Norwich bulletin., 1921-09-26
ODD INCIDENTs IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
THE MASSACRE OF FORT MINIS

Early in the war of 1912 the Creek h. dians, who resided in the extreme south ern part of the United States, became hostile They did not claim ony grievance against the United States, but through the influence of Tecunseh, who had wis tied them, and because British agents in Florida had offered them S5 apiece for scalps of Ameri'ans, men, women or children, they took 10 the warpath.
 In August, 1913, the most dreadful h. dian massacre in American annals took place in southern Alabama. It is known as the massacre of Fort B1irns. This so-called fort was a stockade inclosure made for cattle by a farmer named Somuel Mims, and to this the settlers came for protection when the Creek h. dians became hostile.
 There were slightly over 500 men, wo- men and children gathered in the fort when in August, 1913, it was attacked by a thousand Creek warriors, led by half-breed named Wetherford. Of the 553 inmates, a few negroes carried off as slaves, and fifteen whites, who. in the confusion, broke through the stock ade, and hid in the swamp, were all that escaped.
 Two hundred and fifty scalps are said l to have been carried to Pensecola on i poles. Nearly 200 of the inmates were volunteers and so brave wos their de l fense that about half of the Indians were | killed. September g, when an officer sent ] by Gen. Claiborne, with a strong detach-
 ment, to bury te dead. reached Fort Mims, he found a piece of the stock
 ade and the unfinished blockhouse alone
 remaining He saw the plain about the fortress strewn with carcasses. He be- held on the sites of the houses heaps of ! sarT,a fnH ,1-ffh -nl
 with horror on mounds of white men.
 Indians, women and children, all scalped
 and mutilateG, from which focks of bug
 zards and packs of dogs fled, screaming and yelping as he approached. l Fcrt Mims destroyed, the Indians. in a high state of excitement, spread over the country. They burned the deserted houses they destroyed the crops and
 murdered every white man With whom they came in contact. A panic seized the whole population of the Mississippi tiers. abandoning everything, fled to the
 forts.
 Help, if it come at all. must come quickly, Ond in a few days expresses were riding with urgent calls to the Gov ernors of Louisiana, of Georgia, and oi Tennessee. The country was mortified at the news of the massacre at Fort Mlms, and assistance came from every
 direction to the succor of those who
 still lived. Tennessee was the first state to come 10 the rescue. The legislatur,
 of that state voted $500 men to marcf
 into the Indian country under the com mand of Jackson. With band of cav airy under Gen. Coffee and large body
 of militia. Jackson overran the territor! of the Creeks, defeated them with grea. slaughter ot the battels of TaIladega anc the Horse Shoe, and forced the trib to sue for peace.
 Degree by degree. the land of tn, Creeks and their neighbors, the Chero kees was turned over to the whites, ant finally, about fifteen years after tn : massacre of Fort Mims, the Indian
 were removed to Indian Territory, be
 Iyond the Mississippi where the remnant
 of the tribe still reside.
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