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diff --git a/41485.txt b/41485.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f88c0b1..0000000 --- a/41485.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,15291 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's Makers and Romance of Alabama History, by B. F. Riley - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Makers and Romance of Alabama History - -Author: B. F. Riley - -Release Date: November 25, 2012 [EBook #41485] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MAKERS, ROMANCE OF ALABAMA HISTORY *** - - - - -Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at -http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images -generously made available by The Internet Archive.) - - - - - - - - - -Makers and Romance of Alabama History - - -Embracing Sketches of the Men Who Have Been Largely Instrumental in -Shaping the Policies and in Molding the Conditions in the Rapid Growth of -Alabama--Together With the Thrilling and Romantic Scenes With Which Our -History is Resplendent - - -BY B. F. RILEY, D.D., LL.D. - -_Author of the History of Conecuh County; Alabama, As It Is; History of -the Baptists of Alabama; History of the Baptists of the Southern States -East of the Mississippi; History of the Baptists of Texas, and The White -Man's Burden; Ex-President of Howard College, and sometime Professor of -English Literature and Oratory in the University of Georgia._ - - -"History is neither more nor less than biography on a large -scale."--LAMARTINE. - -"All history is but a romance, unless it is studied as an -example."--CROLY. - -"Biography is the only true history."--CARLYLE. - - - - -DEDICATED - -TO THE WOMEN OF ALABAMA-- - -The Mothers, Wives, Daughters, and Sisters, without the fidelity, -kindness, and devotion of whom this proud commonwealth could not have -attained its present magnificent proportions, and on whose future loyalty -must largely depend the perpetuation of the grandeur of Alabama; who -though not conspicuous in the glare and tumult of the struggles which have -eventuated in the erection of Alabama into a giant state, have yet made -possible the successes of others by the quiet and wholesome force of our -home life; to these, our worthy women of the past and present, this volume -is most cordially dedicated by - -THE AUTHOR. - - - - -BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION - - -The present volume is intended to be a substantial contribution to the -history of Alabama, by giving expansion to the recorded lives of its -foremost citizens--men who alike on the field and in the forum, on the -bench and in the sphere of commerce, in the lecture room and in the -pulpit, on the farm and in the court, in the field of development as well -as in the ordinary walks of life, have shared conspicuously in the -erection of one of the proudest of the American commonwealths. - -The distinction achieved by these eminent citizens in various orbits are -worthy of perpetual record, and their respective deeds and accomplishments -deserve more than a bare reference in the current chronicles of the state. -Along the successive eras through which Alabama has passed, first as a -territory, then as a state, for a period exceeding a hundred years, each -of these worthies made a contribution to the construction of a mighty -commonwealth, and sheer justice requires that the specific task so -worthily wrought by each should be a matter of permanent record. The -effort is here made not to follow the beaten path of chronological -biography, so much, as to seize on the salient points in the life of each -eminent leader, show who and what he was, and that which he did. By means -of a method like this, these distinguished men become reflectors of the -period in which each lived and wrought. - -In addition, is a series of romantic sketches which lie outside the -channel of ordinary history, and yet they serve the function of imparting -to its pages a zest and flavor that relieve it largely of commonplace. -These scenes derived from the transactions of nearly four hundred years, -have been carefully gleaned from every possible source, and are here -embodied for the first time in convenient form. - -The conditions which have attended on the evolution of a great state from -the rawest of savage wildernesses, have yielded a store of material -intensely romantic. The original tribes with their rude settlements and -forts dotting the uncleared surface of Alabama over, skimming the waters -of the streams and bordering bays in their tiny canoes, and threading the -forests along narrow paths; the invasions of the Spanish and the French, -and their transactions and conflicts as they would encounter aboriginal -resistance, and the later and lasting occupation of the territory by the -Anglo-Saxon, who came with dominant determination to possess the land and -to transform it through the agencies of a conquering civilization into an -exalted government--these have yielded a harvest of romance exceptional in -its rareness and fascinating in its nature. While the record of scenes -like these afford diversion, at the same time, they serve as no inferior -contribution to our history. Like the lives of prominent makers of -history, these rare scenes are indexes of the times in which they took -place. - -It is proper to say that the material embodied in this volume appeared -first on the pages of The Age-Herald, of Birmingham, Alabama, with no -original design of the expansion which they gradually assumed, and with -no purpose, in the outset, of embodying them in permanent form. As first -appearing, the individual subjects were treated under the general head of -Men Who Have Made Alabama, while the other sketches appeared under the -subject of Romance of Alabama History. The only change which they have -undergone has been in the way of the correction of certain minor errors to -which the attention of the author was kindly called, and for which he now -acknowledges his gratefulness. - -The publication of this volume is due to numerous requests which have come -from both within and without the state, attended by a generous suggestion -of the historic value of the matter herein embodied. It is in compliance -with these requests that the volume is published. - - - - -INDEX - - - ABERNETHY, M. W. 289 - - BAKER, ALPHEUS 261 - - BAGBY, A. P. 18 - - BALDWIN, A. G. 62 - - BATTLE, C. A. 243 - - BESTOR, D. P. 105 - - BIBB, W. W. 1 - - BOWDON, F. W. 110 - - BOWIE, ALEXANDER 124 - - BREWER, WILLIS 361 - - BRYCE, PETER 181 - - CHILTON, W. P. 81 - - CLAY, CLEMENT COMER 14 - - CLAY, CLEMENT CLAIBORNE 48 - - CLAYTON, H. D. 275 - - CLEMENS, JEREMIAH 209 - - COBBS, N. H. 190 - - COLLIER, H. W. 58 - - CURRY, J. L. M. 219 - - DALE, SAM 5 - - DARGAN, E. S. 176 - - DEBARDELEBEN, H. F. 333 - - DOWDELL, J. F. 279 - - FITZPATRICK, BENJ. 33 - - FORNEY, W. H. 252 - - FORSYTH, JOHN 87 - - GOLDTHWAITE, GEORGE 92 - - GUILD, LAFAYETTE 284 - - HARALSON, JONATHAN 342 - - HARRISON, G. P. 265 - - HERBERT, H. A. 365 - - HILLIARD, H. W. 204 - - HOLCOMBE, HOSEA 53 - - HOOPER, J. J. 67 - - HOUSTON, G. S. 293 - - JOHNSTON, J. F. 365 - - KING, W. R. 23 - - LANGDON, C. C. 152 - - LEWIS, D. H. 28 - - MANLY, BASIL, SR. 120 - - MARTIN, J. L. 38 - - MATTHEWS, J. E. 171 - - MEEK, A. B. 115 - - MORGAN, J. T. 299 - - MURFEE, J. T. 317 - - MURPHY, W. M. 73 - - OATES, W. C. 338 - - ORMOND, J. J. 129 - - PELHAM, JOHN, 238 - - PETTUS, E. W. 256 - - PICKENS, ISRAEL 10 - - PICKETT, A. J. 133 - - POLLARD, C. T. 157 - - POWELL, J. R. 326 - - PRATT, DANIEL 142 - - PUGH, J. L. 305 - - RICE, F. S. 162 - - RODDY, P. D. 248 - - RODES, R. E. 224 - - RYAN, A. J. 321 - - SAMFORD, W. J. 346 - - SAUNDERS, J. E. 77 - - SCREWS, W. W. 351 - - SEMMES, RAPHAEL 233 - - SHELLEY, C. M. 270 - - SHORTER, J. G. 185 - - SMITH, E. A. 313 - - SMITH, ISAAC 43 - - STONE, G. W. 167 - - TOUMEY, MICHAEL 146 - - TRAVIS, ALEXANDER 96 - - TUTWILER, HENRY 137 - - WALKER, L. P. 194 - - WEST, ANSON 309 - - WHEELER, JOSEPH 229 - - WINSTON, J. A. 100 - - YANCEY, W. L. 199 - - - THE FIRST WHITE INVADER 373 - - INGRATITUDE AND CRUELTY 379 - - TUSKALOOSA, CHIEF OF THE MOBILIANS 385 - - TROUBLE BREWING 392 - - BATTLE OF MAUBILA 398 - - AFTERMATH OF THE BATTLE 405 - - MURMURING AND MUTINY 410 - - THE CLOSING SCENE 415 - - ORIGINAL MOBILE 421 - - FORT TOMBECKBE 426 - - CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CHICKASAWS 431 - - BATTLE OF ACKIA 436 - - AFTER THE BATTLE, WHAT? 441 - - THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS 446 - - EARLIEST AMERICAN SETTLERS 451 - - INDIAN TROUBLES 456 - - ALEXANDER MCGILLIVRAY 461 - - THE INDIAN "EMPEROR" 466 - - MCGILLIVRAY'S CHICANERY 471 - - A NOVEL DEPUTATION 476 - - THE TENSION RELIEVED 481 - - THE CURTAIN FALLS 486 - - LORENZO DOW 490 - - WEATHERFORD, THE "RED EAGLE" 495 - - ENFORCED ACQUIESCENCE 499 - - FORT MIMS MASSACRE 503 - - INDIAN GRATITUDE 508 - - THE CANOE FIGHT 512 - - A LEAP FOR LIFE 517 - - WEATHERFORD'S OVERTHROW 522 - - WEATHERFORD SURRENDERS 527 - - WEATHERFORD'S LAST DAYS 531 - - AARON BURR IN ALABAMA 535 - - BURR'S ARREST 540 - - A DREAM OF EMPIRE 545 - - THE TRIP AND SETTLEMENT 550 - - LIFE IN THE FRENCH COLONY 554 - - PRIMITIVE HARDSHIPS 559 - - LAFAYETTE'S VISIT 564 - - LAFAYETTE'S RECEPTION 569 - - LAFAYETTE'S DEPARTURE 574 - - OLD SCHOOL DAYS 579 - - THE CROSS ROADS GROCERY 584 - - EARLY NAVIGATION 589 - - HARRY, THE MARTYR JANITOR 594 - - A MEMORABLE FREEZE 598 - - TWO SLAVE MISSIONARIES 602 - - THE CAMP MEETING 607 - - THE STOLEN SLAVE 611 - - HAL'S LAKE 615 - - - - -MEN WHO HAVE MADE ALABAMA - - - - -WILLIAM WYATT BIBB - - -On the extreme eastern boundary of Washington County, on a bluff -overlooking the Tombigbee River from the west, is the site of old St. -Stephens, the original, or territorial, capital of Alabama. At one time it -had a population of perhaps three thousand, composed largely of immigrants -from Virginia. At the time of its selection as the seat of territorial -government it was about the only place in the territory fitted to become a -capital, though Huntsville, on the extreme north, was also a town of -considerable pretension. - -As early as 1817 St. Stephens was a bustling little center of culture and -wealth. In their insulation the people were proud of their little capital. -Their touch with the outside world was by means of sluggish flat boats -which were operated to and from Mobile. The original site is now a scene -of desolation. A few ruins and relics remain to tell the story of the once -refined society existing there. Some of the foundation masonry of the -little capital building and of the tiny treasury, an occasional column of -stone or brick, beaten and battered, rows of trees still growing in -regular order as they were planted nearly a century ago and a cemetery -with its stained and blackened marble remain to indicate that this was -once a spot inhabited by a refined community. - -Here, as far back as 1814, Thomas Easton, the first public printer of the -Alabama territory, issued his little paper with its scant news of flat -boat tidings from Mobile, the improvements in the little town, the -exploits of hunters of turkeys, deer, wolves and bears, with a slight -sprinkling of personalities. St. Stephens had been a town of some -pretension for years before the first territorial governor, Honorable -William Wyatt Bibb, of Georgia, came across the country from the -Chattahoochee to assume the executive functions to which he had been -appointed by President Monroe. Bibb was amply equipped for his difficult -position alike naturally and by experience. - -A graduate from William and Mary College, he chose medicine as a -profession and was actively engaged in his profession when he was chosen -to represent Georgia in the legislature, where, though still quite a young -man, he won distinction. When scarcely twenty-five years old he was sent -to Congress from Georgia. Later he became one of the senators from the -state, and later still was appointed by President Monroe, the territorial -governor of Alabama. His was an arduous task. The territory was dotted -over with straggling settlements of colonists who came from Virginia, the -Carolinas and Georgia and settled here and there, but the two chief -settlements were in the opposite ends of the territory at St. Stephens and -Huntsville. Roads were yet uncut, and in passing from one settlement to -another the colonists would follow the trails of the Indians which -threaded the forests through. To weld the widely separated communities -into statehood and lay the foundation of a great commonwealth required -more than ordinary statesmanship. - -The boundaries of the territory had just been defined by the National -Congress, with the provision that the territorial legislature of the new -region should be those who were members of the Mississippi legislative -council and house of representatives who resided within the confines of -the newly created Alabama territory. Of that number, it so happened that -only one member of the legislative council, or senate, fell within the new -territory. James Titus, of Madison, was the only member of the upper -house, and during the first session of the legislative assembly he sat in -a chamber alone as the senate of Alabama. He was president, clerk and the -senate--all in one. He met, considered the measures of the lower house, -adjourned and convened with ludicrous formality. In the lower house there -were about a dozen members. - -The initial message of the first governor showed a ready grasp of the raw -conditions and an ability to grapple with formidable difficulties. A -wilderness had to be shaped and molded into a commonwealth by the creation -of the necessary adjuncts, all of which the young governor recommended in -his first message. The promotion of education, the establishment of -highways, the construction of bridges and ferries, the definition of the -boundaries of counties and the creation of new ones, in order to fuse the -dispersed population into oneness were among his recommendations. - -Perhaps the most notable service rendered by Governor Bibb was that of -thwarting the effort of the Mississippi constitutional convention, in -which convention was organized that state, in seeking so to change the -original boundary between the Alabama and Mississippi territories as to -include into the new state of Mississippi all that part of Alabama which -lies west of the Tombigbee River, or, in other words, to make the -Tombigbee the boundary line between the two proposed states. This imposed -on the young governor an important and arduous task, but with cool -aggressiveness, coupled with influential statesmanship, he succeeded in -preventing the proposed change. Had the change been made there would have -been lost to Alabama that valuable portion now embraced in the counties of -Sumter, Choctaw, Washington and Mobile Counties. To the active agency and -energy of this original commonwealth builder is Alabama indebted for the -retention of this valuable strip of territory. - -Commercial and educational systems were organized by the incorporation of -banks and schools, and the first location of the seat of government of the -new state provided for by the selection of a site at the junction of the -Cahaba and Alabama Rivers, which new town was called Cahaba. Governor Bibb -was charged with the work of laying out the plans of the town and for -providing for the erection of a capitol building. Meanwhile the seat of -government was removed to Huntsville in order to await the completion of -the capitol at Cahaba. - -His term having expired as territorial governor, and Alabama having now -become a state, Governor Bibb offered for election as the first governor -of the new state, and was opposed by Marmaduke Williams, of Tuscaloosa. -Bibb was elected, but died soon after. Two counties, one in Alabama and -the other in Georgia, were named in honor of Governor William Wyatt Bibb. - - - - -SAM DALE - - -No more romantic character figured in the early days of Alabama history -than General Sam Dale. Cool as an ocean breeze, and fearless as a lion, -his natural qualifications fitted him for the rough encounters of a -pioneer period. Like an ancient Norseman he sought danger rather than -shunned it, and hazard furnished to him a congenial atmosphere. He was -born for the perils of the frontier, and his undaunted spirit fitted him -for reveling in the stormy scenes of early Indian warfare. - -A native of Virginia, Dale was taken to Georgia in early childhood, and -there grew to early manhood. From his earliest recollections he was -familiar with the stories of the lurking savage and the perils of the -scalping knife and tomahawk. He was therefore an early graduate from the -border school of hunting and Indian warfare. - -When Dale removed to Alabama in the budding period of manhood he had -already won the reputation of being the most daring and formidable scout -and Indian fighter of the time. In numerous encounters he had been a -distinguished victor. Six feet two inches high, straight as a flagstaff, -square shouldered, rawboned and muscular, with unusually long and muscular -arms, he was a physical giant and the terror of an Indian antagonist. By -his courage and intrepidity, he excited the regard even of the Indians, -who called him "Sam Thlucco," or Big Sam. - -The qualities possessed by Dale may be illustrated by the revelation of -one or two of his daring feats. Appointed a scout at Fort Matthews on the -Oconee River, in Georgia, which fort was under the command of the famous -Indian fighter, Captain Jonas Fauche, Dale slid with stealthy movement -through the country, and spied out the whereabouts and plans of the -Indians. Once while at a great distance from the fort, he was bending over -a spring of water to drink, two Muscogee warriors sprang from behind a -log, and leaped on Dale with tomahawks upraised. With entire coolness of -mind he pitched one of them over his head, grasped the other with his left -hand, and with his right plunged his knife into his body. Quick as thought -the other recovered himself, and rushed with madness on Dale just in time -to meet another thrust from his blade, and both lay dead at his feet. -Bleeding from five wounds which he had received in the combat, Dale -retraced the trail of the Indians for nine miles through the woods, and -when he came to the edge of their encampment he found three brawny -warriors sprawled on the ground asleep, while in their midst there sat a -white woman, a prisoner, with her wrists tied. He deliberately killed all -three as they slept, and cut the thongs of the prisoner. Just then a -stalwart Indian sprang from behind a tree with a wild yell, and with a -glittering knife ready to bury it into Dale's body. Dale weakened by his -wounds and his exhausting march, was thrown to the ground by the Indian, -who had him in such a position that within a moment more he would have -made the fatal stab had not the woman quickly seized a tomahawk and buried -it in the brain of the Indian. The woman was quietly escorted back to the -fort and returned to her home. - -Peace having been made, Dale betook himself to trading with the Indians, -exchanging calicoes, gewgaws, ammunition, and liquor, for peltry and -ponies. His profits would have been enormous had Dale not been the -spendthrift that he was. But like many another, he never knew the value of -a dollar till he was in need. His trading led him across the Chattahoochee -into the Alabama territory in 1808, at which time we find him among the -earliest immigrants to this region. He was most valuable as a guide in -directing for years bodies of immigrants from Georgia to Alabama. He was -at Tookabatchee and heard the war speech of Tecumseh which precipitated -the war in Alabama, and straightway gave the alarm of approaching -hostilities to the inhabitants. A long and brilliant series of daring -exploits marked the years of the immediate future of Dale's eventful life. - -Perhaps the most noted of his feats was that of the famous "canoe fight," -on the waters of the Alabama River. This was a thrilling encounter, and is -inseparable from the great achievements which adorn the state's history. -It is too long to be related in detail, and only the outline facts can -here be given. With two men in a canoe, Austill and Smith, and the -faithful negro, Caesar, to propel the little boat, Dale sallied forth on -the bosom of the river to encounter eleven Indian warriors in a larger -boat. As the boat which bore the Indians glided down the river, the one -containing the three whites shot out from under a bluff, and was rowed -directly toward the Indians. Two of the Indians sprang from the boat, and -swam for the shore. Caesar, the negro, who paddled the canoe of the -whites, was bringing his boat so as to bear on the other, that they would -soon be alongside, which so soon as it was effected, the negro gripped the -two and held them together while the fearful work of slaughter went on. -The result of the hand to hand engagement was that the nine Indians were -killed, and pitched into the river, while the whites escaped with wounds -only. - -In the early territorial struggles General Dale was engaged partly as an -independent guerilla, and partly under the commands of Generals Jackson -and Claiborne. At the close of hostilities Dale took up his residence in -Monroe County from which he was sent as a representative to the -legislature for eight terms. In recognition of his services the -legislature granted him an appropriation amounting to the half pay of a -colonel in the regular army, and at the same time gave him the rank of -brigadier general, in which capacity he was to serve in case of war. -Later, however, the appropriation was discontinued because of a -constitutional quibble, when the legislature memorialized Congress to -grant an annuity to the old veteran, but no heed was given to the request. - -In order to procure some compensation for his services, General Dale was -induced by his friends to go to Washington, and during his stay at the -national capital, he was entertained by President Jackson. Together the -two old grizzled warriors sat in the apartments of the president, and -while they smoked their cob pipes, they recounted the experiences of the -troublous times of the past. - -General Dale served the state in a number of capacities additional to -those already named. He was a member of the convention which divided the -territories of Alabama and Mississippi, was on the commission to construct -a highway from Tuskaloosa to Pensacola, and assisted in transferring the -Choctaws to their new home in the Indian territory. - -His last years were spent in Mississippi, where he served the state in the -legislature. He died in Mississippi in 1841. His biographer, Honorable J. -F. H. Claiborne, says that a Choctaw chief, standing over the grave of -Dale the day after his burial, exclaimed: "You sleep here, Sam Thlucco, -but your spirit is a chieftain and a brave in the hunting grounds of the -sky." - - - - -ISRAEL PICKENS - - -One of the great commonwealth builders of the southwest was Governor -Israel Pickens, the third governor of the state. As a state builder he -came on the scene just at a time when his constructive genius was most -needed. His two predecessors, the brothers, Governors William W. and -Thomas Bibb, had together served the state little more than two years, the -former dying while in office and the latter, as president of the senate, -succeeding him and filling his unexpired term. Both these had wrought well -under raw and chaotic conditions, but the utmost that could be done within -so short a time was that of projecting plans for the future of the infant -state. While the foundation was well begun, the superstructure still stood -unbuilt. - -On Governor Israel Pickens was imposed the task of the real erection of -Alabama into a state. It was an organization which called alike for skill, -wisdom, and executive direction of the highest order. Serious problems lay -at the threshold of the young commonwealth, and these had to be met with a -sense of delicate adjustment, and yet with a firm and deliberate judgment. -The domestic policy of the state was yet to be molded, and such precedents -established as would thereafter affect the destiny of Alabama. At this -time Governor Pickens was just forty-one years old. There was a demand for -extraordinary prudence in calling into conjunction with himself, by the -governor, the sagest counsellors that the state then had. Executive -leadership at this time must encounter a critical juncture. Fortunately -for Alabama, Governor Pickens was amply qualified for the onerous task -imposed. He sprang from one of the most eminent of the early families of -the south. The name of Pickens lingers in Carolina history today with a -flavor of distinction. Himself the son of a revolutionary sire who had -rendered gallant service as a captain in the struggle for independence, -Governor Pickens bore to the state the prestige of his family when he -removed from North Carolina in 1817. His educational advantages had been -the best that could be afforded in his native state, and the adjoining -state of South Carolina, to which was added a course at Washington -College, Pennsylvania, where he completed his legal education. A -practitioner at the bar for a period in his native state, a legislative -service of a few years and a career of six years in Congress preceded -Pickens' settlement in Alabama in 1817. Locating as an attorney at St. -Stephens, he was appointed to the registership of the land office. - -It is insisted, and doubtless rightly, that no executive of the state has -in thoroughness of efficiency and in comprehensiveness of grasp of a -situation ever excelled Israel Pickens. - -He became governor in 1821, and was re-elected in 1823, serving till 1825 -to the utmost limit of incumbency under the constitution. Within the brief -period of four years he had constructed into compactness a state from the -crude and incoherent elements within reach. The qualities which he -demonstrated were firmness, deliberation, sedulous care, wisdom and -administrative force, to all of which was added a zest of labor. Never -hasty, but always at work, promptly recognizing any lack of deficiency in -the developing structure, and with equal readiness supplying it with a -sagacious eye to permanency, the interest of Governor Pickens was -undiminished to the close of his term of office. - -So distinguished were these traits of statemanship that they excited -general comment among his distinguished contemporaries who insisted that -in unsuspended fidelity, unselfish devotion, wise projection and skillful -execution he has never been surpassed, if indeed equaled. That he -succeeded to the fullest in the accomplishment of his difficult task is -the verdict of posterity. Other executives since may have possessed more -shining qualities, others still may have been more profound, while yet the -deeds of others may have been more spectacular, but all who have succeeded -Israel Pickens derived the benefit of that so ably done by him. - -When he entered the gubernatorial office conditions were necessarily in an -inchoate form. Rudeness and crudeness characterized the initial conditions -on every hand. Valuable as the service of his predecessors had been, his -lot was to raise into symmetrical proportions with every part perfectly -adjusted a mighty commonwealth, ready to enter on its career worthily, -alongside the older states. Existing conditions were incident to the -emergence of a wilderness territory into the dignity of statehood. But -when Governor Pickens retired from office as the state's chief executive -the structure was complete in all its parts. In the recent work of twelve -large volumes, "The South in the Building of the Nation," issued under the -auspices of the Southern Historical Publication Society of Richmond, Va., -Governor Pickens is alluded to as "one of the great state builders of the -southwest." - -Nor did his career end with the expiration of his term of office as -governor. The year following his retirement from the gubernatorial chair -he was appointed a United States Senator by Governor Murphy. Almost -simultaneously with this appointment came the offer of the federal -judgeship of Alabama from President John Quincy Adams, but the latter -offer was declined, and Governor Pickens entered the federal senate. - -But Mr. Pickens was destined to enjoy senatorial honors but a short while. -In the latter part of the same year of his appointment as a national -senator, his lungs became seriously involved, tuberculosis was speedily -developed, and he was forced to resign his exalted station and seek -another and softer climate. At that time the West Indies was the favorite -resort of those thus affected, and Mr. Pickens repaired to Cuba with the -hope of recuperation in its balmy climate. But he survived his retirement -from Washington only five months. - -Senator Pickens had not reached the zenith of manhood and usefulness -before he was stricken down, for at his death he was only forty-seven -years old. His body was brought back to Alabama for interment, and he was -buried within a few miles of Greensboro. In his death Alabama lost one of -her most popular and eminent citizens, and one of her foremost statesmen. -To him belongs the chief distinction of erecting Alabama into symmetrical -statehood. - - - - -CLEMENT COMER CLAY - - -Governor Clay was among the pioneers of Alabama. He was a native of -Virginia, the son of a revolutionary soldier, and was educated at -Knoxville, Tenn. Law was his choice as a profession, to the practice of -which he was admitted in 1809, and in 1811 he located at Huntsville, which -continued to be his home till his death in 1866. - -From the outset, he showed profound interest in the territory and in the -promotion of its affairs, and two years after making Huntsville his home -he enlisted against the Indians, and was chosen the adjutant of his -command. His name is prominent among the territorial legislators in the -two sessions held prior to the admission of Alabama into the Union. - -When the constitutional convention was held, Mr. Clay was not alone a -member, but was chosen the chairman of the committee charged with -submitting the original draft of the constitution. In one especial sense -he is, therefore, the father of the state of Alabama. - -It was evident to the state builders of Alabama that no one was more -profoundly concerned in its fundamental construction than Mr. Clay, and no -one among those who had chosen the territory as a future home, was abler -to serve the young state in its first totterings in seeking to get full -upon its feet. The breadth and clearness of his vision, and the -unusualness of his ability marked him as one who was in great need under -such initial conditions. The character of his strength had been shown, and -he was destined to become one of the early leaders of the new state. He -was therefore chosen as a member of the supreme court, and in recognition -of his legal ability, though younger than any other member of the new -court, his associates chose him as chief justice, and he thus became the -first to occupy that exalted station in Alabama. - -The rapid increase of population and the newness of conditions in a young -state were productive of increasing business, and called for men of legal -ability. In response to this demand, Judge Clay retired from the supreme -bench after a service of four years, and resumed his private practice. It -was shortly after this that he felt impelled in response to a mistaken -demand for vindicated honor, to brook a grievance against Dr. Waddy Tate, -of Limestone County, by engaging in a duel with that gentleman. The result -was the infliction of a painful wound to each, and the affair was over. -Happily for civilization it has outgrown this method of settling disputes -among men of sense. - -Continuing for a period of years in his private practice, Judge Clay was -chosen in 1827 as a representative to the legislature from Madison County. -Two years later he was elected to a seat in the National Congress where he -served with great efficiency for three terms of six years. - -Offering for the governorship in 1835 against General Enoch Parsons, of -Monroe County, the election resulted in his polling almost twice as many -votes as his opponent. It was during his term of office as governor that -troubles arose by an outbreak on the part of the Creek Indians. Governor -Clay at once ordered out the state forces, and as commander-in-chief, took -the field in person, co-operating with Generals Scott and Jesup of the -army of the United States in the suppression of the disturbance. For about -three months the troubles continued, but the unremitting activity of -Governor Clay finally eventuated in the suppression of the outbreak, and -peace was restored. - -While he was still governor, Mr. Clay was elected to succeed Honorable -John McKinley in the National Senate. In this new orbit he was brought -into contact with the giants of the nation, and the services rendered by -him are a part of the national history. It was through the efforts of -Senator Clay that the pre-emption laws, discriminating in favor of -settlers, were enacted. Multitudes have been the recipients of the benefit -of this beneficent legislation without knowing or even thinking of its -source. By means of this law, thousands have been able to procure homes on -the public domain without which law it would have been impossible. No man -in the National Congress was more active than he in the adjustment of the -conditions for the greatest happiness to the greatest number. - -Mr. Clay retained his seat in the National Senate only four years, when he -retired because of his financial condition, to improve which he returned -to the practice of law. However, his previous service on the supreme bench -induced Governor Fitzpatrick to appoint him to a position in the court in -1843. Here he remained only a few months, a fact which it seems was -contemplated in the appointment. - -An additional service rendered by Governor Clay, and it was the last -public service for the state, was that of the preparation of a new digest -of the laws of Alabama, to which work he was appointed by the legislature. -His manuscript, as he had prepared it, was accepted by the judiciary -committee, submitted in unchanged form to the legislature, and has been in -use as authority to this day. The closing days of Governor Clay were those -of gloom. The occupation of Nashville by the federals in February, 1862, -resulted in the capture of Huntsville, where numerous indignities were -offered to many of the best people of the city of the mountains. Among -those who shared in these indignities was the venerable Governor Clay. -Because of his well-known sentiments, his home was invaded by the federal -troops, claimed and regarded as national property, and Governor Clay was -himself placed under arrest. He chafed under conditions like these, and at -his advanced age he conceived that the doom of the country had come. Nor -did the conditions of the close of the hostilities lend to his prospect -any relief. Considerations like these he carried as a burden, until -sinking under the weight, he died at the advanced age of 77 years, at his -home in Huntsville on September 7, 1866. - - - - -ARTHUR P. BAGBY - - -While Alabama was yet in its territorial swaddling clothes, Honorable J. -L. Martin, who afterward became governor of Alabama, met a young Virginian -who had just removed to the territory, and who himself was destined to -wear gubernatorial honors. This young man was afoot across the country, -carrying his personal effects in a bundle very much as a peddler carries -his pack. This tall and handsome youth was Arthur P. Bagby. - -He was a young man of striking and even prepossessing appearance, tall, -graceful, erect, with classical mold of feature and black eyes that -twinkled with an unusual luster. He was among the many enterprising young -spirits who quit the older states of the south and moved westward with -empires in their brains. - -Settling at Claiborne, in Monroe County, at that time one of the looming -settlements in south Alabama, Bagby at once turned to practical advantage -the excellent educational equipment with which he had been provided in his -native state. Recognizing in the law an opportunity, not only to -accumulate wealth, but a medium to distinction, Mr. Bagby entered a law -office and began his preparation for the bar. The rapid inflow of -population to the dawning state, the occupation of lands in all -directions, and the inevitable growth of wealth would beget litigation and -afford a harvest field for the best equipped of the legal profession. -Young Bagby caught the spirit of the times and was not slow to improve -the opportunity. - -Highly gifted, Bagby was like many another young man with rare natural -powers, and came to rely on his natural endowments rather than on studious -application. His charming personality and fascinating manner made him -immensely popular, and his popularity was enhanced by a vivid imagination -and prolific and poetic utterance. From the time of his first appearance -before the public to the close of a long and eventful public career, he -was a most popular orator. His fame as an orator gradually widened, and -his services were in frequent demand, not only in the courts, but on -important public occasions. - -He was not long in finding his way into public life, for in 1821 he was -chosen to represent Monroe County in the legislature. His companionable -disposition and uniform courtesy won the hearts of his fellow legislators, -and when he succeeded himself in the lower house after his first term, he -was easily elected to the speakership--the youngest