Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-03-10
Aliseellaneous Rsading.
OLD HICKORY IN FLORIDA.
How Andrew jackson Redeemed State
From Indians and Spaniards.

How Andrew jackson Redeemed State
From Indians and Spaniards.
Confederate soldiers, the world
over. says a Jacksonville, Fla, letter,
revere the name of Andrew Jackson,
and in view of the fact that their
next reunion is to be held in the
only city in the south that was named
in honor of that great and brave
man. his services in freeing Florida
from the blight Of Indian barbarism
will be of interest.
Jacksonville was named for Gen.
Andrew Jackson as a compliment,
and mark of appreciation, for services
he rendered to civilization in the
Seminole war. There could have been
no progress, or civilization in Florida
but for the work of Andrew Jackson.
Conditions in this territory in 1918,
nearly a hundred years ago, demand
ed the services Of a brave and reso-
Lutte man. General Jackson was Sc
lected by the government as the one
man above all others to head the
movement against the Seminole In
dians, who had been terrorizing the
territory for several years and COM
mitting atrocities of the most brutal
character.
In March, 1918, General Jackson
was ordered to the site Of the Semi
mole war. He invaded east Florida,
and in a campaign Of less than six
weeks crushed these Indians. 1t is
related by historians that in one VII
lage, not far removed from Jackson
Vile, he found 800 scalps of men,
women and children, many Of them
still fresh, hanging on a war pole.
General Jackson knew that the Span
iards were in sympathy with the In
dams in their attacks on American
settlers. After cleaning up number
of Indian villages, he captured the
Spanish post of st. Marks. For this
act he was severely criticised by his
government However the naked
fact is that "Old Hickory" was more
courageous than the men who were
conducting the affairs of state at
Washington.
Early in May, 1918, General Jack
son closed his campaign against the
Seminoles in east Florida. He had
completely broken their power and
run them out Of the territory. They
caused no more serious trouble.
During the campaign in east Flori-
da, General Jackson obtained satisfa-
tory evidence that Spanish officials at
Pensacola were in sympathy with
the Indians. He promptly decided to
march against them and teach them
a lesson. The Spanish governor of
west Florida, learning Of General
Jackson's purpose, sent him writ
ten protest against his invasion. This
protest is now on file among the
jackson documents in charge of the
Tennessee Historical society at Nash
vile. The protest was delivered to
General Jackson near Pensacola on
May %, but it had no effect on that
determined man. In reply, he sent a
peremptory demand Of the i'm
mediate surrender Of Pensacola and
Barrancas. Jackson advanced i'm
mediately on Pensacola and possessed
it. Two days later the Barrancas
garrison capitulated, were received
as prisoners of war and sent to Hav-
vana.
Having thus snatched both east and
west Florida from the Indians and
Spaniards, General Jackson at once
proceeded to establish a provisional
governor under the Stars and Stripes.
Having accomplished this he returned
to Tennessee, then his home.
Without censuring General Jackson,
the government restored Pensacola
and st. Marks to Spain. and the Span
iards were put in possession. Shortly
however, Florida was
ceded to the United States and Gen
eral Jackson was made provisional
governor. He served a little more
than a year, and was succeeded upon
the SSldDllSIlllleul VI d leITllOEldi
government, by William P. Duval as
governor.
In 1922, a number of pioneers held
a meeting there and decided to start
the work Of building a town. The
village was then known as the Cow
Ford, a name given to it by the In
dians. After perfecting an organiza-
ton, the incorporation unfurled the
banner of Jacksonville, in honor of
General Jackson, who had made it
possible for white men to live there.
When the Confederate soldiers and
their friends meet there for the oath
annual reunion, Jacksonville will i'm
press them with all the force of An
drew Jackson. 1t is now a modern,
progressive city of $4,000 population,
one Of the thriving business centers
of the new south. Its varied at
fractions will delight all who attend
the reunion, and no matter how large
the crowd may be, Jacksonville will
take care of all.