The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1904-01-01
A BATTLE WITH SLAVES.
RunaVays Resisted the Attempt of
American Soldiers to Take Them
from the British

On August "a, 1916, just 81 years ago,
occurred unique and but little known
battle, in which within the Spanish
boundary, United States forces, with
Indian allies, after the conclusion of our
war with Great Britain, which we call
the war of 1872, fought against negroes
using British ammunition and having,
like US, Indian allies, says the Chat
tanooga Times.
Col Nichols, a British commander,
had built on the east bank of the APP
alachicOla river (where Fort Gadsden
afterward stood) fort for refuge for
runaway negroes, that they, with Indi-
ans, might attack the frontier settlers
1t was garrisoned with British and be-
came an Indian rendezvous and fugitive
negro slaves settled for some so miles
along the river, defying the governments
OF Spain and Of our country, but it does
not appear that they ever attacked the
frontier.
After the war of 1872 closed the Brit
ish withdrew their garrison, but left the
fort in possession of the negroes. These
had Indian allies, and negro, Garcia,
was their leader The Chattahoochee
and Flint form the Alphabetical at the
Florida and Georgia boundary, and the
fort commanded the Apalachicola and
Flint and was a refuge for runaway
slaves and a menace to the border set
tiers. 1t was on a high bluff projecting
into the river, deep swamp in the rear,
md oh hol A Of
Is feet high and Is feet thick and nine
pieces of artillery supplemented the
natural advantages. There was plenty
of ammunition in the two magazines
and the British had left 5000 stands of
-,arms. But the result showed how feeble
are such defenses in the hands of men
who do not know how to use them.
Who were the aggressors may never
be positively known. We have only our
own side Of the story. Col. Clinch, Unit
ed States army, at Camp Crawford,
above, on the Chattahoochee, was ex-
pecting provisions, stores and artillery
from Apalachicola bay, and had instruc-
tions to reduce the fort in case it op-
posed their passage. He started down.
stream in boats with ZIG men in two
companies, under Maj Muhlenburg and
Capt. Taylor, encountering on the way
a slave-hunting party of Creek Indians
under Maj. Mcintosh, on their way to
capture the negroes for their owners.
These were joined by another party,
and the Indians agreed to cooperate with
-Clinch. Information was received that
Garcia and a ChOctaw chief had been
down the bay and claimed to have killed
some Americans and captured a boat.
seCiinch's force landed near the fort, the
, Indians were placed to prevent COM
samunication and an irregular fire kept
up, to which the besieged replied in
effectively with artillery. 1t is said that
some days before some Indian chiefs
had demanded the forts surrender,
and that the commander said he had
been put in command by the British
and intended to sink any American
vessels trying to pass, and would blow
up the fort when unable to hold it,
after which he had hoisted the red flag
with the British Jack above. This story
may have been invented or enlarged,
for Americans under the circumstances
would be disappointed at lacking an
excuse for attack, and Mcintosh was
on a slave hunt
The vessels below came up within
four miles, a place was chosen for a
battery opposite the fort, the forces of
Muhlenburg and Taylor were also
placed on the west bank, Mcintosh and
the Indians with some Americans in
vested the rear and on the morning of
the oath two gunbOats took position in
front of the battery and fire was open
ed on them from 32-pounder in the
fort, the reply to which was so sue
cessful that speedily a hot shot ex
ploded one of the forts magazines,
after which the defense was impracti
cable The garrison OF about 100 eff
fectives included about % Choctaws.
Of the women and children, over 200
in number, not more than so escaped
the explosion. The besiegers suffered
no loss. The affair reads like a fight
in the Philippines.
A council of Indians condemned Gar
cia and the Choctaw chief to death for
the previous murder of the Americans.
The Spanish negro fugitiyes were de-
1ivered to the Spanish agent, the
American to Col. Clinch for their own
ers. A Seminole party coming down
the river to help the fort heard of its
fall and went home.
In It's Proper Place.