USA > Alabama > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period. v. 2 > Part 24
USA > Georgia > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period. v. 2 > Part 24
USA > Mississippi > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period. v. 2 > Part 24
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Mount St. Bernard, which commanded Fort St. Michael. At CHAPTER six o'clock, P.M., Colonel Sotto, after having sent a verbal XXXIX. message that he would surrender, refused to receive Captain Denkins and his command, which had been ordered to possess the fort, upon the pretence that they could not evacuate before morning. When Denkins was about to commence an attack, Sotto, aware of the consequences, surrendered, and, at eleven 1814 November 7 o'clock at night, the Americans took possession. On the same afternoon, the battery of St. Rose, opposite Fort Baran- cas, was blown up by the Spaniards.
The next morning, the governor refused to give an order November 8 for the surrender of Fort Barancas, and Jackson resolved to take it; but, while preparations were making to march down against it, it was blown up, by order of the commandant. The British shipping, by this act, were enabled to pass by the ruins of Fort Barancas, and put to sea. Had Jackson possessed it in time, they would have been cut off from re- treat.
Having effected the expulsion of the British from Pensa- cola, captured one of the forts, while the others were destroyed by the enemy themselves, and forced the Red Sticks to retreat to the forests, in a perishing condition, and, being aware that his army could only be supported by tedious land transporta- tion, that winter was setting in, and that the defence of New- Orleans demanded his services, General Jackson took up the line of march for Fort Montgomery, where he arrived without November 9 accident.
Placing a considerable portion of his army under Major
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CHAPTER XXXIX.
Uriah Blue, of the thirty-ninth regiment, the commander-in- chief visited Mobile, and then departed for New-Orleans.
Major Blue, at a period between the attack upon Pensaco- la and the battle of New-Orleans, scoured the swamps of the Escambia and all the bays in West Florida, with a large force of mounted men, consisting of Americans, Choctaws, Chicka- saws and friendly Creeks. He killed many of the refugee Creeks, who fought him in their dense retreats, and captured a large number, besides women and children, whom he con- stantly sent to Fort Montgomery, guarded by strong detach- ments. We regret exceedingly that want of space forces us to omit a detailed account of this fatiguing and perilous ex- pedition, taken from the lips of an intelligent surgeon. In some other work, we hope to be able to record the brilliant achievements and valuable services performed, on this occa- sion, by Major Blue. We would remark, however, that he was the officer who brought the Creek war of 1813 and 1814 to a final termination. No official account of this march has fallen into our hands, and we believe none exists.
In drawing our account of the Creek war to a close, we cannot refrain from indulging in some reflections upon the bravery, endurance, self-sacrifice and patriotism of the Red Sticks. Let us, for a moment, recapitulate their achievements, never yet rivalled in savage life. They defeated the Ameri- cans at Burnt Corn, and compelled them to make a precipi- tate retreat. They reduced Fort Mims, after a fight of five hours, and exterminated its numerous inmates. They en- countered the large force under Coffee, at Tallasehatche, and
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fought till not one warrior was left, disdaining to beg for CHAPTER quarter. They opposed Jackson at Talladega, and, although XXXIX. surrounded by his army, poured out their fire, and fled not until the ground was almost covered with their dead. They met Floyd at Anttose, and fought him obstinately, and then again rallied and attacked him, a few hours after the battle, when he was leading his army over Heydon's Hill. Against the well-trained army of Claiborne they fought at the Holy Ground, with the fury of tigers, and then made good their retreat across the Alabama. At Emuckfau, three times did they charge upon Jackson, and when he retreated towards the Coosa, they sprang upon him, while crossing the creek at Enitachopeo, with the courage and impetuosity of lions. Two days afterwards, a party under Weatherford rushed upon the unsuspecting Georgians, at Calebee, threw the army into dismay and confusion, and stood their ground, in a severe struggle, until the superior force of Floyd forced them to fly, at daylight. Sixty days after this, Jackson surrounded them at the Horse-Shoe, and, after a sanguinary contest of three hours, nearly exterminated them, while not one of them begged for quarter. At length, wounded, starved and beaten, hundreds fled to the swamps of Florida; others went to Pensacola, and, rallying under Colonel Nichol, attacked Fort Bowyer. Fierce scouting parties, during the whole war, had operated against them, from point to point, and they were not finally overcome until Major Blue made the expedition just related.
