Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-04-16
MIscELLkHE GUS.
ADAM PoE's GREAT FIGHT.

The celebrated fight between Adam Poe
and the Shawnee chief, Black Feather, has
been spoken of in the early histories, but l
believe the particulars of that combat have
never been given correctly t the public.
The sht WAS remarkable, not only on nc.
count OF the well known proweSs uf the par.
ties engaged. but tor the exceeding >tuhbnrn>
hess with which it was conduetcd. aud the
many different phases it assumed before
brought t. an end.
They literally fought on the eaith in the
air aud under the water
Adam Poe had often expressed desire t,
meet the chief Of the Shawnees in hand to>
hand combat. and these hnastinys hnvin,
reached thu ears of Black Feather, he de
! clared his Intention OF seeking out the daring
white man.
This, for two seasons he actually did, but
crcum>t nces combined to keep them apart
for that time. Finally, however, the oppor>
tunty came.
Adam Poe and his brother bad been out
hunting. and were returning, t'war,l sumdown.
bearing II buck upon pole hctween them.
When passing small thicker shot was
fired ot them, The ball lodging in tlc head OF
the deer, which hun" next to Adam Pic
! To drop their burden and rush for the ans
hush, was but the work of second Adam
taking the right aud his brother the left hand
side
The thickct proving much lnrsrr.thnn eth
cr thought, they became more widely sepa-
l rated than was intended and Adam was u1,on
| the point of returning to where the deer had
been lett. when, at a distance of n hundred
i yards so, he discovered the gigantic form
of the Shawnee chief, who was just in the act
Of firing upon him.
IoI 81, n roooL oo-o-
shot was made, and then began a series. of
tactics, such were rarely witnessed in these
wilds, for two of the most nrted warriors Of
the day were each striving to gain an advnn-
| tage over the other.
Foot by foot they drew nearer ench ether,
leaping from tree to tree. from stump to stump,
or rock to rock. as the might he.
Imperceptihlv I" each other perhaps they
gradually s'wnrkcd" round until both stood
upon the verge Of high bluff hank nvcrlonk>
ing the river. facing each other but some
twenty PAGES apart.
Here, from behind separate trees, the wilv
foremen strove tt oht,in n shot; and, Mt last,
| Adam thinking he saw his chance, fred at
the exposed bin. of the chief.
He missed his aim, and like an nncaged
lion, the gigantic IudIan rnshed from his
cover. and bore down upon the ia no wise
daut tod white man.
Half way they met, the Indian welding
his tomahaws. having cat aside his rife,
while Adam laid his hopes and nrnsnects uuop
the keen blade Of his hunting knife
With shock they met midway. and then
began a struggle surh il rarely witnessed
between two nf the human kind
P"e was n't ont. 81 tall "a the Shawnee,
but he-wa< fuliy.as strong, and much mnre
active; and so the 6ght was about upon an
| equal footing.
For many minutes they struggled back and
forth upon the grassy level, now closing, in
the attempt to throw each other; aud falling
in this. again reso'ting to blows, dealt with
tomahawk or knife.
By this time bu,h were wounded in several
places, the chief probably the more severely
of the two.
AT length, in making a savage stroke will,
his weapon, the grasp of the red-skin slipped.
and the light axe went whirling far out Into
the river.
ln an instant the Indian grappled. and
struggle. fercer than any that had yet taken
| place. ensued-eaoh putting forth every ef-
fort. until. approaching too near the precipice.
they missed footing, and went tnnlbling into
| the stream locked in deadly embrace.
AT the point where they fell, the stream
was very deep, and the current swift and
strong.
The advantage now lay with Adam. Tie
was practiced swimmer, while he quickly
discovered that his opponent could not swim
at all.
The Indian. aware of this. in turn strove to
regain the shore. but was thwsrted at every
point by Poe. who would jerk him back into
deep water. and then both would go under
togt ther.
Finally. falling further out than heretofore.
the combat1nts were caught by the current.
and quickly borne some distance from the
land.
The fight was now all in the wbits mans
favor. and wouId have been quickly ended,
but for an unlocked for and untnrtuuate cir
cumstancc. Adam brother suddenly appear
ed upon the scene and taking in his br"thrr's
peril as he thought, at glance. veniu,ed
upon the hazardous experiment Of finishing
the chief by shos.