Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-05-09

had becn properly enforced, pick
eted bis horse to black stump will
: long lariat, which allowed him Il
Craze within q circle Of which th,
rope was the radius, retired to hi,
bivouac Gre, and without taking of
his clcthes laid down for the night.
Being much exhausted he soon fell
into a profound slumber. which,
however, was constantly disturbed
By frightfuldreams in which blood ]
encounters with the Indians. re,
sulting in tho total defeat of his
own troops, and followed By the con.
comitants Of ftomahawking, scalpina
and other barbarities incited by The
savage instincts of the enemy. were
predominant. So that his imagi.
- baoems sroughs up TO Il
high . pitch of excitement as was
possible under the effects of hor-
rible nightmare.
In the midst of this he was reused
from his deep sleep by the sudden
discharge of a musketand the alarm.
ing shout of ''Indians Indians ~
in close proximity to his head.
He bounded like lightning to his
feet, and in terrified, semi-som-
nolent state saw his men running
about in all directions, inthe great
est possible confusion and terror,
and he for the moment had but a
very faint conception as to who or
where he was. OF one fact, how
ever, he felt perfectly confident
which was, that the savages were
upon him, and that his ownly safe
ty consisted in getting away from
them as soon as possible
Accordingly he instinctively bolt
ed for his horse, leaped upon his
back without saddle or bride, and
driving the rowels into his fanks,
bounded off at full speed. But one
end Of the lariat being still fast
ened to the stump caused the horse,
when he, with tremendous moment
um, was brought up at the opposite
extremity, to turn heels over head
upon the ground, and land his RI
der some ten or twelve yards in ad-
vance, causing him to see more stars
than the most powerful telescope
ever brought to view in the firma-
He imagined hc had been knocked
OF By an Indian, but raised him
self up again as soon as he recover
ed sufficiently from the effects Of
the fall; and his horse, in rising,
having turned his head in the op
posite direction, he again leaped
upon his back, and, with vigorous
application OF the spurs, away he
went second time, until the rope
again caused them turn q somer-
sault, with the Colonel sprawling
upon the ground. He was, if pos
sible, more stunned by the concus-
sion than before, and regarded it
as certain that he had been again
knocked down with a war-club or
tomahawk, and that he must now
be completely surrounded by the
savages. This situation seemed to
him SO perilous that he began to
despair Of making his escape; but
he was q man of great firmness of
purpose, and he resolved to make
one more effort, ond endeavor by q
desperate charge to force his way
through the hostile Gordon. Ac-
cordinglyhe mounted the third time,
and the generous animal he be.
strode, in obedience to the will oi
his master, enforced by a severe
punishment with the spurs, again
dashed off at full speed, but in a cir.
Gle around and around the stump
until his feet became ensangled in
the lar;at, and he was thrown dowr
again, this time casting his rider
near the black stump, which he in
the darkness Of the night imagined
to be an Indian warrior standing
knife in hand, ready to take his de
voted scalp.
He deliberated for an instant in
in fear and trembling as to tn,
course he should pursue in thi
critical position. He was by n,
means a coward, but he was full,
conscious of the fact that mere,
was not embraced in the catalogu'
Of savage virtues, and that he hat
but little compassion to expect If h
fell into their clutches. Yet, as
last resort for escaping q horribl
death by torture, he concluded t,
make final desperate appeal to tn