Show Mmm mrnmrnmrnMrnm mMm I I WEATHERFORDS LEAP I lgjlgjlITjiIWJ AX IXCIDEXT OF CLAIBORXES i MARCH THROUGH ALABAMATHE IX DIA3T HALF BREED ON THE BACK OF HIS BRAVE GRAY HORSE ARROW SET AT DEJFIAXCE AN ARMY OF WHITE MEN By Everett T Tomlinson Author of The Boy Soldiers of 1812 etc General Claibornes little army of a thousand men had come to a halt For many days they had been marching through the forest and swamps of Alabama Ala-bama and the rains of December 1813 had made the ground unusually soft The appearance of the men was haggard hag-gard their clothing was worn and the mud and filth with which they were spattered would almost have prevented prevent-ed their mothers from recognizing i them And yet these men were among the I bravest of our soldiers in the war of 1812 The uprising of the Creek In dians had been brought about by the British and Spaniards who had furn ished arms and promised a reward of 5 for every scalp brought to Pensa cola whether it was of man woman or child Tecumseh and his brother with thirty of their warriors had I made the long journey of a thousand miles from the northwest and by their stirring appeals had aroused I many of the Creeks to enter the contest con-test and attempt to drive the hated white men from the homes their fathers fath-ers had left them Massacres horrible beyond descrip tion had followed and the frightened settlers had fled to the forts and blockhouses for protection and then the men began to rally to drive back the fierce savages and protect their homes and families from their cruelty And now this army of Claibornes was on its way to attack one of the strong holds of the Creeks For nine long days they had no meat and parched corn and roasted acorns had been their only food They had sent in a long petition to their commander not to lead them into the Creek country for they all feared that with their inexperience and in George but theyve taken pains to drive a lot of stakes all round the place and have carried their women and children across the river so I reckon they mean to be on the safe sideWhat What do they call the place Econschaca replied George There are about a thousand warriors there now But never you mind he added as he saw how downcast his young companion was Well be enough for them THE GREAT HALFBREED Is Weatherford there asked John Yes Billy Weatherford is the leader lead-er but one man doesnt make an army though I will say hes the best man in all the Creek nation But then hes half white you know His father was a white man and somehow lies different from most of the half breeds for he seems to have inherited the best not the worst from each side Tecumseh had to work with him I a long time before he could get him togo to-go at all I reckon he knows how this affair is likely to turn out Hes a magnificent looking man H e stands six feet four in his stock feet and is as brave as a lion But the conversation was interrupted inter-rupted by the call to fall in and the little army was soon in motion The marshes increased in number and the report that there were deep ravines about the Holy Ground added to the fears but the soldiers kept steadily on and when they halted Eeonschaca was only two miles away The Dlan is to surround the town so that none of the Creeks can escape said George a little later Three divisions have been made and Colonel Carson is going to lead ours to the upper part of the town In a few moments the colonel had given the wQrd and the Mississippi volunteers had begun their advance The air was j chilly and the men s on were wading 1 through the water that covered the level ground to the depth of several inches but at last when they reached the higher ground they could hear the roll of the Indian war drums and the shrill cries of the prophets mingled with the yells of the warriors Johns face was pale but the calmness of his companion aided him and he kept resolutely on with the soldiers Sud denly a volley was fired by some of the Creeks who had formed an ambush A MEDICINE MAN The fights begun growled Gatlin Keep close to me John and the soldiers sol-diers advanced steadily returning the I I fire They dodged behind trees and stumps and nearer and nearer forced I their way but Weatherfords warriors also were fighting stubbornly and try ing to hold their places Suddenly from behind the warriors who had guns there arose a cloud of arrows ar-rows They havent any guns I reckon said Gatlin and those arrows all go over our heads Well have em pretty soon John look at that prophet over there among the redskins with the bows John peered from behind his tree and could see an Indian evidently a medicine medi-cine man or prophet rushing about amongst the men shouting and waving in each hand a cows tail which had been colored a bright red Keep your eye on him a bit said Gatlin and John saw his companion lean his gun against the tree and take careful aim at the fanatic prophet At the report of the gun they could see his I arm drop and the cows tail fall to the I ground One more wild cry burst from the prophets lips and then he fell forward for-ward upon his face and was still A VICTORY FOR THE WHITES Still the fight went on The white men had driven the Indians from this