member in the history -of the state to occupy that position, being at the time but little beyond -twenty-five years old. For a period of fifteen years he was kept in the -legislature, sometimes in one branch and again in the other. He closed his -career as an active legislator in the house as speaker in 1836. - -His active interest in affairs had by this time made him one of the best -known public men in the state while his popularity was undiminished. -Perhaps Alabama never had a more popular public servant than Arthur P. -Bagby. To the equipments already named was that of the charm of a -perennial flow of natural, bright and animated conversation. Nature had -lavished her richest gifts on this unassuming young Virginian. - -In 1837 Mr. Bagby became a candidate for governor. Favorably known by the -leading men throughout the state, the election of Bagby was in the outset -conceded, though he was opposed by a very popular man, Honorable Samuel W. -Oliver, of Conecuh. The popularity of Mr. Oliver was based on his -conservatism, and he was universally esteemed a gentleman of great -fairness. They were formidable opponents, the qualities of each commanding -the highest esteem, but the popularity already attained by the younger -candidate and his persuasive and exhilarating oratory made for him friends -wherever he appeared, and he was elected. - -Up to this time the inauguration of a governor was regarded as so tame an -occasion that there was but a small attendance of the population on the -ceremonies, but when Bagby was inaugurated those who had heard him during -the campaign flocked to the capital to hear him on this august occasion. -From remote quarters the citizen high and humble sought his way to -Tuscaloosa, then the capital, to hear the inauguration speech of the new -governor. In full appreciation of this fact, Mr. Bagby was on this -occasion at his best. His appearance was hailed by the acclaiming -thousands, and his inaugural address delivered in a well modulated voice -and with splendid bearing, was wildly received by an idolizing -constituency. The men of plain garb and rustic manner rushed forward to -grasp the hand of the popular young governor, and his reciprocation of a -demonstration so generous and genuine was the most unaffected. Nor was his -popularity impaired during his administration. Two years later he was -swept into office by popular acclamation and without opposition. Though -the dual administration of Governor Bagby fell on stormy times, as the -issue of nullification was then dominant, he succeeded in so directing the -affairs of the state as to increase rather than lessen public esteem. - -Nothing was more logical than that he should be elected to the National -Senate to succeed Honorable Clement C. Clay on the occasion of the -resignation of the latter in 1841. But a remnant of Senator Clay's term -was left when he resigned, but Mr. Bagby was easily re-elected when the -fragment of time had expired. Before the term of six years for which he -had been elected had closed, President Polk appointed Senator Bagby envoy -extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the Russian Court, at St. -Petersburg. For this position he was admirably fitted, but served in the -capacity of minister not more than a year, and for political reasons -resigned on the accession of General Taylor to the Presidency. - -Returning from Russia, Mr. Bagby settled again in Alabama, retiring to -private life from which he was summoned to public service by being -associated with Judge Ormond and Honorable C. C. Clay in the codification -of the laws of Alabama. This was the last public service rendered by Mr. -Bagby. - -In 1858 he died of yellow fever in Mobile at the age of sixty-two. -Naturally endowed with the highest gifts and most varied talents, he gave -to these substantial expression in the conspicuous ability which he -displayed in the exalted stations which he occupied uninterruptedly for -more than thirty-five years. Arthur Pendleton Bagby adorned with signal -ability every position to which he was called, and throughout maintained -with happy blend and even balance a most courtly dignity and a charming -companionableness which put the plainest citizen in his presence at -perfect ease. Those who knew him best found it difficult to determine -which more to admire, his superior native dignity or his unaffected -cordiality, so undefinable was the charm which invested this gifted -gentleman. No chafe or worry of stress in public strain impaired the -affableness of his intercourse with others, and while he was honored by -his fellow citizens they were amply repaid in the splendid service which -he rendered the state and the nation. - - - - -WILLIAM R. KING - - -A native of North Carolina, William Rufus King, removed to Alabama in -1818. Lured to a region destined soon to take its place in the galaxy of -states, Mr. King was no novice in public affairs when he reached Alabama. -Indeed, he came crowned with unusual distinction for one so young in years -when he migrated to a territory which was just budding into statehood. -Though at the time only thirty-two years old, he had served with honor to -himself and to his native state as a legislator, solicitor and -congressman. When only twenty-four years old he had been sent to Congress -from North Carolina. His entrance into Congress in 1810 was simultaneous -with the beginning of the congressional careers of Henry Clay, John C. -Calhoun and William Lowndes. - -Mr. King served with distinction in Congress for six years when he was -chosen secretary to the American Legation at St. Petersburg, under William -Pinkney, who was at that time minister to the court of Russia. After -spending two years in this honorable capacity, King returned to North -Carolina and subsequently removed to Alabama. - -Buying a plantation near Cahaba, in 1819, he had scarcely located when he -was chosen a representative to the first constitutional convention of the -state. Together with Honorables Henry Hitchcock of Washington County, and -John M. Taylor of Madison, Mr. King drafted the first constitution of this -state. His clearness of perception, soundness of judgment and ability in -adjustment of matters of great moment arrested the attention of the -leaders of the coming state, during the session of the first -constitutional convention, and he was marked as one of the men of the hour -in laying the foundation stones of a great commonwealth. In recognition of -his ability, Mr. King was chosen one of the first national senators from -Alabama when the first legislature met in 1819. Of this prospective -distinction he must have been unaware, for at the time of his election he -was on a visit to North Carolina. - -Mr. King lived in an atmosphere above that of ordinary men. He was a man -of solid rather than of shining qualities, and his life was redolent of -purity and of exalted conception of duty. There was a delicacy of -sentiment which characterized his conduct, an affableness and quietness of -demeanor, an utter absence of display or of harshness, a serenity and -gentleness, with no unbecoming speech to soil his lips, no action to repel -even the humblest civilian. On the floor of the Federal Senate the -Honorable R. M. T. Hunter, of Virginia, said on the occasion of Mr. King's -death: "He was a man whose whole soul would have sickened under a sense of -personal dishonor." He was far more forward in his assertion of the claims -of others than of those for himself. - -No man in the public life of America ever more won by dint of intrinsic -merit than William Rufus King. Such was his bearing on all occasions that -men instinctively honored him. To him as a public man principle was the -path of the highest expediency. He wore his honor on his sleeve, and -would not scramble on a low plane for place, and would never learn the art -of petty politics. He engaged in political contests, but they were in the -open field and in full view of the eyes of the world. - -Mr. King came to be the first citizen of the state, becoming Vice -President of the United States, but it was entirely due to his worth and -not to any of the arts of the struggling politician. Utterly without -assumption he was as spectacular on one occasion as another. His was a -quiet knightliness without dash, the stamp of a nobleman of nature, -without lordly port. - -So unquestioned was his ability, so unerring his judgment, so profoundly -substantial his qualities as an ideal public servant, that the people of -Alabama honored him with official station for a period of almost -thirty-five years. In 1837 Mr. King was offered the position of minister -to the court of Austria, but declined because of the fact that the ardent -advocacy by him of the election of Mr. Van Buren might be construed as a -motive looking to future emolument--the payment of a political debt. Men -of that type were not so rare at that time as they now are. - -When complications with certain foreign powers became imminent in -consequence of the proposed annexation of Texas as an American state, -there was the demand for the most scrupulous diplomacy and tact and for -the ripest statesmanship on the part of those who should be sent abroad to -represent the United States at the Courts of England and of France. A -single misstep at this juncture would mean limitless trouble. One -especially qualified by social prestige as well as sage statesmanship was -needed to be sent to the Court of France. It was just such an emergency -like this that called for the exercise of powers such as Mr. King -possessed, and he was accordingly appointed to this position and served in -this capacity for a period of two years, when he resigned and returned to -Alabama. The seat left vacant by Mr. King in the federal senate had -meanwhile been filled by Dixon H. Lewis, who was a popular idol, but of a -type entirely different from that of Mr. King. Both were models of honor, -each equally worthy of public esteem; but Lewis, ponderous as he was in -size, was a popular speaker and more of the bonhommie type than was King. -At this time, these were recognized as the two most distinguished men in -the state. - -On his return home King's friends wanted him to resume his place in the -United States Senate, while the friends of Lewis were equally determined -that he should remain in a position which he had adorned for full two -years. Political maneuvering between the friends of the two distinguished -statesmen began, but negotiations seemed of no avail. It was inevitable -that each must test his strength before the people. King and Lewis were -personal friends, they were from adjacent counties, and both were -democrats. So conspicuous had Mr. King become now as a national figure -that many predicted that Lewis would not dare oppose him, but he did. The -contest was joined. It was a battle of giants. King, lithe, elegant, -smooth, plain and simple of diction, but clear as the shining of the sun, -without the gifts of the orator, but a superb talker, went before the -masses. Lewis, weighing five hundred pounds, his large full face beaming -with sunshine, and though large, a most telling orator who could relate an -anecdote with marvelous effect, while he possessed unquestioned ability to -give frequent expression to passages of oratory, won his way rapidly to -the public heart. As is well known, Lewis won, but the two friends were -destined each to be gratified, for Governor Chapman was able soon to -appoint Mr. King United States Senator in the stead of Senator Bagby. -During the administration of President Fillmore Mr. King was chosen to act -as the presiding officer of the senate, and in the summer of 1852 he was -nominated for the vice presidency, elected on the national ticket with -Franklin Pierce, but died the next year at his home at Cahaba, Ala. - - - - -DIXON H. LEWIS - - -In a number of respects the Honorable Dixon Hall Lewis was a very -remarkable man. He was precocious, though, in his early years, not -studious. Still, he held his own in his classes in South Carolina College, -as the university of that state was then called, with decided merit. -Possessed from the beginning with a popular turn, he was a great favorite -in college circles, and was counted an all-round good fellow. - -Lewis was a student at the South Carolina College during the time that -nullification was a dominant issue, and readily imbibed the principles -advocated by Mr. Calhoun, who was then the ideal of most young South -Carolinians. The more mature and thoughtful among the students shared in -the political issues of the time, especially when they were as exciting as -nullification then was. In subsequent years the great South Carolina -statesman never had a more ardent admirer and supporter than Dixon H. -Lewis. - -One of the most remarkable facts connected with Mr. Lewis was his unusual -size. His remarkable corpulency and his enormous physique made him a -spectacle among men of ordinary size. His weight was excessive even in -boyhood, and it continued to increase so long as he lived. His death was -doubtless due to his excessive adiposity, and he was cut down at an age -when he should have been most useful. - -Graduating from South Carolina College he removed to Alabama in 1822. At -that time Lewis was just twenty years old. Admitted to the bar, he began -the practice of law in Montgomery. His ability in the court room was at -once recognized, and had he continued, would doubtless have achieved -distinction at the bar; but his pronounced fondness for politics led him -early into that arena in which he spent the remainder of his life. His -career as a public servant began in the Alabama legislature. During the -years 1825-26-27, he represented Montgomery County in the general assembly -of the state. At that time he weighed about three hundred and eighty -pounds. - -By dint of ability Mr. Lewis took a foremost position among the Alabama -legislators. When scarcely eligible by reason of age, he was chosen for -Congress from his district, and continued in the lower house of the -National Congress from 1829 to 1844, when he was transferred to the -Federal Senate. - -Mr. Lewis belongs to the states' rights school of politicians, and never -had a cause a more fervid advocate. In Congress his influence was -pronounced, and for years he was the acknowledged leader of the Alabama -delegation in the lower branch of that body. He was unalterably opposed to -a protective tariff, and never let an opportunity slip to oppose its -fallacy and injustice. His principles were embodied in the platform -resolutions adopted by the national democratic convention which met in -Baltimore in 1840. - -Ponderous as he was, Mr. Lewis was not impaired in his activity either as -a state legislator or as a congressman. His interest in all matters -public enabled him to overcome the hindrance encountered in his enormous -weight. It was one of his controlling principles never to be absent from -an important committee meeting, where he was always pronounced and firm in -the expression of his convictions. When in 1844 he resigned from the House -of Representatives to take his seat in the Senate, he was chairman of the -committee of ways and means, and the ability shown by him in the lower -branch led to his appointment to the chairmanship of the committee on -finance when he entered the upper chamber. - -His life was a perpetual struggle against the difficulty encountered by -his weight. He could walk but little, and he could enter but few vehicles. -His private carriage had to be specially constructed with respect to -strength, and its entrance was of unusual width. In his home a special -chair or chairs had to be manufactured adapted to his size, and his -bedstead was of far more than ordinary strength. He moved from place to -place with exceeding difficulty, but in the constant warfare of the spirit -against the flesh the former predominated, for impelled by a gigantic -will, he declined to hesitate because of his immense weight and size. - -In his trips to Washington and returning, in the days before railroads -became so great a convenience, Mr. Lewis had to travel in an old fashioned -stage coach, and always paid for two seats. A chair of unusual size was -made for him to occupy in the House of Representatives, and when he -entered the Senate it was transferred to that chamber. Yet, as has already -been said, Lewis was an orator of unusual power. His freedom of -utterance, pleasing manner, jovial disposition, and his ability to present -with clearness and power the issues discussed, with a reliance on well -arranged and thoroughly digested facts, made him formidable in debate, and -quite popular before a promiscuous audience. - -In this memorable contest against Mr. King for the National Senate in -1841, the labors of Lewis were herculean. Weighing at this time about five -hundred pounds, he had to be helped to the platform, and on one occasion -when the weather was excessively hot, two devoted country constituents, -one on each side of the sweltering orator, relieved the situation by the -swaying of two large palm fans, which they employed with vigor while he -spoke with ardor. The contrast between Mr. Lewis and Mr. King was most -striking--the one ponderous and bulky, while the other was tall, thin, -lithe and sinewy. - -Mr. Lewis declined to be jested about his size and was sensitive to the -faintest allusion to it. But his genuine chivalry forbade his taking the -slightest advantage of anyone, or of subjecting any to the least -inconvenience because of his condition. On one occasion while returning -from Washington, the steamer on which he was, was wrecked. The small boat -was ordered out for the relief of the excited and distressed passengers, -but he declined to enter it, for fear that his huge weight would imperil -the safety of the others. Remaining alone in extreme peril till the others -could be safely rescued, he was subsequently reached by the small boat and -saved. - -Elected to the Senate in 1844, Mr. Lewis died in 1848. In the interest of -his health he went to New York during the latter part of 1848, was treated -as was supposed successfully and, animated by the prospect of a speedy -resumption of his public duties at Washington, he spent some time in -visiting the objects of interest about and within the city of New York. -But his special trouble returned with suddenness and he soon died. At the -time of his death Mr. Lewis was forty-six years old. - -So nation-wide had become the reputation of this remarkable man that his -body lay in state for some time in the city hall of New York before its -interment in Greenwood cemetery. The funeral procession was one that did -honor to his career, for at its head, were the mayor of New York, the -governor of the state, and every congressman who was able to reach the -metropolis in time. He died just as he was emerging into the full exercise -of his splendid powers. - - - - -BENJAMIN FITZPATRICK - - -The galaxy of the names of Alabama's worthy sons would be incomplete with -the omission of that of Governor Benjamin Fitzpatrick. An uneducated and -orphaned boy, he came to Alabama from Greene County, Georgia, in 1816, to -assist in the planting interests of his elder brothers, whose lands lay -along the eastern bank of the Alabama River, about six miles outside of -Montgomery. He never attended school more than six months of his life, and -in his early days was inured to the rough encounters of the world. Colonel -Brewer states in his history of Alabama that Mr. Fitzpatrick, in -subsequent years, was accustomed to point out a field near Montgomery -where he tended a herd of swine for his brothers as the hogs would feed on -the mast of the oak woods. - -Service as a deputy sheriff in Elmore County, which position brought him -into contact with the courts, aroused an ambition to become a lawyer, and -he prepared himself for that profession under the tutelage of the Hon. N. -E. Benson. Admitted to the practice of the law when he was barely 21, he -rapidly won popularity as a lawyer by his devotion to the interests of his -clients. After practicing for a period in Elmore County, he removed to -Montgomery, where he entered into co-partnership with Henry Goldthwaite. - -The legal development of Mr. Fitzpatrick was rapid, and he was elected to -the solicitorship of the Montgomery circuit, and after serving one term -was again elected to the same position. By his marriage to a daughter of -General John Elmore his political fortunes were greatly enhanced. The -Elmores were one of the most distinguished families of the state, a son of -the general being a national Senator from South Carolina, another a -distinguished lawyer in Montgomery, still another was the attorney general -of Louisiana, yet another was secretary of state of Alabama and later -collector of the port of Mobile, while another was a federal judge in -Kansas. By his marriage Mr. Fitzpatrick became a brother-in-law to the -Hon. Dixon H. Lewis. - -Driven by broken health from the seclusion of his law office, in 1827, he -repaired to his plantation near Montgomery, where he maintained a princely -country home in which was dispensed the hospitality for which the old-time -southerner was proverbial. At no period in the history of any land was -hospitality more sumptuous than in the princely homes of the South during -the regime of slavery, and the home of the Fitzpatricks was a typical one -of the hospitality of those days now gone. For full twelve years he lived -contented and happy on his fertile plantation, unsolicitous of public -office, but in 1840 he was summoned from his retreat by the state -democratic convention to serve as a Van Buren elector, and succeeded in -swinging the state into the column of the democratic candidate from New -York. His ability was so distinguished during his campaign that he was -honored with the governorship of the state at the close of the same year. - -During his period of retirement Mr. Fitzpatrick had remained in vital -touch with the existing issues of the time, and his powers were solidified -in his rural retreat, so that on his return to public life he was far more -amply equipped. This was at once manifest in his first message to the -legislature, which message by the breadth of its statesmanship stamped him -one of the foremost publicists of the state, and he easily succeeded -himself in the governor's chair without opposition. So exceptional had -been his dual administration that a joint resolution of the general -assembly approved his course as governor throughout, as well as himself -personally. He retired from the office of governor crowned with the -laudations of his countrymen. - -Repairing to his plantation, he was summoned by Governor Chapman to the -assumption of the United States senatorship to fill the unexpired term of -Dixon H. Lewis. He was appointed again to fill the unexpired term of the -Hon. William R. King, and in 1855 was elected by the Alabama legislature -to the federal senate for a period of six years. It was during this period -of his career that the highest honor of the senate was conferred on Mr. -Fitzpatrick, as he was chosen by that body as president pro tempore. - -In 1860, the second place on the national ticket with Stephen A. Douglas, -was tendered Senator Fitzpatrick, but this he declined because of his -disagreement with Mr. Douglas on his "squatter sovereignty" doctrine. This -indicates that Senator Fitzpatrick was not a secessionist, for he shared -in the views of other eminent southern leaders that secession was not the -remedy to cure the grievances of which he insisted the South justly -complained. But, like those with whom he shared in sentiment respecting -secession, this did not deter him from sympathy with the cause of the -South. In every way he contributed to the cause of the South when once the -clash came. Yielding his convictions, he continued a southern patriot, and -when the others of the South withdrew from Congress, he sundered his -relation from the federal government as a senator, and ardently espoused -the cause of his section. - -The last public function of Senator Fitzpatrick was that of the presidency -of the constitutional convention of Alabama in 1865. While always -preserving a cheerful demeanor, there is little doubt that the results of -the war, in the complete wreckage of the industrial system of the South -greatly preyed on his spirit. He died when he was about seventy years old. - -Few public men in Alabama have left a purer record than Governor -Fitzpatrick. His dominant characteristic was his integrity. He would never -yield to compromise of principle, holding that principle is indivisible. -If sternness was required to demonstrate this, then he could be stern. To -him justice was a supreme principle. He would never waver the width of a -hair even for the most cherished friend or kinsman. He was most exacting -of the performance of public duty by public servants, and in order that he -might rigidly comply with the conditions and terms of his oath of office, -he familiarized himself with every detail of the duties of his -subordinates. He made no pledge which he did not fulfill and committed -himself to no cause which he did not execute to the letter. To him public -office was a public trust, and to this he rigidly conformed. The -aggregation of the qualities which entered into the character of Mr. -Fitzpatrick made him an ideal public servant, whose course in life is well -worthy of emulation. - - - - -JOSHUA L. MARTIN - - -The year 1845 was marked by a rent in the democratic party of Alabama. -Governor Fitzpatrick's term was soon to expire, and it was necessary to -choose a successor. A lapse of interest had come to political affairs in -the state, due largely to the defeat of the whig party the year before in -failing of the election of the President. The result was that of -demoralization to the whigs throughout the country, for they had been -animated by the belief that they would succeed in capturing the -presidency. They showed no disposition, at any rate, to enter the lists -for the governorship in Alabama. - -In May, 1845, a democratic convention was called to meet at Tuscaloosa, -then the capital of the state, and it was sparsely attended, a fact due to -the political indifference everywhere prevailing. However, the attendance -on the convention on the first day would have been much larger but for the -delay of the boat from Mobile, which was to bring all the delegates from -the southern counties. - -The friends of the Hon. Nathaniel Terry of Limestone were intent on his -nomination for gubernatorial honors, and as those present were mostly from -the counties north, they were anxious to proceed to the nomination of -their candidate. There were others present, however, to whom Mr. Terry was -not the choice, and they sought to have the convention adjourn till the -next day, in order to await the arrival of the delayed steamer from -Mobile. But Terry's friends, who were evidently in the majority, with the -slim attendance already present, insisted on the nomination being made -that day. This evoked a stern protest on the part of the others, which -protest was read before the body, and afterward printed and circulated to -the injury of the candidacy of Mr. Terry, but, notwithstanding this -vehement protest, the nomination was made. - -This was a signal for a storm. Many present were dissatisfied, and those -who arrived later swelled the roar of the tempest which sprang up at once. -Murmurings of dissatisfaction were heard on all hands, much to the -gratification of the whigs who had so often sustained sore defeat at the -hands of the much-boasted united democracy. The whigs not only chuckled at -the domestic quarrel of the democrats, but did what they could to widen -the breach between the two factions. The dissatisfaction at last found -vent in the naming of another democratic candidate for the governorship, -in the person of Chancellor Joshua Lanier Martin of Tuscaloosa. He was an -ardent democrat, was widely and favorably known, had served with great -acceptance in a number of positions, such as legislator, solicitor, -circuit judge and congressman, and as a voice had been denied many in the -convention, they proposed to resent it by seeking to elect another -democrat rather than the one nominated by the precipitate few. Judge -Martin did not seek the nomination, but when chosen under the conditions, -he accepted the popular nomination. - -The issue between the two formidable candidates was now squarely joined, -the friends of Mr. Terry urging the platitudinous plea of party -nomination, and party loyalty, but this only served to augment the -popular flame. This was met by the counter plea of advantage having been -taken, and therefore the plea of support on account of the improper -nomination was without force. Never before had a rupture come to the party -in the state, and this was used as a reinforcement of the plea already -named, but without much avail. - -Thus the battle raged and from its apathy the state was aroused from -confine to limit, and the land rang with the oratory of contending party -factions. Divisions and dissensions became rampant. Neighbor strove with -neighbor, and community struggled against community. Households were -divided, churches were sundered by divergent sentiment, and men wrangled -in anger as though the fate of the continent were seriously involved. -Reasons and counter reasons flew like bullets in battle, and the stock -arguments of the campaign became those of everyone, and he would use them -with all the fervor and friction of sudden originality. In view of the -unquestioned democracy of Judge Martin, his reputation, official and -private, his personal popularity, and the precipitate action taken in the -nomination of his opponent, it was clear that Mr. Terry was breasting odds -from the outset of the campaign. - -Besides all this, the whigs, anxious to give as great a stagger as -possible to "the regular nominee" of the democratic party, lent support to -Judge Martin. Thus the campaign became suddenly stormy. Excitement ran -high, passion superseded reason, and clamor filled the air. Up to the -closing of the polls on election day, the question was so complicated by -the interlacing vote of the state, that no one could venture a prediction -of the result. But Judge Martin led his opponent by at least five hundred -votes. This was the first defeat ever sustained by a nominated democrat in -the state, for a state office, and, as usual under similar conditions, -there were dire predictions of the utter demolition of the democratic -party in the state of Alabama! - -Be it said to the perpetual credit of Judge Martin that he bore himself -with singular equanimity throughout the prevalence of the strenuous -campaign. His was an atmosphere high above the clatter of the demagogue, -and it was understood that the place was undesired by him unless it should -come purely in recognition of his merit and fitness. In observing this -principle in politics, Governor Martin was never defeated for a public -office. - -Governor Martin was by birth a Tennessean. Denied an advanced education, -he turned to the best account that which he had in the common schools, -which limited training he solidified by teaching during his younger years. -He reached Alabama in 1819, the same year of its admission into the Union, -finished his law studies, which had been begun in Tennessee, and settled -at Athens to practice. The political stations held by Governor Martin have -already been indicated, and by reason of these he took with him into the -gubernatorial office a thorough knowledge of public affairs. It was during -his administration that the Mexican war occurred, the demands growing out -of which he met with official fidelity. His term of office having closed, -he resumed the practice of the law, and, save when elected to the -legislature in 1853, he never filled another official station. For thirty -years, almost, he was in the public service, and a more faithful officer -the state never had. He died at Tuscaloosa on November 2, 1866, being -sixty-seven years old. - - - - -ISAAC SMITH - - -No man in the early annals of the state had a more varied or romantic -career than the Rev. Isaac Smith, a courageous missionary of the Methodist -Church. His life and labors do not find recognition on the page of secular -history, but the contribution which he made to the state in its early -formation wins for him a meritorious place in the state's chronicles. It -is doubtful that his name and labors are familiar to the present -generation of the great body of Christians of which he was an early -ornament, but they are none the less worthy of becoming record. - -Mr. Smith enlisted from Virginia in the army of Washington while yet a -youth. Bright and alert, he was chosen an orderly by Washington, and -served in that capacity under both Washington and LaFayette. When the new -nation started on its independent career and when the region toward the -west began to be opened, Mr. Smith migrated toward the south, became a -minister of the Methodist Church, and offered his services as a missionary -to the Indian tribes. Hated because of their ferocity, the prevailing idea -in the initial years of the nineteenth century was that of the destruction -of the red man, but Mr. Smith felt impelled to take to him the gospel of -salvation. - -His labors were not confined to any particular region and he trudged the -country over, imperiling his life among the wild tribes, who came to love -him because he was one pale face who sought to do them good. He founded -an Indian school near the Chattahoochee and taught the Indians the -elements of the English language. When Bishop Asbury, the most indomitable -of all the Methodist bishops, came to the South, Mr. Smith was his close -friend and adviser, and most valuable were his services to the bishop in -planting Methodism in the lower South. - -All real teachers are greater learners than instructors, for in their zeal -to impart they must first come to acquire. Mr. Smith was an assiduous -student and with the growth of his years was an accumulated stock of both -wisdom and learning. As he passed the meridian of life he became a power -in his denomination and his counsel was freely sought in the high circles -of his church. When, in 1825, General LaFayette visited Alabama in his -tour of the South, he passed through the Creek Nation, in Georgia, and was -escorted by a body of Georgians to the Chattahoochee River and consigned -to the care of fifty painted Indian warriors, who vied with the pale faces -in doing honor to the distinguished visitor. Rowing LaFayette across the -river to the Alabama side, he was met by Rev. Isaac Smith. The great -Frenchman instantly recognized Mr. Smith as one of his boy orderlies -during the campaigns in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. There was a cordial -demonstration of mutual affection between the old French veteran and the -younger man, now a Methodist preacher. The painted Indian warriors looked -on the exchange of greeting with evident pleasure. It so happened that -LaFayette reached the Alabama side just at the point where stood the -humble school building of the intrepid missionary. - -The first demonstration of greeting being over, Mr. Smith eschewing all -conventionality, and, in keeping alike with his Methodist zeal and the joy -which he experienced in meeting his old commander, proposed that all bow -in prayer. When LaFayette and Smith dropped on their knees the Indian -warriors did the same, and there on the banks of the deep rolling -Chattahoochee, beneath ancient oaks, in fervid and loud demonstrations of -prayer, the voice of Mr. Smith rang out through the deep forests. The -picture thus presented was worthy the pencil of the master--the ardent but -devout preacher, the great French patriot and the half hundred warriors, -each with his hands over his face, praying in the wild woods of Alabama. -The prayer was an unrestrained outburst of joy at the meeting of the old -commander and a devout invocation for the preservation of the life of the -friend of American liberty. - -Yielding to the hospitable pressure of the boy soldier of other and -stormier days, LaFayette was taken to the humble cottage of the missionary -in the woods, and in order partly to entertain the distinguished guest and -partly to afford him an insight into aboriginal life, Mr. Smith arranged -for a game of ball to be played by the Indians. The day over and LaFayette -was taken into the cabin, served with the scanty fare of the pioneer -missionary, and beside the primitive fireplace the two, the missionary and -the great Frenchman, sat that night and fought over the battles in which -both were participants during the Revolution. They parted on the -following morning, LaFayette continuing his course toward Cahaba, the -state capital, and Mr. Smith resuming his treadmill round of duty as a -secluded missionary to the Indians. They parted with the same -demonstrations of affection with which they had met, and never again met -each other in the flesh. - -With cheerful alacrity Mr. Smith continued his work among the Indians, to -which work he gave expansion in later years as the white population -continued to multiply. He was of immense service to the government in -adjusting the claims of the Indians and in pacifying them in the -acceptance of the inevitable lot finally meted out to them. As a -mediatorial agent Mr. Smith prevented much butchery in those early days -when the extinction of the Indian was so seriously desired. - -With fame unsought and undesired, the Rev. Isaac Smith continued his -missionary and evangelistic labors in Alabama till forced by the weight of -years and the results of the privations of pioneer life to