As copied from pg 38 of Ancestors and Descendants of Leman Bronson, 1640-1963, compiled by Sarah Bronson Boden, 1963
From a sketch written by George William Bronson, grandson.
At quite a distance from his home, grandfather [Clinton Doneral Bronson] was riding one day with several other men. When they looked up they saw a bunch of Indians riding toward them on ponies, whipping over and under. Seeing they were outnumbered about six to one, they turned their horses toward home and started on a fast gallop. But the Indians were gaining speed over them owing to the fact that one of their number, a heavy man, could not ride at that speed. So the men took turns falling in behind him, quirting his horse over the rump to keep him on the run. But the man kept reining in his horse and begging the others to go and leave him. They were taking such risks of all loosing their lives that one called out, “Come on! It’s a case of life or death!”
So they increased their speed and at the same time, fearing they were leaving the fat man to his fate, and so it was for the Indians killed him. With much animal and human exertion, the men reached the village safely – all except grandfather’s gray horse.
The horse leaped from the bank to the middle of a deep wash, and scrambled up the bank on the opposite side, causing him to break a blood vessel. By the time he reached the door yard, the blood gushed out of Old Gray’s nostrils and he fell dead.
From my Uncle, I learned the reason for their going so far from the town when they knew the chances were great that Indians would discover and attack them.
They had a gunpowder cache in a cave where the powder was kept dry and were needing to replace their cartridge supply. To add to their difficulties they had put a small keg of powder in sacks and tied it behind their saddles where it hung down on either side of the horses. As the horses galloped along, the powder sacks would beat them in the sides. With the speed they were riding to outdistance the persuing red men, it was bound to do injury to the horses.