He had reached the middle of the frozen stream, which was covered with
ghastly forms, when Captain Rose suddenly clasped his hand to his side
and uttered a groan.
"Captain, are you hit?" he asked.
Captain Rose made no answer, but turned partially around. His eyes were
closed; his jaw fell, and Fernando saw he was sinking. He caught him in
his arms; but Captain Rose was dead before he touched the ice.
There was no time to waste with dead friends, and Fernando fled to the
wood beyond.
For a long time, the Indians were close at his heels. Once they were so
near that he heard a tomahawk as it came fluttering through the air past
his head. Then the sounds of pursuit grew less, and at last he found
himself alone on a hill. Three Indians were following on his trail, and
he concealed himself behind a tree until they were within range of his
rifle, and then fired.
One of them fell, and his companions ran away.
Fernando continued his flight until nearly night, when he fell in with
four Kentuckians, who had escaped the massacre, and they proceeded to
the Maumee Rapids, where General Harrison was building Fort Meigs.
Fernando was in the fort when it was besieged several weeks later by
Proctor and Tecumseh with fully two thousand men. General Clay coming to
his assistance on the 5th of May, Proctor retreated.
Colonel Dudley made a sortie from Fort Meigs on the same day and was
drawn into an ambuscade.
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