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Show 178 LlFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. western people been d1e victims of d1eir unrelenting Vl. cruelties; and many a parent lives, at this day, whose ~ recollection treasures a child, iliat bled beneaili ilieir 1814' murderous hands. Cold Water, on ilie Te1messee, was long ilie ~n of these savages, whence ili:y made their inroads, and, by ilieir inhuman butchenes, kept the frontier inhabitants in perpetual alarn1. An expedition, acting without ilie consent of the government, but with a view to that security their own situation so much demanded, as early as ilie year 1787, under general Robertson, made a descent on this settlement, and destroyed it. This active and resolute measure ensured d1em a tranquillity, to which they had hitherto been strangers. Those who escaped, retired to the Black vV arrior, carrying. wid1 them an additional spirit of revenge, which occasionally displayed itself, in the murder of our citizens, whenever a favourable oppor- • tunity occurred; until the winter of 1813, when their towns were again assailed and destroyed. The war, in which the United States were engaged with Great Britain, afforded them, as they believed, a safe opportunity to satiate again d1eir angry passions. In addition to former animosities retained, British emissaries had been among them, engaged to excite and encourage d1em to opposition. Arms and ammu· nition, from Pensacola, having been liberally furnished, and a belief strongly inspired, iliat ilie Americru:s could be driven off, and the lands iliey possessed re-gmned by d1e Indians, d1ey at once resolved upon the course they would pursue. The dreadful and cruel assault made on the setdement of Tensaw, was ilie first intellige~ce afforded, of the lengd1s which iliey had determined to LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. li9 go. The security of the frontiers, requiring that efli- CHAP. d d . VI. cient measures should be taken to defen 1em, 1t was~ time for the government to abandon that moderation 1814. and forbearance they had hitherto practised towm·ds these tribes. The legislature of Tennessee, being in session at ilie time, with a promptness highly honoura-ble, called out the forces of d1e state, wiiliout giving the general government information of the threatened danger, a11d waiting d1e result. To protect an exten-sive country, by erecting garrisons, and relying on them for defence, did not appear to Jackson a course likely to assure its object. He determined, with d1e troops he could collect on so sudden an emergency, to carry ilie war to ilieir very doors ; m1d, by giving them employment at home, divert d1em from ilieir plans, and force d1em to adopt measures of defence. Urging the contractors, ilierefore, to be diligent in the discharge of ilieir duties, and to forward supplies, with all possi-ble haste, he took a position at Fort Strother, in the enemy's country. The battle of Talladega, which ~hortly afterwards :ollowed, gave a severe check, mduced iliem to believe d1ey were contending " -ith a different kind of people from what they had expected, and might have convinced them, too, that the promis-ed safety, offered by their prophets, through d1ei~ spells and incantations, was mere mockery and non-sense : yet so deluded were they, and so confident! y believing in ilie supemah1ral powers of iliese men, that • they were ready to attribute a want of success to circum~tances, over which these inspired prophets ?ould, m. future, claim control : but at length, when It was discovered that the prophets themselves did |