Newspaper Page Text
THE REFLECTOR,
v>
° " r "" ' , H'my —w™
MILLEDGEVILLE, GEORGIA, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1819.
E WAR.
ll\tE
F.N 13
KEHAt. JACKSON, TO
illTHKMT.
. Gx'lidei, cast bank of
r, tonnerly Negro fort,
i m. orrthe 91 h inst.
with the brigade of
bayonets strong, and
reeks, who had join-
i few days before,
i quart of corn per
cattle, which, added
tight along would give
of meat, determined
is sm iD supply to the
cordingly having been
ibson, quarter master
lid sail f.om Ncw-Or-
Februarv, with sup-
so advised, that two
ns were in the bay, and
dispatched from Fort
boat to bring up a part
1 deeming the prescr
ibes would be to pre-
d enable me to prose-
1 assumed the com-
g of the 10th, ordered
slaughtered and issued
no quart of corn to each
f march to be taken up
bring to cross the Flint
ry high, combined with
urning the boats during
lit, 1 was unable to
site bank until 9 o’clock
13 tli, when I took
:h down the east bank of
lace, touching the river
ble, looking for the pro
ms ascending, and which
ugh to meet on the 13th,
extra ration to the troops,
received a full one of
e their arrival at Fort
patrols captured three
;md some hidden corn,
‘toe 14th, I ordered the
r to this place, whilst I
and reached herewith-
the Kith. The eligi-
s a depot determined
ately directed my aid do
Gadsden, of the engineer
a plan for, and suporin-
of, a fortification. His
tigabie zeal displayed in
order, induced me to
'cn—to which he is j tst-
y arrival here 1 iinmc-
the boat to the bay for
provisions known to be
'ertnin whether the flotil-
olonel Gibson, had rcacli-
jeh returned on the 10th
ng intelligence that no-
Jard from the flotilla from
In mine, of the 11th of February, from
Hartford, I informed you of the means a-
dopted to procure supplies, and in my last
of the 25th from fort Early, 1 informed
you of their situation. To those commu
nications l beg leave to refer you. 1 have
only to add, that I left fort Fairly for fort
.•■'cott, and subsisted my troops on ground
p".i«, corn and pork, that I could occasion-
illv procure from the Indians, with some
pork 1 had on foot, the whole subsistence
for man and horse not costing live hundred
dollars. Of all the supplies purchased for
the relief of fort Scott, and the support of
the Georgia militia, not one pound was re
ceived until 1 passed fort Scott. 1 said in
my last, that blame rested somewhere.—
The cause of those failures will in due time
be a subject of investigation ; and colonel
Brearley has been arrested on the applica
tion of general Gaines,
Bv som,e strange fatality, unaccountable
to me, the Tennessee volunteers have not
yet joined me. They promptly lefv.lieir
homes, and through the inclement Wea
tact with my flank columns, and discover
ing movement to encircle them. The pur
suit was continued through the Alickusuki-
un towns, until night compelled me to en
camp my army. The next day, detachments
were sent out in every direction, to recon
noitre the country, secure all supplies found
and reduce to ashes the villages. The du
ty was executed to my Satisfaction ; nearly
three hundred houses were consumed, and
the greatest abundance of corn, cattle, Stc.
brought in. Every indication of a hostile
spirit was found in the habitations of their
chiefs. In the council houses of Kenka-
gees town, the king of the AJickasukians,
more than fifty fresh scalps were found, and
in the centre of the public square the old
Red Sticks' standard, a red poly, was erect
ed, crowned with scalps, recognized by
the hair, as torn from the heads of the un
fortunate companions of Scott. As I had
reason to believe that a portion of the hos
tile Indians had fled to St. Marks, 1 direct
ed my march towards that fortress. As
advised,l found that the Indians and negroes
ther, reached fort Mitchell, where 1 had combined had demanded a surrender of that
ordered them supplies, and where colonel
Hayne, who led them, met my instructions I
to pass by fort Gaines, where they would
get a supply of corn, that would enable
them to reach fort Scott; but the idea of,
starvation had stalked abroad ; a panic ap
pears to have spread itself every where,
and he was told they were starving at fort
Gaines and fort Scot!., and lie was induced
to pass into Georgia for supplies. His
men and officers, as reported to ine, were
willing to risk the worst of consequences,
on what they had, to join me : however,
they have been marched from their sup
plies to a country stripped of them, when
every consideration should have induced
his advisers to have urged him on to secure
the supplies in the buy, and preserve them-
sei .es and fort Scott from starvation. I
have a hope they w ill join me before J reach
St. Marks, or the Miekusuky towns : this
wmuld be desirable, us the troops ordered
from N’ew-Orieans to protect the supplies
have not reached the bay, and leaving gar
risons at forts Scott and Gadsden, weakens
my force much. The whole effective
strength of the regulars, being but 330
privates.
