Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-20

rons history. It is strange that so capa-
ble man should have gone down to his
tory appended, so to speak, to coon. To
begiu. let's have the coon story.
This story was first printed In coun-
try paper of New York State about lS4O
At that time the coon had considerable
nolitical significance, and the story may
have been told as political anecdote.
This tale is as follows:
Can't. Martin Scott, who was noted
rife shot, was out in the woods one day
with a party of friends in the woods
hunting. They were scattered through
the Woods, each hunting sepa-
rately. One of the party at length
came upon a raccoon that was sitting In
ona of the highest branches of very tall
trae He fired at him and missed. One
nv one the rest of the party came up and
tried their hand, each missing the distant
coon. who grew saucer as they proceeded.
At length Capt. Scott arrived, and was
in the act of pulling trigger, hen the coon
looked slvly around the limb and said:
"Who are youW
81 am Scott"
tWhat ScOttW
81 am Capt. Scott"
Are you Capt. Martin Scott"
ssThe same"
"Well," said the coon, unlimbering
himself, "you need not shoot; will
come down."
When II years old Martin Scott was
living at Bennington, vt. A bear made
its appearance in that nelghborhOod,
doing great havoc among the tlOcks. The
people organized in squads to hunt it.
Young Scott, knowing that his father
would not let him take part in the hunt.
loaded up an old smooth-Dore gun, crawled
mt of the house before daylight, and
went out on his own hook to hunt the bear.
1t was nearly night when he came upon
the bear, lying apparently asleep just
before him. He raised the gun 20 his
shoulder fired, and fortunately reached
the vitals of the beast, and
killed him instantly. When he
reached the tavern the hunters were
all relating their experience. He an
nounced that he had Killed the bear, and
agreed to show them were it was. When
they found the bear they constructed
litter on which to carry him to town. and
mounted Martin on top of the bear. AS
they passed his fathers house, the old
man called him down, but, unlike the
coon. the youngster would not come, and
the triumphant crowd told his father that
he had killed the bear.
From his earliest days Capt. Scott was
remarkably fine shot. His fame ran
over several counties. One day while he
was blowing in the field a letter was
handed him. He stopped his horse,
opened the letter, and found that it in
closed him a commission as Ensign in the
United States army. To the day of mis-
death he never knew how this commits
sion came to be rendered him. He never
applied for it, and never thought of it.
He accepted it, however, and soon became
famous throughout the whole army as the
best shot of his day. Here are some
stories about his shooting told upon the
authority of Col. r. B. Marcy of the United
States army:
In the presence of his company an ace
OF clubs was tackled upon tree. Capt.
Scott measured seventy-tve yards from
the tree and took his position. With a
muzzle-loading squirrel rife ne proposed
TO see how quickly he could load and fire
three times. He began, and in one minute
and twenty seconds had loaded and fired
three shots at the card. This was very
quick work, forcing him to take drop
sight and fire instantaneousiy. Col.
Marcy went to examine the target and
found one hole exactly in the centre. He
remarked, however, that the other two
shots had missed the tree entirely. Capt.
Scott smiled, called for an axe, dug into
the tree, and found the three balls emb d.
ded IN a single hole. Col. Marcy says he
has seen officers who vouch for having
seen Capt. Scott do this.
He would take two potatoes, throw
them into the air successfully, and put
pistol ball through both of them as they
crossed in the air, one going up and one
coming down,
Naturally this was the sort of man
that fellow would not like TO fight duel
with, and yet he had great m any. His
first duel WAS under peculiar circum-
stances. He was stationed on the frontier
at the military post of Council Bluffs.
Tie army officers were then, as they are
not now, fond OF social glass, and ad-
dlcLed to card playing. They considered
man who abstainsd entirely from the
like indulgences as lacking in the proper
spirit. Capt. Scott never drank glass of
liquor In his life and never played game
OF cards, and, while he was liberal in his
Intercourse with his brother officers, was
exceedingly parsimoniOus in his own
personal expenses. The officers of the
post took umbrage at this end and gradu-
ally withdrew from all intercourse with
him, until he was put in coventry by all
save two or three of his most intimate
associates. He submitted for long time
to the insults and small sights, and then
held council of war with his three
friends to determine upon what had best
be done. They informed him that only
TWO alternatives were left him. One was
70 throw up mis- commission. The other
was to challenge the first man who in
suited him. lie promptly announced that
ne chose the latter course, and ais deter
mlnatiOn became known throughout the
post. HIS skill as q marksman and his
undoubted nerve protected him for
good while, no one caring to provoke an
encounter with him. AT length, however,
an officer from neighboring post, who
was celebrated shot, and had brought
own his man In some half dozen duels,
car!e to the post.
capt. ScotTs singular habits soon gave
MN provocation, and he put deliberate
insult on him. The affair occurred at the
mess table. Capt. Scott left the room,
and Immediately sent a challenge. In
telling ABOUT the duel afterward Capt.
scott said that he went to the ground
considerably agltated. 1t was his first
uuel, and being utterly opposed to the
practice, he had determined to throw
away his fire. While the seconds were
measuring the ground, and the principals
WIN their friends were grouped near
eSch other, he accidentally overheard his
antagonist say that he had very dis
agreeable job on hand that morning, viz.
lne shooting of u cd Yankee" This
raised Capt. Scotts indignation, and he
eetermihed that instead of throwing his
nre away, he would put his ball where II
would 0n fha wOrI