The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-02

the war, the heirs set about division.
Theirs was soon split between the
white and the Indian children. Ny
father took few negroes. and left for
the Cherokee nation. On the route he
called ut my grandfather Howards.
who had then settled IN what Is now
called Ebert county. Georgia and
Savannah river MY father tried sec
ond Time to get the consent of nv
grandfather, and. through che influence
OF the two brothers, John and Ben. the
matter WINS arranged. My father set
tied on Savannah river. between the
mouths OF the two creeks. Lightwood
Log and Powder Log. and in Ebert
county There had been at very early
day q stockade fort erected at the
place by Gen. Perkins and Col. Cieve-
iand--it Was the old Cherokee cross.
ing, when that tribe was IN the habit
| Of trading to old Ninety six. or Cam
bridge IS IT Is now called This old
work stood near what was known IN
my time as shockley's Ferry. the block
houses had been converted into DWELL
ing houses, in fact they had FIRST been
put Up As dwelling houses and pickett
ed in. "a
In one OF these houses was born;
sn old lady by the name OF Black was
VfC1thts nave noQE AnCntlOH VI 1D>
before. was born between the z2d
OF February. 1874. and ON the 22d Of
February. 1877. hut It il impossible
for nie to know which. as there have
been so many conflicting statements
about ii. for I rely nothing upon any
record which have ever seen. and n
! am TO judge from what can recol-
lect OF my father (wlio died In March,
1900 and other things. ] am satisfied.
4 ~. -. 49,
on the 22d OF February next do not
claim TO he born on that.day, because
the greatesf man our country ever had
happened 70 be born on that day. Az
the old ones that ] have talked to
agree on the day and month. but many
Of them diner as TO the year. But one
thing IL sure. was born at some time
and at some place. and II don't find
some time ana some place to die at.
before a great while. u may be looked
upon as miracle.
SERVED As A SOLDIER
IN THE WAR OF 1874
I entered the army on the frst OF
July. 1912. and accompanied General
Daniel Newman to East Florida.
was in no fight In that expedition. 1
was in KfngsIey's house. and In sight
of Captain Cone and his men when
they mad little skirmish with the
Indians. and Captain Farron was kill
ed I went with some other militia
under Tom Rix, to take a look at the
castles of st. Augustine. We were
taken for Cones patriots and fired
upon. II ever see you will tell you
an amusing story about that affair.
but 1t would take too long here.
camped one night at Twelve-M Mile
Swamp, with Sergeant Mcintosh. and
others when the Indians or Spaniards
fred few guns at the camp and
made us leave. Some month or tw,'
after that, Dr.. Fort. of Milledgeville.
Georgia, who was a captain at that
time, and Capt Williams. Of the
marines camped at the same place.
They were attacked by a large party
of Indians and Spaniards, and had a
severe fight. and lost several men.
Fort and Williams were both wounded;
williams died of his wounds. and Fort.
IL living, will be a cripple for life. AS
to the fighting, ] had done but little
ana saw less: but II 1t, was foot rae
ing. wrestling, swimming and the like.
I was among the foremost.
:. At the close of the expedition, ] re-
turned to Milledgeyille. half naked,
half starved, and with the ague and
fever every other day. On my route
home, I recoliect to have met with
Seaborn Jones. Bedney Franklin (the
solicitor for that circuit) Peter Easley
che was a judge)- Mr. Sawyer, Hiram
Stores, Tom Fitch. Stephen w. Harris
(the father OF Wat and Sampson)-all
lawyers. gave Jones the only trophy
I had taken during the war--it was a
walking stick taken from the palm
tree--so you see that have borne or
a palm in war time. but have never
been IN q Legislature or Congress like
some who have borne aoff perhaps yleAG
than a PALM Ny. service wassf In 1919 81
Ia. under General Floyd was, In hits
night-fght, as it was called at Cali
eebe Creek--I know as much about
that fight as any man. living or dead
Barney Riley, a lf-breed. that kill
ed John Lucas. and myself accompan-
led Captain Harvey one night from
Fort Hall to Milly's Creek. Just above
the Federal crossing, and took the
wife OF Ben Moseley from the hostile
Indians--killed three and crippled Al
few more. This trip to Miliy's Creek
was In February, 1914, the Caleebe
fight was on the 27th of January, 1914
The army returned home and remain
ed. as have before informed you, to
take charge of Fort Hull
After I returned from Fort Hawkins
with Col Millions horse. as I mention
ed to you before, I remained altogether
with the Indians. until the last of
April or the first Of May. I then re-
turned to Georgia, remained a few
weeks. and returned to the Nation and
spent most of the summer among the
Indians. Some times have been Aired
on by outlying Indians-and some
would have called them fights If they
could have been got into the newspa
pers. before they got cold. That fall
a call was made for the troops to 60
to the city of Savannah. Capt. Horton,
who commanded the Baldwin company,
requested me to go with him as a kind
of drill-master, not to go as a soldier
in the service. but merely as a fol-
lower OF the army and that himself
and officers would support me and
give me a soldiers pay themselves, as
I would be entitled to none. from the
government. / declined the offer but
/ met with man by the name of Tom
Cothron. who had just been in the
State long enough to stand a draft,
and IT had fallen to lis lot to take
the field.
He was somewhat afraid to risk his
health In the winter season at Savan-
nah. and wanted a substitute. He
FOUND man that agreed to take his
place for fifty, dollars. but Captain
Horton would not take him. Tom CO.
thron was the stingiest man ever
knew. except Judge Smith and John
Crayon. promised Cothrof to take
ms place Tor one hundred dollars and
ne was 10 consider himself dead in the
eyes OF the law should be EiIIaS
Tnat trade was made and 1 went NIL
itlafnen, with a hundred dollars In
their pockets did not go In gangs in
them days. 4"