In mine, of the 2Ctb ultimo, from fort
Early, I stated thu^ despatches, received
by general Gaines, on the 19th, from the
commanding officer at- fort Scott, induced
him to set out that night for fort Scott to
prevent its abandonment, Dc. In his pas
sage down the Flint he was shipwrecked,
by which he lost his assistant adjutant gen
eral, major C. Wright and two soldiers
(drowned.) The general reached me six
days after, nearly exhausted by hunger
and cold, having lost his baggage and cloth
ing, and being compelled to wonder
in the woods four and a half days
without any tiling to subsist on, or any clo
thing except a pair of pantaloons. I nm
work. The Spanish garrison was too weak
to defend it, and there were circumstances
reported, producing a strong conviction in
my mind, that, if not instigated by the
Spanish authorities, the Indians h id receiv
ed tiie means of carrying on the war from
that quarter. Foreign agents, who have
been long practising their intrigues and vil.
lauies in this country, had free access into
the fort. St .Marks was necessary as a de
pot, to ensure succor,; to my operations
killing one man. and capturing the residue,
consisting of one man and woman and two
children, and on the evening I encamped,
as rnv guide supposed within 12 miles of
Su wany. 1 marched very early on the Kith
under the hope of being able to encom
pass and attack the Indian aud regro
towns by 1 o’clock, p. m. but much to m3
regret, at 3 o'clock, and after marching 10,
miles, we reached a remarkable pond,
which my guide recollected and reported
to be 0 miles distant from the object of my
march : here I should have halted fertile
night, had not 6 mounted Indiana (suppos
ed to be spies) who were discovered, have
effected their escape ; this determined me
to attempt by a forced inarch to prevent the
removal of their effects, and, if possible,
themselves from crossing the river ; for,
my rations being out, it was all important
to secure their supplies for the subsistence
of my troops. Accordingly my lines of
attack were instantly formed and put in mo
tion, and about sun set my left flank column,
composed of the 2d regiment of Tennes
see \0lunteer3, commanded by colonel
>yilliamson, and apart of the friendly In
dians under colonel Kenard, .ring ap
proached the left flank of the centre town
and commenced their attack, caused me to
quicken the pace of the centre, composed
of the regulars, Georgia militia, and my
volunteer Kentucky and Tennessee guards,
in order to press the enemy in his centre
whilst the right column, composed of the
1st regiment of Tennessee volunteers un-
ler colonel Dyer, and a part of the friend
rhesc.considerations determined me to oc- ly Indians, headed by general M'Intosh,
cupy it with an American force. An in- who had preceded me, were endeavoring
veutorv of Spauish'property, munitions of to turn his'left and cut off his retreat to the
war, •Icc. has been taken and receipted for.
