The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-08-18
A RUN FOR LIFE.


! lucky.
Some seventy or eighty years ago ST.
Clair led regular organized army of two
thousand men into the West, for the pur.
pose of Furnishing the numerous Indians
who had massacred Col Crawford, al
most annihilated the forces of General
Harmar, and committed innumerable out
RACES upon the frontier.
Through gross mismanagement, this
campaign proved far more disastrous to
our arms than either of It's predecessors.
The defeat of General 9Braddock, forty
! years before, was not more complete
| The attack, as usual, was made at night.
The long grass, bushes and logs seemed
ablaze with savages.
Instances of individual bravery were
not wanting, and the officers mingled in
the hottest of the fight in the fort to rally
their men but the army was hopelessly
''demoralized," and they retreated turbu-
Iently before their unrelenting enemies like
a panic-stricken mob.
1t was on the day preceding this action,
that Kennan met with an adventure. He
was attached TO the light corps, and was
universally admitted to be the t1eetest run
ner in that body. On the march into the
wilderness he proved this on more than
one occasion and, by common consent,
/ he was looked upon as one of the leading
spirits of the company. Unmistakable
! signs proved to the advancing army that
they were upon The eve of battle and, in
order to give notice of the approach of the
savages, the light corps was advanced TO
the front of the first line of infantry. Its
sentinel duty was performed so well that
no demonstration was made by the Indi-
ans, although subsequent events proved
that this was the time fixed upon for the
assault.
Just as the day was dawning, and OBJ
jects were becoming dimly visible, Ken
nan turned TO a comrade beside him, and
whispered in an excited undertone:
81 tell you there are Injins in those
bushes yonder, and they are creeping up
to usl'
''Let's crack away at 'em, and dig
dirt !" suggested his companion, showing
some signs of trepidation. ''I don't like
the looks of them copper colored imps." "
Some twenty rangers were standing
beside Kennan at this time, the rest being
considerably in the rear. None except
the one referred to expressed the desire to
flee. But they were all anxious 20 secure
shelter for themselves.
'"They don't outnumber us much, boys"
added Kennan, moment later so let's
all strike for kiver, and there's powerful
chance for fun
AS he spoke the ranger sprang forward
several PAGES TO a spot where the grass
was unusually luxuriant, and taking quick
aim, laid the foremost Indian dead in his
track. Then dropping fiat upon his face,
he commenced reloading his rifle with
great rapidity, not doubling for second
but that his comrades would maintain
their position Immediately behind him and
support him in the skirmish.
Kennan, however, was mistaken in
supposing that not more than twenty-five
or thirty Indians were before him. Full
! ly ten times that number were advancing,
and they now poured in, in such over
whelming force, that his companions only
escaped with their lives by precipitate
flight Not suspecting the stampede,
Kennan was ramming The charge home in
his piece, when one flying ranger called
out ::
e'Run, Kennan, or you are dead mani!
Springing to his feet, the ranger saw
the sayages within dozen PAGES of him
while his comrades were over a hundred
yards away, running at the top of their
speed.
Not a second was TO be lost. Turning
on his heel, he strained every muscle to
its utmost, and ran as he had never run
before, knowing that his only safety lay
in reaching his companions. He made
directly for the the usual fording- place in
the creek, which lay between him and
camp but, aware of his intention, sever
al of the feetest made desperate attempts
TO ''head him Off But bounding for
ward, several of his extraordinary leaps
carried him beyond this danger, and he
J was rapidly approaching the creek, when
several Indians who had passed him while
he was lying in the grass, spraDg up di
rectly in his front, feeling no doubt thai
the bird was caught in the snare beyond
all possibility of escape. Making an alb
rupt turn to one side, Kennan dartcd away
like frightened panther, the whole horde
speeding after him. His astonishing
! feetness threw all his pursuers considera
bly, in the rear, excepting young chief
whose speed was as remarkable as oil
own. In the circuit which the ranger
was compelled to make, the race between
this chief and himself was continued fo
fully quarter of mile. The distanc'
between them at the start was abou
twenty feet, and the most powerful exer
ton of the fugitive could not widen it on
inch. Both put forth their whole soul il
the race, and it would have been a thrill
ing sight to have witnessed this wonder
ful trial of speed.
The chief held his tomahawk aloft a
If he were about TO throw it. and KeDnal