The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1912-03-12

| AaChoctaW war party bpfaWleu
around their campfire after the battle.
That day they had fought the Usage
Tribe from west Of Che Mississippi.
| Each brave was telling OF his own
deeds Of lieroism. Suddenly some one
asked what had become Of Pushma-
Itaha, a lad OF twenty who had march.
! cd with them. None had seen him all
day. He had vanished Just before the
conflict began.
Pushmataha, was the laughing stock
| u his tribe. lie was forever talking,
and this Jared upon the silent natives.
He was forever boasting, and he had
done nothing thus far to warrant his
boasts, Now, while lis name was still
banded about the campfire, with
sneers at his cowardice in shirhng
the tiebt .,the youth suddenly appeared.
A howl OF laughter and derisionTgreee
ed him. l
YI.et him laugh who has slain more
foes this day than l." retorted Push
nlataha, tossing five scalps upon the
ground.
A Deadly Enemy.
He had crept up on the osages
from the rear and, single.handed. had
killed as many as had the boldest war
rior. For thus making good his boast
he received the rank OF sub-chief and
the title of Eagle" This was in
1885. Not very long atterward Push
mataha went alone by night to hos
Tile Indian village in the Tonaqua dis
trct, slew seven men and burned part
Of the village TO the ground. ThIee
other invasions Of the enemy's coun.
try brought him eight more scalps and
new fame as a warrior
But his reputation was destined to
spread throughout the country; not
IImereIy as a killer Of hostile Indians,
hut as the loyal friend Of the United
States, In the war OF 1912 many of
the Indian tribes Joined the British
and inflicted terrible damage on west
ern pioneers and soldiers. Tecumseh
had already tried to enlist the Choc-
taws in league against the settlers,
but had been baked by Pushmataha.
| The Choctaw nation" met in a ten.day
debate to determine what side to take
in the war with England. They had
Just decided to remain neutral, help
ing neither country, when, at the close
Of tho tenth day. Pushmataha rose and
thus addressed the council:
Sour fathers grasped the hand OF
Washington. They vowed to be his
peoples friends. cannot be false Ia
their pledge. II our allies, the Creek
nation, have sided with the British
! we and they must henceforth follow
different trails. / am prepared to
fight both British and Creeks I and
my own warriors go now to Tusca
loosa. When you next hear from VI
the Creek fort there will be in smoul
derlng ruins"
Again did Pushmataha make good
his boast. For he not only captured
and burned the Creek fort at Tusca
loosa, but attacked the Seminole and
Creek allies of the British with such
fury as to win battle after battle from
them. From the government troops he
learned the science Of military discip
line. He applied this learning to his
own lawless followers with so firm
hand that he soon had welded then
into a splendid body Of soldiers. He
incidentally won from frontier officers
the nickname of "The Indian Gen
eral."
lie led 500 Indians and was in &C
tive service throughout the whole war
Most OF the time he was under Gen
Andrew Jackson's orders, and he tool
part in no less than twenty-fou
fights.
When it came to signing notable
treaty between his people and the gov
ernment in 1890 he displayed geniu
: for craftsmanship and a shrewd diplo
matte wisdom that amazed the presi
; dents agents. Gen. jackson, VIII
himself was noted for sharp diplc
macy is said to have confessed the
that in Pushmataha he had met hi
J match at bargain.drlying. He sal
, later, "Pushmataha is the bravesl
greatest Indian have ever known"
Four years afterward another Chot
] taw treaty was Negotiated. This tim
X Pushmataha insisted on coming i
[ person to Washington. He sent wor
to President Monroe:
;, az desire to brighten the chains 9
1 peace between the Americans and tn
Choctaws."
A Visit of State.
So to Washington he came. Their
he was received with high honors b
president and cabinet He vlsite
;, Gen. Lafayette. saw the sights Of civ
ilization and met with an ovation thu
would have turned the brain Of n LEI
ser man. Through It all the stated
old Indian preserved his lofty dtgntt
OF maner. He allowed none Of the b.
widering new experiences to ama7
or disturb him. He was as one moi
arch visiting another.
But the visit killed him. He fell
II In Washington, and on Dec. "a, 1S2