Draper Manuscripts: Capt. James Downing, described by daughter, Sarah Tompson, 22 December 1865 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Carmen J. Finley ********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb *********************************************************************** Draper Manuscripts:Capt. James Downing, described by daughter, Sarah Tompson, 22 December 1865 Copyright c 2000 by Carmen J. Finley. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. finleyc@sonoma.edu ***************************************************************** Capt. James Downing, described by daughter, Sarah Tompson, 22 December 1865 (Draper, Lyman Copeland. Draper manuscript collection. Chicago: filmed by the University of Chicago Library, [197?], series E, vol. 4, Brady & Wetzel m)anuscripts, 1759-1865, p. 88-96. Dec. 22 1865 born in June 1798 (1793 lightly pencilled in between above two dates) From Mrs. Sarah Thompson, daughter of Capt. James Downing Sr. Jas. Downing Sr was born in Maryland, on the Potomac, near Conacogeague Creek, in July, 1750; He died near Waynesburg, Stark Co, O, Sept. 23d 1822, aged 72 years & 2 months. Just before the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, he married Sarah Laughlin, near Red Stone Old Fort - she survived him, dying in Jan. 1829, aged 76 years. Don't remember about Jas Downing being on Crawford's campaign. He had settled on Cross Creek, in Washington Co, Pa & was Capt of spies, in Gen. Wayne's time - & had several spies under him. Fight on Sandy, 1793. - It occurred near Minerva - Mrs. Thompson has never been there - both Jas. Downing & Isc Miller described it as occurring there. Dont remember about Brady being present. There were either 5 or 7 whites: can reccollect James Dowing, Isaac Miller, John Cuppy, George Fulks & Thos Dillon as of the party. They had been out scouting several days - & saw no Indians not any fresh signs - & had gone farther from the frontier than usual. They had become unsuspicious & careless - & one morning, one after party killed a deer, & were preparing for breakfast - Downing was graining the deer skins while Cuppy was standing guard on a large fallen tree. A party of twenty two Wyandott, who had evidently heard the firing of the gun that killed the deer - came so suddenly on the camp that they, as they emerged in sight, & Cuppy saw each other simaltaneously - & Cuppy ejaculated "by G-- boys, Indians!" & fired: The others seized their guns & fired - The others seized their guns & fired - & Indians fired, but did no harm. Much thick hazle brushes there - which prevented discovering the Indians sooner. There some considerable firing - Downing, Miller, & Cuppy, treeing & fighting; but Dillon & Fulks & Dillon had previously been prisoners with these very Indians - they recognize them as Wyandotts - one the person with whom he used to live - felt the necessity of being cautious, lest they run the risk of being captured - & as runaways the stake & the faggot would be their portion - so they soon ran & managed to hide, each by himself in the bushes - & as the others saw it was useless to contend against such odds, they had to retreat - in running, Downing felt something tugging at him - it was Dillon, with his face black, & discovered that Dillon's neck-tie had become so tight as to partly choke & suffocate him - when Downing seized one end & Pulled it loose from its noose - & ran on leaving Dillon to shift for himself. Fulks & Dillon soon were safely hid in the hazle bushes, the thickly covered with leaves. One of them, probably Dillon, had bled at the nose, & the Indians followed the blood some distance, supposing they had wounded one of the whites. The Indians several times went within a few feet of these secreted fugitives. Miller ran & was pursued by Indians, but being very fleet of foot soon outstripped them all. Downing was less expert on foot - several Indians followed him, & as he wd turn & raise his rifle, they would tree, when he would run on. At length the Indians pursuing him & determined to have him changed their tactics - when he whirled around & raised his gun, one remained exposed, as if purposely to draw his fire (he had loaded as he ran) - & he fired away, & the Indian fell - & he now ran with renewed energy with one less enemy in his rear, & with an empty gun which could no longer answer him in an emergency - but he at length out-stripped all his pursuers. Don't remember how Cuppy escaped. Each fled by himself & came into the settlement singly - Cuppy first. Lost all they had at camp except their guns. Among other things their venison - & a large loaf of bread baked in a large bake kettle by Mrs. Downing & which one of the Indians of the party, after peace, visiting Downing's said was the largest & best loaf of bread he ever saw or tasted. So the whites fled without their breakfast & without provisions - & had a suffering time, on account of hunger, in getting in. Downing was fleshy - not very tall - & it was the 2d day at night he got in. Don't think Beaver Hat was one of the Indian party. Jas. Downing while living in Brooke County - upper part - went out in woods to hunt his horses - & discovered two or three young cubs on the ground, & ran them up a tree - & then supposing the mother bear could not be far off, raised a mew in imitation of cubs - when soon the old bear came dashing up (don't remember whether Downing shot at the bear - if not, don't remember why not) when Downing kept behind the tree, about the size of his own body, when the bear advanced rapidly & rearing on its hind legs rushed forward & with its forelegs & paws encircled both Downing & the tree - when D. would with one hand sieze the bear's ear & hold off its mouth so she could not bite - & with the other used his knife in stabbing the animal, seemingly hitting a rib almost every stroke. At length the bear weary of this, disengaged his clasp, & ran off in the woods out of sight. Anxious to know whether he had disabled the bear so she could not return, D. repeated the cub cry, when the old bear , true to the instincts of the mother, came rushing up again, & again rearing up on its hind legs, seized Downing & the tree - when the former stabbing operation ensued, & the bear soon from its pain ran off again (to) the bushes. Downing not wishing for another hug, concluded to take his gun, & quietly go around circuitously till he discovered the bear, when he shot it dead. Downing was not much hurt by his encounter - but found his arms considerably scratched - & the sleeves of a new heavy linen shirt pretty well torn up. He secured the cubs, & had a fine lot of bear meat. c:\docs\kentucky\draper4.txt