North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-06-05

Alter the battle 0l windsor, u. T., on
the 4th Ct December, 1888, the undersign-
ed, with six other, were taken prisoners bV
The Indian Chief, Brown, and a party Of
his tribe, about six niles above Windsor
Shortly after, and when on our way to-
wards Sandwich, Mr.. lronsides, the Indian
Interpreter, told The Chief that Colonel
Princes orders were to take no prisoners,
and that these must be shot. The Indian
Chief then ordered us 10 halt, formed us
in,o line facing him, and gave orders to the
Indians 10 load. While in the act of load
ing, we were ordered to face about, and
turn oar backs 10 him, which we did. 1t
struck me il I would run Off might have
some chance FOR my life. and that | might
as we'll die running as standing. | accord
ngIy showed them my heels, which was
the means Of saving the other prisoners
lives. The Indians all aimed at me. One
ball entered at the back Of my neck, and
came out under my left ear Two balls
pierced through my left arm, one the little
Gnger of the right hand, and four through
my great coat. On receiving the ball in
the neck, fell. The Indian Chief came
Up, and with the butt end OF his rife struck
NE several times on the crown of the
head, in order to despatch me.-At this
time French Canadian, Moses Labadu,
interferred, put me into a wagon, and was
proceeding with me and the other six 10
Sandwich. Col. Prince sent orders that
we should pass by the barracks at Wind
sor, where Captain Lewis, Of the Patriot
service was killed. On passing his corpse,
IL b,,rr;I 80
sight--his body ripped open, his heart cut
out, and placed across his breast or mouth;
cannot exactly say, at present, which;
After this, Col. Prince the second time
ordered that we should be shot. We were
taken one side, and the soldiers placed in
line to execute the order Mr.. Sheldon,
one Of the prisoners, just as we were pa-
ced in line to be butchered, gave the Ma
sonic hailing sign of distress; when some
influential person present ordered the sol
diers 10 desist; in consequence of which
our lives were spared, but for further severe
suffering. Oh COD! the tender mercies Of
the British are cruel! We were then or
dered TO Sandwich jail, from thence to
Fort Maiden, and from thence to the Lon
don District jail. Here we were tried and
sentenced for execution on the 9Th Febru-
ary. We were next taken to Hamilton,
and from thence to Niagara. During The
whole time we were chained by couples,
with large OK chains. A the latter place
we remained until we were ordered aboard
the Transit steamboat, for Lewiston. On
our passage, the sheriff took us aside and
told US, very seriously, that we ought to
be very thankful to the clemancy Of the
British Governments; we then answer
ed, that we were thankful to God
for his intetposition, but not TO British, or
rather Canadian mercy. He then said he
would be obliged to g.ye US up to the
American authorities, for tyanSressEng Tie
neutrality laacS. He detained US ore night
on board, in order to deliver Us TO the sher-
if of the State, but finding we would not
acknowledge British cIemsncy, he propos-
ed to enter into bonds with U.S. to the a.
mount Of G10O each. Halifax currency,
we would undertake TO kidnap Gen. Nc
Leod and Mackenzie, or either Of them, or
give him the necessary information how
it could be done. We spurned his prefer,
and positively told him with feelings OF
contempt, that no true American would
be guilty OF so mean, sordid and mercena-
airy ar action, and we left him. On put
ting our feet on American ground, our
feelings may be conceived, but cannot be
expressed. Thank God for the ines;ima-
bic blessing OF American liberty once
more.
EZRA HORTON. |
Detroit. Nav 9th, 1889.