n the valley. Pierola
stationed his troops on each side of the pass and in front, reserving
his cavalry. In a short time the engagement became general. The
priest encouraged the insurgents by displaying the cross. He was a
courageous fellow, always to be found in places of danger. I mounted a
huge boulder and could easily see all that was going on. The
government troops would waver and fall back, and again they would
renew the attempt to scale the hillsides, which was impossible as long
as the insurgents held their position.

There was a strange happening just when success seemed assured. The
insurgent cavalry had taken no part up to this time, as both sides of
the valley had been actively engaged. The insurgents along the pass
were running short of ammunition. An order was sent to the captain of
the cavalry to send a company back to Torato and assist in hurrying up
supplies. There was a brief cessation of hostilities. I could plainly
see the government troops carrying their dead and wounded to the rear,
but still holding their position. When another charge was made to take
the heights, the firing again became general. Suddenly arose the cry,
"They come! They come!" Firing along the sides of the pass ceased, and
I looked in amazement. Evidently, something was wrong. The insurgents
were throwing away their arms and running. There was a cloud of dust
in the direction of Torato, and I could easily distinguish a company
of cavalry, which I knew was the company sent to hurry up the
ammunition. The insurgents saw them and imagined that the government
cavalry had succeeded in getting to their rear. The panic became a
rout. In vain did Pierola plead, as he threw himself in front of his
demoralized men, in vain did the priest hold his crucifix on high,
threatening and pleading, but no persuasion could stop those runaway
cowards. The government troops realized something was wrong, and began
to scale the heights. Still, if the cavalry which had done no
fighting, could have been led to the side of the pass, the day would
still have been with Pierola, and probably the stampede would have
been checked. But unfortunately for the would-be president, there was
no one in command capable of meeting the emergency.

I became excited, and snatching a cutlass from the hand of a
retreating soldier, threw myself in front of a column in a vain
endeavor to stop them, but they ran over me like so many sheep. Terror
had lent them wings of flight