The North-Carolina standard., 1843-05-10

! prophets daughter Being in the vicinity Of the
ndiln gill, near the mouth of Verdigris river
and being acquainted with portion of her history
! | rode several miles to hear her story from her
self
| | had been informed that she has a claim tc
some negro property, now held by the SemInoles
and first questioned her in relation to her claim
and then dire ctcd her mind back to l818 and told
her had heard that she had saved the life of a
white man in the war ofthat year. She answered
that she had, and Immediately gave me very
minute and graphic account OF the circumstances
shall, not be able to do justice to the story, and
can only embrace the main features oft. She be-
gan By SAYING that an elder sister and herself were
playing on the bank of the river Apalachicola,
when they heard war-cry, which they under
stood to signify that prisoner had been taken
They immediately went in the direction of the
cry, and found white man. entirely naked. tied
to tree and two young Indian warriors with
their rifles, dancing around him, preparatory to
putting him to DEATH as was their right, according
TO custom, they having taken him a prisoner
She explained to me that IN such the life of
a prisoner is in the hands ofthe capors-that even
the chiefs have no authority in the case "The
prisoner was young man." said Mily, Sand seem
I'd very much frightened, and looked wildly a
round to see if any body would help him" Il
thought it was pity" said she, ''that young
man like him should be put TO death and spoke
to my father, and told him it was pity to kill
him-that he had no head to go to war with, y
(me1ning that the young man must have acted up
on the advice Of Others and not upon his own sug-
grston in going to wary "My father told mt" -"
continued Milly, that he could not save him. and
advised me to speak to the Indians and did so ;
but one of them was very much enragcd, saying
he had lost two sisters in the war, and would put
the prisoner to death l told him. said Mllly
81. IA bocI fO lii
the young man and so, talking to him for some
time, finally persuaded him and lie said that
if the Young man would agree to have his head
shaved, and dress like an Indian, and live among
them they would save his life" She then pro-
posed the conditions to the white man, which were
joyfullv accepted and the Indians changed the
contemplated death scene into frolic. They
shaved the young mans head, except the scalp
lock, which was ornamcntrd with feathers; and:
after painting him, and providing him an Indian
dress, he was set at liberty, and adopted as one Of
the tribe.
Some time afterwards the young man proposed
marriage; but Milly said she did not save his life
for that, and declined his proposals.
| asked Alilly how she lived She told me that
she was very poor, and had to work very hard
that her father was put to death in the war; and
her mother and sister were dead. Her husband
was also dead Ofeight children she had but
three living. two of whom young girls, and
one boy, too young yet to help her. But she
said if she could recover her property from the
SeminoIcs, she could live very we'll
She is now about forty years of age; and after
having seen her. and being entirely satisfied ofthe
ruth Of her story am induced to recommend
hat her case be laid before Congress, with an ap
olicaion for a small pension for her support in her
I'D age in consideration of her extraordinary and
successful interposition, by which. in 1918, the
lie of an American citizen was saved from a cruel
leath from the hands of savages. A small pen
ion. $3.50 or S75 a weary with a clear exposition
If the grounds of its allowances may have salu-
ary inhucnce upon savage customs in future
lines. A more suitable occasion than the present,
is presumed, can hardly be expected. Milly !
las how no husband or brother, or any near rela-
ion, to provide for her, and is in necd-with fine
son indeed but too young to be of SER
ice to his mother; and, owing to pledges made
the Seminoles, it is probable she will not be able
D recover possession of some negro property, nov
lell by the Seminoes, belonging to her
The story of Nlilly Francis is recorded in
olume entitled "Indian Wars" in which there is
picture representing the preparations for putting
he white man to death, while the Indian girl is
represented as pleading for his life to her father
The circumstances are famiiarly spoken of in
he Indian country and there is no reason to
oubt the truth of the story except that NIly told
ne herself that the young man would have been
hot, and not burned to DEATH as the story repre-
ents.
have the honor to be, very respectfully your =
bediCnt servant E. A. HITCHCOCK
Lieutenant Colonel Sd Infantry, &c
Hon. J. c. SPENCER, Secretary of War.