Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-05-26


of the enemy.
The general shook his head, obviously.
"A coward, apprehend!!" suggested
one of bis staff.
"No," replied his superior. ale is made
of sterner stuff than eowardiceT"
"Perhaps more courage than fortitude," !"
suggested another.
"I am at loss" said the general. "Call
Captain Smelling"
In few moments, Captain Smelling
made bis appearance.
"Where is the young pickett" inquired
the commaudant.
HE has gone to sleep in bis blsnket,
being greatly fatigued from his long, tedi
Gus, exciting watch. Shall l call him.
No-let him Sleep" replied the general,
Ale could not, if he were a eoward!"
What Immediately followed is matter
of history and need scarcely be repeated.
Wayne advanced upon the enemy,
whom be had resolved to attack in their po-
sition.
After march of five miles, his advanced
guard was briskIy attacked from thicket
of tall grass and underground, similar to
that near which the outmost picket had
been stationed the night before. Imme-
diately his force vas disposed to fight, and
the front line of the infantry ordered "to
rouse the savages from their lair with the
point of the bayonet, and when up to de-
liver close and well dir, cted fire on their
backs"
The orders of Wayne were often peel
liar, as the above, but usually the best
that could have been ISSUED under the cir
cumstances. In this instance, they were
promptly obeyed; and so irresistible was
the bayonet-charge, that both the Indians
ard the allies were driven from their posi-
ton and completely routed, with only a
loss to our army of hundred and seven
men, while that of the enemy was much
greater-as the field of battle was strewn
with dead bodies, red and white, which,
from the precipitancy of their fight, had
not been moved. .
On the march Captain Smelling, W 'th a
small party of men, by permission of the
general, deviated slightly from the line,
and passed by the thicket whence danger
on the night before had been apprehend,
and near to which the outmost picket had
been stationed.
When within short distance of the post
cry of joyful surprise escaped the lips of
one of the soldiers and all hastened forward
to the spot to ascertain the cause.
There, within a few yards of the tree
against which the faithful sentinel had
leaned, half concealed in the tall rank grass,
dead and cold, lay the victim of the unerr-
ing aim. 1t was not, however, as he sup
posed, an Indian scout or spy, but a gaunt,
gray WOLF of enormous proportions and
most ferocious appearance. 1t was shot
directly between the eyes.
1t was ascertained, afterwards, from
some of the prisoners, that at the very mo-
ment when the gun of the picket disturb
ed the funeral stiffness of the forest, the
enemy were preparing 10 steal upon the
camp of Wayne in the hope of his easy
overthrow; but that the purpose was i'm
mediately abandoned, under the impress
sion that it had been in some way discovered
THUS, by one of those inscrutable coin
cidences which we usually, and perhaps
not unreasonably attribute to Providence,
was the American army saved from That
most fearful consequence of a stealthY
night attack-an indiscriminate slaughter
After the battle, General Wayne ordered
one of his servants to fay the wolf and
dress the skin; and subsequently, to the
great qualification of him and his friends,
presented it to Joe, as trophy of his val
or and fortitude.
"You can have it made into a cap"
said the general. "And let this surmount
the front piecel'
The accompaniment was large silver
buckle, taken from the generals own cha
peau-which, from the day my grateful
old client received his land warrant, has
been known and venerated as Mad Antho-
ny's Spreadeagle.
The Joseph Wolgamot referred oin this story,
was for many years citizen of Holmes county.
His residence was about two miles southeast of
Millersburg. He has two sons, Joseph and Si-
mon. still residing in the same neightorhood.-
They are industrious and worthy citizens.
yNz.