That, however, he had considered a movement on Barrancas, before or at the time of his advance on Pensacola, is evidenced by an interview which he had with Don Manuel Gonzalez, who was an officer in the Spanish commissary department, and who had a cattle ranch at a place then known as Vacaria Baja, now as Oakfield, one mile from the trail the American army was following. Don Manuel, with his family, was at the ranch, when the General rode up to the house, and accosted him. There was with the Don at the time, his son, Celestino, then a young man. Through an interpreter, the General made known, that the purpose of his visit was to require the Don, or his son, to guide the army to Barrancas. The Don boldly refusing, the General became insistent, to the degree of threatening the use of force to secure compliance. Roused by the threat, with a mien as dauntless as Jackson’s, Don Manuel replied: “General, my life and my property are in your power; you can take both; but my honor is in my own keeping. As to my son, I would rather plunge a sword into his bosom than see him a traitor to his king.” The General replied by extending his hand with the exclamation, “I honor a brave man,” and thenceforth became his friend. ----- Footnote 54: Niles’ Weekly Register, Vol. VII., p. 11. Footnote 55: Niles’ Weekly Register, Vol. VII., p. 281. Footnote 56: Niles’ Weekly Register, Vol. VII., p. 281. Footnote 57: Niles’ Weekly Register, Vol. VII., p. 281. Footnote 58: Niles’ Weekly Register, Vol. VII., p. 281. Footnote 59: Niles’ Weekly Register, Vol. 6, p. 370. Footnote 60: Weatherford having boldly ridden up to General Jackson’s tent, was met by the threatening question: “How dare you, sir, ride up to my tent after having murdered the women and children at Fort Mims?” Weatherford replied: “General Jackson, I am not afraid of you. I fear no man, for I am a Creek warrior. I have nothing to request in behalf of myself; you can kill me if you wish. I come to beg you to send for the women and children of the war party who are now starving in the woods. Their fields and cribs have been destroyed by your people, who have driven them to the woods without one ear of corn. I hope you will send out parties to safely bring them here in order that they may be fed. I exerted myself in vain to prevent the massacre of the women and children at Fort Mims. I am now done fighting. The Red Sticks are nearly all killed. If I could fight you any longer I would most heartily do so. Send for the women and children; they never did you any harm. But kill me if the white people want it done.”—Pickett’s History of Alabama, Vol. II., p. 349. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XXI. Seminole War, 1818—Jackson Invades East Florida—Defeats the Seminoles— Captures St. Marks—Arbuthnot and Ambrister—Prophet Francis—His Daughter.