Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-01-11
BRAVERY OF A STAGE-DRVER.
BeSet by Indians His Goodness Saved the
Lives of His Passengers.

Beset by Indians His Goodness Saved the
Lives of His Passengers.
The heroism and bravery of Robert
Emery is an example to every schoolboy
in Nebraska to-day. Gage county has
the honor of being his home, and Bea
trice his abiding place.
In 1864 Robert Emery was stage
driver along the ST. Joe and Denver
route. In August of that year occurred
the great Indian raid, when so many
settlers lost their lives. There were
nine passengers in his coacl-seven
men and two ladies. Although exceed
ingly dangerous, he offered to drive to
Liberty farm, where his brother,
Charles, lived The morning of August
8, 1864, was beautiful. The sky was
clear, and cool, refreshing breeze
came up from the northwest. The coach
left the station of Big Sandy with its
freight of human lives, drawn by four
large and mettled steeds, in which the
driver had unbounded confidence and
over them perfect control. The jour
ney was without accident or unusual
incident until about II o'clock, up to
which time no signs of Indians had
been seen. But just as the lead horses
had passed over the hill and were on
spar that led into the bottom land or
valley-this was narrow and bordered
on either side by deep ravines, worn by
the water-and before the coach had
commenced the descent, the driver dis
covered a band of Indians about thirty
rods in advance. He wheeled the horses
in an instant-two rods further on he
could not have accomplished the turn
and, laying the whip to their backs,
commenced an impetuous retreat. The
passengers were terrified and were at
once on their feet. Emery said: eff you
value your lives, for Gods sake keep
your seats or we are lost"
The Indians, about fifty in number,
gave chase with their terrifying yell,
and for about three miles, which were
accomplished in about twelve minutes,
pursued and pursuers made the most
desperate efforts at speed. The savage
yells of those blOodthirsty villains and
the walls of despair of the men and
women in the coach are past the power
of pen to describe. But to the glory of
the driver be it said that he was the
only steadynerved and unexcited per-
son in this memorable chase The coach
bristled with arrows like quilts upon
the fretful pOrcupine." They grazed
young Emery on every side and cut the
Jarrett off the head of the wheel horse,
but the young man needed nothing but
his driving.
There were two points at which all
would have been lost but for the drivers
wonderful presence of mind. There
were two abrupt turns in the road
where the coach would have been
thrown over had he not brought the
team to halt and turned with care.
This he did to the dismay Of some of
the passengers, who saw escape
only in speed, but their subsequent
praise Of his conduct was as great as
his courage was cool and calculating
George Constable, who was conducting
an OK train ever the route, saw the
coach about d mile ahead, and at once
corraled his twenty five wagons. The
brave driver drove his nine passengers
into this shelter and safety. Words
could not express the gratitude felt for
their hero and deliverer. In the de-
irium Of delight they embraced and
kissed him, and thanked God that he
had held the lines, and that they were
in a position where they could not inter
fere. The noble steeds were not forgot
ten. The passengers petted them and
cast their arms a bout their necks with
faa1inCrC Of ono fGf171 emotion
This memorable drive would never be
forgotten though not recorded here, for
the story would be handed down to
posterity by the successive generations
of the saved. The hero Of that day S
chase won not his best laurels in that
hour, for wherever he was known his
gentle manner and kind deeds won for
him a welcome in every heart. Devoid
of boastful pretense, he wore meehly
his well-deserved honors and silently
carried a heros heart. His health was
frail, and in about year he was pros
trated with fever and, while upon his
death bed, yet still conscious, Mrs. Ran
dolph, one of the number he saved from
a horrible death, placed upon his finger
a beautiful gold ring, in which was en-
graved the following: ''E. Umphrey,
G. C. Randolph and Hattie P. Randolph
to Robert Emery. in acknowledgment
of what we owe to his cool conduct and
good driving Tuesday, August 8, 1864. -
Soon after this he passed away from
these scenes of warfare to the silent
and peaceful realm Of the dead. The
doctor who attended him in his last
hours eulogized him as silent hero and
one of the noblest of mankind.
Bee.