Personal rights and private property have
been respected, and the commandant and
garrison furnished with transportation to
Pensacola. Aly correspondence with the
Spanish commandant, the evidences under
which I acted, and a detailed account of my
river. They, however, having been pre
viously informed of our force, by a preci
pitate rctr ‘at soon crossed the river; where
it is believed colonel Kanard with his In
dians did him considerable injury. Nine
negroes and two Indians were found dead,
and two negro men made prisoners. On
operations, will be tarnished you as early 1 the 17th foraging parties were sent out,
us practicable. Success depends upon the who found a considerable quantity of corn
rapidity ol my movements; to-morrow 1 1 and some cable. On the Kith, having ob-
shul! m ircli lor the Suw.mey river ; the de-j tained some small croft, 1 ordered general
stroying 0! the establishments on which, j Gr.incs a-rois the river with a strong de-
will in my opinion, put a final close to t.ichment, and two days provisions, to pur-
tbis savage war. 1 sue the enemy ; the precipitancy of their
Captiin M'Keever, of the navy, cruiz- flight was soon discovered by the great
ing at my request on tliis coast, has been | quantity of goods, corn, &c. strewed thro’
fortunate enough to secure Francis or till- i the sw imps and convinced general Gaines j you with a detailed report of my operations
lit Hugo, tils great prophet, and Harnatt-1 that pursuit was in vain. Nine Indians and 1 to the east of the Appalacliicola river. In
leaned, an old Red .Stick chief. 1'hey vi- five negro prisoners were taken by our In-j the several communications addressed to
ited his vessel under an impression they Ginns. The evidence of the haste with ( you from Hartford,Fort Scott and this place,
which the enemy had fled, induced thegen- j 1 have stated the condition of the arirty 00
cral to confine his vcconnoigattce to search my assuming the immediate command ; the
for cattle and horses, both of which were | embarrassments occasioned from the want
much wanted by the army. About 30 head j of provisions ; the privations of my troops
of cattle were procured, but from the re-! on their march from the frontiers of Geor-
ports accompany in; general Gaines’, which gia ; and the circumstances which compel-
' 1 due time will be forwarded to you, and led me to move directly down the Appa
ll. Q. Division of the South—F&rt St. fcjfccs,
Apr,l 26,. 1818.
Sir,—I wrote you from Bowlegs’ town,
on the 20th instant. On the night of the
same dav 1 received the expected despatch
from my aid-dc-cainp, lieutenant Gadsden*
communicating the success of his expedi
tion s and on the same day, as soon as the
sick of toy army were despatched down
the Suwany river, to be conveyed in the
captured .schooner to, St. Marks, I took
up the line of march for that fort. I ar
rived in this place last evening, perform
ing a march of 107 miles, in less than 5
days; lieutenant Gadsden had reached it
a lew hours before me. He communicates
having found among the letters and papers
of Arbuthnot, A twister and Cook, letters,
memorials, &c. all pointing out the insti*
gators of this savage war, and in some
measure involving t ie British government
in the agency. These will be forwuided
to you in a detailed report, I propose com
municating to you as early as practicable.
The old woman spoken of in my last
communication to you, who promised !o
use her influence to have McQueen cap
tured and delivered lip, has not been i. ird
of. From signs discovered on the po».
site shore of the St. Marks river, I am-in
duced to believe that the Indian ;■ • r is
still in this neighborhood. A detar ' • enfc
will be sent out to reconnoitre the coun
try, to receive them as friends, if dw «d
to surrender, or inflict merited ch; : ; se»
ment, if still hostile.
1 shall leave this in two or three day*
for fort Gadsden, and after making all ne
cessary arrangements for the security of
the positions occupied, and detaching a
force to scour the country west of the Ap
palachian, 1 shall proceed direct for
Nashville: my presence in this country
can be no longer necessary. The Indian
forces have been divided and scattered,cut
off from all communication with those un
principled agents of foreign nations, who
have deluded them to their min; they*
have not the power, if the will, of again
annoying our frontier. I remain, vkc. .cc.
ANDItEW JACKSON,
Major-general corn’d.
Hon. ,T. C. Cai.unrs, sec'ry at war.
//. Q. division of the south—Fort Gadsden, 5th
May. 1818.
Sir—I returned to this post with my ar
my on the evening of the 2d inst. and em
brace an early opportunity of furnishing
has induced me to appoint several youu
men, present, as 2d lieutenants in (lie re
giments, who, from personal knowledge
and gooil recommendations,! have no doubt
the I
infor
forthwith to the heart of
deavor to subsist upon
n time, I despatched maj.
orps of artillery, to take. .