Thus were the brave Creek opposed by the combined
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armies of Georgia, Tennessee and the Mississippi Territory, together with the federal forces from other States, besides numerous bands of bloody Choctaws and Chickasaws. Fresh volunteers and militia, from month to month, were brought against them, while no one came to their assistance, save a few English officers, who led them to undertake enterprises beyond their ability to accomplish. And how long did they contend against the powerful forces allied against them ? From the 27th of July, 1813, to the last of December, 1814. In every engagement with the Americans, the force of the Creeks was greatly inferior in number, except at Burnt Corn and Fort Mims.
Brave natives of Alabama ! to defend that soil where the Great Spirit gave you birth, you sacrificed your peaceful sa- vage pursuits ! You fought the invaders until more than half your warriors were slain ! The remnant of your warlike race yet live in the distant Arkansas. You have been forced to quit one of the finest regions upon earth, which is now occupied by Americans. Will THEY, in some dark hour, when Alabama is invaded, defend this soil as bravely and as enduringly as you have done? Posterity may be able to reply.
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CHAPTER XL.
THE BRITISH TAKE MOBILE POINT -- PEACE DE- CLARED-THE ALABAMA TERRITORY.
THE victory of the Americans, at New-Orleans, forced the British to abandon the banks of the Mississippi, and hover about Mobile Point. Twenty-five of their vessels anchored in a semi-circular position, five miles from Fort Bowyer. Thirteen ships of the line anchored two miles in rear of it. Five thousand inen landed and encamped. After several days of the most active preparations, for the reduction of this little American defence, still under the command of the brave Major Lawrence, the latter assembled a council of his officers, who decided that it was impossible to contend with a power- ful force, both by sea and land. The next day, according to previous negotiations, three hundred and sixty Americans, including officers, marched out of Fort Bowyer, with colors flying and drums beating, and took up quarters on board of three British ships of the line, as prisoners of war .*
The treaty of peace between England and the United
CHAPTER XL. 1815 January 8
February 12
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1814 December 24
* Latour's Late War in West Florida and Louisiana, pp. 207-216.
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CHAPTER States, concluded at Ghent, did not reach General Jackson, at XL. New-Orleans, until the 13th March. A few days after this, the latter informed Admiral. Cochrane, of the British navy, of the joyous intelligence. But the latter, whose fleet still lay about Mobile Point, did not leave our shores immediately, in consequence of the exchange of prisoners constantly going on. Besides this, the great mortality from the wounds and disease which prevailed throughout his shipping, still further retarded his departure. Hundreds of British soldiers were entombed in the white sands of Mobile Point and Dauphin Island. At length, the 1st of April witnessed the departure of our enemies, and the happiness of our people, now once more left to repose.
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1815
June 9
At this period, a large tract of country was still in posses- sion of the Chickasaws, south and west of Madison county ; but the American population began to form settlements upon it. Hundreds went lower down, upon the Tombigby, and others upon its head waters. Governor Holmes extended, by proclamation, the jurisdiction of the Mississippi Territory over the country of the Black Warrior and Tombigby, now ac- quired from the Chickasaws by treaty, and gave the whole the name of Monroe county.
Madison, north of the Tennessee, at this time less than thirteen miles square, had, within six years, obtained a popu- lation of more than ten thousand souls, many of whom were wealthy and intelligent planters from the Southern Atlantic States. Gabriel Moore. Hugh Me Vay and William Winston, were elected to the Territorial Legislature, from this county, in
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June. Fifteen hundred and seventy votes were cast in Madi- CHAPTER son, at the election for a delegate to Congress, while the XL. 1815 June aggregate vote of the counties of Jefferson, Claiborne and Adams, was only fourteen hundred and twenty. The Wash- ington district, upon the Tombigby, sent only two members to the Territorial Legislature.
The lands acquired by the treaty of Fort Jackson began to be only partially settled, as much of them was still in the occupancy of the Creeks, who had not removed, and, owing , to the intrigues of British emissaries, still in Florida, the boundary lines had not been established. Indeed, even before the 16th October, the Creeks had again commenced hostilities upon the frontiers of Georgia, and had broken up the military cantonments on the line from Fort Jackson to Fort Mitchell. Again, settlements were still further retarded by the procla- December 12 mation of the President, forbidding the settlement of this territory until it was surveyed.
