The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-10-01
The Late General Leslie COOmbs.

residence in Lexington, Ky, Sunday,
Aug. 21. The incidents of his life were
well told by himself in conversation
several years ago. He said:
II was born near Boonsboro', Ky,
November 80, 1893. My father came
to kentucky, which was then a part of
Virginia, in 1875, and obtained = grant
of a thousand acres Of land from the
state. After planting enough of it in
corn to maintain his title he returned
to Virginia, and participated in the
Revolutionary War, and commanded q
company of infantry at Yorktown.
After the war he came back to Kentucky,
and Helped Dan'l Boone to drive out the
Indians. In the year 1878 General Har-
rison was cooped up in Fort Meigs, and
Colonel Dudley and Colonel Boswell
were fastening to his relief with two
regiments of kentuckians, under the
command of General Green Clay, the
fail . of Cassius NJ. l was q captain Of
the scouts, and, with four white men
and a Shawnee Indian who knew the
county, started in advance down the
Maumee River to tell the General that
aid was coming. I got in sight of Fort
Meigs, and saw that our flag was still
there, when I found that large body
of British and Indians was between me
and the fort, and l was compelled to
turn back. l rejoined my command,
and On the 9Th of May Colonel Dudley
attacked the British under Proctor at
the foot of the Rapids, fifty miles below
Fort Defiance. We would have defeat
ed him had not Tecumseh, with q large
body Of Indians, crossed the river and
come to Proctor's aid. l was wounded
twice that day in tho shoulder, and also
taken prisoner with several of my men.
We were put for safe keeping in .
kind of fort or esrthworks, behind which
we had to squat down to prevent the
red devils from shooting us. Pretty
soon q big Indian came in the
fort, and tomshawked and scalped one
Of my men named Murphy right before
my eyes. We would III have been
killed had not Tecumseh heard Of the
outrage, and he came in the fort and
made 3 speech to the Indians. We were
taken across the lake, but the British
didn't keep Us but . little while, for
they we're short Of provisions, so they
paroled Us and landed Us on the Ohio
shore.
II was the Moody Of the hard.cidel
campaign for Harrison in 1910. There
are plenty Of people that can tell you I
raised almost as large crowds for Old
Tippecanoe, and held them in the same
manner.
"When the war broke out / was
President Of the Kentucky Central Rail-
road, and I was building . suspension
bridge across the river at the same place.
/ had the towers up and the anchorages
built. Roebling, who built the St.Louis
suspension bridge, was doing the work.
I spent $4,000 ON it. Well, the war
Knocked it all in the head"
General Coombs studied law after his
experiences in the war Of 1912 and prac.
tised it for thirty years.
He went himself to Texas just after
the election Of Lamar, put ali his hard
earnings into Texas bonds, upon which
the United States afterward paid him 81
per centum. The old man was always
expecting that the Legislature would
make up his loss. When the Mexican
war broke out, General Coombs aided
largely in raising volunteers in KEN
lucky. Before the civil war Coombs
was, - he was afterward, . strong
Union man. In 1860 General Coombs
was the Union candidate for Clerk Of the
highest court in Kentucky, and he was
elected by majority Of 1929 over his
leading competitor.