Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-06-07
An Apache Ambush.

The escape OF John Magruder from In
dians near Clifton, Arizona, was a matter
of general surprise. He resides near
Georgetown, ID. C., and is young man
about medium height, slenderly but COM
pactly built, with a. very handsome face,
quiet and courteous manners and an air OF
resoluie nerve which his very eventful life
Of the past few YEARS amply confirms.
'The ambush" he says, was on the
Eagle uver SIDE of the San Francisco
mountains, at the head OF the Gold Gulch.
We were gong to Trescott's cabin, little
space beyond the point of ambush. The
country Is an open one, the grass pecping
up here and there above the ground, and a
tIee and a rock here and there over the
surface. There are mountains all around,
but sloping down TO the point We had
reached. This point was clump of ce-
dars and jumpers, perhaps fifty yards
through, and directly through it the trail
ran. I,escott's cabin was about 500 yarGs
the other side OF this clump. Risque and
Trescot and Frink entered the clump
first.
''As pulled out my watch to see what
time It was-11 40-Slawson threw
up his arms and said: Look there's
your Indians, Magruder My attention
was then directed particularly to him. for
he stood stIll, as if petritied, looked for
Indians, but could not see any, and then
heard the reports of several rifles. Frank
rushed from the ihIcket and cried that
Risque was shot, and then ! beard poor
Irescott sob out My Coo! boys! my
legs. / saw him struggle moment and
fall He was shot through the thighs.
Several.more volleys came. SlawsOn dis
appeared, and l broke from the trail for
tree. As / reached IL rife bullet whiZZed
by my head On either side. | remained
moment behind the tree looking for H.
dIans but was not able to see any OF them.
Then Trescotts mule came along and hal
ted about twenty feet from me. l deter
mined they shouldn't have that mule and
raised my rifle TO shoot It, when the mule
wheeled around and cooked up his ears.
| Immediately turned, and there, not forty
feet behind me, was an Indian with his
rifle leveled at me. He fired and at once
bounded towards me, thinking was hit.
/ took deliberate aim with my Winchester
and pulled the trigger. i remember that
as / fired | felt a peculiar satisfaction in
recalling the fact that | was pretty good
shot. The Indian threw up his arms and
tumbled backward. | took no further |
interest in him, but made for another tree,
which reached, several more bullets |
keeping HE uucomfortably close company. |
/ was badly tIightenen and had very little |
doubt | would be killed like the others, |
but all the same determined / would fight |
TO the end.
at was tough race up the mountain, |
dodgIng behind bouiders and trees. throw
ing myself fiat on the ground every now
and then, and rendered still harder and |
more unpleasant by having the air around |
me whlsiling with bullets whenever left |
cover. At length i reached Antolne's |
shanty. Here We were again exposed to
fire and for while was In more extreme !
danger than al any time during my race
up the mountain We finally got lbto the |
shelter of some timber and were safe. -