Elkswatawa : $b or, The prophet of the west. A tale of the frontierFrench, James Strange
General
Elkswatawa : $b or, The prophet of the west. A tale of the frontier
French, James Strange
Tippecanoe, Battle of, Ind., 1811 -- Fiction
Up to this time, Colonel Johnson had received four wounds; he was shot
through the left arm, hip, knee, and leg, was bleeding freely, and
consequently becoming weak. His mare, from the loss of blood, was also
fast failing him; he was unable to dismount, and even if dismounted
could not move; he therefore saw plainly that if his mare fell before
the Indians were routed, he must inevitably be tomahawked; and to beat
them, there seemed to be no other hope, but by killing the gallant
chief who exercised so powerful an influence over them.
Colonel Johnson was still in advance of his division, and the weakness
of his mare admonished him that she could stand up but a short time
longer, when he saw at a distance of about thirty or forty yards from
him, the chief whom he was anxious to meet. He had at the instant when
discovered, stopped at the root of a large fallen tree, the top or
branches of which serving somewhat as a cover, Colonel Johnson moved
forward, with a determination to meet him in single combat. At this
time, he had only one loaded pistol, which he cocked, and holding it
in his right hand, pressed it close against the saddle, and rather
behind him, for the purpose of concealing it; his bridle he held in
his left hand, and in this situation he advanced. His mare could now
only walk, and even in that gait, her step was unsteady, yet, he
reached the top of the tree, and was as yet undiscovered, but in
endeavouring to get round it, for the purpose of placing himself on
the same side with the chief, and also approaching near enough to
render his own fire certainly effectual, his mare became entangled in
some of its branches, and in endeavouring to free herself, arrested
the attention of the chief, who instantly moved forward a step or two,
and raising his rifle, deliberately shot at Colonel Johnson, who still
continued to advance. His ball entered the left hand of Colonel
Johnson, between the first and second fingers; shattered his wrist,
and then glanced off—causing his hand to relax the grasp of the
bridle, and fall powerless by his side; yet his mare, still reeling,
walked forward. The chief having discharged his rifle, quickly changed
it to his left hand, drew from his belt his tomahawk, and sprung
forward. Colonel Johnson's pistol was still concealed, and he seemed
only to be armed with the sword which hung at his side, and thus they
now advanced. They had approached so near, that the chief raised his
arm, as if in the act to throw his tomahawk, for he was not near
enough to strike with it, when Colonel Johnson raised his pistol. It
was unexpected, and the chief recoiled a step at the sight. Colonel
Johnson then fired, and the chief sprung in the air, and fell dead.
The Indians uttered a cry of lamentation, immediately fled, and the
battle was ended; no resistance being made after the fall of the
chief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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