Tom Quick, The Indian Slayer
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The Indians had become alarmed at the increasing demands and encroachments of the whites. The Delaware country was the favorite haunt of the red man; the bones of their fathers were interred in its most pleasant places, and within the sound of its waters the clans had gathered, from time immemorial, to celebrate their annual festivities. Now the prospect was that the pale-faced, land-loving race would soon occupy the whole country unless some decisive step was taken; that their hunting-grounds would be spoiled, and the graves of their forefathers desecrated by the white man's plow.
Though the Quicks had been uniformly kind to them, the fact could not be denied that this family was the first to locate on the Indian lands at Milford, and that it was through their influence that other settlers were induced to come. Some of the latter were not over-scrupulous in their dealings with the Indians, and the Quicks were in a measure held responsible for their acts. It has been hinted that the cupidity of the savages was another predisposing cause of their subsequent atrocities, being excited by the great possessions of the Quicks, which would fall into their hands in case of open hostilities. Frequent and open threats were made to expel the whites out of the territory.
This was at the time of the breaking out of the French and Indian war; and under such circumstances it was an easy matter for the emissaries of France to rouse the Indians against the adherents of Great Britain, and endeavor to drive them back to their old bounds. Each party feared and distrusted the other. A few whites having been killed or captured at exposed points, it was resolved to increase the defenses of the settlement by erecting block-houses, and procuring additional arms and ammunition. The settlers sought to avoid provoking open hostilities, and hoped the fears of a general uprising of the Indians were groundless.
Owing to the changed attitude of the Indians, Tom Quick had withdrawn from association with them, and had become quite domesticated in the family of his father; and while thus situated an event occurred which crystallized Tom's life, and changed his whole being into one of implacable hatred of the Indian race.
The savages had plotted the destruction of Milford, and were then secreted in the neighborhood waiting the approach of night, under cover of which to put their plan into execution. Unsuspicious of such a critical state of affairs, Tom, together with his father and brother, went into the woods across the river for the purpose of cutting hoop-poles. The river was frozen, so they passed over on the ice, and were soon busily engaged in selecting and securing the poles. As they proceeded around a ridge near the river, they were discovered by an out-post of the ambushed Indians. The latter determined to attack the Quicks, even at the risk of alarming the settlement, and thus defeating the main object of the expedition.
When Tom and his companions had approached sufficiently near, they were fired upon, and the father fell mortally wounded. The Quicks were unarmed; their only course was to fly. Neither of the sons were hurt, and, taking hold of their father, they endeavored to drag him after them as they ran. Being too closely pressed by the pursuing savages, the dying man prevailed on them to leave him to his fate, while they ran for their lives.
The only avenue of escape involved the hazardous experiment of crossing the Delaware river on the ice, within full view of the Indians, and at close rifle range. The dash was made; but before they had reached half way, the savages appeared upon the bank behind them. There was no protection against the murderous rifles of the yelling demons, any of whom could hit a deer nine times in ten while it was bounding through the forest; but by running in zig-zag course, and by keeping as far apart as possible, the fire of the Indians was less effective. Presently a ball hit Tom, and he fell; at which the savages set up a loud shout. But the next moment he was up again, and running as rapidly as ever. The ball, as was afterward ascertained, only hit the heel of his boot, but with such force as to knock his foot from under him. Again the balls whistled past the fugitives; but, coming to the river bank, they were soon out of danger. The brothers were both fleet runners, and trained in backwoods life. Another circumstance contributing to their escape was, that on leaving their father, they had sought the cover of an overhanging rock, and by striking an oblique direction were well across the river before the savages could get a shot at them.
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