Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-08-30

Ing nut, WORSE Sllll, OrueTtu a. wv hcBiocS
hogged for causing so much alarm among the
people in the fort. The owner OF one of the ne
groes refused to allow this to be done, where
upon Beasley gave him the alternative of allow
Ing the punishment to be melted out or leaving
the fort. So the next day, August 30, the owner
acceded to Beasley's demand and the unfortunate
black was tied to a post.
But before the whipping could take place, the
presence of q force of more than 1000 creek
warriors surrounding the fort was discovered.
Beasley is said to have seen them first and,
shouting indians Indiansi" he dashed toward
the east gate which had been c~arelessly LETT open
with no one on guard. The commander made q
desperate effort to close the huge gate before
the yelling savages reached IL but the wind had
drifted sand against it and kept it open just
long enough for the first of the attackers to push
1t back, hurl themselves upon Beasley, cut him
down with their tomahawks and rush into the fort.
The next moment a savage torrent poured In
through the open gate and dashed toward the
startled soldiers who came tumbling out of their
tents In which they had been lounging for pro
lection against the hot midday sun. Many OF
them were killed In the outer enclosure but the
others r~etreated through the inner gate, slammed
It shut and mounted the walls to defend the In
ner Enclosure.
For a short time there was a desperate fight
at such close quarters that sometimes an indian
and a soldier firing their guns through the same
portfolio would kill each other simultaneously.
But under the leadership of Bailey, upon whom
the command devolved after Beasley's death, the
defenders of the fort put up such stern resist
ance that after three hours of fierce fighting the
Indians began to draw off and plumber the houses
outside the stockade.
"a. = tat = -.-.taoou
black horse. appeared to lead his men forward
In another attack. This time there was no hold
Ing In check the savage tide. The Indians cut
their way through the west gate. They forced
the east gate and poured over the south wall
The defenders fought desperately from house to
house while the roofs were burning over their
head. Minis house, I'm which a large number Of
women and children had taken refuge, was set
on fire and there they persisted miserably.
In a short time the whole enclosure except the
north bastion was In the hands Of the enemy who
killed every person on whom they could lay their
hands. Weatherford, appalled, by the murderous
frenzy of his followers, tried In vain TO restrain
them. But he had unleashed a tempest of saw
agery which neither he nor any other chief could
have controlled that day. The Creeks swept for
ward against the bastion and captured 1t. About
a dozen soldiers tore. openings through the pail
SADIE and managed to escape. But the rest were
slaughtered, fighting desperately to the last. The
only ones who were spared we're some negroes
who were-carrled AWAY as slaves by the Creeks.
Afterwards the fort was burned to the ground
and the bodies of all the slain we're left lying I'M
buried on the ground. "For desperation In de-
Tense, persistency In attack and absolute courage
on the part of both parties, the affair was, and
remains, almost without parallel" writes one
historian.
The usual "wave of horror and Indignation
which throughout the course OF our history
swept the country after every major calamity
In Indian warfare, from st. Clair's defeat to tht
Custer battle, resulted In a stern determinarior
to punish the Creeks. SO Gen. Andrew Jackson
took the field and began the campaign which
after several hard-fought battles, resulted In tht
; breaking of the power of the Creeks on th'
bloody field of Tohopeka or the "Great Horse
shoe Bend of the Alabama river.
A short time later Jackson raised his flag owe
Fort Toulouse which was rechristened Fort Jack
: son. There one day a tall, light-colored IndlaI
walked into Jackson's headquarters.
General Jackson?' he inquired.
@Yes."
II am Bill Weatherford."
Then, In the words of an eyewitness the fol
lowing conversation took place. Said the Indiai
leader: II am come to give myself up. | can OF
! pose you no longer. / have done you much In
= jury. / should have done you more but my war
riors are killed. / Inn In your power. Dispose o
me as you please"
"You are not" said the general, 'in my power
J | had ordered you brought to me In chains. Blu
Z you have come Of your own accord. You see m
: : camp, you see my army, you know my object.
= would gladly save you and your nation, but 20
, do not even ask to be saved. II you think yo
! can contend against me in battle 60 and hea
your warriors"
z "Ah," said Weatherford, swell may such lar
guage be addressed to me now. There was a tim
: when | could have answered you. / could an
Y mate my warriors to battle but | cannot an
n mate the dead. General Jackson, l have nothin
to request for myself. But ! beg you to send 70
: the women and children Of the war party, VIII
q have been driven to the woods without an ca
7 of corn. They never did any harm. But kill m,
If the white people want 1t DONE"
Whereupon Jackson gave his promise to hel
the women and children and William Weathe
= ford, the Indian leader who was seven-eightl
n white man, strobe from the tent vanishing froi
. the view OF the astonlshed ~soldlery. and frol
= history, q not entirely ~graceless figure"
III 90 Nv Western Newspaper unson.)