The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-08-15
General Mergan's Escape from
the Indians.

In the "Life of Major General
Greene" by George W. Greene, we find
the following account of thrilling ad-
venture of Daniel Morgan. Mr.. Greene
describes the occasion of his receiving
a wound in the old French war; The
scene was in the valley Of the Shenan-
doah, not many miles from Winchester,
and the occasion an ambuscade OF
French and Indians. Morgan had been
sent with an escort of two horsemen to
carry dispatch to the commander of
the garrison at Winchester. His road
lay along a narrow path formed by a
huge precipice, known in that region as
the Hanging Rock, which, jutting over
small stream, left no other passage fol
footman or rider but the scantv space
between it and the margin of the water
course, 1t was the very spot for an
ambuscade, and local traditions told OF
a fierce battle which had been fought
there by the Delawares and Catawbas
many years before. A party of French
and Indians were now lying among the
rocks which commanded the way, peer.
ing out unseen, like tigers on the watch
for prey. The first to come within Their
tolls were Morgan and his unfortunate
escort. How far the associations and
nature Of the spot excited their suspi.
cions we do not know, for Morgan new
er told, and bis companions did not live
to tell 1t was their only path, land they
rode boldly into it. Their unseen enc
my had but to choose his moment and
fire. 1t was the work of an instant; al
the first fire the two soldiers dropped
dead from their saddles, and Morgan
reeled in his with desperate wound. A
bullet had entered the back of his neck,
grazed the neck bone. passed into his
mouth near the socket of the jaw bone,
and knocking out all the teeth on the
left side of his face, come out through
the left cheek. The blood gushed after
it, and though he kept his seat with ar
iron will, he felt that his strength was
already beginning to fail The wound
he did not doubt was mortal; he fell
that he must die; but he shrank from
the thought of being mutilated by the
scalping- knife of his savage foe. Suci
mems thoughts are like instincts in these
moments of supreme danger. Morgan's
horse, a feet tilly, had stopped short al
the sudden alarm, standing motionless
with expanded nostril and startled eye
But she was swift of foot, and true tC
her masters voice That voice was
gone now; but leaning over his saddle
bow, Morgan clasped her neck with his
gigantic arms. and as she felt the press
ure she started forward at the top of hel
speed. The enemy saw that he was
wounded; saw, too, that they could moi
reach him with their rifles without in
juring the horse. which they were anx
ious to preserve, and bending all theil
attention to secure the other horses an6
the scalps, which they valued most Of
all, left him to single warrior. In la
ter life Morgan loved to tell how he
watched the expression of that Indians
face as he ran with open mouth by the
horses side, looking every moment to
see his victim fall how doubt came
over it, and then gradual conviction that
the horse was too swift for him, and, al
last, how he hurled his tomahawk, with
a hand made uncertain by age and ex-
erticn, and seeing that he had missed
turned back with yell of baffled fury
Fortunately for Morgan. his horse had
with the singular instinct of that half
reasoning animal. turned back toward
the fort. When she reached the gate
her rider was insensible.