New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-06
Thrilling Incident In Border Life-Chrfstie
Miller,

The old settlers of Kentucky are familiar with
the name Of Capt. Christopher Miller. He was
one of those bold and dauntless 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 heroic deeds and
melancholy priyahons; but one of the most thrill
ing and mysterious incidents in his eyentu life has
never met our eyes until we found it in Fin1ey's
Autobiography; and as many of our readers may
never have seen it, we will give short account
of it.
Christopher Miller, and his brother Henry were
taken prisoners by the Indians when they were
quite young, and remained with them until they
had learned many of the customs of those wild in
habtants of the forest. They were expert hunt
ers and had learned to love the savage freedom of
their captors. They were adopted into an Indian
family, and it seemed they were indeed much at
tached to their mode of life, hunting and fishing
being their chief and almost only employment.
Finally, Henry began, when about twentyfour, to
think Of returning to the white settlements; 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 prva-
ton he reached Kentucky where he lived for sew
eral years, when in 1904 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 avoid the possibility of an
ambuscade, ordered Captain Wells to select four
rangers to keep in advance and reconnoitre the
country.
The keen Judgment Of Capt Wells did not fail to
expedition and he was accordingly selected.
During the march, Henry found little to do, no In
dams being found on the route. On reaching
Greenvile, 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 Indians might be discovered. They
accordingly set out across the country, crossing
st. Mary's and proceeding to the Anglaize, they
turned up the river for several miles, when the
keen eyes of the rangers discovered smoke.
Htching their horses, the gallant little band left
Two OF their party to guard them while the other
in the direction of the smoke, which they found to
be on an elevated piece of open ground, sur
rounded by three Indians engaged in roasting
renison over the fire.
They are now far out of gunshot, and our gal
lent rangers discovering fallen tree behind which
they thought they could approach in gunsho of the
indians undiscovered, retraced their steps, and 60
ing around got tor the fallen tree, (the top of which
was covered with leaYes1, between them and the
enemy.
They then stole along as lightly and noiselessly
as panthers, 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 |
sWitter than an Indian on foot, to give chase to,
and capture the remaining Indian. Miller was to |
shoot the one on the right and his eomrade the one
on the left.
The sharp, piercing crack of two rifles was heard,
and the fated red men lay lifeless 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 In |
dian observed him as he came bounding toward |
him with the swiftness Of roebuck, and he set off
at the top of his speed. McClelland was rapidly |
coming 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
distance of twenty feet where he sank up to his |
middle in the mud, McClelland made q leap ON to |
him, and sunk down in like manner, when the In |
dian drew his knife and MeCleland his tomahawk. |
parey ensued, and the Indian threw down his |
knife. In the meantime Henry 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 question asked |
him. He was then washed to rid him of his |
coating of mud, when it 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 towards the camp at |
GreenPille. On the journey, the prisoner continued
moody and silent, until Henry fecollected that he
had brother with the Indians, and thinking this |
might possibly be him, he approached and called |
MIN by his Indian name, when he answered with |
seeming surprise, when the two brothers immedi- |
ately recognized each other; for the prisoner was
none other than Christopher Miller. He had been |
IN the middle when the fatal messengers of death
had oyertaken his associates, and by this triiiing
circumstance was saved to answer the wise ends Of |
an All.wise Providence. He returned to Green |
vile with his captors, determined to remain; and |
afterwards rendered the white settlers the most |
important aid in their future contests with the willy
savage. Many of his descendants still live in our
midst, and enjoy the fruits of his well spent and
eyentful life, and to enjoy the reputation Of his
name.
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