Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-11-03
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w E S 7 E R N LIFE.
A RAJ GERS ADvE TUE

rangers, ana was stationed, IN the sum
mer of fSl4, in blockhouse or station
eight miles south of Greenyille, in wha
is now Bond County. Illinois On the
evening of the 30lh of August, small
party OF Indians having been seen prowl
ing about the station. Lieut.. Journay with
all his men, twelve only in number, sa; !.
he'd forth the next. morning just before
daylight, IN pursuit OF them. They had
not proceeded far on the border of th e
prairie, before they were in an ambus-
cade OF seventy or eighty savages. Al
the first fire, the Lieutenant and three of
hls men were killed. Six fled to the fort
under cover of the smoke, for the morn
ing was sultry, and the air being damp,
the smoke from the guns hung like a
cloud over the scene but Higgins re-
manned behind to have - one more pull a;
the enemy" and avenge the death of his
companions.
He sprang behind small elm, scarce
ly sufficient to protect his body, when the
smoke partly rising, discovered 10 him a
number of Indians, upon which he fired,
and shot down the foremost one.
Concealed still BY the smoke, Higgins
reloaded, mounted his horse, and turned
to fly, when voice, apparently form the
grass, hailed him with: . Tom, you won't
Leave me will you z" He turned immed-
lately around, and seeing fellow soldier,
by the name of Burgess, lying on the
ground wounded and gasping for breath,
replied 9 No, I'll not leave you, come
along" '' can't come" said Burgess (;
" my leg is all smashed to pieces" Hg-
gins disnounted, and taking up his friend
whose ancle had been broken, was about
to lift him on his horse, when the animal
taking fright darted off in an instant, and
lett thcm both behind. . This is too bad :"
said Higgins; ''but don't fear; you hop off
on Jour tnree legs, and Iii stay behind
between YOU and the Indians, aud keep
them off. Get into the TALES. grass. and
crawl as near the ground as possible
Burgess did 50, and escaped.
The smoke, which had hitherto con-
cealed Higgins, now cleared away, and
he resolved, if possible, to retreat. To
follow the track of Burgess was not ex-
pedieat. II determined, therefore, to
venture to'diy forward, and, if discovered
t. secure his ON: safety by the rapidily
of his fight, On lea,si,;1 ! small thjckef
in which he had sought refuge, he dis
covered a tall, portly savage near by, and
TWO others in direction between him and
the fort. He paused for moment, and
thought if he could seperate, and fight
them singiy, his case was not so desper-
ate. Ii started, therefore, for lutte
rlvUiet near, but found oue Of his limits
failing hint having been struck By
ball IN the first encounter, Of which, ill
now he was scarcely conscious. The iarg-
est Indian pressed close upon him, and
Higgins turned round Two or three times
in order 10 fire. The Indian halted aud
danced about 70 prevent his taking aim.
He saw It was unsafe 10 fire at random,
and p9rcelviug two others approaching,
knew he must be oyerpowered In mo-
ment, unless he could dispose of the for
ward Indian first. He resolved, there
fore, to halt AID receive his fire. The
Indian raised his rife; and Higgins,
watching his eye, turned suddenly, as his
finger pressed the trigger, aud received
the ball in his thigh. He fell, bat rose
immediately and ran. The foremost In
dian, now certain of his prey, loaded
again, and with the other two pressed on.
They overlook him-he fell again, and
he received all their balls. He now fell
and rose the third time; and the Indians,
throwing away their guns, advanced up
on him with spears and knives. Fs he
presented his gun at one or the other.
each fell back Al last, the largest Indi-
an, supposng his gun to be empty, from
his fire having been thus reserved, ad-
vanced boldly to the charge. Higgins
then fired, and the largest savage fell
He had now four bullets in his body
an empty gun in his hand--two Indians
uuharmed, as yet, before him-and a
whole tribe bat a few yards distant. Any
other man would have despaired. Not so
with him. He had slain the most dang
erous of the three and having little TO
fear from the others, began to load his
rife. They raised savage whoop, and
rushed to the encounter. A bloody con-
fct now ensued The Indians stabbed
him in several places. Their spears,
however, were but thin poles, hastily pre-
pared, aud bent whenever they struck a
rib or muscle. The wounds they made
were not, therefore, deep, though numer-
Gus.
AT last one of them threw his toma-
hawk 1t struck him upon the cheek,
severed his ear, laid bare his skull to the
back of his head, and stretched him upon
the prairie. The Indians again rushed
on; but Higgins, recovering his self-pos-
sion. kept them of with his feet and hands.
Grasping, at length, one of their spears,
the Indian, il attempting to pull 1t from
him. raised Higgins up; who taking his
rifle, dashed out the brains Of the nearest
savage Ia doing SO, however, it broke
the barrel only remaining in his hand
The other Indian, who had, heretofore,
fought with caution, came now manfuily
+ to the battle His character as warrior
was in jeopardy. To have fled from a
man thus wounded and disarmed or 10
have suffered his victim TO escape, would
have furnished his fame forever. Utter
ing, therefore, terrible yell, he rushed
on, and attempted to stab the exhausted
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