Indian Tales for Boys Or the Back Woodsman And True Stories of the Frontier

he insight which it affords us into the early history of the Western country, as well as of the character of the savage races who populated it, renders it very useful and pleasing to the thoughtful reader. It was on a pleasant day in October, of the year 1790, that young Spencer, then only nine years of age, mounted the leading horse attached to the foremost of two wagons destined to the far West. In these wagons were stowed such indispensable articles of household furniture as could not at that time be easily procured west of the Alleghanies. With spirits naturally buoyant, pleased with the novelty of traveling, from which he anticipated a great deal-of pleasure, the few tears which the youthful emigrant shed on quitting forever the home of his childhood were soon dried and he wondered not a little at the sober sadness of his father, the deep sighs of his mother, and the frequent sobs of his sisters, whose feelings and expectations he supposed would naturally correspond with his own. Mr. Spencers father had descended from one of the first families who left England on account of the persecutions for religious opinions, in the reign of the second Charles, to seek, in the unbroken wilds of New England, an asylum from oppression, and to rear a temple to the God of their fathers, in which they might worship according to the dictates of .. their own consciences. Inheriting the spirit of his ancestors, he was among the first to resist - the pre-tensiorls of Great Britain, and to arm in defense of American rights and liberties. Having signalized himself on several occasions, particularly in the battle of Springfield, N. J., at the head of a battalion of militia, he was appointed, by Congrrss, to the command of a regiment, which he led in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth and at the head of this regiment he continued until the close of the war. Before entering the Continental army, he had become possessed of a small fortune, the fruits of his industry in a lucrative business but of this, a . large amount was destroyed by the enemy, and more than ten thousand dollars, advanced by him in specie to pay and clothe his regiment, was repaid to him by Congress, in Continental money, on which he sustained a total loss... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.