To facilitate the advance of population north and west of the Creek nation, and to prevent encroachments upon the Choctaws, Chickasaws and Cherokees, commissioners of the United States obtained, by treaties, in the autumn of 1816, all the territory from the head waters of the Coosa, westward, to Cotton Gin Port, and to a line running from thence to the mouth of Caney Creek, on the Tennessee. After this, the Ame- ricans pressed forward, and, before the close of 1816, the popu- lation of the Mississippi Territory was more than seventy-five thousand, including slaves. Forty-six thousand of this popu- lation was distributed in the counties west of Pearl river, the
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CHAPTER XL.
remainder in the Tennessee valley, and upon the Tombigby and the Mobile.
1817
On the 1st March, Congress declared that the Mississippi Territory should be divided, by a line commencing at the mouth of Bear Creek, on the Tennessee, thence to the north- , west corner of Washington county, and thence south, with the western limit of that county, to the sea. A Convention, also upon the authority of Congress, composed of forty-four delegates, assembled at the town of Washington, near Nat- chez, and adopted the constitution of the State of Mississippi. None of the counties now lying in Alabama were represented in this convention. On the 10th December, the acts of the convention were ratified by Congress, and Mississippi became a member of the Federal Union.
August 15
The territory east of the new State of Mississippi, Congress erected into a territorial government, giving it the name of Alabama, from the great river which drained its centre. Upon the first organization of this new government, seven counties only-Mobile, Baldwin, Washington, Clarke, Madi- son, Limestone and Lauderdale-were formed within our limits, and they enjoyed the legislative and judicial powers which they possessed before the division, and the officers retained their places. The seat of government was tempo- rarily fixed at St. Stephens.
William Wyatt Bibb was appointed Governor of the Ala- bama Territory. He was born in Amelia county, Virginia, October 2d, 1781. Ilis father, William Bibb, had held the commission of captain, in the revolutionary war, and was
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afterwards a respectable member of the legislature of Vir- CHAPTER ginia. His mother, whose maiden name was Wyatt, a native XL. of New Kent county, of the same State, was a lady of supe- rior intellect, and was favorably known to the early settlers of Alabama. The family removed to Georgia at an early period, and settled in Elbert county, upon the Savannah. Captain Bibb died in 1796, leaving to his wife the care and responsi- bility of eight children, all of whom she lived to see in affluent and respectable positions in life. William, the sub- ject of this notice, graduated at the College of William and Mary, returned to Georgia and established himself as a phy- sician, in the town of Petersburg. Shortly afterwards, he was elected to the legislature, where, for several sessions, he : evinced considerable talents and usefulness. When scarcely twenty-five years of age, he took a seat in Congress, at the commencement of the session of 1806, where he was an active and efficient member. From the Senate of the United States, to which he afterwards succeeded, he was transferred by President Monroe to the government of Alabama.
The first Territorial Legislature convened at St. Stephens, the 19th January, 1818. James Titus was the only member of the Executive Council or Senate. IIe sat alone, and deci- ded upon the acts of the lower house, and adjourned, and met again, with a show of formality quite ludicrous. Gabriel Moore, of Madison county, was the speaker of the house, which was composed of about thirteen members. Governor Bibb, on the 20th, presented his message, in which he recom- mended the advancement of education, the establishment of
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CHAPTER roads, bridges and ferries, the alteration in the boundaries of XL. counties, and the formation of new ones, and many other things, calculated to promote the welfare of the Territory. He brought to the serious attention of the assembly the peti- tion from the Mississippi convention, recently addressed to Congress, praying that body to enlarge the limits of Missis- sippi, by restricting those of the Alabama Territory to the 1818 January Tombigby river. . He opposed the project, and contended that the present line of partition had been deliberately fixed by the competent authorities, and voluntarily accepted by the people of that State.
Thomas Easton was elected Territorial printer. George Philips, Joseph Howard, Mathew Wilson, Joseph P. Kennedy, John Gayle and Reuben Saffold, were selected as nominees, from whose number the President of the United States should select three members for the next legislative council.
