USA > New York > Washington County > Washington county, New York; its history to the close of the nineteenth century > Part 39
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Lake Champlain to the north bounds of the county and thence north- ward, connecting with other roads leading to Montreal. This is also managed by the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company as a part of its great system of coal roads, and "long trains, laden with iron ore going south, or with coal going north, may daily be seen thundering along the rocky shores, where once resounded only the shrill scream of the panther, the deadlier war-whoop of Indian braves, or the triumphant shont of Putnam's rangers!"
CHAPTER XXII.
THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
WASHINGTON COUNTY'S PARTICIPATION THEREIN-ENLISTMENT OF COMPANIES I, K AND M-ASSIGNED TO THE SECOND NEW YORK PROVISIONAL REGIMENT-ROSTER OF THESE COMPANIES-MOVEMENT OF THE REGIMENT TO CAMP BLACK; THENCE TO CHICKAMAUGA PARK, TAMPA, FLA., FERNANDINA, FLA., AND CAMP HARDIN, N. Y.
Although it is not within the province of this work to give in detail all the causes which led up to the Spanish-American War, in which our National Guard played a prominent part, it is desirable to state briefly the events which led up to a result so momentous to this coun- try, especially as Washington County showed her patriotism in a splendid manner in this crisis.
In 1895 the Cubans began their second great struggle for indepen- dence from the Spanish yoke and as the struggle continued the warmest sympathy of the liberty loving people of this country was elicited toward the suffering and oppressed Cubans.
The Cuban Junta established itself in New York City and sought to aid the isiand in its struggle by sending out filibustering expeditions bearing arms and ammunition to the Cubans. These operations were not obnoxious to the people of this country, but the government did everything in its power to prevent and suppress them. Armed ves- sels were dispatched to suspected rendezvous, expeditions were pre-
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THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
vented from sailing and some filibusters were arrested and impris- oned.
Notwithstanding the efforts of our government to preserve the laws of neutrality, the sentiments of the people were strongly reflected by leading newspapers and their utterances were taken by Spain as an indication of bad faith on the part of the United States, so that grad- ually the relations between the two countries became more and more strained. In the winter of 1898 the battleship Maine was sent to Havana on a peaceful mission, and while lying at anchor was blown up on the evening of February 15, 1898, and 266 of her seamen killed. Although the cause of the disaster has never been positively estab- lished, the people of the United States laid the deed at the door of Spain and popular sentiment clamored for war. In April, 1898, Con- gress decided upon war and President Mckinley issued a dispatch recalling General Stewart L. Woodford, our ambassador at Madrid.
War was declared on April 21st, 1898, and upon April 23 President Mckinley issued a call for 125,000 volunteers, and at the same time expressed a desire that the regiments of the National Guard be util- ized for the service as far as their number would permit.
On April 26th, an order was issued to all infantry organizations in the state requiring the commanding officers to "assemble at once their respective commands in uniform, in their armories, and there, by an individual expression, freely and voluntarily given, learn how many enlisted men of their organizations desire to be mustered into the service of the United States for the term of two years, unless sooner discharged, to serve where ordered by the proper authorities."
The 9th Separate Company at Whitehall was composed entirely of Washington County men and the 32d Separate Company of Hoosick Falls and the 18th Separate Company of Glens Falls were largely augmented by men of this county.
Of the 9th Separate Company of Whitehall four officers and sixty- seven men volunteered for service; of the 32d Separate Company four officers and fifty-nine men volunteered and of the 18th Separate Com- pany four officers and eighty-two men volunteered. All the com- panies subsequently recruited to their maximum strength and there was no difficulty in procuring men as an intense wave of patriotic zeal pervaded this county as well as the whole Union.
The 9th Separate Company became Company I, the 18th Separate
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
Company became Company K and the 32d Separate Company became Company M, all of the Second Regiment, New York Volunteers.
The rosters of these three companies follow ; as Companies K and M were formed upon the borders of Washington County and contained many Washington County boys the full roll of each is given :
COMPANY I.
Captain-Ernest A. Greenough.
First Lieutenant-Emmett J. Gray.
Second Lieutenant-Alanson D. Bartholomew.
