The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-06-08
A RsMiniscence.


A Rsminiscanee. lss
The Springfield (NAss) Rep~bIican re
cords the following:
The FIRST white settlers Of West virgini,
experienced dark and trOublous times in ef
fecting permanent lOdgment on the bank
OF the Ohio. The Indiana, being Spbsi
died by the English, were hostile, an,
conflicts we're inevitable whenever colo
mist met native.
To protect the pioneers If this then f..l
remote region, a stockade was constructed
=. at Wheeling somewhere about the close Of
the revolutionary war, and small gar.
rison placed within it, which was more than
once unsuccessfully besieged by the north
ern tribes of red men. It's neighborhood
became the scene of many personal deeds
Of daring, perilous encounters, hand to-
hand fights and air-breadth escapes on the
part of both soldiers and settlers. Some Of
| the immediate descendants of the actual
! participants in these scenes were living
/ thirty years since, when l was soiournin1
| in that interesting section of country, and
| from them l learned many facts, proving
conclusively the skill and boldness Of those
early adventurers, and the price they paid
in hazard, suffering and blood, in estab-
fishing an Ownership to the banks of La
Belle Riviere.
Among the incidents related was the fol-
lowing:
Game of various kinds, particularly wild
turkeys, abopnded in the vicinity of the
fort, and wss sometimes hunted by the sol-
diers of the garrison to relieve the tedium
of their monOtonous life and vary their or
dinary rstions. On one occasion the SEEM
ing call Of one of these birds from a rocky
ledge not far to the rear of the stoc.ade.
prompted soldier to 90 out at early
morning in search, who, at the expiration
Of his leave Of absence, had not returned.
The autumnal sun declined and set in the
haxy forests beyond the Ohio, and still bis
quarters in the fort were vacant, nor did hs
ever again fill them. Known to be of =
restless disposition, it was surmised that.
Wearled OF his confined garrison life. he had
taken the opportunity to desert. A day az
two aftHr, the same bird callad from the
same direction, and induced more tr,,..v
soldier to solicit permission to 20 out to The
hunt
The report Of rife was heard in the
direction towards which be had gone, and
bddt esa@eades -heGsn II look fFsss, too, came
not, nor was he ever after seep alive.
These dissppearances were accounted very
singular, and parties were sent out for the
missing, but in vain. Before the excite
ment thereby Occasioned hsd subaided. .
squad Of recruits to make good the places
Of men whose enlistment had expired, ar
rived from Pennsylvania. Among them
was one Louis Wetxel, q veteran Indian
hunter, acquainted with all the subtleties
of Indian strategy, snl Of q boldness
equaled Only by his success. Learning the
recent mysterious occurrences, he quietly
remarked that he thought he could solve
them if the like Invitation to hunt
should happen, and leave to do % be given
him.
Fortunately he had not long to wait; for
one foggy morning the same sound echoed
through the eastern forests, and Wetzel
stole forth on his perilous exploration. An
hour passed on sufficiently tedious to his
| excited comrades in the fort, and then the
sharp crack of q rifle broke the stiffness Of
| the wood.
That's Wetzel's gun" exclaimed the
new corners. We should know it among
a thousand"
Shortly the long, little figure of its owner
stalked out of the forest into the clearing,
and Is he drew nearer bloody scalp was
seen dangling by its single gray lock Of hAiI
from the muxzle Of his rife. A rousins
cheer welcomed his return through the
sAlyport and the tale he told was in thil
wise
Ever suspicious of Indian subtlety, SnG
fertile in his expedients to meet it, he went
out believing that the ominous bird-cal
issued from q wary biped without feather
and was uttered to bring some unsuspsct
ing victim within the reach of his deadly
tonnahawk. A repetition Of it had enableC
hun to IN more definitely its direction anC
distance, aud he slung his gun over hi
shoulder and climbed tall pine whichgay,
him view Of the ledge of rocks from
which the sound seemed to proceed. Short
ly from between the branches of his loft
perch he espied the gray Scalp-loek Of Al
old Indian warrior ensOonsced behind
large rock over which he was cautiousl,
peering to watch the result of his strata
gem. Instantly oOveRing the mark viii
hin unerring rife, Wetsel drew trigger
whsn the head dropped upon the rock am
bnen OAAAppeAko0 Denlnu III. ne nmu 90
tanned too sure an aim to distrust the suc
cess Of his bullet and waiting only fe,
moments to ascertain whether the snem,
! were single or not. he descended, and tai
ing a circuit 70 ~ to bring him above tn
! rock, got an observation into kind of cav
ern behind il, where lay the sCild turkey wit
; perforated brain. Hagtening down b
} secured the rife and other weapons Of nj
} foe found attached 70 hin belt the scslr
! Of the two missing hunters, 10 which 4
immedistRly added that of their murderer
: and returned 10 the fort
: Wetzsl's subsequent exploits in the W.,
: along the border rank him with Dani,
7 Boone in daring saece@. The Inamnsces
sidsrea him invulAsrsbls, and from \
ability to lOsd, I'm rias On the run, thouxl
6 the Great Spirit lad endowed kim with Z
h ever ready weapon. They stood in grs,
gt fear Of, him, but were nsvsr able 70 bar,
hiR, for he died at length st ripe old x
= IN Ai' bed. 1.. l...
: kHicnst dispasch from Hsshingie
aAyS DeIA0m&ioh2 o. workingmen are =