The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-02-07

Another Light On An Interest.
ing Dispute or History.

BY way of comment upon a recent
article in the Sunday Courier-Jour-
nal about Col. Richard NJ. Johnson,
the following has been received from
r. J. Spur, of Lexington, taken
from family records;
Richard Spur. the fourth child
Of my grandfather, Richard Spur,
was q soldier Of the War of 1912
with England member Of Capt.
Combs company, and attached to
Col. r. NJ. Johnson's regiment.
1.-THE company was a part of first
battalion of said regiment. The
company was raised near Athens, in
Fayette county. The place was then
called Cross Plains. In the same
company was a man by the name Of
John McGunnigle, who was a black
smith for Uncle William Spur.
upon the approach of the U. S.
forces under Gen. w. II. Harrison to
the Canada frontier. who was ably
seconded by the Kentucky troops,
under Gov. Isaac Shelby, the British
forces under Gen. Proctor, aided by
the Indians under Tecumseh, cross
ed the Detroit river into Canada
and continued their retreat up the
Thames river. With the assistance
Of Commodore Perry, the U. S.
forces crossed into Canada and pur-
sued the retreating enemy. The
regiment of Col. Johnson, being
mounted men, were placed in ad-
vance, and ordered to press forward
and clear the flanks of all enemies.
Col. Whitley. an old Indian fighter
and an old man, was an independ-
ent volunteer, and kept up with the
advance. After several days pur-
suit, Col. Whitley rode along the
line of march with several fresh In
dian scalps in line of march, There's
feather for YOU boys. Il was soon
learned that he had seen two In
dians on the far side of the Thames
river, had shot both of them, swan
his pony across the river and scalped
them.
That evening about o'clock the
British infantry were seen formed in
line of battle across the Kings
Highway, over which they were re-
treating. A halt of the United
States forces took place and a coun-
Gil of officers determined that the
Second battalion of Johnson's regi-
ment, under command of Lieut..
James Johnson, should take care of
the British, and the First battalion,
under Col. r. NJ. Johnson, should
hunt up the Indians under Tecum-
sch and engage them.
They were known to be on the |
flank. Volunteers were called to
form a 'forlorn hope About thirty |
dismounted and stepped to the front, |
among them were my Uncle Richard |
Spur, John McGunnigle and old
Col. Whitley. They were ordered to
keep we'll in line and with spaces of
from twenty to thirty feet between
men. to find the Indians and bring
on the battle. When formed in line,
McGunnigle was on the right of
Richard Spur and Col. Whitley on
his left.
After proceeding about a half
mile through thick brush they OBJ
served that there was a slight OPP
ening before them, which was found
to be a slough, twenty or thirty feet
wide and clear of timber. Almost
simultaneously they were fired upon
by the Indians from the opposite
side of the slough. McGunnigle fell
dead, shot through the heart. Whit
ley instantly threw himself behind
the body of large tree that had
fallen diagonally to the slough, the
upper end almost reaching it. Spur
threw himself behind the stump of
the fallen tree, and near, as he
thought, to the dead body of Whit
ley; supposing himself to be be-
tween two dead men. Very soon he
saw an Indian start from the oppo-
site side Of the slough to scalp
Whitley.
Just as the Indian got near the
end OF the log Whitley raised his
gun and shot him dead, then turn
ing on his back. loaded his gun. Az
ter doing this he crawled along be-
hind the log to where the dead In
dian lay. as he supposed. to scalp ,
him. While doing this another
broke out from the brush on the