Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IX.djvu/507

 ANDREW JACKSON 489 take part in a war of Indian extermination. On Sept. 25 the legislature of Tennessee called 3,500 volunteers into the field, besides the 1,500 that were in the national service. Jack- son, though too feeble to leave his bed, issued addresses, and aided in the organization of the troops. Still suffering from his wounds, he was at Fayettevillo with his division on Oct. 7. On the 1 1th his force moved, and is said to have marched 32 m. in six hours, in the hope of meeting the Indians. Operations were delay- ed by a defective commissariat. On Nov. 3 Col. Coffee, who had been sent out with a cavalry force, defeated the Creeks at the town of Tallushatcb.ee, inflicting heavy loss, and destroying the place. On Nov. 9 Jackson de- feated the Creeks at Talladega, where hun- dreds of them were killed or wounded. The want of food prevented these victories from being very useful. The troops were starving and mutinous. A misunderstanding as to the term of service of the volunteers occurred be- tween them and their commander. With few- er than 1,000 newly raised men, besides Indi- ans, he entered the enemy's country in January, 1814. He defeated the Indians at Emuckfau and Enotochopco, Jan. 22 and 24, and these were among the severest reverses they ever experienced. The details of the battle showed much skill on the side of the victors, Jack- son's energy and bravery being very conspic- uous. The troops were then dismissed, but a new force was speedily formed, composed in part of regulars. In February Jackson was at the head of 5,000 men. The Creeks made a final stand at Tohopeka, or the Horseshoe, a peninsula in the Tallapoosa river ; and their position was very strong, though defended by inadequate numbers. Jackson arrived before this post, March 27, 1814, with 2,000 troops, and attacked it the same day. It was taken, and of its 900 defenders 750 were killed or drowned, the victors losing 201 men. This victory ended not merely the Creek war, but the power of the Indian race in North Amer- ica. Jackson's victories settled for ever the long quarrel between the white man and the red man. Weathersford, the principal Creek chief, surrendered to him, and was protected. Some of the Indians fled to Florida, but most of them obeyed Jackson's order to retire to the north. In the summer of 1814 Gen. Jack- son and Col. Hawkins made with them the treaty of Fort Jackson, the terms of which were as moderate as regard for the peace and safety of the white settlers allowed. The chiefs gave Jackson three miles square of land, and President Madison was desirous that he should be allowed to accept the gift, in which view congress could never be brought to con- cur. Gen. Jackson had now obtained a na- tional reputation, and on May 31 his appoint- ment as a major general in the United States army was officially announced. Thus in the national service, he became the acknowledged military leader of the southwestern part of the Union, various circumstances having placed him in a position to which six other generals had claims. The English were preparing a grand attack on the southwest, and in July, 1814, Jackson left his home for Mobile, against which the first blow of the enemy was to be delivered. Florida was then a Spanish prov- ince, but the English used it as if it were their own ; and from Pensacola, the best harbor on the gulf, they organized expeditions against the United States, and aided the Indians. It was now the rendezvous of their forces, and the Spaniards had neither the power nor the dis- position to prevent this abuse of neutral terri- tory. The headquarters of the British com- mander were in the house of the Spanish gov- ernor, Manrequez. W'hen Jackson arrived at Mobile, he found but a small force at his com- mand, yet he resolved to seize Pensacola. He wrote to the secretary of war, asking permis- sion to attack that place, but the secretary's re- ply reached him only at the end of six months. He opened a correspondence with Manrequez, which led to no change of conduct on the part of the Spaniards, Col. Nichols, the English com- mander, continuing his preparations at Pensa- cola for an attack on Mobile. Assuming the re- sponsibility, as was his custom both in politics and in war, Jackson determined to act without orders. He gave direction that the Tennessee levies should march upon Mobile. The call he made upon his old comrades was so well obey- ed, that men paid large sums for the privilege of filling vacancies in the corps that had been mustered into the service. Meantime he threw a small force into Fort Bowyer, on Mobile point, commanded by Major Lawrence. This fort, which was incomplete, was assailed, Sept. 15, by a British fleet, aided by a combined force of Indians and marines. The enemy were re- pulsed, losing one of their ships and 72 men. A mutiny in the ranks of the Tennessee troops delayed the arrival of the force under Gen. Coffee, and it was not till Oct. 26 that Jackson found himself at their head, his entire force consisting of 4,000 men, 1,000 of whom were regulars and 1,500 mounted volunteers. He hung six of the mutineers, and his conduct was the subject of much hostile discussion at a later period. He marched immediately upon Pensacola, at the head of 3,000 men. Nego- tiations failing, he seized the town by force, Nov. 6 ; and the British blew up the fort that commanded the mouth of the harbor, their seven vessels leaving the bay. On Nov. 11 Jackson was again at Mobile, where he re- mained till the 22d to meet an expected at- tack, and whence he sent a force that expelled Nichols and his Indians from Florida. He sent the mass of his troops to New Orleans, and reached that place himself Dec. 2, 1814. The city was miserably defended, and had the English moved with ordinary rapidity it must have fallen into their hands. Jackson imme- diately prepared to meet the enemy. On Dec. 14 a powerful British naval force captured five