Just so these rotten pines seemed to have fallen, The solid abbey walls that seem time-proof, "piecemeal," and without a sound.

Too late-too late! how heavily that phrase
Comes, like a knell, upon the shuddering ear,
Telling of slighted duties, wasted days;

Of privileges lost, of hopes once dear,

Now quenched in gloom and darkness. Words like these

The worldling's callous heart must penetrateAll that he might have been in thought he sees, And sorrows o'er his wreck too late.

Too late-too late! the prodigal who strays

Through the dim groves and winding bowers of sin; And over him the kindred dust was strew'd

LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.-No. 17.-7 SEPTEMBER, 1844.

When Africa shall be penetrated in all directions, the Slave Trade may perhaps be cut up at the root-and it begins to be felt in England that all attempts at abolishing it by treaty stipulations are ineffectual, while the endeavor to extend and enforce these treaties keeps up a general irritation, and makes the danger of war perpetual. Earnest

The arrangements necessary for a permanent change of residence, added to the business connected with a new publication, have caused a tem-ly sympathizing in the labors of the Friends of the porary cessation of this weekly correspondence.

Human Race, we have looked for the attainment Messrs. T. H. Carter & Co. having undertaken of their object, more by the extension of Christhe publishing department, Mr. Littell will be able tianity, and the operation of enlightened selfuninterruptedly to give his attention to the compi- interest, than by direct force or violent contention. lation. He has felt that his whole time was It seems uncertain what will be the result of the necessary to this object. Now that the experiment has proved successful, and the Living Age may be proceedings of the French at Tahiti, whence they expected to go on for many years, with a contin- have expelled Mr. Pritchard, who had been the ual increase in the number of its readers, the English consul. The inflammable state of French Editor hopes that he may become a useful servant politics, and especially the soreness which exof the public. He especially fixes his ambitionists with reference to England, has made it no upon the probability of influencing a part of the rising generation by spreading before them matter of such variety as may quicken the intellect, and of such a nature as will be favorable to good taste and sound principles. If he can accomplish this object, he will have secured for future years the favorable opinions and assistance of those who will then be influential in society, and will best have shown his gratitude to the distinguished names which recommended the work in advance.

light difficulty for the invaluable King of the
French to keep the peace so long.
The Spectator says:—

"If France and England were at the mercy of their respective servants in Polynesia, they would incontinently go to, war. Lord Palmerston or M. Thiers would assuredly have conbut Mr. Guizot and Sir Robert Peel, falling in trived an armed peace' out of the new occasion: with the temper of the times, are the least likely of all statesmen to stoop to that folly. The The late arrivals from Europe have brought French officers in Tahiti, intoxicated by their admany speculations as to the probable effect of the the absolute powers for disposing of all things venturous conquest of the island, have burlesqued quarrel between France and Morocco. The Span-attributed in melodramas to victors; they have ish feud with that Barbary power had fallen into deposed Queen Pomaré, seized Mr. Pritchard, comparative obscurity, although it appears that the British missionary-merchant-consul, and sent Spain, acting under the guidance of France, was him off, and have placed part of the island under collecting an army to punish the Moors for exe-surdities of Admiral Dupetit-Thouars and his Luckily, France disavowed the abcuting a Spanish consul. The Mediterranean is punctilios about flags and cocoa-nut leaves; and about to become the theatre of great events: to disavow the puerilities of M. D'Aubigny and Russia will soon break into that sea; becoming M. Bruat, follows as matter of course. mistress of Constantinople. England will be the demand for satisfaction, therefore, made formally ruler of Egypt; thus connecting herself with her but not hostilely by the British government, can Indian, or, as we must now say, her Asiatic em-Could not the two countries, however, manage to scarcely be met in any but a decorous spirit. pire. And probably France may take, as her por- send out men of sense and discretion to represent tion, the whole of Barbary. them in Polynesia?-In Tahiti, just now, such a

martial law!

The

To ourselves, these late occurrences are full of admonition. North America is certainly not too distant for the ambitious views which can extend themselves, at the hazard of a European war, so far into the Pacific Ocean. Order, unity, and rigid honor, are necessary to prevent that interference with our concerns which must inevitably lead to Steam has bridged the Atlantic.

war.

Dr. Wolff's journey to Bokhara has been suecessful in ascertaining the fate of Col. Stoddard and Capt. Conolly. They were executed in 1842. We shall probably have a detailed and interesting account of the whole matter, after the return of the adventurous missionary.

