The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-23
WATERPROOF AND THE
 MASSACRE AT FORT MINIS

Tecumseh famed for his impressive eloQuence, persuasive powers and handsome physique was sent by the l British as diplomatic agent to arouse
 the Alabama Indians against the white
 settlers. The British agents at Pensa-
 cola were instructed to furnish the
 Alabama Indians with all the arms
 and equipment that they might ask for.
 Nearly all the Alabama Indian I chiefs and leaders met Tecumseh and his escort at Toogahatchie on the Tallapoosa river. Here after postpon- ing 1t from day to day he made his Dig talk" with all the impressiveness at ihs command.j He urged his mothers people and his fathers people to rise and slay or drive out the white peo- pie who were robbing them of their lands.
 His talk was heard stolidly by Big Warrior Weatheford and other lead CTS, but it aroused the enthusiasm of the younger men.
 Tecumseh returned to his home, but the seed he had sown bore fruit Peter Mcqueen, High Head Jim and Josiah Francis became the leaders of the war party. They marched their party to Pensacola where they were armed and returned to Alabama. At Burnt Corn in Conecuh County, they were attacked by the armed white settlers. but the outcome of the fighting was a victory for the Indians and defeat for the white men.
 weatherford had continued to hesi- tate, joining the war party. He Knew that the settlers along the Bigbee. west of the Indians and the settlers in Geor- Eia on the east, were steadily en- croaching upon the domain, and pre- serves of the Indians. The war might mean that theAe encroachments would be stopped or 1t might mean that the Indians would be destroyed.
 Charles weatherford, said in talking about this part of his grandfathers life william Weatherford never took any part in the war until he was forced in 1t. He left middle Alabama and came down on Little river to confer with his half-brother David Tait, who was liv- l ing near here. He had high regard 1 for Taits opinion and he didn't care to go into the war until he had Tait's advice.
 while he was gone High Head Jim. Peter Mcqueen and the other Indian
 leaders, executed a very smooth move | They captured Weatherford's wife and l two children ahd sent him word that I they would sell them into slavery un- less he joined the party"
 Weatherford went to the war party shortly after the battle of Burnt Corn.
 The force of his personality had long | before made itself felt in the Indian councils. He naturally assumed the leadership of the party. The other | leaders and chiefs fell into subordi- l nate places.
 The objective point of the Indians
 was Fort Mims near Lake Tensaw |. This was garrisoned by volunteer and 1 regular troops under Major Beasely. All the settlers with their wives ana 1 children had come in from the sur rounding country for the safety and protection of the fort.
 Through Meeks's poem, Red Eagle. there runs a beautiful story, the ro- mantle love of weatherford and Lily Beasely, the daughter of the command CT of the fort. The most beautiful passage in the book describes a tryst between Red Eagle and Lily Beasely in the summer woods, the evening be- fore the attack upon the fort and the horrible massacre. The Indian chief tain Is represented as urging the girl to fly with him to safety, but she re- fuses and remains with her father. The poem describes the awful butchery , of the following day and the rescue l of Lily Beaseiy from the infuriated py WGdIhGAAOAOs Alb NdEEAGS ! her away in safety and later returns
 her unharmed to her father, so the ] poem goes.
 But truth is truth and poetry cannot ! change 1t. Charles Weatherford, the | grandson, is very familiar with Red | Eagle and he declares that the poem while very pretty, is only a romance | It Is not even certain that Major
 Beasely had a daughter, but 1t is cer-
 tain that William Weatherford had no | love affair with any white maiden, the
 daughter of the commander of the
 fort.
 Fort Mims had within its picketed
 walls 55s men, women and children. It | contained two relatives of Weather
 ford. one of whom was an aunt, Han
 nah McRae. The fierce attack upon
 the fort by nearly 2,00O Indian braves
 was made August 30, 1872. The sam
 guinary struggle. the successful attack of the Indians by reason of the negli- gence of those in command in not pro-
 viding for the closing of the big en- trance gate, the heroic but unavailing
 defense, the horrible butchery and
 scalping of the men, women and-S.S 4~
 dren, the hardships of the few ~ho es-
 capped are all vividly described in Pick
 etts excellent history of Alabama.
 Weatherford, mounted upon a mag
 nifcent specimen of horsefiesh, was | everywhere in the fight encouraging | his men to the attack. At the final as-
 sauIt he dismounted and lead his men ] on foot.
 T have heard my great aunt Han | nah McNae who was in the fort tell l of the rush of Indians within the fort l with Weatherford at their head" said l Charles Weatherford. William Weath- l erford was not of large physique, but he was wiry and athletic. She said there were some logs near the center of the fort which had been piled there for last defense and were five or siE feet high. Weatherford came In on dead run, with his rife in his hand. He leaped clear and over the piled logs. A few yards away was Dixon Bailey. an educated half-breed who was nlt- ter enemy of Weatherford's. He call ed out, It's your life or mine, Billy Weatherford. The rifles of the two men spoke together. The body of Dixon Bailey was found among the slain.
 "In the fort was Jesse steadham a half breed who was also an enemy or weatherford's. Steadham was shot in the thigh and crippled for life. although he managed to be among the few who escaped. He lived after wards not far from my graudfather's place. and to his dying day he declared Weatherford shot him. He remained a bitter enemy to Weatherford and reviled him to the day of his death" It is history that of the 653 persons xrzho veoro Tn the fort all but fifteen