Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-04-22
OUR SPANISH WAR.
JACKSON'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE
DONS IN FLORIDA.

Hretenses.
Just eighty years ago we had a war
with Spain. Or, rather, Andrew jack
son had a war with Spain, which he
carried on in the name and with the
troops of the United States, but on his
own personal responsibility.
He had made one brilliant campaign
against the Creeks of Southern Geor-
ga. He completely crushed the Creek
nation, and thought that they were
"pacifed' in the thorough Jacksonian
manner.
But a few thousand Creek braves
fled across the border into the Spanish
province of West Florida and joined
themselves to the bloodthirsty horde
of Seminoles and fugitive slaves led
by the great chief Billy Bowlegs. This
tripartnership of deviltry aided and
abetted by the Spaniards, made life in
Southern Georgia a series of alarms
too frequently realized in butchery and
rapine
The Spanish official attitude was per-
fectly correct-deprecator and regret
ful. But really, said the Spaniards,
these savages are so strong and so willy
that we can do nothing.
Then Andrew jackson came. He had
choice of two courses-to follow the
recognized International code of pro-
test by post to Washington, thence
after long delay to the Spanish Minis
ter thence after interminable delay to
Spain by slow sailing vessel, and so on
through drawn-out years of waiting,
or to adopt a Jacksonian code of in
ternational law exactly suited to the
circumstances. He reasoned thus:
First-Billy Bowlegs and his marau-
ders must be punished at once.
Second-This is as much to the in
terest of Spain as of the United States.
Third, Andrew Jackson, must do
my duty by both countries.
Fourth-If the Spanish officers as
sist me, we'll and good if not, then
they arc the allies Of the savages and
enemies of the United States.
Jackson wrote to the Government at
Washington just what he purposed to
do. Then, without waiting for a re-
ply, he marched over the border into
the sacred territory of Spain, at the
head of an army that knew no other
duty than obedience to Jackson.
He made straight for the nearest
Spanish fort-St. Marks. He sent
word to the Governor that he Jack
SOM had been much panied to learn
that the wicked Indians had forcibly
entered St. Marks and had frightened
the weak garrison into giving them
arms and ammunition. ITO prevent
the recurrence of so gross a violation
of neutrality wrote Jackson, "and to
exclude our savage enemies from so
strong hold as St. Marks, | deem it
eXpedient to garrison that fortress with
American troops until the close of the
present war;
! he Governor was dumbfounded He
hurried forward a long reply in Span
ish, the substance of which was that
he would write to his Government and
see whether it wished him to let Jack
son pursue the proposed course That
Is, he said to Jackson, wait six
months or a year"
jackson couldn't read Spanish. III
his whole life he never dreamed of any
one asking him to wait" So he as
sumed that the letter must be a cordial
assent to his very proper proposals.
He got the letter in the early morning
Of April T, 1918. Before noon the
Spanish flag had been hauled down
from st. Marks, the American flag
was floating over it, and American
troops were in possession. The Gov
ernor made a dignified protest-in
Spanish-and departed with his garri-
son.
Gen. Jackson proceeded to chastise
the Indians and had his usual success.
But again he found the Spaniards in
terfering to save the Indians from
Jacksonian "pacification." Here are
his own vivid words of description of
his further and final campaign against
Spain:
Il received information that $50 In
dians had collected in Pensacola, were
fed by the Governor, and that a party
furnished by the Governor had issued
forth and in one night had slain eigh-
teen Of our citizens, and that another
party, with the knowledge of the Gov
ernor, went out publicly, murdered a
Mr.. Stokes and his family and i'm omen
day returned to Pensacola and sold the
booty, among which was the clothing
OF Mrs. Stokes.
Here was indeed casus helli. jack