The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-05-16

been permitted 10 20. htEardltsS OF re-
peated Warnings, she would 20 into the
woods TO gather flowers. aud at last ven
tured out of the range OF the guns of the
men on guard The report of gun and
the screams of the woman. alarmed the
whole party Samuel Neal. who was
nearest, ran TO the fence, saw the pnor
woman running, and IN Indian after her
She soon fell, and rs he was preparing to
take her scalp, Neal dispatched a bullet,
which caused him to stagger off, aud
other Indians ran to his all, and helped
him away. The white men were too
much incumbered with the women and
children to give chase Tradition gives
two stories as to the fate Of the wounded
savage One, that he was iuuad covered
with logs and brush 10 gully, about
mile from where he was wounded The
other, that the parry buried him under
pile OF loose stones, near the present site
of Concord church Such pile. heaped
up some four or five feet high, nearly in
the shape in which earth is usually
heaped over new grave, was 10 lie seen
at that place Tor many years afterwards.
negro man started with some horses
from Hartford 10 Vienna, some Indians
fell in with him. and from hatred to the
negro, or love for the horses or both,
killed him, took the horses. but were
good enough to leave his scalp perhaps
because il would not sell 10 their while |
allies While the people were mostly
confined TO their fort at Vienna, their
cows. although the bell could be heard, !
failed TO come home At night their bell |
could still be heard in the morning. The !
same young Rowan mounted his horse |
and with his rifle on his shoulder was
about passing the gate, when his father
called out; Stephen, my son. be on
your guard fear the Indians are keep |
ing back the cows, to draw some one in
TO ambush" Young Rowan soon reach
cd the vicinity of the COWS. They were
at the head of a very narrow ravine,
where the bluff hills were so steep that
they could not climb up them. lie
could only approach them, hy passing up !
a narrow bottom. lie had nearly reach- /
ed them. when his horse took fright and |
refused to advance. A blow caused it to
rear and plunge into the air, which threw
Rowan so high thai he was enabled to
see over log. behind which an Indian,
with his gun. was concealed. lie instant
ly wheeled his horse, and a. he did so he
saw another Indian on the opposite side
of the ravine Horse and rider were 9th
willing to make the fastest time on record
for the fort Rowan was met at the gate
hv Mr. Downs, who asked, in an i'm
pcrious manner Where are the cows ?"
Indians lndiansr' shouted Rowan
Downs made some contemptuous remark,
aud said the children should cry no lon
ger for milk. "Hc ,oouid hare them co,cs -
Rowan dared him to so, and Downs inn
mediately prepared to start Several
tried to persuade him. and one man even
caught him, but Downs jerked away
young Rowan now relented of his banter,
and called out: Mr.. Gowns DO come
back Just as cure as you go out there,
YOU will never come back alive ] know
there are Indians there saw then i
But downs was needless TO this appeal,
aud hurried away. Ia tho meantime,
women aud children gathered around
young Rowan. and alter hearing his re-
port, resolved on a reconnaissance in force. |
but before they were armed, they heard |
several guns in quick succession, and as
Downs did not return, n party cautiously |
approached the place. aud found poor |
Downs dead, scalped. and most savagely |
mutilated. The trail Of few Indians
sas discovered and followed to the Ohio,
but they had made their escape Young |
Rowan was no doubt indebted for his life |
to his fine horse. and Lis bright, beautiful
silver mounted rifle, which restrained |
the Indians from firing until he had /
passed so far up the raviue that he could
not escape.
A pet squaw was for some time living |
with the white families at Hartford, and |
was guilty of a most singular freak. The
late William Sharp, oil Greensboro. was
sad to have been the fret male white
child ever born in the town; and for
whom this squaw evinced the greatest
attachment; fondling and caressing him
on every opportunity. About the time
he was beginning to walk he was missed, |
and the whole town wac alarmed and |
his parents in hopeless agony From
come cause the squaw was suspected, and
closely watched. and finally found with
young Sharp concealed ia the woods,
where she seemed to have provided ev-
ery;hing in her power for his comfort and
safetn rff
In after ycsLs when Indians would
meet with our citizens on the other eide
Of the river, they would frequently tell OF
their visits 10 the vicinity. and boast of
passing through the town at night. An
old Chief used to enquire about that pert
little boy, 10 Barnett, and tell how often
he tried 10 en,rap him, and adopt him as
his son. lie used TO watch and admire
him in the woods. lie had frequent OPP
portRnities to sLoot him but wanted to
take him unhurt, hut he was always too
fleet to be caught. At one time he had
him peuned in narrow bend Of Rough
creek and threatened 10 sheet him iHhe
did not surrender, but he whipped his
horse into the stream, swan across, and
with loud laugh, bid behind a tree, and
''cussed me Tor dam old steal boss"