Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-03-03

brought up by his parents, and to whom
the young man was tenderly attached
She Lad been taken away alive, as was as
certained by examining the trail ofthe Saw
ages Wetzei soon discovered, BY clos
inspection of the foot marks, that the pa
ty consisted of three Indians and q rene
gade white man. An occurrence not IN
common in those early days, when fo
crime or the baser purpose of revenge, th'
white outlaw fed to the sarages, and wa
adopted on trial into their tribe. As i
was late in the day, the neares: help. still
at some considerable distance, and rs ther'
was only four TO contend with, they decid
ed on immediate pursuit. Aud moreover
as the deed had very recently been done
they hoped TO overtake them in their camp
that night, or perhaps before they could
cross the 0hIe river, TO which the Indians
always relreated after effecting successful
foray, considering themselves in a manuel
safe from pursuit when they had crossed
TO its right bank, at that time wholly oceu-
pied by the Indian tribes Ardent and
unweared was the pursuit-the one to re-
cover his lost love, and the other TO assis,
his new friend, and take revenge for the
slaughter of his eounirymen; slaughter and
revenge being at that period the daily bust
ness of the borderers. 7 3
Wetzel followed the trail of the retreat
ing sasages, with the unerving sagaeity Of
a blood-hound, and just at dusk traced
them 10 the Ohio, some miles below
Wheeling, nearly opposite the mouth of
Caplina creek. Much to their disappoinl-
ment they soon found that the Indians had
crossed the river by constructing raft of
logs and brush-their usual manner of
passing stream when at distance from
their villages. By carefully examining
'tbe signs" on the opposite shore, Wetzel
directly discovered the fire of the Indian
camp, in hollow way, a few rods from
the river. Lest the noise of constructing
a raft should alarm the Indians and give
notice of the pursuit, the two hardy adven-
turers determined to swim the stream a
few rods below. This they easily accom-
plished being both excellent swimmers
Fastening their clothes in bundle on the
tops of their heads with their rifles and
ammunition above, they reached the op-
posite shore in safety. After carefully in
specting their arms, and putting every ar
ticle of attack ordefence in its proper place,
they crawled very cautiously TO position
which gave them full view Of their enc
mics, who believing themselves safe from
pursuit. were carefully reposing around the
fire, thoughtless of the fate that awaited
them. They soon discovered the young
woman alive and seated bv the fire, bat
making much moaning and complaint,
while the white man, whose voice they
could distinctly hear from their position,
was trying TO console her with the promise
of kind usage, and an adoption into the
tribe.
The young man could hardly restrain
his rage, but was for firing and rushing il
stantly upon the foe. Wetzel more eau
tious, told him to wait until daylight ap-
peared, when they could make the attack
with better chance of success and of also
killing the whole party; while if they at
tackled in the dark part of them would
certainly escape. With the earliest dawn,
the Indians arose, and prepared to depart.
The young man selected the white rene
gade, and Wetzel one of the stoutest Indi-
ans; they both fired at the same instant,
each killing his man. His. companion
rushed forward knife in hand TO release the
young woman, while Weizel reloaded his
piece, and pushed in pursuit of the two
Indians, who, had taken to the woods, un-
til they could discover the number of their
enemies. When be found he was seen BY
The savages, Wetzel discharged his rifle at
random in order to draw them from their
cover. Directly they heard the report and
found themselves unhurt, they rushed up
on him before he could again reload, think
ing on an easy conquest. Taking to his
heels, he loaded his gun as he ran, un-
noticed by his pursuers, when suddenly
wheeling, about discharged its contents
through the body of his nearest and un-
enemy. The remaining Indian
seeing the fall of his companion, and that
his antagonists gun was now certainly
empty, rushed forward with all energy
the prospect of revenge fairly before him.
Wetzel led him on dodging from tree to
tree, until his rifle was again ready, when
suddenly facing about he shot his remain
ing enemy dead at his feet. After taking
their scalps, and recovering the lost plunder,
Wetzel and his friend returned with their
rescued captive unharrned to the settle
ments.
Like honest Joshua Fleehart, after the
peace of 1895, the country becoming filled
with new settlers, Wetzel pushed for the
distant frontiers on the Mississippi, where
he could trap the beaver, hunt the buffalo
and the deer, and occasionally shoot an
Indian-whom he mortally hated. He
died as he had always lived, "a free man
Of the forest" = 80
The Newcastle (Ind.,) Courier says
that a private letter to a gentleman of that
place, from Jasper county, Iowa, relates a