The counties of Cotaco, Lawrence, Franklin, Limestone, Lauderdale, Blount, Tuscaloosa, Marengo, Shelby, Cahawba, Dallas, Marion and Conecuh, were established. In each, the superior courts of law and equity, and two county courts, and one intermediate court, were to be holden annually. They were allowed one representative, each, in the legislature.
The boundaries of Washington, Baldwin, Mobile and Ma- rengo, were altered and extended. Madison, the shape of which was formerly that of a triangle, was now made to assume its present form. The St. Stephens Academy was incorporated, and its trustees authorized to raise four thousand dollars by a lottery. "The St. Stephens Steamboat Company " was also
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incorporated. Hudson Powell, Robert Gaston, Joseph H. CHAPTER Howard, Howell Rose and George Dabney, were appoint- XL. ed commissioners, to select a temporary place at which to hold the courts of Montgomery county, then of vast extent.
The legislature repealed the laws upon usury, and al- lowed any interest agreed upon between the parties, and expressed in writing, to be legal. The compensation of the members was fixed by themselves, upon a more liberal scale than at present. The speaker and president were allowed seven, and the members, five dollars per diem, besides mile- age.
Clement C. Clay, Samuel Taylor, Samuel Dale, James Titus and William L. Adams, were elected commissioners, to report to the next session the most central and eligible site for the Territorial legislature.
Madison, Limestone, Lauderdale, Franklin, Lawrence and Catoco counties, were erected into the "northern judicial dis- trict." Governor Bibb, on the 14th February, appointed Henry Minor attorney-general of this district.
Clarke, Washington, Monroe, Conceuh, Ballwin and Mobile counties, composed the "southern judicial district," and Mathew D. Wilson was appointed the attorney general thereof.
. Marion, Blount. Shelby, Montgomery, Cahawba, Marengo, Dallas and Tuscaloosa counties, composed the "middle judicial district," and Joseph Noble was appointed its attorney-general.
Before the division of the Mississippi Territory, and while the legislature sat at Washington, in Adams county, a stock bank had been established at Huntsville. A resolution,
1818 February
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CHAPTER adopted at the session of St. Stephens, changed its name to XL. that of " Planters and Merchants Bank of Huntsville." The Tombigby stock bank was also now established, with a capi- tal of five hundred thousand dollars. Such were the only important acts of the first session of the legislature of the Alabama Territory .*
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1815
April 28
But Indian disturbances, as we have said, had commenced. Although the British army had sailed for Europe, yet there were still subjects of that nation in the Floridas, who origi- nated the "Seminole war;" among the most active of whom were Captain Woodbine, Colonel Nichol, Alexander Arbuth- not and Robert C. Ambrister. They had adopted the opinion of Lord Castlereagh, that the 9th article of the treaty of Ghent entitled the Creeks to a restoration of the lands which they had been compelled to relinquish, at Fort Jackson. Woodbine, entering upon the task of enforcing this ill-found- ed claim, had conducted to Florida a colony of negro slaves, which had been stolen by the British, during the war, from . the Southern planters. He had ascended the Apalachicola, and had erected a strong fort, which was well supplied with artillery and stores. From this point, he had presumptuously addressed Hawkins a letter, demanding the restoration of the ceded lands, and represented himself as commanding his majesty's forces in Florida. Hostilities had already com- menced upon the frontiers, and even the Big Warrior had declared that he had been deceived as to the extent of the
* State Archives.
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lands which had been forced from him. Colonel Clinch, of CHAPTER Georgia, with detachments under Major Muhlenburg and XL. CAPTAIN ZACHARY TAYLOR, had invested and completely 1816 August 26 destroyed Woodbine's negro fort, killing many of the inmates, and burning a vast amount of military property. Notwith- standing these difficulties, emigrants continued boldly to push through the Creek nation, and to occupy portions of the Ala- bama Territory. A small colony had established themselves in the present Butler county. Among them was Captain , William Butler, a native of Virginia, who had been a mem- ber of the Georgia legislature, and the commander of a com- pany of volunteers at the battle of Calebee; Captain James Saffold, a lawyer, who had commanded a company of artil- lery, under Major McIntosh, while stationed at Fort Deca- tur, besides William P'. Gardner, Daniel Shaw, James D. K. Garrett, Britain M. Pearman, and others, all of whom came recently from Georgia. Most of these worthy settlers pitched 1818 March their camps upon the ridge near the residence of the late Chancellor Crenshaw. Two years previous to this, however, a few emigrants had settled on the Federal Road, near where Fort Dale was afterwards erected, in the present county of Butler, among whom were William Ogle, his wife, and five children, with J. Dickerson. Another settlement had been formed in the " Flat," on the western border of that county.
