Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-10-07
STRANGE ADVENTURES
OF LEWIS WETXEL.

Among the heroes of border warfare, Lewis
Wetzel holds no inferior station. Injured to hard
ships while yet in boyhood and fsmilier with all
the varieties Of forest adventure, from that of
hunting the beaver and besr, to that of the wly
Indian, he became one OF the most celebrated
Inarksmen Of the day. His form was erect. and
of that height best adapted to activity-beipg
very muscular 6 possessed ofgreat bodily strength.
From constant exercise he could without fatigue
bear prolonged and violent exersion, especially
that Of running and walking and he mad by prsc-
tice, acquired the art of loading his rifle while
running through the forest, and wheeling on the
instant he could discharge it with unerring aim,
at the distance of eighty or one hundred wards,
into mark not larger than dollar. This art he
has been known to practice more than once upon
his savage foes with fatal success
A marksman was in those days estimated by
the other borderers much in the same wsy tbst
knight templar, Or knight Of the cross. who ex
celled in the tournament OR the charge, was val
ued by his contemporaries in the days of chivary.
Challenges often took place, and the marksrnen
who lived at the distance of fifty miles or more
from each other frequently met by appointment
to try tho accuracy of their aim on bets of consd
cradle amount. Wetzei's fame Esd spread far
and wide, as the unerring shot of the day. II
CHANGED that young man, a few years younger
tIHU HilHoGll, WIN llVSu Ou OUHkarQS Greek.
tributary of the Monongahela river, which Wsters
one of the earliest settlements eff that region. heard
Of his fame, and as he was also an expert woods
man and first rate shot, the best in his settle
ment, he became very DESTROYS of an opportunity
for trial of skill. So great was his desire that
he one day shouldered his rife. and whistlinp his
faithful dog to his side started for the neiphbor
hood of Wetzel, who at that time lived On Wheat
ing creek.
When about half way on his journey, fine
buck sprang up just before him. He levelled his
gun with his usual precision, but the deer THOUGH
badly wounded, did not ia II dead in his tracks
His faithful dog soon seized him and broupht him
to the ground, but while in the act Of doing this
another dog sprsng from the forest upon the same
deer, and his master making his appearance st
the same time from behind a tree, with loud
voice ciamed the property, because he had been
wounded by his shet, and seized by his doc. II
so happened that they both fired at once at this
deer--a thing that may very easily happen where
two active men are hunting en- the same ground,
although one may fire at the distance of Fifty Yards
and the other one hundred. The dogs fell the
same spirit OF rivalry, and quitting the deer which
was already dead, tell to worrying and tearing
each other. In sepal ating the dogs, the strange
hunter happened to strike that of the young man.
The old adage, 'strike my dog, strike me, . arose
in full force, and without further ceremony. ex
cept few hearty curses, he fell upon the hunter
and hurled him to the ground. This was no
sooner done that he found himselfturned and un-
der his stronger and more powerful antagonist.
Discovering he was no match at this play. the
young man appealed to the trial by rifles, saving
that it was too much like dogs for men and hunters
to tight IN this way. The stranger assented to
the trial, but told his antagonist that before he
put it fairly to the test, he had better witness
what he was able to do with the rife-savino he
was as much superior, he thought, with that YEA
pom, as he was in bodily strength. He babe him
place mark the size of ashlling on the side of
huge poplar that stood beside them, from which he
would start with his rifle unloaded, & runnno 100
yards, at full speed, he would load it as he ran. and
wheeling would discharge itinslantly into the mark
1he feat was no sooner proposed than performed.
the ball entered the centre Of the diminutive target
Astonished at his activity and skill. his an,apo-
mist inquired his name, Lewis Wetzel. at vour
Service" answered the stranger The youno
man seized him by the hand, with all the ardor
OF youthful admiration, and at cnce acknowledged
his own lnterlorty. So charmed was he with
Wetzel's irankness, skill and fine personal appear
'ance, that he insisted upon his returning with
him to the settlement on Dunkard's Creek, that
he might exhibit his talent to his own family and
the backwoodsmen, his neighbors.
Nothing 10th to such an exhibition, and pleased
win the energy OF his new acquaintance, Wetze
consented to accompany him, shortening the way
with their mutual tales of hunting excursions, and
hazardous contests with the common enemy of
their country. Among other things, Wetzel stat
ed his manner of distinguishing the footsteps of a
white man siGm those Of an Indian, altho' covered
with mocasns, and inerlnixed with the tracks
OF savages. He had acquired this tact from close
ly examining the manner of placing the fee,-the
Indian stepping with his feet in parallel lines and
first bringing his toe to the ground, while the
white man almost invariably places his feet at an
angle with the line OF march. An opportunity
they little expected soon gave room to put his
skill to the trial. On reaching the young mans
house, which they did that day, they found the
dwelling smoking ruin, and all the family lying
murdered and seal ped excepta young woman who
had been brought up in the family, and TO whom
the young man was ardenty attached. She had
aiming the trail of the savages. We,zel dis
covered that the party consisted of three Indians
and renegade white man, fact not uncommon
in those early days, when for crime or the love of
revenge, the white outlaw fled to the savages, and
was adopted on trial, into their tribe.
AS it was past the middle of the day, the near
est assistance still at some considerable distance.
and as there We're only four to contend with, they
decided on instant pursuit. As the deed had
been very recently done, they hoped to overtake
them in their camp that night, and perhaps before
they could cross the Ohio river, to which the In
dams always retreated after successful excur-
sion considering themselves in manner safe when
shey had crossed to the right bank, at that time
assapisa BY the Indian tribss.