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Show 470 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF Captain Gant. He returned for answer that, unless the Americans ·withdrew from the insurgent army immediately, he would shoot us every one by ten o'clock the next morning. This embittered us the more against the barbarity of the opposing power, and we resolved to make their leaders, not excepting, Sutter, feel the effects of our rifles as soon as they placed themselves within range. On the following morning a weak and ineffective cannonade commenced on both sides. We lay low, awaiting the enemy's charge. As their riflemen had not shown themselves, and we were desirous to obtain a sight of them, n1yself, with seven or eight others, advanced cautiously in search of them. On our way we discovered a small cannon which the enemy had loaded and was about to discharge upon our 1·anks. Had there been a gunner among them, it must have done us great injury. We advanced within a few yards of the piece, and had raised ourselves up to shoot the artillerymen, when one of our party arrested our aim by suddenly exclaiming, "Don't shoot! don't shoot!" He then pointed out the enemy's riflemen carefully emerging from a hollow, with the intention of stealing upon our flank and saluting us with a volley of lead. I laid down my rifle, and hailed them to halt. I recognized a number of mountaineers among them, with some of whom I had intimate acquaintance, and I urged them to adopt the cause of the people, for the side they had now espoused was one no American should be seen to defend. They heard me through, and all, or nearly all the Americans were persuaded by my arguments, and returned with me to join our battalion. This assured us of victory. The cannonade was perfectly harmless: some of the balls pass- ,, JAMES P • . BECKWOURTH. 471 ed three hundred feet over our heads; others plowed up the prairie as near to their ranks as o~rs. All the damage we received was one wagon s?Ivered. to pieces, and a horse killed under Colonel Pnce, which animal had been captured by us at Pueblo, and was now serving in the rebel forces with the same rank he had held under government. The desertion of the riflemen seriously affected the enemy's prospects of victory. Te~ o'clock ~ad passed, and Colonel Sutter had not put his threat Into execution. The. enemy finally retired from the field, and marched in the direction of Pueblo. I took a paTty, and ascended a mountain to watch the progress of the retiring foe; we staid out some hours, with the view to learn where they encamped. While thus employed, a courier, sent from our commander, brought us orders to return immediately. We instantly obeyed, and found the army gone, with only one man remaining to direct our steps. On coming up with our forces, we found that our colonel had made a movement which cut off all retreat from the enemy, and which must bring him to an engagement, or an unconditional s':-rrender. In the morning, I again took a party With me and mounted an eminence to reconnoitre the enem~' s position. We approached to within five hundred yards of their camp, where we shot _a bullock, which we quietly proceeded to dress. vVhile _we were thus engaged, I perceived an officer approachmg from the enemy's camp to ascertain who we were. I took my rifle, and dodged among the bushes, eager to get a shot at him ; but, before I could do so, one of my men prematurely fired, and missed his mark. T~e officer had dismounted in order to get a neare1· view of us, and this admonitory shot warned him back into |