Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-08
ant and three or MS men anu wounuIng s0
o& fhaxa hx cl,afahi1s0 his

more OF them by clubbing his gun
The vows that Clinton made, kneeling that
night by his loved ones, he devoted his life
to fulfill, and If there are more than one OF
that company of men who have not suisse
quently died with their boots on it is not
known, and it will be well, if there are any,
for them to keep very quiet and be on the
watch for an iron gray, six foot three man,
and keep out Of his way, for Lem Clinton
still lives and has never made peace nor laid
his gun in its rack from that day to this:
Let us follow Clinton from the graves OF
his loved ones, for he has joined the bush
wnackers--if that is the proper name-and
has made an appointment to meet with them
ct their meeting place. Here he goes. over
{. rugged mountain path, until at last the
trail is lost and he scrambles from peak to
peak till he stands upon towering crag,
! whose foot is washed by the turbid waters OF
the Big Tallapoosa- He has been here before,
for he lashes his gun upon his shoulder and
at once approached huge grape vine that
has been fastened to a mountain oak and
spliced till i reaches the waters below, and
graspiug it with firm hold he eases himself
| over the precipiee and down, hand over hand,
for 200 feet he goes, till his feet strikes the
bottom of light batteau, and then seating
| himself at one end he moves down the river
till he comes to the confluence Of the Big and
| Little Tallapoosa rivers, and there he stops,
| draws his batteau up in the bushes and mai:es
his way few steps into the forest, where the
bushwhackers are to hold their meeting and
| formulate their plans.
Here is a spot that nature has fitted for
hall of secrecy. Two large rivers forming a
| -. l. l.
less forest back in the "fork, 1" with towering
crags and lofty trees, that lend their shadows
to dismal night that makes darkness seem q
| thing Of substance.
Fifty men, made desperate by the feuds Of
the times, swear allegiance to each. other and
elect Lem Clinton as their captain.
"Now give me q chaw of 'bacco," said q
heavy set, middle aged man, who held gun
in his hand that was fully as long as himself,
and whose right name was Higginbother, but
who was Familiarity known as ''old Hick"; II
haint had nothing to say at the meeting. but
l voted for our captain, and now me and old
Betsy Barker las he called his gum are
ready to obey his orders and to follow him
| to hi"
II wish he'd order you to kill that owl
that's been er ho-ho-ing over thar for the Last
| TWO 1OurS, spoke up Joe freSly-
Further conversation was cut short by the
tail form of Lem Clinton arising from the
| log upon which he had been sitting, and
chunking the dim fire which furnished
| little light for the occasion, he cleared his
! throat and said:
'Boys, you ali irow me. I've not got
much to say You all understand what we
| have agreed upon about the signals, but [
will repeat to you the urgent charge already
given that no man shall leave these diggings
so far but what he can see light when it is
| flashed from the ferry peak unless be gets
permission to do So When you see light
| burning on yander highest peak, to the right
of the ferry landing, you must drop every
thing and report here at this place as soon
rs you can; and mind, be careful and look
out for spies. The meeting is dismissed"
SO spoke the man who had been chosen by
unanimous consent the leader OF the Layers
out' of the Tallapoosa fork"
Let us again visit the camp of the soldiery
at Wedowee. Three days rations have been
prepared and the men are ready to march at
q moments warning. Eighty-five men are
ready and anxious to avenge the death of
their fallen comrades in the Clinton fight.
The night is dark, and as the soldiers
mount their horses and file into the Burrows
| ferry road and head for the river, the tall
! form of Lem Clinton emerged from neigh
| boring thicket, and with his gun at q trail
he darts across the road and takes a near cut
! that will land him at tho ferry ct least an
| hour ahead of the troops. Once az the ferry,
he mounts up, up, the rugged side of tho
| '.ferry peak and it Is but the work Of mo-
ment to have the whole top of the towering
/ Tod NV 1irrl,f hot
had already been prepared OF rich lightwood
splinters, that would flash for bat moment,
and, dying out, leave all in darkness.
The bushwackers are together, and led by
Clinton, they take their places on either side
of the road that is terminated by the river.
With impossible mountains on either side,
and the river in front, there was no way for
the soldiers to retreat, except to right about,
! If once they were in the gorge.
"GSuiet men, let every man be quiet until
l shall give the word fire." and then let
every man do his duty, and Lem Clinton will
| do his"
There was nothing now for the bushwacl-
ers TO do but to await the coming of the
soldiery. The trap was set. Once in the
gorge, the soldiers would have no way of re-
treat but to plunge into the swollen Talla-
]
been anticipated by Clinton, and he had it
arranged 20 close in the road and cut off re-
| treat in that direction.
! 1t was thus that things stood when the
clank of sabres announced the close approach
of the soldiers. On, on they came, uncon-
scious of danger, till the head of the t,olumn
had reached the rivers bank, and the officer
in command gave the word:
"Haltl"
The tall form of Lem Clinton sprang into
the road, and at the same time hiS shriu
voice was heard clear and distinct:
"Firel"
And fifty bushwackerS pulled the trigger
of their guns and above the clatter and con-
fusion the voice of Lem Clinton was heard:
'',rHo quarter! Die, devils, diet"
This closed the career of that company.
Not one escaped to tell the tale, and that was
the last organized military of the Confeder-
acy tat made an attempt to invade the
'fork. "-"SaFge" in Atlanta Constitution