Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-21
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.
Experience of an Early Settler with
the Indians-A Fortunate and Fatal

the Indians-A Fortunate and Fatal
Shot.
1t was the year 1905 that 1 settled in
Virginia, near the falls of Kanawha. The
country at that time was an unbroken
wilderness. But few settlements had been
made by the whites, and they were so far
apart as to render vain all hopes of assist
ance in case of attack from hostile Indians,
numbers of whom still infested the neigh
borhood. lived there alone with my wife
for several months unmolested, and by dint
Of perseverance, when young and hardy,
had succeeded in making quite clearing
in the forest, which l planted with c,rn,
and which promised an abundant yield.
One morning, after we had dispatched
our humble meal, aad l had Just prepared
to venture forth upon my accustomed rou-
tine labor, my attention was arrested by
the tinkling Of a cow-bell in the cornfeld.
"There," said my wife, "the COW is in
the cornfeld."
But the ear of the backwooGsman be-
comes educated very acute, especially from
the fact that his safety often depends upon
the nice cultivation of that sense.
was not so easily deceived. The sound
was repeated. "Tbat," said I, in reply to
my wife's remark, ''was not the tinkle of a
bell upon the COW, but decoy from some
Indian who wishes to draw me into an
ambush"
Believing this to be the case, / took down
my old musket, and seeing that it was
properly loaded, stole cautiously around
the field toward the spot from which the
sound seemed to proceed.
As l suspected, there in a clump Of brush
es an Indian was waiting for me to appear
in answer to his decoy bell that he might
send fatal bullet to my heart. l ap-
preached without discovering myself to him
until within shooting distance, then raised
my piece ane fired. The bullet sped true
to its mark, and the Indian fell dead.
Not knowing but that he was accompa-
MED by others, returned with full speed to
the cabin, and having firmly barricaded the
door, watched all day for the companions of
the Indian had killed. TO add to the dan
ger and seeming hOpelessness Of my situa-
ton, discovered that had but one shot
left, and if attacked by numbers l should
be entirely in their power. Determined to
do the best with the powder, put it into
the musket and then waited for the ap-
proach of night, feeling sure Of an attack.
Night came at last. a beautiful moon
light night it was, too, and favored me
greatly, as l would thereby be able to OBJ
serve the movements Of the enemy as they
approached the cabin.
1t was some two hours after night-fall,
and yet had neither heard or seen a sign
of the Indians, when suddenly l was star
tie by the baying of my dog at the stable.
The stable stood little west of the cabin,
and between the two was patch of clear
ground on which the light of the moon fell
unobStructed. Judging from the noise at
the stable that they would advance from
that direction, posted myself at the port
hole on that side Of the cabin.
had previously placed my wife On the
cross-pole in the chimney, so that III case
our enemies effected an entrance into our
cabin, she might climb out through the
chimney and make her escape. For myself
l entertained no hope but determined to
sellEmy life dearly.
With breathless anxiety l waited at the
port hole. At length l saw them emerge
from the shadow of the stable and advance
across the open ground towards my cabin.
ne-two-three-great heavens! six stall
wart Indians, armed to the teeth, and urged
on by the hope of revenge, and l alone to
oppose them with one charge of powder.
Ny case was desperate, indeed. With quick
and stealthy steps, in close single file, they
approached, and were already within few
yards of the house, when slight change in
the movement of the forward Indian
changed the six, so that portion of the
side of each was uncovered.
They were in range, and one aim would
cover all. Quick as thought l aimed and
fired. As the smoke cleared away could
hardly credit what my senses showed me
as the result of my shot. The fifteen slugs
with which / had loaded the musket had
done their work well. Five of the six In
dams lay dead upon the ground, and the
sixth had disappeared. Although no enc
mics were now in sight, did not venture
forth until morning. There lay the
bodies of five Indians undisturbed, to-
gether with the rifle of the ether. Sc
curing the arms and ammunition of the fallen
Indians, followed up the missing one until
reached the river, beyond which point l
could discover, no JTaOo whatever. From
the amount of blood which marked his
trail, together with unmistakeabe evidence
that he had picked his way with difficulty,
1 was led TO believe that he was MORALLY
wounded, and in order to prevent his body
falling into the hands of the foe, be had
CROPPED his way to the river and thrown
himself in the current which had borne it
away.