The union Democrat., 1867-10-26
The Late John IL. Ridge.

Mr.. Ridge died last Saturday week at lis
home in Grass Valley. The incidents of his
death and some particulars Of his life have
been given by the general press, with more
or less exactness, but there are other facts Of
romantic interest which have been known 70
very few, and which may now be related as
incidents characteristic OF the fierce border
wars in which deceased was distinguished
actor.
1t is generally known that Mr.. Ridge was
the son OF the distinguished Cherokee Chief
who was deposed by John Ross. and was
murdered in the following war. Thirty ysx
rufians, siding with the Ross party, surround
ed Major Ridges house, in the night. and,
having called him TO the door, shot and stab
bed him TO death, after the manner of savage
warfare. The subject of this article, then q
mere child, escaped from the house, hid in
the weeds and finally eluded their pursuit.
When about seventeen years of age, the boy,
true TO the instincts of his race, which had
not been subdued BY civilization, went upon
the war path as the avenger of his father 5
murder. The writer of this had good reason
to believe that of the thirty-six persons en-
gagged in the assassination of Major Ridge,
thirty-tw two fell by the hand Of his son, whose
in death. Some were killed in hand 10 hand
street fights, enc or two, we believe, in dnels,
and others were found dead on the highway.
after the manner Of John Brown in Kansas !;
one way and another the homicides disappear
ed from the world. until the few survivors
fled from the Cherokee Nation, and Ridge
himself was pursued by troop of horseman
four hundred miles through the Indian terri
tory towards California.
The next heard of Mr.. Ridge was some ten
years ago, lingering under the shadow of
Mount Shasta, to write the grandest poem
that has been pronounced on this side Of the
continent. No one who has not l0oked upon
that stupendous altar Of the clouds can fully
appreciate the grandeur Of that sublime COM
position, which will long survive the furnishing
round OF wears. Ii is one of the few Cahior
MIA poems that are entitled to be called great;
it is more-it is sublime, and l;fts its stately
numbers parallel with the hoarv attitudes of
that heaven invading outgnard OF the world.
At the outbreak Of the war in 1861, Mr..
Ridge was employed as editor OF the san
Francisco Eceninq JourRcl and was strong
supporter of the wur-policy of the Govern
ment. At that time it was expected ;hat
John Ross. Chief of the Cherokees, wouid
take the side of the Southern Confe3eracv,
and in ;hat event Mr. Ridge intended TO Gb-
tain assistance from the Federal Government.
and recover what lie considered hi hereditary
possessions. Bur, with his usual sagac'fV,
Ross took the opposite course, ana hi sworn
foe and rival became identified with the anti.
war party. The unexpected attitude assumed
bv Ross undoubtedly changed the current OF
Mr. Ridges life and made him democratic
journalist
ItSimposihe bont the consentofthe ac.
complishei and beautiful widow who survives
to mourn the death Of man ol genius. 10 give
all the interesting particulars concerning Mr..
Ridges romantic life, which he has related
to the writer Of this imperfect sketch. II is
enough to add that he was a man of warllke
courage and poetic delicacy. Strange to say
that g Yellow Bird who sang always so
sweotlv. sometimes SO sublimelv, was very
: Leather. Stocking" on the Border. and was
himself the incarnation Of the primitive law
Of TtlIionis His life has been one long dream
of imperfect retribntion and unsa:isfied
ambition ; and the delicate light Of his poetic
genius, soft as the expiring blush ofthe depart
ing day. was to the fash and confagrati0n OF
savage warfare as he described Mount Shasta
in comparison with the less r hills, "in strong
contrasted littleness. = Weekly Kercay.