Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-05-23
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA,

SldteS Mttal OF honor by Saving n
Lieutenant From Apaches Saved
From Death by n Seconds Space.
There is, perhaps, no style of war
fare which puts men to greater test
than skirmishes with the Indians, and
many medals have been well won in
this way. The American temperament
which enables u man to remain cool
and deliberate in the face of the most
appalling danger, says the New York
World, is never called into play oftener
than in this peculiar warfare. In the
year 1874 Lieutenant King, of the
Fifth Cavalry, was detailed to make
surveys of military reservation in
Arizona, when an uprising of the
Apaches suddenly occurred. The
trouble was wholly unexpected, as
was usually the case in those days.
The Apaches up to that time had stub
bornly resisted every effort to civilize
them. During the winter months they
accepted sullenly the beef and bread
which the Government gave them, but
when the spring came they were in the
habit of painting their faces, discard
ing their tall hats and "store clothes'
and, armed with good rifle supplied
by the Government, setting forth ia
slay. They were pursued by the
troops, but they were so familiar with
the mountains and so expert in their
own peculiar warfare that it was very
/ difficult to entrap them.
Lieutenant King on hearing Of the
outbreak started at once with a party
to run down the Indians. After sew
eral days hard riding and while the
Lieutenant CHANGED to be some dis
tance ahead of his command he sud
denly came upon number of the
enemy, who We're waiting for him in
ambush. Himself an experienced In
dian fighter, he instantly glided into
the underbrush in an attempt to flank
his position. A moment later an arrow
whizzed by his head and buried itself
deep i'll a tree. Another arrow cut the
muscles at the cornAr of his eye and q
moment later rifle ball pierced his
arm. His only chance of escape was
in running back to his men, who were
hurrying to his relief. After a few
steps, however, weakened as he was,
he caught his footin the root of tree
and fell heavily to the ground half
conscious. Knowing we'll the fate
awaiting him if he fell into the hands
of the Indians, King drew his revolver
and was on the point of killing him
self, when one of his men, Sergeant
Taylor, suddenly dashed out of the
woods and caught him up in his arms.
In spite of his burden he managed to
get in advance of the Indians, stop
ping every few steps to fire shot at
them. King soon saw that Taylor
could not carry him much further, and,
fearing that they would both be lost,
he told the Sergeant to leave him and
save himself. Taylor refused to for
sake him and King urged and implored
his companion to save himself, and
finally ordered him to return alone to
the troops. Both men knew that if
the Indians once captured either of
them they would be tortured to death
by means as horrible as those of the
Spanish Inquisition. But Taylor car
ried his wounded officer for nearly half
mile under fire over the rocks and
ravines, and only released him when
he was safe within their own picket
lines. 1t was for this act of daring and
devotion that Sergeant Bernard Tay-
lor was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Saved From Death by n Seconds Space.
There died at Philadelphia, recently,
Charles B. Mason, veteran scout of
the Union Army, who during the war,
had an experience of close call by
death, unrivalled in fiction.
On this especial occasion, becoming
detached from his comrades he
wandered so close to the lines that he
was taken prisoner. He was placed
in the Confederate guard house for
the night, and the next morning was
taken out with number of other
Union prisoners who had been cap
tured and booked for a trip to Libby
Prison. Unfortunately for him, how
ever, as he left the tent Confederate
spy who was in the crowd surveying
the prisoners as they were placed in
the line recognized him as spy, and
he was once more remanded to the
tent. That evening he went before a
drum head court-martial.
80 be shot at sunrise as spy"
That was the brief finding and SEN
tence of the court martial.
The spot chosen for the execution
was IN pretty little ravine along a
stream just outside the Confederate
! camp, and to this place he was con-
ducted. A white bandage was placed
over his eyes and he was made to
kneel upon a rude pine box which was
to be his coffin. The rifles We're loaded,
the firing squad took its position and
with the admonition, "Take careful
aim, boys" the sergeant in charge
moved away to the rear.
"Ready," he commanded and the
hammers of the rifles rose with a
sharp click; "Aim," but before he
could have the final command there
swept over and above Mason sheet