The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-12-05

them on the INST nre. Inc TeihainihH
two fed hastily; and one of them, swift
of foot, soon made his escape. The other,
closely pursued by one of the savages
and in danger of being overtaken, wheel
ed % fire. His gun snapped, and ne
again took to fight. Yet more closely
pressed BY his pursuer, he once more at
tempted TO shoot. Again his gun snap
ped, and the savage, being now near
enough, hurled tomaha wk at his head.
1t missed its object, and both strained
every nerve or the chase. The Indian
gained rapidly upon him, and reaching
forth his arm caught hold Of the end OF
his belt. 1t had been tied in bow knot,
and came loose Sensible that the race
must soon terminate to his disadvantage
unless he could kill his pursuer, the white
man once more tried his gun. 1t fired;
and the savage fell dead at his feet.
Some time in the summer of this year,
q party of yandots, consisting of seven
warriors, five of whom were, one of the
most distin guished chiefs of that nation
and his four brothers) came into one OF
the intermediate settlements between
Fort Pitt and Wheeling, killed an old
man whom they found alone, robbed his
cabin and commenced retreating with
the plumber. They were soon discover
ed by spies; and eight men, two Of whom
were Adam and Andrew Poe, (brothcrs,
remarkable for uncommon size, great
activity and undaunted bravery went in
pursuit of them. Coming on their trail
not far from the Ohio, Adam Poe, fearing
an ambuscade, left his companions to fol-
low it, while he moved across to the river
under cover of the high weeds and bushes,
with the view Of attacking them in the
rear should he find them situated as he
expected. Presently he espied an In
dian raft at the waters edge, but seeing
nothing of the savages moved cautiously
down the bank, and when near the foot
discovered the large Wyandot chief and
a small Indian standing near and look
ing intently towards the party OF whites,
then some distance lower down the bot
tom. Poe raised his gun, and aiming
surely at the chief, pulled the trigger. 1t
missed fire. and the snap betrayed his
presence. Too near torctreat, he >prang
forward, and Selling the large Indian by
the breast, and at the same instant en-
circling his arms around the neck Of the
smaller one, he threw them both to the
ground. Extricating himself from the
grasp of Poe, the small savage raised his
tomahawk; but as he aimed the blow, a
vigorous and well directed kick stagcer-
ed him back, and he let fall the Ratchet.
Recovering it quickly, he aimed several
blows in defiance and cXuItation. The
vigilance of Poe distinguished the rca!
from the feigned stroke, and by suddenly
throw ng up his arm avcrtcd 1t from his
head, but received a wound in his wrist.
By violent effort he freed himself from
the grip of the chief, and snatching up a
gun, shot his companion through the
breast as he advanced the third time
with the tOmahawk.
In this time the large chief had regain
cd mis- feet, and Selling Poe By the
shoulder and leg threw hmto the ground.
Poe, however, soon got up and engaged
with the savage in close struggle,
which terminated III the fall of both into
the water. Now it became the object of
each to drown his antagonist and the
efforts to accomplish this were continued
for some time with alternate success
first one and then the other being under
water. At length, catching hold OF the
long tuft of hair when had been suffered
to grow Oh the head of the chief, Poe
held him under water until he supposed
him dead. but relaxing his hold too soon,
the savage was again on his feet and
ready for another grapple. In this both
were carried beyond their depth and had
to swim for safety. Both sought the
shore, and each, with all his might,
strained every nerve to reach it first that
he might end the conflict with one Of the
guns lying on the beach. The Indian
was the more expert swimmer, and Poe.
outstripped by him, turned and swan
further into the river, in the hope OF
avoiding being shot by diving. Fortu-
nutclv his antagonist laid hold on the gun
which had been discharged at the little
Indian, and he was enabled to get some
distance into the river.
At this juncturc two Others of the
whites came up, and one of them, mis-
taking Poe for wounded savage at-
tempting to escape, shot and wounded
him in the shoulder. He then turned to
make for shore and seeing his brother
Andrew on the bank, called to him TO
shoot the big Indian Having done
this, Andrew plunged into the river te
assist Adam in getting out; and the
wounded savage, to preserve his scalp,
rolled himself into the water, and struS-
Cling onward, sunk and could not he
found.
During the continuance Of this con-
test the whites had ovcrtakcn the other
five Indians, and after desperate con-
fict succeeded in killing all but one, with
the loss of three OF their companions-a
great loss, when the number engaged Is
taken into consideration.