Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-03-03

In the autumn following Soils escape, the |
Rangers were again called upon to chastise
the Redskins who had made an inroad into
settlement some distance from the one in
which Sol lived. Itwas not deemed necessary |
to remove the women and children from his |
settlement, and he again marched with his |
company. After trailing the savages two days |
they overlook them, and after brisk skirmish |
they succeeded in taking a dozen scalps and
driving the survivors into the mountains. Re- |
turning home victorious, they disbanded into
small parties, on reaching the settlements, and
each party took the route to their respective
settlements. Sol and a few others proceeded
up the valley in which lay their homes, and
when within half mile of Sol's cabin, he left |
his companions, and tursing to the right, hur
ried home to meet loving wife and tender
prattling children. But, oh horror of hor
rorsl The accursed Redskins have been
there, and he finds his wife and children muir
dered and scalped. and his house plundered
and in flames. He gazed with horror on the
terrible spectacle, and then muttering the
word sspengeance,' he coolIy proceeded to draw
the ball from his rife, and putting in an extra
charge of powder, he poured in handful of
bullets, and carefully examining the flint, he
took the trail Of the savages, which led nearly
in the direction in which his comrades were
travelling. He judged that the Indians were
not more than mile ahead when he left the
burning house, and as to their numbers, he
never thought of that, but only how he might
revenge his murdered family. He followed on
run, till he judged by appearances that he
was near the Indians, when he became eau
| tious, and soon discovered his foes standing
! in group, looking into large mirror which
they had stolen from Sol's house. They were
SO intent on beholding their faces, as reflected
| in the mirror, that Sol crept up to within thir
ty yards unobscrved, and bringing his gun to
bear on the center of the group, he ired,-
| crashing report. terrific yell from the In
| dians, and answering shout from the COM
rades whom Sol had left a short time before,
walked the echoes of that lovely valley. Ere
many minutes elapsed, the party of Rangers
were on the ground and found Sol senseless,
and bleeding from the wounds received from
his shattered gun. A search was commenced,
| which resulted in finding fifteen Indians killed
and wounded by bullets and pieces of the glass
of the mirror, The tomahawk soon settled
the fate Of the wounded, and when Sol had re-
covered sufficiently they all pledged each 9TH
er that they would show no mercy to Red
skin, not regarding age or sex. And Sol, over
the graves of his loved ones, swore to devote
his life to the work of vengeance and right
fearfully did he keep his oath, as another in
cdent OF his life will prove.
! The spring following the murder of Soils
family, he again took the field under the same
captain, who appeared to second all the plans
which Sol had formed Of avenging the massa-
ere of his family. An expedition Was agreed
upon to destroy the town where Sol had been a
prisoner, and from which he had made SO time
ly an escape. Accordingly, everything being
arranged, the Rangers were mustered, and a
mounted to some thirty-fye men only, who
were able to undertake the fatigues of the
proposed expedition. The number was small,
when it was considered that they meditated
an attack on a tribe who numbered up
wards Of sixty warriors, and in their own vii
lage too; but the scheme embraced treach-
cry enough to make up the disparity in
numbers and situation, the sequel will
show. 1t was near the middle of May when
the Rangers left the frontier settlement
and took their course up the lovely valley OF
the Juniata. At the end of week they ar
rived in the neishborhood of the village, with
out having been discovered. The plan was
now made known to the company that twenty
, men of the company should conceal them
selves in the woods neaathe town while the re-
! naming fifteen should send two of their num-
, ber into the town, bearing a white handker-
chief fastened to a ramrod, sign of peace
and good will, and that they should propose to
surrender the whole (ffteen) on being allowed
to join the savages on the same terms which
the Tories did, that was equality in plunder
and in everything. The rest of the plot will
be developed as proceed. The following
night the Rangers took position within hall
mile of the village, twenty of them conceal
ing themselves in such manner that each
could pick his Indian according to number
l The remainder took position in an open spot
and sent Sol, and another man named Lucas
with the flag of truce, into the village, about
. sunrise. The Indians were thrown into state
2 of great excitement, upon the appearance oi
the two Rangers, though they were altogether
E unarmed, except pistols and knives which
e were concealed about their persons,) and IN
e spite of the white flag. They recognized theil
: old prisoner in Sol, who did not give them
e time to recover from their surprise till he sta
: ted to their chief men that they two, Will
g thirteen of their comrades, had deserted from
S Captain E's company, and wished to join then
: in warning against the whites. The Indians a
| ;r st raceived the story with distrust hpt the