Sam MeNac, who still lived near the Pinchoma, on the Federal Road, informed these emigrants that hostile Indians were prowling in that region, who meditated mischief. A temporary block-house was immediately erected, at
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CHAPTER Gary's, and those in the Flat began the construction of a XL. fort, afterwards called Fort Bibb, enclosing the house of Cap- tain Saffold, who had removed from the ridge to that place. On the 6th March, William Ogle drove his ox-cart in the direction of Fort Claiborne, for provisions, and he had not proceeded far before a Chief, named Uchee Tom, and seven- teen warriors, seized the rope with which he was driving, and gave other evidences of violence, but finally suffered him to proceed. Feeling much solicitude on account of his family, and purchasing corn at Sepulga Creek, he returned home, where the Indians had been, in the meantime, and had mani- 1818 March fested a turbulent disposition. On the 13th of March, Ogle attended a company muster, and from thence there went home with him, in the evening, an old acquaintance, named Eli Stroud, with his wife and child. Meeting in a savage land, under sad apprehensions, these friends, having put their children to sleep, sat by the fireside of the cabin, and conti- nued to converse, in under tones, ever and anon casting their eyes through the cracks, to discover if Indians were approach- ing. Presently, by the dim light of the moon, Ogle saw a band of Red Sticks, who stealthily but rapidly approached the house. Springing from his seat, he seized his gun, ran to the door, and set on his fierce dogs ; but was soon shot dead, falling upon the threshold which he was attempting to defend. Stroud and his wife sprang over his body into the yard, leaving their infant sleeping upon the hearth, and ran off, pursued by a part of the savages. Paralyzed with fear, Mrs. Ogle at first stood in the floor, but, recovering herself,
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ran around the corner of the house, and, protected by a large dog, escaped to a reed brake hard by, where she concealed herself. Here she heard the screams of Mrs. Stroud, who appeared to be running towards her, but who was soon over- taken and tomahawked. The savages entered the house, dashed out the brains of the infant, which was sleeping upon the hearth, and butchered the other children, whose shrieks and dying groans the unhappy mother heard, from the place of her concealment. After robbing the house, the wretches · decamped, being unable to find Stroud, who lay not far off, in the high grass. The next morning, some of the emigrants assembled, to survey the horrid scene. During the night, Mrs. Stroud had scuffed to the cabin, and was found in the chimney corner. sitting beside the body of her child, bereft of her senses. Ogle and four children lay in the sleep of death. His two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary Ann, were still alive, and were taken, with Mrs. Stroud, to the houses of the kind settlers, and, in a short time, were sent to Fort Claiborne. with an escort furnished by Colonel Dale. On the way, Mrs. Stroud died, and, not long after reaching Claiborne, Mary Ann also expired. Elizabeth, through the kind attentions of Dr. John Watkins, survived her wounds, and is yet a resident of Butler county.
One week after this massacre, Captains William Butler and James Saffold, in company with William P. Gardner, Daniel Shaw and young Hinson, set out from the fort, to meet Dale, who was then marching to that point with a party of volun- teers, a portion of whom they destred to induce him to send
CHAPTER XL
1818 March 20
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CHAPTER to the Flat, to protect the citizens, while cultivating their XL. fields. Advancing about two miles, Savannah Jack and his warriors-the same who had murdered the Ogles-fired upon them from a ravine. Gardner and Shaw, riddled with rifle balls, fell dead from their horses. Butler and Hinson, both being wounded, were thrown to the ground. The latter, regaining his seat in his saddle, fled back to the fort. Unable to reach his horse, Butler attempted, by running across the ravine, to gain the road in advance of the Indians ; but he was pursued and shot at, from tree to tree, until he fell dead, but not before he had killed one of his pursuers. Captain Saffold escaped to the fort, receiving no injury, except the perforation of his clothes by rifle balls. A detachment, sent 1818 March 21 by Dale the next day, buried the dead, whose heads were beaten to pieces, and their bodies horribly mutilated .*
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