Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-05-21
IroNARDTowN, MD, THURSDAY MORNING MAY
GEN. SAMUEL DALE.
HIS GREAT CANOE FIGHT.

DOIO, GeOTAld. Dub lew ddyS
had elapsed, when the subject OF
our sketch--a youth of sixteen
summers--found himself an or
phan; and, in virtue of his senior
ity, guardian of seven brothers and
sisters. Disposing of them in the
best manner his limited resources
,s>e..ll. allow he inined q COMPANY
of volunteers, ioga1sed TO repH the
inyasions of the Greeks; and here
commenced that military career,
only closed when the difficulties
of his country ceased. We do not
propose to follow it up. Whoever
is acquainted with the history of
the Indian wars-with the bloody
battles of Bnrnt Corn and Holy
Ground-.the terrible massacre of
Fort Mims-the hazardous expe-
dition of Claiborne, and the Semi
mole campaigns of j ackson--knows
enough to appreciate the iron
nerve and daring intrepidity of
Gen. Dale. We will only notice a
few of those remarkable adven-
lures with which his life is so re-
plete.
His celebrated "Canoe Fight"
in the Alabama river, in which he
and two of his company Drained,
with dubbed rifles, nine Indian
warriors, in fair and open combat
is kind of household word with
old settlers. Every old crone on
the river, could relate to you the
incident of the bloody conflict;
while her aged partner, whose
head had whitened with the grow
ing improvements of his State,
would hobble down to the bank,
and point out the very spot in the
bright waters where the two ca
noes met; and perchance, the read
or has even made a trip down the
river, on that elegant boat with our
hero's name (Sam Dale,) he has
doubtless had designated to him,
by the courteous Captain, the
time-honored old Beech which
marks the spot, as we'll as the high
projecting bank which had previ-
ously sheltered the name-sake of
his boat from the fire CT the In
dams.
Soon after the bloody tragedy of
| 1.cu4l Mimo, many oil THO whites,
urgd by their defenceless condi.
tid and the increasing hostilities
ofhe Indians, took refuge in Fort
Mdison. AS Gen. Claiborne was
pvented from marching to their
a., by the hostile movements of
t. enemy about st. Stephens,
tnt. Dale and Col. Carson were
IL in command of the Fort. As
sen as his wounds, received at
Bnt Corn, were sufficiently heal
: eCDale determined to change his
liz of conduct from defensive to
y o.nsive. With seventy men, he
pceeded south-westwardly to
Bzier's landing on the Alabama.
, He they found two canoes, be-
G loing to a negro, named Caesar,
% wy informed them that there
J. VIZ Indians above there, on each
" siCof the river. He also tender
ie lem the use of the canoes, and
prered 10 act as a pilot. Cap
taiDale Immediately placed the
caies in charge of Jeremiah Aus
= till)d six men, who were order.
ed keep them parallel with the
par on land.
Aivingat the mouth OF Randon's
Crk, the canoe party discovered
a TAT, filled with Indians, who,
q hcever, Immediately padded to
tbshore and fled. The land par
tyfinding it impossible to con
tie their route, on account of
o. tfthick cane and vines, were Or
dSd to cross over, and proceed
uihhe other side. While they
wre affecting passage, Dale and
seierSpf his men kindled a fire
short letance from the river to
d; p'epar\their days meal. Thus
engagethey were fired upon by
a party Greeks. from an ambus-
caoe.s .4fearing TO The river, SO
as to g5in the cover of the project
ing bank, they discovered a large
fiat bottom canoe, containing eley-
en- armed and painted warriors.
The party behind them now re-
tired, leaving Dale to choose his
own course towards those in the
boat.
As both Of his canoes were on
the opposite side, Dale ordered the
larger one to be manned. Two OF
the warriors now left their boat
and swan for shore; but a ball
from the unerring rifle of James
Smith perforated the skull of one,
who Immediately sunk; the other
gained the shore and escaped.
Eight men had, in the meantime
manned thelarger canoe, and were
approaching the Indian boat; but
coming near enough TO see the
number Of rifle muzzles over the
edge of the boat, they hastily pad
died back to the shore.
Dale, exasperated by this "clear
back out" as he termed it, of his
men, shouted to them in scorn-
full tone, ito look and see three
brave men do what eight towards
had shfunk FROM" and followed
by AustiIl and Smith, sprang into
the smaller canoe, which the faith
full Caesar had just brought over.
DoIdIinof THAR oauno diraokIxr m