The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1916-07-20

age. and he was nearly grown when his
first real battle occurred. Two young
men of about his age had some grudge
against his brother Joseph, and deter
mined to work it off according to the
custom of the times. But when they
met Joseph, Thomas was with him.
With few preliminaries, they sailed in,
and tradition tells US the mill was fast
and furious. When the smoke had
cleared away it was discovered that
Thomas had easily disposed of his man,
and, exercising the authority of the
older brother, had taken Joseph's man
from him and given him a sound thresh-
ing.
This encounter gave him confidence
in himself and made for him a sort of
reputation of which the DULLES were
eager to deprive him. He was called
upon quite frequently to defend him
self, and he did this with such UNMARRIED
success that he soon became known
along the frontier as a fighter of great
ability. As he.was man of no great
size. weighing about 100 pounds, it was
remarkable that he should be so invar-
iably successful.
Els most famous battle took place at
B1onsboro, Maryland. He and Joe were
there on.business one day when he was
accosted by big husky looking man as
follows:
care you Tom Wilson,"
Eyes"
well, I'm Madcap, the bully of Vir-
ginia, and came here to lick you.
Il don't see what you want to do that
for. Why, l never even heard of you
before"
Madcap turned to his friend and said:
Il told fyou Wilson wouldn't fight.
He's afraidiof me-"
Now Thomas was not accustomed to
having it said of him that he was afraid.
and he would not be imposed on in any
way, so he handed his coat to Joe and
told Madcap that if that was the way
he felt about it he could probably be
accommodated. An old slave standing
there was given the watch to hold and
the fight began. 1t was a battle of
agility and skill against Drawn and mus
Gle and the contestants were quite ev-
emily matched. At one time it would
seem that one had the advantage, and
at another it seemed favorable to the
other
The fight lasted an hour and quarter
and at the end of it Madcap was com
PEELED to admit himself beaten.
1t seems to US almost unbelievable
that two men could endure a battle of
this kind. 1t was not fighting az we
know it-boxing with gloves on or
wrestling on a mat-but it was rough
and-tumble, almost any method of in
fiIchng punishment beng allowed. But
that the account given is true there can
be no doubt, for it is vouched for by
! those who were told by eye-witnesses.
In the wars with the Indians. Thomas
II took very active part. During his
early manhood, the ssyages were almost
constantly hostile, being stirred up first
by the French against the English
colonists and later by the English
against the Americans. AS he spent
the whole of his life on the very out
skirts of civilization he was never out
of danger of raids by the red men, and,
as may be surmlsed, he learned to look
upon the Indian as his natural foe.
Nevertheless, he had some friends
among them, with whom he used to
hunt and fish. 1t was on one of these
hunting excursions that he located the
sight for his future home.
During the Revolutionary War he was
not enrolled as soldier, but he belong
ed to that stern and determined band of
men who guarded the frontier and re-
PEELED the inroads of the Indians. We
hear of him later as captain. but at
what age he received this office we do
not know.
In the wars following the Revolution
he took active part He had command
! of company in General Wayne's army
and, we are told. distinguished himself
by GOODNESS and bravery. Three COM
panies were sent out to reconnoitre, of
which his was one. When they were q
considerable distance from the main
force they encountered the enemy in
force and skirmish ensued. The other
captains, beng men of little or no ex-
perience in Indian warfare, disposed of
| their men improperly, and a rout and
consequent massacre were about to
| ensue when Captain Wilson deployed
| his men so as to cover the retreat. BY
steadlness and promptness in action he
| had saved his comrades a disaster, and
now by cool determination and the
exercise of good judgment he held off
| the savages till the other companies
were reformed and an orderly retreat
could be made.
1t Is related that before this skirmish
one of his brother captains boosted OF
his bravery and was in a great hurry to