PUSHMATAHAW AND HIS WARRIORS.
There was great anxiety felt from the beginning of the war lest the
Creeks should succeed in drawing the Chickasaws and Choctaws into the
conflict as allies. At that stage of affairs at which we have now
arrived this fear had become a very nightmare. The few troops at
Claiborne's command, together with the militia of the country, were
barely sufficient to hold the forts, and even this inadequate force was
liable at any time to be reduced by the withdrawal of the soldiers to
assist in repelling an attack of the British, whose fleet now constantly
threatened the coast; and if the forces of the Choctaws and Chickasaws
should be added to Red Eagle's strength, the plight of the whites would
indeed be pitiable.
About this time a Choctaw chief of influence with his people, by name
Pushmatahaw, arrived at St. Stephen's, and declared that he could induce
a considerable number of the Choctaw warriors to enlist in the American
service, if permission were given to him to recruit among them. Eagerly
grasping at this hope, Colonel George S. Gaines[1] went with the chief
to Mobile to secure the desired authority from General Flournoy, who
was now in command of the South-western Department.
[Footnote 1: Colonel Gaines was still living in the year 1866 at State
Line, Mississippi. The author met him in that year engaged, old and
feeble as he was, in a charitable work that involved considerable
labor.]
That officer, for some reason which is not apparent, declined to accept
the proffered services of the Choctaws, and Colonel Gaines and his
companion returned with heavy hearts to St. Stephen's, where the news
they brought created the profoundest dissatisfaction. Before the
friendly chief had taken his departure, however, a courier from General
Flournoy arrived, bringing an order which directed Colonel Gaines to
accept the chief's offer of assistance, and to accompany him to the
Choctaw Nation to enlist the men.
With a single white companion Colonel Gaines went with Pushmatahaw to
the nation, where, gathering the Choctaws into a council, the chief made
them a speech, saying that Tecumseh, who had suggested this war, was a
bad man. He added:
"He came through our country, but did not turn our heads. He went among
the Muscogees, and got many of them to join him. You know the Tensaw
people. They were our friends. They played ball with us. They sheltered
and fed us when we went to Pensacola. Where are they now? Their bodies
are rotting at Sam Mims's place. The people at St. Stephen's are also
our friends. The Muscogees intend to kill them too. They want soldiers
to defend them. You can all do as you please. You are free men. I
dictate to none of you; but I shall join the St. Stephen's people. If
you have a mind to follow me, I will lead you to glory and to victory."
Pushmatahaw finished this speech with his drawn sword in his hand. When
he paused, one of the hitherto silent warriors stood up and, striking
his breast with his open palm, after the manner of the Choctaws on
specially solemn occasions, said, "I am a man; I will follow you;"
whereupon his fellows imitated his example, and thus a considerable
force of men, who might have been added to Weatherford's strength but
for the friendliness of Pushmatahaw, became active friends of the
whites.
But a new factor of very much greater value was now about to enter into
the problem and totally change its conditions. Andrew Jackson, the
sternest and most energetic of Indian fighters, was coming with his
Tennessee volunteers to reverse the situation of affairs. The Creeks,
who were now hunting the whites like wild beasts, were presently to
become the hunted party, with Andrew Jackson upon their track.