AN ADROIT SWORDSMAN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1337, 3 June 1881, Page 2

AN ADROIT SWORDSMAN.

Pulaski, as is well known, was as adroit a swordsman as he was perfect in horsemanship, and he ever rode a powerful and fleet charger. During the retreat of the American army through New Jersey, in the darkest hour of America's national adversity, Pulaski was, with a small party of horsemen, pursued by a party of British cavalry, the leader of which was as|good a horseman and mounted nearly as well as Pulaski. Pulaaki rode in the rear of his detachment, and the British captain came in advance of those he commanded. The morning buii was shining briifhly, casting oblique shadows, and as the pursued party entered a long, narrow lane, Pulaski, having satisfied himself of the superior speed and command of his horse over that of his pursuer, slackened his pace, and kept his horse to the side of the lane farthest from the sun. The pursuing officer came up in hot haßte, his sword elevated so as to make the decisive cut upon Pulaski as soon as he could reach him. Pulaski rode as though he heard not the advance upon him, yet he kept his eyes fixed warily on the ground on the side of the horse towards the sun on his right. As soon as he saw the shadow of his pursuer's horse gain upon him, and found that the horse's head, by the shadow, had gained about half the length of his own horse's body' he gave the sudden sword cut of St. George with his powerful arm, and saw the decapitated head of the English officer follow tho Btroke. His mathematical eyes had measured the distance by the position of the shadow so accurately, and his position giving a long back reach to hia right arm, while the cross stroke of his pursuer must have been made at a much shorter distance to have taken effect, that the pursuing officer lost his head before he suspected that his proximity was known, or that a blow was meditated.