The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-02-06


Prospective glance 10 ponder for moment
over the joyous outset Of the Journey.
From tho Detroit Daily Advertiser
HERO IN A DESPERATE ENCOUNTER.
We are permitted to make the following ex-
tract from private lettet received by The last
California mail bv gentleman In this city,
from Mr.. Samuel B Christian of this citv.pow
in California. The statements In the letter
are fully confirmed by The MarysviIle Herald
Of Jan. l, from which we n.o quo'c the par.
ticnlars. Capt. Davis. certainly deserves sue.
coss In all his Future undertakings.
'Nlarysvillc. Dec. n. 1854.
A desperate encounter took place
on Saturday last up in tho mountains. b-tween
q band of robbers. eleven in number. and three
miners. The miners were out prospecting.
when they woro suddenly attacked by tho roh-
bers. who sprung out from behind Tho bushes
AID fired their rcvolvcrs. killing one of the
three miners and woonding another one. The
sf6t: -'rne orner Iour lune drrfg KIIItd IN rie
beginning of the fight By the miner who was
woundcd,) rushed on him with their bnwio
knives. The miner. whose name is Capt. Da-
vie, threw away his revolver. and received
them with his knife, and soon succeeded IN
killing three IF them and wonnding and taking
prisoner the fourth: thus killing and wounding
single handed ten men fully armed. Capt.
Davis had twenty-eight balls pass Though his
hat and seventeen OF them through bi.
hat. He received two slight flesh WOUNDS in
the fght.'
In Introducing the following correspondence
tho Marysvicd Herald remarks: "There are
somo persons who affect an utter skepticism
on tho subject, and treat the matter as hum
bug. We have mot with two gentlemen who
L. IL s,l T., avia
and who informs We that he is just the man ca.
pable Of performing tho exploit attributed 10
him. They represent him ms a man of chival.
ric courage. indpfhitable will. and nefvcs of
iron Added to these attributes. he is pro
ficient with the rife and pistol. He served
during tho Mexican war, In the famed Palmet-
| to Regiment. He has resided In California
sinco lS49. and has devoted h!s attention. al
most exclusively. to quartz mining. The whole
statement, we feel assured, will be imply con
Grmed:"
| Rocky Cannon. Dec. 20.
No officer having been within convenien,
distance to attend 10 case of emergency tina,
has just happened near our isolated camp here
| in the mountains, the undersigned constituted
themselves coroners jury and held an IN
quest over the deceased bodies Of IL men, thai
were killed within a mile of our camp on The
our duty to publish.
Three of tho undersigned were aye witness.
es of the whole scene, though too far off to
give aid in any way, and the rest Of Us car
readily voncb for their veraciiy.
| On yesterday, 18th inst. ,hree mon. who
afterwards proved to be q Mr.. james @. Nc
Donald, of Alabama. now deceased: n DR.. Boil
war A. Sparks, of Misssaippi. and Captain
Jonathan r. Davis, of South Carolina, wore
travelling on foot on trail within milo Of on
camp 20 prospect vein of g"ld besring quarz
some 20 or 30 mics north of this place. A,
they were passing nt the base of a mountain
thre, of the undersigned being on hunting
expedition on its side. saw party Of clever
mcu who were concealed in the bushes nea
the trail. spring up and commence firing a
Them. Mr.. Mcdonald fell dead ere he fred ,
pistol or was aware If his danger He and hi
party had nothing but their revovers.
| DIR. Sparks shot twice at the bnnditti, and
the fell severely wounded. In the meantime
Can't. Davis who was tho frst to commenc,
shooting in defense of himself and party. IL
an Instant after the first volley fr.'m the rob
bers, being stil unhurt. kept up an incessan
firing upon them with his revolver, every ba,
i forcing its victim TO bite the dust, until all th,
loads of both parties seemed to have been dis
charged. Tho only four surviving robbrr
made charge npon Capt. Davis, three will
Bowie knvos, and one with short sword OF
sabre.
Capt. Davis stood firmly on his ground unit
they rushed 10 abreast within about fou
steps of him. He then made spring upoi
them witha large bowie knife. warded off thei
blows as fast as they were aimed al hiir. an,
gave three of them wotinds that soon proves
fatal. rr~
T Having. wounded Tho othor one very slight
and dissrm"d him by throwing his Knife in th
ar in warlng IF blow as this last msn OK
pressed in tone of gratitude before his death
the magnanimp"s Captain ID. went to work n
onre tearing up his own shirt and hinding ul
all the wounds of the lvirg, of both his friend
and enemies.
In oar examination Of the persons of thos
that commenced tho attack on Capt. D. on,
par y, we discovered papers carefully conceal
ed in their packets. purpOrting to be copv q
, laws and w laws by which they were governed
The last If this band has jus, did. Hi
wound no thought himself hui slight. an
, seemed in fair way 10 recover until withr
tho last hour, corroborated all the eyidenc
, proven by the papers in their pockots.
, II DR.. Sparks Is we'll enough TO travel Cop,
? Davis speaks of moving down to his friend
, to morrow. IL conclusion. we deem II due =
state that from all tho evidence before us. Can
, tain Davis and his party acted solely In self
defense.
We send this Communication to your papo
because the bearer having very sick fami
/, below. will travel post haste all night to Pla
cerviIlo. (Signed.) -
} w. G. Thompson, Joseph Hampton,
} p. 8. Robertson, G. w. Hendricks,
, ]. E Morris, ]. A. Hart,
T. j. Gallibue, A. r. Porter,
o. B. Wingato, w. A. Newman.
]. C.. Lewis, y. G Marshall,
} T. c. Wallace, A. Hughes.
} j. Webster, o. E. Clarke,
, 8. X. Trst.
Rock Canyon, fJec. 20. 1854.
To WM. HENDERSON. ESQ.,, PIacervillo.
} Yesterday wo had quite an exciting soon
70 happen within mile Of our tent: whilst wv,
|: Of my partners and myself were taking hun
= over the hills, We hoard the report Of guns be
! low US aud saw two small parties shooting a