The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-16
W6THERBYS SURRENDER TO
JACKSON TT HORSE SHOE BEND

I cape across the river. The wiley jackson,
however, discovered the plan, and before
coming in sight he sent Colonel Coffee with
a detachment of soldiers down the river
| with orders to cross and take q position OPP
posite the Indian Notifications. BY the
time Coffee had reached his place of van
! tage, the artillery had been planted. on a
| rocky prominence, and opened steady fire
on the Indian stronghold. Under the ter
rife bombardment the fertilization began to
give, and, according to the plan, Witherpy
/ ordered a retreat across the river.
feet of canoes was ready and the embarka-s
ton commenced. AS the boats left the
Shore to the terror and dismay of the In
dians, hail storm of bullets was poured
into their midst from Coffee's troops on
the opposite shore. Witherby's depleted
band was now caught between two fires,
and the slaughter was awful. The boats
were upset and the blood from the riddled
bodies of the fallen braves dyed the water
crimson for nearly two miles. Only few
escaped. When Witherby saw his brave
band of followers doomed to certain death,
under flag of truce he begged perniss on
to speak to General Jackson. His request
was granted, and beneath large oak tree,
which is still standing, the terms of peace
were settled.
The following is text of the speech by
the brave chief and prophet to General
Jackson:
81 am in your power. Do with me as YOU
please. I have done the white man all the
harm I could. have fought them, and
fought them bravely. If / had an army I
would fight and contend to the last but
I have none. My people are all gone. can
now do more than weep over the MS
fortune of my nation. Once I could ami
mate my warriors to battle, but I cannot
animate the dead. My warriors can no
longer hear my voice. Their bones are at
Talladega, Tallassahatchie, Emuckfaw and
Tehopeka. have not surrendered myself
thoughtessly. Whilst there were chances
for success never left my post nor sup
plcated peace; but my people are gones
and I now ask 1t for my people and my
self"
Thus ended the war and the powerful
reign of the Creeks.
Around the lonely spot nothing has been
changed by the hand of man. The monot-
onous of the water 1t PUSHES over
the shoals tells history to the visitor, as 1t
foretold disaster to the red men,
From the town of Dadevile Ala, twelve
miles distant, numerous parties and relic
hunters annually visit the place, and many
weird tales are told of the great battle and
the customs of the Indians as these spec
tators sit and view the scene in awe.
large rock extends some distance IN
the river at the lower crook of the horse
SHOE which is the favorite resting place.
From this, 1t is said. an Indian maiden once
threw herself into the water that she might
die with her lover. 1t was at one time
called the "Rock of Sorrow but as the old
generations have died away, the tale has
almost been forgotten.
The legend says that the maiden had fol-
lowed the Indian troops from Emuckfaw in
hopes of once more seeing her sweetheart.
She arrived at the bend while the battle
was yet in progress Rushing out on the
rock, she saw an upturned canoe approach
, ing, to which her lover was desperately
clinging From a wound in his face the
blood was flowing profusely, and as the
canoe came nearer she could see that he
was gradually growing weaker. He looked
up in mute appeal to the great spirit Man
itou, that he might be given strength. and
his eyes fell upon the young girl standing
on the rock Tt was such sudden shock
| to his senses that he released his gEasp on
/ the upturned canoe and. with the maiden's
| name on his lips, sank beneath the muddy
| waters to meet the fate of his companions.
| The girls grief was heart rending. She
called his name in vain-she prayed that
he might rise to the surface. Finally, know
ing that he was gone beyond recall. she
decided that as life had been so unpleasant
without him she would join him in the
"happy hunting ground" and with a de-
spairng cry she plunged into the dark and
muddy water A few days later her life
less form was seen floating down the river
clingng tightly to the body of the dead
warrior. q
The old settlers tell a tale of the capture
of a young white girl by a few Indians
who succeeded in escaping from the sol
diers. The 16-year-old daughter of farmer
was kidnapped by the fleeing band and
| carried to a rendezvous in the Sand noun
tains in Etowah county, where she was
| kept imprisoned for over two years. Moth
| ing was known of her by her people, living
| in the vicinity of the Horseshoe bend. until
| about three years ago An old maid living
| at Rock City, a small village near Alfalfa.
| while on her death bed disclosed the secret
| which had been kept for all these years.
| She was the daughter of the captured girl
| and just before her death told her mothers
| history to the wife of Mr.. Brown, fore
| man on the Louisville and Nashville road.
| She said there was large cave in the foot
| of the mountains where her mother, then
| a girl. had been imprisoned. She told of
| how an entrance could be effected by crawl
| ing under large. fiat rock, and that. on
| reaching the inside. a staple would be
found driven into the center of the rear
| wall. According to her story. the Indians
| had brought with them pot of gold,
| which was buried the outside of the
| cave near an oak tree. Around the tree
! would be four fiat stones. and under one
| of these would be discovered the gold. She
| then repeated her mothers story of how
| she finally made her escape from the cave.
| There We're band of friendly Indians living
| near Talladega, and also a few hostile ones.
The warlike element had repeatedly
tried to create an uprising, but, finding
their efforts futile, they decided to fight
| the friendly braves Their forces were so
small a party was sent to the cave in Stone
| mountain to secure the aid of the tribe To-
Gated there. The Etowah county tribe
readily aequiesed in the plan and hurriedly
made preparations to depart. In the con-
fusion that followed the young lady cs-
capped and fled to the house of farmer
near by Here she lived for a year. when