The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1853-04-15

ever, it will prove valuable, and give hin
enough of the geH, to retire upon.
An Incident Of the War Of 1912
At the battle of Plaftsburg, in 1912, during
the din and uproar of the cannona6e on tie
lake and land, there appeared before tie
commanding officer an unknown Indian, cid
in the widest savage costume, covered with
war-paint, and armed to the teeth, who gaze
in formation Of the approach through tie
woods On The south bank of the Saranac, of a
considerable body of British, accompanied W
small band Of Hurons, or Canadian Indiais
who acted as guides and scouts 1t is wdl
known that one column Of the British army
under command of General Brisbane, had ap.
preached Plattsburg from the west along the
Deekmantown road, to the north of the Sara
ma. The American army were now en-
trenched on the South bank, in the angle
formed by the river and lake. It will, there.
fore, be readily understood that the approach
of this new force would place the American.
in a position sufficiently critical, 10 say moth
ing of the dangers which they were alread'
exposed.
The information brought by the savage
was too important to be wholly sighted, and
came in too suspicious a manner to be who'll
Iy trusted. The officer, therefore, thought i:
best to interogate the messenger.
"Who are you, my friend!" said he.
"Mohican," was the laconic reply.
"What is your namew
"Stockbridge Hank" answered the stran-
ger.
"Where did you come from, and why are
| hor dsh< IA,
"Indian came from the Dutch rivers" re-
piled he.
"But why are you here, I say!"
the captain tell me thst!" replied the savage
his eyes flashing fire.
"Does anybody know this person!" asled
} the officer, turning to the bystanders; but no
one replied, for no one knew him.
"What do You want me to do theni' aid
the officer to the Indian, still suspicious.
stake four, seven, ten soldier" repliedthe
savage, holding up both hands, and spreading
his fingers. me take 'em and wait for hin
goesin the woods"
shes right, bv Jove!'' exclaimed the offi-
cer The men are too few to have an am.
bush laid for them, and we need picqus. Vt
that kind. The redskins must be friedly
after all. Let nine picked men, headedIy
corporal, go with him; but let them be witch
full and keep on their guard, and let me e in
formed of the first approach of any eemy
in that direction"
The officer turned away. The menwere
quickly detailed, and guided by the Ihan,
they took thier silent way in the wooc, up
the south bank of the Saranac, down rhch
the new hostile force was reported to boom
ing. They moved forward rapidly for bout
half an hour. when the Indian begn to
proceed with more caution, and to lista for
every unu .ual sound that disturbed the frest.
; At last, putting his ear close to the gound,
he listened for a moment, and then qtckly,
rising up, he made a rapid sign to the ssdiers
to betake themselves to neighborng ticket
which bordered small creek fiowin into
the river. The men concealed themelyes
among the bushes as quick as possible, while
the Indian crawled stealthily to a petition
, somewhat more advanced, concealing lmself
behind the trunk of fallen tree. II, then
enioined upon them not to fire or NAB any
noise until they should receive from hira GER
tain signal. For some distance forward of
i. the place where he lay the woods wer toler-
able clear of underbrush, and a kind,f path
i which skirted the bank Of the river rossed
; the creek near its mouth, about ten ros from
J, where the soldiers were concealed From
/ the position the Indian occupied, It's pass
was in full view. In order to crss the
: stream, any one going along the pathhad to
descend abont ten feet almost perpenicular-
ly; so that while he was in the bedof the
T. brook, he could not be seen by thee who
r. should happen to be any distance belnd.
The soldiers had not remained in ambush
long. when by quick sign, the sect gave
Is them to undersland that some one vas APP
= preaching. They soon saw an Indn COM
l. ing at rapid but silent pace alon toward
It the crossing. He bad but just got early in
:, view, when at distance Of about 80 rods
:, behind, appeared another. and so to the
number OF seven. They were alIin war
I'd paint, armed with rifles and toahawks.
I'd The soldiers were all attention to the
movements of their guide, expectg every
moment to receive the signal to ire. To
=. their surprise, however, they saw hray down
his gun, and draw from beneath theog long
'r and powerful bow, and body of int-head-
led, sharp-pointed arrows. He thu turned