The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-12-05
A REMARKABLE ADVENTURE.

possessing all the interest OF romance, Is eX-
tfacted from the "%IIistory Of Illinois, now
in course of publication in the New World
Office, from the pen of HENRY BRowN, Esq,
of Chicago:
The pioneer who dwells in the vicinity Of
Indian hunting ground, forming a barrier be-
tween savage and civilized men, learns TO
bate the Indian because he hears him spok
en- of always as an enemy. Having listened
from his cradle to tales of savage violence,
and perused with interest the narrative of a.
boriginal cunning and f%erocity, and number
ing, also, among the victims of some mid
night massacre, his nearest and dearest re-
laton, il is not to be wondered at that he
should fear and detest the savage. While
the war whoop is sounding in his ears, the
rife is kept in readiness and the cabin door
secured, with the return of evening.
Among these thus born and reared, one
Thomas Higgins, of Kentucky, stands pre-
eminent. During the war OF 1912 he en-
Estened,at the early age of nineteen, in a
company of rangers and came to Illinois,
One of the most remarkable events of that
war occurred near Vandalia, in which Hig-
gins participated.
Men talk of Marathon, and Thermopyla
and Waterloo, as if deeds of courage and
daring were exhibited only there, withoutre.
fleeing that a single ranger of Kentucky
had ecIipsed them all.
Aliltle fori, or rather block-house, having
been erected about twenty miles from Van
dalia, late the capitol of Illinois, and abou
eight miles south of the present village o
= - o,.:fI1 q. =. tEn ortso.-a.4Io-oon
from the Indians, Lieut.. Journey aud twelve
men were assigned as lis garrison. OF the
latter, Higgins was one.
The surrounding country was at that time
a continuous forest; and the little hamlet o.
Greenville a frontier town.
On the Goth of August 1914, strong indi
cations of savages being in the ~neighbor
hood were apparent, and at night "a party o
Indians were seen ~prowling about the fort.
On the morning Of the 3lst, before day
$ light, Lieut.. Journey, with the whole fore,
under his command sailed forth in pursui
) Of them; they had not proceeded far, befor
2 ii large party of savages-seventy or eight,
in number--rose from their ambush, and a
the first fire, the Lieutenant ard three ofhi
e men were killed and another wounded. 81;
: returned in safety TO the fort, and one (Thc
Higgins) fingered behind in order TO hay
4 some more phil at the enemy"
e The morning was sultry. The day hal
|, not yet dawned; a heavy dew had fallen du
ring the night, and the air being still and ht
d mid, the smoke from their guns hung like
cloud over the awful scene.
BY aid Of this cloud the companions
Higgins escaped to the for:. Higgins hors
k having been shot in fhe neck, fell upon hi
n knees, he rose however again. Higgin
Sapposing him TO be MORALLY wounded, di
mounted, and was about TO leave him. Pc
ceiying soou thereafter his error, and that II
I wound was moi dangerous, he determined
make good his retreat, but resolved hefol
doing so to asenge the death Of SEINE Of b
companions.
t He sought, thercfore,a tree, from benin
lie which he could shoot with safety. A sma
elm, scarcely sufficient 10 protect his boz
was near. 1t was the only one in sight, al
before he could reach it, the smoke partly
s, rose and discovered TO him a number OF
clans approaching. One Of them was in IL
in act of loading his gun. Higgins, having I
a ken deliberate aim fired al the foremost sa
i age, aud he fell. Concealed still by Il
$, smoke, Higgins, reloaded, mounted his hors
and turned TO fly, when a voice, apparent
I'd from the grass, hailed him with, "Fom, y
won't leave me, will you?"
Le, Higgins turned Immediately around, al
OF seeing a fellow soldier by the name of b.
e, CESS lying on the ground, wounded and gas
lis ing forbreatb, replied, mo, I'll not leave y
come along"
ou 81 can't come, said Burgess "ny leg
all smashed to p~ieces.n
1t Higgins d~ismounted, and taking up
w. friend, whose ANGLE had been broken, was
rt bout to lift him on his horse, when the Iati
be I aking fright darted of in an instant, and !
Higgins and his wounded friend behind.
"This is too bad" said Higgins; shut do
Is, fear; you hop off on your three legs, a
Ia I'll stay behind between you and the EndiaI
Sc and keep them off. Get into the tall
grass and crawl as near the ground as pos
ia, ble." Burgess did so, and escaped.
le- The smoke which had hitherto conceal
ST Higgins, now cleared away, and he resolve
les if posi- bic to retreat. To follow the ira
Of Burgess was most expedient. 1t wou
~ however, eBdanger his friend.
ne He determined, therefore, 10 venture DO
nd ly forward, aud, if discovered, to secure
nd own safety by the rapidity of his flight. I
III leaving a small thicket in which he b
sought refuge, he discovered a tall por
old savage near by, and two others in a direct
ow between lin and the fort. He paused fo
Is moment, and thought if he could separ;
be and fight them singly, his case was not
desperate.
avy He started, therefore, for a little run
os water hard by, but found one Of his lin