WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1857
459
forces, the Commander-in-Chief cast his eye to the right and perceived that the Infantry, 200 strong, under Col. Millard, was in some confusion; he gallopped to the Colonel and asked the cause. He replied, "My horse was wounded," which was correct. The General faced to the left, and led the Infantry to meet a solid column of the enemy, numbering about 500 men, and ad- vancing on the Infantry in good order. When within about thirty yards, the General ordered the Infantry, or Regulars, to halt and fire. This fire of the Infantry literally mowed down the enemy, and if any survived, they fled. This terminated all resistence on the field of battle. On looking to the right, the General perceived the Cavalry occupying the same position to which they were ordered by him at the commencement of the action. He rode in hearing distance and ordered the command distinctly three times, to pursue the enemy, before it moved. The General then passed over the battle field and ordered the wounded and the prisoners of the enemy to be spared. He then pursued the route of the fugitives, and at the distance of from five to six hundred yards, he arrived at a ravine, the bottom of which was quagmire, where a number of men were standing, because it was impossible to cross at that place. When I rode up, they hallowed, "General, you can't cross; look at the mules and horses stuck here in the bog." The General halted and on the instant his horse fell dead under him, after having been pierced ,vith five balls. Then for the first time, it was known that the General had been wounded, although it was nearly sunset. The General in disengaging himself from his fallen ·horse, was caught in the act of falling himself, when a comrade caught and sustained him on one leg, until Adjutant Lynch came, and with the assistance of others, placed the General upon his fine rone charger. In the meantime, or before, a detachment of the enemy had been dis- covered in a point of woods on the opposite side of the ravine. It turned out to be about two-hundred and forty men, under the command of Colonel Almonte. So soon as they were discovered, the men who were stopped made a rush to pass around the head of the ravine, when the General ordered them to halt and form, and not to advance upon the enemy in disorder; and he directed Deaf Smith to announce to the enemy that if they surrendered they should be treated as prisoners of war; at the same time requested Gen. Rusk to receive their surrender. Then it was that I ordered Capt. Turner to form his company, and march back to the field of battle, to prevent pillage. This order was
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