■ bay, wlioic return on' "‘i prove themselves worthy ; .nd I trust
i 23d,’ brought the infor-1 m11 l'! 01 ' 1 ' «? e »BProJ>ation nt the pro-
:1 Gibson, with one gun 1‘resi lent. A lat ol their names andI rc-
ansports, and others in j k'ments to wh.ch they are aUached.wtllbe
bar. On the same night f,,r ?« hed the adjutant and inspector gen-
rmation that no more eril1 ^ • w t
m, therefore, apprehen- „ e A >° BE " ^ ma,.gen.com d.
the smaller vessels have r - ?■ S ‘ nc<! lhc nh , ove ’ * *J avc
gunboat went to pieces,! the pleasure to inform you that the boat
t spoken, ha,I cue foot ofi f! ; om th , c bay has arrived with provision*,
—all the vessels had been ,ll „ s0 colonel Gibson, and captain AI-Keever
that dispersed them.— of thc 1 * hal1 move to-morrow.
• - having made the necessary arrangements
with captain Al lveever for his co-opera
tion in transporting my supplies around to
the bay of Kt. Marks, from which place 1
shall do myself the honor of communicat
ing with you. Should our enemy attempt
to escape with lis supplies and booty to the
small islands, and thence to cairy on a pre
datory warfare, the assistance of the navy
will prevent his escape
le
t west wind, had prevail-
has fortunately chang-
I am now awaiting a
(which is expected to
:omp]etc eight, days ra
ps, upon which I mean to
nformation received from
ew-Orleans, f haie no
Marks is in possession of
s governor of Pensacola
but
n Gall of the 1st infantry,
the Indians bad demanded;
n an<( provisions, or the
i garrison of fit. Af arks of
, and that he presumed
be given from inability to
Spanish government is
to keep the Indians at peace
have acknowledged their
do tins, and are conse-
by thc law of nations to
to reduce them. Un
ration, should I be able, 1
jssion of the garrison as a
pplies, should it be found
Gen. M’Intosh, commanding the friend-
lv Creeks, whehad been ordered to recon
noitre the rightbank of the Appalacliicola,
reported to me, on the 19th, that lie had
captured, witlout the fire of gnn.onehun-
dred and eight;’women & children, and 53
warriors of tlx: Red Ground chief’s party,
with their cattic and supplies. The chiei
and 30 warriors making their escape on
horseback, "on of the warriors, attemp
ting to escape ifter they had surrendered,
were killed b; the general.
'I lie li m. Jo: v C. Camioii.v, sec. of war.
//. U- Division tf'.he South—Canp near 1st. Maries,
A prim, It; 18.
were English, from whom, as they stated,
supplies of m tuitions of war, .tic. under
late promises were expected. Arbutlmot,
a .Scotchman, and suspected as an instigator
of this savage war, was found in St. .Marks
—he is in confinement util evidences of
his guilt can be collected.
1 am, etc. your obedient servant,
AN DICE W JAGKSON, maj. can.
vamp 14 nine., from St. Marfa, oa march to Sit-
many, April 9. liiJH.
From evidence furnished me by a Air.
Humbly, there is little room to doubt but
what one of the duels found slain on the
field in advance of the Alickasukian ullag
es, was Kcr.hagee. Francis or Ilillis Hu
go and llornattlemeid, the prime instigators
of the war, have been hung , the latter
commanded the party who so inhumanly
sacrificed Scott and his companions. Col.
Dyer, with the remainder of the Tennes
see volunteers, is in the neighborhood, and
will unite w 4 .th me to-morrow.
II. Q Division of the Sm-th—/ton'.*-? 1 Tor:v,
Simony river, April 20,18uf
Sir,—My lust communication, dated camp
before St. -Marks, 8th of April, and those
to which it referred, advised vou of my
movements and operations up to that date,
and, its 1 then advised you, I marched from
that placp on the morning of the 9th. On
the evening of the 10th I was joined by the
rear of the Tennessee volunteers, alto bv
the Indians under general ATIntosh, whom
1 had left at Alickasuky, to scour the coun-
trj' around that place. Although the wea
ther had been dry and pleasant, and the
waters had subsided in a great degree, our
inarch might be said to have been through
water, which kept the infantry wet to the
middle, and the depth of the swamps, ad
ded to the want of forage, occasional the
horses to give nut daily in great numberi.'
