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Show 14 ~ LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON: CHAP. To give, however, sufficient time, and to prevent V. any unnecessary press, the troops, advancing from ~East and West Tennessee, were directed to be halted 1814. in the rear of the depots, unti•l ampI e stores, m· ad vance, to justify immediate operations, should be laid in, and the requisite tmnsportation provided. About the middle of tl1e month, in expectation tl1at all things were in a state of readiness, from the strong assurances he had received, Jackson ordered the troops to advance, and form an union at head quarters, then at Fort Strother. Greatly to his surprise and mortifi· cation, he soon after learned, that the contractor from East Tennessee, had again failed in complying 11~th his engagement, notwithstanding the ample means he possessed, and the full time that had been allowed him for that purpose. The troops, however, agreeably to the order, proceeded on their march. Those from the second division, under brigadier general Johnston, arrived on the 14th; which, added to the force under general Doherty, from East Tennessee, constituted about five thousand effectives. Composed, as this army was, of troops entirely raw, it was not to be expected, that any thing short of the greatest firmness in its ofli· cers could restrain tl1at course of conduct and disorder, which had hitherto so unhappily prevailed. The execution of a private, John Woods, who had ~/~~~.~0"been sentenced by a court martial, on a charge of muwoods. tiny, produced, at this time, the most salutary effects. That mutinous spirit, which had so frequently broken into the camp, and for a while suspended all act~ve operations, remained to be checked. A fit oc~~~?n "·as now presentoo to CYince, that although mihtia, LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. 14S when at their fire-sides, at home, might boast an ex- CHAP. emption from control, yet, in the field, those high no- V. tions were to be abandoned, and subordination observ-~ e?. Pai~ful as it was to the feelings of the general, he 1814" VIewed It as a sacrifice, essential to the preservation of good order, and left the sentence of the court to be in-flicted. The execution was productive of the happiest ~ffects ; order was produced, and that opinion, so long mdulged, that a militia-man was for no offence to suffer dea~, was, from that moment, abandoned, and a strict obed1en:e afterwards characterized the army. ~othmg was wanting, now, to put the troops in motion, ·and actively to prosecute the war, but necessary sup~lies. Remonstrance, entreaty' and threats, had long smce been used, and exhausted. Every. mean had been resorted to, to impress on the mmcls_ of ~he contractors the necessity of ur in for- . :vm:d, m fmthful discharge of their duty; but ~heg same ~;:~;~:y' mdtfference and neglect were still j)ersisted · 'l' plie •. ward If th m. o h o e effects of such great evils,-evils which e foresaw would again eventuate in discontent and revolt, Jackson resolved to pursue a dif!ier.e t and n I n course, l di o o~gt;r de~end on persons who had so frequent - y sappomted htm. He accordingly despatched me . sengers to the nearest settlements with dir t" spurch . . ' ec Ions to ase provisions, at whatever price they could b procured. Th · th . e • IS course, to ese mcumbents on the ~:ho~, afforded an argument much stronger than any whtch he had before resorted Th . - way th h d · us assmled in a ' ey a not before thought f b b · ' made liable for th 0 ' Y emg held and erted tl I e amotmt of the purchases they· ex-. t emse ves in di sc h arge o f a duty the' y had hi· |
