the United States, on the ground that Spain could no longer hold possession of the country, and that her rights would be jeopardized or lost, by suffering it to pass into the hands of a third party (the revolutionists), on whom they could have no claim, took possession of the whole of the disputed country, in 1812, except the post of Mobile, a small fortified town of about 400 inhabitants, situated on the west side of Mobile bay, which continued to be held by a Spanish garrison until the 15th of April, 1813, when it was summoned to surrender to the arms of the United States, under general Wilkinson, which was immediately done without the slightest opposition.

3. The country of the Creek Indians, with whom the United States is now at war, is situated in the western part of the state of Georgia, and the eastern part of the Mississippi territory, between the Oakmulgee and Tombigbee rivers, and extends from the Cherokee country, which borders on Tennessee, to Florida. In the course of the last summer, several families were murdered, near the mouth of the Ohio river, by a party of Indians passing from the great lakes to the Upper Creeks. The principal chiefs of the nation, on the application of the United States' agent, determined to punish the murderers by putting them to death, and a party of warriors was appointed to execute their determination. This was no sooner done, than the resentment of the friends of the murderers broke out in acts of open violence against all who had been in any way concerned in causing the murderers to be put to death, and a civil war was the consequence. It appears, however, that this circumstance only produced a premature disclosure of their object, as it has since been ascertained that most of the Upper Creeks had previously determined to take part with the northern Indians in their war with the United States.

About the middle of July, the secretary at war wrote to the governor of Georgia, and at the same time transmitted a copy of his letter to the governor of Tennessee, stating, that information through various channels had reached the general government, of the hostility of a portion of the Creek nation, and of the necessity of breaking it down by some prompt and vigorous measures; and suggested the propriety of embodying a portion of the Georgia militia, who should either act separately against the enemy, or in concert with another corps of militia, drawn from Tennessee. This letter was received by governor Mitchell in the end of July, when he immediately took measures for calling out fifteen hundred of the Georgia militia, who were soon after marched to the Oak

mulgee river. Their number was subsequently enlarged to a full brigade.

Meanwhile appearances became every day more threatening. The friendly Indians were forced to leave their towns and retreat towards the white settlements, and fortify themselves against the attacks of the war party. The latter proceeded in great numbers to the south, where it is asserted they were supplied by the Spanish governor of Pensacola with arms and ammunition. At last, upon the 30th of August, they commenced hostilities against the United States, by an attack upon Mim's fort, on the Tensaw, a branch of the Mobile river, in the Mississippi territory, commanded by major Beasley.

4. Information had been received about a week previous, that a large number of Indians were approaching with hostile intentions, but the attack was wholly unexpected at the moment it occurred, which was about eleven in the forenoon. The whole garrison, however, was immediately under arms. The front gate being open, the enemy ran in great numbers to possess themselves of it, and in the contest for it many fell on both sides. Soon, however, the action became general, the enemy fighting on all sides in the open field, and as near the stockade as they could get. The port-holes were taken and retaken several times. A block-house was contended for by captain Jack, at the head of his riflemen, for the space of an hour after the enemy were in possession of part of it; when they finally succeeded in driving his company into a house in the fort, and, having stopped many of the port-holes with the ends of rails, possessed themselves of the walls. The troops made a most gallant defence from the houses, but the enemy having set fire to the roofs, and the attempt to extinguish it proving unsuccessful, the few who now remained alive attempted a retreat, having previously thrown into the flames many of the guns of the dead. Few, however, succeeded in escaping. Major Beasley fell gallantly fighting at the head of his command, near the gate, at the commencement of the action. The other officers fell nobly doing their duty; the non-commissioned officers and soldiers behaved equally well.

The loss of the Americans was great: sixty-five, including officers and men, of the Mississippi territory volunteers, and twenty-seven volunteer militia, were killed. Many respectable citizens, with numerous families, who had abandoned their farms, and fled to the fort for security, were also killed, or burnt in the houses into which they fled. A de

tachment which was sent from cantonment Mount Vernon, on the 21st of September, to collect the bones of their coun trymen, collected, and consigned to the earth, 247 persons, including men, women, and children. The detachment likewise searched the woods for bodies, where they found at least 100 dead Indians, who were covered with rails, brush, &c. These Indians had been interred with their war-dresses and implements, by which they were recognized.

On the receipt of the disastrous intelligence of the destruction of major Beasley's garrison, preparations were immediately made for collecting a large force of Tennessee militia, and providing supplies for those of Georgia, which had already assembled. The Tennessee militia were marched in two divisions, under the orders of major-generals Jackson and Cocke.

