The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-12-28

NhNE wan "a AnJll tAHCll
encein such business, had never come
up against anything like It.
Struggle with Big 6ritlsher.
1t was my Ill luck to get hold OF a
big Britisher. who was 10 or 20 pounds
the heavier. and stood a full head
taller; but while he was trying TO run
me through with his bayonet. I had a
chance TO get the hold / wanted, and
down We went Again had fortune de
serted me, for while falling he so con
trived TO twist his body that he fell on
top, and for a few moments had quite
as much as | could do 70 keep pumping
air into my lungs. owing 10 the grip
he had on my throat.
Now. it stands TO reason that I
didn't lay still SOS to give him a good
chance 70 choke me TO death. but wig.
gled the best | knew how, and. thanks
TO some OF the tricks | had learned
among the mountains. IL was soon pos.
sible 10 roll him over. There wasn't
enough strength left in my body TO
keep an upper hold; but over and over
We went until we struck the swamp.
and that which ! thought would be the
death OF me proved my advantage.
We had wallowed in the soft mud
and water until we must have looked
Ike clay images when | let go my hold
10 grip him by the head. and. putting
forth every ounce OF muscle, managed
70 60 far turn IL that his face was
pressed deep into the mud. That took
a good bit Of the fight out OF him. for.
OF course, he couldn't breathe. and was
trying to yell for quarter. when UP
came some Of our boys.
IT stands TO reason that thew
couldn't make out which man came
from England. and grabbed at the first
that came handiest, which just then
happened to be me.
Come up here. you blasted Brit
isherl' the best friend / had in the
regiment shouted. as he pulled me back
by the collar of my coat, and I wasn't
much more than a half drowned kitten
in his clutch.
Let go OF me, you idjut,' I yelled
as soon as It was possible to get some
- - MAA OAA VI lily mDuin. Don I /
you know your own comrade?'
The Britisher wasn't anybody's
fool. and. Of course. he understood Just
what a mistake had been made. He
up on his feet like a steel spring.
and while my comrades we're Growing
over having captured one OF the
as they supposed. he took to
his heels. running like a deer. with the
mud falling OF Of him in flakes until
n saw what kind Of a uniform
he wore.
In all that squad only a single man
had a charge in his gun. and he fred
II the fellow. but il was the widest
Kind OF a snap shot and the bullet
vent wide. Of course.
by the time | had cleared nv face
II mud the Britisher was out OF range
md perhaps l didn't talk the sweetest
Knew how to the laundering fellow
Who had not only lost me a prisoner.
'ut came very near finishing the chok-
ng which the redcost had begun.
Final Result OF Battle.
Then the battle was well nigh
my grandfather always said at
point in his story. n as to the
OF the engagement he would
i've me a well worn slip OF printed
aper. from which / could read the fol.
Toward loon the fire Of the British
isibly slackened. while that OF the
was unceasing. The bat
cries OF the foe were crushed and
roken. The sugar h~ogsheads had
cen converted into splinters and their
O%ntents. mingling with the soft earth.
BON lost their volume. The guns not
were careened and worked
it'll great difficulty. |
The invaders fled in inrlorlous |
aste, helter-skelter, TO the bitches. I'm
OF safety. and, under over Of
le ensuing night. crawled suilenly |
TO their camp, dragging with
over the spongy ground a part
their cannon, leaving five OF them a
for the Americans"
In the fight that day the American
SIS was IL killed and % wounded
bile 20 Of the Britishers were found
'ad on the field. the greater number
Ing near the swamp where the al.
OK on u lines had been made. and
rtain II is that no less than 30 had
zen disabled.