The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1849-07-12

versations, often would the good heart of
George ). Gaines grleve over the misfor-
tunes of this great man. During the time
they were together, Burr never once allu-
ded to his arrest, his present troubles, or his
future plans. From his early youth it had
been his custom to conceal things in rela-
ton to himself, and he always endea-
vored to throw an air of mystery over his
acts.
After Colonel Burr had been safely con-
Quoted to Fort Stoddard, the interchangeable
Perkins departed for Wakefield, aud
caused the arrest of Burr's travelling COM
panion, who was Major Ashley. Justice
VIM. Ii. Hargrave and John Caller placed
him under guard, from whom he fled in
the night, and made his way rapidly to
Tennessee, where he became engaged in
taking testimony for Burr's trial at Rich
mond. The prisoner was confined at the
fort for three weeks before Lieut.. Gaines
had completed his arrangements to take
HIM to Washington city. The difficulties
were great. There were no roads, no car
riages, no ferries, and few men could be
found in the sparsely settled country, who
would undertake a journey so long and
over savage lands. Finally Col Burr left
the fort under guard and proceeded in a
government boat up the Alabama river,
and into the Tensaw lake with Lit. Gaines,
and stopped at the house of Mr.. John Mills.
Here some ladies wept upon seeing the
low state to which this great man was redu-
ced, and one of them, Mrs. Jackson nam
ed her son Aaron Burr. He is still alive;
and hewas,,the only boy named Aaron Burr
in the Mississippi territory. The ladies
every where espoused his cause, in the
southwes New World. 1t is promi-
nent and noble trait in the female charac-
ter, to admire a man of daring and gener-
Gus impulses, and to pity and defend him
in his adyersities.
AT the boatyard in the present county of
Baldwin, State of Alabama, the crew dis
embarked d, and here lived William ard John
Pierce, natives of New England, who had
several years before established one of the
first cotton gins in Alabama, and a trading
establishment Gaines gave the command
of the guard intended TO convey Burr 20
Washington city, to Col. Nicholas Perkins
| a lawyer from Tennessee. His men were
| Thomas Malone, formerly a clerk in the
land office at Raleigh, North Carolina, and
then clerk of Washington county, Alabama.
John Henry of Tennessee, John Mills,
native of Alabama, Henry b. Slade, of
n orth Carolina, and two brothers Moor
micks, from Kentucky-added TO these
were two United States soldiers. They
were men whom Perkins selected, and he
could rely upon under all circumstances.
| He took these men aside, and obtained
! from them most solemn pledges, that upon
the whole route to Washington city, they
would not converse with Burr, or let him
escape alive. Perkins knew how fascina-
ting Burr was, and he feared his familiari-
ty with his men-indeed, and he feared
the same Influences upon himself His
character for making strong impressions
upon the human mind, and attaching men
| TO him by association, was well known TO
the world. When Col. Burr fled from
Natchez settlement, he procured disguise
and was still attlred in it.
His pantaloons were of course copper
as cloth, with roundabout of inferior
drab. His hat, Hopping, wide brimmed
beaver had III its time been white, but now
gave evidence of having seen much rough
weather. Placed upon his fine horse, he
bestrode him most elegantly and flashed
his large, dark eye, as though he were at
use common expression of the old set
lers who saw him i'll Alabama, 'his eyes
were peculiar, they looked like stars. -
Each man Of the expedition carried pro-
visions for himself, and some for Col
Burr. They whre all well mounted, with
no arms except pistols and holsters, and
two muskets borne by the two soldiers
The party set out from the boat yard in
the latter part of February, 1907. About
, a quarter of mile from this place the
dreadful massacre of Fort Minis occurred
six years afterwards. Pursuing the Indi-
an path, which led from the sBigby settle
ment,' to Fort Wilkinson, on the distant
: Ocounee, the guard travelled thirty miles.
: At night the only tent in the company
: was pitched for the prisoner, who Ieposed
upon his blankets. The lower part OF
r Monroe county abounded with pine for
: ests. Here the Ex-Vice President lay the
first night, by rousing fires, which threw
glare over the dismal woods, while his
ears were saluted with the distant howl of
; hungry wolves! In the wilds of Alabama
: in small tent, reposed this august person
| age, having no one TO converse with, sur
rounded by guard, prisoner ofthe Uni
; ted States, forwhose Liberties he had fought
| whose government he had helped TO
form-exiled from New York, whose stat
utes and Institutions bore the impress of
his great mind, deprived by death of his
! splendid wife; his only child then on the