We are under obligations to several publishers, for New Books, which we have not been able to acknowledge. Hereafter we shall try to pay

The English government has been disgraced before the world, for violating the post-office. Not only have letters been opened, but the seals have been forged to prevent discovery. It seems that when the Austrian government opens letters, Mr. Warner's invisible shell has been tried with it acknowledges the deed by affixing the imperial perfect success in the destruction of a ship off seal. The practice in England appears to have Brighton. But the manner in which the experi- been habitual, and it is asserted that information ment has been made, was not such as to determine has been given to continental governments, of the the value of the invention, nor even the good faith contents of letters so examined. A committee of of the experiment. We shall probably find in the House of Commons to examine this matter has some of the next scientific journals a fuller account been agreed to by government; but it has been so of it than has yet been given. From the debates constituted that the public will have no confidence in parliament it is evident that Sir Robert Peel has in its report. no confidence in the invention, or the inventor. Mr. Warner has asserted that during the war he destroyed two French privateers-and not only kept secret the means of doing it, but concealed the fact itself altogether. The Spectator says:— more attention to our friends. Mr. Dobson has "Mr. Warner's destructive engines, his 'invisi- completed the first volume of his American edition ble shell' and 'long range,' have been verbosely of the celebrated collection of Scottish Music, pubdiscussed in the House of Commons, but not with a perfectly satisfactory account either from his lished by Thomson, with words by Burns to friends or his opponents. Warner's evasion or many of the airs. Mr. Sparks has sent to us a disregard of the conditions proposed by government volume of "Sermons on Duties of Daily Life, by for his experiments might show him to be either Francis E. Paget, M. A., Rector of Elford." an impostor or an impracticable pig-headed man. These sermons are in good large type, and are His long range,' for instance, is guessed to be intended for domestic reading, in which way we the more valuable of his inventions, if his own accounts may be credited, for he boasts of being able have intended to become acquainted with them; to destroy forts and ships at miles' distance: he is but the "cares of this world, and the deceitfulness called upon to try that engine first; but he obsti- of riches," have thus far prevented us. (Speaknately and uniformly persists in experimenting on ing of sermons, we beg leave to recommend, for his invisible shell,' which is less obviously ori- an American edition, "The Church of God, a ginal and valuable; his boasts about the long series of sermons by the Rev. R. W. Evans, Felrange' are miraculous, but not a living soul has ever seen anything of it. On the other hand, govlow of Trinity College, Cambridge," which we ernment does not stand clear of suspicion that it have read several times with pleasure and profit. appointed persons to investigate Mr. Warner's Our copy was published twelve years ago, in Lonpretensions who were hostile to him; and Sir don.) Mr. Watson has sent us a copy of his new Howard Douglass was more indiscreet than even edition of " Annals of Philadelphia." This is in he usually is, in uttering sneers scarcely becoming his official character. The upshot is, that Mr. two handsome volumes. We read the first edition Warner has failed to use his opportunities of mak- with much interest. It contains the materials for ing himself believed; while government has failed much reflection. We have received "A Discourse to detect the hinted imposture." on True Magnanimity," "A Sermon in behalf of the Foreign Evangelical Society," and "An Address before the Society of the Phi Beta Kappa, in Yale College"-all by the Rev. Dr. Sprague, of Albany. Mr. Brainard has reprinted, in a dear little volume, "Silent Love," of which a notice has appeared in the Living Age. And lastly, Messrs. T. H. Carter & Co. have sent us a copy of "Girlhood and Womanhood: or Sketches of my School-mates, by Mrs. A. J. Graves, author of Woman in America." We regret that we have not been able to make ourselves acquainted with any of these volumes.

In connexion with this subject in the House of Lords, Lord Brougham presented a petition from Vice-Admiral the Earl of Dundonald, stating that years ago, the earl had invented a plan for destroying hostile fleets and batteries, doing more destruction in a few weeks than one hundred millions of pounds expended in war had ever done; that a commission had reported his plan to be efficient; but that, at the request of the Prince Regent, and hoping that forbearance from war would continue, he had refrained from making known his invention.

From the United Service Magazine.
THE BATTLE OF SAN JACINTO.

BY ONE WHO FOUGHT IN IT.

