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Show .38 Lik'E OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. country. Towards the latter object, his attention had ~been invariably directed, and his industry employed, from the time the expedition was projected. With major general Cocke, who commanded the division of East Tennessee militia, an arrangement had been made, the preceding month, in which he had engaged to furnish large quantities of bread stuff, at Ditto's landing. The facility of procuring it in that quarter, and the convenient transportation afforded by the river, left no doubt on the mind of Jackson, but that the engagement would be punctually complied with. To provide, however, against the bare possibility of a failure, and to be guarded against all contingencies that might happen, he had addressed his applications to various other sources. He had, on the same subject, written in the most pressing manner, to the governor of Georgia, with whose forces it was proposed to act in concert ; to colonel Meigs, agent to the Cherokee nation of Indians ; and to general White, who commanded the advance of the East Tennessee troops. Previously to his arrival at Huntsville, he had received assurances from the two latter, that a considerable supply of flour, for the use of his army, had been procured, and was then at Hiwassee, where boats were ready to trans'port it~ From general Cocke himself, about the same time, a letter was received, stating that a hundred and fifty barrels of flour were then on the way to his encampment, and expressing a belief, that he should be able to procure, and forward on immediately, a thousand barrels more. With pressing importunity, he had addressed himself to the contractors, and they had given him assurances, that on his crossing the Tennes~ee, LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON . 59 they would be prepared with twenty days' rations, for CHAP. his whole command; but findirtg, on his arrival··at JI, Ditto's, that their preparations were not in such fo~- ...,..,....._. wardness as he had been led to expect; he was com-pelled, for a time, to suspend any general operations. Calculating, however, with great confidence, on exer-tions, which, he had been promised, 1sl:10uld be unre- . mitting ; and on the speedy !UTi val of those supplies, descending the river, which had been already unaccountably delayed ; he hoped, in a few days, to be pla-ced in a situation to act efficiently. Whilst he was encouraged by these expectations, Shelocta, the sou of · C~1.11aby, ~ principal chief aq1ong the friendly Creeks, arr1ved at Ius cainp, to solicit his speedy movement, ·for the relief of his father's forti which W:ls then threatened by ·a considerable body of the war party, who had ·advanced to the neighbourhood bf the Ten Islands, on the Coosa. Influenced by his representations, Jackson, ·on the 18th, gave orders for taking up the line of · march on the following day, and notified the contract. ors. of thi~ arran~ement, that they might be prepared to 1ssue, 1mmedmtely, •. such supplies as they had· on hand ; but, to his great astonishment, he then, for the fi~st tim~, was ap~rised of their entire inability to supply hun,. wh1lst. on Ius march. Having drawn what they had m therr power to furnish, amounting to only a few days' rations, they were . deposed, and others ap1:ointed, on whose industry and performance, he beh~ved, ~~~ might more safely rely. The scarcity of Ius proviSIOns, however, at a moment like the prese~ lt, when there was every appearance that the enemy· m1ght be met, and a blow stricken to advantage, was |