Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1855-08-04
Dceprp,rr FIGHT WITH INDIANS IN

DESPERATE FIGHT WITH INDIANS IN
TrvAs.- Under the head OF "More INDIAN
Ou,rares." the San Antonio Texan Gurn-
fishes the following account of a recent de;-
perarc fght with Indians near the from
! tier:
| On Saturday evening, June 80, some
fifteen Indians surrounded the house OF
/ Mr.. Wes,ral!, who is well known to most
of our citizens, and who lives on Lcnna.
some thirty FIVE miles below Fort inge and
in this county. The attack was made
upon Mr.. Weslfal!, while he was absent
rom the house, leaving at the time no oc-
cupants in it but a frenchman named Lou
is. and large dog. 1t seems that the
Indians had been lying in wait for some
time, and took this opportunity to attack
in getting back to his house, wounded IN
dangerous manner-the ball striking him
in the left breast, high W and coming out
at his back under the opposite shoulder
He fastened the door, and the Indians
then commenced the attack upon the
house. Louis and WesrfalI now exchang-
ed shots with them in rapid succession;
but Wes,fal was fast falling from loss OF
blood. Louis approached an aperture IN
the wall in order TO make sure aim, and
was shot through the heart, fell and eXpIr-
ed.
The faithful dog, on seeing Louis fall,
and the blood streaming from his body,
became frantic with rage, and rushing out
OF a small aperture, sprang among The In
dams, seized one and tore every garment
from his body, and was on The eve OF Kill
ling him, when he was shorI az overPower-
by The demons IN human form that sur
rounded him. Poor dog, he has nobIy .
sacrificed his life in defence OF his master.
W ell might the poet say,
"My dog, the trusicst Of his kind,
With gratitude inllamcs my mind"
WestfaI, overpowered by the loss OF
blood, could only support himself now by
holding, to The walls of the house; but
nothing daun,cd, he tore a larger aperture
N the wall, and stuck his gun out in order
% keep up appearances. The Indians,
10 doubt, thinking that they would have
ong cige,and many Of them being severe
y wounded, left, taking with them all OF
he horses belonging TO the ranch.
1t is now night, and WestfalI remcm
crs of crawling to his bed, which was ;
he last consciousness he had until sun
ay evening, when he found himself lying t
n his bed, covered with Elood that had ;
ONE from the wound and from his mouth;
ut he was not able to come from his bed {
mul Monday, when from the stencil of I
he dead body in the room he found some 4
hing must be done. With great effort
le succeeded in dragging the body about
20 feet, but could ge, ii no further. AT
sunset on Monday evening he started to-
wards Fort lnge for assistance, but sue
,eeded that night in getting four miles
and on "Wednesday evening he arrived at
A house in the vicinity Of Fort lnge, where
ne procured assistance and is still alive,
and his physician has strong hopes OF his
recovery.
Mr.. Westfall is man of strong frame
and extraordinary constitution, which ac-
counts for his remarkable escape. lie Is
a terror TO the Indians, and is known on
the frontier by the name OF "Leaiher
The Indians without doubt
were the Lpans, who commit their muir
ders, plundering, etc., and then take shell
ter in Mexico.
We elm the following items from the .