Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1885-04-10

life g managed to reach the barri-
cade hat had been prepared. We
woub not one of US have escaped
had ut the Indians stopped to catch
our tams and to plumber our wagons
Whef we reached our refuge we got
overAur fright little and when the
Indials came up we were ready to
make good fight. After some of
them had been shot they pulled off
and began to fight at long range
We ioticed that their leader was
urgifg them TO charge us, and twice
he CT lot of them and came up
yeryinear, but we made it hot for
then! and they fell back, not, how
everi before we had seen that the
man leading them was a white man
with a long red beard. We had been
mad before, but we were hundred
timca madder at that white fellow.
"lbur times in the fight | fired at
him and missed him, and | had had
sOel. chances, too, SO | was vexed
and puzzled. About 4 o'clock one of
our men yelled soldiers and we
cheered as we saw the body of troops
off IN the distance. The Indians
stopse1 their firing and seemed about
- lesye, when the fellow with the red
learp got them to try once more, but
itwss no go; we were encouraged and
fired faster and sharper than ever.
As they turned to go, they fell back
slowly, yelling and firing l said to
those around me, Il am going to try
one more shot at that -whiskered
fellow. 1T amt any use said the old
solder, he is a Mormon, and he has
got ! suit of clothes on that will turn
any bullet 'Well,' says !, we will
see. You had better hurry up, then,
says he, for he is going off with the
ress.of them Let him GO said, as
Ie2efully fixed the sights of my rifle.
~ - a,.s..,as - -G.aaes
up dnthat knoll. for | can calculate
justlhow far that is | got my gun
fixed. Hurry up says the old soldier
and as the others had stopped firing,
they joined in the cry. 'You bequiet,
| says to them; when he comes up
there will try him, | will try his
head and have the whole body to drop
on, He had a kind of rested in the
hollow, and when he came to the top
Of the hill he stopped, as though he
hated to give us up. Now l was not
given to prayer in those days, but l
shut my eyes for a moment and asked
the Lord to help me shoot straight, as
he did David when he hit the giant.
So Iopened my eyes and took careful
sight and fired. They were all quiet,
and for Il moment after the report
there was not a sound, and then there
was a wild cheer as we saw the man
spring into the air and fall fiat on the
ground. Somehow we all felt the
same, fer at once we began to climb
out over the wagons and start for that
body. The Indians had partly turned
back as if to get the body, but when
they saw us coming they turned and
ran. | got to the body first and
turned it over, and there l saw the
bullet hole / had hit him in the back
Of his neck and killed him instantly.
As the old soldier came up he said, He
isa Mormon, sure, and he must have
.et his underclothes off or you could
not have hit him. With that he be-
gan to strip him, but when he got
down to the underclothes we found
that he had the Mormon ixings on.
Well, said !, what do you think of
that?' 4 don't know said the old sol
der; it seems it amt true, but all
them Mormon fellows think that they
are bullet-proof when they have them
clothes on, and they never go without
hem. 4 tell YOU he said. they stick
cl9se to them things and have to be
buried in them. so as to be all right on
the other side We'll, said |, 4 will
ix him on that so | stripped the
tllngs off Of him and carried them to
where the wagons were still shoulder
ing and burned them up. The soldiers
cane up and helped us bury our dead.
| was cleaned out of all my goods, but
| did not care then, | only cared for
the loss of my chum. | had learned
To 1love him. The soldiers stayed by
us for q week, and we had no more
llpuOle. ms IS a good deal more
comfortable travelling than it was in
them days Somehow, though, l have
been a-liying it all over again today.
les, gentlemen, that was my last shot
in fight, but if this Mormon trouble
eyer comes to fighting. you may count
me in for another shot. | haint for
got my poor chum, and haint forgiv-
. them for burning my wagon. In
dams, did you say" he said, turning to
dne of the passengers who had sug-
sested that it was Indians, mot bit;
III | not tell you that he was Nor
non a-leading them. May be-" he
iaded, suddenly. you are one Of them
allows. "If So" he said, drawing his