Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-08-22
Sketch of the Life OF Ben m.culloch.

The following sketch Of the life of Gen. Ben McCul-
lough who participated in the battle of Davis Creek
in Missouri, will be read with interest:
Gen. Mccullough was born in Rutherford county,
Tenn, in 1914. His father, Alexander Mccullough,
aiddecamp to Gen. Coffee, and fought under Gen.
jackson at the battles of Tallageda, Tallahassee and
Horseshoe, during the Greek His father emgrated
to Georgia while Ben was very young, and Ben was
kept at school in Tennessee until he IA years DID,
After this Ben kept hunting until he was near
twenty-one At that time the bears were so bad in
Tennessee that the settlers con1 not raise their hogs
Hunting bears in the required much caution, and
if mans gun snapped he lost his breakfast. Young
Mccullough frequently killed as many eighty bears
during season. and less than twenty in the
OF wnter.-Ths life gave him taste for wild adven-
ture and when he became of age he determined
an expedition to the Rocky Mountains, and lett his
home for ST. Louis, to join company of trappers. He
arrived too late however, and likewise failed in Joining
| a company of Santa Fe traders
He returned home, and soon after called Colonel
David Crockett, who was making up an expedition to
go to Texas to take part in the revolution. The whole
southwest at that time alive with feelings of SYM
patty for the Texans, and men were daily fockng to
their standard Nacogdoches appointed the place
of rendezvous from which the expedition to start
aud Christmas of the year 1885 named for the day
of meeting, when, Old Davy" expressed it, they
were to make their Christmas dinner off the hump of
buffalo McCuoch again arrived too late, and finding
the party gone he proceeded by himself to the river
BraZos where he taken sick and be did not
until after the fall Of the Alamo McCulough's dis
appointment very great at not being able to join
the gallant band of PATRIOTS but it afterwards proved
very fortunate for him, for COL Travis after having
tanned a siege OF thirteen days, with only $50 Texans
against Sanity Annals army, fell with his brave little
band, after having killed 900 of the enemy
Mccullough, on joining the Texan army under Gen
Sam Houston, assigned to the artillery, and made
captain of gun He served CALAMITY at the battle o.
San Jacinto, where Santa Anna was taken prisoner
and his army of 800 men killed or taken prisoners
/ Mccullough afterwards settled in Gonzales county, Tex
as and employed the frontier surveying and 10
eating lands He frequently led the wild border scouts
against the Indians and Mexicans which service he
tered before the celebrated Jack Hays He also distin
gushed himself at the battle OF Plumb Greek in fgh
with the Indians, who at the time burned and sacked
the town of LnnVie. He joined the expedition agans
Mer but not agreeing with the plans of the leader, h
returned home before the fight and escaped the
hardships and Imprisonment Of that command, which
mad surrendered to the pertdiOus Ampuda.
i When the broke out with Mexico he rallied
band Of Texan warriors the banks of the GuadalOupe
and set out for the seat of tie Rio Grande
The company arrived four days after the battles of Po
; Alto and the Resaca. His company accepted b.
Gen. Tay or, and be afterwards employed 10 tn
daring scouting expedition towards Monterey, in whic
battle as we'll that of Buena Vista, he mper
= ishable renown. He afterwards Joined Gen. Scott
army and continued with it to the conquest of the cit
CT Mexico For his gallant services, he was honoreC
with national reputation and the office of u. S. Mar
shall of Texas given him by President Pierce
= Gen. McCollouch married three or four year
since and characteristic story is told of him when hi
first child, boy; born, that he insisted to the grea
horror of his young wife, in having the youngster chris
tened Buffalo Hump" in honor of particular FRIEND
t an old Indian Chief of that unique name
The General is thin spare man. Of great muscle an
activity, and is now about Al years OF age He has
pleasant face and is mild and courteous in bis
e with air of dGid nee He is very cool and of dete
: mined bravery.