On the morning of the 12th, near Econ-
tinnah or natural bridge, a party of Indi
ans were discovered on the margin of a
swamp and attacked by general ATIntosh
and about 50 Tennessee volunteers, who
routed them,killing tilirtv-seven warriors
capturing six men and 97 women aqd chil
dren : also re-capturing a white woman
who had been taken at (he massacree of
Scott. Thc friendly Indians also took some
horses, and about 500 heaJ of cattle from
the enemy, who proved to be .McQueen’s
party. Upon the application of an old wo
Sir,—I write y ou at ft.Gadsden, commit- man of the prisoners, I agreed, that if
the Spaniards, they Inv- nicating the embarrassments under which
Indians; but if irt the l hid labored previous to my arrival at that
emv, I will possess it for post, and mydetermination, being then in
United -States as uncces- ] a situation to commence active operations,
me to hold, to give peace j to penetrate immediately into the centre
Jbis frontier, and put a ft-j of the Scminde towns. Aly army marched
warfare in thc south. j on the 20th tltimo, and on the 1st of April
y dillicult to supply fort 1 was reinforced by the friendly Creek war-
Caneiicho, by land, I have ! riors under general ATIntosh, anil a de-
lies for that garrison by j tachincnt of Tennessee volunteers, enm-
n to the governor of Fen- mandod by tolonel Elliott. Gn the ame
interrupts them during day, a mile ini a half in advance ol the
an war, l shall view it as | Mickasukianvillages, a small party .of hos-
f, and treat it as an act of (tile Indians vere discovered judiciously lo
oted to him the propriety
circumstances of his iiflbrd-
to put down their own
enemies, and that our
ile negotiating can take the
consideration, but, in the
provisions must pass to fort
»tcr without interruption.
eated, on a point of land projecting into
:tu extensivemarshy pond, the position de
signated, as since understood, for the con
centrating of the negro and Indian forces,
to give us battle. They sustained, for a
short period, a spirited attack (Vom iny ad
vanced spy <ompanie», but fled anJ disper
sed in every direction upon coming in con-
McQueen was tied and carried to the com
mandant of St. .Marks, her people should
be received in peace, carried to the up
per tribes of the Creek Nation, and there
provisioned until they could raise their own
crops. She appeared much pleased with
the^e terms, and 1 set her at liberty with
written instruction i to the commandant of
St. Alarks to that efleet. Having received
no farther intelligence of AlcQuecn, I am
induced to believe the old woman has com
plied with her part of the obligation.
From St. Marks ( marched with 8 days
rations, those that joined me having hut 5:
this was done under the expectation of
reaching this place at that time, founded
u[»on the report of myfaithful Indian guide,
which I should have accomplished, but for
the poverty of my horses and the continu
ed sheets of water through which we had
to pass. On the morning of the 16th my
scouts overtook a small party of Indians,
the disobedience of his orders by thc In
di ms, not one pound was brought into
camp.
As soon as time will permit, 1 Shull for
ward you a detailed account ol’ the various
little affairs with the enemy, iu:cuinp,ein..i
with reports of commanding officers of de
tachments ; suffice it for the present to add,
that every officer and soldier under nty
command, when danger appeared, shewed
a steady firmness, which convinced me,
that, in the event of a stubborn conflict,
they would have realized the best hopes of
their country and general.
1 believe I may say that the destruction
of this place, with the possession of ht
Alarks, having, on the night of the lot!,
captured the late lieut. Ambristcr, of the
British marine corps, and, as represented
by Arbuthnot, successor to Woodbine, will
end the Indian war for the present ; and,
should it be renewal, thc position taken,
which ought to beheld, will enable a small
party to put it down promptly.