retire from the -scene of activity. He lived, however, to see the state of his adoption -pass from an infantile stage to one of great population and prosperity and -to witness the consummation of much of that of which he was one of the -original prospectors. Retiring in his last years to Monroe County, -Georgia, he died at the age of seventy-six. On the moral and spiritual -side he was one of the foundation builders of the state of Alabama. His -labor and sacrifice deserve recognition alongside that given of men whose -stations in life gave them great conspicuousness in the public eye. He -was of the class of men who labored in comparative obscurity, passed away, -and in due time are forgotten, but their works do follow them in their -everlasting results. - - - - -CLEMENT CLAIBORNE CLAY - - -Hon. Clement Claiborne Clay inherited all the strong traits of his -distinguished father. His birthplace was Huntsville, where he was born in -1817. In his boyhood years he would learn much of the struggles through -which the people of the state were passing in a transition from pioneer -conditions to those of real life, and thus manhood unfolded -contemporaneously with the development of his native state. His first -knowledge of Alabama was derived at a time when conditions were rude and -crude and during his career of more than three-score years he saw it -expand through successive periods, his sentiments keeping pace with its -development. - -In most respects highly favored by fortune and condition, Mr. Clay knew -how to prize these and use them as stepping-stones to success. His father -was his most intimate companion, and the stations held by him were as -largely shared in by the son as was possible. So soon as young Clay was -prepared to do so he was sent to the state university, from which he -graduated at the early age of seventeen. While his father was governor, -the youth served as his private secretary and while his father was serving -as senator at Washington, the son was at the same time pursuing his law -course at the University of Virginia, which course he completed in 1840. - -At the early age of twenty-five the junior Clay was elected to a seat in -the lower house of the legislature. He attracted attention at first by the -introduction of a resolution instructing the Alabama delegation in -Congress to support a bill favorable to refunding to General Andrew -Jackson the fine of one thousand dollars imposed on him by Judge Hall of -New Orleans in 1815 for declaring martial law in that city, under which -the judge was imprisoned by Jackson for discharging on habeas corpus a -member of the Louisiana legislature who had been caught in the act of -secretly communicating with the enemy and had been imprisoned by General -Jackson. The fine was for contempt and Jackson paid it, and now, after the -lapse of more than a quarter century, the sum was returned with interest, -the total being at the time of the refunding about $3,000. - -The speech made by the young man in advocacy of his resolution won him his -first spurs. It flashed with fervid eloquence and was pervaded throughout -with the choicest diction. Many were the predictions of his future -greatness because of that speech. - -His service in the legislature led to his retention in that body for three -successive terms, during the last of which he was elected by the -legislature to the judgeship of the county court of Madison. After serving -thus for two years, he resigned and resumed the practice of the law. Five -years later still, he offered for congressional representative, but was -defeated by the Hon. W. R. W. Cobb of Jackson County. The sting of defeat -was abundantly alleviated, however, when he was chosen by the legislature -a United States senator at the close of the same year. The distinction was -the greater because of the handsome majority given him over his -distinguished opponent, the Hon. R. W. Walker, Clay having received -eighty-five votes, while Walker received thirty-seven. - -The gifts, training, and acquirements of Mr. Clay eminently fitted him for -this exalted forum. It was at the time when state rights doctrine was well -at the front and into the thick of the fray he entered as an ardent -disciple of Mr. Calhoun. His speeches on the floor of the senate chamber -won for him wide attention, and gained for him national renown. Throughout -the country his speeches were a subject of comment, while in Alabama his -name was on every thoughtful lip. - -Having served for six years in the National Senate, Mr. Clay was again -chosen in 1859, and was in the senate when Alabama seceded in 1861, and -with all the other southern senators resigned, which furnished occasion in -harmony with the temper of that time to provoke a vote of expulsion of the -southern senators. On his return to Alabama, Mr. Clay was at once chosen a -senator from the state to the Confederate Congress. In Richmond he was in -vital touch with the Confederate government, the confidence of which he -enjoyed to an unusual degree. After a senatorial service of two years at -Richmond, Mr. Clay stood for re-election before the legislature of -Alabama, and was opposed by Colonel Seibels of Montgomery and the Hon. J. -L. M. Curry of Talladega. After a number of unsuccessful ballots Mr. Clay -withdrew in favor of R. W. Walker, whom he had previously defeated for the -United States senate, and Mr. Walker was elected. - -In 1864 Mr. Clay was sent on a confidential errand from the Confederate -states government to the provinces of Canada. His mission was one of -diplomatic secrecy, but under prevailing conditions resulted in nothing -practical. While the nature of his mission was not known, it was supposed -to be that of exciting Canadian interest in the affairs of the -Confederacy, and to arouse such interest as would eventuate in procuring -an army of invasion of sufficient force to raid with success the northern -frontier of the Union. The northern press charged at the time that Mr. -Clay was abetting the adventurers who attempted the destruction of New -York City by fire. - -During his stay in Canada, Mr. Clay was instrumental in inducing the -members of the peace party in the North to prevail on President Lincoln to -open negotiations with him looking to the settlement of hostilities -between the North and the South. An unofficial mission was entered on, but -without avail. When he learned of the capitulation of the Confederate -armies, Mr. Clay started from Canada on horseback for Texas, but, seeing -in the northern press that he was openly charged with complicity in the -assassination of President Lincoln, he changed his course and made his way -to Macon, Ga., where he might surrender with a view to a thorough -investigation. In reward for this expression of honor on the part of Mr. -Clay, he was seized, sent to Fortress Monroe, put in irons, where he lay a -fellow prisoner of Jefferson Davis for twelve months, without being -brought to trial on the false charges of treason and assassination. His -health was sadly broken under these cruel and disgraceful conditions, and -his release was finally procured by his devoted and gifted wife, whose -pleadings with the governmental authorities at last prevailed, and it was -believed, not without reason, that the government, as it then was, was -glad to appear to display magnanimity in view of the atrocious course -pursued concerning one who was thus being served purely on an unfounded -presumption, and one, too, who had gone beyond his way seeking a trial, in -face of the public charges. Mr. Clay died at Huntsville on January 3, -1882. - - - - -HOSEA HOLCOMBE - - -Altogether worthy of a place in the historic archives of Alabama are the -spiritual heroes who added so much to the moral life of the community, -converting disorder into order, and bringing calmness from confusion and -chaos. Among these may be named Rev. Hosea Holcombe, a native of North -Carolina, and for a period a pastor in upper South Carolina. Mr. Holcombe -came to Alabama in the early stages of its statehood and settled at -Jonesboro, in Jefferson County, from which point he pursued his early -missionary labors, undergoing all the privations and difficulties incident -to those days. - -Without scholastic advantages, Mr. Holcombe turned to practical advantage -the slim resources which came within his reach, and by studious -application became possessed of more than an ordinary education for one -living at that period. He was Alabama's first church historian, and -rendered a lasting service to the state by his preserved record of the -early churches of Alabama. - -While statesmen and publicists were laying the foundation stones of a -great political commonwealth, the pioneer missionary, especially of the -Baptist and Methodist denominations, was abroad with his wholesome -influence, checking vice, inculcating virtue, and seeking to bring the -lives of men into practical conformity to those principles which make -alike for the present, and the life which is to come. - -Those old heroes, often trudging weary and footsore over mountain paths or -threading their way along the Indian trails winding through the forests, -visiting the primitive settlements of Alabama, and dispensing the truths -which make men better, are too often neglected in recounting the elements -which entered into the formation of a great state. Limitedly known while -living, and soon forgotten when dead, the substantial and fundamental -service rendered is not embalmed in the public records, and yet without -such agents, in a rude and crude condition of society, a state could never -become great. Far more valuable than is commonly supposed was the service -rendered by those pioneer preachers. In the absence of courts in those -pioneer days, matters in dispute were often held in abeyance for -adjudication till "the preacher" should come, and his unbiased decision -was usually accepted as final. - -Mr. Holcombe was a leader among those humble but heroic men who braved the -terrors of the wilderness while Alabama was yet the hunting ground of the -savage, and though most of them were untaught in the schools, they -grappled with the gravest problems encountered on the frontier of -civilization, in bringing the chaotic elements of society into subjection -to the gospel, and in cool disregard of the dangers which threatened from -every side, by reason of the presence of the hostile Indian, they -evangelized the widely scattered settlements, preached, visited, cheered, -inspired, and built houses of worship for the future promotion of -Christianity. - -Living and laboring with a zeal unquenched by difficulty or danger, they -passed from the scene of action, but their influence abode still, and as -a silent force has been transmitted through succeeding generations. Most -of those old spiritual heroes lie in unmarked graves. Soon leveled to the -surface, these primitive mounds left unindicated the resting places of the -genuine heroes, and the tangled vine and riotous weed came to usurp the -sacred though narrow places where sleep their ashes, but they, being dead, -yet speak in the characters and lives of those who have come after. - -To this type of spiritual frontiersmen belonged the Rev. Hosea Holcombe. -His life was one of serious devotion to the cause of humanity and of God. -Without reward of purse, he labored unceasingly, eking out a bare -subsistence by the labor of his own hands, that he might have the -privilege of laboring for the welfare of his fellows. He founded all the -early Baptist churches in Jefferson County and frequent were his tours -into different parts of the state. His sage counsel was sought, and such -was the force of his character, that his decisions on all disputed -questions were taken as well-nigh oracular. - -In those early days, and for generations, disputatious contention, -especially between the Baptists and Methodists, was frequent. If this had -its unpleasing side, as it always does, it was not wholly without -compensation, for it stimulated sacred study and grounded the masses in -the truths and principles of the gospel. - -Like all others of the ministry of that remote period, Mr. Holcombe shared -in the prevailing controversial spirit of the times. In the maintenance -of his views he wrote a number of pamphlets, but his chief literary -production was a history of the Baptists of Alabama. While the work lacks -unity of arrangement, and is devoid of literary finish, it reflects the -spirit of the times, and is a monument to the privations and fortitude, as -well as the energy and struggles, of that period now grown dim. - -As the population of the state grew, and the necessity of schools became -more urgent, this unlettered man became one of the earliest exponents of -education, and of all institutions which were conducive to the promotion -of the good of society. - -The services rendered by men like Hosea Holcombe escape the pen of the -historian, because they lie apart from the spectacular and the din of -political and commercial struggle, remote from the universal flow; but -they are chief among the unseen forces the results of which assume shape -in the transmuted lives and characters of men and women and in the visible -institutions of which they were the chief founders. Their records are -usually assigned to the department of unwritten history, but their lives -and labors are the fundamental sources of the institutions, the beneficent -influences of which are ours of today. - -One who leaves his impress on a generation lives for all time, for in some -form his influence works its way, though silently, and contributes to the -symmetry of character in the generations that follow. Deeds of benefaction -are noble, but a good man, in virtue of his life, is a benefaction, and -his daily walk is a constant asset of the good of the future. This admits -of application to the life of this pioneer preacher, which life extended -to near the middle of the nineteenth century. - -The Rev. Hosea Holcombe died in 1841, and his humble grave is on his -original farm near Jonesboro, Jefferson County. A shaft now marks the last -resting place of the old hero. Till this was recently erected, a large -bowlder alone indicated where sleeps the pioneer preacher. Its native -roughness and solidity represented the times as well as the character of -the Rev. Hosea Holcombe. - - - - -H. W. COLLIER - - -There was not in the life and career of Governor Henry Watkins Collier -that which was apt to catch the popular eye and invite popular applause, -for he was not gifted with the flash of oratory, nor did he seek the -clamorous applause which passes with the day. Governor Collier was of the -practical mold of men who merely did things, who patiently wrought in -painstaking silence far away from the madding crowd and the host of empty -babble. He won distinction, but he did it by dint of granite merit, while -disdaining the acclaim which comes as the vapid breath of the hour. - -A Virginian by birth, Governor Collier had the prestige which comes of -distinguished lineage. In the genealogical line were the names of such men -as Sir Francis Wyatt, one of the original English governors of Virginia, -and Admiral Sir George Collier of the British navy. But distinction like -this he relied not on, and his career throughout showed that he regarded -the life of each one a distinct entity dependent entirely on individual -worth. - -Governor Collier came to Alabama in the flower of his youth well qualified -to respond to the demands arising from the colonial conditions of a new -state. He had been grounded in the solid soil of academic drill at a time -when the test of pupilage lay in the thought created by the student rather -than in the mere mastery of that already kneaded by others, and served to -the taste. For to be a student of those early times of even tolerable -tolerance one had to dig rather than to reap, as others had sown. By the -few really skillful preceptors of those primitive times, the student was -encouraged to create and originate his own material from the bare -principles furnished. This molded men of stalwart proportions, promoted -self-assertion, augmented confidence, stiffened reliance, and toughened -the fiber of character by effort. - -Instruction of this character was given in the famous pioneer school of -Moses Waddell at Willington, S. C., where were trained for the stern life -of grappling with grim, original conditions such men as George McDuffie, -James L. Pettigru and Augustus B. Longstreet, and many others whose fame, -and, no less, whose example, remain as a perennial inspiration to aspiring -youth, for after all every man who is made is self-made. Be one's -advantages never so much or so meager, self and self-worth are at last the -determinative factor. - -Girt with equipments like these borne from the Waddell school, young -Collier reached Alabama just as it was emerging into statehood. His first -residence was at Huntsville, where as a youthful pleader he opened his -little office, but soon removed to Tuscaloosa as the partner of Hon. Simon -L. Perry. - -The demand for competent legislators and men for the occupancy of other -spheres, at a time when the population of the state was sparse, opened the -door of opportunity to aspiring young men to which class Collier belonged. -When only twenty-six he went as a representative from Tuscaloosa County, -and so profound was the impression made by this solid young man that the -legislature, at the next session, elected him to a place on the supreme -bench, a distinction the more pronounced because his competitor for the -place was Judge Eli Shortridge. - -Four years later, on the occasion of the reorganization of the state -courts, Judge Collier was displaced from the supreme bench, but was -retained as a circuit judge for four years, at which time Judge Saffold -retired from his seat on the supreme bench, and Governor Clay appointed -Judge Collier in his stead, till the legislature should meet and elect his -successor. On the convening of the general assembly, Judge Collier was met -by a contestant for the honor in the person of Hon. A. Crenshaw of Butler, -but the election resulted in favor of Judge Collier, who received more -than twice the number of votes given his opponent. - -For twelve years he continued to dispense justice in that high tribunal, -and the value of the service rendered the state by him is attested by the -luminous and voluminous decisions which run through thirty-five volumes of -the Alabama reports, a perpetual monument of valuable labor. - -By this time no man so completely filled the eyes of the people of the -state as Judge Henry Watkins Collier. His high sense of justice, his -impartial incision, and his solid and unvarying calmness made him, without -self-effort to attain it, the dominant public figure in Alabama. -Practically without effort, he was chosen, almost by a unanimous vote of -the people, to the office of governor. - -This was in 1849. Judge Samuel F. Rice, one of the brightest and ablest -of Alabamians, appeared against him, and the final vote stood 36,350 for -Collier and 364 for Rice, with a few scattering votes. At the close of his -first term for governor three competitors appeared in the field for the -same distinction--B. G. Shields, Nathaniel Terry and William L. Yancey, -and of a total popular vote of 43,679, Governor Collier was indorsed by -37,460 of these. - -Nor was this due to an active canvass on the part of Governor Collier. -While he was by no means indifferent to his retention of the gubernatorial -chair, he preferred to base his claim on genuine merit illustrated in -official function, rather than by clamor for recognition before the -assembled multitude. He had scrupulously sought to make his work worthy as -a judge and as a governor, and was entirely willing that it should shine -by its own light. He could not plausibly plead for support or indorsement, -had none of the arts and tricks of the vote-getter, and therefore relied -on actual service and worth to give exploit to his value as an official -servant. His ideal of the office was lofty, and he felt that he could not -climb down into the arena of personal scramble when the people were as -fully informed of his competency as they would have been had he made a -heated canvass. - -From the beginning to the close of his life, Governor Collier was under -strain. He did not fret nor chafe under the burdens imposed, but his -powers wore under the dogged strain of perpetual labor. Nothing could -deflect him from public duty. To him its claim was supreme. He died in the -ripeness of his manhood at Bailey Springs in 1865, being only fifty-four -years old, his early death being largely due, no doubt, to the overstrain -of his vigor. - - - - -JOSEPH G. BALDWIN - - -No more genuine compliment can be paid a book than to have the name of the -author so associated with it that at the mention of the work the name of -the writer is at once suggested. This is true of that once noted work, -"Flush Times in Alabama and Mississippi." So widely was the book for years -read, and so popular was it because of its reflection of a period of -southwestern history that to mention the work is to call in immediate -connection with it the name of the author--J. G. Baldwin. - -On its appearance the work was greeted with popular applause and was -highly prized for its genuine merit. While the production of such a work -with its unique and sparkling wit, is worthy of the pen of anyone, the -fame of Judge Baldwin does not repose on it alone, for he was both a -statesman and jurist, and rendered valuable service to Alabama. - -Beginning life under disadvantages because of meager education, Judge -Baldwin fitted himself for life by individual effort and private study and -became one of the most eminent citizens of the state, and later a -distinguished justice on the supreme bench of California. His qualities of -character were sterling, his relations to others uniformly courteous, and -his disposition one of perpetual sunshine. - -In politics a whig, he was ever ready to champion the cause of that party. -He was a skillful tactician, and as one of the whig leaders in Alabama he -often occasioned concern in the ranks of his opponents. On the floor of -the legislative hall he was a formidable disputant, and while he often -dealt herculean blows, he held himself in courteous readiness to receive -them in return. Familiar with parliamentary principles, he held himself -scrupulously within limit, but stoutly demanded that this be returned by -his opponent. He was greatly admired for his manliness and uniform -courtesy, but was dreaded as an opponent. He could rise to heights of -greatness, but could never sink to levels of littleness. This reputation -Judge Baldwin established and maintained alike in legislative hall, the -court room, and in the social circle. - -His was a fertile brain and his command of a chaste and varied diction was -unusual. Possessing an acute discrimination and a relish for the -ludicrous, he was one of the most jovial of companions. Living at an -exceptional period, and amidst conditions which often occasioned merriment -to himself, he was induced to embody his impressions of the scenes about -him in his famous work--"Flush Times in Alabama and Mississippi." It was a -time when credit was practically without limit and when speculation -proceeded on a slender financial basis, and not infrequently on no basis -at all. - -It was a time of wild financial experiment, and ventures of divers kinds -were numerous. To withhold credit for any amount was a mortal offense, and -to present a bill was an act of discourtesy, as such act carried with it -the question of the honesty of the debtor. Loans were freely made by the -state banks to debtors. Private banking institutions sprang up like -mushrooms and with about as much solidity, the stock of such institutions -consisting of real estate on mortgage, upon the faith of which notes were -issued for circulation, payable in gold or silver within twelve months. -The prospective realization of the latter seems not to have been thought -of, nor was it cared for by the masses, so long as money was plentiful. -The reaction from a condition like this, entailing endless litigation and -crash on crash, is easily seen. - -With a business and legal acumen, for Judge Baldwin had both, he watched -with sharp interest the trend of the period, and his work, "Flush Times in -Alabama and Mississippi," is a clever hit, describing the scenes attendant -on the time when money was flush. With an evident relish for fun he -presents the hubbub in the courts, in the places of business and elsewhere -when the notes fell due. The different characters portrayed with masterly -skill, the questions and answers, the indignation and consternation, the -rulings of country justices, the pleas of lawyers and many other elements -are vividly presented, and invariably with such a smack of real humor by -Judge Baldwin that the interest is unsuspended from the outset to the -close. - -While there is much of the creative in the work to lend freshness and -humor to the many scenes, still the book is a practical history of a most -remarkable period which extended from 1833 to 1840. The work is unique in -the originality of its grasp of conditions, the raciness of portraiture -and in the description of the various transactions. Though at bottom -veritable history, the work is throughout garbed in incomparable humor -that may be read at any period with merriment. - -In the same semi-serious vein in which Irving wrote his Knickerbocker -History of New York, but with a much richer tang of humor, Baldwin records -the doings of those rosy days which were anon merged into gloom, and it is -difficult to decide in which phase of the situation one finds more real -fun. He enters into no discussion, renders no opinion of his own, never -moralizes, but is content to hold himself steadfastly to a description of -scene and character in a manner most diverting to the reader. A work like -this was not devoid of a mission, and thousands laughed while they read -the record of their own stupidity and folly. - -A more dignified work from the pen of Judge Baldwin was his "Party -Leaders," which embraces the records, policies and conduct of such men as -Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, Randolph, Clay and others. The stamp of -originality is as clear in this work as in the one already commented on, -while the latter reveals the possession of a vast fund of information -relative to the private lives of the distinguished characters named. More -than that, it displays a power of nice discrimination of character. -Sharpness of analysis and felicity of parallelism of character are wrought -with the finishing touch of the verbal artist, in clean, elegant English -and with a dignity free from stilt or stiffness. This, too, proved to be a -popular work and was eagerly sought and read throughout the country. It -bears the label of the self-made scholar, the finish of the author who -works first hand, and is an embodiment of finished diction and of wide -research. - -There was that in the presence, bearing, and intercourse of Judge Baldwin -that impressed one with his superiority, yet he was free, often even to -abandon, affable, and always companionable. He made ready friends of -strangers, and compelled by his bearing the highest respect of his -opponents. - -Living for many years in Sumter County, he yielded to the alluring reports -which spread over the country in 1849 concerning the newly discovered -Eldorado on the Pacific slope, and removed to California. Without trouble -he fell into the rough and tumble conditions prevailing at that time in -San Francisco, entered on a lucrative practice, and later was chosen by -popular vote to a judgeship on the supreme bench of that state. He died in -California in 1866. - - - - -JOHNSON J. HOOPER - - -The three most noted humorists produced by the South were Judge A. B. -Longstreet, Judge J. G. Baldwin and Johnson J. Hooper. "Georgia Scenes," -the chief product of Longstreet's humor, has been read for generations, -and will continue to be. "Flush Times in Alabama and Mississippi," by -Baldwin, is not a work of so popular a cast as the preceding one, but has -humor of a rare flavor, and "Simon Suggs," the inimitable work of Johnson -J. Hooper--these represent the humorists named and their best work. Each -of these occupies a distinct orbit of humor, and the merit of each has -been long ago established. - -When Hooper saw that he was to be remembered chiefly by his "Simon Suggs," -he regretted the publication, for it had in it no index to any ambition -which he cherished, but was dashed off at odd moments as a mere pastime. -The author desired to be remembered by something more worthy than a -ridiculous little volume detailing incidents of a grotesque character and -the twaddle and gossip in the phraseology of the backwoods. But if the -product be one of rareness, standing apart in its uniqueness and -originality, it is great and worthy, and the author deserves to be raised -on a popular pedestal to be studied as a genius. - -Had Hooper not written "Simon Suggs" his name would have been obscure even -unto forgetfulness, and his genius unknown to the world. That which he did -was apart and above the ability of others to do. Its source is not the -matter to be thought of, but the production itself. At any rate, it is the -work by means of which the name of Hooper will live as Alabama's chief -humorist, and as one of the prominent merry-makers of the South. - -Johnson Jones Hooper was a grandnephew of William Hooper, one of the -signers of the Declaration of Independence. The subject of present -discussion came from North Carolina to Alabama, and his first achievement -in politics was that of his election to the solicitorship of the ninth -judicial circuit, after a stubborn struggle with such men as Bowie, -Latham, Spyker and Pressley. But neither the law nor politics was suited -to the mind and temperament of Hooper. His being bubbled with humor, and -the ridiculous was always first discerned by him, as it is by all -humorists. In the quiet retreat of his humble sanctum, unannoyed by the -bustle of the throng or the rasp of strident voices, was the native -atmosphere of such a genius as was Hooper. It was in "The Banner" at -Dadeville, then an obscure country village, that Hooper first attracted -attention as a humorist. The droll scenes of the experiences of a census -taker of that time, discharging his official function in the backwoods, -where he encountered numerous ups and downs, were detailed in the rural -paper already named, with inimitable skill. - -In the retreat of the rural regions, where the first lesson learned alike -by members of both sexes is that of independence and self reliance, and -where is straightway resisted anyone's interference with liberty, private -affairs, and "belongings," is the basis of a series of productions in his -little periodical, which themselves would have given Hooper fame. The -intrusion of a polite census taker into the cabin homes of the backwoods, -where statistical information was sought about poultry, pigs, soap, cows -and "garden truck," and where the rustic dames resented such intrusion -with broomsticks and pokers, afforded to this man of genius an opportunity -to hit off some rare humor, and in response to his nature he did so. The -scene, the actors, involving the polite efforts of the official to -explain, and the garrulous replies of the doughty dames, embracing -throughout the dialogue and the dialect, are depicted with the hand of the -master and the skill of the artist. - -With its columns weekly laden with merriment so rare, the once obscure -"Banner" became the most popular journal in the state, and far beyond, for -it was sought throughout the south and the comical stories were copied far -and wide. Encouraged by the popular reception given these effusions, -Hooper addressed himself to a more pretentious venture by the preparation -of his "Simon Suggs." He had the basis of the character to be delineated -in a certain rude rustic of waggish proclivities who hung about the -village of Dadeville, and was well known throughout Tallapoosa and the -adjoining counties. With him as a nucleus, Hooper in the exercise of his -genius, constructed his "Simon Suggs." - -That which gives to the production vitality is its unquestioned fidelity -to a phase of life prevailing in those early days, while it is underlaid -by principles which revealed actual conditions. The portraiture is that of -an illiterate, but cunning backwoodsman, bent on getting the most out of -life, no matter how, keen, foxy, double-faced and double-tongued who plied -his vocation in the perpetration of fraud by cant and hypocrisy, pretended -piety, and church membership. - -Dynamic humor, occasioned by ludicrous dilemma, unconjectured condition, -ridiculous episode and grotesque situation follow each other in rapid -succession, and the effect on the reader is explosions of laughter. -"Simon" appears under varied conditions, and is sometimes closely hemmed, -in his artful maneuvers, but he is always provided with a loophole of -escape, due to his long experience and practice. His various assumptions -of different characters under shifting conditions, but remaining the true -"Simon" still among them all, and using his obscure vernacular always, -gives a kaleidoscopic change to the divers situations, and rescues the -stories from monotony. The skilled manipulation with which the whole is -wrought is the work of a remarkable genius. Nor is there break or -suspension, neither lapse nor padding, but the scenes move and shift with -fresh exhibition throughout, and the convulsive effect is irresistible. -"Simon Suggs" was published by the Appletons of New York and for years -spread with wonderful effect throughout the country, resulting in the sale -of many thousands of copies. From the notoriety produced Mr. Hooper shrank -with girlish sensitiveness. - -In December, 1856, at a meeting of the Southern Commercial Convention, -held at Savannah, Hooper was present as a delegate from Alabama. The daily -press of the city announced his arrival with no little flourish as one of -the distinguished members of the body, and as the well known author of -"Simon Suggs." Doubtless this served to swell the crowd when the -convention met at night in the Atheneum. On the assembly of the delegates, -and after the usual formality of reception speeches and replies, and while -a committee was out arranging for permanent organization, Judge John A. -Jones, himself a humorous writer, the author of "Major Jones' Courtship," -arose and moved that "Simon Suggs" be called on to give an account of -himself for the last two years. The presiding officer, who had evidently -never heard before of "Simon Suggs," arose with great dignity and said, -"If Mr. Suggs is present we should be glad to have him comply with the -expressed wish of the convention by coming to the platform." This was -attended by a craning of necks and looks of curiosity in all directions, -but "Mr. Suggs" appeared not. Hooper was seated in the pit beside Gen. -Albert Pike of Arkansas, wearing a green overcoat, and was overwhelmed -with embarrassment by the unexpected demonstration. He had the good sense -to keep quiet, for his humor could more freely exude from the nib of his -pen than from the point of his tongue. While to most others this would -have been flattery, to Hooper it was an occasion of painfulness. He -deprecated a notoriety won at so cheap a price, and by what he regarded a -means so unworthy as that of a work like "Simon Suggs." He sincerely felt -that depreciation rather than exaltation was his, as the author of such a -work, but in this he underestimated the power of his undisputed genius. - -Hooper had a mastery of the English unexcelled by any southern writer. -Hon. Alexander Stephens pronounced his report of the Charleston convention -the finest illustration of the English language that had ever come under -his eye. Mr. Hooper was made the secretary of the Provisional Congress of -the Confederacy and for years was classed among the foremost of American -political writers. He died at Richmond, Virginia, soon after the beginning -of the Civil War. - - - - -WILLIAM M. MURPHY - - -For solidity and strength of character, forcefulness, and impressiveness -of presence especially before a jury or an audience, the Hon. William M. -Murphy was hard to excel. He was remarkable for antipodal elements of -character. That is to say, the active and passive virtues were so set over -against each other as to give him a unique combination of elements. While -morally and physically courageous, he was gentle as a tender woman, and -while he was a most formidable contestant in debate, he was just as -remarkable in his generosity, and spurned any suggestion or opportunity to -take undue advantage. While dreaded in disputatious combat, he was -respected for his uniform fairness. According this to others, he was not -slow in demanding the same in return. - -Mr. Murphy was a North Carolinian by birth, and was brought by his father -as a lad of fifteen to Alabama two years after the state had been admitted -into the union. His educational advantages were without stint, his father -being amply able to furnish him with the best equipment for life. First a -student at the Alabama university, he afterwards completed his course at -the university of Virginia, which was at that time the most famous of the -literary institutions of the continent. Adopting law as a profession, the -gifts and qualifications of Mr. Murphy brought him into speedy notice. - -He was for a number of years devoted to the practice of his profession -before he entered public life. At the age of