The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-05-28


under his orders; I'll tell you what We
are going to do. The long and short oi
the affair is simply this; It's gang o
them cussed, thievin' Iroquois, that cir
cumvented and CARRIED off our four mer
shooting them with their arrows anG
then deoamping with their bodies.
/ Tonight, as 1 was returning to the
fort, I suddenly thought 1 heard the
sound of several voices, and creeping on
my hands and knees toward the spot. got
nigh enough to see that about a dozen
Iroquois were there and then arranging
their plans to surprise the fort tonight
Intending to steal in upon it by the
point which their cussed deviltry had
rendered so easy of access. I only
stopped long enough to learn this, when
hurried off to the Colonel to place you
at my disposal and here we are. did
not say a word to him about what had
learnt. being determined, that if posi-
BILE, the rifles should have the honor
of exterminating the yarlets. And now
I ask you, are you willing and ready to
follow my orders ?"
Every man oheerfully answered in the
affirmative; and with, quickened pulses,
and sanguine hopes, the little company
again moved forward.
The post consisted of long, narrow
space, bounded on each side by rocky,
shelving bank while it's extreme end
was closed in by the dark and impene-
trable looking forest. The bank on each
side of the pass was thickly covered with
brush and underwood and among these,
Death carefully concealed his men tax
ing care to arrange them so that their
fire would cross each other, and bidding
them not to fire until he had given the
signal, and after they had fred, not to
stop to reload, but, clubbing their rifles,
to jump down and finish the struggle in
that manner.
With steady alacrity, each man took
up the post assigned him; and in an
other minute the spot presented the same
lone, still and solemn appearance it had
worn previous to their arrival.
The little company had begun to grow
very impatient, and Death, himself, to
fear that the Indians had either rued of
making the attempt, or else had changed
| their plan of attack, when suddenly his
quick eye detected the form of one of
his foes issue in a crouching position
from the deep shadow which the lofty
trees threw far up the pass.
Three-six-nine- = twelve = thir-
teen," counted Death, as one after an
other they emerged in single file, from
the wood, and with quick, cat-like steal
thiness of movement, advanc nced up the
pass; their rifles in trail, and their bod
les and faces rendered still more hideous
and ferocious looking, by the grotesque
markings of their war paint. On they
came, silently and unconscious of the
fate that was in store for them.
The foremost of the band, whose CON-
manding stature, wolf-te collar, ca
gle's tuft, at once proclaimed as chief,
had advanced directly opposite the bush
in which Death was hid, when the other
with startling distinctness initiated the
cry of the light owl, and discharged his
rife. Eight of the Indians fell by the
Volley which the remaining rifemen now
poured in upon them; but strange to
say, one of the five who did not fall, was
the chief whom Death had aimed at:
This unusual event vas owing to the fol-
lowing cause !: the branch of the bush on
which be had stndied his arm in firing,
had suddenly yielded at the momont be
piece, thus rendering harmless his 9th
erwise deadly aim.
Uttering an impreeation at his bad
luck, Death sprang down the bank with
the rest of his companions, and with one
bound reached the side of the Iriquois
chief. They grappled and both fell
heavily to the ground, claspcd, and dart
ing glances of savage hatred at each
other from beneath their knitted and
scowling brows.
keep off," shouted Death, as he ssw
one or two Of his companions in the act
of stopping. down to assist him, keep
of, and if he masters me let him go"
Over and over they rolled, writbing
and straining, but seemingly neither OBJ
tanning any advantage over the other,
At last the head Of the Indian came in
contact with the point of a rock that pro-
truded from the bank, stunning him SO
that he relaxed the yice-like grip of
Deaths throat; and tho latter, thus re-
leased, springing to his feet, finished his
career by bringing they heavy breech of
his rifle with sledge hammer force, down
upon his head.
The remaining four Indians had been
likeYise dispatched; and the victorious
rifemen, (none of whom had received
any wound worth mentioning,) now sent
up such q shout for their victory, that
the old wood rang with it, for minutes
after.
As Col. Ines had promised, Death
was promoted to the vacant post Of lieu