Washington telegraph., 1849-08-15
A NOBLE ACT.

well KNOWN 10 tne country, naVlnS par
ticularly distinguished himself, on several
different occasions, as bearer of dispatch
es to and from California, both through
the heart of Mexico, during the war, and
across the Rocky mountains forcing his
way through civilized and savage ene-
mics. AS gallant naval officer and in
trepid traveller, with the courage to face
and the energy to overcome every difficult
ty and peril, we can well believe he has
no superior; bnt we have recently heard
an anecdotes told oG nirssz being the ac-
count of Circumstance which happened
on the last journey to California from
which he has only so lately returned.
which, while it illustrates the dangers of
the road, proves that there is another
quality in him higher than mere resolution
and bravery-a humane and generous dis
position, which gives to those virtues the
character of heroism.
1t was, we believe, in Gila county that
Lieut. Beall, having encamped his party,
and placed it in safety, went out hunting.
He sat out alone, on favorite saddle
mare, which was generally kept up or
spared for such occasions. About six
miles from the camp he had the good for
tune to kill deer; and he was on the
ground dressing the carcass when, on
looking up, he suddenly beheld troop of
mounted Apaches who had discovered
him, and were dashing furiously towards
him. They had, doubtless, heard the re-
port or seen the smoke of his rifle, and so
were on him before he was aware; but he
knew very well that to be Overtaken by
them, single white man among those
naked hills which they called their own
was certain death; and accordingly, leav-
ing his quarry and mounting in hot haste,
he relied upon the mettle of his mare,
which he put to her full speed, to carry
him back in safety to the camp. Away
darted the young lieutenant, and on rush
ed the savages, laundering and yelling in
the certain assurance of their prey. But
confident as they were, the fugitive was
quite as we'll satisfied of his ability to es-
cape; although their horses were fresher
than the mare, and it was pretty certain
they were gaining slightly upon her, and
would give severe contest before reach
ing the camp.
~
laXing his speed, Lieut.. B. had recovered
half his distance from the camp, when,
dashing over the crest of hill, he was
Mortified at the sight of one of his own
men, on foot, climbing the hill, and in
fact following in his trail, to assist him
in the hunt. The sight of the lieutenant
flying down the hill at such a furious rate
was doubtless enough; perhaps the poor
fellow could hear the whoops of the lndi-
ans ascending the hill from the opposite
side; at all events, he understood his fate,
and spreading his arms before the horses
head, he cried out, with the accents of
despair: "Oh, Mr.. Beall, save me! l am
husband and the father of six helpless
children Never was prayer more
quickly heard, or more heroically answer
ed
The lieutenant, though riding for his
oW n life, Immediately stopped his mare,
dismounted, and giving her to the man,
said: "You shall be saved. Ride back
to the camp, and send them out to give
me decent burial.' And so they parted
the footman to escape, the officer, as he
supposed, to be slain; for the hill was ut
terly bare, without single hiding place,
and he thought of nothing but selling his
life as dearly as possible. For this pur-
pose, he drew his revolver, and, sitting
down on the ground, waited for the sava-
ges, who in moment came rushing over
the brow of the hill, and then, to the un-
speakable amazement of Lieut.. Beall,
dashed past him down the descent like
madmen, not soul in fact seeing him.
They saw, in reality. nothing but the
horseman they had been pursuing for three
miles; they knew nothing of footman;
and perhaps the sitting figure of the lieu
tenant appeared, as stone or huge cac-
tus, such as abound on those sterile hills.
At all events, Lieutenant Beall, by
what seemed to himself almost direct
providential interposltion in his behalf, re-
manned wholly undiscovered; and in mo-
ment more the Apaches were out of sight,
still pursuing the horse and his rider to
the camp. The latter barely succeeded
in escaping with his life, the Indians hav-
ing overhauled him so closely, just as he
reached the camp, as to be able to infict
one or two slight wounds upon him with
bullets, or perhaps with arrows. AS tor
Lieut.. Beall, he was not slow to take ad-
vantage of his good fortune, and selecting
a round about course he succeeded IN
reaching the camp just about the time
the poor fellow whom he had saved, and
the other members of his party, were
about sallying out to obey his last request
and give his body decent burial.
of a
fuous to comment. 1t is an act, however,
which deserves to live in mems recollec-
tions like the story of a grea. battle and
victory.