thirty-four he represented -Greene county in the state legislature. He brought to the office of a -legislator an experience seasoned by years of study and court practice, -with a native courage and coolness, coupled with a force of boldness of -view that gave him one of the first places in the able body which -constituted the legislature of 1840. Three marked elements of strength -were his--great ability in debate, remarkable oratorical strength, and the -tact of leadership. These at once won the station of the headship of his -party. - -At that particular time, the whig party in the house stood in the need of -a strong champion. The Hon. James E. Saunders, of Lawrence county, was the -leader of the democratic forces, and it never had an abler. Himself a -remarkable man, he was regarded by no little degree of fear by his whig -opponents, but he found in William M. Murphy a knight worthy of his steel. -Mr. Murphy met the giant of the mountains in debate, was amply able to -parry his well-directed blows, and was entirely equal as an advocate. His -elements of oratory were noted, while he would deal his heaviest blows. It -was a battle royal between the champions, the one from the hill districts -and the other from the black belt. The sparring of these mighty men was a -matter of interest, and became memorable for many years. They were equally -matched, yet very dissimilar in a number of respects. Later, Mr. Murphy -was the choice of his party for congress, but was defeated, after a -remarkable campaign, by his kinsman, Hon. Samuel W. Inge. - -In 1849, Mr. Murphy represented his district in the senate of the state, -and three years afterwards removed to Texas, but his stay in the state of -the Lone Star was brief, for he returned to Alabama, and located as a -lawyer at Selma. While never recognized as a profound jurist, he was -without an equal as an advocate. His elements of oratory were singularly -unique. His initial approach to a cause in the court was usually attended -with a rugged and somewhat incoherent method, and it seemed that he had -some difficulty in getting under full way, but when he did finally reach -the point where his words would begin to warm by the friction of his own -thought, his was as overpowering oratory as was ever heard in an Alabama -court. Roused to a pitch where the cause came to possess the man, it was -like a tempest crashing through a forest. Absolutely transformed in -appearance, his manner, his voice, his logic would seem to catch on fire, -and all the elements of the great orator would respond to his bidding with -electrical facility. A series of thunderbolts could not have been more -terrible, and the cogency of logic more overwhelming than when this -remarkable man was at his best. It did not in the least savor of the rant, -but the combination of the terrible and overwhelming with the utmost -self-possession was that which made him inimitable. Invective, sarcasm, -irony, ridicule, persuasion--all lent their quota to the torrent which -swept like a Niagara. Nor could it be withstood. It was as irresistible as -the flow of a mighty river. Men listened to him entranced, sometimes -terror-stricken, at intervals pleased even unto delight, and always with -interest. His cast of oratory was peculiarly his own. He imitated no one, -nor was it possible to imitate him. - -Mr. Murphy was cut down by a stroke of apoplexy at a period of life when -he was just fruiting into great usefulness and power. He was only -forty-nine years of age when the fatal stroke came. He died at his home in -Selma in 1855. Few men who have lived in the state have left a profounder -impress, in some respects, than William M. Murphy. His towering courage -was equalled alone by his uniform generosity of spirit. There was not a -small quality that entered into his character. Open, frank, noble, brave, -bold, gentle, courteous, and tender, he was all of these. His sympathy -once enlisted made him one of the most loyal and devoted of friends and -supporters. On the other hand, his opposition when once stirred was the -invitation of a storm. But he never forgot to be generous even to the -sternest of foes. - -This galaxy of virtues with which his character was adorned awoke -universal confidence and won him popularity not infrequently among his -opponents. Set over against every stern or strong quality was a check or -balance that held his character well in poise. This gave him a ponderous -influence among those who knew him, as he was regarded as fair at any cost -of advantage to himself. - - - - -JAMES E. SAUNDERS - - -For quietness of force and reservation of power, Honorable James E. -Saunders was noteworthy. With a breadth of vision far above the ordinary, -a remarkable insightedness, and absolutely calm in his poise, never -disturbed by the clash or clamor of contest, he meted out his strength in -proportion to the demand of the occasion which elicited it, and invariably -left the impression that a fund of power was held in reserve for whatever -emergency might arise. He enjoyed the advantage of all self-collected men. -Never betrayed into warmth of feeling, he was oftener in position to -disarm the opposition than he would have been under the sway of passion. -There was an undertow of inherent force the seeming consciousness of the -possession of which made Mr. Saunders perennially serene. - -His qualities soon marked him for distinguished leadership in the -legislature to the attainment of which leadership he came, not by -self-seeking, but by dint of his recognized power. He had served as a -legislator before 1840, but at that time, he rose to the first place in -the ranks of his party. - -There was necessarily inseparable from his bearing the consciousness of -that which would have affected any man, with the sway of a strong -political organization of which he was the recognized leader. -Self-assertion becomes easy when there is little to be apprehended from -opposition. The dominant democracy in the lower house of the Alabama -legislature might have occasioned tranquility in the leader, even though -it had not been natural. Mr. Saunders not only held the whigs at bay, but -in awe. Nor was this the result of a hectoring spirit from which none was -freer, but because of his quiet ability to dispose of obstruction which -lay in his way. - -This condition continued till there appeared on the scene William M. -Murphy of Greene. A trained lawyer accustomed to the rough and tumble of -the court room, naturally endowed with many strong points needed in an -emergency like that which confronted his party in the legislature, as -fully conscious of power as the leader of the opposition, and more -disposed to yearn for a gladiatorial combat than to spurn it, Mr. Murphy -was full panoplied as a leader of the whig party. - -Unknown at first as to his qualifications, even to those of his own party -affiliation, he was hailed with delight after that the first issue was -joined. The two leaders were entirely dissimilar save in one -particular--in courtesy and fairness. In these they were at par. But when -met in combat Mr. Saunders was deliberate, plain, matter of fact, clear, -cool, divesting a proposition of every seeming objection, and investing it -with an atmosphere of transparency that seemed to place it quite beyond -the pale of doubt. - -Altogether different it was when Mr. Murphy arose to combat it. With a -rugged sort of oratory he would seem to struggle with himself for the gain -of a substantial footing, which when once obtained, an avalanche was -turned loose, and under the thunder of its descent, gathered momentum as -it proceeded, the old hall seemed fairly to quake. Meanwhile his opponent -sat as stolid as a Stoic. By interruptions blows were given in the -calmness of his power, but they were parried with the roar of a stentor. -Thus surged the battle along partisan lines, the democrats possessing -themselves in complacent consciousness of strength, while the whigs would -catch inspiration under the demonstration of a leadership so splendid. - -In all this never was Mr. Saunders in the least daunted nor was his masked -power the least exposed. His coolness was equalled only by the vigor of -his opponent. In nothing passive but always forceful and brave, he lent -mightiness of strength by a serenity that challenged the admiration of the -sturdiest opponent. In the gage and stress of conflict his thought flowed -without the least break in its coherency and without the slightest -disconcertedness. His equable temper never forsook him. To each contest he -would bring the same tranquil poise and it was maintained throughout. -Without hesitation he would face unblinking the severe ordeals to which he -was subjected in the stormy legislative days when he moved a giant among -the giants of Alabama. To be a legislator in those days meant much, for -the people filled the seats of legislation with their choicest spirits. - -Mr. Saunders was not of a bantering mien, but he relied on the strength of -his logic into which he quietly injected a personal conviction so -overpowering that it would seem that no position could be more -impregnable, and thus it would look till it came to fall under the -iconoclastic manipulation of his formidable opponent. To be able to have -those days of partisan tempest reproduced in type would be to thrill -thousands at this late time. - -As chairman of the judiciary committee in the house, the service rendered -by Mr. Saunders was fundamental to the interests of the state. Nor was any -one more profoundly interested in the educational affairs of the state as -was shown by his share in the establishment of the state university on a -solider basis, of the board of trustees of which institution he was a -prominent member. Mr. Saunders would have graced a higher station in the -affairs of statecraft than that which he held, and in a wider orbit would -have afforded an easier play of his strength. Dropping out of politics for -a short while, he became a commission merchant in Mobile, but in 1845 he -was appointed to the post of the port of Mobile, by President Polk, and -after an expiration of his term of office he was on the electoral ticket -in the campaign which resulted in the election of Pierce and King. Wealthy -and hospitable, his was a typical southern home of the long ago. - -A devout Christian philosopher and a sedate statesman to which were added -the qualities of a superior man of business, the usefulness of Honorable -James E. Saunders was incalculable. - - - - -W. P. CHILTON - - -For numerous reasons the name of Judge William P. Chilton is worthy of a -conspicuous place in the annals of the great men who have made Alabama. He -was a learned and incorruptible public servant, a patriot of the highest -mold, a patient and manly gentleman in all his relations, and a typical -Christian. He moved among his peers with universal esteem, and amidst the -temptations of public life preserved a reputation untarnished even by a -breath of suspicion. - -Of a pleasing temperament, he was jocular as a companion, always agreeable -in intercourse, mingling in true democratic style among all classes, and -yet he never depressed an exalted standard of manhood even an iota. In his -rigid fidelity to duty he represented the best type of the publicist, and -alike in private and in public, exemplified a genuine manhood. Even under -the laxest conditions and in the abandon of free intercourse with others, -he never soiled his lips with unseemly speech or with questionable joke. -There was nothing that escaped him which a lady might not hear--nothing -that he could not utter in a public speech. - -He was a man of vast and commanding influence which proceeded from the -loftiest summit--that of a pure and exalted life. He was active in the -stirring scenes which affected the period in which he lived; never shied a -duty imposed, and always met his obligations in such way as to win the -highest meed of public praise. Men came to know him so thoroughly that no -pressure of a questionable matter was ever made, because his integrity was -proverbial. From his well known standard of life, men knew where to place -him on all questions which involved the moral sides of right and wrong. -Such was the life, such the career of William Parish Chilton. - -The time may have produced men his equals in the qualities already named, -but it produced none superior to Judge Chilton. His was not an -ostentatious display of virtue in order to elicit attention, for none were -meeker, more placid and tranquil, but his was a silent influence which -impressed wherever it touched. His condemnation of wrong was not of the -demonstrative kind, but his disapproval was a silent expression which was -always powerful. As one of the ancient philosophers said of one of his -brother philosophers, "He always says the same thing about the same -thing," so it was in the uniform bearing and conduct of Judge Chilton. - -In such an orbit he moved, in such an orbit he died, leaving in the -memories of those who knew him and in the records of the state, a life of -distinguished purity. He was in no sense a recluse, nor in the least -offish; on the other hand, he was most cordial, and his piquant humor was -relished as a season to pleasant conversation; but he would never sanction -by even a smile an unseemly joke or expression. - -His was an active life. Indeed his increasing labor was a subject of -frequent comment. This necessarily brought him into connection with all -classes of men, but he moved amidst all scenes without the smell of taint -on his character. His habits of life were as regular as the movement of -the hand on the dial face. By this means he was gifted with a physical -manhood capable of severe strains of labor. - -Beginning life as a young attorney in Talladega County, in co-partnership -with George R. Brown, Mr. Chilton was subsequently associated in the -practice of the law with his brother-in-law, the late senator, John H. -Morgan, the strong firm including two other distinguished gentlemen, -George W. Stone and Frank W. Bowdon. Chosen once to represent Talladega -County in the legislature, Mr. Chilton was afterward elected to a seat on -the supreme bench of the state, succeeding Judge Ormond. Later still, in -1852, Judge Chilton became the chief justice of the supreme court of -Alabama, which position he held with great distinction for four years. -Retiring from this judicial position, he became associated, in 1860, with -William L. Yancey in the practice of the law in Montgomery. - -When the Confederacy was created Judge Chilton was elected a member of the -provisional congress of the young government and throughout its brief and -fateful history retained his seat in that body. Speaking of his interest -and activity, Honorable J. L. M. Curry, who was his congressional -colleague, said: "It was a common remark that he was the most laborious -member of the body." He loved labor equally from an instinctive energy and -from a sense of duty. On the floor of the Confederate Congress the opinion -of no member was esteemed of greater worth than that of Judge Chilton. - -In the rough and tumble of debate, which he enjoyed, whether on the -hustings or on the floor of congress, he displayed rare humor, reveling in -original epigram and in rollicking anecdote at the expense of his -opponent. Fluent and eloquent, he was at home before a promiscuous -gathering. His innocent, sparkling wit afforded him vast power in -discussion. Among the ludicrous sallies used in opposition to another in a -speech, and one long quoted in referring to the remarkable conservation of -his opponent, he accused him of "reaching an extreme medium." Before a -popular assemblage he was irresistible in his joviality and power to -produce merriment. Yet this was always done in such way as never to -occasion offense. Nor did he ever yield to buffoonery. His contagious -twinkle of eye, his sunlit face and his ready husbandry of dictum suited -to the occasion, were so remarkable that he would sweep an audience as a -breeze a field of grain. Yet his thrusts were so tempered by good nature -that they left no sting nor pang of regret to the speaker. - -Buttressed on a character such as he possessed, this variety of gifts gave -to Judge Chilton immense advantage. It was known to be impossible for him -knowingly to misrepresent or to take the slightest advantage and -consequently the spell of his influence was overwhelming. - -Among his numerous traits may be named that of his intense interest in -young men. His counsel was frequently sought by a struggling youth because -of his transparent frankness, readiness and responsiveness. He manifested -a keen interest in his young brother-in-law, John T. Morgan, who was -perhaps more indebted to Judge Chilton than to any other for the -substantial basis with which he began his brilliant and eventful career. -It was not uncommon for him to seek an interview with a young man in whom -he discovered gifts, and aid him to gain a solid footing. - -When sixty-one years old, Judge Chilton was still active and alert, his -natural force still unabated, and his spirit undimmed by years of -activity, and, when it seemed that many years of usefulness were still -his, he suffered from a serious fall, from which he never recovered. His -death in Montgomery in January, 1871, was an occasion of state-wide -sorrow. The legislature was in session at the time, and Governor Lindsay -announced the sad fact of his death in the following communication to the -general assembly: - - "State of Alabama, - "Executive Department, - "Montgomery, Jan. 21, 1871. - - "Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: - - "It is with feelings of sorrow and regret that I inform you of the - death of the Honorable W. P. Chilton of the city of Montgomery. This - event occurred last night about the hour of 11. Judge Chilton was one - of our best beloved citizens, eminent as a jurist, and the people of - Alabama had often honored him with their public esteem and confidence. - As a member of the legislature, as a member of congress, and as chief - justice of our supreme court, he discharged his duties with devotion - and zeal. In the halls of legislation he was a statesman, and he - adorned the bench by his integrity and learning. The loss of such a - man is a public calamity, and it is fit that the departments of the - government of a state he loved so well should pay a tribute to his - memory." - -The occasion of his funeral was a sad ovation of public esteem. The -legislature, the bar, the fraternity of Masons, of which he was an honored -member, together with multitudes of friends, sought on the occasion of his -funeral to accord to Judge Chilton the merits of his just deserts. - - - - -JOHN FORSYTH - - -For generations the name of Forsyth has been associated with distinction -in the records of southern history. The original member of the family, -Robert Forsyth, came from England to America before the revolution, and -was a member of the military family of Washington. His son, John Forsyth, -was at various times attorney general and governor of Georgia, a member of -congress for a period of fifteen years from that state, minister to Spain, -and was instrumental in procuring the cession of Florida. For six and a -half years he served as secretary of state, during the administrations of -Jackson and Van Buren. Robert Forsyth was the grandfather of John Forsyth, -late of Mobile, while John Forsyth, Sr., was his father. - -Enjoying unusual advantages, socially and scholastically, the subject of -the present sketch turned them to great practical benefit. Among the -advantages which he enjoyed was that of a residence of two years at the -Spanish court during the administration of his distinguished father as -minister to Spain. He was a graduate from Princeton University, from which -he bore away the first honors of his class and delivered the valedictory -address. - -Entering on the practice of law at Columbus, Ga., he continued there but -one year, when he located in Mobile, in the year 1835. He soon received -the appointment of United States attorney for the southern district of -Alabama, but the death of his father occurring in Georgia, necessitated -his return to that state, where he remained for twelve years, having taken -charge of his father's estate and devoting his time to planting, the -practice of law and the editorial management of the Columbus Times. It was -during that period that he enlisted to serve in the Mexican war as the -adjutant of the First Georgia Regiment. - -He returned to Mobile in 1853, entered the lumber business, was burnt out, -and entered again the field of journalism by purchasing the Mobile -Register. In 1856 he was appointed by President Pierce minister to Mexico, -in which capacity he served for two years. - -Colonel Forsyth's mission to Mexico was attended by much labor and -perplexity, as the duty was imposed on him of adjusting varied and -numerous claims against the Mexican government, which claims originated in -the nature of the war waged by the Mexicans. There were claims for -imprisonments, murders, confiscation, and others, and while Colonel -Forsyth labored without abatement, he had but timorous support from the -Buchanan administration. - -As a matter of fact, President Buchanan was gravely absorbed in the rush -of events which tended toward the approaching Civil War, which broke like -a storm over the country in 1861, and his foreign policy was one of -conciliation. The reason of this presidential policy concerning Mexico is -now obvious. In view of the pending conflict in the American states, the -hostility of Mexico, for any reason, would be serious. - -As an earnest advocate of the rights of the citizens of the American -states at the Mexican capital, Colonel Forsyth was gravely embarrassed by -the feeble support lent by his government, and this led to the severance -of his relations with the diplomatic service. Having resigned, he returned -to Mobile and resumed his editorial work. - -With qualifications so varied, he was frequently called into active -service by the people. While his pen was actively employed, he was -summoned to such important posts as that of mayor of Mobile, legislator, -alderman in his adopted city, and other stations of public interest. - -In March, 1861, Colonel Forsyth was sent, together with Messrs. Crawford -of Georgia, and Roman of Louisiana, on a peace commission to Washington. -There was but slight hope of accomplishing anything, and it is doubtful if -there was any more serious intention involved in the mission than that of -gaining time for a more efficient equipment of the South for the pending -struggle. It was a time for tactics, and a play for advantage. The mission -was a bootless one, and in due time the war burst on the country. - -During the Civil War, Colonel Forsyth served for a time on the staff of -General Braxton Bragg, meanwhile retaining his connection with his paper, -for, after all, the pen was the most potent instrument in the hand of -Colonel Forsyth. After the close of the war he proved to be one of the -most masterly spirits in steering the state through the storm of -reconstruction. The pen of no one in the South was more powerful during -that chaotic period. Statesman, jurist and journalist, he was equipped -for guidance in an emergency like this, and with the zeal of a patriot he -responded to every occasion that arose. His excessive labor made sad -inroads on his constitution, his health was broken, but despite this he -was persistent in labor. He was of that type of public servants who sought -not applause for its own sake, but was impelled by an unquestioned -patriotism which yielded to demands of whatever kind, high or low, in -order that he might serve the public. - -Much as Colonel Forsyth did in the exercise of his superior versatility, -all else was incidental to the wield of his prolific pen. He became the -South's most brilliant journalist. The compass of his vision was that of a -statesman, and during the troublous times which followed the Civil War, -the counsel of one like him was needed, and that counsel found most -profitable expression through the nib of his powerful pen. - -Day after day, for a long period of years, the columns of the Mobile -Register glittered with thought that moved on the highest level and that -found expression in polished and incisive diction. It was brightened by -the loftiest tone of rhetoric, sustained throughout by the best strain of -scholarship, never lapsing, either in tone or expression, into the -commonplace. There was a fastidious touch in his style, a classical mold -to his thought, which, while they pleased the most scholarly of readers, -equally charmed the common people. - -Under the sway of his forceful and trenchant pen the Mobile Register -became one of the most dominant factors in southern thought. That journal -found readers in all the states, and more than any other in the South at -that time, it won the attention of the metropolitan press. In no editorial -sanctum has he been surpassed in rareness of diction, nor in power of -expression. - - - - -GEORGE GOLDTHWAITE - - -There was a possibility at one time of Judge George Goldthwaite becoming a -military man. After spending his younger years in Boston, where he had as -school fellows such men as Charles Sumner and R. C. Winthrop, Goldthwaite -became a cadet at the military academy at West Point. Among his classmates -at the academy was General (Bishop) Polk, while in more advanced classes -were R. E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston and Jefferson Davis. Goldthwaite was -within one year of the completion of his course when he became involved in -a hazing fracas and quietly left the institution, as he knew what the -consequences would be. At that time, 1826, Alabama was in the infancy of -statehood, and he a youth of seventeen. His brother was at that time a -rising young lawyer at Montgomery and the younger brother entered on the -study of law under his elder brother. - -The thoroughness of mental drill to which he had been subjected in the -Boston schools, as well as at the military academy, made his headway in -law comparatively easy, and at the end of the year, when he was but -eighteen, he was admitted to practice and opened an independent office at -Monticello, Pike County. The youthful lawyer did not lack for clients and -he remained in this rural village for a period of several years, after -which he returned to Montgomery, where his ability became widely -recognized. - -In 1843 he offered for the judgeship of the circuit court against the -incumbent of the bench, Judge Abraham Martin, and was elected. In 1850 he -was opposed by Jefferson Jackson, a gentleman of prominence at the bar, -and was again elected. In 1852 Judge Goldthwaite was chosen a justice on -the supreme bench, and four years later, when Judge Chilton resigned, -Judge Goldthwaite became chief justice, but after serving in this capacity -just thirteen days he suddenly resigned and resumed the practice of the -law. - -For three years after the beginning of the Civil War Judge Goldthwaite -served as adjutant general of the state under the appointment of Governor -Moore. Just after the close of the war he was elected again to the -position of circuit judge, but in 1866, under the reconstruction acts of -congress, he was removed. - -In 1870 he was elected to the United States senate from Alabama. This -brief and cursory survey of an eventful life affords but a bare hint of -the marvelous activity and usefulness with which the career of Judge -Goldthwaite was crowned. - -Like most men of deeply studious habits, there was wanting in the bearing -of Judge Goldthwaite a spirit of cordiality. His peculiar sphere was the -court room or the law office. He had a fondness for the discussion of the -profound principles of law and reveled in its study. An indefatigable -student of the law, he was one of the ablest attorneys and jurists the -state ever had. The statement of a proposition by him was as clear as a -Syrian atmosphere and in its elucidation before a jury his diction was -terse, crisp and simple, so that the veriest rustic could understand it. -Quiet in manner and with unadorned English he would unravel a knotty -proposition so that every thread was straightened, and everyone who knew -the meaning of the simplest diction could readily grasp his meaning. He -was a master of simple diction. - -On the bench, Judge Goldthwaite was profound, but always clear and simple. -Every word seemed to fall into its appropriate place, and not a flaw was -left in the statement of a fact or principle. In the social circle his -conversation partook of the same lucid diction, revealing a fund of -information and a versatility of learning quite exceptional. - -Of a stocky build, he was not prepossessing in personal appearance, but -when he began to speak his diction glowed with the heat of a quiet -earnestness, and all else was forgotten but the charm of his incomparable -speech. - -Judge Goldthwaite achieved but slight distinction as a national senator, -because it was a time when the voice of a senator from the South booted -but little. The wounds of the Civil War were still fresh and smarting, and -the calmness of his temperament and the aversion to hostile excitement -forbade his flaring in empty speech, as would have been true of many -another. As a matter of fact, his sphere was not the forum, and he had no -taste for the dull routine of congressional proceeding. - -Judge Goldthwaite's mind was distinctively judicial. He served in the -senate as a matter of patriotic duty, and not as a matter of choice. There -was a peculiar condition which required his continued presence there, and -to this demand he responded. It was a time that called for calmness and -conservatism, and no one was better prepared to illustrate these virtues -than Judge Goldthwaite. - -His deportment in the National Senate challenged the admiration of all. A -former classmate of Charles Sumner, as has already been said, he was the -poles asunder from the New England statesman in the views entertained by -Mr. Sumner, and often hotly expressed by him on the floor of the senate. - -Judge Goldthwaite preserved a long and honorable career in Alabama, and -left behind him a record of fame. He was far above the petty affairs of -life, and lived and thought on an elevated plane high above most men. He -was a student, a statesman, a jurist and a philosopher--all. He was an -ornament to the state and easily one of its foremost citizens in all that -pertained to its weal. He was without foil either in conduct or in -character. His example was stimulating, and his influence elevating and -inspiring. Any state would have been honored by the possession of a -citizen so eminent. - - - - -ALEXANDER TRAVIS - - -The name of Travis is immortally linked with the tragedy of the Alamo, -where the gallant Colonel William Travis was massacred with his devoted -band in that historic fortress at San Antonio. The Rev. Alexander Travis -was an uncle of the hero of the Alamo. Colonel William Travis was a -resident of Alabama before he removed to Texas, and practiced law in -Clarke County. Thence he removed to Texas, where he became one of the most -prominent sharers in the struggle for independence. - -One of the dominant traits of the Travis stock was that of cool courage. -This was illustrated as much in the life of the heroic missionary in the -woods of southern Alabama as it was shown by his nephew in the ill-fated -fortress of the Alamo. Alexander Travis removed to Conecuh County in 1817, -and was one of the pioneer settlers of that region. He was a man of peace, -but this did not obscure the heroic impulses of his nature, for in -grappling with the stern conditions of pioneer life, in seeking to bring -them into due subordination to organized social conditions, unusual pluck -was needed, not alone, but wisdom and prudence, as well. - -While sharing fully in the hardships of the early colonizers of south -Alabama, Mr. Travis, as a minister of the gospel, led in all movements in -the emergence of that region from chaotic conditions to the higher plane -of advanced society. Himself denied the advantages of an education, he was -the foremost in all movements to provide for general instruction. He was -the founder of the town of Evergreen, now a bustling little center on the -Louisville and Nashville Railway, between Montgomery and Mobile. He -founded the academy at that point, which school has given place in later -years to one of the state agricultural schools. - -There was a pathetic touch in the life of a man who would labor on his -little farm, cleared by his own hands, in the wilds of south Alabama, and -who, at night, when the labor of the day was over, would sprawl himself in -his little yard before his blazing pine-knot fire, and study his plain -English Bible--the only book in his library. Leaving his hut in the woods, -each week, in time to reach distant settlements to preach on Sunday, he -would throw his little wallet of cotton cloth across his shoulders, and -set out on foot to trudge the distance, sometimes of forty miles, for the -privilege of preaching to some distant community. He came to know every -foot of the wide Indian trails that wound through the forests over a vast -area, and knew every log on which he could cross the large streams in -those bridgeless days of the long ago. Nothing foiled him in the -excursions of good, for when the rains would swell the streams, he would -strip himself, cram his apparel within his wallet, and, being an expert -swimmer, he would hold his bag above his head with one hand, while with -the other he would swim to the opposite side, redress, and onward plod his -way. - -Among the elements of abounding romance in our history, nothing exceeds in -interest the intrepidity of this pioneer hero in contributing to the -moral and spiritual side of the early days of our history. His -punctuality in meeting his appointments, and his devotion to the gospel -and to the people, won for him a confidence supreme. In those days when -courts were not, and yet where conflicting litigants were, cases for final -adjudication would be held in abeyance "till the preacher comes." Causes -were submitted, but he would never consent to a consideration of them till -the contending parties would agree to abide amicably his decision. Such -was the clearness and saneness of his judgment, the fairness of his -spirit, and his profound sense of right, that every litigant would -promptly accept this condition. He was jury, advocate, and judge, all in -one, and for many years, in that interior pioneer region, he acted in this -threefold capacity, while he rendered unrequited service as a missionary. -His was a strange, strong, romantic life, spent for the good of others to -the neglect of his own personal comfort. That class has dwindled to a list -so small and rare that today, when similar devotion is shown, the world -knows no higher designation for such a man than that of "crank," yet it is -the crank that turns things. - -In later years and under better conditions, Mr. Travis came to ride the -wide regions through on horseback, with his leathern saddle-bags beneath -him. Under the tall pines which then grew in those southern parts, he -would frequently stretch himself at night, on the green grass, tired and -sleepy, with his head pillowed on his saddle-bags, and beneath the stars, -he would be wooed to sleep by the moaning pines above him. His faithful -horse was tethered close by to browse the wire grass and the native -peavines, while the missionary would sleep and await the coming of the -dawn. Without a cent of compensation, Alexander Travis labored through -many eventful years, creating the means with his own hands with which to -sustain his work, and uncheered by aught else than the consciousness of -duty to humanity and to God. - -With the expansion of population, and with the growth of prosperity, Mr. -Travis came in the second half of his life to possess a measurable degree -of wealth, but from a steady purpose of doing good, he never wavered. He -was a man of commanding appearance, of natural dignity of port, and -possessed of the natural assertion which these give; yet he was modest, -and commanded esteem by his unquestioned qualities of leadership. There -was no element of flabbiness in his character, no cant and drivel in his -utterances, but in all that pertained to him he was a nobleman by nature. -His judgment was incisive and discriminative, his poise collected, and -while without the least exhibition of violence, he was courageous in his -entertainment of views, and pronounced in their expression. In nothing did -his courage so manifest itself as in his stoutness of spirit in the face -of difficulty. Nothing that he regarded as possible baffled him, and while -never stern, he was immovable from that which he conceived to be right, -whether reinforced by others or not. He was a benediction to the state -while living, and, being dead, he yet speaks. - - - - -JOHN A. WINSTON - - -John A. Winston enjoyed the distinction of being the first native born -governor of the state. He was a native of Madison County, where he was -born in 1812, and received his collegiate training at LaGrange College and -the University of Nashville. His grandfather was an officer in the army of -the Revolution from Virginia. The family name of Anthony was preserved in -that given the governor. - -Governor John Anthony Winston first devoted his attention to planting. He -removed from the mountain region to west Alabama in 1834, and bought a -fine plantation in Sumter County, one of the counties of the famous black -belt. Six years after his settlement in Sumter County he was chosen its -representative to the