Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-07-14
Thrilling INCIDENT.


- OF the mail.
.-.". "a
THRILLINd INCIDENT.
The old settlers Cf Kentucky are familiar
with the name Of Captain Christopher Miller
He was one of those bold and dauntlrSS spirits
( to whom we are indebted for the rescue of our
State from the dominion of the bold and blood
thirsty savage History has recorded many
/ of his hcrpie deeds a:ni nr!anchnlr piipatina$;
but one Of tie most thrilling and mysterious
nclrntS in lis cvcntIHI Tie ncvcr met our
eyes until we found it in Fiudlry'S Autobiog
raphy and, as many OF our readers may never
have SCENT, We will give n short account oft ::
thriStUrtCr ttitttCr Urrt- -t.tS hruttrrr Hurry
were taken prisoners by the Indians when
they were quite young, aud remained with
them until they had learned many of the Gus.
toms of those Wild inhabitants Of the forest.
They were expert hunters, and had learned to
love the rSava~r freedom Of their captorS They
were adopted into an Indian family and it
seemed they were indeed iuurh attached to
their mode If liking, hunting and fishing be.
jlg their clirf and almost only employment,
Finally. llc!ry began, when about twenty.
four, to think Of returning Ia the white settle.
mcntS: and he mentioned his thoughts to
Christopher, but, he would not think Of re.
turning with him; SO Henry set oil annr and
after much suffering and privation he reached
krhturky, where he lived several years; when,
in 1874, the indians becoming Troublesome,
AN expedition was gotten up under General
Wayne To cl,a>t>r them. Henry joined this
,NprdliHeBnl set out with it. On the march
ten. Wayne, in order to avoid the possibility
ui an ambuScadc, ordered Capt. Wells Ia select
four rangers to keep in advance andrtcOnnoitrc
the country.
The keen iud.mcn; of Capt Wells did not
fail to detect in Henry Miller the very man for
such an expedition, and he was accordingly
selected. During the march, Henry found lit
tie To do, no Indians being found on the route.
On reaching Grccnville, Gen. Wayne, having
no intimation as to the future intentions of
the subtle foe. determined to send ont Capt.
Wells and his daring comrades to capture the
Indians in order that through him the plans
of the Indians might be discovered. They
accordingly set out across the country, cross
ing st. Mary's and proceeding to the Auglaizc,
they turned up the river for several miles,
when the keen eyes OF the rangers discovered
4 smoke. lltching their horses, the gallant
little band left two Of their party to guard
thcm while the other three, Henry Miller be-
ing one of them, crcpt along in the direction
Of the smoke, which they found to be on an
elevated piece uf open ground. surrounded 10y
three Indians engaged inroa>ting vrnison over
the fire.
They were now far out of gunShot, and our
gallant rangers. discovering n fallen tree be-
hind which they Thought they could approach
in gunShot of the Indians undiscovered, re-
traced their steps, aud, going around, got to
the fallen tree (thc top of which was covered
with leaves between them and the enemy.
They then stole along aS lightly and noise
lcS>ly as panthcr>, until they reached the
point desired. Here their plan was quickly
arranged. 1t was agreed that Miller and one
of his comrades should shoot each his man,
leaving the third, who was Switcr than an In.
dian ON foot, to give chase to and capture the
remaining Indian. Miller was to shoot the
one on the right, and his comrade the one ON
the left.
/ The sharp, piercing crack Of two rifles was
heard. and the iatcd rcd men lay liiclcsS on
I the cVhund.
/ Before the smoke had cleared away, the re-
served one, McClrlland, was far in the dircc-
! ton of the Indian who was doomed To be cap.
/ tured. The Indian observed him as he came
! bounding toward him with the SwiitncSS of n
rocbuCk, and he set off at the top of his speed
McClcllanl was rapidly coming up with the
retreating Indian, when coming to bend in
the river, the latter saw he must soon he over
taken, and leaped oil into the river, n distance
Of twenty feet, where he sank up TO his mid
die in the mud. McClrlland made leap ON
to him, and sunk down in like manner, when
the Indian drew his knife and McClclland his
tomahawk. A parlcy cnSucd and the, Indian
threw down his knife. In the meantime, Henry
aud his companion came up, the two were res
cucd from the mud, and the prisoner bound
securely lie appeared Sullcn, and refused to
answer any questions asked him. lie was
then washed, to rid him of his coat of mud,
when it was discovered that they had taken a
white man instead of an Indian.
The party returned to their horses, and he.
gan at once TO retracc their steps toward the
camp at Grecnvillr. On the Journey the priS.
encr continued moody and silent, until Henry
rccollccting that he had brother with the
Indians, and thinking this might possibly be
him, he approached and called him by his In.
dian name, when he answered with seeming
surprise, when the two brothers Immediately
recognized each other; for the prisoner was
none other than Chris. Miller lie had been
in the middle when the fatal messengers OF
death had overtakcn his associates, and by this
tritling circumstance was saved to answer the
wise ends of an Allwisc Providence. lie re.
turned to Grecnvillc with his captors, deter.
mined to remain and afterwards rendered tho
white settlers the most important aid in their
future contest with the willy savage. Most Of
his descendants still live in our midst, and en-.
Joy the fruits of his well spent and cventfnl
life and to enjoy the high reputation of his
name.
npoth rnmcs to , rnol man 10 rplievc him,