Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-08-15

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ages 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 fight, which they succeeded in do
ing, but left their horses in the hands of
the enemy. a parley was called and
the hasty determination was soon formed
to continue their way homeward and
Eleaye the Indians in possession of the
horses. To this determination Wetzel
earnestly demonstrated. The loss of a
faVorite animal improperly taken from
home, the disappointment of his father
whom he both feared and loved, drove
him almost to desperation. He protes-
ted that he would never return alive to his
father without the mare-swore he pres
ferred the mare without his scalp, to his
scalp without the mare, and urged the
company to return and retake the hor-
ses. In this be was overruled in coun-
Gil against which decision he uttered
bitter anathemas. He next proposed
that if only one man would join him, he
would return and contest the right to
the horses, but no one would volunteer
He then swore that he would go alone,
that the mare he must and would have
and was actually upon the point of start
ing, when two others, who had been ac
tive in inducing him to go, reluctantly
agreed to accompany him. The three
left their companions on their way to
their homes, and started back in search
of their horses. They soon reached the
camp and found the Indians engaged at
their meals with the horses safely secu-
red at short distance. The Indians
were three in number, equal only to
themselves, but the companions of Wet
eel hesitated and desired to return, but
Wetzel counted chances. and insisted
upon success. The plan of attack was
quickly agreed upon. They we're TO ad-
vance in single file Wetzel in front, until
they passed two trees, behind which his
companions were to ambush, when he
reached the third it was the signal of
attack. Wctzel reached his tree, and
discovered that the indians had also
treed: but on looking around for his COM
papions, he found they had retreated
and were nearly out of sight, at the
top of their speed. His cond dition was
really critical, TO come out in open field
was almost certain death. His only hope
was in slratagem. lie therefore placed
his hat on the end Of his ramrod aud
gently pushed it partly from behind the
tree This was no sooner done than all
the Indians fred at it. The hat was lit
terally Eiddled. and Wetzel still secure
behind the tree quickly dropped it to
the ground. At this, the Indians be-
lieving that they had killed their adver-
sary, all sprang from their ambush and
rushed toward him, Wetzel now held
the trump, and taking advantage 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 heetness. of the wind ran from
the scene, followed by the survivors,
Wetzel loaded as he ran, and wheeling
quickly, fred into the breast of the fore.
most savage again ran loaded and fred
on the last Of the Indians, just as he was
in the act of hurling his tomahawk at the
head OF Wetzel. This FIRE was successful
and the whole three were then dead on
the plain. Wetzel secured the evidence
of his victory, obtained the horses, and
overlook his companions before they had
stopped for the night. The exhibition Of
the bloody trophies of victory, and the
lost horses safely recaptured. all in the
hands Of their captor, boy but sixteen
years ofage, of course made him from that
time hero, one whose counsel was sought
by men Of ripper years and more ,expe-
rience.
"The news of this daring adventure
very soon made him the man of the from
tier, eminently qualified as leader in
the spy department in which position he
and his brother John rendered such i'm
portant service to the then Western coun-
try, until Lewis, feeling himself deeply
wounded by the treatment Of that coun-
try for which'he had so often risked his
life, and for which he had rendered such
great services left the northern frontier
for the Spanish province of Louisiana
The many hazards and adventures Of
which Lewis Wetzel was the hero, during
his service in the spy department, would
fill volume and could not be abridged.
had l the material arranged, into an or
binary letter. And as most, if not all of
his Western adventures have been collec-
ted and given to the public by others bet
ter able TO perform the task, aud as my
object is only to embody the outlines Of
the life Of one of the daring spirits of the
early pioneers of our own land. pass
over all that interesting, and to the from
tier, valuable part of his service.
About the year 1890, Wetzel being
what was then called scout, in what IS
now the State Of Ohio, killed and scalped
an Indian warrior on the Tuscarawas
River, who it was claimed by recent ne
gotiations at Fort Harmer, was protec-
ted from harm from our spies, and others
employed in our defence. The Indians
made bitter complaints to the comman~
dants of our forts and garrisons. and in
sisted that, unless Wetzel was punished.
they would again turn loose their horde
of w rrinrs Cnl Hnrrnnr nn,,lI not Io