The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1840-10-17

wives and daughters OF the pioneers OF tho
west, know well about these ma tiers. We
early Kenuckians know well how 10 use
the temahawk and butcher. .knife;we learned
it from our fathers, who had always 10 car
ry thom. Yov know Kentucky was called
by the Indians the dark md bloodgi gr0stpd
among themselves, before The settlement Of
the whites; and it continued to be so be-
tween the Kentucky pioneers and the In
dlans, I'll the long knives conquered, and
the sava sought another home And of
snch spirits was my regiment composed,
when we joined lAe main army At Detroit.
When we started in pursuit Of Proctor and
Tecumseh MY regiment went ahead, being
mounted. When we first discovered the
enemy he was in battle array. and sent
gCor8 10 the Commander IN Chief tCho tCas
behind, with the infantry, that we had
freed them. Gen. Harrison soon came up,
asking 1Chat a0as 10 be done. I told him l
wanted the privilege Of ighung the snemy,
in the way that had taught my men; that
was, charging by alternate coumus. He
hesitated for time, but finally consented
to my solicl0us request,and said, Charge
Them" and then turned and ,gent back to
tho infantry, Which aus some distance IN
The rear. The British army was stationed
upon the bank of the river Thames, on a
strip Of laud something more than half
mile wide, the river on one side; and para-
lei witb the river, on the other, was 4 ony
narrow swsmp. In and around this swamp
we're skulked the sayages, in the form Of a
half moon. now found that | could cross
the swaraP, and dividing my regiment ino
two hatlalons, | gave one half in charge 10
my brother James, for him to attack the
British, whilst |, with the other hall, should
cross the swamp and look for the Indians. So
! now placed twenty men in front of NV
battalion, called The Forlorn Hope, and,up-
on my asking some enqsry in regard to the
attack, they said, awe will follow vou;"
and discovered, from the aroused spirit of
my men, that we could kill or take the en-
env, two 10 one.
! then stationed myself in front OF the
forIorn hope, with consciousness of doisg
my duty; tor felt, at the moment, that
should survive my brave associates, cam
rades and neighbors, could never meet
and communicate the sad fate, with Gear
conscience, TO their bcreaved widows and
children. The trumpet now sounded and
we moved to the charge. but at .he first fro
OF the Indians, nineteen out of the twenty
OF the forlorn hope were eilher killed, weun-
ded, or thrown from their saddles. | tsen
ordered my men to dsmount and Gght The
savage iii his ewn way,-kuee to knee, to-
mahawk to tomahawk butcher knife, to butch
er knlle,-and thus we grappeed, STEEL to
steel with the savage, till Tecumseh fell.
and his warriors fled; but not till many of
my brave men fell with him. Many in
terssting incidents, which | could relate.
toek place. One case in particular, OF great
bravery, was that of young man.s froh
Chllicothe, printer by trade. Ee' .resI
ceired ball through his body, and fell rsear
TO me. / rode to him and told those near
by to take him TO place of safety; but he |
that it would be Of no use. as he |
had received his death wound, and Should |
die willingly, if he could but hear o? the
triumph OF his couutrymen. The grey
mare on which rode had now become
FAINT and weak from the less of blood, bav- |
ing received fifteen balls IN her body and |
limbs; while was not much her better in |
point Of strength, having then received four
wounds.
Al this moment whsn my men graphing |
with the savages in all directors, and was |
going from place to place to encourage them
as last as my poor dying horse could carry
nae d scovered, behind the root Of lsrgs |
tree, recently blown down, a tall athletic
indian in the act of taking aim at nae, as |
thsught and Immediately made towards
him; but my mare was SO weak frem loss |
OF blood that she was unable to get over the |
body of the tree, and reined her to 90 |
round the top; in passing which tho poor
feet got entangIed in the limbs and
she csIpe upon her knees; but, by close |
checking and the spur, the faithful creature |
rscdyGed, and turned towards ths aware.
WAC at that moment fired, his ball striking |
the knuckIe Of the index finger of nv le6 |
hand, passing through the hand and the
bone OF the forearm, and out between the
elbow and the wrist (Here The Celonel
showed the multitude the mutlated hand
and arm.)--l then slipped the arm through
The rsln TO the elbow, and in that wav oui-
ded towards the lndan,who was now max.
ing towards me, and with my right hand
seld my pistol loaded with ball and three
buck shot, behind my right thigh. We |
met near the middle of the body Of The tree
when the Indian raised his tomahawk,
strained sack his body in the act of throw.