I shall order, or take myself, a recon-
noisar.ee ivestof thc Appalacliicola, at Pen
sacola Point, where 1 am informed, there
are a few Red Sticks assembled, who are
ted and supplied bj- the governor of Pensa
cola. My health being impaired, as soon
ns this duty is performed, the positions ta
ken, well garrisoned, and security given
to the southern frontier (if thc government
have not active employment fortne) I shall
return to Nashville to’ regain my he alth.—
The health of thc troops is much impaired
and I have ordered the Georgia troops tl
Hartford, to be mustered, paid, & discharg
ed. 1 lie general having communicated hi
wishes and that of his troops to lie ordered
directly there, and reporting that they have
plenty ot corn and beef to subsist them to
| that point. 1 have written to the governor
oi (ieorgia to obtain from the state, then
cess ary funds to pay general Glascock’s
brigade when discharged, and that the go
vernment will promptly refund it. I an
compelled to this mode to have then
promptly paid. Air. Hogan, the paymas
ter ot the 7th infantry, for whom 1 receiv
ed, from Air. Brent, an enclosure said to
ontain 50,000 dollars, not having reach
ed me.
From thc information received from Am
bristcr and a Air. Cook, who was captured
with him, that A. Arbuthnot's schooner was
at the mouth of tliis river preparingto sail
for thc bay of Tamper, nty aid-de-camp,
utenant Gadsden, volunteered his servi
ces with a small detachment to descend the
river and capture her. The importance
of this vessel to transport my sick to St.
Marks, as well as to destroy thc means us
ed by the enemy, induced me to grant his
request. I le sailed yesterday, and I ex
pected to have heard from him this morning
—lonly wait his report to take up my line
of march on my return to St. Marks. ’ The
Georgia brigade, by whom I send this, be
ing about to March, compels me to close it
without waiting for the report of It. Gadsdeu.
lachicola river, to meet with and protect the
expected supplier .from Orleans. Tfyise
were received on the 25th of Alarch, and
on the next day 1 was prepared for active
operations. For a detailed account of my
movements, from that period to this day,
you are respectfully referred to the report
I repared by my adjutant general, accoinpa-
ui-'d with capt. Hugh Young’s topographi
cal sketch of the route and distance per-?
formed. This has been principally a war
ot movements: the enemy, cut oft' from
their strong holds, or deceived in the pro-
' lorcign aid, h ave uniformly avoided
a general engagement. Their resistance
has generally been feoble ; and, in thc par
ti d rencounters into which they seem ta
been involuntarily forced, the. r ;u-
volunteers and militia, under my com
mand, realized my expectations. Every
privation, fatigue and exposure, was en-
■oiiiuered with the spirit of sokliers ; »o<i
linger Was met with a degree of fottktide
calculated to strengthen the confidence I
iud reposed in them.
Gn the commencement oft my operations.
I was strongly impressed with the belief
that this Indian war had been excited by
some unprincipled foreign or private a*-
geuts. The outlaws otf the old Rod Stick
party had been severely convinced and th<&
Semiiioles were tcyo weak in numbers to
believe that they could possibly atone main
tain a war, with e’ en pat ti il success, against
the United Spates. Firmly convinced,
therefore, that succor had been procured
lrom some qiiarter, or that they had blen
deluded into a belief that America dare not
violate the neutrality of Spain, by pene
trating to their towns, I early determined to
ascertain these facts, and so to direct my
movements as to undeceive the Indians,
After the destruction of the Alickasukian
illages, l marched direct for St. Marks.—
The correspondence between tnyself aud
thc Spanish commandant, in which I de
manded the occupancy of the fortress with
an American garrison, accompany this.—
It h id been reported to me, direct from
the governor of Pensacola, that the In
dians and negroes, unfriendly to the United
States, had demanded of the commandant
°f bt. Alarks a supply of ammunition, tqu-
nitions ot war, &c. threatening, in the e-
vent of a non-compliance, to take posses
sion of the fort. The Spanish comqiandant
acknowledged the defenceless state of his
fortress, and his inability to defend it ; and
the governor of Pensacola expressed simi
lar apprehensions. The Spanish agents
throughout the Horidas had uniformly dis
avowed having any connection with yieln-
dians ; and acknowledged the obligations
of his Catholic majesty, tinder existing
treaties, to restrain their outrages against
the citizens of the United States. Indeed,
they declared that the Seminole Indiana
were viewed as alike hostile‘to the Span
ish government, and that the will remain
ed, though the pon or was wasting,, to in
dict merited dgstiaeoent on this lawless