First Sergeant-John C. Hopson. Quartermaster-Sergeant-William G. Blanchard.
Sergeants-Elisha M. Allen, Frank G. Howland, George L. MeKay, Benjamin F. Waters.
Corporals-Arthur F. Fish, Preston L. King, William C. Mclaughlin, Mark R. McDonnell, James H. Hoy, William F. Hammond, Austin Baker, Albert D. Broughton, William H. Culver, Thomas E. Heffernan, Horatio S. Douglass, . Thomas Melvin.
Musicians-William J. Doren, Patrick Ilart.
Artificer-Henry Davis.
Wagoner-Robert A. Sinclair.
Privates-John Adams, Alfred Blanchard, James H. Blanchard, William A. Blanchard, William S. Belden, Jesse M. Bellegarde, Smith C. Barrett, Henry W. Barrett, Robert M. Bartholomew, George S. Bartholomew, Albert T. Bromley, James W. Busteed, William J. Boyle, Albert Brunell, Frank Baty, John Bahen, John H. Cooper, Joseph Crosier, Daniel A. Crowley, Watson M. Carswell, Daniel Clarke, Oney Carrol, Napoleon J. Demers, James Doherty, John L. Eddy, James H. Fraser, Charles Fyfe, Daniel Flannery, Frank L. Gregory, John C. Gray, James Gould, Leonard J. Healey, Clarence B. Haskins, William A, Harvey, Ber- nard Hart, Benjamin D. Hfart, Evan R. Jones, Clinton L. Jones, Henry Johnson, John J. Kelley, Thomas M. Kelley, Bert F. Kilburn, Ambrose Kinney, Nelson Lemay, Charles A. Lathen, Jesse M. Leigh, George H. Lafarr, Ira E. Manchester, Edward H. Martin, Walter P. Martindale, William A. Moore, George B. MeCartee, Jr., John J. McGue, Joseph H. McKittriek, Harry A. McQueen, James McCormick, Edward B. McCaughin, Fred R. Nichols, Charles A. Nolan, James O'Hara, Carl D. Ottenburg, Frank Olcott, Jonas E. Paro, Emille O. Prefontaine, Albert G. Prefon- taine, Albert Prindle, George E. Rich, James P. Rowan, Arthur A. Russell, Michael J. Ryan, Matthew Ross, Jr., Charles Roberts, Daniel Roberts, Hugh P. Roberts, James B. Stockwell, Merton I. Stafford, Joseph Stone, Jr., Maurice Shep- ardson, Herbert S. Traey, George W. Taylor, Henry Taft, Thomas K. Thomas, Bertie E. Waters, Oscar Welch, Herbert E. Williams, Leverett (). Wilsey.
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THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
COMPANY K.
Captain-Loyal L. Davis.
First Lieutenant -- Seldon W. Mott .*
Second Lieutenant -- Daniel J. Hogan.
First Sergeant-William B. Stevens.
Quartermaster-Sergeant-Andrew J. Simons.
Sergeants-Harley Cushman,# Erank H. Scott, Nelson A. Moss, William H. White.
Corporals-Willard D. Norcross, Lewis A. Morris,* John H. Conway, Daniel Wood, Philiman H. Haselton, Frank L. Parks, Jr .. Frank H. LaLone, Harvey C. Prouty, Charles A. Dodge, Burton Akins, George O. Boldway, Frank D. Sansouci.
Musicians-Loren A. Barney,* Adelbert Reynolds.
Artificer-Henry A. Gilmour .*
Wagoner-Carlos C. Patterson.
