Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-05-20

ilAO to"oIuo tHe StdtloH, lie might very
easily have effected his escape. But Bur-
CESS was slowly crawling away in that
direction, and the gallant Higgins-who
coolly surveyed the whole greund-fore-
saw that, if he pursued the same track,
and should be discovered. his friend
would be endangered. He therefore,
took the heroic resolution of deviating
from the true course so far, that any OF
the enemy who should follow him would
not fall in with Burgess. With this in
%tention, he moved stealthily along through
the smoke and bushes intending, when he
emerged, to retreat at full speed. But as
he left the thicket, he beheld a large Ind.
ian near him, and two others on the side,
In the direction of the fort. Tom eoolly
surveyed his foes, and began to chalk out
his track, for although in the confidence
of his own activity and courage he felt
undismayed at such odds, yet he found it
necessary to act the general Having an
enemy on each flank, he determined to
separate them and fight them singly.-
Making for a %ravine, which was not far
off he bounded away, but soon found that
one of his limbs failed him, having re-
ceived a ball at the first fire, which until
now, he had scarcely noticed. The lar
gest Indian wus following him closely
Higgins turned several times to fire, but
the Indian would halt and dance about,
te prevent him from taking aim, and Tom
knew he could not.aford to fire at random.
The other two were now closing in on
him, and he found, unless he could dis
pose of the first one, he must be overpow-
cred. He therefore halted, resolved to
receive a fire; and the Indian, at a few
PAGES distant, raised his rife. Higgins
watched his adversary's eye, and just as
he thought his finger pressed the trigger,
he suddenly threw his side to him.
lit is probable this motion saved his life
fcF the ball entered his thigh, which
would have pierced his body. Tom fell,
but rose again and ran; and the largest
Indian certain of his prey loaded again,
and then, with two others, pursued
They soon came near Higgins, who had
again fallen, and as he rose, they all fired
and he received their balls. He now fell
and rose several times, and the indians
throwing away their guns, advanced on
him with spears and knives. They fire.
quently charged upon him, but on his
presenting his gun at one or the other
they fell back. At last the largest one
thinking probably, from Toms reserving
his fire so long, that his gun was empty
charged boldly to him, and Higgins
with a steady aim, shot him dead.
With four bullets in his body, and with
an empty gun, two Indians before him.
and q whole tribe a few rods off, almost
any other man would have despaired.-
But Tom Higgins had no such notion; the
Indian whom he had last slain was the
most dangerous of the three, and he fel
little fear of the others. He had been
, near enough to see their eyes, and be
knew human nature sufficiently to discov
er that he al their superior in courage
, He therefore faced them, and began tc
load his rife. They raised a whoop anc
rushed on. They kept their distance
as long as my rifle was loaded" said he
I" but now, when they knew it was empty
they were better soldiers"
A fierce and bloody conflict ensued.-
; The Indians, rushing upon him, stabbed
him in many places; but it happened, for
tunately that the shafts of their spear.
were thin poles, rugged hastily for the oc
%casion, which bent whenever the poinr
struck a rib, or encountered the opposi
ton of one of Higgins tough muscles
From this cause and the continued exer
ton of his hand and his rife in wardino
off their thrusts, the wounds thus made
were not deep; but his whole front was
: covered with gashes, of which the scar:
: yet remain, in honorable proof of his valor
AT last one of them threw his tomahawk
! the edge sunk deep into Higgins cheek
passed through the ear, which it severed
: laid bare his skull to the back of his head
aud stretched him on the plain. Tht
: Indians rushed on, but Tom instantly re
covered his self.possession, and kept then
) off with his feet and hands, until he sue
ceeded in grasping one OF their spears
: which as the Indian attempted to pull i
J from him, aided him to rise and clubbing
his rifle, he rushed upon the nearest o
his foes, and dashed his brains out. in do
! ing which he broke the stock to pieces
! retaining only the barrel in his hand.
The other Indian, however, YEARLY b.
had fought before, Row came m~anfull,
into the battle. 1t is probable that ht
: felt his character as a warrior at stake
:. 10 have fed from a maj desperatel,
wounded, and almost disarmed, or to hay,
suffered bis victim to escape, would hays
: furnished his manhood. Uttering a ter
! rihc yell, he rushed on, and attempted Il
stab the exhausted ranger; while the lat
ter warding of the spear with one hand
~brandished his rife barrel in the other. :
The Indian u~nwounded, was now by fal
the most powerful man Of the two, bu
the moral courage OF our hero prevailed
! and the savage unable to bear the fierce
glance OF his untamed eye, began to re
treat slowly towards the place where he
had dropped his rife. Tom knew that i