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Show !G2 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. the situation of the army disclosed, and such aid, as he v · could extend, solicited. He returned an answer to the ~general's demand, observing, he had sent some for the 1814· friendly Indians, and would, the next da~, lend some for the remainder of the troops; but felt h1mself under no obligation to furnish any. _Jacks?n, fully satisfie_d of its being in his power to reheve h1m? and that this apparent unwillingness could not, and d1~ not proceed from any scarcity in his camp, assumed a h1gher groun?, and, instead of asking assistance, now demanded. 1t. He stated, that his men were destitute of supphes, and that he had been duly apprized of it; and con· eluded by ordering him to send five thousand ra· tions immediately, for !'resent relief; and himsel~ and the forces under his command to join hi~ at Hmthle· walee, by ten o'clock the next ~Y· "T~is _ord~~," he remarked, " must be obeyed w1thout hes1tat10n. - U n ite~ wilh the Gcol·gia army. It was obeyed. The next day, a junction having been effected, the necessary steps were taken to bring down the provisions deposited at Fort Decatur, and no fur· ther inconvenience was afterwards felt for the want of supplies. Appearances seemed now to warrant the belief, that the war would not be of much longer continuance: the principal chiefs of the ~ickory ~round. tribes w~re coming in, making professwns of fnendsh1p? and g•v· Jndi>ns ing assurances of their being no longer d1sposed to ~.~f.~for continue hostilities. The general had been. "?et, _on his late march, by a flag from these clans, g1vmg 111· formation of their disposition to be at peace. In return they received this answer ; that those of the war pa~ "·ho were desirous of putting ~m end to the contest 111 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. lOS which they were engaged, and becoming friendly, CHAP. must evince their intention of doing so by retiring in_:_, the rear of the army, and settling themselves to the 1814• nortl1 of Fort Williams: no other proof than this, of their pacific dispositions, would be received. Four-teen chiefs of tl1ese tribes had arrived, to furnish still further evidence of their desire for peace. They assured the general that their old king, Fous-hatchee, was anxious to be permitted to visit him in person, but was tl1en on his way, with his followers, to settle above Fori Williams, agreeably to the information he had received by the flag which had lately returned to him. Detachments were out to scour the country on the south, with orders to break up any collection of the f enemy, that might be heard of in convenient distance. The main body prepared to advance to the junction of the two rivers, where, until now, it had been expected the Indians would make a last and desperate stand.* Every thing was in readiness to proceed on tl1e march, when it was ann~unced to the general, that colonel Milton's brigade could not move~ During the night before, some of his wagon horses having strayed off, persons had been sent in pursuit, and were expected • The Hickory ground, or that part of the Creek nation ly· ing in the forks, near where the Coosa and Tallapoosa unite, was called hy the Indians Holy ground, from a tradition and belief among them, that it never had been trod by the foot of a white man. Acting under the influence of thei1· prophets, a.ntl a religious fanaticism, it was supposed they would make greater exertions to defend this, thaR any other portion of thei1· country. |