New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-06-25
Historical ReminiSc ces.
Nell Washburn's First Scalp.

Neil Washburn's First Scalp.
Cornelius, or ssNeil,'' Washburn,
as he was Familiarity called by his
comrades, was one of the numerous
Indian fighters of the Ohio valley.
and gained a reputation for bravery
and cunning second only to Kenton,
Brady, and the Wetzels. He was
splendid specimen of a man; stand.
ing six feet six inches in his mecca
sins; with a broad, noble chest, and
a figure which tapered beautifully
from his shoulders to his feet, which
were quite small. His complexion
was fair, his hair light, and his eyes
of that peculiar half grey, half blue,
which it is difficult to describe, but
which is so indicative of a noble,
generous heart, and in which you
seem to see reflected all the impulses
of the soul within. Like all the
male children of the pioneers, he
was early trained to a forest life, and
gave evidence, when quite young,
af that prowess and bravery which
distinguished him in years of man.
hood. As soon as his young arms
were able to bear the weight Of fire.
arms, his father purchased for him
shot gun, and he took to the woods
with natural impulse. Thence
forth his great delight was in pur-
suit of game, and at the age Of
sixteen he made his first essay in
hunting more dangerous adver-
sary.
In the summer of 1890, his father,
who lived on the Kentucky side of
the Ohio, being out Of fresh provi-
sion, determined to cross the river
for the purpose of replenishing his
larder from the stores Of game which
| were 50 abundant at that period in
the woods which skirted the banks
of the noble stream. Taking Neil
| with him in his canoe, they soon
reached the opposite shore, along
which they padded until they reach
ed the mouth of Eagle Creek, near
which was what is called a Slick"
or salt spring, which was much fire.
quented by deer, who came to quench
their thirst at the saline waters.
Soon after entering the mouth Of
the creek their intention was attract
ed by peculiar sound, which seem.
ed to come from the bank of the
stream somewhat higher up, and to
which, for some time, they were I'M
| able to assign cause. Ceasing their
progress, they stopped to listen. The
| noise, whatever it was, was evident.
ly made by human hands, and sound.
ed like the chopping Of a hatchet.
Neil begged his father to let him go
and find out the cause, to which he,
with some reluctance, consented.
He landed, and grasping in his young
but nervous hand the rife Of his
father, he crawled like cat through
the underbrush, in the direction
from whence the sound proceeded.
It was by no means an easy task to
approach an Indian in those days
without discovery. Trained from
infancy to the woods, and practiced
in all the sounds of the forest, with
an ear as acute as blindman's, they
were alive to the least unusual noise,
and the breaking of dry twig under
a moccasined foot, or the rustling of
a leaf, was sufficient to awaken their
liveliest attention and put them on
the alert. It was, therefore, some
little time before Neil could ap.
proach sufficiently near to the
sound to discover its cause. Care.
fully screening himself by every
tree or shrub. he came at
length 50 near as to recognize the
sound to be that of tomahawk
striking a tree. Taking advantage
of the noise, he crept forward, stop.
ping when it ceased, until he dis
covered an Indian some fifteen or
twenty feet from the ground, and
clinging with his left arm and lower
limbs to the branches Of a hickory
tree, while with his tomahawk he
was cutting off a segment Of the
bark, out Of which it was evidently
his intention to construct a canoe in
which to cross the river, in all prob.
ability with view of committing
depreciation, and perhaps murder.
Be that as it may, his operations
were brought to a sudden close by
the intrepid boy, who crept behind
an old log as soon as he discovered
the Indian, and raising his rifle to
his shoulder, fired: The aim had
been certain and the shot effectual,
for the Indian tumbled headlong to
the ground, with dull and heavy
sound. Fe>.ring the presence of other
Indians, Neil FASTENED back to his
father, and they speedily re-crossed
the river. The father, as might be
expected, had awaited with the ut:
most anxiety and suspense the re-
turn ofhis boy, and when he heard
the sound of his approaching foot
steps, could scarcely repress a shout
Of Joy.
The next day Neil returned to the
spot with a party Of friends, to search
for the body which they found where
it fell, at the foot of the tree. He
secured the scalp and proudly exhi.
bited it to his friends and neighbors,
as the first trophy Of his skill in In
dian fighting. 1t was stretched on a
hoop and tanned, and in after years
graced the outer seam Of his leggings
with many similar trophies.
Success in this, his first attempt,