The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-02-13
GIs Gire 9AlarGstaMp,
HISTORICAL ROMANCE.
( 4.WEATHERFORD.
a LEGEND OF THE GREEK WAR.


Several historians, in narrating the
events Of our second war with Great
Britain, have expressed surprise that
the grand attempt to gain possession
ofs New Orleans was not made sooner.
But, in.truth, the attempt was being
made two entire years earlier than the
! date usually given in popular history.
With the declaration IF war itself, the
Court of st. James organized mas.
terly, but most infamously cruel scheme
os combinations, to. grasp the Crescent
Gity'-the commercial and military key
Of che, Mississippi valley-and with the
organization they also hegnn the cxecu-
ton Of the mighty armament at Wen
Venn, on the Ord of December, and the
assault Of the American lines on the
glorious 9th of January, we've not the
first, but only the last bloody steps.
The primary and most important
movement was to excite the South,wes-
tern Indians to- hostility against the
: Union, so as to occupy the unerring RI
flemcno Of The adjacent States, and thus
leay.ssshe emporium of the west in a
m...ticr totally dcfenceless. Accord.
ingly, in 1872 an English trader, nam
edsElliot, accompanied BY chief of the
northern tribe of Pottawatamics-the
far famed Tccumseh-visitcd the AL.
ALBANIA savages, and by the means Of
large bribes paid down in British gold.
and sdelnsive promises of plumber and
extended domain. these emissaries final.
ly succeeded in cemcnting the formida.
able Creek confederacy, actually com
prising ten thousand ofthc bravest war
riors, and directed by the unparalleled
genius of Wcathcrford, one of the most
remarkable prodigies that ever appear
ed in the, annals Of mankind.
Like the ancient Gauls, the Creeks
of thai period might be considered un-
der,three divisions. One Of these in,
habitcd the Alabama, another the Coo.
sa, and tho third tho Tallapoosa. Tie
two latter are the upper main forks of
tho Alabama river. The section Of the
Coosa was much the strongest, and
strctched westward beyond the Tombiy.
..5ee.
Tho neighboring settlements saw the
ominous cloud gathering, but could con
ceive no means of shelter from its ter
rors, or safety from seemingly inevita.
BILE destruction. AS temporary re-
lief, they few into small forts. What
then delayed the dreadful! blow? What
chained for a time the lightnings Of the
storm, all ready to sweep the whole
west with a bosom of fire? The great
generalship of Weatherforh was not
Mnquestionable. Why then did not the
indian Hannibal who afterwards al.
most proved match for the genius of
Jackson--.pour his ten thousand dcsper.
ate. warriors at once in II resistless tor.
gent ofruin over the Mississippi terri
tory, before the American government
could even issue single order? Had
nc done so, New Orleans, in all proba.
.bility, would now be part Of :hc Brit.
fsh Empire. That such cloud should
go on accommodating and blackcning,
withousabursting. even for months, pre-
sents mystery which the sagacity of
no historian has hitherto been able to
solve. Little did the many minds
moothing sliis dark riddle, dream that il.
involgafi5 d secret ofsnature s own thrill
ing romance. Us strange as it was un-
speakably iaournfnl. As the present
asTritcr was, travelling last summer
Through Alabama, he learned the follow
ssssg solution, from I'M old farmer Of
55sssss}.5e She's Bend, at whoae house he
aGhance,a 70 stop overnight. 1t agrees
perfectly with the Welkknown character
of Weathsriprd as to demonstrate it's
pwn truth, q prto,s Very nearly to the
cxclusioafcfes otssefp possible suppo-
eilion.