The Ely miner., 1933-09-01


and General Jackson
house and strengthen the defenses of the fort
as much as possible. Beasley was brave man
but poor commander and he allowed the work
on the fort to lag after many rumors of the ap-
proach of the enemy turned out to be false
alarms. So the blockhouse was never completed
and except at night no sentries were posted The
people in the fort, some $50 in number, were soon
to pay bitter price for the negligence of their
commander.
On August %, 1918, two negroes who had been
herding cattle in the woods came rushing back
to the fort with the news that they had seen a
large body of Indians approaching. The foolish
commander not only refused to heed the warn
ing but, worse still, ordered the two negroes
fiogged for causing 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 meted 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 post.
But before the whipping could take place, the
presence of a force of more than 1000 creek
warriors surrounding the fort was discovered.
Beasley is said to have seen them first and,
shouting Indians, Indians!" he dashed toward
the east gate which had been carelessly left open
with no one on SudrQ. Inc cOmUdHuer Hdu6 q
desperate effort to close the huge gate before
the yelling savages reached it 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-
. fba hot mid NaO Of
them were killed in the outer enclosure but the
others retreated through the inner gate slammed
1t shut and mounted the walls to defend the in
ner inclosure.
For short time there was a desperate fight
at such close quarters that sometimes Indian
and 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 Beasey's death. the
defenders of the fort put up such a stern resist
that after three hours of fierce fighting the
Indians began to draw off and plunder the houses
outside the stockade.
At this point Weatherford, riding a magnificent
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 the south wall.
The defenders fought desperately from house to
mouse Willie the rOOIS were burning over IHelr
head Minis house, in which a large number OF
women and children had taken refuge, set
on fire and there they perished miserably.
In a short time the whole enclosure except the
north bastion was In the hands of the enemy who
killed every person whom they could lay their
hands, Weatherford, appalled, by the murderous
frenzy of his followers tried In vain 70 restrain
them. But he had unleashed a tempest of saw
agery which neither he any other chief could
have controlled that day. The Creeks swept for
ward against the bastion and captured it. About
dozen soldiers tore openings through the pail
sade and managed to escape. But the rest were
slaughtered fighting desperately to the last. The
only who spared were some negroes
who were carried away as slaves by the Creeks.
Afterwards the fort was burned to the ground
and the bodies of all the slain were left lying un-
buried on the ground. "For desperation in de-
fense 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. Cair's defeat to the
Custer battle, resulted In stern determination
to punish the Creeks. So Gen. Andrew Jackson
took the field and began the campaign which,
after several hard-fought battles, resulted in the
bloody field of Tohopeka or the "Great Horse
shoe Bend" of the Alabama river
short time later Jackson raised his flag
Fort Toulouse which was rechristened Fort Jack
son. There day a tall. ght-colored Indian
walked into Jackson's headquarters.
General JacksonT he inquired.
"Yes"
'T am Bill Weatherford."
Then, In the words of eyewitness the fol-
lowing conversation took place. Said the Indian
leader: 81 am come to give myself up can OPP
pose you no longer. have done you much In
jury. 7 should have done you more but my war
riors are killed. am in your power. Dispose of
me as you please"
"You not" said the general, "in my power.
had ordered you brought to me in chains But
you have come of your accord. You see my
camp, you see my army. you know my object.
would gladly save you and your nation. but you
do not ask to be saved. IF you think you
contend against me in battle go and head
your warriors"
"Ah," said Weatherford, "well may such lam
guage be addressed to me now. There time
when could have answered you. l could ami
mate my warriors to battle; but cannot ami
mate the dead. General Jackson. have nothing
to request for myself. But beg you to send for
the women and children of the war party who
have been driven to the woods without ear
of corn. They never did any harm. But kill me,
If the white people want 1t done"
Whereupon Jackson gave his promise to help
the women and children and William Weather
ford, the Indian leader who was seven-eighths
white man. strobe from the tent vanishing from
the view of the astonshed solders, and from
history, a not entirely graceless figure"
tc by Western Newspaper Union)