eight-oar cutter ; and in two hours after the arrival of the courier, were on the Bay of Galveston, my eight companions bending stoutly to the aspen breeze, and I in the stern sheets steering. We On the 19th day of April, 1836, a courier crossed were all full of anxiety and hope, anxious not to over from Virginia Ferry to Galveston Island, (then be too late, full of the hope of victory,—a hope without sign of town, and only having the sick, in- that was the more flattering and important, when firm, and women and children upon it, in addition the fearful state of the country at that present moto the members of the government, fled here for ment was considered. Texas for some time past protection against the invading forces of Santa had been but one battle-field, hundreds of our best Anna,) and informed us that General Samuel Hous-colonists and volunteers had fallen, not in fair fight. ton, Commander-in-chief of the Forces of the Re- but in cold blood; Fannin, Crockett-poor old public of Texas, with a force much short of eight David Crockett, Colonel Bowie, and hundreds of hundred men, was in full retreat before the three slaughtered victims, cried vengeance from their invading divisions of the Mexican Republic. From tombs: as much from this, as from any other feelSan Antonio de Bexar, the President, after deeds ing, were we anxious to meet Santa Anna in the of blood, which must forever taint and disgrace field. Every family was packing up with the inhis name, sent a requisition to Houston to surren- tention of leaving forever; the western settlers der. The reply of the general was laconic, but were to a man driven into Eastern Texas; from firm and expressive. "True, sir, you have suc- the Rio Grande del Norte to the Rio del Trinidad, ceeded in killing some of our brave men, but the all was in the hands of the enemy, whose veteran Texans are not yet whipped." On receiving this hordes threatened destruction and annihilation to answer, Santa Anna marched out of Bexar to- our raw, undisciplined volunteers. In a word, wards the Brazos, where he divided his troops into Texas appeared on its last legs. A decisive battle three divisions, giving the command of the left was alone wanting to renew hope, or shut it out wing to General Vicente Filisola, who marched on forever. to Washington to disperse the convention, while General Cos commanded the right, and Santa Anna the centre, with which he had crossed the Brazos, in pursuit of Houston, retreating, with the twofold object of separating the Mexican forces, and giving a chance of his being himself reinforced.

The courier brought further intelligence, that General Sam. Houston was determined to fight Santa Anna at any odds-the force on each side was now 800 to 4000-but would contrive to put off the final contest in order that some slight reinforcement might have a chance of arriving, as well as ammunition, of which the Texan army was most particularly in need.

Travelling all that night across Galveston Bay, the next morning at dawn we reached the spot where the San Jacinto and Buffalo Bayou are joined previous to their being lost in the bay. Here, to our inexpressible joy, we found the main force under General Sam. Houston, encamped in some timber half a mile from Lynch's Ferry, engaged in slaughtering beeves, having been several days without proper refreshment. Houston, after a forced march of fifty miles, which was effected in two days and a half-in the prairie, in April, this was tremendous labor-had reached opposite Harrisburg the west bank of Buffalo Bayou on the 18th, when a Mexican courier, captured by Erastus Smith, On the island were nine men capable of bearing (from being affected in his hearing, called Deaf arms, including myself, and of these I received the Smith,) a Texan scout, who, by his courage, acutecommand from President Burnet, with orders to ness, and activity, has rendered important services join the main body with all possible despatch. to his fellow-citizens, put Houston in possession Never were orders more cheerfully obeyed. Ac- of despatches from Filisola, showing the enemy's cordingly, providing ourselves with arms, ammu- position, plans, and movements. It was also nition, and one day's provisions, we manned an learned, through the same source, but subsequently, that General Santa Anna, with one division of his choice troops, had marched in the direction of Lynch's Ferry on the San Jacinto, burning the miserable little town of Harrisburg, on the west bank of Buffalo Bayou, as he passed down. On the receipt of this intelligence, Houston ordered the army to be in readiness to march early the next morning. The main body crossed over Buffalo Bayou, below Harrisburg,* on the morning of

I will not here mention more than one, an historical

fact. "About four hundred Texan prisoners, including those of Ward's detachment, were at the fort of Goliad, when General Santa Anna ordered their execution. On the morning of the 27th March, these prisoners, (en donde habian capitulado, says Urrea, in his despatch,) with the exception of two or three medical men, who were retained to aid the Mexican wounded, and some privates employed as laborers, were marched out of the fort, ostensibly for the purpose of driving in beeves. They were divided into sections, and each section was under the escort of a strong Mexican guard. After proceeding about three hundred yards, they were ordered to halt and throw off their blankets and knapsacks. Before they had time to obey the order, a fire of musketry was opened upon them, and what the bullets left unfinished, the sabres of the cavalry completed. A very few, who were uninjured by the first fire, leaped a fence of brushwood, concealed themselves in a thicket, and succeeded in rejoining their countrymen beyond the Colorado."

LETTER OF HOUSTON.

