The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-02-13
I ,etAntce5 AtareslaMp,
i HISTORICAL ROMANCE.
Y WEATHERFORD.
a LEdEND 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
of 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 Of war itself, the
Gourtof9St. James organized mas
terly, but.most infamously cruel scheme
oe oeconbinations, to grasp the 'Crcscent
Gity'the commercial and military key
Of the Mississippi valley-and with the
organization they also hegun the cxccu.
ton OF the mighty armament at Wen
Venn, on the 3rd of December, and the
assault Of tho American lines on the.
glorious 5th of january, we,e not the
FIRST, butonly tho last bloody steps.
sThe primary and most important
movement was to excite the South.wes.
tern Indians. to- hostility against the
Union, SO as to occupy tho unerring RI
flemcn Of tho adjacent States, and thus
leax.he emporium Of the west in a
n..::iacr totally defencelcss. Accord.
inglY, in 1872 an English trader, nam
edElliot, accompanied BY chief of the
northern tribe Of Pottawatamics-the
far famed Tccumsch-yisitcd the AL
ALBANIA savagcs, and by the means Of
large bribes paid down in British gold.
aud sdelusive promises of plumber and
extended domain, these emissaries final
ly succeeded in cementing the formida,
able Greek confederacy, actually com
prising ten thousand ofthe brayest war
riors, and directed by the unparalleled
genius of Weatherford, one of the most
remarkable prodigies that ever appear
cd in the annals Of mankind.
Like the ancient Gauls, the Creeks
of that period might be considered un-
derithree divisions. One of these in,
habited tho Alabama, another the Coo
SO, and the third tho Tallapoosa. The
two slatter5are the upper main forks of
tho Alabama river. The section of the
Coosa was much the strongest, and
stretched westward beyond the Tombiy-
.5ee.
Tho ncighboring settlements saw the
ominous cloud gathering, but could con
coive no means of shelter from its ter
rors, or safety from secmingly inevita.
bic destruction. AS temporary re.
lief, they flew into small forts. What
then delayed the dreadful! blow? What
chained for time the lightnings of the
storm, NIL ready to sweep the whole
west with o bosom of fire? The great
gcneralship Of Weatherfnri was not
nnquestionable. Why then did not the
indian Hannibal who afterwards al
most proved a match for the genius of
Jackson--pour his ten thousand dcsper.
ato warriors at once in u resistess tor.
rent Of ruin over the Mississippi terri.
tory, before the American government
could even issue single order? Had
he done so, New Orleans, in all proba.
$bility, would now be part Of The Brit.
Ssh Empire. That such cloud should
90 on accommodating and blackening,
without bursting. even for months, pre-
sents mystery which the sagacity Of
no historian has hitherto been able to
solve. Little did the many minds
mootiiing this dark riddle, dream that it
involved asecret ofnatnre s own thrill.
ing romance, as strange as it was un-
spcakably monrnful. As the present
vr;ter was travelling last summer
through Alabama, !, be learned the follow
&g solution, from an old farmer Of
SC Slln Bend, at whose house he
.c:hancetd 70 stop overnight. 1t agrees
rcrip y '"yith the Wolkknown character
or Wcathaff1td Gs to demonstrate it's
own truth. a pfiol,i very nearly to the
exclusion ofesery ota4eF possible suppo7
si!ion,