5. On the 2d of November, major-general Jackson dispatched brigadier-general Coffee from the camp at Ten-Islands, with 900 men, consisting of cavalry and mounted riflemen, on an expedition against the Tallushatches towns, where a considerable force of the Creeks was concentrated. Coffee arrived within a mile and a half of the town on the morning of the 3d, where he divided his force into two divisions, and directed them to march so as completely to encircle the town, which was effected in a masterly manner. When they arrived within about half a mile of the towns, the enemy began to prepare for action, which was announced by the beating of their drums, mingled with savage yells. About an hour after sun-rise the action was brought on by two companies, who had gone within the circle of alignment, for the purpose of drawing the enemy out from their buildings. As soon as the two companies exhibited their front in view of the town, and gave a few scattering shot, the enemy formed and made a violent charge upon them, on which they gave way, and were followed by the Indians, until they reached the main body, who immediately opened a general fire, and then charged. The Indians now, in their turn, retreated firing, until they got around and in their buildings, when they made a most determined resistance, fighting to the very last moment, as long as they could stand or sit, not one shrinking or complaining; not one asking for quarter. Every warrior in the town was killed, and all the women and children were taken prisoners, except a few who were unintentionally slain, in consequence of the men flying to the houses and mixing with their families, and at the same time refusing quarter.

VOL. II.

S

The number found killed of the enemy was 186, and a number of others were killed in the woods, who were not found. The number of women and children taken was eighty-four. Of the Americans, five were killed, and fortyone wounded, the greater part slightly, none mortally; two of the killed were with arrows, which appeared to form a principal part of the arms of the Indians on this occasion, every man having a bow, with a bundle of arrows, which he used after the first fire with his gun, until a leisure time for loading offered.

Coffee bestows much praise on his men, for their deliberation and firmness. "Notwithstanding our numbers," says he, "were far superior to that of the enemy, it was a circumstance to us unknown, and from the parade of the enemy we had every reason to suppose them our equals in number; but there appeared no visible traces of alarm in any; on the contrary, all appeared cool and determined; and, no doubt, when they face a foe of their own, or of superior number, they will show the same courage as on this occasion."

The following day general Coffee returned with his detachment to the camp.

§ 6. Late on the evening of the 7th a friendly Indian arrived at the camp, who brought intelligence that the enemy had arrived in great numbers at Talledega, about thirty miles below the camp, where one hundred and sixty men of the friendly Creeks had erected a fort, the more effectually to resist the efforts of the hostile party, and where they were now stationed with their wives and children. The messenger represented that, unless speedy relief could be obtained from the army, the fort would certainly be taken. General Jackson immediately gave orders for taking up the line of march, with twelve hundred infantry and eight hundred cavalry and mounted riflemen, leaving behind the sick, the wounded, and the baggage, with a sufficient force for their protection. By twelve o'clock that night the army was in motion, and commenced crossing the river opposite the encampment, which was effected in a few hours, and on the night of the 8th the army was encamped within six miles of the enemy. At eleven that night a soldier and two Indians, who had been sent forward to reconnoitre, returned with the intelligence that the enemy were encamped within a quarter of a mile of the fort; but they had not been able to approach near enough to ascertain either their number or precise situation. At midnight the adjutant-general was ordered to pre

pare the line of march, and by four o'clock the army was in motion.

The infantry marched in three columns; the cavalry and mounted riflemen were in the rear, with flankers on each wing. The advance consisted of a company of artillery with muskets, and two companies of riflemen. A company of spies marched four hundred yards in front of the whole, to bring on the engagement. Having arrived within a mile of the enemy at seven o'clock, two hundred and fifty of the cavalry and mounted riflemen were placed in the rear of the centre, as a corps de reserve, and the remainder were ordered to advance on the right and left of the infantry, and, after having encircled the enemy, by uniting the fronts of their columns, and keeping their rear connected with the infantry, to face and press inwards towards the centre, so as to leave the enemy no possibility of escape. The infantry were ordered to advance by heads of companies, general Hall's brigade occupying the right, and general Roberts's the left.

About eight o'clock the advance, having arrived within eighty yards of the enemy, who were concealed in a thick shrubbery which covered the margin of a rivulet, received from them a heavy fire, which they immediately returned, and then charged and dislodged them from their position. The advance now fell back, as they had been previously ordered, to the centre. On the approach of the enemy, three of the militia companies, having given one fire, commenced a retreat, notwithstanding the utmost exertions of their officers. To fill the vacancy occasioned by this retreat, Jackson immediately ordered up a regiment of volunteers; but finding the advance of the enemy too rapid to admit of their arrival in time, the reserve was ordered to dismount and meet them. This order was executed with great promptitude and gallantry, and the retreating militia, seeing the spirited stand made by the reserve, immediately rallied, and recovered their position, pouring in upon the enemy a most destructive fire. The engagement now became general; and in fifteen minutes the Indians were seen flying in every direction. On the left they were met and repulsed by the mounted riflemen; but on the right it unfortunately happened that too great a space had been left between the cavalry and infantry, by which numbers escaped. They were pursued, however, for three miles to the mountains with great slaughter.

The force of the enemy was represented by themselves at a thousand and eighty, two hundred and ninety-nine of whom were left dead on the ground, and a great many were killed