Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1881 — A Desperate Escape. [ARTICLE]

A Desperate Escape.

In 1864 a Michigan cavftjryman named Drake was out foraging In the Shenandoah valley in company with a comrade named Cooper. Cooper was in a smokehouse after meat) ami Drake was on guard at the door, when thirteen confederates suddenly appeared. They were mounted, and advanced at a gallop, part of them firing as they rode up. One bullet found a suitable opening in thte stone wall of the smokehouse and flew in and killed Cooper dead in his tracks. Drake was standing beside his horse, and his saddle was hit by three bullets, one of which glanced through his hat. As soon as the trooper could' realize what had happened he swung himself into the saddle and dashed at the circle around him. The moment he happened in view he was a target for carbine and pistol. His horse made a rush at the line, but was driven back. Followed by Cooper’s horse he galloped around aud across a circle uut more than one hundred feCt across, all the time under a steady fire by the confederates. This fire was soon returned by Drake, who fired away seven cartridges aud then drew his sabre. His seven bullets, as was afterward vouched for, killed two men, wouudtwo more, and killed one horse. His fire broke the circle and he got out of it, but for thirty rods, as he made off, lie was exposed to the Are of uine or ten men. Cooper’s horse was killed in the circle, while Drake’s was hit no less ttian nine times aud yet not disabled. As for the rider, his comrades,on his return to camp, counted up a record of a truly miraculous escape. Three bullets struck his scabbard, two his hat. four went through his clothing, one burned his cheek, one raked his knee, and two hit his left boot. While one single bullet killed the one trooper, the other bad sixteen fired point blank at him, and yet did not lose a drop of blood. Cooper’s horse was killed by one bullet, while nine failed to disable the larger and more exposed animal. — Detroit Free Frees.