An unforgettable camping experience SOL#18

I am the oldest of 5 children. Because we lived on a farm, a trip away was a rare experience. My family and my Uncle George's family drove south to the White River in Arkansas. We settled in for the night by the swift river. After dinner, I remember my mom enjoying the cold, fast water. Some of our group slept in a tent and others slept in the straw scattered around the bed of our pick up truck. My uncle,  who served in the Army, was afraid of his shadow. During the night he heard some noises and awakened everyone when he began yelling and grabbed his ball bat to fend off what he thought were intruders. Finding nothing, we slowly returned to our sleeping spots. About an hour later he awoke everyone again. We heard Uncle George exclaim, "The water is rising! Quick, we've got to move!" What we didn't know was the spot we selected to camp was close enough to the river's edge that the water from the spillway upstream quickly made us vulnerable to being swept away. I can't remember another occasion when our families camped together.