f battle, and to all the cruel
and demoralizing influences of horrid war.

For many years there had been peace with the Indians in all that
region. But unprincipled and vagabond white men, whom no law in the
wilderness could restrain, were ever plundering them, insulting them,
and wantonly shooting them down on the slightest provocation. The
constituted authorities deplored this state of things, but could no
more prevent it than the restraints of justice can prevent robberies
and assassinations in London or New York.

The Indians were disposed to be friendly. There can be no question
that, but for these unendurable outrages, inflicted upon them by vile
and fiend-like men, many of whom had fled from the avenging arm of law,
peace between the white man and the red man would have remained
undisturbed. In the extreme southern region of Alabama, near the
junction of the Alabama River with the almost equally majestic
Tombeckbee River, there had been erected, several years before, for the
protection of the emigrants, a fort called Mimms. It consisted of
several strong log huts, surrounded by palisades which enclosed several
acres. A strongly barred gate afforded entrance to the area within.
Loop-holes were cut through the palisades, just sufficiently large to
allow the barrel of a musket to be thrust through, and aim to be taken
at any approaching foe.

The space within was sufficient to accommodate several families, who
were thus united for mutual protection. Their horses and other cattle
could be driven within the enclosure at night. In case of a general
alarm, the pioneers, occupying huts scattered through the region for
miles around, could assemble in the fort. Their corn-fields were
outside, to cultivate which, even in times of war, they could resort in
armed bands, setting a watch to give warning of any signs of danger.

The fort was in the middle of a small and fertile prairie. The
forest-trees were cut down around, and every obstacle removed which
could conceal the approach of a foe or protect him from the fire of the
garrison. The long-continued peace had caused vigilance to slumber. A
number of families resided in the fort, unapprehensive of danger.

One evening, a negro boy, who had been out into the forest at some
distance from the fort in search of cattle, came back saying that he
saw far in the distance quite a number of Indians, apparently armed
warriors. As it was known that the Creek Indians had been grea