“Sappers to the front!” he shouted, tensely, waving his sword. “Break into this house. Hurry up!”
To the house on the left side of the street hustled Henry Karnes and the crowbar squad. The house stood on a corner, and occupied the block. It was a large house.
“Get behind it, boys! Watch out for the cannon,” sped the cry; for Deaf Smith and others who had been in the town had described how the cannon in the main plaza and the military plaza were pointed down the principal streets.
Into the cross-street scampered the column, deploying to cover the plaza streets on either side, and keeping close in the shelter of the house walls. There was a heavy report, and another, and through the two streets swept a deluge of grape from the Mexican artillery; but it swept without harm. Now all the town was aroused; the fight was on; and in the distance sounded the attack on the Alamo.
Henry Karnes and his squad were fiercely plying their crowbars. The stone walls were thick and tough, but the mortar flew in a shower of dust and chunks. This was the rear of the house—Don Antonio de la Garza’s house, said somebody. There was a stout wooden door here, but no windows. The house was built in “U” shape, enclosing a court which was shut from the street by a wall, of course, Mexican fashion. The main entrance was on another side.
However, rear or front, who cared? With a warning cheer a second squad came running, bearing a log battering-ram. It crashed against the wooden door. Inside the house, women and children were shrieking. From across Soledad Street, to the left, sounded the dull thuds of crowbar and battering ram wielded by the Johnson column, who were breaking into another house.
The de la Garza wall was crumbling; the door was trembling to the crashing blows of the log.
“Listen to ’em, inside!” shouted Jim, in Ernest’s ear; and Ernest nodded. That family were well frightened, and no wonder, with all this clamor of bugles and shouting and cheering and bellowing cannon and blows from crowbar and battering-ram.
Inward spun the door, wrenched from bar, lock and hinge; and a jagged hole had appeared in the stone wall.