The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-02-19

ground and one came forward to
tomahawk him. Fleming promptly
shot him. Another came toward him
and Fleming with empty gun could no
nothing but call on Cassidy for help.
But that worthy also had an empty
gun having presented its contents to
the first Indian he had seen. He call
ed back to Fleming that his gun was
unloaded; Fleming replied that the
Indian didn't know it. This eminent
ly practical suggestion appealed to
Cassidy and he boldly advanced with
levelled barrel. The Indian at once
set out for pastures new. Cassidy
now helped Fleming back on his
horse, which had wandered to Flem-
ing's side, loading him on sack fash
ion with his feet on one side and head
on the other Then the party start
ed their retreat but did not get away
unscathed John Wilson was shot
from his horse, was lifted back in the
saddle by his companions but fell off
again dead. His body was left on the
ground as was that of William Gle
mems. William Buchanan, from
but was carried off the field by Man.
uel Kelly.
Cassidy, unable to join Holder, rode
back down Battle Run branch and
crossed the river at its mouth. The
Indians having disposed of Holder
came after him with all their force.
One of the Proctor brothers got across
the river first and turning held the
Indians at bay until all the white men
got safely over. The Indians then gave
up the pursuit and Cassidy went on up
the river to the Licks where he re-
Joined Holder. When they counted up
their losses, two men--Wilson and
Clemens-had been killed, Fleming
and Buchanan seriously wounded and
Jim Harper shot through the elbow
a slight wound but one from w-ich he
died few weeks later. According to
the testimony of J. c. Clinkenbeard
John Douglas and George Johnson
were also killed, but none of the
other statements corroborate it. The
loss was trivial, even at the highest
estimate, but Holder had his fill Of
fighting and thought only of getting
home. They fixed up rude litter for
Buchanan and started for the Blue
grass. When they reached Cassidy's
creek about three miles from the
Licks, Buchanan had to be left behind
as his wound, grown more painful
made it impossible for him to be car
ried further. They hid him in a
thicket near the creek and continued
their retreat, promising to come back
next day with the milk he was crav-
ing, That night they camped at
Fleming's pond near Sharpsburg. The
next morning a detachment came
back after Buchanan. When they
came to the thicket where they had
left him, they found that in the thirst
OF fever he had crawled to the creek
and drunk. The water ran out of his
wound-as did the milk they gave
him. They placed him again on the
litter and set out on their return,
death came before they had gone
more than two or three miles.
The loss of the Indians will proba-
bly, never be known but it was I'M
doubtedly greater than that of the
whites. After the battle the Indians
collected ther dead and buried them
YAH in one grave on the top of the hill
that rises on the north of Battle Run.
Scalping knives and tomahawks have
been picked up on the battle field and
many bullets were to be seen in the
beech trees half acentury later. AS was
natural many traditions Of the fight
grew up In the vicinity of Battle Run
One Of them was that the battle last
ed several days and ragged over many
square miles of territory. Indian ar
rows, indeed, have been found for
miles around. but in the battle of Up
per Blue Llcks the Indians relied on
sterner weapons. There is the story
firmly believed that after the battle
: the Branch ran blood for days. Per-
: haps it did,
VI Where the two boys were during
+ the battle is not known. II Is not ne.
n cessary to say that they did not re-
turn with Holder.