The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-11-01

but with faint hope. Isaw, at the foot
OF the bill OH which stood, but rather 10
tho LETT, n small piney-woods swamp.
made my calculation to run as far to the
ieit rs This swamp reached, and conceal
myself in it before the Indians gained the
top OF the hill. succeeded in gaining it.
and hid myself as effectuaIy AS possible :
out III n few moments became uueasv
anu went out OF the swamp in the oppo-
site direction from which had entered il
but there was only an open pney.woods
country in that direction, and the Indians
were so ne r saw that would not do
In this perplexity saw still smaller
swamp making into the one had ius,
lett. So l Concluded l would try my for
tune In that one, for something mus, be
done, and that in few minutes, or was
lost. ran into it and buried myself in
the mud, all but my head aud beloved
musket; to this clung during my three
mile race. Although il impeded INV run
ming, [ could not give it up. was de-
termln d ii | was wounded 50 could not
run, l would carry at least one Of these
dusky forms with me into that unknown
world.
Hardly had / esconced myself in the
mud before l heard single gun fire
then yells Of savage delight. | knew not
then that that lone shot sent poor Pew.
don to his long home. My feelings were
awful. had not the excitement of run
ming. My comrades were scattered in
eternity. Here, WAS alone, buried up 10
my neck .n mud, and in strange coun
Try. The savagcs were stalking to and
fro sileut and still as death. No more
whoops and screams, but only their
herce gesticulations and low, deep gutu-
rails, expressing their disappointment ut
not hndlng any more Of the ''pale faces, y
OH whom to slake their thirst for Lood.-
AT times they were not more than fifteen
steps from me. Every moment I ex-
Pected they would find me. Alb, what
would not have given, to have been out
IN the open woods with them again, with
only two or three hundred yards between
us. During my hard run thought I did
not get alo1g at all, my legs and feet
seemed 10 be made tiron, though my
breath did not fail but now I thought il
was in an open plain; could use them
little. My case was now getting des-
perate. Buried to the neck in mud, even
1t the sAvages did not find me, life will,
me would soon be DER, hope was almost
extinct, death seemed inevitable when.
hark llsten to that volley Of musletry
Yes, look at the Indians, their heads
thrown forward, nostrils distended. A
moment they listen, when off they start,
whoop'ng and screaming, reminding me
OF hungry pack Of wolves. After this
L learned what then seemed TO me the
Interposllion Of Heaven, that Capt. Jcr-
nigan, true TO his promise, had turned 70
the relief Of his friend, Capt. Garrnany
but he, too, with only his twenty men,
was forced to retreat, leaving four Of his
men behind not only wounded, but dead
and about this time, too, up came our
twenty-five men that Capt. Garmauy had
sent to guard Fort McCrarv. They had
heard our firing, and like true, brave
hearted men, had saddled their steeds and
started to our relief. Though they came
too late to help US, they made good Capt
Jcrnigan's escape.
After the Indians had left, I made nv
way out OF the swamp, with great eau.
ton, and succeeded in gaining an out field
undiscovered; and lay there until nigh,
threw his sable mantle over both friend
$and foe. lay concealed, indeed, and
chilled and exhausted, but with a firm
resolve not TO give over my attempt at
escape, until the last spark o, life was
gone and to trust still in that God who
had shielded ne thus far, and could pro.
tect ne to the end. How lonely and still
verythng seemed and the moon seem
ell u look down with sadness on man,
that he, the last o. Gods works, should
thus war one on another. think that it
must have been about an hour in the
night when | resolved to make my way 10
Larnpkin, ii possible, teIioging ;he. the
Indians had killed nearly all of my com
rades for out of fifteen or sixteen who
had started with me, only knew OF
about four who had outrun me, and Cap
tain Garlnany and the men who had fol.
lowed him. | thought surely they were
all massacred for the Indians seemed to
be thicker in that direction than any
other. They retreated to the lot at the
camp, and there Captain Garmany fought
hand 10 hand with his foes, until he was
brough: 10 his knees by q shot from one
Of the Indians and then rs he saw the
savage whirl his tomahawk above his
head Tor the fatal blow, he raised his gun
and the savage bit tile dust with his death
wound. a panic seemed to take posses
sion Of the men, rs one of their number
cried out, "our Captain is killed." No
no. lie cried, "not killed, only wounded. |"
''Stand firm" he cried, "and assist me 70
my horse, and we will try and make an
escape" And though be was weak and
faint from loss Of blood, aud one OF his
legs hung useless and painful, vet he sue.
ceeded in guiding and making an effec.
ltive escape with bis men 10 Fort Jones.
i Soon after l had left the oat patch
came to q cornfeld. got over the fence
and followed the rows Of corn until | came
10 the opposite string Of the fence.
lgot on the fence and saw that il ran