ambush but they retired slowly and 4 t e F iv STRIAIGHTF DO1VW TWENTY FEET sufficient food they would prove no match for the wily foes but Calibonne was determined and his army had followed I fol-lowed willingly but with many misgivings mis-givings THE HOLY GROUND We arent very far from the Holy Ground are we said young John Fletcher one of the Mississippi volunteers volun-teers to George Gatlin his companion in arms About ten miles replied his friend General Caliborne has had his scouts out and I have just been talking with one of them He says this Holy I Ground is on a bluff of the Alabama I and that there isnt a path or trail I leading to it The Indians call it The Grave of White Men and their prophets proph-ets declare that if a pale face steps his foot over the wizard circles they have drawn about the place he will fall dead They have a big sq are in the center of the town where they burn their victims Horrible said John with a shudder shud-der The prophets also declare that our bullets will flatten right over and do I their warriors no harm continued stubbornly Colonel Carson had not planned to dislodge the warriors but only to hold them till they could be surrounded It was time now for the other two divisions of the army to have gained the places assigned them but perceiving the ardor of his menthe men-the colonel decided not to wait for the others and turning to his followers he shouted Boys you seem keen Go ahead and drive them No other divisions could now be seen but without waiting for them the Mississippi volunteers with a shout started after the Creeks who now were trying to make their way back into the town The onset wasmore than the frightened warriors could withstand with-stand and even Weatherfprds voice could not check them The chief was moving rapidly among the warriors calling and cheering but no one heeded him now The bullets of the white j men seemed harmless and the bold warrior was still unharmed The Creeks now threw away their guns and the soldiers drove them right on through the village but In spite of the fear and confusion the red men stopped long enough to aid their wounded comrad to escape with them and then made a dash for the river or fled for canebrakes > where many soon were hidden from the sight of their pursuers Not all had yet gone however Alone in the illfated Holy Ground stood Weatherford the leader Satisfied at last that his warriors had escaped he leaped upon the back of his great gray horse which had become almost as well known as his rider and fled at full speed from the town THE LEAP A wild shout arose from the army when they saw the famous chief appear ap-pear and the bullets began to whistle about him Take after him Shoot him Get him shouted the excited colonel and all his men started in pursuit Well get him He Is ours now shouted the soldiers in reply as they saw the rider stop far up above the bluff We have got him in a trap now He cant get away this time For a moment the halfbreed turned and looked at his shouting pursuers Far below him lay the quiet Alabama On the other side was the deep ravine which no one could cross The stssp cliff rose before him and from behind his enemy pressed on certain of their prize now and shouting as they came And yet Weatherford did not move He was as motionless as the tress which could be seen in the forests on every side If he could only once gain their shelter all the efforts of Carsons men would be fruitless Hes coming Hes going to give himself up cried the soldiers as they saw him slowly walk his horse as if advancing to meet them But when he had taken a few steps suddenly he wheeled about and shouting Ho ya Ho ya Hoya to his faithful horse he touched him with his spurs and started at full speed toward the brink of the bluff The soldiers all stopped and almost breathless gazed spellbound at the fleeing chief Surely he would not leap from that height to the river so far J jI Jl below But what was it he had in mind to do They knew his courage and were fearful of some new movement move-ment by this chief who now was almost within their grasp But Weatherford apparently unmindful un-mindful of the thoughts and presence of his foes was near the brink now and without hesitating a moment with one loud call shot over the bank toward the river more than twenty feet below Under the water sank the hors and his rider to his neck but holding aloft his rifle he never for a moment lost his seat and as they rose to the surface sur-face started for the opposite shore The soldiers had recovered from theirastonishment now and > the bullets bul-lets fell about the halfbreed like hailstones hail-stones but sqme unseen shield must have been about him for when the brave Arrow and his rider climbed the farther bank a single lock cut from his horses mane was all the damage Weatherford could find and with one defiant wave of the hand he disappeared disap-peared Jn the forests Im glad he escaped said John drawing a long breath but Gatlin only shook his head He could find no hero ism in the leap of Weatherford on Wie back of his gray hore Arrow and was thinking more of the hundred homes they had burned and of the bodies of the thirty warriors who lay I dead at Econschaca |