legislature. To this office he was re-elected and -then chosen for the state senate, which position he continued to hold for -ten consecutive years, becoming the presiding officer of that body in -1847. - -The ability of Governor Winston became more generally recognized in 1848, -when he went to Baltimore as a delegate to the national convention which -nominated General Cass for the presidency. Mr. Winston made a speech -before that body in the vindication of the national Democracy, which -attracted widespread attention and brought him into prominence before the -entire country. - -During his senatorial career he entered into the cotton commission -business in Mobile, which commercial relation he continued till the close -of his life. While not engaged in official duty his attention was divided -between his planting interest and his business in Mobile, where he spent -much of his time. The sterling worth of Mr. Winston, his clearness of -judgment, range of comprehension, force of character and exact -practicalness, together with his undoubted leadership of men and -statesmanship, served to win for him an augmented public confidence, and -in 1853 he became the candidate for governor of the state, and was elected -without opposition. Two years later, at the expiration of his first -gubernatorial term, he was opposed by Honorable George D. Shortridge. The -campaign was one of unusual energy and even of bitterness. The state was -agitated throughout, both candidates appearing before large and excited -audiences in every part. Governor Winston was the democratic candidate, -while Mr. Shortridge espoused the cause of the Know-Nothing or American -party. Mr. Winston defeated his opponent by a majority of about twelve -thousand. - -Conditions had now conspired to make the farmer-governor the great leader -of the Democratic hosts in the state. No man who has lived in Alabama ever -had a completer grasp on a party organization than that had by Governor -Winston at this time. Happily for the state, it was a power wisely used -with disinterested patriotism. The direction of affairs was as devoid of -the alloy of personal aggrandizement as was possible, and this was duly -recognized by the public. Governor Winston went as a delegate-at-large to -the Charleston convention in 1860, and after the nomination of Mr. Douglas -he led the electoral ticket in the state. On the outbreak of the war he -became the colonel of the Eighth Alabama Regiment, and as such served for -twelve months, when he was forced to retire from the service by an attack -of rheumatism which physically disabled him. His career as a soldier in -the army of Virginia was in harmony with his general reputation as a -civilian. His regiment was fiercely engaged at Seven Pines, because, being -at the front, it was brought into sharp contact with the enemy. The fight -was hand to hand, with odds in numbers against the gallant Eighth Alabama. -Colonel Winston was at the head of his regiment, and, placing his bridle -reins in his teeth, he led his force with a large pistol in each hand. -When commanded to surrender his reply was that he had not joined the army -to surrender and that was not his business. On his return home he devoted -his attention to planting, and with unabated patriotism aided in every way -possible the fortunes of the Confederacy. - -In 1865 Governor Winston was sent as a delegate from Sumter County to the -constitutional convention of Alabama, and was afterward chosen for a seat -in the National Senate, but his seat was denied him, and he was afterward -disfranchised by the radical forces then in control of the government. -This closed his career of public service. He never recovered from the -rheumatism contracted while in the service in Virginia, and died in Mobile -on December 21, 1871, at the age of fifty-nine. - -The combination of qualities entering into the character of Governor -Winston was more than ordinary, all of which characteristics were based on -a clear, solid foundation of remarkably good sense in all that he did and -said, privately and officially. He was altogether devoid of pretense or of -assumption. He moved on a straight line of impartiality and of unbiased -thought. He did his own thinking and reached his own conclusions. When a -conclusion was reached it was evident that he had gone over all the -ground, had weighed and measured every possible consideration, after which -was done it was futile to seek to dislodge him. His scrupulous firmness -sometimes bore the aspect of sternness, and in the absence of a diplomacy -to soften it a decision would sometimes offend the sensitive; but in view -of duty, none of these things moved him. He was not without the element of -gentleness and of profound sympathy, but above these rose his conscience, -the dictates of which he would not disregard. - -While governor he was not in accord with much of the legislation enacted, -especially with respect to appropriations of the public funds, and there -was now and then friction between the executive and legislative branches -of government, but he did not hesitate to invoke the power of the veto -when he deemed it necessary. Because of this he won the sobriquet of "the -veto governor," but to him principle overtopped popularity, and the -protection of the common interest was a matter of graver concern than the -good will of the general assembly. While not possessed of oratorical power -on the stump or on the legislative floor, having a strident, rasping voice -and the mannerism of a man of business rather than that of a trained -speaker, he nevertheless won the populace by his directness and -sincerity. He retired from public life without the slightest tarnish on -his conduct or reflection on his career. An indication of his solid -popularity is found in the fact that the name of the county of Hancock was -changed in honor of Governor Winston to that of his own. - - - - -DANIEL P. BESTOR - - -In its phases Dr. Bestor's character was many-sided. He was at once a -planter, statesman, philosopher, educator and minister of the gospel. -Richly favored by nature, his gifts had the polish of the classical -lapidary and the expansion which comes of research, thought and -experience. He towered immensely above the ordinary man and the babble of -the multitude. Like Goldsmith's ideal preacher, Dr. Bestor rose-- - - "As some tall cliff that lifts its awful form, - Swells from the vale, and midway leaves the storm, - Though round its breast the rolling clouds are spread, - Eternal sunshine settles on its head." - -There was nothing of the maudlin or mediocre type in his character. Every -movement and utterance, his face and bearing, all bespoke the man that he -was. Dr. Bestor was a native of Connecticut, where he was born in 1797. -Removing to Alabama by way of Kentucky when he was twenty-four, he began -at once a career of usefulness which extended practically through a half -century, a period which embraced all the great revolutions through which -the state has passed. In none of these was he an idle spectator nor -uninterested agent. - -His educational advantages were the best the period could afford, and -these afforded him the buttress of an ever widening sphere of knowledge. -Possessing an intellect at once readily receptive and retentive, he was a -diligent student in a number of fields of research. From surface facts he -probed toward the bottom of principles and reached conclusions at first -hand. If occasion arose for a modification of opinion on any matter, he -yielded to new evidence, though it bore him to a position diametrically -opposite to that originally held. It is the small man who never changes a -viewpoint. The two classes represent respectively obstinacy and -consistency. Obstinacy is the inflexibility of pride; consistency, the -inflexibility of principle. - -On reaching Alabama Dr. Bestor was impressed more by the lack of -educational facilities than by anything else. In the valley of the -Tennessee there were multitudes of young folk growing rapidly toward -manhood and womanhood with scarcely any facilities of instruction. He at -once became the pioneer champion of general and public education in the -state, and was the first to agitate the question in a comprehensive way. -He sought to supply the deficiency in the northern part of the state by -founding the once famous school in those parts known as the LaFayette -Female Academy. The school was patronized by the wealthy planters of that -region, and became the initial means of contributing to the womanly -culture of which the section was remarkable. Dr. Bestor was the principal -of the school and devoted the culture of his young manhood to its -promotion. Founded about the time of the last visit of General LaFayette -to America, Dr. Bestor derived its name from that of the famous Frenchman, -while to the cultured village which sprang up on the plateau on which the -school was located the name of LaGrange was given, in honor of -LaFayette's chateau in France. - -This was the first school incorporated in Alabama. To the school the -legislature of Alabama in 1824 deeded a half section of land. Though -called an academy, the grade of the school was high and did advanced work. -At that time Dr. Bestor was everywhere alluded to as the great educator, -and his fame was spread throughout the state. Later, in 1830, the -Methodist Conference of North Alabama, Middle Tennessee, and North -Mississippi founded a school for young men in the village of LaGrange, -which also became a famous institution. Three years later Dr. Bestor -removed to Greensboro, taking with him as far as practicable all that -pertained to LaFayette Academy, and in that chief town of the canebrake -established another school and remained at its head for a number of years. -Still later he removed to Sumter County, where for ten years he divided -his time between preaching and planting. - -It was while serving as a legislator from Greene County in 1837 that Dr. -Bestor revealed the first vision of a comprehensive public school system -for the state. His study and investigation of the subject led him to see -that with prevailing conditions unchanged, Alabama could never emerge from -its gloom of illiteracy. The scant facilities afforded by local or -denominational interests were altogether inadequate to existing demands. -Schools dotted the state over at favored points, but the ignorance in -large areas of the state was little short of the dismal. - -Stirred by conditions like these, Dr. Bestor sought to go to the -legislature that he might acquaint the representatives of the people with -the results of his disinterested investigation. His plan was that which -actually came to prevail many years later, but after he had passed away. - -In the legislature he threw his cultured being into the single cause of -education, procuring for it a special committee, of which he was made the -chairman. He prepared with great pains and labor an elaborate report and a -bill to be offered, and in due time it was submitted. The measure met with -stout opposition, especially at the hands of B. G. Shields, of Marengo, -the chairman of the general committee on education, who resented the -policy of a special committee as a reflection on himself and his -committee. In the opposition Mr. Shields was supported by Judge Smith, of -Madison. But general committees had never done anything, and for that -reason Dr. Bestor asked for a special committee. - -The occasion was made a memorable one on the floor of the house by the -contest which it provoked. Dr. Bestor husbanded all his resources and -skill in the conduct of the contest and proved himself a giant in debate, -and, though met by much passion, he preserved his coolness and dignity -throughout the debate. He failed in his effort at that time, though his -labor was not in vain, for the array of facts presented respecting the -illiteracy of the state awoke wide interest which gave an impulse to the -educational spirit of the state which has not ceased to this time. - -Coupled with all his immense work was that of an active pulpit ministry. -He was a great leader in the Baptist denomination and rendered signal -service in the thorough organization of the Baptist forces. With the -exception of a few years spent in Mississippi, Dr. Bestor's career was -confined to Alabama. He died at Mobile in 1869. - - - - -F. W. BOWDON - - -There is much more in unwritten history that affects the destiny of the -race than there is in that which is recorded. Gray's "gem" in his Elegy, -and his "flower" "born to blush unseen," illustrate the fundamentals of -the history of the race, wherein the bulk of worth is frequently -unmentioned, and, if so, often scarcely. While Franklin Welsh Bowdon was -by no means unknown, and while his worth was not altogether unrecognized, -who that knows him in retrospect today as one of the most matchless -orators of southern history? Who knows of his clearness of demonstration -in presenting the most tangled and abstruse of problems? Who today knows -not alone of the power already alluded to, but who that knows that his -ability before a jury has never been surpassed in the state, or that he -was peerless as a popular speaker before a promiscuous audience? Who that -has learned of his subtle force of illumination of difficult problems or -of knotty questions, in speech that glittered in its own chaste delicacy -and beauty of phraseology after having passed through the crucible of his -brain? - -The history of others is perhaps more iridescent, because the drift of the -currents into which they auspiciously fell bore them into fuller and more -applausive view before the public eye, in which event it is the condition, -and not the man who happens to be its representative, that deserves -consideration. The force inherent in Frank Bowdon, and his superior -ability to wield the elements already named, really make him a prodigy -among the men who have made famous the history of the state. He was not -ambitious to be showy, nor sought he special occasion to flash his -powerful gifts, but when occasion did logically and legitimately come, he -was prodigious. - -Many men fall just short of accorded greatness because of the needed -stride across the boundary over which others bound and catch the loud -plaudit of the crowd and are borne to the crest of eminence. Many another -receives undue applause because he boldly thrusts himself on public -attention and forces recognition, while others, far superior perhaps, -stand in manly disdain of bald tawdriness and the impudence of ignorance -of which certain competitors are the innocent victims. Gifted men are -usually, though not always, men of delicate taste, which is itself an -element of real greatness. It is the ripest and heaviest ear of corn that -hangs lowest. Mr. Bowdon, with the consciousness of his own power, which -every strong man has, eschewed the cheap clatter of the flatterer, and -always appeared in public to advantage because he was summoned thither. -This, at least in part, affords an explanation of the absence of the fame -which was justly his because of the possession of the vast powers already -named. - -Frank W. Bowdon was a native of Chester district, South Carolina, and was -brought by his father to Shelby County, Alabama, while his gifted son was -still a child of only three years. On the farm of a thrifty planter and in -a home of piety and of hospitality the youth was reared. It was one of -those old-time southern homes where ease and elegance, culture and -refinement were, and where children were reared free from over-exaction -and with just sufficient freedom to develop real manliness. - -Mr. Bowdon was educationally prepared for entrance on the State -University, which he in due time entered and from which he was graduated, -and entered at once on the profession of the law. He was admitted to -practice and settled at Talledega. His ability as a speaker was equally -suited to the court room and the forum. During the years of 1844-5 he -served as a representative in the legislature from Talledega County. His -ability in debate and his power of oratory brought him promptly to the -front. Nor was he ungifted in the manipulation of conditions by skillful -management in the execution of his chosen purposes. He was easily the peer -of the foremost of a legislative body graced by such choice spirits as -Thomas H. Watts, John Gill Shorter, Thomas A. Walker, James A. Stallworth, -W. O. Winston, Joseph W. Taylor, William S. Mudd, Thomas J. Judge, and -others. His reigning trait was decisiveness of conviction, which when once -possessed did not lack the underpropping courage of expression, and in -turn this expression was not wanting in the most radiant demonstration and -persuasion. No haughty spirit nor arrogant port entered into his -forensics, but, on the other hand, there was a refreshing repose that lit -up the whole with a confidence that was serene and assuring. - -Two legislative sessions terminated his career in the general assembly of -Alabama, and on the occasion of the untimely death of General McConnell, -as the representative in congress from the seventh district, a special -election was ordered, with Thomas A. Walker and Franklin W. Bowdon as the -candidates for the vacancy. The result was the election of Mr. Bowdon. -This was followed by his re-election over Honorable Samuel F. Rice for the -term next succeeding, and over General Bradford for the next following -term. - -For five years he held his seat in congress, a giant among giants. In a -wider sphere there was ampler scope for the play of his power, and it was -duly exercised. Brewer states that an English peer was present on one of -the occasions when Bowdon spoke, and the Englishman pronounced the effort -the ablest to which he had ever listened, and he had heard the greatest of -both English and American orators. - -Nor was Mr. Bowdon's power confined to his oratory. It was abundantly -illustrated in his law practice, and in the preparation of his briefs. -Here were met, as elsewhere, the same logical incisiveness and clearness -that distinguished his utterances while on his feet. - -In his person he was most commanding. He was fully six feet high, of -symmetrical build, and his handsome features, especially in the sweep of -oratorical passion and fervor, were a study for the artist. Zealous in -temperament, and confident of his footing in advance of any deliverance, -he shrank not to meet in mental combat anyone who might desire to brook -his views. He retired from congress voluntarily in 1851, and after a few -years removed to Tyler, Texas, where he soon after died. Bowdon College, -in Georgia, derived its name from this distinguished Alabamian. - - - - -ALEXANDER B. MEEK - - -For versatility, brilliancy, and general usefulness, few Alabamians have -surpassed Judge Alexander B. Meek. His was an unusual combination of -powers. He was a poet, author, orator, editor and jurist, and was -inconspicuous in none. One of the earliest graduates from the University -of Alabama, where he received the master's degree, he found full exercise -for his varied gifts during a career which extended through thirty-two -years. - -Choosing the bar as a profession, Judge Meek entered on the practice of -the law in 1835. During the following year, 1836, he enlisted along with -others to serve against the Creek Indians in Florida, Mr. Meek going in -the capacity of a non-commissioned officer. - -On his return from the Florida campaign, Mr. Meek was appointed by -Governor Clay attorney general for the state. At the expiration of his -term of office as attorney general, Mr. Meek sought gratification of his -literary tastes by creating a new local journal at Tuscaloosa, which he -called "The Flag of the Union." Later he edited in the same town a -literary journal called "The Southron." - -The limited resources at his command compelled him to deflect his course -into channels other than those purely literary, and in 1842 he was -appointed county judge of Tuscaloosa, and during the same year published a -supplement to the Digest of Alabama. - -Being appointed law clerk to the solicitor of the treasury at Washington, -he gained an insight into the life of the national capital, and perhaps -his residence there had some connection with his being made United States -attorney for the southern district of Alabama, which position he held for -four years, living meanwhile in Mobile. From this position he went to the -associate editorship of the Mobile Daily Register. - -In 1853 we find Judge Meek representing Mobile County in the legislature, -where, as chairman of the committee on education, he reported the bill to -"establish and maintain a system of free public schools in the state of -Alabama." The bill providing for the scheme, together with a voluminous -and exhaustive report on education, excited profound interest in the -legislature, and the documents were so appreciated that five thousand -copies of the bill and ten thousand copies of the report were ordered to -be printed. - -This was the dawn of a new era in education in this state. Various -attempts had before been made to gain the attention of the legislature and -the people of the state on this transcendant matter, but they had proved -of but slight avail till the work undertaken by Judge Meek. The astounding -prevalence of illiteracy in the state as exhibited by his report did more -than to arouse interest; it created astonishment, with not a slight degree -of apprehension. The work done by Judge Meek in this connection gave a -strong propulsion to educational work in the state and the interest -deepened and grew in intensity till checked by the Civil War. - -Being elected judge of the city court of Mobile, Judge Meek found -sufficient time, amidst the exactions of his official duty on the bench, -to gratify, to some degree, his taste for literary pursuits. It was during -this period that he found time to write the three rare works which -established his literary fame. These are "The Red Eagle," "Romantic -Passages in Southwestern History," and "Songs and Poems of the South." -Some of these were a collection of fugitive contributions which he had -previously made to magazines and newspapers, and some of them were -prepared at the time specially for embodied publication. - -Of the literary merit of his productions there is no doubt. They are -intensely southern in their flavor and represent the spirit which animated -what has come to be called "The Old South." An agricultural people, we of -the South gave but little attention, prior to the Civil War, to literary -pursuits. There were those like Judge Meek who wrote and wrote well, and -thousands of others could have done so, but there was but slight -encouragement, so that the literary culture of the South was largely -unknown and unrecognized by others. The genuine spirit of the people and -of the times is embalmed in the rare literary products such as we have -from the pen of this Alabamian. - -That which has already been said affords a slight view of the stirring -scenes through which Judge Meek passed the major part of his life. -Possessing varied gifts, he sought to give vent in some measure to each, -but it is in his literary productions that his real fame abides. That -literature was his passion is shown by the fact that, whatever else he -did, he could not abandon the pen. But the market for his literary wares -was so limited that without ample means he was unable to prosecute that -alone. The two indispensable requisites of literary success--time and -leisure--were not his to command, and he was compelled to scuffle for the -expression of his charming thought as best he could. - -The literary productions of Judge A. B. Meek have been more eagerly sought -by the later generations than by his contemporaries. The edition of each -was limited, his books have therefore become rare, highly prized by all -lovers of literature, but difficult to find. Certainly as much as any -other southern writer Judge Meek has immortalized the spirit and genius of -the South of a former period, which is now only a pleasing recollection. -More than any other, perhaps, he has embodied in enduring form the -peculiar elements which entered into our southern life. The mocking bird, -the magnolia, the long trailing moss of our southern swamps, the -honeysuckle, the traits and remnants of the vanished tribes of the Red -Men, and other elements peculiarly southern are embodied and embalmed in -the prose and poetry of A. B. Meek. - -Without the weirdness of Poe, Meek surpassed him in deftness of touch and -daintiness of expression. There is an indefinable delicacy and a -subtleness of force and suggestiveness in many of Meek's passages which -have never been surpassed. Nothing can excel the beauty and color of some -of his verse. In one instance, while describing an Indian maiden, he -says: - - "And her eyes flashing wildly when with gladness they shine, - Have the dark liquid flow of the ripe muscadine." - -His responsive spirit absorbed the soft, bland atmosphere of his own sunny -region. - - - - -BASIL MANLY, SR. - - -Dr. Basil Manly was equally a patriot, an educator, and a preacher. He had -the prescience and sagacity of a statesman, and devoted much thought to -all matters that affected the state or nation, and as occasion would -require he would not hesitate to express his views. With him the question -was one of principle and not one of reserved silence because of his -position as an educator and minister. Though exceedingly reserved and -modest, there were reserved powers of aggressiveness in his nature which -were withheld, subject to the demand of principle. He was not of the -maudlin type who sought refuge in his ministry as a means of escape from -duty as a citizen and patriot. His views were always stated with such -calmness, wisdom and moderation as to carry force. - -There were the balance and poise of elements in his constitution that made -him the successful college president that he was. His judgment was never -obscured by the mist of sudden passion, nor was he betrayed into warmth of -feeling that occasioned subsequent regret. A man of like passions with -others, his sterner expressions were held in restraint under the mastery -of a granite will, and were brought into action only as occasion required. -Firm as a mountain on its base, he was unmoved by suddenness of impulse or -storm of passion. His equable temper made him accessible to all, but in -his conduct he was swayed alone by principle. This left clear his sense of -discrimination and unobscured his judgment, which was never hastily -expended, and not till he was convinced of a cause. - -Those superior traits gave to Dr. Manly a power with men, young and old, -and his influence was as wide as he was known. A knowledge of these facts -led to his being called, in 1837, to the presidency of the University of -Alabama. At the time of his election he was the pastor of an important -church in Charleston, S. C. - -Dr. Manly was one of a distinguished family in North Carolina. Two -brothers of his were men of eminence, one of whom was Judge Mathias E. -Manly, of the old North state, while the other, Governor Charles Manly, -was the chief executive of North Carolina. The family has been -distinguished in the annals of the South for a number of generations. - -Without demonstration, Dr. Manly took charge of the University of Alabama, -and with the beginning of his official incumbency began a new era of -prosperity in the history of the institution. For eighteen years he -presided over the institution, which never had eighteen brighter years in -its history. He was quietly identified with all the interests of the -state, and soon came to be known and prized as one of its foremost -citizens. - -When Dr. Manly assumed control, the institution was still young, and was -in great need of increased equipment, but under his wise management the -needed facilities came, and within a few years he brought it to a pitch of -prominence that gave it wide reputation throughout the country. Indeed no -state institution in the South had a wider reputation, from 1837 till the -outbreak of the Civil War, than the University of Alabama. Young men from -other states, attracted by its standard of scholarship, sought its -classical halls for superior instruction. During the presidency of Dr. -Manly thousands of young men throughout the state were fitted for life's -rough encounters. - -Dr. Manly not only possessed the high qualities already named, but he had -the power of impressing them on the rising youth that came under his -direction and discipline. His undoubted sincerity, as transparent as it -appeared, his genuine manliness, the quiet balance of genuine qualities of -worth, all of which were sobered and tempered by a piety which no one -questioned, and all admired, gave him an opportunity for the wield of an -influence which was used to the greatest advantage. - -While the superiority of his intellectuality excited admiration, the -gentleness of his religious spirit begot the most respectful reverence. A -superior preacher, he was in constant demand in this and in other states, -to occupy pulpits on extraordinary occasions, all of which served to -reflect the distinguished institution of which he was the head. - -One remarkable fact about Dr. Manly was that of his extensiveness and -variety of scholarship. His learning was varied, rather than profound. Not -that he was a mere smatterer, for no one despised more the pedantic and -superficial than he, but his research in different and distant fields of -thought was remarkable. He had devoted unusual attention on all subjects -then taught in the most advanced schools of learning, and was thereby -enabled to assist students in the various departments by timely advice, -not only, but was able to assist intelligently the direction of the -several departments in the great institution over which he presided. His -fame as a college president widened to the utmost limits of the states of -the South, and even beyond. - -Wherever young men touched Dr. Manly, no matter how, whether in the -classroom, by social contact, by discipline, or by hearing him preach or -lecture, there was resultant benefit. His vast range of information -imparted in simplicity and yet always with dignity; his unusual method of -reaching young men, not by any fixed standard, but by means suggested at -the particular time, and his ability without effort to impart the -influence needed to guide and direct, never failed of impressing those -under his care. - -The uniformity of his bearing was among the first impressions made on the -youth under his guidance. His manner was always the same. This was true -even of his manner of address. He was chaste without being gaudy; clear -without the slightest effort; earnest and zealous without exuberance, and -pathetic and sympathetic without cant. These gave him a grip on young men. - -No one caught him off his guard. There was always the possession of a self -collection that produced ease in his presence and that left an impression -for good. - -The influence of a spirit like that at the head of an institution of -learning in a great state is incalculable. The permanent good wrought by a -man like this through successive generations is beyond calculation. - - - - -ALEXANDER BOWIE - - -The Bowie family is of Scotch origin. In a large volume devoted to the -family history, the genealogists of the name have traced the lineage -backward even to the days of the old Vikings. Certain traits of worth and -of distinction have characterized the stock through the centuries. -Solidity of character, firmness, robust conviction, courage, and fidelity -of purpose are among the traits most conspicuous. - -A notable instance of these traits is given here because of the -familiarity of the public with the subject named. The heroism of Col. -James Bowie on the occasion of the fall of the Alamo is familiar to every -boy and girl who is conversant of American history. Prostrated by typhoid -fever in the ill-starred fortress at San Antonio, he was one of the -devoted 185 who withstood the siege of Santa Anna at the head of an army -variously estimated to have numbered from 2,000 to 4,000. When the -commander, Colonel Travis, saw the inevitable fate of the brave little -garrison he called his men about him, plainly presented the coming doom, -and, after saying he was determined to die at his post, he drew a line -across the floor and asked that all who would remain with him should come -within the boundary thus marked. If others desired to cut their way -through or otherwise seek to escape, they were at liberty to do so. - -With emaciated frame, Colonel Bowie, now rapidly approaching death, which -came a few hours before the fall, unable to stand, ordered his men to -bear his sick couch within the mark drawn by the commander. This is -indicative of the sturdy Scotch pluck and the firmness of character of -those bearing the name. - -It will be seen from the present sketch that Chancellor Alexander Bowie -possessed to an eminent degree these conspicuous traits. He was a -distinguished citizen of Alabama for a period of thirty-one years. His -native place was Abbeville, S. C., where he was born December 14, 1789. -His father was a major in Washington's army, and his mother, a Miss Reid, -from which family, on the maternal side, came Honorable Whitelaw Reid, of -New York. - -Choosing the bar as a profession, Mr. Bowie was a successful barrister at -Abbeville, S. C., for a period of years. His relations with John C. -Calhoun were the most intimate, and letters received by Mr. Bowie from Mr. -Calhoun are still preserved among the heirlooms of the family. They -illustrate the cordiality and freedom of the relations between these two -eminent men. - -During the war of 1812 Mr. Bowie was the colonel of the eighth regiment of -South Carolina militia, and was later commander of the Abbeville -nullifiers. For a number of terms he served as a legislator in his native -state, and removed to Talladega, Ala., in 1835. Four years later, he was -elected by the Alabama legislature to the chancellorship of the northern -division, which position he held with great distinction for a period of -six years. - -In response to the interest shown by him in the general affairs of the -state of his adoption, and in recognition of his ability, he was summoned -to a number of important stations, among which may be mentioned that of -the choice of himself as the first president of the state historical -society. In further recognition of his scholarship and profound interest -in education, he was chosen one of the trustees of the state university, -and was one of the foremost friends of that institution in the days when -it was among the leading colleges of the South. - -Politically, Chancellor Bowie was a Democrat of the democrats, a firm -adherent to the Calhoun school, and therefore a stanch believer in the -principle of states' rights. His voice, pen, and influence were lent to -that cause in all the struggles through which Alabama passed from the time -of his removal to the state till his death. Never vehement or passionate -of utterance, he always wrote and spoke with a calmness and deliberation -that bore conviction. He took to his public functions the same solidity of -influential force and the self-mastery which won him quiet distinction in -the ordinary walks of life. The impression made by him was invariable, -whether as a neighbor, a private Christian, a political advocate, or a -representative of the judiciary, that of stable conviction, calm -determination, and withal a gentleness of spirit that instinctively shrank -from producing the slightest pain to any one. His silent life reinforced -his public acts and declarations, and gave to him an unusual power with -men of every grade and degree. That which he did and said was of a -character that took hold on the deeper conviction of men, rather than on -surface sentiment. A strong and vigorous speaker, he was frequently -before the public, and his utterances gained additional weight from the -fact that men knew that every word that fell from his lips sprang from a -source of profound sincerity and from a conviction as deep as his soul. -His scrupulosity of conscience was proverbial, and men listened to -Chancellor Bowie not merely for entertainment, for he was an attractive -speaker, but they listened believing. Back of his utterances lay a life of -unvarying integrity derived from a spirit of piety, which none dared -gainsay, and the lineaments of his classic face bore a conviction which -was itself convincing. When the life of a man is so pitched that the most -obstinate opponent is made to respect his views, such a man is an engine -of power in public life. This fairly represents Chancellor Bowie in his -multitudinous relations, private and public, and such a model of manhood -was he to the young men of his time. This reputation he steadfastly -maintained through more than three decades in Alabama, for a good that -transcends the pale of estimation not only to his contemporaries, but -which projects itself into the years of the future. - -One principle alone dominated him in all his conduct and that was the -settlement of each question or cause on the basis of right. This was so -clearly demonstrated throughout his life and career that any decision or -opinion from the bench was unquestioned, and so profoundly did he impress -the public with this fact that he came to be called "the great -chancellor." All his wealth of learning, his garnered wisdom, and his rich -experience were laid on the altar of Right. Thus lived Chancellor Bowie -and thus he died, leaving a heritage of illustrious integrity to those who -were to come after him. The career of an eminent citizen like this is an -abiding benediction to any state. Chancellor Bowie passed to his reward on -December 30, 1866, at the advanced age of seventy-seven years. - - - - -JOHN J. ORMOND - - -The name of Judge John J. Ormond is inseparable from the judicial history -of Alabama. He was recognized on all hands as a jurist of superior -ability. The mold of his mind was singularly judicial, and his career as a -public servant shines through his jurisprudential service. - -A native of England, Judge Ormond was brought by his father to America -while yet an infant, his parents making their home first at -Charlottesville, Va. Left an orphan in early youth, Judge Ormond's future -course was dependent on the kindness of others, but he was liberally -provided for, and means were found for enabling the youth to obtain more -than an ordinary education. - -After his removal to Alabama, we find him first as a state senator, to -which position he was chosen in the early part of his professional career. -In 1837 he was chosen as one of the justices of the supreme bench. Here he -found a most congenial orbit, for his tastes were aversive to the rough -and tumble of political strife. In the seclusion of a law library among -the musty tomes of legal lore, or a seat on the bench of the court, met -the gratification of this giant jurist. - -His studious habits served to impart a reservation of disposition, though -he was free from coldness and was not wanting in the elements of -companionship. His was the thoughtfulness of the student and the quietness -of the scholar. A voracious reader, he reveled in the masterpieces of -literature, the results of his close study of which showing themselves in -the beauty and charm of his style, both of which found expression in his -decision and opinions. Without apparent effort, his sentences have a -limpid flow in well-balanced form, while the purity and elegance of his -diction fascinates. The dignity of his diction is an inspiration, while -his thought, like the sun, shines, by its own light. - -For twelve years Judge Ormond occupied a seat on the supreme bench, an -honor and an ornament. His decisions were the profoundest, though they -were garbed in the striking simplicity of our tongue. His long retention -on the bench is an evidence of the general confidence in his integrity of -character. This fact becomes more pronounced when it is recalled that -Judge Ormond was a whig in politics, yet such was the appreciation of his -worth both as a man and as a jurist, that he failed not to command the -esteem and votes of the dominant democratic party. By dint of merit alone -he compelled not only its recognition but its appreciation. No one ever -suspected Judge Ormond of taking an unfair advantage as a judicial officer -or as a man. The sincerity of his political convictions were conceded, and -all who knew him never thought of him as a partisan. With him political -creed was one thing, and judicial scrupulosity another. - -Writing of Judge Ormond's death, a contemporary says: "He occupies a page -in the Alabama law reports that will pass down to future times, and be -cited as authority in the adjudication of human rights as long as the -common law maintains a footing among civilized nations." Though small and -thin with a visage somewhat drawn, his bearing was characterized by a -perpetual dignity which elicited the esteem of all. - -There was a democratic simplicity in his intercourse with others which was -perennially refreshing. An utter absence of self-consciousness marked his -bearing, though he was universally recognized as one unsurpassed in his -judgment of the law, as well as a ripe and finished scholar. So far from -being ostentatious, Judge Ormond was disposed to shyness and taciturnity. -His conversation was marked by the finished diction of which he was a -complete master. Besides all this, he was self-contained and collected, -never allowing himself to be betrayed into undue warmth of expression, no -matter what the provocation was. He equalled the conception of the -proverb, a soft answer turneth away wrath. The combination of qualities so -rare, was the occasion of much comment among the lawyers of the time. His -opinions did not escape challenge, nor did his position always go without -criticism. - -The character of the man as well as the clearness of his judicial judgment -may be seen from a single extract from a decision written by himself in a -celebrated case which came before the court during his incumbency of the -supreme bench. In that learned decision he says: "We have been admonished -by the plaintiff in error, that, notwithstanding the state is the party -interested as defendant, on this record, the true interest of the people -will be promoted by declaring the contract void. It required no admonition -to impress us with the conviction that the high trust reposed in us by the -people imperiously demanded of us to preserve pure the fountains of -justice. Nor will we profess an insensibility which we do not feel to the -approbation of the enlightened and virtuous; although all experience shows -that such is not always the meed of upright conduct. Our station imposes -on us the necessity of deciding the cases brought before us according to -our opinion of the law; it is a duty which we cannot avoid. If left to our -choice, it is not probable we would have selected this question for -adjudication; and as, in our judgment, the law is for the state, such must -be our decision, be the consequences to us what they may, and although the -judgment may subject us to the imputation of the bias which the argument -of the counsel supposes." - -This extract affords a fair index to the character of the man, while it -equally furnishes a specimen of the lucidity of his expression. There was -never the absence of dignity from his expression, no matter what the -occasion. He was not without sensitiveness, but it was not the -sensitiveness of inflammation. When necessary, he could wither with an -overmastering diction, but it was always with the preservation of a -dignity which could not fail of success. The last service rendered by -Judge Ormond was that of his association with Messrs. Clay and Bagby in -the codification of the statutes of the state of Alabama. - - - - -ALBERT J. PICKETT - - -Alabama's historian, Albert J. Pickett, was a native of North Carolina, -and removed to Alabama about one year before it was made a state. In his -early years he mingled much with the Indians, learned their character and -disposition, and became profoundly interested in their destiny. - -The first purpose in life of Mr. Pickett was to fit himself for the bar, -and he entered the office of an elder brother, William D. Pickett, to fit -himself for that profession, but on discovering that he had no aptitude -for the law he gave it up and entered on planting, to which he devoted his -life. - -His interest in the Indians led him into an investigation of their -history, and this, in turn, to the events which had occurred in connection -with the invasion of their primitive domains by the whites. The -investigation proved a fascination and led to his preparation of the -"History of Alabama and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi from the -earliest period." - -Considering the paucity of material and the difficulty of obtaining it, -the undertaking was a colossal one, but Mr. Pickett gave himself to it -with a zeal worthy the enterprise, traveled much, wrote many letters, and -spent a large sum of money in the interest of the preparation of the -history. For years together, he was patiently and assiduously engaged in -the accumulation of data, the sifting of facts, and the preparation of the -two volumes. The most painstaking care was exercised with respect to -accuracy of statement, and this made the undertaking a most plodding one. -But in 1851 the author was enabled to issue the two volumes in neat and -attractive form. - -So comprehensive was the work, so minute in detail, and so careful were -the citations that on its appearance it was greeted with great favor not -alone in Alabama, but elsewhere. Had the conditions of authorship been as -favorable as they now are, the work would doubtless have been more happily -arranged, but as it is, it is a monument of labor, skill, industry and -fidelity. It was an unusual occurrence that the history should have been -favorably mentioned in a message to the legislature by Governor Collier -and with such favor. - -The style of the book is simple and easy, the statement of fact clear and -devoid of ornament or speculation, and throughout it is entirely free of -bias. The obvious intention of the author was to state fact as he saw it, -nor was a statement made by him that was not supported by undisputed fact. -No book was ever more scrupulously written as is shown by the care with -which each statement is made. - -While in the light of subsequent events the unity of the work is somewhat -impaired and disjointed, still taken altogether, and the conditions -attending its preparation, it is a marvelous accomplishment. Pickett -provided a mine of fact into which all future historians of Alabama can -dig, certainly with respect to the history antedating the occupation of -Alabama by the whites. - -The history extends no further than to the period of the attainment of -statehood of Alabama, and yet the author was able to bring it up to the -close of the middle of the nineteenth century. It is unfortunate that this -was not done, but he was averse to deal with the political aspects -presented by the different periods of the state's history. But in doing -that which he accomplished he has furnished a basis for all future -historians. That Mr. Pickett should have done so much, and done it so -well, makes him worthy of the perpetual gratitude of the people of -Alabama. - -A gentleman of wide and varied information, his mind was a compendium of -valuable stores of knowledge. He was an animated converser, fluent and -entertaining, and a most exemplary citizen. His popularity, greatly -enhanced by his valuable history, his universally recognized integrity of -character, and his unquestioned ability, led to the mention of his name in -1853 for the governorship of Alabama. - -But when the matter was brought with some degree of seriousness to his -attention, he frankly declined to be considered for this exalted station, -saying that he was engaged in the preparation of another work of greater -comprehensiveness than that of the History of Alabama, which he indicated -as the History of the Southwest. Unfortunately he died before the -completion of the proposed work and it was never published. Alabama -sustained a great loss when Colonel Pickett died at the early age of -forty-eight. Besides his history, he wrote much for the press and always -with entertainment and profit. - -In 1859 General C. M. Jackson wrote a biographical sketch of Colonel -Albert J. Pickett, which sketch was embodied in pamphlet form. In one -place General Jackson says of him: "He outlived his entire family--father, -mother, brother and sister--and his offspring now constitutes a new -generation, without a single living link to connect it with a former one. -He left a devoted wife, several affectionate children, and many friends to -deplore his untimely death; besides the proper appreciation by the public -of what may be deemed a great calamity--that of the loss of one who had so -largely contributed to the general welfare. His remains were followed by a -large concourse of relatives and friends and interred in the burial ground -at the old family residence in Autauga County, which Colonel Pickett had -inherited--where are also the graves of father, mother and other members -of this family." - -Unselfishly he lived and labored, and peacefully he died--one of the most -useful and distinguished citizens of the state. - - - - -HENRY TUTWILER - - -Of an entirely different mold from any of those already noted in these -sketches was Henry Tutwiler, LL.D., Alabama's first great and -distinguished educator. Reared in Virginia, Dr. Tutwiler was among the -first great graduates of the famous university of that state, bearing away -the highest degree which could be conferred by that eminent institution, -that of Master of Arts. Possessing a readily receptive and capacious mind, -Dr. Tutwiler was the peer in point of scholarship of any man in the South -when he issued from the university of Virginia. He was the first to -receive the degree of Master of Arts from that eminent school. - -His equipment of scholarship would have fitted him for any chair in any -American school of learning, but he conceived the idea of founding a model -school of his own where he might put into execution his ideas of -education. This was not done at once on graduation, but toward this he was -moving in the consummation of his plans. - -Dr. Tutwiler became to Alabama that which Dr. Arnold of the famous Rugby -school was to England. He was not only a typical gentleman of the old -school of the South, but a ripe scholar, a teacher of rare ability, and a -model of manhood to youth. Simple and unpretentious in manner and in life, -he was a pattern in character to the young men who came under his -instruction. His culture was unsurpassed, his scholarship profound and -comprehensive, and his character throughout life vastly above reproach. -Few men have left a profounder impression on his students than Dr. Henry -Tutwiler. There was in his bearing the utter absence of the consciousness -of his greatness, while there was always the demonstration of the -gentleman of a pure democracy. Simple and easy of manner, affable, gentle -and readily communicative, he was easily adjustable to all circles without -the slightest hint of constraint, and by a contagious touch, indefinable -but effectual, he made all others at ease in his presence. - -After his graduation from the University of Virginia he remained for two -years at the institution in the pursuit of special studies, after which he -established a high school in the neighborhood of Charlottesville, where he -taught for a time. He was induced to remove to Alabama by being offered -the chair of ancient languages in the university of the state on the -establishment of that institution in 1831. This position he occupied for -six years. He was induced from this position to accept the chair of -mathematics and philosophy in Marion college in Perry County, and two -years later went to the chair of mathematics and chemistry in LaGrange -college, where he taught for eight years more. - -But a subordinate position was ill suited to one of capabilities so -varied, and in 1847 he left LaGrange and founded a private school at Green -Springs in this state, where he could put into execution a long cherished -desire to fit young men for the rough encounters of the world, not only by -training the mind, but by molding and directing the character. - -No one was better fitted for a position like this than Dr. Tutwiler. -Himself a ripe scholar and a gentleman of superior culture, backed by a -natural impressiveness, his sway of influence was both salutary and -elevating. In a quiet retreat, far from the madding crowd and the din and -tumult of a busy world, with nothing to detract and all to concentrate and -stimulate, he was a character-builder as well as a developer of the brain. - -The experience of former years as a teacher brought to his work on this -independent scale served Dr. Tutwiler admirably. He had learned the -defectiveness of a system in which the raw youth with total unpreparedness -would often stride over much that was fundamental and leave behind him -breaches never to be filled, possibly, in his eager outreach for a diploma -which when gotten could not be read by the possessor. Every observant -educator is impressed by the divers irregularities with which most young -men enter college. Symmetry and uniformity are lacking, and often the -defects in fundamental work are too far passed to be overcome and -corrected in the higher departments for which the youth has been unwisely -persuaded that he is prepared. Happily for these later times, this has -been corrected by an admirable public school system with its trained -instructors, but this was not true in the early days when Dr. Tutwiler -opened his school at Green Springs. - -To establish a school of logical graduation with every department under -his direct supervision, in which school the student would be thoroughly -grounded from the elementary upward, so as to have a more solid basis for -building, and an idea of correctness and symmetry in all affairs, was the -aim of this skilled educator. Schools of this particular character had -dotted the South ever since the years of recuperation following the -Revolution, and fortunately for the country that this was so. - -In 1850 there were in eleven of the southern states at least 2,000 -academies of varying grades, with more than 3,200 instructors, and more -than 70,000 pupils. On the highest level of these valuable schools of -learning were the Concord academy and the Hanover academy in Virginia; -Caldwell's and Bingham's schools in North Carolina; Mount Zion and -Waddell's school in South Carolina; the academy of Richmond County and -Sunbury academy in Georgia; Green Springs school in Alabama, and Elizabeth -academy in Mississippi. All these had become noted in the educational -system of the South by the middle of the nineteenth century. Among them -none was more famous than the one presided over by Dr. Tutwiler. - -A certificate from a school like this and from so skilled an expert, meant -much to a youth as he entered a school of more advanced learning to -prosecute his final studies. The assurance of a firm footing and -familiarity with subjects which led logically to more advanced studies, -gave to a student the thoroughness of equipment which would save him from -the haphazard to which he would be otherwise exposed. - -From the walls of the Green Springs school went forth young men by the -hundreds with initial equipment which not only made the mastery of a -college course more easy and pleasant, but which served to lift them into -future prominence. Passing from under the tutelage of Dr. Tutwiler and -bearing a certificate with his name on it, was a guarantee worth the -having by any young man. From this rural retreat this skilled man of -letters sent into the swelling ranks of usefulness in this and adjoining -states, hundreds of young men who have helped to make their commonwealths -resplendent. It was not a demonstrative work, in the sense of showiness, -but it was demonstrative as it found expression in richness of result and -in exalted citizenship. Thus labored for many years this sage teacher and -mellow scholar, and far more than can be computed is Alabama indebted to -Henry Tutwiler. - - - - -DANIEL PRATT - - -Genuine worth is frequently overlooked because it does not appear in the -glare and rush of demonstration, and because it may modestly shrink from -the spectacular. The solid distinction reached by many is due to -conditions which lie out of sight and without which many who reach -positions of prominence would not have been heard of beyond their native -horizons. - -Impelled by ambition, many see and seize the opportune moment presented, -fall into the current created by others, and are borne to eminence. Lying -back of that which the world esteems greatness are causes created of which -many avail themselves to ride to popular spectacularity, and yet these may -be only the superficial and surface effects. - -In what are usually esteemed the humbler walks of life are oftentimes -giants who set in motion the tides of influence which make great -communities and even states, and yet whose worthy claims are never -heralded to the world as are the deeds of those who reach the popular -heights toward which the eyes of the public are accustomed to turn. - -To this worthy class in the quieter walks of life belong numbers of the -best men of every generation whose vocations are such as to hide them from -the popular view, and yet without whom the greatness and the prosperity of -a commonwealth could not be. - -Belonging to this class was Daniel Pratt, a native of New Hampshire, a -carpenter by trade, and a man in whose capacious brain were great -enterprises. Utterly without pretention, he was at first a common -laborer, working at his trade in different cities in Georgia for a period -of about fifteen years, in the early part of the century. - -At that time the question of cotton as a staple had assumed new -proportions in view of the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney -about fifty years previously, and in view of the capabilities of the soils -of the South to produce the staple. The struggles of Whitney to maintain -his rights as the inventor of the gin had been prolonged through a -protracted period of years, leaving him barren honor alone, but his -suggestion had found its way to the inventive genius and mechanical -aptitude of others, among whom was Daniel Pratt. He removed to Montgomery -in 1833, for the purpose of establishing a gin factory in that town. At -that time the manufacture of cotton gins was quite limited, but the -sagacious carpenter saw in the future the possibility of a means of vast -commerce in the manufacture of machines that would reduce the -indispensable staple to marketable conditions, and while conditions in -Alabama were at that time still new, Pratt discerned an opportunity both -for the gin and the production of cotton. - -Lands were of fabulous fertility; population was pouring southward; the -advocacy of slavery had been hushed by the prospective productiveness of -southern lands, and Alabama was destined to become the center of an -expansive region for the production of cotton. - -At that time capital was not so abundant, cotton was not so pregnant a -factor in commerce, and the manufacture of gins was rather a novelty -among the industries. But this sturdy, quiet man of business was -controlled by the conditions then prevailing as he was by the -possibilities of the future. Being a pioneer in an important branch of -industry meant much, and he had the pluck and faith to venture. Pratt -believed in himself and no man succeeds who does not; he believed in the -future of the country, and was resolved to begin the manufacture of gins. -He was not encouraged to locate at Montgomery, as he would have been glad -to do, and most fortunate for that city would it have been, could he have -done so. Mr. Pratt went to Autauga County, and on the plantation of -General Elmore manufactured a few gins. This was only a tentative venture -and one preparatory for greater things toward which he was gradually -moving. - -On Autauga Creek, near McNeil's mill, there was abundant water power with -which to operate his primitive machinery, and leasing the use of this -power for a nominal sum, he was enabled finally to begin the manufacture -of gins. Both faith and grit were needed to meet the demand of the -occasion, but these Mr. Pratt had. Guided by the same sagacity which had -led him thus far, he was finally in condition to purchase land farther up -on Autauga Creek, where he built his first factory and founded a town -which he named Prattville. - -The manufacture of gins in the South and the production of cotton acted -and reacted on each other with wonderful effect. Mr. Pratt was compelled -to enlarge his facilities for the manufacture of gins, so that by 1860 he -was building not less than 1,500 each year. The Pratt gin became famous -throughout the South, and to the beginning of the Civil War the sales -continued to grow. From that little industrial center in the woods of -Autauga were going forth the means of energy and stimulation which were -gradually transforming the agricultural conditions of the entire South. - -Through the years this quiet but enterprising genius was prosecuting his -work unseen and largely unknown for a long time, save by means of his gin, -and yet his quiet retreat was a center from which there was emanating -motive power for the promotion of prosperity. - -Mr. Pratt was Alabama's first great captain of industry. He was not a -dreamer, but a seer. He projected his plans into the future, wisely -measured their scope, and carefully moved to their execution. He had a -mission and wisely fulfilled it. He probed the future with the eye of an -industrial prophet, and his interests expanding with the growth of demand, -he himself was being made while he was making. Action always reacts. While -the man makes the fortune, the fortune makes the man. While through more -than a generation others through the flare of publicity enjoyed the -plaudits of the multitude and of the press, Daniel Pratt pursued the even -tenor of his way, building substantially, lastingly. While others were in -the current he was on the outer edge creating a current of his own. - -On Autauga Creek he has built his own monument in a mighty industry and in -a little city which is now sought by the world's current of commerce. - - - - -MICHAEL TUOMEY - - -Alabama's original state geologist was Professor Michael Tuomey, whose -service was invaluable, and therefore deserves permanent recognition. -Professor Tuomey was a native of Cork, Ireland, where he was born on St. -Michael's day, 1805. - -His scholastic training in youth seems to have been largely private, -though it is certain that he did attend one school outside his home. To -his grandmother was this distinguished man indebted for the first -scientific taste inculcated, for this remarkable woman led the promising -grandson to study with diligence and with accuracy the science of botany, -with which study it seems there was ever afterward associated, on the part -of Mr. Tuomey, a cherished memory by a grateful grandson for timely -inspiration given in his boyhood days on the Emerald Isle. Along with this -was borne the sacred recollection of a fond mother for the careful -cultivation of the beautiful as displayed in the dreamy regions of his -native isle, and in the magnificent landscapes which there abound. -Throughout his life Professor Tuomey bore the impress of the culture -imbibed in those early days, and the earnestness of the instruction given -by loved ones was a perpetual propelling force in all his subsequent -studies and investigations. - -His precocity was evidently taken advantage of by these affectionate -instructors, for at the early age of seventeen we find him associated with -a friend in teaching at Yorkshire, England. The young genius, for such he -was, girded by the panoply of a sacred association and thorough drill of -mind, marked out for himself a course of scientific study into which his -natural bent bore him, and his early training, as well. - -We are left largely to conjecture as to the time of his emigration to -America, but it must have been in the early twenties. A youthful -immigrant, he appears in Philadelphia, a stranger among strangers, -scarcely knowing whither to turn, till he buys a piece of ground to till, -then ventures in connection with a partner on the purchase of an estate, -finds agriculture ill-suited to his taste and ill-productive of results, -disposes of his interest, and wends his way southward, often trudging -weary and footsore for days together. He reaches the eastern shore of -Virginia, and with a knack of friend-making and possessing a charming -cultured manner, he procures a rural school, rallies about him a host of -friends, later becomes a private tutor in the home of John H. Dennis, of -Maryland, studying while he taught, but always winning the hearts of -others, and supremely that of Miss Sarah E. Handy, a kinswoman of his -private patron, which gifted young woman became Mrs. Tuomey. - -His innate craving for scientific knowledge and his love of nature found -slight chance for cultivation at a time when institutions of science in -America were scarce, but he sought the best within reach by a course in -the Rennselaer Institute at Troy, N. Y., whence he was graduated and -became a civil engineer in the construction of one of the early railroads -in North Carolina. The financial crash of '37 imposed a cessation on the -railroad project, and with ready resourcefulness Mr. Tuomey betook himself -again to teaching, by occupying a chair of mathematics and the natural -sciences in a school presided over by Miss Mercer, in Loudoun County, -Virginia. - -Responding to an opportunity afforded at Petersburg, Va., to establish a -seminary of his own, he and his gifted wife entered on an enterprise -there. This opened a wide vista to the pent-up zeal of Professor Tuomey -for the cultivation and enlargement of his scientific gifts. In Petersburg -was abundantly vindicated the principle in the person of this indomitable -young Hibernian, that success finally rewards the patient, plucky, and -resourceful. It became his honor at Petersburg to entertain that eminent -English geologist, Sir Charles Lyell, on the occasion of both his visits -to America, and by correspondence and otherwise he came into touch of more -or less intimacy with the learned scientists of the American continent, as -well as with those abroad. Among those with whom he was brought by reason -of scientific congeniality into touch were Agassiz, James Hall, state -geologist of New York, Professor Bache, Professor Dana, Dr. Gibbs, Edmund -Ruffin, and Professor Holmes. It was a glorious company of savants in -those early days of scientific militancy when men of eminence had to -confront an inertia of stout popular opposition. - -Impelled by a consuming zeal for scientific research and guided by his own -keen judgment, while availing himself of all possible authoritative -sources of information, Professor Tuomey was meanwhile assiduous in study -and diligent in the collection of rare specimens of geology, mineralogy -and paleontology. His labors anon took permanent and valuable shape in -scientific publications, and after years of labor in other states which -cannot be mentioned here in detail, he was called in the heyday of his -career, in 1847, to the professorship of geology, mineralogy, and -agricultural chemistry in the Alabama university. Lest in a comprehensive -sphere like this, large enough for several men, his leisure time might run -to waste, he had imposed additionally the onerous task of state geologist -of Alabama, in 1848, and lest his extravagance in the use of a narrow -stipend might betray him into undue lengths he was given no compensation -for this additional labor. For six years he labored for the state under -conditions like these, when the legislature came to his rescue and -appropriated $10,000 for a geological survey. This led him to relinquish -his chair temporarily in the university in order to devote his energies to -the field of survey, which he continued till the exhaustion of the fund, -when he returned to his chair in the university. - -It was Professor Tuomey who first awoke interest in geological science in -Alabama, and he it was who first disclosed the mineral wealth of the -state. In his pioneer work he fixed the boundaries of the different -formations in Alabama, embodying his charts, maps and reports in permanent -shape, so that after the lapse of more than half a century and in the -blaze of the scientific investigations of later years, his work remains as -a standard of authority. - -It would be an occasion of much delight to speak at length of Professor -Tuomey, the man, but the censorship of brevity must in this connection be -respected. His dignity, his modesty, as an adjunct to his superior -culture, his width of information, his charming power of conversation, his -gift of instruction, illumined by the brilliancy of his native wit, his -courtesy toward the humblest--all these and more he had to a degree the -most fascinating. The life and labor of a giant like this would be worthy -of the worthiest pen, and in a sketch such as this is, one gleans but an -inkling of the man that Professor Michael Tuomey was. It was an honor to -Alabama to have his name numbered in the chronicles of her worthiest sons. -The contribution made by him to the state is inestimable. Professor Tuomey -died on March 30, 1857. - -In the ripeness of full-orbed manhood and at a time when men usually reach -the point of greatest usefulness, at the age of fifty-two, Professor -Tuomey was struck down by the hand of death. - - "No man is lord of anything, - Though in and of him there is much consisting, - Till he communicate his part to others; - Nor doth he of himself know them for aught, - Till he behold them formed in the applause - Where they're extended, which like an arch, reverberates - The voice again; or, like a gate of steel, - Fronting the sun, receives and renders back - His figure and his heat." - -To have rescued from comparative forgetfulness the career of one so -great--a career obscured by the smoke of war which interposed to check -the results of labors so valuably and eminently rendered, is a task for -the privilege of which any might feel profoundly grateful. - - - - -CHARLES C. LANGDON - - -Coming from New England to Alabama in the bud of manhood, Mr. Langdon -gradually rose from a clerkship in a country store to a rank of -distinction in his adopted state. The conditions of his early life forbade -the acquisition of a thorough education, as on his father's Connecticut -farm he had to perform the duties of a common laborer, and avail himself -of what advantages were afforded in a winter school in his native New -England. These conditions did not prevent, however, an early ambition to -attain to something in life worth while, and though twice defeated for the -legislature in Alabama, he was undaunted, but the rather encouraged, -because in each instance he was defeated by a scratch. In his first defeat -he lost the object of his aspiration by just eleven votes, and in the -second race he was defeated by fourteen. - -Mr. Langdon's early life was characterized by a series of misfortunes, but -the grit with which he would each time face afresh the future, indicated -the texture of his character. By means of rigid economy he succeeded in -the accumulation of some capital, with which he entered into the cotton -commission business in Mobile, in connection with the Honorable Martin A. -Lee, of Perry County, but his business was engulfed in the financial -disaster of 1836-7. - -In the first whig convention ever held in Alabama he became the nominee of -that party for the legislature, and while again sustaining defeat he had -conducted the campaign with ability so signal that his party purchased The -Mobile Advertiser as its organ, and placed in control of it Mr. Langdon. -His facile pen won him fresh distinction, and in two successive terms he -was chosen for the legislature from Mobile County, first in 1839 and again -in 1846. - -For a period of eight years he devoted himself to editorial work, and in -1848 was elected mayor of Mobile, to which position he was annually -elected for a period of seven years, save one. Meanwhile he continued the -chief exponent of the whig party for the state, and for the success -attained by that party indebtedness was due Mr. Langdon. - -He was the pioneer of scientific horticulture and agriculture in the -state. Defeated for Congress in 1851, Mr. Langdon soon afterward sold his -journal and retired to a farm in the western part of Mobile County to -demonstrate his method of scientific farming, which, at that time, was a -subject of ridicule. He was called from his seclusion by the stirring -political scenes of 1860, and appeared on the hustings as an ardent -advocate of Bell and Everett. Though a stout opponent of secession, when -it came and brought with it its consequences he was just as ardent in his -espousal of the cause of the South as was any. Both by pen and by word of -mouth he supported the cause throughout, and came to be one of the most -popular citizens of Mobile and one of the most conspicuous public men in -the state. - -He was chosen to represent the county of Mobile in the legislature in -1861, and in a trying period rendered most valuable service. In 1865 he -was chosen to represent the Mobile district in Congress, but he was -denied his seat by the party in power, and was shortly afterward -disfranchised. Under these conditions he retired to his country seat near -Citronelle, where he continued to demonstrate in a scientific way the -results of horticulture and agriculture. In a period of rehabilitation in -the South Mr. Langdon made frequent exhibition of the results of his -efforts, and with patriotic zeal inspired the public with confidence in -the capabilities and productiveness of the soils in a climate so bland, -and insisted that if properly tilled, the fields of the South would make -her more independent than she had ever been. In 1877 Colonel Langdon -became a candidate for the governorship against Honorable Rufus W. Cobb, -the latter of whom was chosen. It was remarkable the difference between -the appearances of the two candidates before the state convention of -nomination. Mr. Cobb wore a cheap colored suit of clothes, in illustration -of his ardent democracy, while Colonel Langdon was arrayed in a beautiful -suit of black cloth, with a Prince Albert coat, all fresh and costly from -the tailor's hands. The one immediately following the other in speeches -before the body, presented a contrast of appearance at once striking and -remarkable. The scene thus presented became a subject of general comment -among the members of the convention. - -The frequent contributions of Colonel Langdon to the press relative to -horticultural and agricultural processes and results had much to do, after -the close of the war, with the reawakening of the spirit which has -eventuated in the abandonment of old and worn methods of cultivation, and -in the adoption of new ones, which have brought untold wealth to the -state. - -The wreck of our industrial system and the necessity of economy by -contracting the old time plantation into a modern farm under intensive -processes, led Colonel Langdon among the first to recognize the situation -toward which we were tending, and he advocated a shift of accommodation to -meet the inevitable. Though laughed at at first as a mere dreamer, the -states of the South have gradually come to the methods advocated by him, -and have emphasized them by the establishment of schools of agriculture to -do just that which was once a matter of ridicule. - -During a period of agricultural transition from the old methods to those -of the new, Colonel Langdon was a popular contributor to the columns of -the Mobile Register, and in a period when men were groping for a more -substantial footing in things agricultural, Colonel Langdon was among the -foremost to inspire confidence and hopefulness for the future. With the -incisive penetration of a seer he forecast the return of a great -prosperity, when there should come a readjustment to prevailing -conditions. His was the vision of the genuine optimist, and the service -then rendered, though not on the whole demonstrative, was conducive to the -welfare of the state. - -The quiet courage of Colonel Langdon in facing difficulties was never -impaired by temporary defeat, nor was his ardor diminished by momentary -failure. He supported his convictions with manly pluck, and invariably -preserved a calmness of demeanor and an unchanged attitude of respect for -his opponents. His career throughout was one of sobriety and usefulness. -Men might differ with Colonel Langdon, but he compelled respect by his -sincerity of purpose and uprightness of life, private and public, even on -the part of his most vehement opponents. He was a practical patriot, a -fact which was demonstrated by a long life of usefulness. - - - - -CHARLES T. POLLARD - - -One of the first to be touched by the new industrial energy of railroads -in Alabama was Colonel Charles T. Pollard. He came to Alabama about 1840, -and located at Montgomery, where he exhibited high qualities as a -commercial genius and by his uniform courtesy came to impress the people -of the capital city not only, but leading men elsewhere in the great world -of business. He established a wide compass of business relations and the -integrity of his character was such that he commanded financial confidence -in the highest circles. Railroading was a new feature and the management -of enterprises necessarily colossal, both with respect to executive -ability and financial provision, and it therefore required the highest -qualities of skill and sagacity. Few men of that type were to be found in -those early days, and enterprises so vast, had by their very nature, to -develop them. Men frequently expand under demanding conditions, and when -qualified with latent endowments rise with the constant pressure of demand -to the utmost limit of capability. - -There can be little doubt that the decline in the statesmanship of the -South is largely due to the drain which has been made on men of great -capability to occupy positions in the expanding world of commerce. -Broad-brained, wide-visioned and many-sided men used to find their way -into politics and command the heights of statesmanship, but in demand to -existing conditions they are now found in the offices of presidents and -managers of immense interests. As the industrial world has widened, -inventive genius has found fuller play and stupendous enterprises have -come to demand extraordinary headship. These men had to be developed by -conditions, as enterprises grew and vast plans ripened. - -For reasons already partly assigned, railroads were in their initial -stages bunglingly managed as compared with the gigantic grasp with which -they are now manipulated. Only occasionally was one found in those early -days who was capable of responding to the demands of stupendous -enterprises. Colonel Pollard was one of the few. A manager of large -interests and a successful conductor of enterprises through financial -storms, while others went down under a terrible strain, he was logically -called into requisition in the infant days of railroad enterprise. He had -faced financial hurricanes when merchants and business men generally, -bankers and managers of great interests, as they were then accounted, had -been drawn into the maelstrom of ruin, and Colonel Pollard had safely -piloted his affairs through. - -Naturally enough, when the West Point and Montgomery railway was -threatened with disaster, he was summoned from his private affairs to the -rescue. It was he who revived this important public utility, infused into -it new life, and placed it first on a basis safe, sound and solid. The -excellent skill here displayed resulting in his being called into -connection with Alabama's chief artery of commerce, the Louisville and -Nashville railroad, and by means of his ability to command American and -European capital, he was enabled to plant it on a permanent basis. - -To know this giant king of finance was to confide in him. His judgment was -as clear as amber, his power of adjustment in the management of vast -concerns phenomenal, his skill in execution rare, his bearing that of one -conscious of power; his courtesy toward his peers and subordinates always -respectful, and his integrity unquestioned. - -Facing a great undertaking he measured up to it. Thus rarely equipped he -was a public benefactor at a time when such men were scarcely to be found. -With a penetrative sagacity he could see clearly at once the merits and -demerits of a given proposal or undertaking, and to its utmost limit he -could measure it and speak with accuracy of the possibility of its success -or failure. Laden with weighty responsibility which grew commensurately -with the expansion of the railway interests with which he was connected, -it is extraordinary that he was able to preserve so remarkable a poise. A -man of less ability would have chafed and worn under conditions like -these, but with his head raised above the clouds of fret and commotion, he -was invariably serene. It is with pleasure that his former subordinates -today refer to his kindly courtesy and ever polite bearing, even to the -humblest man. Under the heaviest depression no cloud was on his brow, no -tang of tartness in his speech. Of untiring energy and an activity which -would have overwhelmed most men, Colonel Pollard moved along the even -tenor of his way, commanding the respect of all alike from the highest to -the humblest. - -Without precedents to guide, for railroads were new, Colonel Pollard had -to rely on his own inherent qualifications in the manipulation of mighty -interests. The most substantial qualities were needed to master conditions -of vastness, and a creative genius was necessary to find methods of -accomplishment. In Colonel Pollard these were inherent and needed only the -occasion for their evolution. - -Few are able to appreciate the pressure of the burden borne by one under -conditions like these. With agencies moving in divers and remote -directions, and yet moving toward a common end and purpose, one in Colonel -Pollard's position had to dispatch business with electrical facility. A -sudden juncture reached had to be promptly met. The busy brain of one in -such circumstances had to be ubiquitous, directing, managing, suggesting, -dictating, hour after hour, over a vast area of diversified interests. To -lose one's poise under such conditions meant jar and jostle to the -enterprises fostered, but to be able to grapple with problems which came -trooping in every day, meant generalship of the highest order. These -forces were happily combined in Colonel Pollard. He could turn from one -interest to another with ease and facility, and his constructive genius -would readily grapple with a grave situation, attended by a flash of -suggestiveness that was phenomenal. To him official labors came easy, for -he was built for a station like this. - -For many years Colonel Pollard lived in Montgomery an honored citizen, and -most fortunate for the young employes who came within the circle of his -influence, he proved how one laden with grave matters could still be -polite and courteous, and thus preserve universal respect, however -unfavorable the environment. - - - - -SAMUEL F. RICE - - -Worthily in the muster roll of the prominent men who have contributed to -the greatness of Alabama, must appear the name of Judge Samuel Farrow -Rice. For many years he was conspicuous in the public affairs of the state -and was in some respects a remarkable man. A native of South Carolina, Mr. -Rice was trained for the bar in the law office of the distinguished -William C. Preston. He came to Alabama in 1838, and from that time till -his death, was identified with the history of the state. His first service -was that of an editor of a paper in Talladega, from which county he was -twice sent to the lower house of the legislature. After this, for a -period, he abandoned politics and was devoted to the practice of law, -being at one time a partner to John T. Morgan. - -Mr. Rice was not without congressional aspiration, which he sought to -gratify several times, but was always defeated. Four different times did -he sustain defeat in congressional races. General McConnell defeated him -in 1845, Mr. Bowdon in '47, Alexander White in '51 and Hilary A. Herbert -in '78. But he was never soured by defeat, and always accepted it in a -jocular way. No one enjoyed a joke more at his own expense than Judge -Rice. This was illustrated by the good nature with which he learned that -an old rustic in the cow country of southeast Alabama declined to support -him at one time because, as he said, "Rice ain't got no stubbility." - -Removing to Montgomery in 1852, Mr. Rice became a partner in the law firm -of Belser & Rice, but two years later he was elected one of the justices -of the supreme court of the state. He was on the bench in that exalted -tribunal for four years, during the last three of which he was chief -justice. In the early part of 1859 he resigned from the supreme bench and -was chosen to represent Montgomery County in the legislature. During the -following four years he served as senator from Montgomery and Autauga -counties. After the close of the war Judge Rice never held office, though, -as has been said, he ran against Mr. Herbert for Congress. - -Possessed of an unusually brilliant intellect and of a wit as keen as a -rapier, as well as a diction of remarkable smoothness, and a port of -serene dignity, he was a formidable contestant on the stump and in the -rough and tumble of the court room. Tall, and as straight as a flag staff, -with a face of classic mold, over which there was ever an expression of -playful humor, he was always listened to with delight, especially since -there were frequent flashes of merriment from his gifted tongue. A -Democrat till the last years of his life, he became a Republican. - -It is related of him that during the days of the reconstruction regime, he -was at one time arguing with great earnestness some proposition before one -of the incompetent judges of that period, for which judge he shared in the -contempt experienced by the able members of the bar, when he was suddenly -interrupted by the court and was told that the court had ruled on that -point only the day before. Pretending not to hear the court, he continued -until again interrupted in the same way by the court. Disdaining to notice -him, Rice continued. He was then ordered by the court to take his seat, -but still he proceeded as though he did not hear him. Addressing the -proper official, the court ordered a fine of fifty dollars to be affixed, -whereupon Judge Rice quietly sat down. The next day a case came before the -court the nature of which was such that the presiding judge was ineligible -to serve. Because of the prominence of Judge Rice, the court called on him -to preside during the trial of the case. With characteristic dignity Judge -Rice took the bench, looked quietly over the docket, and, straightening -up, called to the official who had complied with the order of the judge -the day before, and asked: - -"Was there not a fine of fifty dollars affixed against one S. F. Rice here -on yesterday?" Being told there was, he simply remarked: - -"Well, the court will remit that fine today." - -This was done in the most imperturbable manner and then he proceeded with -the case in hand. The incident produced a sudden burst of laughter, which -was hardly suppressed when, with stern dignity, he commanded: "The sheriff -will preserve order in court!" - -After he became a Republican he was frequently joked by those who had -known him in the days of his most ardent Democracy, but he was never -without a jolly parry to every thrust made, and always in the most -felicitous way. Talking to one who had long known him, he was asked at one -time what his political principles then were. With playful banter he -said: "I am a Republican with Democratic variations." His reason for -becoming a Republican was assigned by himself as a belief that a state -should have two parties, and he was willing to show his magnanimity by -joining the Republicans. However, he had but little to do with politics -till he was nominated in opposition to Colonel Herbert. They canvassed the -district together, and in strict truth Colonel Herbert was favored by -larger crowds because he was accompanied by Judge Rice. Staid and serious, -Colonel Herbert possessed none of the striking elements of a popular -speaker. On the other hand, Rice had them all and he found delight in -giving to them full expression, often at the expense of his practical -opponent. - -Intellectually, Judge Rice was a prince among men. He was justly ranked -among the ablest lawyers of the state, and as a converser he was rarely -excelled. In his lighter moods his conversation was almost boyish in its -vivacity. Nor did anything seem to quench its freshness and piquancy. He -seemed to know something about everything and everything about some -things. However men differed from him, he was so luminous and cheery that -he became the center of a group of ready listeners in any circle in which -he appeared. - -In debate he was one of the greatest of strategists. With quick and -incisive discrimination he could detect the weak points of his opponent -and would marshal his forces on these so as to lead one to forget other -points of strength. If interrupted, his repartee was usually so crushing -that he stayed in dumbness any disposition to interfere, no matter how -unfair his opponent might have at the time thought him to be. This -repartee was rarely ever offensive, but, on the other hand, was so couched -in ironical politeness and assumed suavity as to make it tenfold stronger. -While his career was not devoid of much of the zigzag, yet his life was -one of long usefulness to the commonwealth. - - - - -GEORGE W. STONE - - -For many years Judge George W. Stone was a familiar figure in the public -circles of Alabama. He was among the distinguished self-made men of the -state. His early scholastic advantages were limited, extending not beyond -the confines of a village school, yet he came to take high rank as a -jurist, being regarded in the height of his power as one of the really -great lawyers of the state. He was favored in being able to prosecute his -studies privately, and the judgment exercised by him in his self-selected -course of reading, gave evidence of that solidity of character and -acuteness of discrimination which distinguished him throughout his -professional and public career. - -Before removing from his native state, Tennessee, to Alabama, he was -admitted to the bar. He settled first in Coosa County, and later removed -to Syllacauga, and later still to the town of Talladega, where he entered -into co-partnership with the Honorable W. P. Chilton. It was in the office -of this firm that Senator John T. Morgan was fitted for the bar. The -picture of this eminent jurist riding a scrawny pony, with his huge -saddle-bags of leather well filled with books of law, along rough roads to -attend rural courts, in the early stages of his practice, is still the -occasion of laudable pride of allusion among the older citizens of central -and eastern Alabama counties. The first official position held by Mr. -Stone was that of circuit judge, to which position he was appointed by -Governor Fitzpatrick in the place of Judge Shortridge on the occasion of -the death of the latter. The service of Judge Stone on the bench was so -satisfactory that he was subsequently elected over formidable candidates -for the same position for a period of six years. He declined to offer for -re-election after the expiration of his term, and removed to Hayneville, -Lowndes County, where he engaged in the practice of the law for a period -of years. In 1849 his name was prominently mentioned in connection with -the governorship of the state. In 1856 Judge Stone was again summoned from -his private practice by being elected to the supreme bench of the state, -which position he continued to hold throughout the period of the Civil -War. In 1865 the legislature engaged his services jointly with those of -John W. Sheppard, Esq., to prepare a revised penal code of Alabama, one -adapted to the conditions occasioned by the war. - -The habits of study acquired by Judge Stone in his boyhood days in meeting -the demands occasioned by the deficiency of his education were never -abandoned. He was doggedly persistent in mastering every detail of a -subject, and seems to have acquired a passion for routine fractional work. -He took nothing for granted, never assuming that it was true, till he had -satisfied himself from the authorities. This gave a critical cast to his -mind which, in turn, resolved itself into the utmost exactness with -respect to each minute particular on any subject which would absorb his -attention. With painstaking exactness he would con over a minute point for -hours, in order to bring it into exact adjustment. His arguments were -perfectly mortised, no matter how much time was necessary to effect this -end. His labors in his office were assiduous, and a case entrusted to his -care never suffered the slightest negligence or inattention. Others might -find time for the chase or on the stream, but Judge Stone was usually -found in his office, at his desk, hammering out his cases. His studies -were varied, as he would now and then unbend from his law books to delve -into choice literature, of which he was quite fond. His literary taste was -the highest, and occasionally he would give rein to his Pegasus and dash -off a bit of fugitive poetry. This was done by way of diversion, as he -never sought publication for such productions. His concentration was -remarkable, and he could husband his resources with great readiness, ease, -and skill. - -The devotion of Judge Stone to his library prevented his attention to -social intercourse, and, like most students, he was somewhat austere in -his bearing. The glitter and clatter of the social circle had no charms -for the man whose thoughts moved on serious and solid lines. His -companionship was largely his books, of which he had a choice selection. - -In life, he was prized as an attorney for his rigid attention to cases -entrusted to his care; as a judge, for the accuracy and minuteness of his -opinions, as well as for his unquestioned fairness, and as a private -citizen, for his solid and substantial worth. No condition could swerve -him from a course of conscientious judgment, and no temptation was -sufficient to betray him into a course the least doubtful. Behind all this -was a manly courage and conviction to sustain the serenity of his -judgment. - -Thus lived and died this distinguished Alabamian, as much admired for his -private virtues as for his official service. In most respects a model man -and citizen, he was a typical official of the other days when men loved -honor more than gain, and prized integrity above the price of rubies. - -To all this was added Judge Stone's devotion to the cause of religion. He -was a devout Presbyterian of the old school, and never suffered his -religious convictions to be trenched on by the plausible pretexts of -worldly maxim. In this he was as firm and stern as he was in all other -relations in life. No juggling of politics for temporary advantage, no -suggestion from the high plane of right could deflect him from a course of -rigid scruple. His standard was honor, not applause; integrity, not gain; -uprightness in all things, not momentary success. - -This was the life lived by this eminent jurist, and this the bequest given -as an example to those who should come after him. The passing of a man -like this was the occasion of profound sorrow throughout the state that he -had so long served with distinction. - - - - -JOEL EARLY MATTHEWS - - -To present the merited claims of a typical southern planter of the olden -days is the purpose of this sketch. Than these princely planters of the -old South in the golden age of cotton, no more honorable, cultured, -dignified, or hospitable class ever existed. None is more worthy to -represent the great planting class of the South, and especially of -Alabama, than Joel Early Matthews, who died at Selma, May 11, 1874. - -Mr. Matthews sprang from Revolutionary sires. His grandfather, General -George Matthews, was a distinguished soldier in Washington's army. After -the close of the Revolution, General Matthews removed from Virginia to -Georgia, and became one of the three representatives sent by the state of -Georgia to congress. In addition to this honor, he was made governor of -Georgia for two terms. The father of the subject of the present sketch was -Colonel C. L. Matthews, who found great pride in the education of his son -in the leading colleges of the South, he having taken a course at the -University of Georgia, supplemented by another at the University of -Virginia. His first ambition was the bar, but he eventually abandoned that -and adopted planting. In those early days planting and the bar were -regarded the two most eminent vocations in the South. - -Purchasing a plantation in the heart of the black belt, near Cahaba, on -the Alabama River, Mr. Matthews spent his life there. His broad acres of -fabulous fertility were his constant pride and care, and his palatial -home was one of the most splendid in the South. Nothing like the sumptuous -hospitality of the old-time southern planter was ever before equaled, and -the conditions which entered into these superb abodes of elegance, ease -and courtliness will never be again. Immensely wealthy, the elegant -mansion of Mr. Matthews rivaled in all its appointments the palace of an -English lord. There was nothing lacking to contribute to ease, comfort, -pleasure, and culture. - -Like others of his great class in the South, Mr. Matthews did not content -himself with the mere enjoyment of that afforded by the wealth of his vast -estate. - -He was an exceedingly busy man, not only in the successful direction of -his own interests and in dispensing rare hospitality, but he directed his -energies as well to the promotion of the well-being of society, and the -enhancement and development of the resources of the state. To him the -advancement of education and religion were matters of as serious concern -as were his own private affairs. His plethoric purse was always available -to the demands of needs, and nothing was of light esteem to this generous -patriot and planter. - -The leisure afforded by his wealth was devoted to reading and study. His -library was stocked with the choicest standard works of ancient and modern -learning, and his library table was always laden with the leading -periodicals of the time. In these rural mansions of the old South were -often met some of the most profound and thoughtful of men, of whom Mr. -Matthews was a type. He had a passion for the study of the science of -government, but his studies were not confined to that particular branch of -thought. His fund of information was comprehensive, and his learning -versatile. He found peculiar delight in the study of Shakespeare, the -histories of Gibbon and Hume, the works of Bacon, Addison, Macaulay, and -others. With the study of these came a passion for the study of the -Scriptures, and the science of government as expounded by Jefferson and -Calhoun, the interpretations of the limitations and powers of the federal -constitution of whom he accepted. - -Mr. Matthews had crossed the boundary of a half century of his life when -hostilities between the North and the South began. Though deeply -interested in the principle of secession and thrilled by the patriotism -which swayed the country during the exciting days of the early sixties, he -felt that he was too old to share in the actual fray, but pledged his -fealty and fortune to Alabama in the pending crisis. In token of this he -sent his check for fifteen thousand dollars in gold to Governor Moore, to -be used by him at his discretion for the defense of the state, which was -acknowledged in the following letter: - - "Executive Department, - "Montgomery, Ala., - "January 28, 1861. - - "Mr. Joel E. Matthews, Cahaba, Ala. - - "Dear Sir:--Your munificence for the protection of the state is - accepted and the evidence of it placed upon record in this office. The - praise of one man, although he speaks as one having authority, is but - a small part of the reward which your patriotism deserves and will - receive. When the present time shall have become historic, this - donation will be an heirloom to your posterity and the example which - you have set will be a source of power to your state compared to both - of which the liberal sum of money which you have given will be as - nothing. As chief executive of the state, and acting under a deep - sense of responsibility, I have been compelled to do all in my power - to strengthen the sense of resistance in the southern mind and to - deepen the current flowing toward the independence of the state in - defense of her constitutional rights. What I have been compelled to do - by conviction of duty, you have done voluntarily, and to that extent - deserve more freely of the gratitude of your fellow citizens. Trusting - that an approving conscience and the gratitude of your state may be - your ample reward, and commending you and the state to the protecting - goodness of Providence, I remain, very respectfully your obedient - servant, - - "A. B. MOORE, - "Governor of Alabama." - -The patriotic sentiments of Mr. Matthews did not cease with this donation, -for he uniformed and equipped several military companies at his own -expense and was generous in the relief of the widows and orphans of those -killed in battle. Sharing in the gloom occasioned by the result of the -war, he was tempted to remove to Brazil in order to produce cotton in that -empire. On visiting the country he was cordially greeted by the emperor -and urged to become a subject, but he gave up the idea. When Emperor Dom -Pedro visited America in 1876 he made diligent inquiry of Mr. Matthews, -with whom he was greatly impressed. - -The life and career of Joel Early Matthews was a distinct contribution to -the weal of Alabama. Though wealthy, he was modest and devoid of -arrogance; though unusually well informed, he had respect unto the -lowliest. He was an ornament to the citizenship of the state, and when he -passed away his loss was universally mourned. - - - - -E. S. DARGAN - - -No one of more marked individuality ever appeared among the public men of -Alabama than Judge Edmund S. Dargan. He had peculiar characteristics -which, so far from concealing, he seemed to cherish them. These -peculiarities were quite out of the ordinary, and not infrequently excited -much merriment. Still Judge Dargan was a man of distinguished ability. - -Springing from an Irish ancestry in North Carolina, where Judge Dargan was -born in 1805, he was gifted with those sinewy physical qualities which had -been borne by his forbears across the seas from the bogs and fens of the -Emerald Isle. Left an orphan boy by the death of his father, who was a -Baptist minister, when the son was but a boy, he showed genuine pluck by -joining in the rough encounters of the world in an effort to procure an -education. In his younger years no ambition above that of a plodding -country farmer seems to have possessed him, for he was a common laborer -till he was twenty-three years old, though his mental activity led him to -a diligent study of the classics, to which he devoted every spare hour. - -He seemed suddenly to have been inspired by a rare vision of life, for he -abruptly left his farm work and entered on the study of the law in the -neighboring village of Wadesboro, N. C. A year later, he removed to the -young state of Alabama, which was in 1829, just ten years after the state -had been admitted into the Union. Locating in Autauga County, he taught a -private school for a period of three months. - -On making application for admission to practice law it was found that Mr. -Dargan was duly qualified by past study, and he entered at once on the -practice in the courts, after settling at Washington, in Autauga County. -His settlement in this rural village was a brief one, for he soon removed -to Montgomery. His quiet and studious habits and his habituation to hard -work served him well in his new environments, for naturally such a young -man would excite attention and win confidence. His practice steadily grew -and his reputation for close and rigid attention to business and ability -to transact it, rapidly raised him above the man of plodding mediocrity -and won for him a place of public esteem. Yielding to the solicitations of -friends, he offered for the legislature from Montgomery County, but was -defeated. A year later, however, when he was thirty-six years old, he was -elected by the legislature to the circuit of the Montgomery district. He -retained the office but one year, when he resigned and removed to Mobile -and entered on the practice of the law. - -In 1844 Judge Dargan was elected to the state senate from Mobile, which -position he held just a year, when he resigned to enter into a -congressional race against Honorable William D. Dunn, one of the most -popular and polished men of the district. In their combats on the stump -the difference between the two candidates was most novel. Dunn was neat -and tidy of dress, polished in manner, and elegant of diction, while -Dargan was indifferent alike to all these, and rather prided himself on -their absence from his being. The advantage lay on the side of Dargan from -the fact that in spite of his rough and uncouth exterior he was a forceful -speaker, and commanded the attention and confidence of the most -thoughtful, while his disregard for dress and apparent contempt for polish -won the plaudits of the rustic population. In debate he was Dunn's equal, -if not his superior, while the difference between them otherwise made him -the successful competitor. - -One session in the National Congress seemed to gratify his ambition, for -at its expiration he declined a renomination. Soon after his retirement -from congress he was elected by the legislature to the supreme bench of -the state, and two years later, on the retirement of Judge Collier from -the chief justiceship, Judge Dargan was elected to succeed him. After -serving three years in this function he resigned and resumed private -practice of the law in Mobile. - -Here Judge Dargan was profitably engaged in the practice of the law when -the war began, and in 1861 he was chosen to represent Mobile in the -constitutional convention. No sphere could have been better suited to his -taste and qualifications, and he was ranked one of the foremost members of -that body. - -Judge Dargan's career in the public service closed with his membership in -the Confederate Congress, where he served for two years only, and declined -further service in that capacity. It was while he was a member of the -Congress of the Confederacy that Governor Foote of Tennessee, a member of -the same body, took occasion to reflect seriously on Judge Dargan in the -course of some remarks on the floor, when Dargan promptly sprang to his -feet, seized Foote in the collar, with his right hand upraised, as though -he would strike him. But before violence was demonstrated, the matter was -adjusted and the incident closed. This led to an animadversion on the part -of E. A. Pollard, in one of his works on the Civil War, on Judge Dargan, -whom Pollard accused of raising a bowie knife with the view of stabbing -Governor Foote. This reckless writer was descanting at length on the -inferior type of manhood in the Confederate Congress, and made the -statement just given in substantiation of his charge. The truth is that -Judge Dargan was at his desk writing when Governor Foote assailed him in -the speech, and when he arose he still held the pen in his fingers. - -Numerous anecdotes are still related of Judge Dargan, especially with -respect to his garb. His shoes were sometimes of the cheapest styles, and -he preferred leather strings to any others. Members of the bar used to -relate how careful he was sometimes to mar his appearance before appearing -before a jury in an important case, how careful he was to untie his shoes -before leaving his office, so that they might gape the wider, and how -often his hair was unbrushed and his shirt collar was thrown open. - -When unengaged, the position of Judge Dargan was that of drowsiness. Under -this condition he wore an expression of indifference and unconcern. But -when he would arise to speak he was suddenly transformed. His eyes would -dilate and glitter, his nostrils grow thin under the intensity of -animation, and the dullness of his face would give way to a radiance that -would inspire. In the sweep and current of discussion he was a giant, and -in the clearness and forcefulness of presentation he had but few -superiors. - - - - -PETER BRYCE - - -In 1849 a woman philanthropist, Miss D. L. Dix, of New York, a sister of -General John A. Dix of that city, visited Alabama with the end in view of -establishing a hospital for the insane of this state. She was actuated to -undertake the task of visiting all the states in which there were not such -institutions, by a singular experience which had come into her life. A -cherished friend of hers had become insane, and it had fallen to her lot -to nurse that friend till death. It was no ordinary task which she -assumed, particularly at that time, when the country was ringing with the -heated politics growing out of the discussion of abolitionism, and when -there was a special antipathy for northern people in the states of the -South. But she so impressed everyone with the intensity of her spirit and -her loyalty to the distressed, that nothing was thought of but the angel -of mercy that she was, moving quietly over the land and pleading for the -sufferers from idiocy, epilepsy and insanity, defraying her own expenses, -for she was amply able to do this, and quietly giving her life for others, -and they who were afflicted with the malady of insanity. Nor were her -labors confined exclusively to this class, but she inspected the prisons -of the country, the jails and penitentiaries, and sought to mitigate the -sufferings of the prisoners. Before taking formal action with the -authorities of the state, Miss Dix traveled over the state and acquainted -herself with the conditions especially of the insane. She found at least -seven hundred sufferers from idiocy, epilepsy, and insanity. Equipped with -these facts, she was prepared to make her appeal. - -For thirty years Alabama had been a state, but her people were so -engrossed with the affairs personal and public, wrestling with the giant -difficulties incidental to a new state, that institutions of mercy had -been largely if not altogether neglected. For the unfortunate lunatics no -provision had ever been made. Miss Dix found them confined as criminals in -prison, with environments to distract and make incurable rather than -otherwise, or else they were confined in friendly homes and closely -guarded, while a fraction of the number was sent to insane hospitals in -other states. - -Arriving finally at Montgomery, this gifted woman presented the claims of -her mission to the governor and most influential members of the -legislature, and by means of a memorial addressed to the legislature, she -aroused action which culminated in the appropriation of two hundred and -fifty thousand dollars for the erection and equipment of a hospital for -the insane of the state. The law was not enacted, however, till 1852, and -the institution was not built and ready for inmates till July, 1861. It -was of supreme importance in the inception of an enterprise of this -character that a thoroughly equipped physician, qualified for this special -work, be procured. Ample time was taken to find this man, and when found -he proved to be Dr. Peter Bryce, of South Carolina. - -At the time of his election to this important post Dr. Bryce was only -twenty-six years old, but his previous training and experience had given -him the amplest equipment for a position so responsible, and time proved -that a more fortunate selection could not have been made. Trained in the -medical department of New York, after quitting which he had become -assistant physician in the South Carolina Hospital for the Insane, none -could have been better qualified for the superintendency of the new insane -hospital of Alabama. - -Dr. Bryce at once impressed everyone with his fitness on his arrival and -on his assumption of his important station. Quiet and unassuming