Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-03-03
sHk 70 From the Summit Beacon
LEWIS WETZEL, aa

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Injured 10 shardships while yet in bayhood
and educated in all the various arts @
roedcrafs from thst of hunting the Beave
aed Bear, to that of the willy Indian, h
became in manhood one of the most cele
bIated marksmen of the day. His form
was erect, and of that height best adap;eG
to activity, being very muscular and pos
sessed of great bodily strength. Thl
frame was warmed by a heart that nevel
palp.tated with fear, and animated by &
spiri. that quailed not, nor became con
fused in the midst of danger and death
From constant practice, he could bear pro
longed and violent exercise, especially, thai
Of running and walking without fatigue
and had also acquired the art of loading BIZ
rifle, when moving at full speed throagl
The forests; aud, wheeling on the instant
could discharge a bullet with unerring ain
the distance of eighty or one hundred
yards, into mark not larger than shil
ling. This art be has been known more
than once, to practice with success on his
savage foes. A celebrated marksman in
those days, was estimated by the Border
ers, in the same way that knight Tenn
plar or Knight of the Gross, was valued
by bis cotenporaries,g who exeelled in the
Tournament or the charge in the days Of
Ch valry. Challenges OF, skill often took
place, and marksmen frequently met by
appointment, who lived at the distance OF
fifty, miles or more from each other, to try
the accuracy of their aim, on bets of con-
siderable amount. Wetzers fame had
spread far and wide through the adjacent
settlements, as the most expert iifeman of
the day. In the Spring Of the year, A. D.
l7s4,it CHANGED that young man, few
years younger that WetzeL who lived on
The waters Of Dunkard's Creek, tributary
ofthe Monongahela River, had heard of
his fame, and as he was also an expert
woodsman, and a first;rate shot, the best
in his settlement, he became very desirous
Of an opportunity for a trial of skill. So
great was his anxiety, that he very early
one morning sl,ouldered his rifle, and
whistling his faithful dog TO his side, start
ed for tie neighborhood of Weizel. who
lseduear the forks of Wheeling Greek, a
distance of fifteen or twenty miles, al
though the two streams rise in the vicinity
of each other. When about half way on
his journey, fine buck startedup just be-
fore him.. He lereled his rifle with his
usual accuracy, but the deer did not fall
dead in his tracks, although MORALLY
wounded. His stout dog seized him and
brought him 20 the ground--but while in
the act of SO doing, another dog sprang
from the forest upon the same deer, and
his master made his appearance at the
same time frem behind tree, and with
loud voice claimed the deer as his proper
ty, having, as he said, been brought down
by his shot, and seized by his dog. 1t so
happened that they had both fired at the
same time, and atstbe same deer, a fact
which may very well happen where Two &C
tive men are hunting on the same ground
although one of them may fire at fifty
yards, and the other al double that dis
tancc. -.if r-.--s Fl .tf --f7 =. ..--.T...,
isThes dogs feeling similar spirit to that
of their masters, soon quit the deer, which
was already dead, and iell 10 worrying and
tearing each other. Inseparating the dogs,
the stranger hunter happened TO strike that
Of the young man. The old adage, ''strke
my dog strike me" arose in full force, and
without further ceremony, except a few
hasty oaths, be fell upon the strange huat-
er and hurled him to the ground. This
was no sooner done, than he found himself
turned, and under his stronger and more
powerful antagonist. Pereeiving that he
was no match at this play, he appealed to
the trial by rife; saying it was Too much
like dogs, for men and hunters to fight in
this manner. The stranger asseHted to
the trial, but told the young man, that be-
fore he proceeded to put it to test, he had
better witness what he was able to do with
that weapon, saving that he was as much
superior ia the use of the rifle, as he was in
bodily strength. In proof, he bid him
place mark The size Of a dollar, on the
side of hugo poplar tina: stood beside
them, from, which he would start with his
rifle unloaded and running Il hundred yards
at full speed, he would load it as he run,
and wheeling discharge il Instantly toithe
center of the mark. The fact was no soon
er proposed than performed, the ball strik-
ing the center of the diminutive target.-
Astonished at his skill, his antagonist now
enquired bis name. =e---s-
ss"Lewis Wetzel, at your service.' $50
Forgetting his animosity, the young
hxntef seized him by the hand with all the
Ardotr Of youthful admiration, and at once
his own inferiority. So
charmed was he with WezePs frankness,
skill and fine personal appearance, that he
insisted on bis returning with him to the
Dunkard settlement, that he might exhibit
bis dexterity to his own family, and to the
hardy backwoodamen, his 'neighbors.-iI
Nothing loa.h TO such an exhibition, and
pleased with the energy of his new ac-
quaintance, Wetzel agreed to accompany
him, shortening the way with their mutual
tales of hunting excursions, and hazardous
contests with the common enemies Of the
country. Amongst other things, Wetzel
stated his manner of distinguishing the
footsteps of white man from those Of an
Indian, although covered with moccasins,
and intermixed with the tracks of the saw
ages. He had acquired this tact from
closely examining the manner of placing
the feet; the Indian stepping in. parallel
hnes. and first bringing the toe 10 the
ground, while the white man almost in
variably flrst touches his heel to the earth.
ana places the feet at an angle with the