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

M .i'' h'cahs OVERLOOK most OF my comrades,
There was man in our company some
seven feet high; saw him turn and look
back, then away lie darled like a bird on
wings. 1t seemed 10 me then tha, it was
nothing but play for him. How beauti-
fully he ran-hs feet touching the ground
so lightly! Ah, what would | not have
gwen TO have been able TO have coped
with him in fieetnessi And I thought.
too, IN few days afterwards that delica-
cy OF constitution was something to be
envied, for in a few minutes after starting
one Of my comrades gave out. lie fell
over log and lay perfectly motionless, rs
though he was dead, and they made no
stop 10 Kill and scalp him; but rs soon as
tic Indians were out Of sight he got ND
ami made his escape and when we met a
few days after, he told me that lie saw
Ensign Lacy wounded, but turn, like n
wild beast that had been hunted to his
inlr, and fight his foes until death palsied
his hands and closed his eyes forever
Directly as we ran through the pond
saw the younger Holland (for there were
two brothers by the name Of Holand)
shot not ten PAGES from me. And why
there were not more Of us killed along
there | cant imagine, for the bullets were
whlzzing thick around us. a constant
iiie was kept upon us by the Indians as
We ran, for there we're enough Of them for
some to load while others fired. We soon
came TO field in our headlong flight
over the fence we wen. Here | ran side
by side with Dunlap short distance, or
until a ball came whizzing between us and
tore TO pieces m old stump not three Yards
before us. lie ran off to the right and
to the left. lie said the Indians did not
follow him but il seemed to me If posi-.
bie that fresh numbers gathered on nv
trail, for the green blades Of corn were
popping and flying about in the mir in all
directions, and the loose dirt making
perfect storm of dust rs the balls would
strike the ground. soon got to n fodder.
stack, and stopped behind it, thinking that
L would conceal myself, for was getting
pretty tired by this time; but moments
reflection showed me the folly Of such
thought, that could hide in such place
from the lynx eyed savages; and il was
well for me that reflection made me wis
er, for here the elder Holland stopped, was
found and murdered.
My clothes we're wet and heavy, and
imPedcd my running. My shoes, Layo-
net and cartridge box We're gone, and now
L commenced looscnng my pants, and
soon had them of and threw them away.
My shirt soon followed suit-.and now
only had my musket and some two hun
drcd dollars in money. My musket
kept, but the money l hid at the loot of
an old tree, for thought | would give the
savages as little cause for exul,ation as
possible. Throwing my clothes away re-
lleved me some little, and soon over
took my companions, who were leaving
ME behind aud the Indians were still
further back-we were outrunniuy them.
Fear was greater incentive TO actions
than even the thirst for blood. | was be-
coming exhausted, when came to lit
tie dirty puddle Of water. Have it | must
so | sco' ped it up in my hands aud
drank. My God, such water! so sweet
and delicious! II was far better 10 me
than the ambrosiai nectar Of the gods /;
Tor 1t revived ME, restored my wasting
ene' gies, and lstarted again on the race,
which IT won, was lie, II lost Was
death. now soon came up with the
most of my friends whom had not out
run. We ran nearly quarter OIL level
ground, when We came " the foot Of u
large gradual slant. had got about
hali way up this rise when again be-
came exhausted. l stopped, turned
round, and c)uld see no Indians, though
l could still family hear their whoops and
yeIls. Some five or six yards TO my left
SAW small clnmp Of black-gum bush
es. 1 concealed myself in them, but
soon getting uneasy, started again on
the race for life or death. In that patch
os bushes James Martin stopped, and iu
few days afterwards, when we went
to look for and bury our dead, we found
him pinned TO the ground with his own
bayonet.
just as ! gained the top Of the hill l
feli perfectly proslrate--calling on my
comrades not to desert me. In vain in
vain They were heedles to my ago
nlzlng cry. ] gave up there to die
Every s'ene of my life was enacted again
before my eyes. thought of my pa.
rents grief--my mothers cry Tor her lost
son--my sisters wild lamentalion +; every
scene OF my happy boyhool. All, the
friends tha; oEce knew me would soon
know me no more. A soft sleepy Ian.
gonr seemed To DC stealing over me, when
hark again l hear those savage cries
aud yells as il all the spirits OF the lowe,
world were suddenly turned loose on this
fair world Of ours, TO deyastate aud de.
stroy at their own pleasure. Those cries
infused new life into me, and sent nv
sluggish blood lcaping and coursiug gain
through my veins. But, ah ! poor sins.
thou vast too Ear gone thou vast al.
ready on the confines Of this world--anl
our good God Is too kind and mcscif,,l TO
have let those demon yells disturb You A.
you lay painting your lie away. [ stag
gered to my feet, looked around and saw
the lndians not over fonr hundred wards
behind, brandishipg their war-ciubs, aud