Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-06-06

Wetzel. Lewis was engaged in Gull
cultivating a crop of growing corn.
They solicited him to join their par.
fty. He had been forbidden by his
father to leave his home, but the adj.
venture was too grent q temptation
! for the spirit Of young Wetzcf and he
was easily persuaded to join them.
( lie accordingly took FROM the pillow
a farorItc mare Of his fathers and
started in pursuit Of the fugitive In
dams. They had not proceeded far
until they came upon the enemy
Who were-earelessly lettering about
their camp, apparently Of their guard
] and probably thinking they had safe:
ty on their side, as the Ohio River
was between them and the neighbor-
hoods uponrwhich they lately com.
nitted dcpredations. The stolen
horses were Spancclcd and grazing
dt u short distance. They were cas-
iIy surprised and fled, leaving the
horses, which were recovered: The
party ofsrttlers having accomplished
their purpose prepared to return,
but their horses were ,jadcd and hun
cry, and they agreed that the horses
that they rode should be turned out
to grass, three Of their number left
to bring them after they had refresh
ed . short time, and the balance OF
? the company. with the rccapturcd
horses, should commence Their re-
treat back to tho settlements. They
had not proceeded many miles until
they were overtakcn by the three OF
thcif~ number they had left behind to
bring their horses, who informed them
that soon after their departure they
were surprised by the sayagcs.-
Who made their appearance be-
tween them and their horses, leaving
them no alternative in saving their
lives but TO abandon everything and
escape by flight. Which they sue
ccedcd in doing, bHtfclt their horses
! in the hands Of the enemy. A par
ley was called and the hnsty deter,
! Mutation was soon formed to comtin.
Iue their wayhomcward and leave the
/ Indians in possession of the horses.
10 this determination Wctzcl car
ncstly demonstrated. The loss Of a
.favorile animal improperly taken
from home, the disappointment oIlris
father whom he both feared and low
I'd, drove riitttalmoSt to desperation.
J He protested he w0Uttt- texcr return
alive to his father without the mare
--swore he. preferred the marcwith-
out lIiSscalp, to his scalp without the
mfere, and urged the company,to re-
tarn and rctakc the horses. In this
he was ovcrruIeds in council against
which decision he uttered bitter
anathcmak. lie next proposed that
ifonty one man would join him. he
would return and contest the right to
the horses, but no oAc would volun-
teer. He then Sirmr that he wouii
go alone, that the mare Ire must and
would have and was actually upon
the point ofstarting, when two 9th
crs, who had been active in inducing
him to go, reluctantly agreed to ac-
company him. The three left their
companions on their way to their
hortes, and started back imscarch Of
their horses. They soon reached
the camp and found the Indians en-
gagged at their meals with the horses
safely secured at a shor distance
the Indians were three in number,
equal only to themselves, but the
companions of WctHel hesitatcd and
desired to return, but Wctzcl count
ed chances, and insisted upon sue
cess. The plan of attackwas quick
lys agreed upon. They were to ad-
vance in single file Wctzcl in front,
until they passed two trees, behind
which his companions were to am,
bush, when he reached the third il
was the signal Of attack. Wctzel
reached his tree, and discovered that
the Indians had also freed: but in
looking around for his companions,
he found they had reiterated and were
nearly out Of SIGHT, at the top oftheir
speed. His condition was really
critical, to come out in open field
was almost certain death. His only
hope was in stratagem. He there
fore placed his hat on the end of his
rainrod and gently pushed it partly
from behind the tree. This was no
sooner done than all the Indians
fred at it. The hat was literally rid
died, and Wetzel still secure behind
the tree quickly dropped it to the
ground. Atthis, the Indians believ-
ing that they had killed their adver-
sary, all sprang from their ambush
and rushed toward him, Wetzel now
held the trump, and taking advan-
tage of the enemy, whose guns were
empty, he left his tree and firing on
the foremost, brought him to the
ground and then with the fleetness
ofthe wind ran from the scene, and
followed BY the survivors, Wetzel
loaded as he ran, andwhceling quick
.Iy, fired into the breast Of the fore.
most savage: again ran, loaded and
fred OH the last of the Indians, just
II, tho net IF hurlinfr his