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Updated: June 28, 2025
Scouts were galloping across the plain to a point of the woods about half a mile distant, and I could see the artillerists fastening their mules to the howitzer-carriage. Suddenly a bugle rang out, sounding the "Recall", and the guerilleros, spurring their horses, galloped off towards Medellin.
Dubrosc was carried back into the rancho, apparently lifeless. We were still wondering how our comrade had untied himself, when one of the guerilleros, lifting a piece of the thong, exclaimed: "Carajo! ha cortado el briboncito!" It was with us a moment of fearful suspense. We expected to see poor Jack sacrificed instantly. We watched the man with intense emotion, as he ran to and fro.
This appeared to please the guerilleros; and one of them, bending over the Irishman, slackened his fastenings a little still, however, leaving him bound. "Thank yer honner," said Chane; "that's dacent of ye. That's what Misther O'Connell wud call amaylioration. I'm a hape aysier now." "Mucho bueno," said the man, nodding and laughing. "Och, be my sowl, yes! mucho bueno.
The Spanish "guerilla" was scattered, many of the guerilleros lying dead or wounded at the foot of the precipice, the others scrambling and tumbling down as best they might. Carlos and his men had so greatly the advantage in position, if not in numbers, that not a single Cuban was killed, though two or three were more or less seriously wounded.
At this moment a cheer came from the guerilleros, and a voice was heard shouting above the din: "La metralla! la metralla!" I leaped upon the roof, and looked out upon the plain. It was true. A howitzer-carriage, drawn by mules, was debouching from the woods, the animals dragging it along at a gallop.
We felt a sudden glow of heat over our bodies; the air seemed lighter; our mules walked on a horizontal path. We were on the ridge, and warmed by the beams of the rising sun. "Thank heaven we have passed it!" I could not help feeling thus: and yet perhaps we were riding to an ignominious death! The guerilleros now halted and dismounted. We were left in our saddles.
An irregular but well-directed volley emptied half a dozen saddles, and for a moment staggered the charging line; but, before my men could reload, the guerilleros had leaped clear over their fallen comrades, and were swooping down with cries of vengeance. A dozen of their bravest men were already within shot-range, firing their escopettes and pistols as they came down.
Something twitched me sharply over the cheeks. I heard the rustling of trees. Branches snapped and crackled, and leaves swept across my face. Then came the flash flash, and the crack crack crack of a dozen rifles, and under their blazing light I was dashed a second time with violence to the earth. Troop of guerillas, who in Spanish are properly guerilleros. "Rough handlin', Cap'n.
The truth was, the major, on the first appearance of the enemy, had galloped towards the rear of the corral, and, finding no entrance, had thrown himself from the back of Hercules upon the stockade, intending to climb over; but, having caught a glance of some guerilleros, he had suddenly let go his bridle, and attempted to precipitate himself into the corral.
The guerilleros, on their swift steeds, soon lessened the distance between us. With a dozen of the best men I hung in the rear, to give the foremost of the pursuers a volley, or pick up any soldier who might be tossed from his mule. One of these, at intervals, kicked as only a Mexican mule can; and when within five hundred yards of the timber, his rider, an Irishman, was flung upon the prairie.
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