Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-11-16

The hero of the narrative which follows
Mr.. James G. Key, now of Russell county,
in this State, is we'll known to the editors o
shis paper. His standing is such as to entitle
him to, the fullest credit. We have long
known something of his adventures and q
few weeks ago, meeting him casually, got q
promise from him to furnish us for publication
the narrative of his perils and escape. This
he has done.
It was in the year 1886, that volunteers were
enrolling all over the State to fight the lndi
ans in Alabama and the western portions Of
Georgia. A company of volunteers was
formed in our little village, and as my feel.
ings were interested for the settlers, whom
the Indians were staying indiscriminately-
gray-haired men, matrons, young girls just
blushng into womanhood, and sucking in
fants, / could not resist, and four Of my COM
panions and myself were enrolled as volun-
teers.
In the course of a week our company was
organized. Mr.. Garmony was elected our
captain, and other officers chosen and appoint
ed. AS near as my recollection serves me,
on the 28th of May, our company started for
the Creek nation. On the Sd of June, we ar
rived at Columbus, crossed the river, and were
armed with muskets, and mustered into ser
vice the same day. The next morning, we
re-crOssed the river, our captain remarking
that he come to find and TO fight the Indians
We marched as low down as the Cowigees-
there we eucamped for one night. The next
morning we started back for Shepard's plan
tation between Roanoke and Fort M'Crary,
but did not arrive until the afternoon of the
next day. Here we camped for an indefinite
period.
Two days afterwards, when all were in high
glee, laughing and talking, and were just in
the act of betting on some frivolous thing,
bang bang = went guns close by. A mo-
ment we were still and mute, wondering what
would be next. The next thing we heard was
our captains voice, with the words, Parade,
parade, boys Out we ran. The men were
running from all directions towards our cap
tain. We marched for about half a mile in
the direction we heard the firing from, when
suddenly some fifteen or twenty Indians rose
right up before US from among the tall lank
grass, fired on US and then ran back. We
had not gone many yards farther before some
forty or fifty rose up from their concealment
and fired at US and then in moments time
it seemed to me the whole woods were alive
with legion, for never before or since have
heard such whoops or screams, and the balls
fell like hail around US.
Our little company was completely taken by
surprise, for we expected to meet with Cap
tain Jernigans company, and act in concert
with them against our foes but here was
only band of thirty-nine to stand against
some three or four hundred Indians, who
fought not like men, but incarnate fends.-
But soon above all this pandemonian din rose
our Captains voice: Boys, each to a tree /:
fight them, but fight them in their own style
We each gained tree-then came that voice
again Boys, each one pick his foe to fire at,
and load and fire as fast as you can, and give
them back yell for YELL We fought until
our officers thought there was more bravery
in retreating than in rashly hazarding our
lives; but the order came not for retreating
until most of the men had loaded and fired
some fifteen or sixteen times.
When the order came for retreating, some
fifteen of the men misunderstood it. The Or
der was, retreat to the lot at the camp, and
there make stand. Our understanding was
to retreat to fence that lay to the east of US.
We gained this fence, and instead of climbing
or leaping over, fell over; and on looking
down the line of fence, saw that most of the
men had got over in pretty much the same
manner. could not but laugh, as men do at
times in the greatest danger. And danger
was here, for the balls few thick over and
around US, and some hitting their mark, but
so far spent as not to do any material injury !;
at least most of them. After | had got over
the fence, stopped, as it was here thought
we were to make a stand but in a moment,
seeing the men keeping on, | started too to
run for my life My momentary delay near
iy proved fatal to me. 1 now thought would
run in the direction of the camp, but on turn
ing my head saw that the Indians were as
ahick in that direction as behind US, so kept
In the course the men had taken. There was
asmall pond directly in front of us-the men
had run around it, but ] run right through,
and by this means overlook most of nv com
rades. There was man in our company,
some seven feet high; saw him turn and
look back, then away he darted like bird on
wings. 1t seemed to me then, that if was
nothing but play for him. How beautifully
ne ran-his feet touching the ground SO light
ly. All, what would not have given to have
been able to have coped with him in ieetness
And / thought, too, in a few days afterwards
that delicacy of constitution was something to
be envied, for in few minutes after starting
one of my comrades gave out. He fell over a
log and lay perfectly motionless, as though he
was dead, and, they no doubt thought he was.
for they made no stop to kill and scalp him
but as soon as the Indians were out of sight,
he got up and made his escape; and when we
met few days after, he told me that he saw