Privates -- Elroy A. Allen, Joseph Bishop, Arthur Bannister,* William Il. Boyce, Walter A. Burchell, Edward Beecher,* Edward J. Bushman,* Ernest M. Boss, William W. Baldwin Walter D. Brown, John Cronin, George M .. Call, Wil- lard Carpenter, Frank Carpenter, Frank M. Carter, Erastus J. Curtis, William Cooney, Paul F. Carpenter, * William Denton, Thomas Durkee, Joseph A. Dufour, John M. Davies, Michael J. Enright, Alfred B. Gonyeo, Arthur W. Glenn, * John O. Holleran, William A. Hall, Robert S. Hall, Jr., Fred D. Harvey,% George L. Har- ris, George H. Holmes,* Ernest (). Huston, James J. Hogan, Elijah R. Johnson, Charles W. Jacobie, James Killough, Edward A. Kunkel, Henry G. LaRose, Wil- liam P. LaRose, Frank A. LaFountain, George H. LaClair,* George B. LaLone, Michael J. Lynch, Fred A. LaRose, Charles B. McGrath,* Louis N. Mason, Henry V. Middleworth,* Howard McOmber, Edward F. Morrison,# Joseph V. Mitchell, Charles Myerson, Michael Murphy, Burt MeDougall, Fred J. Narrow, Williani J. Newman,* James H. O'Connor, Herbert J. Plue, Praxton B. Pulver, Seymour Pratt, William A. Podvin, Ernest Reynolds,* Joseph A. Richardson, Royal T. Roach, Henry R. Rice, Eugene Raybine William L. Stevens, Lawrence C. Seelye, William Simard, Delbert D. Stickney," Thompson E. Smith,* Dennis Sird, Thomas F. Small, Henry M. Tucker, Perry Tabor, George S. Underhill, * Alvah S. Vaughn," Milford E. White, George S. Wood,* William A. Wier,* Michael J. Walsh, Joseph E. Williams, Warren A. Wilson, * Moses L. Wait,* John F. Young .*
COMPANY M.
Captain-Frank L. Stevens. First Lieutenant-Walter A. Wood, Jr. Second Lieutenant-Louis E. Potter. First Sergeant-Edward Gill. Quartermaster-Sergeant-Frank A. Rich.
* These were Washington County men.
[ 44 ]
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
Sergeants-Benjamin W. Sugden, Clarence B. Soloman, Charles W. Bates, Andrew T. McLean.
Corporals-William 11. Straub, William F. Brien, Frederick M. Bates, Oscar G. Avery, Joseph F. Ross, George W. Manchester, Edward M. Woodworth, Manfred D. Kincaid, Archibald R. Waddell, Elbert O. Wing, Harry V. Hale, Harry A. Warhurst.
Musician-Charles A. Prentiss.
Artificer-John M. Closson.
Wagoner-Lewis K. Howe.
Privates-Albert F. Abel, Charles W. Allen, William S. Archer, John A. An- drews,* Charles E. Belair, Louis W. Bowers, Frederick J. P. Bain, George E. Brew, William C. Brew, Elmer E. Barnes, Sidney G. Bristol, Victor W. Babcock, James Bryant, Frank W. Buck, Daniel F. Beebe, Jr., Hugh P. Blackinton, William F. Coleman,* Harold H. Cole, John Coila,* Herbert S. Chapel, Amdy Christensen, Leon C. Closson, Joseph J. Conkling,* Frank F. Chapin, William 1I. Clearman, Albert E. Clarke, William L. Carpenter, Clarence Dorr, Eugene DeLong, Robert E. Daggett, Joseph E. Delavergne,* Frank B. Davis, Norman B. Dale, Patrick J. Dempsey, Merritt B. Eldridge, Pierce R. Fadden, * Walter E. Fuller. Charles W. Fuller, Alfred Furkart, Frank H. Goodyear,* Clarence E. Gallup, Edmund Haynes, Frank H. Hopkins, George C. Hollister, George P. Hollis, George W. L. Hewitt, Larmon E. Joy, Raymond D. Johnson,* George F. Kincaid, Patrick O. Keefe, Leo J. Ladd, Samuel Logan, Albert F. Ladd, Charles H. Lapius, Roscoe C. Lansing, George W. McDowell, Michael McGrath,* Ray Myers, Almeron Mattison,* Frank B. Morse, William P. Madden, William B. T. Peacock, Aner E. Powers, Eugene P. Prindle, Frank A. Putnam, Thomas J. Quinn,* Andrew Rankin, Harry H. Rosen- berger, Charles A. Stillman, Charles P. Salmon, Moses Schweizer, Charles F. Stemp, Arthur M. Stemp, Raymond M. Sanford, Edward Thomas, Thomas T. Teague,* Sherman L. Wolf, Charles A. Worden, Charles G. Wilcox, William R. Williams, Daniel M. Wells, Jr., Frank B. Whipple, William Welch, Fred G. White, Franklin A. Welden, Alson L. Jones.
