Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-14
Kit Carson Ambushed.
From the Anerictls CGd.) Republican.
EARLY in 1890 when Gen Sid .InhnaI

DOWllUk 0IEGus N.Y. anu htDE DucAl ohh
| his hosts from marching on Nashville by
that route, the 9Th Alabama Regiment
was camped on Jennings creek, deep
stream just above its confluence with Lit
tie Barren river, and a guard was de-
tailed every evening to guard an impor-
tant bridge over the creek. One evening
in the latter part of January, the guard
was at the bridge, when an old citizen on
horseback approached the nine men VINO
composed il, saying:
''Men, have lived here twenty years,
and know all about this creek. We have
had terrible rains, the creek is rising, and
by morning will be fifteen or twenty feet
above the bridge. AS the Yankee army
is only two miles off, or some OF them,
take my advice and go on the other
side"
He was told that it would be impossi-
BILE, as we had been stationed there TO
keep the enemy from destroying that
bridge, and were ordered on no account
to go on the other side without orders
from the commanding officer. He turned
and retraced his steps, saying;
Then tomorrow, I'li expect TO see
your squad either dead or prisoners"
Our little camp did not intend that his
word should be verified, however, so we
took the precaution to put two guards
out, about 200 yards from our hut, know
ing small squad Of cavalry was quar-
ter OF a mile farther on, watching the Fed
eral foragers, who were In some force,
destroying the stock and grain of the sec
ton, to keep it from falling into Johnson's
hands. After nightfall. guard was
placed at the door and everything ready
for any emergency that might arise. One
OF the men Lee Williamson In the squad
had been with Kit Carson in some Of
his Indian trays and we got him to tell
us the most thrilling adventure that
he had been in which ran nearly as fol-
lows:
I'm 1856 / was out with old Kit and
twenty other rangers on the western Dor
ders of Texas, way uD in the northern
part Of the State; the Indians were kick
ing up the devil, and the old man says:
"'Boys, look out; the reds are all
arouud us, and there's curious music in
the air that says devilment is going on
somewhere, so let's ride up
Striking a brisk trot, We had gone but
few miles when we came to a wagon
with two men lying dead beside it and
evidence that a fight had occurred there
early that morning. Old Kit said:
81 knew the devils were at work some
where, and here is evidence. They have
taken the women, if there were any, to a
worse fate than they gave the men, and
as there seems to be only fifteen or TWEEN.
ty, Wen follow. Here they seem to
have headed for the island of timber yon-
der
Every man looked to his gun and pis.
tolprepared for a fight. and went through
the tall grass at a spanking gait. We
were going up rise and in two miles
struck the woods, through which ran a
small stream. Here we allowed our
horses to drink and blow spell while we
/ kept a sharp lookout Presently a red
| devil two or three hundred yards of, was
seen lodging from one tree to another,
and some of our men started in pursuit,
| but old Kit yelled:
"'We are trapped Fall backp
| Too late came the warning, for most OIL
the men had got in bow shot, and about
| fifty arrows came like meteors through
the air, cutting down horses and men
Two men were killed outright, while sew
eral others had arrows sticking about
their person. One passed through my
thigh, another took off my hat, and one
stuck in the lower part of my horses
neck, which was big gray, and as good
as ever trod grass. The reds had imme
diately set up yell, which filed the air
for miles it seemed, and advanced on us
We fired our rifles, drew our revolvers
and Just then old Kit yelled Charged aDC
we rode forward with mad fury. The rec
devils swarmed like bees. They rose
from the ground, dropped from the trees
and come in from all sides. On seeinC
our party approach the woods, they had
sent their horses out of sight over the
hill, formed the ambuscade, and caugh
us. / tell you it was the highest fight
was ever in. Kit Carson seemed to fly
through the air on his horse, and killed :
dozen Indians, for one fell every time hC
fired. Our little band had all fallen bu
five when we got from the woods, anC
every one Of us had several wounds. ThC
devils we're not satisfied, but chased III
way out on the prairie on foot before they
thought of their horses, and we pusheC
| our faded steeds TO their utmost to ge
out of the way. l remember looking a.
! the sun, which was hanging over the ives
tern horizon as if it had stopped to wit
ness our destruction, and our brave lead
er said:
"'Boys, it's death if they catch US be
/ fore night. Drop your reins and load be
| fore they get their horses from the woods
| and epurring on as fast as possible, We
/ closed up and looked behind. Only 9
| dozen or two Indians were after us. or
/ foot, and they a long distance behind; bu
now the horses with their riders were
coming out, one at time, night was com
/ ing too, the sun had gone down, but the
] bWillHnb liuEtI6us NONs we bpuTT6u on
urging our tired horses TO the last effort
A stream OF Indians on horseback dotted
the plain, coming on swiftly on frest
horses, they seemed to fly. Away off Il
the south we heard a rumbling sound anC
looking that way, saw the heavens darl
with clouds. That heaven, to which W,
were all praying. was going TO help us
Faster than the horses came the clouds
but our Indian foes were relentless. The,
had tasted blood and suffered a sever,
loss. They wanted TO catch Kit Carson
tor the COmanches would risk destruction
to destroy him. Oh, how we prayed TO
darkness The stars began to gimme
in the northeast, the shadows were gone
but we were not yet safe. The INDIAN
were indistinct, and soon were lost I,
view. We then turned toward the south
leading us direct from the path we wer,
pursuing, and letting speed abate TO
trot, kept up our weary, painful journey
Now we began to suffer. With an arrow
In my back, another in my thigh
and a burning thirst, / sat in that saddle
praying that God would give me strength
to endure to the goal Of safety. Once o.
twice nearly fell from my horse, anC
our men would groan in anguish from tn,
great pain they were I'm. We kept NOV
ing, however, and at last the rain cane
down In torrents, and its cooling infiu
ence revived us for time, but at last 4
chilled us to the bone. We kept moving
Knowing that il near enough the indiana
would catch US the next day and torture
us. About one o'clock that night XII
said: