Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-14
THE HISTORY OF ALABAMA

All Alabamians are proud of their state,
and justly SO, for Alabama is beautiful
in landscape, rich in resources, elegant in
dts people and great in its deeds.
How then, does it happen that the his
tory of the state has not been studied in
the schools?
Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Arkan-
sas. Tennessee, all have state histories.
Having occasion for history of Ala
bama,j went into book store and asked
for the history used in the public schools.
Owe have no history of Alabama. Here
is the history of the United States, which
lis used in the schools
/ was greatly astonished; and on fur
ther investigation l found that the only
history of Alabama in existence is that
by Albert james Pickett which is most
excellent and interesting, but comes
down only to 1873. the year in which Ala
btsrna became state in the union II is
then true that there exists absolutely no
history Of the state of Alabama.
Happily, this lack will, however. not
much longer reproach US, as two good
ard complete histories of the state are
nov in course Of preparation.
No history is more replete with inter-
EST than that of Ala bama. In 1888, long
before the coast of the Atlantic was set
tied, DeSoto. with his men fully equipped
with al, that was needed for complete
exploration of a Wild country, came
Through Alabama on his famous tour,
passed through the state from the north
east to southwest made treaties with the
Indians, visited their villages, and enter
tanned them in his camp. finding a great
commonwealth of these sons Of the forest
i'm the wids of Alabama Alas! That
battle and hoodshed stained this great
expedition!
The first settlement of the vast terri
tory called Louisiana was on Alabama
soil for Ala bama was originally a. part
of that wide and magnificent country.
Mobile Bay and its islands were the stage
on which French and Spanish captains
and lords sailed and coasted and landed,
coquetting with each other in the stately
8 yle of European diplomacy. All the
gulf coast is full of memories OF Indians
Of sailors, or soldiers. of settlers, of pi-
yates. French. Spanish and Engiish and
tine rivers flowing to the gulf bear the
never ceasing story OF the great deeds OF
III ose early days.
They tell of DeSoto. whose figure looms
no so large through the. msts Of the past.
e,f his wanderings his battles, his tragic
death and his midnight burial in the
great river: Of LaSalle. the explorer Of
The Mississippi who first set up on It's
Seta the cross of French occupation: of
Louisiana of his first settlement near
Mobile Bav, of his travels and Dealings
with the Indians, and the forts he built
on the Alabama and Tonlbigbee rivers; of
C,'oZat. the SPECTATOR and "boomer' OF
those early times, who expected TO be-
come Il multi Millionaire on the profits of
trading with the Indians and cf settling
colonies in the new France along the
grif: Of LaFitte the pirate, and his wild
companions: of the grim and majestic Ir-
zf.-t TI1t-t fsN... n nffxs d.
stroyed DeSoto's army in the battle of
Mobile; of Red Eagle and his wonderful
feats; of the marvellous canoe light in
which Gen Sam Dale and two cnmpan-
ions conquered nine Indians III fight on
ile river while the banks were lined with
fos,ile savages whooplng and helping the
Indians in the canoes; of the battles or
Iurht Corn, of Fort Minis. and Horse
Shoe Bend, when Gen. Jackson and hs
..1en with all their skill and bravery met
E.enan worthy of their steel in the Indian
braves lighting desperately for thar
eautful homes.
These hills and carebrakes, could they
speak, would tell many tale OF brav-
cry and endurance, of daring and d Feat,
oe tragedy and romance now buried for
tTer in their bosoms or DESTROYED by the
sstt,er's axe and fire brand. Ere the cid
se.tlevs and their children pass away
we ought to gather from them with care
f'il mind all the tales they know of the
tines in which they and their fathers
have lived. and preserve them in the fast
changing BE which is rapidly effacing the
Iast.
in later times. too Alaba ma has taken
@ leading part in the movements of the
country, in politics. in war. in business,
III the progress of civilization. Her capi-
fai as the first capital of the confeder
ate states. and her sons were brave de-
Tenders Of the rights of the oppressed
south Since the decision Of arms, she
has heen the first to recruit her energies,
and. depending on her own strength and
her wonderful resources. to arise from the
devssta ton Of war into a new prosperity
Our children should learn. while they
are young. the stories of the past. Moth
ing so takes hold of child's magma
lion as the romantic facts and incident S
concerning the people and places where
father once upon time has for him
an irresistible attraction. Tell child
that the name Alabama means Here We
resi- and that 1t was the exclamation
Of an Indian warrior after long wander
hgs. as he stuck up his spear on the bank
OF beautiful river. and The child never
fnTeets It, 1t Is drama tic: and nearly all
% A'abma history has this charm.
Judge A. b. Meek, in his Romantic
Passages In Southwestern History has
well developed this element. and given US
graphic pictures of our past His style
makes peSoto and Black Warrios live
and fight before US; we hear Montge N
ery's cry 81 he leaps on the treas tworks
at Horse Shoe Bend and falls instant
ly, pierced by an Indian ball. causing the
tide to turn In that famous fight which
vanquished the Indians and gave Alabma
TO The white mans supremacy; we see
the unconqnerable Red Eagle or Wenti,
erford. as he swims twenty miles down
the river and eScapes his pursiIeTs. ard
as he Afterwards braxely walks into Gen.
Jackson's tent and gives himself UP for