The Mineral argus., 1884-06-19
THE CHARGE OF THE HOUNDS.
An incident Of the eresk war.

Is UJW AlbDhlAbg Gb gAO
S-ptember, 1918. The country was at
that time in the midst of the second war
with Great Britain, and for a long time
the British agents had been trying to
persuade the Creeks-A powerful ma
ton of half civilized but very war-hke
Indians who lived in the Alabama-to
ioin in the war and destroy the white
settlements in the southwest.
For some time the Greeks hessltated'
and it was uncertain what they would
do. But during the summer OF 1918
they broke out in hostility, and on the
3Oth of August, their great leader
Weathersford, or the Red Eagle, as
they called him, stormed Fort MINIS,
the strongest fort in the southwest. de
took the fort by surprise, with, a thou
sand warriors behind him, and after
five hours of terrible fighting destroyed
it. killing about five hundred men,
women and children.
This was the news that startled the
settlers in the region where the Alaba-
ma and Tombigbee rivers come together.
It was certain, after such massacre as
that. that the Indians meant to destroy
the settlements, and kill all the white
people without mercy.
In order to protect themselves and
their families, the settlers built rude
forts by setting timbers endwise in the
ground, and the people hurried to these
| places for safety. Leaving their homes
70 be burned. their crops to be destroyed
, and their cattle to be killed or carried
{ off nv the Indians, the settlers hastily
got together what food they could, and
[ took their families into the nearest
: forts.
One of the smallest of these stockade
7 forts was called ~Sinquefield. Ii stood
I in what is now called Clarke County,
Ala, and, as that region was very nm
r lv settled, there were not enough mel
i to make q strong force for the de1ence
of the fort. But the brave armer anc
4 hunters tho't they could hold the place
and so they took their families there al
II quickly as they could.
Two families, numbering seventeen
~ persons, found it was not safe to go t.
q S~inouefeld on the End of September
4 and so. as they were pretty sure tina
there were no Indians in their neighbor
M hood. they made up their minds to sta
one more night at a house a few mile
from the fort. That same night the
were attacked, and all but five Other
7 were killed. Those who got away can
ried the news of what had happened t
ne the fort, and a party was sent u I
d. bring in the bodies.
The next day all the peoplem Fol
Sinauefeld went to bury their dea
friends in a valley at some little distanC
he from the fort, and strange as 1t ma
seem they took no arms with them. 81
~lieving that there were no Indians net
th the place they left the gates OF I'll
h fortress open, and went out in a boo
NO without their guns.
AS a matter of fact there was a lars
= BODY of Indians not only cry near the
but actually looking at them all IL
time. The celebrated Prophet Franc
was in command, and in his sly way
or kept as near the fort as possible to lo'
for a good chance to attack 1T. Makll
his men lie down and crawl like snake
he had reached a point only a few hu
dred wards from the stockade wltho
alarming the people; and now VIII
they stood around the graves OF TIN
friends without arms to defend thel
ior- selves with, a host of their savage Ell
hat mics Law looking at them from the gri
q is and bushes on the hill.
As soon as he saw the right nome
IL had come, Francis had sprung up w
rely . savoga war-crv and at the head of
/ to warriors made a dash for the gates.
had seen that the men outside were I
lot armed and his plan was to get to
q gates before they could reach them Q
mn thus get all the people of the place.
not his mercy in an open field and with
Du' arms to fight with.
MI The fort people were quick to
what his purpose was, and II I
'nsl- hurried forward with all their mig
lon- hoping to reach the fort before
the sayages could get there. By RUM
, as at the top of their speed they did t
and closed the gates in time to keep
Indians out. But to their horror
ters; then saw that their wives and CHILD
,qual 49, LIT ont too Unable TO run
lphia fost &c tba mon tbev had fallen beh.
and now the Indians were betW
them and the gates!
Seeing that he had missed his CHI
Miss of getting possession of the fort, T.
- els turned upon the women and
iaoy' dren with savage delight in the thol
hus- of butchering these helpless Great
very in the sight of their husbands, fat
md q and brothers.