West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-02-05
20 EAeLE.

BfeSSCd, bis long. homely face tanned
win he suns OF terrific Alabama
campaiSn ageinst Red Eagle. the
Greek chief--sat at the door OF his
tent one morning IN 1914 Nearby
lonnged o thronE OF tired out militia
men. The campaign had been long
and wcafyirg The hostile Creek In
dams, led by Red Eagle. had moro
thsn once put JacksOns militia to
rout and by the Fort Minis massacre
had roused tie whole country to Jury.
The Creek war was nearly over. the
women and children az the 'hostiles"
were bcrded Ga The woods. The braves
were killed or scattered But Red
Eaele--scou-ge OF Alabama and in
carnate war Spirit of the sayages-
was SIN at large.
= TyS-d Of Heroisn.
Suddenly the thunder OF horse-hoofs
broke on the camps quiet. A rider
bronze Of skin and with the face and
figure OF sculptured god-dashed
up to the generals tent. refined In
his gray charger and sat calmly look
Ing down upon the conqueror Of the
Greeks. From a hundred throats rose
the amazed, furious yell:
Red Eaglel XIII hint"
The man on horseback paid no moro
heed to these cries nor to the rifles
leveled at his breast than to the buzz
of summer flies. He continued to
gaze stolidly down at Jackson. The
general found his voice at last and
easped in incredulous wonder:
Red Eagle! You dare ride into
my camp when you murdered hun
/ dreds OF innocent white women and
children at Fort Mims?"
Il do not fear you" replied the In.
dian. RED Eagle fears no man. I
ask nothing for myself. Kill me If you
choose. come to beg you to feed
our starving women and children.
whom this war has left homeless and
without food"
Again. from the militiamen. rose
the howl: 'T1in hint" But jackson,
wbirling about 10 face his soldiers,
cried: THE man who would kill any
one SO brave as this Indian would rob
the dead Red Eagle, I have offered
pence terms 20 the Creeks. II you
do not Ike those terms you may ride
away In safety from my camp and
resume hostnities. But If you are ta-
nSGl shall hang YOU"
100 Is no longer that choice left
me-" rctorted Red Eagle. "Once my
voice could rouse my warriors TO bat
tie. But The dead cannot be reused.
You have offered peace terms to the
: CTeeks. Your talk Is good. Ny people
shall listen to st."
Red Eagle was born about 1870.
His mother waH q Creek princess, his
father Scotch trader From boyhood
Red E2Ele was hero among his
mother's people His beauty. his
courage his marvellous eloquence. his
crafty diplomacy soon made him head
---<l1-i-- on overload. OF the whole south
ern corf~rrTs-e:- 81 tribes that COM
posed tie Crcek Nation When the
war al 1912 with ENGLAND was brew
ms mspy spanish and British ennis
ssries went amcng the Creeks to stir
them rp against TIE United States
government fecumseh. too by his
oratory and "miracles." enlisted a
Iarge peri oil tie tribes on the side OF
the Brtish. Re found q ready ally in
Red Eaeie.
a Uaitad safes garrison. 245
strong, under commend OF Major Beas.
ley. was ertrauched at Fort Minis.
Ihltfer, too came nearly 800 white
women md children for refuge. For
there had been several clashes be-
tween Creoks and settlers and the
out'Sing Districts were unsafe. Red
Easie. vith about 1000 braves, "a.
Al9cred the fort IN late August, 1918.
For five hours the battle waged. At
faFt the Indians slew most OF the de-
tenders and set fire 70 the forts
wooden buildings. The battle was
won. Nearly all the Rble-bodied white
men were killed. The savages began
20 murder the women and children.
- EARLE besought his warriors to
ETe yn6se defsEseless victims. But
his words fell on deaf ears. His own
lie was threatened By the war-mad
braves. So he left the scene and
rode away alone. refusing to look on
LsucA horrors. Out of more than 500
4 white persons in Fort Minis, only
4 about twenty escaped.
Red Eagles Last Stand.
The news OF this outrage set all
the south abiaze. Andrew Jackson,
weak from a wound received in a
duo, vas lifted onto his horse and
ock commend Of the avenging south
ncTs- Battle after battle was fought.
encrai'y tie white man won. But
lore tnan once Red Eagles military
enius served 90 indict a severe de-
eat upon the militia The climax OF
he war came at the battle Of Horse.
hCe o. ihc Tallapooaa river. There
ineians (contrury 20 their usual
isfomj threw uD forti1cations and
aitec 5acfcn's attack For a long
Re Tic Issue was in doubt But at
81 y the militia rushed" the trenches
<| ~ sisursteTed and utterly routed
SAVAGE warriors. Jackson's loss
Tbs 1eht was - killed and 14G
1nlef Eat he had forever wreck
tic power Of Red Eagle and had
ehee e Greek Nation. 10 was
s. 80 hoe encounter that
or Ei'y Weatherford."
known Do many O. the Ala
ane) eill down on q Monroe
plantation
e 90 cheflain died March
S from oYerlauere caused By
nf 9 rlrr bear.