An extract from the Whitehall Chronicle is given to show the spirit of enthusiastic patriotism that pervaded, not only the men going to the front, but also the entire populace. And this description of the going forth of the Whitehall boys would also apply to those of many other places :
" At 12 o'clock every man was obliged to be at the Armory. The moving call was given at 3 a. m. It was not long after this hour that the bells and whistles of all classes began to sound out the announce- ment that all who intended to see the soldiers off had better get up as there would be no further opportunity to indulge in the charms of Morpheus until after five o'clock, and there was none. Canal street was gaily decorated for the coming parade, almost every residence
* These were Washington County men.
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THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
having some display of national colors. The procession left the ar- mory at about 4. 30; first marched the band, then Post Tanner and veterans not members of the Post, following these marched the eighty-four officers and privates of the company in full army outfit. Next came fifty-two ex-members of the Ninth under command of Captain Patterson, a body of citizens under the leadership of W. A. Fraser brought up the rear. There were small boys everywhere. some big boys too carried baskets of cannon firecrackers which were exploded almost continuously along the route. Their reports with the music of the band, the clang of bells and the cheers of spectators made vigorous combined harmony that certainly did justice to the occasion. Just as the company was opposite the flag bedecked Y. M. C. A. building the order was given to halt. The soldiers turned and stood facing the building at parade rest, while the ladies pinned flag badges on their coats, the souvenirs being presented by the Associa- tion. While this work was in progress and during the hearty hand- shaking by some gentlemen of the Association that followed, the band played "The Star Spangled Banner " and St. Joseph's deep-toned bell rang with great vigor. After these courtesies the procession ad- vanced toward the depot. When opposite MeGovern's store the vet- erans formed in open double column and with uncovered heads cheered with hearty good will, as the bluecoats of today marched between the lines. This was a thrilling spectacle, and one never to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. On reaching the depot the company marched close up to the cars and a crowd of thousands instantly closed around them. forming a compact mass of humanity. Whoever was caught in that crowd could not move until the train left. The train of one baggage and two passenger coaches and engine No. 127 was gaily decorated, the cars bearing the cloth streamer with the words "The Whitehall Boys." Hands were shaken through the car windows, and then amid admiring cheers the train departed. The Glens Falls train with the Eighteenth Company, joined it at Fort Edward and the cars bearing the Twenty-second of Saratoga and the Thirty-second of Hoosick Falls later became part of the same train. Ovations were tendered the soldiers at every point along the route. As the great mass of people turned to leave the station there were many breakdowns.
As mothers, sisters and sweethearts realized the separation from their gallant boys and the possibility that it might be forever their
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
sorrow was scarcely to be measured by the tears that flowed. Indeed the affair really had more the semblance of a funeral than a celebra- tion. The stalwart men arrayed in full army habit, certainly pre- sented a grim appearance as they marched with measured tread, pre- pared if commanded to face the guns of a foreign foe."
Companies I, K and M first went to Troy, N. Y., where they joined the other companies of the Second Regiment and then proceeded to Camp Black, at Hemstead Plains, Long Island, where it became the command of Colonel E. E. Hardin, now governor of part of the Phillipine Islands.
The Second Regiment was mustered into the United States service at Camp Black and there remained until May 18, 1898, when it started for Chickamauga, Ga. The New York Herald speaking of the regi- ment at that time, said :
" In excellent trim, with equipments complete and all details of its transportation promptly executed, the Second Provisional Regiment, formed of crack separate companies, left for Chickamauga yesterday under the command of Colonel E. E. Hardin, formerly of the Seventh United States Infantry. The Second contains a small percentage of raw recruits as compared with other regiments. A committee of the Sons of the Revolution presented a flag to the regiment before its departure."
