St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1861-05-02

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for with scarcely 4, word We all rushed up
on him: The othsss ran or hid. The fel-
low, perceiviug OUT movement, planted
himself with his back against large tree.
The man who reached him irst went sprawl
ing in a twinkling..' Three others went to
keep him company, propelled by the long
aud Witty arm Of the negro. ~ he remain
ing three, Of whom I WAS one, made . sim
ultancous rush with clubs. A well.aimed
BLOW brought the fellow TO the ground,
when those whom he had sent sprawling
coming up, We felt sure of our game But
in a moment, even before We could follow
up our advantage. be was on his feet, fero-
cious as lion with torn car. He fairly
foamed at the mouth, and swore such oaths
as never before heard. He did not wait
for us to make another onset, which it is
likely we would have been unwilling to do,
but he rushed upon us, striking right and
left. Some three or four Of our party felt
the force of His blows before we could get
out of the fellows way He did not chase
us fur, but seeing that he was we'll rid Of
us, wept back to the camp. Our party,
which had become scattered by the roug
incident. rendczvoused an hour after at our
destination. On our relating what had oc-
Cured to our friend and his two grown-up
sons, whom We had come to sec, it was
agreed that on the following day there
should be hunt for the fagitives, which
we promised ourselves should have differ
ent result from this unexpected encounter.
Accordingly, the next day, party of
twelve, all Of US plan ters or planters sons,
met at the appointed place to set out on
the hunt. We were all mounted and armed
with rifles, and, in some instances; rcvolv-
ers also. 1t was jolly aud well appoint
ed party. We did not, as was our custom
when deer or other fourfooted animals
were to be hunted, take along one or more
favorite negroes to act as game keepers.
The reason why We did not must be obvi-
Gus, and was quite natural. So, recruiting
ourselves from the saddle7bags, the party
set out. Judging from the place where
the fueitivcs had been found on the pre-
/ vious day, we concluded that they were
then about dozen miles distant, in deep
wood beyond the sluggish river, which had
Its source in a swamp not far of. We
therefore set outfor the nearest ford, which
was several miles above. to reach which by
the shortest route we took across q swampy
and wholly unfrequented tract Our prog
ress was necessarily slow, in consequence
Of the character of the ground over which
we were picking our way. We had prob.
ably made four or five miles when we came
right upon the camp of the fellows of the
previous day. Our recognition was SIM
ultaneous. Their number seemed to have
been increased, for in an instant there
seemed to be fifteen or twenty fellows run.
ming in different directions. Of course we
fred as quickly as possible, and brought
down three or four at the first round
those of us who had been engaged in the
previous encounter recognized the huge
fellow that had dealt us the hard blows the
day before. He did not stop to give us
fight this time, but ran like deer. Halt
a dozen of US gave chase. Mounted as. we
werc, he had rather the advantage of US at
first, except we were armed and he not
The distance between us was not over one
hundred yards. We shouted to him to
stop, preferring to capture sosaleable fcl.
low alive rather than kill him outright
Not regarding the summons, it was repeat
ed, with the additional hint Of three or four
shots from our rifles. But he needed Meth.
er. BY this time the whole party was on
his track, and repeated shots wore fired at
him, one of which we were certain had hit
him, for he gave scrcech like hyena,
thoug h he did not materially slacken his
pace. The. chase was kept up for some
time, with shot after shot. It was one Of
exciting interest, which was increased by
the fact that the fellow kept on his course
like deer. At length some halt dozen
Of us, though without concert, fred stimuli
taneously, and we had the satisfaction of
seeing the negro drop. We were soon, up
with him. A ball had struck him in the
knee. He was all the more ferocious and
was far from giving up. He had raised up
SO as to seat himself against tree, and
one Of the party dismounting, approached
him, when the fellow dealt him a .levelling
blow. What rifles there were among "
that contained shots were fred almost SIM
ultaneously. and the negro stretched his
length at the foot Of the tree We gayo
him no farther attention. ,.. -.
Retraciug our steps we came upon four
fellows, who gave themselves up to u.s.
Tying their arms, We drove them before
us to the plantation Of one of the party.
In little more then ten days from that
time one of our party returned from New
Orleans, to which market he had taken
the fugitives. He brought $4,000 to d.
vide among the party. We called it a
pretty good hunt for one dav. ..t r..