The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-02

acNA iFetit anu 1CLlHK upon HIS ItoOiuAiCis
ne boldly appeared at the American
camr. Mounted upon the noble horse
which carried him over the steep bluff
az the Holy Ground, he advanced to the
American outposts. He politely inquired
for General Jackson of some soldiers, but
was rudely answered by them. A gray
haired man near by, however, pointed
out Jacfson's markee. OF what occurred
az this time we quote the following
Neatheifo ford rode directly to this entrance
where was seated Big Warrior, who ex-
ultingly exclaimed "Ah. Bill Weather
ford, have we got you at last!' The fear
less chieftain cast his keen eye at the
Big Warrior, and said in a determined
tone:
you ID traitor, If you give me any
insoience, 1 will blow ball through
your cowarGly heart
General Jackson now came running out
Of the markce, and in a furious manner
exclaimed
'Hcw dare, you sir, to ride up to my
tent, after having murdered the women
an children at Fort Minis
Weatherford said: General Jackson,
am not afraid of you 1 fear no man
for ] am a Greek warrior. have Moth
ing to request in behalf of myself. You
can kill me if you desire. But I come
to beg yos to send for the women ana
children OF the war party who are now
starving in the woods. Their fields and
cribs have been destroyed by your peo-
pie who have driven them to the woods
without an ear of corn. j hope that you
will send out parties, who will safely con-
duct them here, in order that they may
be fed. / exerted myself in vain TO pre-
cent the massacre Of the women and chill
dren at Fort Minis. ] am now done
lighting. The Red Sticks are nearly all
killed. II 1 could fight you any longer
haar fiI Send FOR
the women and children. They never
did you any harm. But kill rne II the
white people want it done
AS he concluded these words, there were
explanations by numbers OF persons now
surrounding the msrkee, XIII him XII
hint Kill him. General Jackson author
itativeiy enjoined silence, and in an I'M
pressive tone said:
ANY man that would kill as brave a
man as this would rob the deadi''
At the same time he Hospitality invited
Weatherford to come into his markee'
where he drank glass of brandy with
him, and engaged in pleasant CONVEX
sation. weatherford gave him deer
which he had killed and had before him
on his horse when he rode up to the
tent, and the two men at once became
friends.
Engaging no further in the war except
to influence his warriors to surrender,
Weatherford returned to his residence
upon Little river, but his life being IN
danger, he had to leave it and seek safety
in Fort Claiborne. Finding that reia-
tives of those persons who had been
killed at Fort Minis were determined TO
take the life of Weatherford, it was
deemed best to send him beyond the lines,
which conclusion was acted upon one
dark night about midnight the command
ing officer of the fort sent his aid with
Uaatberford to Captain-afterward
maior-Iayal, who was the officer on
guard The aid explained that the COM
mandant ordered that Laval should take
Weatherford to a certain indicated tree,
where there was a horse tied, and upon
which Weatherford was to escape. Cap
tain Laval, bidding Weatherford follow
him, passed the guard by giving the
countersign. and reached the tree IN
question, Weatherford then untying the
animal and throwing the reins over its
head. grasped Captain Laavafs hand ana
in tones which betokened the deepest SIN
cerity, said: "Good-byi God bless you!
yaulting lightly into the saddle, he at
once rode rapidly away
EXAMPLE OF HIS BRAVERY
Many persons of that time bore testi-
mony to Weatherfords great bravery,
as we'll as to the rectitude of his private
life. an instance Of which is here given:
| In 1920, large crowd of people from
| the entire country around had assem-
bled at sale which was to be held of
the effects of deceased citizen OF Mon
roe county. Alabama Upon this oc-
casion an old man named Bradberry his
son being the brave Lieutenant Bradberry
who fought at Burnt Corn, and who
I CT mt 10 oct n iG IN 10
killed in most dastardly manner by a
man plunging a long knife into the
back of his neck. The murderer was aid
| ed by man who was also in pursuit of
Bradberry at the time, and who had
broken a pitcher over his head only a
few minutes before. The justice of the
peace in vain besought the bystanders to
| seize the two desperate men, who de-
family flourished their knives above the
poor, old, inoffensive Bradberry lying
there in the pools of his own blood.
| Weatherford was among those present
at the time Struck with horror at the
brutality and cowardce of the deed and
indignant at the timidity evidenced by the
bystanders. he stepped f, ward to the
| justice and said in loud voice: These,
I suppose, are white mer's laws. You
stand aside and see a man. old man,
killed and not one of you will avenge
/ his blood If he had one drop Of In
dian blood mixed with that which runs
upon the ground there, / would instantly
kill his murderers at the risk OF my
| life
| The justice besought him to arrest
them, guaranteeing him that the law
would not harm him. but that he would
be applauded for, taking them in Gus
| tody. eWatherford then drew out his
long, silver-handied butcher knife and
Invent toward the murderers. who stand
ing short distance away, threatened
the life of anyone who advanced to
take them. He first walked to the muir
derer, who trembled so at seeing Wealth
erford that he dropped his knife, and
cravenly surrendered. Weatherford
seized him by the throat and said to
the onlookers, "Here. tie the id ras-
cal" Then flashing his piercing eyes upon
the accomplish, he went up to him, the
man submitting without the least resist
ance, at the same time saying in a cow
ardly tone. 81 will not resist you, Bill
lWeatherford.
In 1924 Weatherford died of overexertior
produced from engaging in a desperate
bear hunt In Mobile paper Of that
year was the following notice: William
Weatherford, the celebrated warrior, Is
at length vanquished. the destroyer is
conquered, the hand which SO profusely
dealt death and desolation among the