Camp, Harrisburg, April 19, 1936. This morning we are in preparation to meet Santa Anna. It is the only chance of saving Texas. From time to time I have looked for reinforcements in vain. The convention adjourning to Harrisburg, struck panic throughout the country. Texas could have started at least 4000

260

But here, oppressed and trampled on, their homes
made desolate, their wives and children driven
from the fair habitations which were rising in the
wilderness, all had turned out, determined, even
desperate, to defend their country, and avenge the
Alamo, Tampico, and other horrible atrocities.
Their guns of every size and shape, rifles without
bayonets, no two perhaps of the same calibre, a
few muskets, some with, some also without, bay-

the 19th, having left the baggage, the sick, and a sufficient camp-guard in the rear, in order that nothing might hamper them, and prevent an engagement with the enemy on their attempting to Of course a passage across cross Lynch's Ferry. the swollen stream was not effected without considerable difficulty; but once over, the march was! continued through day and night, one very brief halt being made towards the morning of the 20th, in the prairie, without any refreshment. At day-onets, were piled at hand, and each man was light, the onward course was resumed; and after a short progress, the scouts of the enemy were encountered by the Texan scouts, and information gained to the effect, that General Santa Anna was at New Washington, and would that day take up the line of march for Anahuac, crossing Lynch's Ferry. This the Texans wished above all to prevent, as then Eastern Texas would be at his mercy. Meanwhile Santa Anna, as it appears from his own subsequent despatches, equally eager to bring the contest to a decisive issue, sent out on the morning of the 19th, Capt Barragan, with some dragoons, to a point on the Lynchburg road, three leagues distant from New Washington, to ascertain the exact position of Houston.

On the morning of the 20th, Santa Anna received intelligence that the enemy had just reached Lynchburg, thus rendering a defeat of the Texans necessary, to enable him to gain Anahuac. A march was therefore ordered, and the news, according to the Mexican general, "heard with the greatest joy by all the individuals of my corps.' Such was the state of things when we arrived; and though so few in numbers, nine rifles were no mean acquisition, and six kegs of powder, which we brought, very serviceable to the artillery company. Immediately on my landing, I repaired to the general's tent, and, delivering my despatches, looked around me to observe our position. A scene singularly wild and picturesque presented itself to my view. Around some twenty or thirty camp-fires stood as many groups of men, English, Irish, Scotch, French, Germans, Italians, Poles, Yankees, Mexicans, &c., all unwashed, unshaven for months, their long hair, beard and mustachoes, ragged and matted, their clothes in tatters, and plastered with mud; in a word, a more savage band could scarcely have been assembled; and yet many-most indeed, were gentlemen, owners of large estates, distinguished some for oratory, some for science, and some for medical talent, many would have, and had, graced the drawing-room.

men, we only have about 700 to march with beside the
camp-guard. We go to conquer. It is wisdom growing
out of necessity to meet and fight the enemy now. Eve-
ry consideration enforces it. No previous occasion would
justify it. The troops are in fine spirits, and now is the
time for action. We shall use our best efforts to fight
the enemy to such advantage as will insure victory,
I leave the re-
though the odds are greatly against us.
sult in the hands of wise God, and rely upon his provi-
dence. My country will do justice to those who serve
here. The rights for which we fight will be secured, and
Texas free.
SAM. HOUSTON, Commander-in-Chief.

striving to warm a piece of meat for his morning meal. The position occupied by Houston was excellent, when the value of trees to bush-fighters is considered, having in our rear a long belt of timber, which skirted the Bayou, before us the prairie dotted with islands of wood, with here and there a gentle eminence.

Just as my eye had taken in all the details of the scene, and many local advantages had been examined, the advanced guard of the Mexican army came in sight, having marched from Clopper's point, their last encampment. In an instant all flew to arms, and preparations were made to receive them with all due honor. Each of our companies formed rapidly under cover of the wood, Santa Anna, and stood still awaiting orders. meanwhile, took up a position with his infantry and artillery in the centre, occupying an island of timber, his cavalry covering the left flank. The artillery consisting of "one double fortified medium brass twelve-pounder'* then opened on our encampment. A column of infantry also advanced in gallant style, looking exceedingly grand in the picturesque costume of Mexican soldiers, with the intention of charging our lines, but were repulsed by a discharge of grape and canister from our artillery, consisting of two six-pounders, the only cannon we had, and for which we were indebted to the liberality of the citizens of Cincinnati, in Ohio.

The

The artillery were ably seconded by a charge of our cavalry, supported by four-andtwenty picked riflemen, before whose deadly fire the Mexican column retreated precipitately, carrying off their dead and wounded. To this superiority, vast and incomparable, in rifle practice, has always been owing the apparently incredible disproportion of casualties during this war. enemy, meantime, had thrown in a detachment into a piece of timber within rifle-shot of the left wing of our army, where I was posted with my company, and here a warm discharge of small arms took place, without, however, any very serious effect. I waited impatiently for the signal for close engagement, but it was not given. Santa Anna evidently wished to draw us into the open prairie, where the tried discipline of his old soldiers, veterans who had served in every revolu tionary contest, would avail him much; but such were not the views of "old Sam," as our general was familiarly called. Discovering that we were

*So says General Houston's report; my impression is, that it was a nine-pounder.