Re "In those days it was commonly thought that if you are in a battle with Indians you always saved your last bullet for yourself because you dare not be taken alive.":
Abso-bloody-lutely! The Indians weren't the cuddly ethnics the PC crowd would have you believe. From Wiki: "The torture [of captives] had strong sacrificial overtones, usually to the sun. Captives were expected to show extreme self-control and composure during torture, singing "death songs", bragging of one's courage or deeds in battle, and otherwise showing defiance. The torture was conducted publicly in the captors' village, and the entire population (including children) watched and participated. Common torture techniques included burning the captive- which was done one hot coal at a time, rather than the Hollywood-style pile of firewood around the captive - cuts from knives, beatings with switches and jabs from sharp sticks. Prisoners' fingernails were ripped out. Their fingers were broken, then twisted and yanked by children. Captives were made to eat pieces of their own flesh, and were scalped alive. To make the torture last longer, the Native Americans would revive captives with rest periods during which time they were given food and water. Tortures would begin with the lower limbs, then gradually spread to the arms, then the torso. The Native Americans spoke of "caressing" the prisoners gently at first, which meant that the initial tortures were designed to cause pain, but only minimal bodily harm. By these means, the execution of a captive, especially an adult male, could take several days and nights." Yep, I'd be taking that cyanide pill!
