The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-06-12
THE BATTLE OF BELLE ISLE.

THE BATTLE OF BELLE ISLE.
The chieftanship was first held by Keys.
but when he went outside he appointed |
Sergt. A r. Hill, of the One Hundredth |
u. v. 1.,-nOw a resident of WauseOn, o.,
his successor. Hill was one of the nota- |
bles of that immense throng. A great |
broad shouldered giant, in the prime Of his |
manhood-the beginning of his thirtieth |
yearl4he was as good-natured rs big, and |
as mild-mannered as brave. He spoke
slowly, softly, and with slightly rustic
twang, that was very tempting to class of
sharps to take him up for "lubberly
greeny" The man who did so repented
his error in sackcloth and ashes.
Hill first came into prominence as the
victor IN the most stubbornly-contested
fight in the prison history of Belle Isle.
When the squad of the One Hundredth
Tennessee, in September, 1859 arrived on
Belle Isle, a certain Jack Oliver of the
Nineteenth Indiana, was the undisputed
fistic monarch of the Island. He did not
bear his blushing honors mOdestly; few
kings of muscle can or do. The posses
sion of a right arm capeble of knocking an
ordinary man into the indefinite locality
known as ''the middle of next week" is
something the possessor can as little resist
/
ring To know that one can certainly
strike disagrceablc fellow out Of time is
pretty sure io breed desire to do that
/ thing whenever occasion serves. Jack
| Oliver was one who did not let his biceps
rust in inaction, but thrashcd everybody
on the island whom he thought needed it,
and his ideas rs Ia those who should be
included in this class witlcncd daily, until
il began To appear that he would soon feel
"a l.: Il. L.
cape, but pound everybody on the Island.
One day his evil genius led him 10 abuse
n rather elderly man belonging to Hills
mess. AS he fired off his trade ot con-
tumely. Hill said, with more than the usu.
al soft" rusticity:
"Mis,cr-I-don't- - think it-just-
right-for-a-young- ng-man-to-call-an
'I-old-m -such-ba,l-names." ~
Jack Oliver turned on him savagely.
y well! maybe you want tO take it up !?
The grin on Hills face looked still mOrs
verdant, as he answered with gentle delib
Grafton: -... ....
-I--don't-go-a around
, yI-hunting-tbin ings,-but-t- ginerally-
|, ,ltake-care-of-all- all-that's-sent-me!"
, Jack foamcd; hut his fiercest bluste
! could not drive that infantile smile from
Hills face, nor provoke a change in thu
, calm slowness of his speech.
1t was evident that nothing would Il,
but battle royal, and Jack had sens
, enough to see that the imperturable rusti,
was likely to give him a job of some diff
Guilty He went off and came back will
r his clan, while Hills comrades of the On
Hundredth gathered around 10 insure hin
fair play. Jack pulled off his coat an,
vest, rolled up his sleeves, and made othe
, elaborate preparations for the affray. Hill
! without removing u garment said, rs h
E surveyed him with mOckIng smile:
I "Mister-you-secm- m-to-b be-onc-U
et-them partick-c-ler-icllcrs
. Jack roared out with an oath:
4 "Ill make you pdTtickeier before l re
Z through with you. Now, how shall W
settle thise Regular stand d-up-and KNOCK
r or rough an tumble?" -,-
Ii anything. Hills face was more vacan
ly serene, and his tones blander than eve
. as he answered.:
! gait--that-suit
n mister -guess-I-will-bc- -ablc-t
J. l-keep-up-with-
h They. closed. Hill fcintcd with his lci
and, as Jack Uncovered to guard, h
4 caught him fairly ON the lower left rib
q by blow from his mighty right fist, tia
q sOunded-as one of the bystanders e,
d pressed it-"likc striking hollow Ia
4 with maui" cis-sf
n The color in Jacks face palcd. He dl
q not seem To understand how he hal lai
o himself open TO such n blow, and repeate
o the same mistake, receiving again
e sounding blow in the short ribs. TIL
J. taught him nothing either, for again /!
e opened his guard in response To a iein
If aud again cauGhtd pfow on his lucklc
IS LEFT yssdfrgl..s drove the blood from his fas
81 and the breath from his body. lie reels
q back among his supporters for an instaI
.e TO breathe. Recovering his wind,
is dashed at Hill, feinted strongly with h
II right, but delivered a terrible kick in q
a latter's abdomen. Both closed and fOuel
le savagely at halEarms' length for an instar
in during which Hill struck Jack so fair
re in the mouth as To break out three frpl
e teeth, which the latter swallowed. The
re they clenched and struggled to throw eaC
ic other. Hills superior strength and ski
sc crushed his opponent to the ground, ar
H. fell upon him. As they grappled the
C. one Of Jacks followers sought tn aid II
e. leader by catching Hill by the hair, j
tending 10 kick him in the face. In an ]
slant he was knocked down by sialwa
member of the Ore Hundredth, and tn,
is literally lifted out of the ring by kicks
vi Jack was soon so badly beaten rs to
a. unable to cry enough" One of his frien,
ID did that service for him, the fight cease
is and thenceforth Mr.. Oliver resigned b
le pugilistic crown and retired TO the shad
il of private lite. He died of scurvy and dia
10 rh9a some months afterward in AndersO
Il ville.-TToledo Blade. 4' 1T