Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1841-01-06

house stood. When / arrived at the |
fence, which enclosed my little patch
Of land, had full view of the state |
Of the case. My wife and daughter, |
having, | supposed, seen the Indians
skulking in the woods, had barricaded |
the door, and kept up kind of de-
fence through the window with an old
gun which was in the house. And
saw also that their courage and skill
had done some execution, for two
warriors stiff upon the ground told the
merits Of the trusty old piece, and
proved that the women of the white
men were not mere squaws. But the
Indians were fast gaining ground, in
spite Of their loss, and five were alrea-I
dy battering the door down, while four
more were rushing up TO their aid.
" At this juncture | raised my rife
and sent bullet which soon found Its
way to the heart of one who was fore
most of those running towards the
house. The fall of their companion
brought the others to stand for mo-
ment, to see whence this unexpected
messenger came. Just then [ per-
ceived fash from the opposite side
of the clearing, and the death cry of
another monstrous savage announced
that cold lead had settled him, while it
struck double terror into the remainder,
who stood fixed with astonishment at
being thus brought between two fires.
My own surprise at this new ally was
quickly relieved by seeing my two
sons come bounding across the field
towards the house. Hope now re-
ljoiced my heart, and reloading my ri
fle, leaped the fence and ran TO the
rescue, calling to my boys to come on.
They obeyed most courageously-but
they had just reached about the middle
Of the field, when the eldest, who was
first, dropped dead bya shot from an
: Indian standing near the door; but the
younger one, who had not yet dis
charged his gun, made the red-skin
pay for the act by the forfeit Of his own
life. My remaining son was then met
by the two out of the four who were
, running towards the house. One of
, them rushed upon him with his scalp
ing knife and tomahawk-the other [
laid low with a discharge from my RI
file; and coming up to the first, who
> had closed in with my son, gave him
: a terrible whack with the butt of the
gun, which laid him stunned at my
feet. But now our turn came, for our
victory was but short. Tive or three
! bullets whizzed among US, one o.
: which struck my shoulder and CON.
) pletely disabled me. We neyerthe-
E less moved on towards the house.
THE demons had atlength broken
| the door down, and we came up ia
] time TO see them commence their dia-
d bolical business. One had already
= struck the murderous tomahawk into
E the temple of my wife, who had sunk
4 to the floor, and he was then tearing
n off the bloody scalp. Two others des:
Y patched the little ones; and another
e was raising his powerful arm to give
III the fatal blow to my daughter, when {
It noble looking savage, who appeared tt
!. be the chief Of the party, hurled tht
vi weapon from his hand to the other sidt
# of the room, and saved her from thu
d deadly stroke. The first one drew
e back from his expected prize with evi
IF dent disrelish, while the chief tied he
J. arms in the manner in which they al
e ways do their captives, and then turn
d ed round to attend TO the rest Of tn
S, proceedings. How was | thunder
IS struck to behold that this savage wa
| the far famed Brant. I recognize
is him Immediately, for having reside
4 up the Mohawk Valley, | had bee
well acquainted with him. He kne,
in me also, and walking up to me, sal
m that 'we were his prisoners, and ha
" better yield without resistance, othel
le wise he would despatch us as he ta
M my wife and children Seeing that oil
1e efforts would be vain, told my son "
o. had better surrender. They then tie
as our arms behind our backs, Will
hi Brant bound piece of cloth over m
,ir shoulder.-Then going up to m
IS daughter, he led her out and told ,
10 to follow. We proceeded a sho
ut distance, and turning, we saw our lit
be cabin enveloped in flames, and becon
ls- ing the funeral pile of the wife of n
ee youth and the children Of my lat
81 days, while a few rods from me |;
it'll the bloody corpse ofmy first born.
,th turned from the sickening sight.
h g Two Indians having renamed
cir take care of the dead, the rest of
vo proceeded towards the woods, on e
me tering which we met the Indian who
| first saw creeping among the bushe
tie He spoke few words to Brant, al
We then Joined our party. Our cour
ire led directly towards Schenectad
,se which we passed at the distance OF
re, couple of miles that same afternoo
In About ten miles up the Valley of Z
lch Mohawk, we came upon a party OF |
,ld dams of one of the hostile tribe