The Creek War of 1813 and 1814

IV. Tecumseh Among the Creeks

TEOUMSEH AMONG THE OHOOTAWS. 53 His rider, a Shawnee, then leaped to the ground and continued his flight afoot. Without further casualty, the party arrived at the l}amp. The Muscogees took possession of a hill which stood to the south of the camp, and now from hill-top to valley, the fight began to rage, the Choctaw and the Shawnee pitted against the martial Muscogee. The camp on the other side of the river heard the firing, and Tecumseh's warrior spirit was aroused. All crossed over to the relief of the beleau,Q;uered camp. and the fight raged with greater fury. The smoke of battle soon darkened the field, enveloping the Muscogees on the hill and settling down on the cane-brake which sheltered the Choctaws and the Shawnees. The Creeks made several efforts to drive their enemies from their cover. At one time two daring warriors, making a flank movement, had even penetrated to the Choctaws' rear, but were there discovered and slain. All day, with rival bravery, the warriors of Tecumseh and Folsom fought the common foe. About sunset, encouraged by Tecumseh, an assault was made up the hill, the Muscogees were disloged and put to flight, and the shouts of the victors resounded over the field. Both sides had a considerable number killed and wounded, Folsom, whilst standing behind a tree, in the act of shooting at a warriot' in his front, received a rifle ball through the right shoulder from another hostile warrior, who had taken a position in front of the Choctaw right flank. Hoentubbee also received a 'Wound, though a slight one, being struck by a spent ball. While fighting bravely against the enemy, a ritle ball struok a large cane in his front and glano- THE CREEK WAR, ing struck the warior with considerable force on the breast. For a moment supposing himself smitten with a mortal wound, Hoentubbee cried out with a loud voice, "Sallishke!" "I am dead!" But he soon realized that he was not so dead after all. This little incident afforded much amusement to the Ohoctaw warriors. The Oreeks, according to their national custom, bore off from the field all their wounded, and as many of their slain warriors as they could with safety to themselves. But they were compelled to a.bandon a few, whom the Ohoctaws plundered and scalped without compunction. The Shawnees took no part in this act, perhaps, by the command of Tecumseh, since the fight was a necessity forced upon them. The next morning, the victors buried their dead, then all able to do so crossed the river, Folsom, notwithstanding hIS wound, crossing over with his people. Folsom's mission was now accomplished . He had seen the Shawnees across the Tombigbee, and they now separated, the Shawnees continuing their course towards the domains of the Muscogees and the Seminoles. The Ohoctaw warriors now resolved not to re-cross the Tombigbee until they had retaliated upon the Muscogees for the loss of their horses and the death of their warriors. Folsom returning to Moshulitu 'bbee's on account of his wound, the fierce braves selected another leader, went over to the Black Warrior ' and there wreaked their vengeance to the full. They burned a number of the houses of the Muscogees , slew their warriors, and seized their horses, By a stran'goe freak of fortune, they recovered, in a cane brake on the Black Warrior, the very IiLme TEOUMSEH .AMONG THE OHOOT.AWS. 55 Choctaw and Shawnee horses that had been captured on the Tombigbee. At last, enriched with booty and scalps, they recrossed the Tombigbee in triumph, thence went to the house of Mingo Achillitubbee , (in Neshoba Oounty, half a mile northeast of the Bogue Ohitto bridge), where they underwent those ceremonies of purification customary, in ancient times, among the Choctaws on their return home from the war path. NOTES. The above sketch of Tecumseh's visit to the Ohickasaws and Ohoctaws has been worked out from original and authentic sources. The greater part of the information was received from Charley Hoentubbee, of Kemper County, a son of the warrior, Hoentubbee. In 1880, the writer had repeated conversations with Oharley Hoentubbee, who related to him all the facts that he had ever heard from his father in regard to Tecumseh's visit to the Ohoctaws. He stated that he had often heard his father talk about this visit. Hoentubbee...