Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser., 1851-09-17

in's roof, he resolutely leaped to the ground
He was assailed by two Indians. As one
approached he knocked him down with the
butt Of his gun. The other advanced with
uplified tomahawk Morgan let fall his gun
and closed in. The savage made blow.
missed, but severed the board that bound
the infant TO his back, and it fell. The con-
tes. over the child became warm and fierce,
and was carried on with knives only. The
robust aud athletic Morgan at length GO, the
ascendency; both were badly cut and bled
freely, but The s!abs Of the " hiie man were
better and deeper, and the savage soon fell
to the earth in death. Morgan hastily took
up his child and hurried off.
The Indians in the house, busily engsg-
ed in drinking and plundering, were not
spprised Of the contest in the yard until the
one ,ha. bad been knocked down gave signs
Of returning life, and called them to the
scene Of action. Morgan was discovered,
pursued, and dog pu. upon his trail, OPP
Grated upon with all the feeligs of husband
and father, he moved with all the speed Of
a hunted stag, and soon ou,stripped the In
dians, but the dog kept in close pursuit -
Finding it impossible to ou.-run or elude
the cunning animal, trained to hunts of this
kind, he hailed and waited ill he came with
in few yards of him, fired and brough, him
down. IN short time he reached the house
of his brother, who resided near Byran,'s
Lexington, where he lef. the child and the
two brothers set ou. for the dwelling. AS
they approached light broke upon his view
|,
ed, and the most agonizing apprehensions
crowded upon his mind. Emerging from
the canebreak he beheld his house in flames,
| and almost burnt to the ground "My wife"
he exclaimed, as he pressed one hand upon
his forehead and grasped the fence with the
other to support his totering frame. He
gszed on the ruin and desola,ion before him,
advanced few PAGES and fell exhausted to
the earth.
Morning came, the luminary of heaven
arose, and still found him seated near the
almost expiring embers. In his right hand
he held small stick, with which he was
tracing the name of ELIZA" on the ground
and his left hand lay by his favorite dog,
.ha. lay by his side, looking frs, on the
ruins aud then on his master, with evident,
signs OF grief. Morgan arose. The two
brothers now made search and found some
bones burnt TO ashes. which they carefully
gathered and slIen,l consigned to the mo-
'her earlh beneath the wide spread branches
OF the venerable oak consecrated by the
purest and hottest recollec,ions.
Several days after This, Morgan was en-
gagged in battle al the lower Blue Licks.
The Indians came of victors and the sur
vving whites returned across the Licking,
pursued by the enemy for distance Of six
and thirty miles.
James Morgan was among the last who
crossed the river, and was in the rear until
The hill descended. As he behed the In
dians re-appear on the ridge he felt and saw
his wrongs, and recollec,ed the lovely OBJ
ject Of his affections. He urged his horse
and pressed to the front. While in The act
of leaping from his saddle, he received
rifle ball in his thigh and fell an Indian
sprang upon, seized him by the hair and ap-
piled The seal lping knife. At this momen,
Morgan cas-, up his eyes and recognized the
handkerchief that bound the hand Of the
savage, and which he knew to be his wfe's.
and increased his activity to fury. He quick
Iy drew his left arm around the Indian, and
with dea'h-like grasp hugged him to his
bosom, plunged his knife into his side, and
he expired in his arms. Releasing himself
from The savage, Morgan crawled under
small oak, on an elevated piece of ground
short distance from him. The scene oGI
action shifted, and he remained undscover-
ed and unscalped, an anxious spectator of the
battle.
It's now midnight. The savage band had
after taking all the scalps they could find,
left the battle ground. Morgan was seated
at the foot Of the oak its trunk supported
his head. The rugged and uneven ground
that surrounded him was covered with the
slain the once white and projecting rocks,
bleached with the rain and sun of centuries,
were crimsoned with blood that had warm
ed the heart and animated the bosom of the
patriot and soldier. The glimmering of the
moon occasionally threw a faint light upon
the mangled bodies of the dead, then pass
ing cloud enveloped all in darkness and gave
additional horror to the feeble cries of
few still lingering in the last agones of
protracied death, rendered doubIy so by the
hoarse growl of the bear, the loud howl of
the wolf, the shrill and varied notes of tho
wildca. and panther, feeding on the dead
and dying. Morgan beheld the scene with
hear,-rending sensations, and looked for
ward in the apathy of despair to his own
end.
A large ferocious looking bear, covered
all over with blood, now approached him
he threw himself on the ground silently
commenting his soul to Heaven, and in
brea,hess anxiety awaited his fate. The
salia!ed animal slowly passing wi.hou. no.
,icing him, Morgan raised bis head-and
was abou, TO offer thanks fot bis uncxpect-
cd preservation when the cry of pack of