Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1858-05-27
From the New Orleans Delta
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.


following can easily be found. The story
was told us by an old and valued friend,
now residing in the country near this citys
but whose early days were spent near the
tragic adventure here recorded
We give the story as related to us, in the
words of the hero: -. s f9<
It was about the year 1905 that I settled
in Virginia, next the fall of -Kanawha.-
The country at that time was butan unbrok-
en- wilderness. But few settlements had been
made by the whites, and they were SO far
apart as to render assistance in case Of an
attack from hostile Indians-numbers Of
whom still infested the neighborhood.
I lived there alone with my wife for sew
eral months unmolested, and by the dint of
perseverance, being then young and hardy,
had succeeded in making quite large clear
ing in the forests, which I had planted with
corn, and which promised an abundant yield.
One morning after we had dispatched our
humble meal, and had just prepared to
venture forth upon my regular routine Of
labor, my attention was arrested by the
tinklin of cowbell in the cornfeld. -
''There," said my wife, s.the cow is in
the corn-feld." -. -. - - ~.
But the ear of the back-woodsman be-
comes, by education, very acute, especially
so from the fact that his safety often depends
upon the nice cultivation of that sense. !
was not so easily deceived. I listened
the sound was repeated. That, said I, in
reply to the remark of my wife, was not the
tinkle of bell upon the neck of cow II
| is decoy from some Indian who desires to
draw me into ambush.
Believing this to be the case, took down
my old musket. G had no rife) and see
ing that it was properly loaded, I stole eau
tiously around the field towards the point
from which the sound seemed to proceed -
AS had suspected, there, in cluster of
bushes, crouched an Indian waiting for me
to appear in answer to his decoy-bell, that
he might send the fatal bullet to my heart.
I approached without discovering myself to
him until within shooting distance, then
raised my piece and fred. The bullet sped
true to its mark, and the Indian fell dead.
Not knowing but he might be accompa-
MED by others, returned with all speed to
the cabin, and having firmly barricaded the
door, watched all day from the port holes
in anticipation of an attack from the COM
panions of the Indian [ had killed. To
add to the danger and seeming helpless
ness of.my situation, discovered that had
but one charge of powder left. could but
make one shot, and then, if attacked by
numbers, should be entirely in their pow
er. Determined to do the best with what I
had poured out the last charge of powder
and put it into my; musket, and then waited
for the approach Of night, feeling confident
of an attack. Night came at last. A beau
tiful moonlight night it was too, and this
favored me greatly, as would thereby be
able to see the movements of the enemy as
tbAy approached my cabin. It was some
hours after nightfall, and as yet I had neith-
er heard or seen a sign of the Indians,
when suddenly I was startled by the baying
of my dog at the stable. knew that the
Indians were coming. The stable stood a
little to the west of the cabin, and between
the two was patch of cleared ground, upon
which the light of the full moon fell unob-
structed Judging from the noise at the
stable that they would advance from that
uIIeCtIou, l. poSGcu III ySS1A 1o luc poI1 Ao1c
on that side of the cabin. ~
I had previously placed my wife upon the
cross-pole in the chimney, so that in case
our enemies effected an entrance into the
cabin, she might climb out through the low
chimney and effect her escape. For myself;
Z entertained no hope, but, determined not
to be taken alive, resolved to sell my life
dearly.
With breathless anxiety. I watched at
the port-hole. At length I saw them en-
erge from the shadow of the stable and ad-
vance across the vacant ground toward my
cabin. Observation-Disclosures heaven
six stalwart Indians armed to the teeth, and
urged on by the hope Of revenge, and I
alone to oppose them with but one charge
of powder. My case was desperate indeed
With quick yet stealthy step, in close single
file, they approached, and were already
within few yards of the house, when a
slight change in the movement of the for
ward Indians changed the position of the
entire six, so that portion of the left side
of each was left uncovered. They were in
range-one aim would cover all. Quick
as thought aimed and fired As the smoke
cleared away, could hardly credit what
my senses showed me as theresult of my
shot. The fifteen slugs wiz (which I had
loaded my musket had done their work well;
five out of the six Indians lay dead upon the
ground, and the sixth had disappeared.
Although no enemy was now in s,ght, l
did not venture forth until morning. There
lay the bodies of FIVE Indians, undisturbed,
together with the rifle of the other. Secur-
ing the arms and ammunition Of the fallen In