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From: "Fran Warren" <>
Subject: [ARKANSAS] September 14, 1875 Van Buren Press
Date: Thu, 7 Feb 2002 08:33:57 -0800


Van Buren Press
Crawford County, Arkansas

September 14, 1875
THE ODD EXPERIENCE OF AN ARKANSAS DEPUTY MARSHAL

Captain George W McIntosh was a brave officer, fighting on the Confederate
side during the great struggle. The commanded the First Arkansas battery and
did efficient work with it. Sprung from the old Scottish stock that never
knew fear, the captain, while affable and peaceable in disposition, has the
reputation of being a man of dauntless courage. When General Fagan was
appointed United States Marshal for the Western District of Arkansas,
Captain McIntosh who had served under him during the war was appointed a
deputy marshal. The life of a deputy marshal in the Indian Nation is not
pleasant, and he who accepts such service takes his life in his hands as it
were, and courts death at every step. It requires men of strong nerve to
undertake this service. Such a man Capt. McIntosh has the reputation of
being. The captain is not exactly a puritan in religious observances.
Nevertheless the following incident shows his moral qualities.

On a wild night in the winter the captain was among the mountains of the
Choctaw Nation. The cold was fast benumbing his limbs and he began to fear
that he would never see the dawn. There were visible no signs of human
habitation, not a gleam of light gladdened his eyes or dispersed the gloom
around him. On through the darkness and the storm he rode. Eight, nine and
ten o'clock came, and in the distance, he beheld the red gleam of
fire-light. He pushed on, was soon at the cabin. It was the habitation of an
Indian. He knocked on the door. An Indian of unprepossessing appearance
opened the door. He spoke to him, asked him for shelter for the night. He
received no reply. He told the Indian he was ready to perish from the cold,
and was answered by a grunt. But he was not discouraged. There was a fire
and comfort within and he pressed forward to the hearth, on which the
glowing coals were scintillating. He sat down by the fire. There were four
or five ill-looking aborigines sitting around. He felt uneasy and kept his
hand upon his weapon. Not a word had any of them spoken. After a while an
old man, who was apparently the head of the establishment, rose and brokenly
pronounced the word "supper, " and pointed in the direction of a table in
the only other apartment of the house. Still holding his pistol in his hand,
the captain proceeded to seat himself at the humble table of his Indian
host.

The old man sat down, and when all were seated he devoutly bowed his head,
raised his hands, and in the soft language of the Choctaws invoked the
blessing of God upon the little group.

"I never felt so good in my life", said the captain, "as at that moment when
the old man with bowed head and uplifted hands besought the Almighty to
bless and protect him, and all gathered about his board. My apprehension and
suspicion vanished instantly. I arose, unbuckled my belt, laid my pistol
aside and felt perfectly secure, and that night slept soundly."

The old man was a Christian but could not speak English. The attitude of
supplication conquered the captain's suspicion.

Fran Alverson Warren
P S* I am so thankful that some things NEVER change!

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