He could not doubt any longer that a battle was in progress.

His excitement increased, and he ran at full speed through the bushes and grass into the plain, which he now saw took the shape of a shallow saucer.

The firing indicated that the defensive force stood in the center of the saucer, that is, in the lowest and worst place.
A terrible fear assailed young Fulton, as he ran.

Could it be possible that Fannin also was caught in a trap, here on the open prairie, with the Mexicans in vastly superior numbers on the high ground around him?
He remembered, too, that Fannin's men were raw recruits like those with Ward, and his fear, which was not for himself, increased as he ran.
He noticed that there was no firing from one segment of the ring in the saucer, and he directed his course toward it.

As soon as he saw horses and men moving he threw up his hands and cried loudly over and over again: "I'm a friend! Do not shoot!" He saw a rifle raised and aimed at him, but a hand struck it down.