Cherokee Phoenix

Curious circumstance.-It will be recollected that in a former number of our paper, we gave an accoun

Published August, 4, 1832

Page 2 Column 3a

Curious circumstance.-It will be recollected that in a former number of our paper, we gave an account of the Indians killed six mer (sic) near Fort Hamilton, 80 miles E.N.E. of this town. On the next day after this attack search was made for the dead bodies, and all were found except one, whose name was Francis Spencer. There have been parties out nearly every day since the time of attack in search for Spencer's body. On last Friday, a scouting party of men from Fort Hamilton, set out, once more to try and find the body of Spencer ' also to reconnoiter the country to ascertain as to whether the Indians had been recently about. When they came on the ground where the men had been attacked, they saw Spencer approaching. The astonishment felt by the whole party on seeing him, after and absence of nine days in the woods without food and not more than six miles from the Fort,can better be imagined by our readers than expressed by us.

The narration which he gives is briefly this: When the company who were at work in the field (including himself,) were fired on by the Indians, they all ran and swam the Pick-e-toncke River, which was near, and most of them fell in rising the opposite bank; the Indians, in close pursuit then overtook and scalped, as he supposed, all but himself.[In that we would remark, he was mistaken, for one man beside himself, and took the news to the Fort.] He then ran up a ravine, concealed himself beneath its bank, when he saw all the Indians except one, commence their scalping, cutting 'c. That one pursued a horse from which had fallen one of our men, and caught him near where he was concealed. The Indian mounted and rode towards him a few steps, while S. unperceived, took aim, and fired at the gentleman Indian and brought him from his horse to the ground. It then became necessary to seek some other retreat; so he crawled off through the thick bushes, and again concealed himself. He now saw the Indians hunting for him, but not finding him, they shouldered their scalps and plunder and marched off. Unwilling to risk going to the Fort, he remained there concealed from Thursday morning, when was fought the bloody battle between Gen. Dodge's detachment and the Indians, about 3 miles from the Fort. He heard the guns and made towards them, and soon after came in sight of the Fort where he saw some Menominee Indians who had just arrived under command of Col. Hamilton; and supposing them, as he had reason, to be Sacs, he returned, went to his hiding place, and there remained till found by one scouting party nine days after the attack.-Galenian.