It was
Goliad."
"Goliad?" exclaimed "Deaf" Smith. "What do you mean?"
"I mean the slaughter, the massacre. All our men were led out. They were
told that they were to go on parole. Then the whole Mexican army opened
fire upon us at a range of only a few yards and the cavalry trod us
down. We had no arms. We could not fight back. It was awful. I did not
dream that such things could be. None of you will ever see what I've
seen, and none of you will ever go through what I've gone through."
"Ned, you've had fever. It's a dream," said Obed White, incredulous.
"It is no dream. I broke through somehow, and got to the timber. Maybe a
few others escaped in the same way, but all the rest were murdered in
cold blood. I know that Santa Anna ordered it."
They knew perfectly well that Ned was telling the full truth, and the
faces of all of them darkened. The same thought was in the heart of
every one, vengeance for the deed, but however intense was the thought
it did not approach the feeling of Ned, who had seen it all, and who had
been through it all.
"I guess that was the firing we heard," said Smith, "when we thought it
was the boys making a last stand at Goliad. I tell you, comrades, this
means the freedom of Texas.
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