The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-20


had Ia great measure died out. She had herd that
better times were coming, and she trusted this might
independence should be celebrated in q bcft-
ting the Importance Of tho event
CAPTAIN" FITZPATRICK.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES ny AN OLD ALA
BAMA PIoNEER-sAD TRAVELLING EXPERT
ENCE-GENERAL JACKSON oUTDoNE IN
BRAVERY BY BILL WATERFRONT.
MONTGOMERY, Ala, May IA, 1875
captain" Byrd Fitzpatrick was born In Greene
county Georgia. In l70S and Ia OF tho pioneers OF
Alabama Hc resides In solitary farm house.
ninc miles northwest Of Union Springs and your cor
respondent, In his trip thithcr. had quito a rough
horseback ride prairie roads, in whose sticky
mud and trcachcrous miro his horse sunk knoe docp
almost every step. Tho Fitzpatrick family has taken
active part tho development OF the State and Is
well known throughout Alabama The youngest
brother OF tho old gentleman whom called was
tho Hon. Benjamin Fitzpatrick, who cicd in Novcm-
Dor, 1859. He had served two terms as Governor OF
Alabama On tho death of Senator Lewis In lS4s
Governor Fitzpatrick appointed by Governor
Chapman to I'LL the unexpred term In tho Senate of
the Unilod States. In 1853 no succeeded Colonel King
tho Senate by tho appointments OF Governor Collier
and elected by the Legislature iii tho nexpircd
In 1856 no reelected to the United States
Senate for term OF six years The
highest honor OF tho Senate was conferred
upon him. In his election President Of The senate
pro tenn In which capacity ho served four sessions
Of Congress- At tho Democratic Convention ut Bal
tlmorc In $780, ho was nominated for Vice President
Of the United States tho ticket with Mr.. Douglas,
but declined the nomination Whenever, during my
Interview with Captain Fitzpatrick. any aliusion
made to his ucceased brother he spoke OF him in tone
which showed how fondly no cherishos his memory.
DECEPTIVE APPEARANCES
found Captain Fitzpatrick well preserved for his
age and possessed OF q remarkably tenacious memory
He attired in a suit OF common homcspun, con-
sidcraby patched up and nethor his dress his
ners which had still lingo or tho carly pioneer Ifc
would havo betrayed member OF the distinguished
family. However,, under tho discolorcd and thread
bare coat beat warm sympathetic hoart, and in his
eyes, dimmcd by age, still occasional gis1n1 or
the old fire.
Captain Fitzpatrick to Alabama In 1885, and no
and tho other pioneers that accompanied him first
tied tho junction OF tho Taapoosa and Coosa rivcrs
Ave miles above tho present Of tho city of Mont
gomcry. Tho following nrst settlers in that
locality, all Of whom had from Georgia jesse
Evans, brothcrn-law OF Fitzpatrick; Benjamin Bald
win also brother -in-aw and the father or Colonel b.
j. Baldwin Steven Hawkins, ''old man" Hall and tho
brothers Philip Joseph Byrd and Benjamin Fltzpat-
rick
TUE RourE THE PIONEERS
sswc travecd"-I here use Captain Fitzpatrick's
exact words-"n old fashioned wagons with linen
crings with four horses each wagon We had to 20
through the Creek Nation who wcrc then toIcraby
friendly to the whites We travelled over tho old
State road, which from cast west, and was only
a blind wagon trail. and drove our cattle and
hogs with could make average or only
twenty miles a day. We had TO swim creeks
v~t.. ~.
sisted US in making bridges We FIRST crossed tho
ocmulgcc River, which then the dividing limo be-
tween Georgia and tho Crock Nation We con structod
n hat and crossed it. We crossed Flint River
on a ferryboat There regular ferry kept thero
by a hal-brecd named Marshall We then reached the
chattahoochoo River, which crossed the present
site OF the city OF Columbus No white people wero
living there at that time. A halfbrccd, Mcln-
tosh kept regular ferryboat on the chattahoochec
twenty years later this Same Mcintosh Killed
by the order ol Creek chief, named Opv hcoholo
sold Georgia tract Creek lands extending
from Ocmugec the Flint River. We next iorded
Line Creek, winch then dividing line between
the Crock Nation and Mississippi Territory Line
Creek twenty miles distant from the junction Of tho
Coosa and TalIapoosa rivers, where settled. We
made zoo miles In about ten days. We campod out
every night There was lots Of gsino along our route
such bears deer and turkeys out wc had time
20 hunting ON whole route passed. not . SIN
Clio white settlement Indian settlements, however
were quite frequent II only tho Fitzpatrick fam
lily travelled togcther tho others followed on be-
SLOW. TEDIOUS Axp YAricuNo
the mode Of travel 1916 stall II WINS an I'M
provcmcnt travelling only fifteen years previous
when i took party Of emgrants 10 days TO reach
the section Of country southwest OF this place from
North Carolina La December 1901, \ party set
from North caroIin,, consisting of Thomas Malone,
young clerk Ia the land Office Raleigh; John Murrcl
anu his Iamly, James Moore, oodway Myrick, ucorgo
Nosworthy, kObcrI Caller, William Murrcl and sixty
negroes With great difficulty they assembled the Biuc
Ridge with their wagons, aud descended through ITS
dark gorgcs into the valley OF the Tennessee Con-
structng Nat boats "a Knoxville they noated down tho
river the head Of the Musscl shoals where they DIS
embarked at tho wigwam Of a Cherokee chief named
Double Head. Placing their effects upon the horses,
which had been brought down from Knoxville BY lana,
they departed Tor tho ''Bsgby scttIcuicnlsn
about ~ stephcns. some eighty miles above Mobile,
aud 70 which solitary direct path led. Amer
mtigulng march they reached the place ot Icv Cut
BERT celebrated Chicknsaw Chief who gave them tho
necessary directions They then camo upon the Tom
bigbec, the cotton gIn which had not long before,
been erected BY tho American government 70 cncour-
ago tho Chickasaws In the cultivation OF cotton.
DISASTROUS CANOE
ITO lessen tho atgucs OF tho long and painful trip the
party constructed two canoes al this pout each iory
mansnip being built with NO other tools than axes and
grabbing bOcA These they launched on tho river in
parallel POSITIONS Ave feot apart They were con-
ncctcd by platform made Of cane upon which
were ucposed tho effects OF the parry aud plle NJ,
high abos tho heads Uf the cinigrau;s who rat down
Ia long rows IN the two a few Of tho men
went by land with the horses toward 81 stephens 10
mako preparations Tor The arrival Of tho main party
This rude and singular craft then quite common In
savage regions, had proceeded TWO miles down tho
rapid, crooked and swollen stream, whom IL struck
with great Iorco against log which EXTENDED half
the channel and Immediately disappeared the
cane ligAmcnt which bound the canoes burst asundcr
aud every soul YVES washed overheard. Those who
@ saa 4. low s e. s ss 0