The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-12-08
mi STORY or rHk NEGRO FoRr.

s -
During the war of 1924, between
Great Britain and the United States,
he weak Spanish Governor of Florida
for Florida was then Spanish terri
Mg4pernitted Che British To make
PENSACOLA, their base of operations
gsinst US. This was gross outrage,
swe we're at peace with. Spain at the
ins, and General Jackson. act5ng on
| ih own responsibility, invaded Florida
netaliation. : y
Among the British at that time was
neuedlfic lfistr officer, Colonsls Eal:
nrd Nichols, who enlisted aad. tried to
nske soldiers of a large number of
be Seminole Indians. In. 1916, after
b. war was over, Colonel Nichols again
isfed the Sefninoles, who were dis.
Ncd to be hostile to the United States.
Colonel Nichols himself was. and
nde an astonishing treaty with, them,
(which an alliance offensive and de-
asYe, between Great Britain and the
&ninoles was agreed upon. We hal
nade peace with Great Britain few
nonshs before, aud yetsthis astonishing
lnsh Colonel Signed g treaty binding
9tsk Britain 10 light MS whenS7er akes
aninoles in the Spanish territory of
florida should see fit to make war! If
w. extraordinary performance had
IN oil, 1t would not have f1attered So
nueh, because the British Government
ninssd =, 70 ratify the treaty; butt was
m sll Colonel Nichols. az if deter
aaed 20 give as -as 1nuchs tr6ublo as lie,
aad, built strong fortress on the
lgpalachicola River, anti gave it to his
fends the Seminoles, naming it ssThe
atsh Post on the Appalachic hicola =
saafe the British had mott the least
Yht to have any post whatever. Situ-
isd on a high bluff, with fianks secures
sgprded BY the nver pIl one side Snd
t!Msmp' on the other. this fort, prop-
NJ defended, was capable of resisting
= assaults Of almost any force that
|nuld approach it,; and Colonel Nichols
~ aetermined that it should be prop
~ defended, and should be constant
aanace and source of danger to the
tnlted States. He armed il with one
Ity-two-pounder cannon; three twen-
ur.pounders and eight other guns. ]
z ne matter of small arms he was even
sals el liberal. He supplied the fort with
lM muskets, 500 carbines, 400 pistols
u h, po0 swqrds. In the magazines he'll
nied 700 quarter casks of rifle powder
"a q, .so barrels Of ordinary gunpowder.
1. Mnen Colonel Nichols went away,
Y oemlnoles soon wandered off, leav-
ag ne fort without garrison. This
sne a pportuhity to a negro bandit
- desperado named Garcon to seize |
" y pace, which he did, gathering about |
~ ra : isrge hasdfpf runaway aesroes, |
auctaw Indians and other lawless per-
.as Wnom ne organized into a strong
suPany OF robbers. Garcon made the |
g als stronghold and began to plum
= 1ne country round about as thor
a!y as any robber baron or italian
nut ever did, sometimes venturing
*'vSs ss me border into the United States.
sas sn 4lH wastsU annpyings SAfh soslFI
l ssaes1enlng to our frontier settlements
usorgia, that General jackson de-
ss.aaed OF the Spanish authorities that
- - snould reduce the place, and they
- sl'd nave been glad enough to do SO.
s0aoiy, 81. it it had been possible. be-
81 se 1he banditti plundered Spanish as
Is other settlements. But the |.
~ sulsh Governor Had no force at COM 1
Il NJ, -. ana could do nothing, and SO
ss ,VIs ! remained q standing menace to
i american borders. JGs1SE1 Ca
3 we're in this ,position in the
= g % 1916. when General Gaines
NJ. scnt to fortify our frontier at the
~ where the Chattahoochee and
49,, ers unite to form the Appa-i
sws' .0i1 m june Of that year & Some me
mi nj ior General Gaines forces were
ss,s.l,s sea from New Orleans. The
il carrying them were to GO up
4. appalachicola, and General Gaines
psss.,s:o ~. sure that the little feet would
my mllm.ted to pass the robberys
oIl aola, which had come to be
I 81, 81 tus 3 Negro Fortsi tAee6fdingly I,
bns as Colonel Clinch with q small
80 uewn the river, Ito render anv as
Y nv nv mat mat might be necessary. On
s6ss Colonel Clinch was Joined by ,
,,sas. MAN ~ oeminoles. who wanted TO re- ,
N s =. ene fort on their own account.
Iests - sEo bodies determined to act | ,
81 tIine the two lschooners with |
ia tksrn aru ! me Two gun boats sent to El