The regiment reached Chickamauga on the night of May 20 and remained in camp there until June 1. Here the command first suf- fered from the lack of good water, but it is a notable fact that from first to last the Washington County boys endured heat, privations and the performances of duty with little sickness, although the regiment as a body suffered rather severely.
On June Ist four regiments, including the Second New York, left Chickamauga for Tampa, Florida, and the beginning of the journey was notable through the fact that the men had to walk from the camp to the railway station at Rossville-a distance of nearly eleven miles. This trying march was easily performed and shows the fine condition of the men at that time. The regiment reached Tampa on June 3 and there remained until July 26. During the month of July a vast amount of sickness occurred among the troops stationed at Tampa and the Second Regiment was invaded by the malady officially designated as typhoid fever.
That this fine regiment did not get into Cuba was a source of regret
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THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
to both officers and men and they would probably have suffered less in battle than they did in the fever stricken camp at Tampa. How near they came to going with General Shafter is shown in Colonel James W. Lester's " History of the Second Regiment." He says:
" About 7 o'clock on the evening of July 12th orders were received for the regiment to be in readiness to go aboard transports for San- tiago on the 13th. The process of packing up was again undertaken and carly in the morning of the 13th the tents of the first and second battalions were struck and the tentage, rations and camp equipage put aboard the train for Port Tampa.
Matters came to a standstill at this point and the regiment waited. About 12 o'clock on the evening of the 13th a notice came to the com- manding officer that the expedition would not be started, presumably owing to the fact that yellow fever had broken out among the troops at Santiago. This was a great disappointment to the men who had hoped not only to get away from the unsanitary camp at Tampa, but also to do its part in the work of the army at the front."
On July 26 the Second Regiment was moved to Fernandina, Fla., where it remained until August 24th when it was moved to Camp Hardin, near Troy, N. Y. On September 15th the men of the regi- ment were given a thirty days furlough at the expiration of which they were mustered out of the United States service.
In closing this brief history of the regiment of which they formed an important part, it is but just to say that the boys of Washington County discharged their duties as soldiers uncomplainingly and throughout displayed a patriotism worthy of natives of the soil which witnessed some of the hardest battles fought for the independence and estab- lishment of this great Union.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
CHAPTER XXIII.
EARLY SKETCHES AND BIOGRAPHIES-PETER CARVER'S JOURNAL-GENERAL ISRAEL PUTNAM-GENERAL PHILIP SCHUYLER-COLONEL JOHN WILLIAMS.
EXTRACTS FROM PETER CARVER'S JOURNAL.
Peter Carver was one of the first English settlers of what is now Washington County, N. Y. In 1708, while still a youth, he was adopted by the Mohawk Iroquois as a member of the tribe, and lived almost continuously among them for nearly thirty years. The French chroniclers call him a Dutchman, or sometimes a Fleming, but there seems to be no doubt of his English parentage, on the father's side at least. He died in New York City shortly after the English conquest. His manuseript journal in two volumes is known to have been in Bos- ton in 1775, but with the so-called log of the Mayflower and other old records, was taken to England in that year, where the second volume still remains. The original of the first volume appears to be lost, but there is a torn copy in Amsterdam, where there is also a Dutch trans- lation of many portions, which supplies most of the deficiencies of the English copy. A French version of the account of the fight at Tadoussac on the St. Lawrence in 1708, is pasted into the town records of Honfleur. The greater part of the journal, including the following extract (which is translated from the Dutch), has never been printed.
"But the winter was not all peace and quiet and frozen toes. One night when the snow was at its deepest, and the cold and winds at their fiercest, it may have been towards the end of February, I came in, weary from a day spent in dragging firewood through the snow, to find the house more than usually full of noise and smoke. I sat for some time by the fire trying to warm myself, scolded by the women whose labor of cooking I impeded, teased by mischievous children who raced unrestrained up and down the cabin, and with my eyes tearful and smarting from the smoke; and then sought my bed, homesick and dispirited, very thoroughly tired of this life with the savages and very hopeless that I should ever be able by their means to help the cause to which my father had pledged me.
