432
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
wives leap upon the walls and look towards the spot where the report came from. The wounded were then conscious of what was passing, and one of them asked Sphon if he did not think that their time was come; and when they became convinced from the movements about the fort that they were to beshot, greater part of them sat down calmly on their blankets resolutely awaiting their miserable fate; some turned pale, but hot one displayed the least fear or quivering. Spohn who was employed in helping them out-was accosted by a wounded Mexican soldier on whom he attended, and told to go and ask the commandant for his life, as he might save him, as they were all to be shot. About this time Col.·Fanning, who had a room in the church for his use, came out of the church for a particular purpose, when a Mexican captain of the battalion called Tres Villas, with six soldiers, came up to Sphon and told him to call Col. Fanning, at the same time pointing to a certain part of the yard ·where he wished him to be taken ; Sphon asked him if he was going to shoot him ; and he coolly replied, "Yes." When Spohn approached Fanning, the Colonel asked what was that firing, and when he told him the facts he made no observation, but appeared resolute and firm, and told him he also was to be shot, which made no visible impression on Col. Fannin, who firmly walked to the place pointed out by the Mexican captain, placing his arm upon the shoulder of Spohn fro support, being wounded in the right thigh, from which he was very lame.-All this while, the soldiers were taking the wounded, two at a time, near the gate, and setting them down on the ground and bandaging their eyes, would shoot them off with the same indifference they would a wild animal. There were three soldiers to each two, so that if after the discharge of two muskets, death should not have been dealt forth, the third soldier placed the muzzle of the musket near their head or breast and so ended them. When Col. Fanning reached the spot required, the N. W. corner of the fort, Sphon was ordered to interpret the fol- lowing sentence: "That for having come with an armed band to commit depredations and revolutionize Texas, the Mexican government were about to chastise him." As soon as the sentence was interpreted to Fanning, he asked if he could not see the commandant. The officer said he could not, and asked why he wished it. Col. Fanning then pulled forth a valuable gold watch, which he said belonged to his wife, and he wished to present.it to the commandant. The captain then said he could not see the commandant, but if he would give him the watch he would thank him-and he repeated in broken :English, "tank yo11,-me, tank you." Col. Fanning told him he might have the watch if he would hav(l him buried after he was shot, which the cap- tain said shonld be done-''con todas Ins formnlidades necessarias''- at the same time smiling and bowing. Col. Fanning then handed him the watch, and pulled out of his right pocket a i;mall bead purse containing doubloons, the clasp of which was bent, he gave this to the officer, at the same time saying that it had saved his life, ns the ball that wounded him had lost part of its force by striking the clasp, which it bent and carried with it into the wound; a part of a silk handkerchief which he had in his pocket, and which on drawing out, drew forth with it the ball. Out of the left
Powered by FlippingBook