Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1904-06-04

-------s-------.
negro, Garcia, was their leader. The
Chattahoochee and Flint form the
Apalachicola at the Florida and Georl
gia boundary, and the fort commanded
the Apalachicola and Flint and was
refuge for runaway slaves and
menace to the border settlers. 1t was
on II high blur projecting into the
river deep swamp In the rear, and
creek above and below. A parapet ff-
teen feet high and eighteen feet thick
and nine pieces OF artillery supple
mented 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. Colonel
Clinch, United States army, at Camp
Crawford, above. on the Chattahoo-
chez, was expecting provisions, stores
and artillery from Apalachicola Bay,
and had instructions to reduce the fort
In case 1t opposed their passage. He
started down stream In boats with 116
men, In two companies, under Major
Muhlenburg and Captain Taylor, en-
countering on the way a slave-huntiug
party of Greek Indians under Major
Mcintosh, on their way to capture the
negroes for their owners. These were
Joined by another party, and the In
dams agreed to cooperate with Cllnch.
Information was received that Garcia
and Il Choctaw chief had been down
the bay and claimed to have killed
some Americans and captured a boat.
Clinch's force landed near the fort the
Indians were placed to prevent COM
municaton and an irregular fire kept
up, to which the besieged replied inef-
fectiyely 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 1t,
after which he had holsted the red
flag with the British jack above. This
story may have been invented or en-
larged, for Americans under the cir
cumstances would be disappointed at
lacking an excuse for attack, and Nc
IntOsh was on a slave hunt.
hn1
four miles, 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
opened on them from thirty -tw0
| FOUNDER in the fort the reply to which
was so successful that speedily a hot
shot exploded one of the forts maya
zines, after which the defense was Inn
practicable. The garrison of about 100
effectiyes included about twenty-five
ChOCtaws. OF the women and chill
dren, over 200 in number, not more
than fifty escaped the explosion The
besiegers suffered no loss The affair
reads like fight in the Philippines.
A council Of Indians condemned Car
cia and the Choctaw chief to death for
the previous murder of the Americans.
The Spanish negro fugitives were de-
livered to the Spanish agent, the Amer
lean to Colonel Clinch for their own
ers. A Seminole party coming down
the river to help the fort heard of its
fall and went home.