The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-27
WHERE DID DeS0T0
 FIGHT HIS BIG BATTLE..

The Wilcox Banner. The Wilcox Banner has taken issue the sn bsttie ht0tf@ oi Isusiiia. d Ia where pesots met the Indians 1t states that the re. mains of a fort are still seen in that county and that Spanish arms and mus nitions have been dug up there. The Banner says that the only reason for doubting the .Spaniards were in Wilcox ia the tact that they did not settle right there for good and all.
 Certainly the argument put up by The Banner Is convincing that there was an Indian war encAmpnient there, and that there were Spanish swords, buckles and other things Hound there Just where the great battle was fought is q matter of doubt. and Wilcox is right to contend that she has the battle ground in her borders, because she has soma evidences stronger than the written words of men who, didn't know whhre
 And now comes The Montgomery Ad. vertiser with traditions taken down ny General Thomas Woodward dated In the
 Moreover General Woodward de- clares that all the history end tradt- tions of the Indians are very exact, and that the whites were much more likely made 1t q duty almost painful, to stick to the exact facts. rt
 'fseneral Woodward continues 10 set forth his belief that the big light be- tween De6oto and the Big Warrior, which Bancroft calls the bloodiest bat tie ever fought between whites and In- dians, was fought at the Tallapoosa River, a few miles from Montgomery, near where the lines of Montgomery and Taiiapoosa Counties join He de. ciares that he has seen at Tuckabatchie the old Indian town near Tallaaeee, brass plates and shields that the In- dians took from. the Spaniards at that fight, And he says In another part .o9 his memoirs that the Indians still had those brass plates when they were moved West, and that these plates wrapped in deer skins were carried at the head. of the procession of march ing Indians by specially selected bear
 We befeafter quote General Wood
 sDaSota passed through fhe country before the Mugcogees reached that colintfy The Indians say that they were there and fought him. and from the number oR coppeS shields and brass swivel. that an old man name Tooiey worked up into brass balls. would go to show and prove that the Indians were correct. have often seen the copper swivel, and from the cuttings or cary. I1s ings' on it, it was evidently of Spanish make"
 Bancroft says this was the bloodiest battle ever fought between whites and
 
 doubt. as said battle Ia now claimed to have been fought in four different coun- ties of the present State of Alabama. and all widely separated from each other.
 The letters of General woodward are extremely interesting. and prove that DeSoto carried cannon, which would now De called swiyels, No doubt they were light enough to strap to the backs of horses. Cannon had then been in use nearly two years, and Spain wa then world power and lead In the arts ments.
 Just so long as our historians will continue to locate the great battle of Mauvflla in Alabama all well and good; Atlanta-@-for according to the latter dsy Georgtans. the Garden of Eden. the Tower of Babel. Mount Ararat. Mount Nebo and many other historic sites nave been located near the gates of Csrsater Atlanta 01'"'