Good stories for great birthdays: arranged for story-telling and reading aloud and for the children's own readingOlcott, Frances Jenkins
History
Good stories for great birthdays: arranged for story-telling and reading aloud and for the children's own reading
Olcott, Frances Jenkins
Birthdays; Children's literature; South America -- History -- Anecdotes; United States -- History -- Anecdotes
He was merry as well as fearless, and kept the soldiers in a constant
roar of laughter with his jokes and funny stories. He was kind-hearted,
and gave away his money to any soldier who needed it.
“Go ahead!” was his motto whenever facing difficulty or dangers.
Some years after the Creek War, he took part in the struggle for Liberty
in Texas.
With Travis and Bowie, he defended the Alamo.
“Go ahead! Liberty and Independence for ever!” wrote Davy Crockett in
his diary just before the Alamo fell.
CHIEF WEATHERFORD
Andrew Jackson carried forward his Indian campaign with crushing effect.
Blow after blow fell upon the doomed Creeks, and at the Battle of the
Horseshoe, he annihilated their power for ever.
The Creeks were conquered; but their Chief, Weatherford, was still at
large. Andrew Jackson gave orders for his pursuit and capture. He wished
to punish him for his part in the massacre at Fort Mims.
The Creek force under Weatherford had melted away. The warriors who were
left after the battle, had taken flight to a place of safety, leaving
him alone in the forest with a multitude of Indian women and children,
widows and orphans, perishing for want of food.
It was then that Weatherford gave a shining example of humanity and
heroism. He might have fled to safety with the rest of his war-party. He
chose to remain and to attempt, at the sacrifice of his own life, to
save from starvation the women and children who were with him.
He mounted his gray steed, and directed his course to General Jackson’s
camp. When only a few miles from there, a fine deer crossed his path and
stopped within shooting distance. Weatherford shot the deer and placed
it on his horse behind the saddle.
Reloading his rifle with two balls, for the purpose of shooting Big
Warrior, a leading Chief friendly to the Americans, if he gave him any
trouble, Weatherford rode on. He soon reached the outposts of the camp.
He politely inquired of a group of soldiers where General Jackson was.
An old man pointed out the General’s tent, and the fearless Chief rode
up to it.
Before the entrance of the tent sat Big Warrior himself. Seeing
Weatherford, he cried out in an insulting tone:--
“Ah! Bill Weatherford, have we got you at last?”
With a glance of fire at Big Warrior, Weatherford replied with an
oath:--
“Traitor! if you give me any insolence, I will blow a ball through your
cowardly heart!”
General Jackson now came running out of the tent.
“How dare you,” exclaimed the General furiously, “ride up to my tent
after having murdered the women and children at Fort Mims?”
“General Jackson,” replied Weatherford with dignity, “I am not afraid of
you. I fear no man, for I am a Creek warrior.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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