subject had finally terminated; but a renewal on your part has induced me to make this short reply.

"I find that the same angry disposition which (no doubt) dictated your letter of the 7th of May last is still rankling in your breast.

"It is very certain that I have never intentionally assailed your feelings, or wantonly provoked your frowns, and I flatter myself it is equally certain that I shall never find it necessary to court your smiles. You are not disposed to enter into a controversy with me relative to our respective duties, but recommend an examination of the laws of our country before I again hazard an opinion upon the subject.' Your advice is good, and should be attended to (at least) by all public officers. I hope you will now permit me in turn to recommend to you that before you undertake to prosecute another campaign, you examine the orders of your superiors with more attention than usual.

"You assert that the better part of the community know too well that they have nothing to apprehend from a military despotism,' and in proof of this assertion it might have been well for you to have called my attention to your late proceedings at St. Marks and Pensacola, as affording conclusive evidence on that point.

was mag

"The situation of our bleeding frontier, you say, nified by the apprehensions of a few frontier settlers and those who had not understanding enough to penetrate into the design of your operations.' Indeed, sir, we had expected that your presence at the head of an overwhelming force would have afforded complete protection to our bleeding and distressed citizens, bordering on an extensive and unprotected frontier; but our prospects were only delusive; for it would seem that the laurels expected in Florida was the object that accelerated you more than the protection of the 'ignorant' Georgians.

"If Colonel Hayne and his three or four hundred Tennesseeans made a movement for the security of the pretended assailed point of Georgia,' it certainly was a very unsuccessful one.

"When you shall have explained to me by what authority you sent Major Davis into this State, with orders to apprehend Captain Wright (who was not under your command), and place him in irons, etc., then I shall explain to you the motives which induced me to call for a re-enforcement from Fort Early. "WILLIAM RABUN."

During the Creek War there appeared among the friendly Indians a young warrior whose attachment to the American side, and whose qualities as a man and soldier gained for him the friendship of General Jackson, and the favorable notice of the Government. This was William McIntosh. McIntosh was a man of mixed blood, and although he lacked the great strength which marked the character of Weathersford, yet his disposition was more pacific, and his ability to grasp the true relation of his race to the advancing civilization of the New World was superior. He led the friendly Indians in the battle of Talladega, and had before distinguished himself in his efforts against the war. For his good conduct he had been given the rank of brigadier-general, and allowed pay. And now when the Seminoles became hostile, he was one of the first to enter the field on the side of the Government. Before Jackson reached the scene of action McIntosh had joined him with between one and two thousand men. His services were important during the campaign. And at every step his good qualities became more apparent. Subsequently he favored peace and harmony in dealing with the whites, always appearing able to see the powerless condition of his race. But his stand against the passions of his people was not always well received by them. In the efforts of the General Government, and especially of the State of Georgia, to get possession of all the Indian lands in Georgia and Alabama, McIntosh again became conspicuous. In February, 1825, he was induced to sign. a treaty with some Georgia commissioners, which ceded all the lands of the Creeks and Cherokees in Georgia and a part of their lands in Florida to the

United States. The Indians opposed this treaty and held that McIntosh was not authorized to make it. In their appeal to President Monroe they were not very successful; and with a view of helping their desperate cause, they determined to take the life of McIntosh. This determination they carried out on the last day of April, 1825, murdering him, and laying waste his plantation. A full account of these difficulties may be found in another volume of this history.

General Gaines said the hostile Indians were able to muster twenty-seven hundred warriors in Florida. But even if they were so strong, what chance had they against Jackson with his large force, and a warlike army of friendly Indians? Having ordered his supplies to be sent from New Orleans by water up the Appalachicola River, and without waiting for the arrival of the Tennessee troops under Colonel Hayne, Jackson marched from Fort Scott down to Prospect Bluff, the site of Negro Fort. Here he awaited his supply flotilla from New Orleans. In the meantime, however, he rebuilt the fort, and called it Fort Gadsden, in honor of one of his officers, who subsequently acquired some distinction in politics.

While waiting at Fort Gadsden General Jackson wrote two very characteristic letters to the Governor of Pensacola, and received a reply, in which the Governor called him "your excellency" and spoke as saucily as if he did not know it was General Jackson to whom he was writing. At last Captain McKeever arrived with his flotilla bearing supplies, and General Jackson determining to march directly for St. Marks, on the Gulf, issued the following order to him, in which

he considered himself justified by the supposed facts mentioned in the order :

"It is reported to me that Francis, or Hillis Hajo, and Peter McQueen, prophets, who excited the Red Sticks in their late war against the United States, and are now exciting the Seminoles to similar acts of hostility, are at or in the neighborhood of St. Marks. United with them it is stated that Woodbine, Arbuthnot, and other foreigners have assembled a motley crew of brigands-slaves enticed away from their masters, citizens of the United States, or stolen during the late conflict with Great Britain. It is all important that these men should be captured and made examples of, and it is my belief that on the approach of my army they will attempt to escape to some of the sea islands, from whence they may be enabled for a time to continue their excitement, and carry on a predatory war against the United States. You will, therefore, cruise along the coast, eastwardly, and, as I advance, capture and make prisoners all, or every person, or description of persons, white, red, or black, with all their goods, chattels, and effects, together with all crafts, vessels, or means of transportation by water, which will be held possession of for adjudication. Any of the subjects of his Catholic Majesty, sailing to St. Marks, may be permitted freely to enter the said river; but none to pass out, unless after an examination it may be made to appear that they have not been attached to or in any wise aided and abetted our common enemy. I shall march this day, and in eight days will reach St. Marks, where I shall expect to communicate with you in the bay, and from the transports receive the supplies for my army."

CHAPTER XIX.

FIRST SEMINOLE WAR-GENERAL JACKSON VISITS FLORIDAA WONDERFUL TRAGEDY-TRIAL AND TRIUMPH—

ON

ON THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

N the first day of April, the Tennessee volunteers overtook General Jackson on his way to St. Marks; and on the same day a part of the invading army fell upon a small body of Seminoles who were quietly herding their cattle near a village. Several of these Indians were killed, their town was burned, and their corn and cattle were taken for the use of

the army. It was a brave and successful " engagement" between desperate foes, and nobody was hurt on the American side!

On the 6th of April, 1818, McKeever reached St. Marks, carrying at the head of his fleet the British flag. This very contemptible decoy trick, on the part of McKeever, led to a sad and unjustifiable tragedy. Hillis Hajo, and the bad chief, Himollemico, had just come down to see if there was any news from their English friends on the other side of the Atlantic, from whom they believed they were soon to receive large donations of arms, clothes, and other useful things, which a knowledge of their situation would suggest. They were soon made aware of the presence, at the

mouth of the harbor, of the supposed

British vessels ;

and in a canoe these two chiefs glided out to the fleet,