The prisoners were all marched back to Goliad, and were joined by other parties of prisoners, amounting in all to 407 men. They were kept eight days in confinement- being allowed only a small piece of beef to each man once a day, and no bread; on the 9th day at sunrise, they were marched out under pretence of taking them to Copano, to embark for Ncw-Orleans. The prisoners rejoiced at the prospect of a speedy release- but when they found themselves divided into four parties each with a guard of over• whelming strength, and that these parties were marched by different routes- they began to have gloomy forebodings. When they had marched about a quarter or half a mile, young Hadden's companies heard a firing in the direction of Col. Fanning's party. A murmur arose that they were killing the prisoners, at that moment the guard, which were in two lines, one upon each side of the prisoners, passed all to one side and commenced a fire by platoons at the prisoners; young Hadden and three others yet unhurt, started and fled. The cavalry, armed with lances, pursued them; they plunged into the river and swam- one was killed in the water, one upon the bank, and the fate of the third is unknown. Young Hadden secreted himself until night-from his hiding place he heard the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying men, the cries of "O Lord! 0 Lord have mercy." and the most affecting ejaculations of distress were mingled with the noise of guns which gradually subsided towards midday, when the horrid work was finished. The neighbors who have known young Hadden from his childhood say, that his statement may be relied upon with implicit confidence; no man can hear him tell his story and doubt its truth, and a blacker picture of perfidy and blood, is not on record in the annals of history.
(2633) [AUSTIN to BURNET]
New Orleans April 8th 1836
To His Excellency D. G. Burnet, President Sir
I beg leave to introduce to you my kinsman Doctor Benjamin Austin, son of the late Honl. Benjamin Austin of Boston. Doctor Austin has served some years in the U.S. Navy as Surgeon. His object in visiting Texas is to volunteer his services as
368
Powered by FlippingBook