The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-04-17
GENERAL SAN DALE.
Something i5eut the Hero of the Famous
Canoe Fight.
j. r. McLendon. of Mattel. Ala, in Mont

that a short while before the gen
erSl assembly adjourned, a letter
was read in The House stating that
Captain Sam Dale's remains were
quietly resting in Mississippi soil.
Ever since [ read Picketl's his
tory of Alabama, | have had The
greatest respect Tor lhe brave hero.
| hope the next Legislature will
take steps TO remove the ashes of
The ballle-scarred hero Ia Alabama,
the soil he ST. bravely defended.
Nov. II, 1913, over II years ago,
Capt. Sam Dale, jeremiah Aus,Ill
and James Smith fought he cele-
brated canoe fight on the Alabama
river.
In Il hand-to- hand fight with the
Indians on The banks of the river,
Dale saw a large Indian canoe con
tanning eleven warriors. Dale at
once determined TO attack them.
These bold red men sal erect in
the boat with their guns before
them, while they glided down the
stream, boldly deIying Dale's little
army. While this was going on,
Dale ordered a large canoe on the
opposite shore to be brought over
to capture the redskins. "Elght
men sprang into il, but having ap.
preached near enough to see the
number Of fierce warriors still
alive and ready 10 defend them
selves to desperation, the cautious
party padded back to the western
side. The eXasperated Dale pro
posed that some Of his men should
follow him in The small canoe,
which was Immediately acquiesced
in. Dale leaped down the bank
into the boat, followed by Smith
and Auslill. All the Others were
ANXIOUS to 60, but il afforded room
for no more" The oarsman, a ne
gro named Caesar, was ordered TO
paddle towards the saucy Indians,
"and when within twenty yards of
The Indian canoe, the resolute
Americans arose 10 give them a
bIoadside, but only lhe gun of
Smith fired. for the other two had
unfortunately wet their priming.
Caesar was ordered TO paddle up
and place his boat side by side
with that of The warriors. Ap-
preaching ten feet the chief, rec.
ognizing Dale, exclaimed: Now
for it, Big Sam,'* at The same time
presenting his gun at Auslill's
breast. That brave youth struck
at him with an oar, which he dodg-
ed, and in return he brought down
his rifle upon Austill's head just as
the canoes came together. AT that
moment the powerful arms of
Smith and Dale raised their long
rifles, which came down with
force and felled the chief TO the
bottom OF The canoe-his blood and
brains bespaltering lis sides. Such
was The force of the blow inflicied
by Dale that his gun was broken
near the lock. Selling the heavy !
barrel, still left, he did great exc
cution with it 10 The end of The
combat. Austill in a moment en-
gagged with the second warrior and
then third, both OF whom he dis
patched with his dubbed rifle.
Smith. too, was equally active,
having Knocked down Two Indians.
Caesar had, by this time, got The
canoes close together and held
Them with a mighty grasp, which
enabled Dale, who was IN the ad-
vance, and the others 10 maintain |
4 firm footing by keeping their feet
n both canoes. these brave men
now moved down The savages
mid the encouraging shouts of the
men on both sides of the river.who
iad full view OF the deadly con-
lict. In the midst of this unpar-
llleled strife, a lusty Indian struck
iustill with a war cllb, hich fell
d him across the side of the two
,oats, aud while PROSTATE another
,rave raised his club 10 dash out
lis brains, when Dale, by a timely
blow, buried his heavy rifle barrel
leep in The warriors skull. In The
Auslill regained his feet
md, in a desperate Struggle with
mother savage, knocked him into
he river. with The club he had
from him. Having laid
III the warriors low,these undsunt-
ID Americans began to cast them
nto The bright water of the Ala
Dama, their native stream, now 10
De their graves. Every time a
iavage was raised from the bottom
If the boat by the head aud heels
md slung into the water, the
Americans on the banks sent up a
hout loud and long as some slight
'evenge for the tragedy al Minis.
After the fight had ended, eight
athletic Indians were thrown out
If the canoe. 1t will be reeollect-
ii that there were eleven in the
boat when first seen, and that Two
If them swan ashore and the 9th
n one Auslill knocked out before
he conflict ended" Thus, it will
,e seen that these three brave
pioneers of Alabama fought and
killed nine lusiy warriors.
At another lime Captain dale
vas attacked by ~iwo warriors,
Who shouted their war-whoop, as
le was kneeling down 10 drink,
nj rushed upon him with their