The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1860-04-12
Thrilling Incident iM EgOrs1Ir life
Christie Miller.

lpher Miller. He was one of those bold
and dauntless spirits to whom we are
indebted to the rescue of our State from
Erthe dominion of the bold and bloodtbirs.
! ty savage. History has recorded ma.
ny OF his heroic deeds and melancholy
prlvations, but one of the most thrilling
and mysterious incidents in his event,
tul life has never met our eyes until we
found it in Finley's Autobiography
and as many of our readers may never
have seen it, we will give a short &C
! count oft.
Christopher Miller, and his brother
Henry, were taken prisoners by the In
: dams when they were quite young, and
remained with them until they had
learned many of the customs of those e
wild inhabitants of the forest. They
We're expert hunters and learned to love
'1she savage freedom of their captors.-
They were adopted into an Indian fam
illy, and it seemed they were indeed
much attached to their mode of living,
hunting and fishing being their chief
land almost only employment. Finally,
4 Harry began, when about twenty-four,
to think ofreturning to the white set
Elements: and he mentioned his thought
to Christopher, but he would not think
of returning with him, so Henry set off
alone, and after much suffering and pri-
walton he reached Kentucky, where he
lived for several years when in 1895,
the Indians becoming troublesome, an
expedition was gotten up under Gen.
Wayne to chastise them; Henry Joined
this expedition and set out with it. On
the march, Gen. Wayne, in order to av-
old the possibility fan ambuscade, or
dered Capt. Wells to select four rang
ers to keep in advance and reconnoitre
the country.
The keen judgment Of Capt. Wells
did not fail to detect in Henry Miller
the very man for such an expedition,
and he was according selected. Dur
ing the march, Henry fonnd little to do,
no Indians being found on the route
On reaching Greengile, Gen. Wayne,
having no intimation as to the future
intentions of the subtle foe, determined
to send out Capt. Wells and his daring
comrades to capture an Indian, in order
that through him the plans of the Indi-
ans might be discovered They accor-
dinghy set out across the country, cross
ing the ST. Mary's and proceeding to
the Auglaize, they turned up the river
for several miles, when the keen eyes
OF the rangers discovered a smoke
Iiitching their horses, the gallant little
band left two of their party to guard
them, while the other three, Henry Mil
Ter being one of them, crept along in
the direction of the smoke, which they
found TO be on an elevated piece of open
ie5s7nnnd- surrounded hS-tbraa Indians
engaged IN roasting venison over the
fire.
They were now far out of gunshot,
and our gallant rangers discovering a
fallen tree behind which they thought
they could approach within gunshot Of
the Indians undiscovered, retraced
their steps, and going around, got to
the fallen tree, (the top Of which was
covered with leaves,) between them
and the enemy.
They then stole along as lightly and
noiselossly as panthers, until they reach
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 swifter than an Indian on foot
to give chase to and capture the re-
naming Indian. Miller was to shoot
the one on the right, and his comrade
the one on the left.
The sharp piercing crack of two rifle
was heard, the fated red men lay life
less on the ground.
Before the smoke had cleared away
the reserve, one McClelland, was far in
the direction of the Indian who was
doomed to be captured. The Indian
observed him as he came bounding to-
wards him with the swiftness of a roe
buck, and he set off at the top of his
speed. McClelland was rapidly COM
ing up with the retreating Indian, when
coming to bend in the river, the latter
saw he must soon be overtaken, and
leaped off the bank into the river, dis
lance of twenty feet, where he sank up
to his middle in the mud. McClelland
made leap on to him, and sunk down
IN like manner, when the Indian drew
his knife and McClelland his tomahawk
A parley ensued, and the Indian threw
down his knife. In the meantime, Hen
ry and his companion came up, the two
were rescued from the mud, and the
prisoner bound securely. He appeared
sullen, and refused to answer any ques-
ton asked him. He was then washed,
to rid him of his coating of mud, when
1t was discovered that they had taken
white man instead of an Indian.
The party returned to their horses,
and began at once to retrace their steps
toward the camp at Greenville. On
the journey, the prisoner continued
moody and silent, until Henry, recollec-
ting that he had brother with the In.
dians, and thinking that this might pos
slbly be him, he approached and called
him by his Indian name, when he an
swered him with seeming surprise, and
the two brothers Immediately recogniz-
ed each other, for the prisoner was no
other than Christopher Miller. He had
been in the middle when the fatal mes
sengers of death had overtaken his as
sociates, and by this trifing circum-
stance was saved to answer the wise
ends Of an allwise Providence. He re-
turned to Greenville with his captors,
determined to remain and afterwards
rendered the white settlers the most i'm
portant aid in their future contest with
the willy savage. Most of his descend
ants still live in our midst, and enjoy
the fruits of his well spent and event
ful life and to enjoy the reputation of
his name.
The number of banks and branch es