Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-03-30
MILLEDcEv1LLE, &C co. J March is,

~ Our Indian affairs have recently uu-
dergone no material change. Offensive ope.
ratlohs, which are at present suspended, will
be renewed we imagine on the arrival of the
troops from North Carolina. who have at
length marched and may be looked for in
the course OF a week. BY the last accounts
from General Jackson he was at Fort Stro-
Their with five thousand militia and Regi
hent OF regulars. aud expected to descend
the CooSa river to its junction with the Tai
lapoosa about this time. A simultaneous
movement was to have been made by Colo
mel Russell to the head of the Alabama.-
Could the troops on this side have also adj
vanced, the Indians would have been com.
pleteiy hemmedin, and perhaps an end put
to the war. 1t is not unlikely that the march
OF Col. Russell may have been protracted by
late incident. Being engaged in building
boats at the Alabama Heights to transport
his provisions, and having a number of men
who were unemployed, he determined to
make an irruption into the enemy's country
and destroy a.town which he understood was
not far distant. BUTT seems his guides de-
ceiyed him, and after traversing the wills
derpess ten days. during ell which time no
sign of an Indian was discovered, his stock
of provisions failed. Having taken the pre-
caution to forward 2 supply UP the river, a
su'dh parry uSduSd Ny Lieut.. WILCOX OF tue
Estates army, was dispatched in search of
the boat aud their comrades, of whose safe
ty they had become apprehensiye. Tney
had proceeded but short distance down q
small rivulet, when they suddenly came on
large body of Indisns, who pursued theu
in canoes. Finding they would be oyertaken,
the party made for the shore--the enemy
| approached and the conflict commented
"lohg time in even scales the battle hung
| but the savages, though FIVE times their
number, were at length repulsed, and our
adventurous countrymen proceeded on. BE
| ing again pursued, their canoe unfortunate
ly upset ia a second attempt to land, by
which nearly all their ammunition was lost.
| The little that remained having been ex-
4 pended, the Indians, after bloody contest,
oyercame them-but one man escaping to
tell the mournful fate of the rest. It is said
that Lieut.. Wilcox, though wounded in ma
ny places, struggled to the last, and had
scarcely fallen when the detachment which
! he was in search Of came in view. The In.
dams Immediately fed, leaving the scalps
they had taken.
\ From the be st information we can obtain,
| the effective strength of the Indians who are
1 hostile does not exceed fzvo thousand. A.
| gainst this force we have at present not less
than eight thousand ms employed. Ii able
TO elude our arms, they must ERE long be
conquered by famine, being already reduced
to great poverty and wretchedness, and Ina
wing no means Ct procuring subsistence. In
any event, government will no doubt con
fscate at least enough of their lands to de-
fray the expences os the war and it is quite
possible that part of the nation which has re-
| NAMED friendly will be restricted in t.eir
territory and made to conform 10 regulations
that will ensure their fidelity in future.---
such Of them, however, rs have rendered
\ us important aid, and none will deny but
i Barney Riley is of that number, ought not to
be forsctler. The tinciorc of the skin should
|, not detract from vaOrous deeds; and we
; cannot but indulge the hope. that this brave
man v iii be noticed and duly rewarded by
the proper authority.
81 Ithas been justly observed in the Nation.
al lntelligencer, that tie intrepidity OF the
brave free men OF the South aud West has
not hitherto received from our northern
lbrethren,) the praise to which it is entitled
We have before said and we again repeat,
that the bravery of the Georgia and Tonnes
see militia has been, 10 many instances, most
Conspicuous and that acts of beroism have
been performed by individuals among tliea.
not surpassed by any in the annals of authsn
tic history. The need of praise is eminent
lIy due to many of the excellent officers un~
der General Floyd, who, though fearless oil
danger, had the good fortune 10 escape IN