After some hours of troubled sleep I found myself lying awake and listening intently. Yet there were but the usual sounds to hear. Out-
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EXTRACTS FROM PETER CARVER'S JOURNAL.
side the wind roared and the trees creaked as they bowed to the gale which brought now and then the far yell of a famished wolf, while against the bark wall by my head the drifting snow rattled and rattled again. No one stirred in the long house and the deep breathing of the sleepers warranted that they would not stir for light cause. At length, finding myself unable to sleep again, I rose and walked down the cabin past fire after fire. Still no one moved. The fires had died to faint embers, for it must have been well past midnight; and around each fire, on shelves covered with skins of bears or winter-killed deer, lay a household of my red brethren. Here an old warrior scarred and weather-beaten ; there a weary squaw who of us all had best reason to forget the hour of waking, for in the morning hers would be the task to bring in the wood, build the fire, and prepare the meal, after which her only recreation would be to join a circle of gossiping women at scraping and chewing filthy skins until it should be time for more cooking and wood-chopping. Next the squaw might be sleeping a baby boy, perhaps some day to be the terror of the moose by. the mountain rivers, or of the lonely farmer beside the St. Lawrence- perhaps to be wrapped in furs and buried in a snowdrift before spring. Of all my house-people not one was awake, save that from beside the third fire there rose to lick my hand The Muskrat's big and bony dog, who had concealed himself somewhere, when his clan had been driven forth at dusk to roll themselves together in their lair in the glen. Now he begged mutely for mercy and I left him beside the fire while I went on to the west door of the long house, and, raising the moose-hide curtain, looked out into the night. Against the sky line the trees were swaying; in the clearing the snow flew here and there in a faint mist from the edge of a drift. All around stretched the wilderness; a very howling wilderness it was that night, of which I knew only that it stretched over thousands of miles of snow. In all those vast spaces there was no white man but myself and they on the rock of Quebec who sought my life. My only refuge was the foul- smelling cabin behind me and my only friends the ignorant savages whom it sheltered. The same stars which had looked down so kindly on my old home in Leyden looked coldly on me now. Cold and lonely was all the world, and I would have said that I was the only creature awake had not the dark form of a wolf suddenly framed itself against the snow as with a snarl he leaped aside from the refuse heaped near our door and vanished into the forest.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY: ITS HISTORY.
HURONS ON THE WAR PATH.
The sudden movement broke my reverie, and, wondering what had startled the beast, I dropped the curtain and turned again towards my bed. In the comparative warmth of the cabin I realized that the cold air of the doorway had chilled me, so I sought in a heap of furs in the end compartment a bear-skin to my liking. A sudden cold draught struck me on the legs, and over my shoulder. I saw a tall Indian lift the curtain and pass in, followed closely by a companion of slighter figure. The tall man stepped quietly to the second fire, which still glowed with a dull red, and, stooping, laid upon it some strips of birch bark, from which his breath quickly awakened a flame. The rising firelight flickered and danced on the smoky roof of the cabin, on the bunched ears of corn that hung from the rafters, on the house- hold gear that cumbered the floor, and on the forms of the many sleepers, all so familiar to my eyes; yet all changed, and strange in the presence of these our enemies; for the burning bark showed me also the vigorous figure of the man who had kindled it, and by his dress and his painted face I knew him to be a Huron on the war path.
On the instant he rose to the full height of his tall stature, poised his tomahawk and looked about him. His eye gleamed with satisfac- tion as it fell on the Muskrat; and, without turning, he beckoned silently to his companion and strode forward to fulfil his errand of blood. The younger man drew the tomahawk from his girdle and turned to follow. Thus for an instant he stood with his back towards me, and not three feet away. Then I sprang upon this Huron and caught him in a tight grip, locking his arms fast to his sides. The sudden assault no doubt surprised him, but he uttered never a sound and we wrestled there. I quickly found that though he was the more supple, I was quite a match for him in strength; so it seemed a fair contest to see if he could wriggle out of my grasp before I could tire him. He was slippery as a snake, and as full of twistings and writh- ings, yet I held him. Had I but lifted up my voice, a dozen Mohawks would have fallen on my foe; but I was breathless and excited, and, to speak the truth, had no thought of aught but my twisting enemy. He was as silent as I, but for him it was the part of wisdom.
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