Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-10-05
MEMPHIS TENN THURSDAY EVENING OCTOBER 1876


crossed upon his chest, awaited the
Generals arrival.
jackson, hearing of Weather
ford's presence, rushed out excited
and surprised, and exclaimed, in a
furious manner:
"How dare you, sir, ride up to
my tent after numbering the wo-
men and children of Fort Mimsl"
Weatherford's reply has been
given by many pens, but for nobil- |
ity of thought, simple grandeur and |
heroic pride, we think the histori-
cal account by A. J. Pickett the
finest of them all:
General Jackson, / am not
afraid of you; / fear no man, for
am a Creek warrior. | have moth
ing to request in behalf of myself.
You can kill me, if you desire.
But come to beg YOU to send for
the women and children of the war
party, who are now starving in the
woods. Their fields and cribs have
been destroyed by your people who
have driven them to the woods
without an ear of corn. / hope
that you will send out parties who
will safely conduct them here, that
they may be fed.
81 exerted myself in vain to save
the women and children Of Fort
Minis. l am now done fighting.
The Red Sticks are nearly all killed.
If l could fight you any longer, !
would do so-send for the women
and children; they never did you
any harm. But kill meif the white
people want it done"
This brave reply disarmed the
vengeance of the fiery Jackson, and
turning his flashing eyes upon the
men who, crowding around, were
calling out: "Kill him kill him!
kill him!" ne commanded silence,
exclaimlng in emphatic terms:
"The man who would kill as
brave a man as this would rob the
dead p
For many years after the war,
Weathorford,s life was constantly
in danger from relatives of those
who had fallen at Fort Minis; but
eventually he settled down in the
lower portion OF Monroe county,
where he lived the life of a farmer,
much respected by American citi-
zens for his bravery, honor, and
strong native sense. lie died in
1924 from the fatiguing effects of a
desperate bear hunt.
One instance is given of his sin.
gular courage and frmness Of pur-
pose. A desperate named Caller,
who had murdered an old and in.
offensive citizen, and who defied
the sheriff to arrest him, swore he
, would kill the first man who at
tempted to do so. A posse haC
f been summoned to the village o
Claiborne, but were deferred from
+ their duty by the threats of the
? criminal. Some one suggested thai
! the famous ohieftain was in tn,
neighborhood, and if summoned
e would take him. The sheriff ap
piled to the chief and asked him j
e he would make the attempt.
| "If you order me, | will do m,
! duty" was Weatherford's reply
"Then order you to take him
t dead or aliye"-said the sheriff
E and the two proceeded to the place
Y Caller was standing in the market
place with drawn butcher knit
q in hand. Weatherlord drew knli
. from his belt, and walking calml
4 Vp to him, ordered him to surrender
! He replied in a husky voice, ''keeI
g off :" but Weatherlord fixing hi
S eagle eye upon him, continued t
o advance. Instantly Caller droppe,
+ the point Of his knife, and sayinj
d 81 will not resist you, Bill Wealth 81
t ford allowed himself to be handle,
! over to the officers. When Weather
d ford was asked what he wopld hay
/, done in case of resistance, he said
q - fixed my eye upon him. If h
Ie had moyed one muscle to strike,
Is should have lodged his blow, an
e cut his throat before he recovered.
is The criminal had read this pqrpos
le in the iheiitainls fape, and kne'
le that he was in the hands Of o MAJ
d ter mind,
= Weatherford left behind him
family of children, who have intel
i, married with Alabamians, and al
- - highly respected for many exceller
q traits of character.
m ,e The lady b9peaih Bhosg h9gp
h table ROOF we write this imperfer
,S = sketch Of the great chieftian hi
- met his descendants in many a bal
h room in Monroe county. Anon
the numerous claimants for h.
g. hand in the dances then in tashit
- among the elite of Alabama 81
~ remembers none who were mo
~ ~ ooueleous ia their words OF mo
No ~ noble in their bearing than Il
fO tO young Weatherfords, descendan
M M Of the Red Eagle and the inherito
Nd Of his name.
AZ, A Rattle IN n C0WTt ROam.
\ ~