Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-13
OLD HAMILTON.
The Last Gun of the Seminole War and
Some of the Horrors of tho Day.
From no Jasper Tunes.


From tho Jasper Times
1t was in June, 1872, that a party OF
hunters made an agreement to meet at
bend in Gum swamp, near or in the
neighborhood where Clifton is to be seen
marked on our maps, in the northern part
of Madison county, near the Georgia line.
The bend was in the shape of horse
shoe, and known of all the neighbOrs as
famous place for game. They were to
meet at this bend, and the first to get
there were TO wait tor those who were be-
hind time. 1t proved to be Il very windy
day, and those who reached the rendez-
vous first were blowing their horns in or
der to let those coming know they were
at the place, and to hurry up. There
were three of them; one was named Sand
rich, another WIS named Sessions, aud
the Other name is forgotten.
These men had no thought of Indians,
nor did they contemplate tor one moment
the danger that was lurking near them.
A band OF Indians was concealed in the
palmetto within fifty steps of them, and
opened deadly fire upon them. All three
were killed instantly. The work OF butch
cry and mutilation commenced at once.
Two of them were quartered and
hanged upon trees, legs in one place,
arms and trunks and heads in another.
The third was horribly mutilated and left
on the ground,
Two others kept the appointment and
rode into the bend wholly unprepared for
the trial that awaited them. The Wind had
prevented them from hearing the guns,
and the first intlmatiOn they had of dan
ger was the sharp, ringing crack Of the
Indian rifles; one of these was killed in
stantly-shOt through the brain. The
other, named McMuIlen, was mounted on
very fleet mare that became frightened,
and prevented his using his gun, by
whirling short round and running back
the trail she came.
McMullen saw an Indian warrior, fleet
of foot, attempting with all his power OF
speed TO cut him OF, and he allowed his
mare to 20 at her best. He saw If he beat
the Indian 1t would be a close shave.
Both did their best, aud the Indian was
beaten in the race, though he WAS near
enough TO touch the animal as she
touched him. McMullen was then going
from the Indian at head-lOng
speed, but those who are experienced
in the use OF the rifle know that a shot go
ing from you is the same,Or better, than
standing shot. McMullen looked back
and saw the Indian in the act of shooting
at him. he threw himself forward on his
mares neck, crouched as low as he could.
The Indian fired, but the mare kept right
on until she came to low fence that sur
rounded a small plot of ground; over this
she bounded and fell dead.
McMullen tried TO get on his feet but
could not rise; he was beyond the line Of
vision Of the Indian, and crawled out,
over the fence, down in the swamp and
concealed himself. The mare was shot
through the heart and McMullen was
struck in the back Just below the shoulder
blade, and the ball ranged forward and
lodged under the skin, near the line of
hair, behind the ear.
After they had multlated and mangled
the bodies of the dead, the Indians moved
of north, in the direction of the Georgia
line. 1t was not many hours before the
whites were IN pursuit under the COM
mand fCol. VIM. l. Bailey, with Lewis
Norton trailing. In the evening Of
the next day they overlook the In
dams beyond the State line, in a
hummOck, with an open pond! in front Of
them. As the whites entered the edge of
the pond on the tran they were fred upon,
and a Mr.. Blackburn was killed of his
horse. Col. Bailey shot one Of the savages,
and Lewis Norton shot two Of them.
They did not know whether they killed
either of them or not, but Norton said one
of his made him very polite bow when
his gun fired.
The whites had to withdraw from the
fight, as the sayages had too much adj
vantage, and take up their dead com
rade. They we're in pursuit again next
day. The Indians found a family living
in the vicinity and raidtd them, killing
some and burning the place. The whites
trailed them in all their windings to this
nlapn and found when they left each one
took separate cotton row down through
the field to the swamp, and that there
were twenty-three warriors. Having
loaded themselves pretty heavily with
plumber taken from the murdered family
the savages turned south.