Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-24

tae-ThriIling Adventure Of a Young
Girl with the = HeguIatcrsr-She
Kills Two Of fhe Band with an
Axe, ia Defense of Her Fatlaer-The
Parties ina This City.
We have read. and learned through ira
diiioual legend and heroic verse, Of deeds
Of daring performed by the geniler sex
under the most trying and pressing emer-
geDcies. Our own country has been pro-
life in exhibitions Of female yalor and
fortifude, and during the late war we have
seen them illustrated in hundreds Of in
stance.
BIT nowhere have We seen recorded a
more daring exploit or a more thrilling
adventure under circumstances better cal
culated 10 unstring the nerves Of woman, or
send the blood congealing and chilling to
her heart, than the one we are about 10
relate We relate IL, too not az romance,
not As an attempt at fancy word-painting,
but az 8 truthful narration of an absolute
occurrence and event The tragedy oc-
Cured in Putnam county, ten miles from
CoOkville, the county seat and near Bloom
ington Academy The facts are about
these: Mr.. Larkin Gunter, his wife and
daughter, Marisnna, and a grown son, with
several smaller children, occupied q peace
full home in Putnam county, at the local
ity indicated, before the war. When hos
tilities commenced, and the whole land was
trembling to the tramp Of marshaled thou
sands Of warriors, Mr.. Gnhter and his son
Joined the Confederate army, and with that
feeling Of patriotic feryor animating the
people Of their section, fought right gallant
lyunder the 'Bonny Blue Flag" Beforethe
close Of the war the old gentleman, by
leave, returned to his home in Middle
Tennessee and found himself again with
his family. The son fought brayely on in
the "lost cause till the final surrender,
when he too returned 10 his home in Put
nam county. Meantime a band of men
had organized themselves into 2 sort Of
selfconstituted regulators" These men
we're not countenanced 10y the people of
Putnam. They seemed TO delight in the
persecution of Southern men and especially
returned Confederate soldiers. On the
night of the Goth ofApril last, three Of these
men went to he house of Mr.. GuRter,
there being no one at home but the old
gentleman, his daughter Mariana young
lady of nineteen, and a Younger brother. I
One of the men was LEFT 10 hold the horses
while the other two, B. +. Miller and Al
vim Maxield proceeded to the house and
went in. They asked il Mr. Gunter lived
there and being answered in the affirmative
they asked him to go ont with them, say
ing they wished to have chat. Mr.. q.
told them If they had anything to say to
talk it out there" They replied by say
ing that friend Of Mr.. Ga, Mr.. Fowler,
had sent them there Miller represented
Fowler, who was well known TO Mr.. Gun
ter, az being his (Millers) uncle. Miller
also said that Maxfeld, hiscompanion, was
the son of an old friend and acquaintance
Of Mr. Gunters. Mr.. G. then said that il
would be best to have their CONVEX
satiOn in the presence of friends, and
sent his son, a boy of fourteen, fer some
Of his neighbors. Meantime from
the actions and some words dropped by the
two men, Mr. Gunters suspicious became
aroused, and he resolved TO get away from
them if he conld. In his attempt to es-
cape, the two desperadoes spTang toward
him with their drawn pistols. They caught
him, and the children commenced scream
ing, the young son returning about this
time without any Of the neighbors. The
rufians let 90 their hold, but kept their
cooked pistols presented TO Mr.. G's. head.
Miller and MaKfeld again laid violent
hands on Mr.. Gunter snd forced him to go
with them. As they started or Miss Ma
rianna Guntsr seized her fathers chopping
axe, determined to defend her parent to the
last extremity The two men carried her
4 IL. = L L
a spot about three hundred yards from the
house, the intrepid Mariana following
with the axe and watching every move
ment The rufians now halted and ordered
Mr.. Gunter to pull off his shirt. This he
refused TO do, and they commenced beating
him soundly, and kept it up until the old
gentleman became insensible. The daughter,
Mariana, at this time came to the SPOT,
axe in hand, resolved to do OF die Picture
if you can young girl Of nineteen, by
The moonbeam's misty light and in the
public road, unprotected save by her in
trepid soul and lofty courage, brandishing
a rude woodlands axe in the faces Of two
stalwart ruffians in defense of her father.
She was met by Miller who ordered
her to retire. She replied by blow with
the axe, that cut the collar bone in too;
blow followed blow in quick succession, till
the man was Frustrated 10 the ground, COW
cred with gashes MaXfeld was at that
instant in the act of shooting her father.
She aprang toward him, snatched the pistol
and threw it aside. With energy and des-
peration, she seized Maxfeld by the hair,
and, with the aid of her young brother,
feiled him to the earth. Again she applied
the bloody axe and three frightful gashes
left the blood oozing from where the skull
had been split. The third man with the
horses came up, but the father recovering
he escaped. Mr.. Gunter, his brave dsugh-
ter and little son returned to the house.
The two men who had felt the edge of Mari
Annals fatal axe lay in the road, welteringin
their blood till morning, when they were
carried to a house some distance from the
bloody rencountcr At this house they
both died oftheiT wounds Miller fingered
in great agony for fourteen days, and died;
Maxfeld died in four days after receiving
his wounds. The old gentleman, his
daughter and son Immediately left for Ken
lucky, though they have since been back
to their home. The father and the heroic
daughter are now in this city, and are the
guests Of Mr.. Bruce. At the Rock City Inn.
They bear, as We learn, an excellent char
scfer for integrity, honesty and veracity,
aud the statement made in the foregoing is
corroborated BY many persons who are
cognizant Of the facts History, romance,
and poetry may be sought in vain for 4
loitier exhibition Of courage, or for dis
play Of deeper parental devotion, than was
eviuced by this Young girl on that terrible
and trying April NIGHT