The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-22

by A. B. Meek. Published by Sheehan
& Bayzer. Montgomery. Price 81.
" OR nearly 70 years the poetic and
romantic charm of "The Red Ea-
gle." a. heroic poem by Alexander
Beaufort Meek, has been reserved for the
few fortunate possessors of his rare vol
ume, now out of print for more than a
generation. Intellectual Alabama, edu-
eational Alabama, for that period have
suffered a distinct loss in not knowing
this great poem, reflecting its early
history, redolent of the charm of Ala
bama's own woods, hills and wales.
The poem is more than a story of
Weatherford. the Red Eagle of the
Greeks, the Alabama pioneers and "Old
Hickory Jackson, to whom the Creek
war leader surrendered; it Is poetry of
a high order. At times the author at
tains lofty flights, in recounting the
daring of Red Eagle, his romantic love
story with Lila Beazely, the vivid por-
trayal of the massacre at Fort Mimms
or in his mystic description OF the In
dams holy ground, ON the Alabama river,
height of dramatic and poetic art is
reached in the portrayal Of the surren-
der of Red Eagle to General jackson at
old Fort Toulouse.
It can but be regarded as unfortunate
that the school children of Alabama
should be so familiar with the exploits
of King Phillip and Tecumseh, and other
Indian leaders, and be kept IN ignorance
of the deeds of Weatherford and Osceola,
Indian war leaders of their own state.
Longfellow's "Hiawatha" merits it's gen.
eral popularity but why should poem
of Indian life in Alabama, and of equal
merit, be left to a few old dusty book
shelves?
To put the people of Alabama in pos
session of their heritage from the ge-
MUS of Meek. this poem has been re-
printed, and issued in keeping with its
poetic and romantic interest.
Tn the introduction, which Meek him
self wrote, and which precedes the poem,
William Weatherford, the Creek war
leader known as RED Eagle" is given
sufficient description to stimulate the
interest of all who have a regard for
the dramatic and striking story of the
pioneer period in Alabama. To 1t can
only be added the evidence of some
writer's after Meek who knew Wealth
erford and who bore witness to the in
nate strength of his character. Wealth
erford was by far the most noted OF
southern war leaders.
General Thomas Woodward, the Ala
bama pioneer who rode, hunted and lived
by RED Eagle" after his surrender to
Jackson, said: 1.-THE Indians called him
the truth teller and he was all Of that"
Again, the Creeks called him affection
ately, yellow Billy a name which
threw a light on his Scotch ancestry. for
Weatherford' father was Scotch
trader, who lived and had a race track
q few miles north of the city of Mont
somery between Pickett's Springs and the
Coosada Ferry.
known. RED Eagle was not a chief
by birth, or family right; he was forced,
by his own native gifts, to the place of
influence and leadership of the Creeks
when they took up arms against the
whites. 1t is hardly necessary to say
that the Creek war in Alabama was but
a remote and isolated part of the far
flung conflict between Great Britain and
the United States in 1S12-1si4 The British.
from a point of vantage at Pensacola,
excited and armed the Creeks of middle
Alabama to warfare against the white
American settlers. The visit OF Iecum-
sch. from the north, to his old birth
place in middle Alabama, was but an
other secret effort of the British to put
the Indians in the field.
weatherford, who commanded the m
dams. always deplored the horrible mas
| sacre. which followed the capture OF
Fort Minis, the correct spelling OF this
| name in Baldwin county, Certain it is
.h.+ he rode away from the scene, after
,ha far of the barricade, -vhsn the In
aiors hogan to murder and scalp the help
/ less captives. He is reported to have
ridden to the home of TAFT. his half
brother, some miles away, where he said,
INV braves are numbering men. women
and children, and I can do nothing with
them The fact that Weatherford lived
| for 10 years after the fall of Fort Minis,
not many miles away. and among the
white people who had lost relatives in the
massacre, was sufficient proof that they
accepted as true and sincere his repudia-
ton of the massacre, and his assertion
that he tried to restrain The Creeks when
they entered the fort.
1t is but proper that this volume should
be preceded by an Acknowledgement of
the debt the people of Alabama owe to
the genius Of Alexander B. Meek, who
has perpetuated the romantic history OF
the frst Creek war in this beautiful poem