue of
escape was cut off-tne bridge
was floating down the stream.
So, while the sun shone on that
beautiful April morning, like the
sun Of Austerlitz, not waiting for
the oncoming of Santa Anna and
his hosts, Houston gave command
for the charge; and, high above
the boom OF cannon and the
crash Of small arms, each sol
der reported to the other, RE
member the Alamor" and, with
one impetuous onslaught, the
Texans moved down everything
before them, drove them into the
stream at the demolished bridge,
used the bowie knife and the
dirk to cut down everyone be-
fore them, thus killing the men
and capturing the general. And,
as the victors looked over the
field of the dead, they found the
two soldiers of fortune resting
upon their lost field, and the two
Friends snugly ensconed in their
pockets. 1t was but human to
take the living from the dead;
and so the two Friends were re-
moved from the dead soldiers of
fortune and came into possession
| of two freemen Of Texas. No
man can tell what day will
bring forth. Let not him there
fore that buckleth on the armor
boast himself as he that taketh
it off.