in -manner, gentle and persuasive, and withal sympathetic and tender, his -natural gifts were supplemented by a thorough knowledge of the most -advanced scientific treatment of the insane. He entered on his important -mission and held it to the close of his life. - -His task was herculean from the outset. Besides superior qualifications -for the station to which he had been called, he must have administrative -force. Thorough organization was necessary before the work proper could -even be begun. The adjustment of means to an end in all the minute -ramifications of the hospital must be secured. The institution must not -only be set agoing, but when once begun, must be without relaxation or -cessation. More than all that, there must be prospective provision made -for an increased and increasing dependency of the unfortunate, for the -population of the state was rapidly growing, and of course there would be -an increasing demand for occupants yet to come. The responsibility was -onerous, the duty exacting, the supervision minute, and skillful -treatment in each case absolutely necessary. - -His service gave universal satisfaction. The praises of the young -superintendent resounded throughout the state, and even beyond. Hundreds -who came and were restored whole, left with blessings on the head of the -young and lovable superintendent. In his retreat of benevolence he labored -on year by year, was rarely before the public, and his tremendous work was -known only to a limited few. Confidence in him grew to be supreme, and his -fame went abroad to other states, and the hospital for the insane in -Alabama was noted among similar institutions throughout the country. - -Dr. Bryce took a position in the most advanced of the medical fraternity -of Alabama. The learned papers presented by him before the medical -convention of Alabama, from time to time, with special reference to the -disorders of the mind, were regarded as being those of the highest value. -He was a devotee to his profession, and his fame grew with the expansion -of the institution committed to his care. - -In addition to all this, Dr. Bryce was a great favorite in the social -circles of cultured Tuskaloosa. His quite dignity, pleasing demeanor, and -his learning and culture, won for him a place in the most elevated circle, -while his perennial sunshine of heart made him an idol to the unfortunate -inmates of the hospital. He became one of the first citizens of the state, -and by dint of sheer merit, he held this position to the close of his -useful life. - - - - -JOHN GILL SHORTER - - -No man of more exalted personal character ever entered public life in -Alabama than Governor John Gill Shorter. He had all the virtues of a -Christian statesman. Gentle, refined, highly cultured, modest, he was yet -a firm and faithful official. His presence produced an atmosphere of -purity and awoke the profoundest respect. - -A graduate from the University of Georgia in the class of '37, for Georgia -was his native state, he removed with his father, General Reuben C. -Shorter, to Eufaula, then called Irwinton, and after a course of study -entered on the practice of the law. Six years afterward he was appointed -by Governor Fitzpatrick solicitor of the judicial district in which he -resided. In 1845 Mr. Shorter was elected senator from Barbour County, the -first from that county after it was formed from Russell County. His -bearing and service at once attracted attention, his ability was promptly -recognized, and when Honorable George Goldthwaite was promoted to the -supreme bench, Mr. Shorter succeeded him as the judge of the judicial -circuit, in which capacity he served for nine years, being elected from -time to time without opposition. - -When the question of withdrawal from the Union was before the secession -convention of Georgia, Judge Shorter was sent as one of the commissioners -from Alabama. He later became a member of the provisional congress of the -Confederacy, and soon became a candidate for governor of the state in -response to a popular demand. In 1861 he was elected governor. - -The storm of war breaking over the country, there was imposed on the -governor an unprecedented burden, attended with unique embarrassment of an -appalling nature. Questions of a complicated nature arose in consequence -of the haste necessary to meet the tide of hostilities bearing southward, -and in the excitement of the hour and the extremity of the period, the -people were divided on numerous important issues, and from the outset, the -administration of Governor Shorter was beset behind and before with most -perplexing entanglements. The strenuousness of the times imposed burdens -on him never before borne by a governor. The difficulty was enhanced by -the fact that on the governor reposed the settlement of all questions on -which public sentiment was divided. The most conflicting demands arose -from the turbulence of the times and the passion of the period, but the -serene man at the capitol sought tranquilly to do his duty, unswayed by -aught else than a supreme sense of public responsibility. His patriotic -and philanthropic disposition led him to seek to provide for the families -of soldiers on the field, but this produced adverse sentiment on the part -of many. With zeal and interest, he sought to protect by every possible -means the exposed borders of the state against a hostile army, and gave -special attention to the fortification of Mobile by garrisoning the -outposts of that city as strongly as possible. - -As the war progressed and the demand for additional troops grew, it became -necessary to conscribe many who had failed to volunteer, and this became -the occasion of fresh difficulty, as it always does. In the execution of -the law enacted by the Confederate Congress relative to the tax in kind -for the support of the army, Governor Shorter had to stem a current of -popular opposition, and was held responsible by the masses for that which -he did in compliance with the laws of congress. Added to all this was the -necessity of the imposition of increased taxation for the support of the -state government, and for the redemption of its bonds. In the prosecution -of necessary tasks like these he became the victim of much popular wrath -and unjust abuse. But duty was clear, and without wavering the breadth of -a hair, or without chafing under the conditions, Governor Shorter met his -obligations with steadiness and firmness. To have done less than he did -would have made him recreant to his obligation, and everyone who did his -duty at that time, and under conditions so stressful, fell under the same -unreasonable public condemnation. A man of less nerve and less granite in -his soul would have been swept off his feet in a public ordeal like this. - -On the expiration of his term, in 1863, he was a candidate for -re-election, opposed by Thomas H. Watts, then attorney general of the -Confederacy, and an opponent of Governor Shorter at the previous election. - -Public sentiment had grown so morbid during the tempestuous times of the -former administration, that Governor Shorter failed of re-election. There -was a burst of ungrateful expression of popular feeling, but the result -was not unexpected. Governor Shorter had borne immense burdens in the face -of popular clamor, and naturally and logically he preferred the -indorsement of a people for whom he had done so much, while, on the other -hand, it was a relief to be unburdened at the end of two years. - -After facing the odds, formidable and imposing, during the first two years -of the struggle, and after resisting the inertia of popular discontent at -every step, he retired from office with a stainless reputation, and, -viewed at this distance, his course during the trying period of his -administration is thoroughly vindicated, and in the galaxy of Alabama -governors none has ever been more patriotic, none more firm in the -prosecution of public duty, none calmer in a storm than John Gill Shorter. -With the same serene temper with which he had deported himself in office, -he retired to private life and resumed the practice of the law in the city -of Eufaula. - -With this distinguished statesman the claims of religious obligation rose -supreme. His life was a living sermon. His honor was never questioned, nor -was his religious character impeached, nor his personal piety ever -challenged. In his character was the happiest blend of childlike -gentleness and robust manhood. In a period of doubt and storm he publicly -insisted that "there is a truth in religion; it is all true; and there is -a power in the atonement of Christ. It is a glorious reality. The -atonement of Christ will stand firm as the everlasting hills." - -Governor Shorter died in the prime of manhood, being only fifty-four when -he passed away. At the time of his death there was no more popular man in -the state. An account of his triumphant death was broadly published -throughout the country and created a profound impression. - -With faith unnerved by the presence of death, he closed his earthly career -with words quoted from an old and familiar hymn: - - "To Canaan's fair and happy land, - Where my possessions lie." - -Having quoted this couplet, he said, "I want to be off"--and died. - - - - -N. H. COBBS - - -Of a meek and unpretentious mold, Bishop N. H. Cobbs never failed to -impress the public with his deep piety and exalted character. Rising from -an humble station in life, and ascending by dint of merit to the highest -place within the gift of his church, there was nothing in his bearing to -indicate his consciousness of the honor attaching to his position. There -was a total absence from his manner of that self-assertion and sense of -self-importance so often attaching to those as highly honored as was -Bishop Cobbs. - -Conjoined to this was a cordiality of spirit which loosened all restraint -and made everyone whom he met, feel that he had met a friend. A placid -smile as natural as sunshine mantled his face and lent an additional charm -to his personality. - -The individual merit of Bishop Cobbs was shown by the fact that, with the -scantiest educational advantages in early life, he turned his stock of -information to the greatest use by teaching school in the rural districts -of Virginia. With him, to teach was to learn, for in order to give -effective instruction he had to prepare the way in advance by assiduous -nightly study. After all, this is the most effective way of procuring a -solid education, provided one knows how and what to study. Mr. Cobbs -always brought to his rustic classes the enthusiasm derived from knowledge -newly found, and the enthusiasm was contagious, as it always is under -conditions like these. - -By such methods as these the young man came to widen and deepen his -capacity, and thus became qualified to grapple with the profounder studies -which still lay ahead. He was neither superficial nor artificial, but -always solidly practical, because he had already learned to be sure of his -footing by reason of the conditions attendant on his early struggles. -Naturally modest, he won self-confidence by closeness of application, and -from this happy blend came that rotundity of character which made him the -man he was. - -His heart was already fixed on the ministry, and up to the age of -twenty-eight, during his career as a country school teacher, he was -prosecuting his theological studies. At the time already indicated, when -he had arrived at the age of twenty-eight, he was ordained deacon in -Trinity Church, Staunton, Va., and a year later, was made priest in -Richmond. He became pastor in Bedford County, Virginia, and in conjunction -with his pastoral work he officiated as chaplain in the University of -Virginia, being the first minister to serve within the walls of that -famous institution. From 1826 to 1841 he served in the general convention -of his church as one of the clerical deputies from the diocese of -Virginia. - -In 1841 Rev. Cobbs was nominated bishop of Texas by the house of bishops, -but the clerical and lay deputies declined, from motives of policy, to -sanction the action. The honorary title of doctor of divinity was given -him by Hobart College in 1843 and during the same year he became the -rector of St. Paul's Church, in Cincinnati. Another step was taken to -raise him to the bishopric by the clergy of Indiana, but the laity, -assuming, for some reason, that if elected he would not accept, did not -ratify the action. However, in 1844 the clergy and laity of Alabama -invited him to the episcopate and late during that year he entered on his -new sphere and for seventeen years, the ripest period of his life, he -served in Alabama. - -On the assumption of the charge of his diocese he found but few -Episcopalians in Alabama, the number scarcely reaching as many as five -hundred. He set himself at work without delay to effect a thorough -organization of the scattered few, and before the close of his life had -multiplied the numbers many times over. In grappling with the difficulties -of a new field, the resourcefulness acquired in his early life stood him -well in hand. He brought to his difficult task not only an administrative -equipment gained by hard experience, but an economical ability which he -had acquired in his earlier years. He was just the man temperamentally and -otherwise fitted for a pioneer work such as he undertook in Alabama. - -One possessing the gifts which Bishop Cobbs had, might have shone more -resplendently, but he was shrinkingly modest, and by this was much kept -from public recognition. He was an indefatigable worker and was as quiet -as he was effective in the execution of his plans. Without effort he won -popularity, and to his quiet demeanor and humility is his church in -Alabama most indebted. Under his auspices a diocesan school was founded, -an orphanage established, and a system of missions maintained, and through -these agencies vast good was effected. - -Bishop Cobbs had none of the striking elements of the popular pulpit -orator. He was terse and condensed in statement, and yet projectile in -force. Behind his utterances lay a dynamic conviction which was imparted -and impressed. His preaching was more to the heart than to the mind. He -believed, therefore he spoke. - -He shared deeply in the sentiment awakened by the issues that shook the -country in the early sixties, and predicted a bloody fratricidal war, but -he was spared a participation in its horrors. On January 11, 1861, while -the secession convention was assembled in Montgomery, and while the pulse -of excitement beat strong, and just prior to the adoption of the ordinance -of secession, Bishop Nicholas Hamner Cobbs passed to his reward. - - - - -LEROY P. WALKER - - -Of one of the earliest families to remove to the state, and one of the -most distinguished, Honorable Leroy P. Walker was among the most eminent -of her citizens. His father, Honorable John Williams Walker, was a -distinguished citizen, having been one of Alabama's primitive statesman, -in recognition of which one of the counties of Alabama was named for him. -But the son, Honorable Leroy P. Walker, attained to national eminence. A -profound scholar, a great lawyer, a distinguished statesman, he is justly -ranked among the first of Alabamians. - -In early manhood he was made a brigadier general of militia, but his first -appearance as a public servant was in 1843, when he represented Lawrence -County in the state legislature. He was modest and retiring during his -first term, being of a calm and studious disposition, but in 1844 he was -drawn into more active life and took a deep interest in legislative -matters. - -Subsequently removing from Lawrence to Lauderdale County, he appeared, in -1847, as a representative from that county. In 1849 he was honored with -the speakership of the house, and in the approaching session was again -given that distinction. This repeated election carried with it great -significance, as the legislature at that particular period was adorned by -a number of the most distinguished citizens of the state. He won much -esteem from the membership of the house by his dignity, impartiality and -ability. - -The distinction thus won, coupled with his recognized ability as a jurist, -led to his election to the judgeship of the fourth judicial circuit in -1850. Three years later he resigned his position on the bench and was -induced to return to the legislature. Ripened by years of experience in -public life, he at once became recognized as one of the leading men of the -body, and was conspicuous in the absorbing question then before the -country, that of internal development. In the light of the present, the -sagacity of Judge Walker may be seen in the following resolution submitted -by himself to the legislature of Alabama: - -"Resolved, That the committee on internal improvement be instructed to -inquire into the expediency of affording state aid to a railroad company -connecting the navigable waters of the Mobile Bay and the Tennessee River, -and report, should it be deemed expedient, some plan, by bill or -otherwise, having this object in view; but in no event is the community to -designate the termini of the road." - -This initial measure, at that early day, coupled with the notable speech -which he delivered in support of the resolution, indicates a sagacity -which makes Judge Walker a pioneer of the development of the marvelous -resources of the state. Among the participants in the discussion of that -initial question were such men as Percy Walker, Thomas J. Judge, John -Cochran, J. L. M. Curry, Joshua L. Martin, and A. B. Meek. - -After this notable session of the legislature, Judge Walker retired to -private life, resuming the practice of the law, and did not reappear till -called out by the stirring scenes of 1860. An intense adherent of what -was called the southern movement, Judge Walker supported Breckinridge and -Lane. He was an ardent secessionist, and was one of the commissioners to -Tennessee to confer with the state authorities concerning the best policy -to be adopted by the slave-holding states. - -On the occasion of the creation of the Confederate government, Judge -Walker was named for the secretaryship of war in the Davis cabinet. While -Fort Sumter was being bombarded Judge Walker and General Beauregard were -in constant communication by wire concerning the progress of the attack. -When the news was flashed to Montgomery that Fort Sumter had fallen, -Montgomery, the new capital of the Confederacy, became a scene of -intoxicated joy. The city was filled with excited crowds, torch-light -processions, and speaking was galore. Among others, Judge Walker was -called on to speak, and, sharing in the exuberance of joy, declared that -the Confederate flag would float over the dome of the capitol at -Washington, over Independence Hall, and even over Faneuil Hall, Boston, -before our armies would retire from the field. - -This enthusiastic outburst was regarded as ill-timed and unwise, as its -logical effect would be to weld northern sentiment against the new-fledged -Confederacy, whereas up to this time this sentiment in the North was -divided. Emanating from so high a source, it was construed as representing -the sentiment of the people of the South, and then began the solid South -against the solid North. Edward Everett and Stephen A. Douglas, both of -whom had held in check the popular passions of the North with the hope of -some amicable adjustment, now advised the people to take up arms in -self-preservation since their homes were threatened by a determined -invasion. For an utterance which was pronounced untimely, Judge Walker was -blamed by Union men, both North and South, and was charged with the -responsibility of precipitating the war and of making more compact the -sections one against the other. - -But it was idle to conjure thus with words. Judge Walker bespoke the -regnant sentiment of the South. The war was inevitable and honest as were -the sentiments and efforts on the part of some to avert it, the people -thirsted for blood, and nothing short of war would satisfy. The sentiment -cherished by the South was reciprocated by the North and the expression of -Judge Walker, while it might not have been fastidiously diplomatic, was -sheer honesty. To have used a single expression of a man as an occasion -for concentration of northern sentiment, was the convenience of a pretext. -In due time the result would have been that which came, whether Judge -Walker had ever used the expression or not. Men often toy with words and -use them, as Talleyrand suggests, to conceal ideas. - -For more than a year Judge Walker remained in the Confederate cabinet, -when he retired and was commissioned as a brigadier general in the active -service. He had organized and equipped the armies of the Confederacy, and -had supervised the original movements on the field. Assigned to an -inactive command at Mobile, he requested more active service on the -field, and for some reason this was denied him, when he resigned from the -army, was appointed a military judge, and held that position throughout -the war. - -During the dark period of reconstruction Judge Walker was as conspicuous -as any in assisting in guiding the state through this perilous time, and -closed his life as one of the most distinguished of Alabama citizens. - - - - -WILLIAM L. YANCEY - - -The name of William L. Yancey is generally associated with two chief -facts, namely, that of secession and that of his brilliant oratory. The -beginning of Mr. Yancey's life was clouded by an unfortunate circumstance, -that of killing Dr. Earle, of Greenville, S. C., for which he was -sentenced to a year's imprisonment and a fine, but was pardoned by -Governor Noble, after about three months. In the light of subsequent -events and after all passion had subsided, this unfortunate occurrence was -popularly adjudged a deed of self-defense. - -There was something remarkable in the career of Mr. Yancey in that his -friends neither in the opening period of his life, nor for some years -afterwards, ever suspected him of the qualities either of leadership or of -oratory which he developed, and until conditions prevailed by means of -which these elements were called into exercise, did Mr. Yancey himself -come to discover himself. - -First, he was a planter near Greenville, S. C., and later in Dallas -County, Ala. This was followed by the editorship of the Cahaba Democrat, -and later of the Argus, a democratic paper published at Wetumpka. He had -previously studied law at Sparta, Ga., and Greenville, S. C., but had -never applied for license to practice. - -His advent into public life was when he represented Coosa County in the -legislature, which was during the early stages of his professional career. -Later he became a state senator from the district composed of the two -counties of Coosa and Autauga. - -Mr. Yancey's entrance into national politics was in 1844 when he was -elected to Congress to succeed Dickson H. Lewis, who had been promoted to -a seat in the National Senate. In his maiden speech on the floor of -Congress, Mr. Yancey became the recipient of a great distinction. Though -the youngest member of the party, he was chosen to defend the Southern -democrats against a furious assault made on them by Mr. Clingman, a whig -member from North Carolina. John C. Calhoun, then secretary of state, sent -for Mr. Yancey the evening before he was to speak, and advised him not to -do his best in his first encounter. - -This first effort in Congress gave Yancey national fame. It awoke comment -throughout the country. The Baltimore Sun, speaking of the effort, said, -among other things: "He is comparable to no predecessor, because no one -ever united so many qualities of the orator." Mr. Clingham's speech was -too well answered at every point for the reply of Mr. Yancey to be -satisfactory to him. While himself severe, he was offended at the severity -of Mr. Yancey's arraignment, and according to the custom of that time, -challenged the Alabamian to a duel. Both Clingman and Yancey repaired to -Baltimore to settle the difficulty on what was then esteemed "the field of -honor," Clingham being the aggressor throughout, but they were interrupted -by a civil process, and both returned to Washington, satisfied with the -result. - -In 1846 Mr. Yancey, having served two years in Congress, resigned his -seat from the necessity of repairing his fortune, and entered successfully -on the practice of law in Montgomery. Without losing interest in public -affairs, he continued rigidly devoted to his profession for about ten -years. - -In 1848 Mr. Yancey's relations to the democratic party became impaired -because of his withdrawal from the national convention at Baltimore, which -convention nominated General Cass for the presidency. His action was based -on the refusal of the Baltimore convention to incorporate into the -national platform certain resolutions adopted by the Alabama convention, -in the event of the rejection by the national convention of which, the -Alabama delegation was instructed to withdraw. Only one other and himself -withdrew from the convention at Baltimore, and during the succeeding -campaign he remained quiet. For all this he was subjected to much censure. - -With a period of ebbs and flows which come now and then to a political -party, the elements had calmed by 1858, when, at the head of the electoral -ticket of Alabama, Mr. Yancey carried the state for Buchanan. Being of -decided and pronounced views, and one who did not believe that principle -was divisible, Mr. Yancey won the unenviable distinction of being a "fire -eater," but he followed duty as he saw it, and encountered the penalty -always accorded to one of stern and fixed adherence to principle. - -Meanwhile the drift of the country was toward conflict. A states' rights -democrat, Mr. Yancey insisted on the maintenance of this principle as the -only hope of safeguarding the constitution. Accordingly in the Alabama -convention held in 1859, to select delegates to the national convention to -be held at Charleston, Mr. Yancey procured the adoption of a platform -suited to his views. At the head of the Alabama delegation he attended the -Charleston convention which declined to adopt the views presented in the -platform of the Alabama convention, and as is well known, a disruption of -the party followed. The subsequent results of that event are too well -known to be repeated here. - -The election of Mr. Lincoln in the quadrangular presidential contest, -precipitated the crisis. Secession followed with William L. Yancey as its -chief apostle. His vast powers now at their zenith, were brought into full -exercise, and the country rang throughout with his fearless declaration of -states' rights. In the creation of the new Confederacy, Mr. Yancey bore a -conspicuous part, and President Davis left to his choice any position -which he might accept, and he chose the mission to Great Britain. - -In England he employed every honorable means to induce the recognition of -the Southern Confederacy, as an independent power, but his efforts were -unavailing. At the end of a year he returned to America and announced that -if the South should win her independence it would be the result of her own -effort. During his absence abroad Mr. Yancey was chosen as senator to the -Confederate congress, but his leadership in that body was obscured by the -diversion of public thought to the armies on the field. - -Mr. Yancey died near Montgomery in July, 1863. Had the Southern -Confederacy succeeded, and had Yancey lived, his popularity would have -been boundless, but with the "lost cause" was linked in the minds of many, -the diminution of the fame of the splendid and brilliant leader of the -cause of secession in the states of the South. - - - - -HENRY W. HILLIARD - - -Among others who have contributed to the greatness of the commonwealth of -Alabama should be named Gen. Henry W. Hilliard, whose career was both -eventful and remarkable. His early life was distinguished by a precocity -which showed itself in his graduation with distinction from South Carolina -College, in its palmiest period, at the early age of eighteen. - -At twenty-three Mr. Hilliard was chosen a professor in the University of -Alabama, in which position he not only sustained his earlier reputation as -a scholar, but was quite a favorite in the best circles of Tuscaloosa -society because of his rare social qualities. At twenty-four he was -selected by the legislature of Alabama to deliver an address on the -occasion of the death of Charles Carroll, the last of the signers of the -Declaration of Independence. Though notified of his choice for this -function but a few days before the oration was to be delivered, Hilliard -acquitted himself with merit, and at once established his fame for -scholarship and oratory in Alabama. The address was published by the -legislature of the state and popularly read. - -Having been admitted to the bar at Athens, Ga., where he practiced two -years before removing to Alabama, he resigned his professorship after -three years, removed to Montgomery, and resumed his law practice. Being a -licensed minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he would now and -then preach. He soon entered on a good practice in Montgomery, and became -a favorite in the most intelligent social circles of the capital city, -where his graces were much admired. - -In 1838 Mr. Hilliard entered on public life as a representative in the -legislature from Montgomery County, was a delegate to the Whig convention -in 1840, for he belonged to the state's rights wing of that party, and -assisted in the nomination of Harrison and Tyler, he being responsible for -the nomination of Mr. Tyler for the Vice Presidency. Placed on the -electoral ticket in Alabama, he canvassed the state in the interest of -Harrison and Tyler. In 1841 he was elected to Congress, declining a -foreign mission that year, but later accepting the mission to Belgium, -which was tendered him by Mr. Tyler, who after becoming President -recognized the service rendered by Mr. Hilliard in his behalf in procuring -for him the Vice Presidency. - -Resigning after two years of service at Brussels, Hilliard returned to -Alabama, and was successively elected to congress for a period of years, -defeating, at different times, such men as John Cochran and James L. Pugh, -both of Barbour. So creditable was the first speech made by Mr. Hilliard -on the floor of congress, that ex-President John Quincy Adams, then a -member of the House, went across the hall to congratulate him. - -In congress, as ever elsewhere, Mr. Hilliard impressed all, not only by -his ability as an orator, but as a scholar, and a resourceful one. The -recognition of this latter fact led to his appointment as one of the -original regents of the Smithsonian Institution. His varied ability -resulted in unusual demands being made on him, for he was diligent, -active, and resourceful, and measured up to every obligation imposed. - -Mr. Hilliard was on the electoral tickets of Fillmore in 1856, and of Bell -and Everett in 1860. In the formation of the Southern Confederacy he was -one of the commissioners appointed by President Davis to assist in the -adjustment of Tennessee matters preparatory to the admittance of that -state into the new confederation. During the Civil War he raised a body of -troops which was known as Hillard's Legion, and was given a commission as -brigadier general. After the close of hostilities General Hilliard located -at Augusta, Ga., where for a while he engaged in the practice of the law, -and later removed to Atlanta. - -He was appointed by President Hayes minister to Brazil, which position he -filled during the years 1877-81, and the mission to Germany was tendered -him when that of the Brazilian should close. Among the brilliant events -which entered into his life was that of a participation in the -emancipation of the slaves in Brazil during his incumbency of the -diplomatic ministry to that country. It was during that time that the -question became a paramount one in that country, and his views were sought -concerning the results in the North American states, in reply to which -solicitations he wrote a long letter, which was a turning point in the -colossal movement, and assured the success of the proposed reform. In -appreciation of this service a great banquet was given in his honor in Rio -Janeiro, on the occasion of which he delivered an address which was as -remarkable as the letter which he had previously written. Both the letter -and the address were embodied by Lord Granville, secretary of state for -foreign affairs, in the Gladstone ministry, in the official blue book of -Great Britain. - -In a brief sketch like this, so imperfectly drawn, one gains but an -imperfect idea of the manysidedness of the character and usefulness of -General Hilliard. As orator, statesman, diplomat, author and soldier, -General Hilliard led a long public career of unusual distinction, marked -by utility and crowned with intellectual luster. - -He had not the consummate skill and gifts of oratory possessed by his -gigantic rival, Yancey, whom he encountered at different times in debate. -Hilliard was an elocutionist rather than an orator, and brought to the -stump and forum all the culture and niceties of that art. He was to Yancey -that which Edward Everett was to Webster. Webster and Yancey were like -mountain torrents, bearing all before them with resistless force. Everett -and Hilliard were like the summer brook, winding with graceful curve -amidst green meadows, flashing in splendor, but fructifying in their -onward course. The ability to speak effectively was derived by Hilliard -more from culture; that of Yancey more from nature. Hilliard could speak -on almost any occasion with effectiveness; Yancey needed the afflatus of -the hour derived from a sea of upturned faces, an expectant multitude, a -subject of consuming interest. Gifted with a voice of music, the diction -of Hilliard was classic, facile and fervid. - -Like a few others of our public men, Hilliard found diversion in the -employment of his fertile pen, from which came such productions as "Roman -Nights" and "De Vane." Throughout his life he illustrated the character of -the Christian statesman. - - - - -JEREMIAH CLEMENS - - -Jeremiah Clemens was a favored son of fortune. His career fell on the -palmiest period of southern history. Possessed of varied talents, his life -was correspondingly varied. He had power, and when exercised, the result -was tremendous. His intellectual strength was of a high order, his -literary taste delicate, his ability to command unquestioned, and his -oratory brilliant and potent. His varied gifts led him into the four -departments of law, politics, war, and literature. In none of these was he -deficient, for he was an able advocate, a statesman of undeniable ability, -a commander of no mean qualities, and a writer whose skill and deftness of -touch made him popular. - -The scholastic advantages of Colonel Clemens were superior. First a -student at LaGrange College, at that time a school of high class, he -completed his course at the University of Alabama. He afterwards took a -law course at Transylvania University, Kentucky, and entered on the -practice of law in 1834. His first public service was as United States -District Attorney, and for a period of years he was a member of the -legislature of Alabama. - -The spirit of the warrior and patriot was stirred within him by the -struggle of the Texans for independence, and he raised a voluntary force -to join in that contest. Of this regiment thus voluntarily raised, he -became the lieutenant-colonel. The command marched westward, shared in the -battles of that land of plains, and returned when the struggle was ended. -Again entering politics, he represented his county in the legislature of -Alabama, where he won distinction as a debater and statesman, and later he -became a Democratic elector in a presidential contest. In all these -stations Colonel Clemens showed more than ordinary ability and won a -degree of distinction. - -Having gotten a taste of war in the struggle in Texas, he was again -induced to employ his sword in the Mexican War. Becoming -lieutenant-colonel of the Ninth Infantry, his command participated in a -number of battles in Mexico. In 1849 he was appointed governor of the -civil and military department of purchase in Mexico. In this connection he -served till the close of the war with Mexico, after which time the army -was reduced and Colonel Clemens returned to Alabama and resumed the -practice of law. - -Vast opportunity had thus been afforded this gifted man for the -enlargement of his vision of affairs, and it had not been slighted. His -military career had served to bring him into increased conspicuousness and -to enhance his popularity. When Hon. Dixon H. Lewis died in New York, -Colonel Clemens was elected to fill his unexpired term. - -All this had been achieved by Colonel Clemens by the time he was -thirty-five years old, a period when most men begin the accomplishments of -life. In a wide and commanding orbit such as was afforded in the United -States Senate, Colonel Clemens came to be one of its most popular members. -He was an orator of the Ciceronian type, and his utterances flashed with -the radiance occasioned by the friction of intense thought. His combined -qualities and varied experience in different spheres of life served him -admirably when on his feet in the Senate chamber. He could husband his -resources with skill and with remarkable readiness, and his sentences fell -from his lips like minted coin fresh from the stamp--bright, beautiful, -and warm. Independence and self-assertion he had in abundance, nor was he -lacking in genuine courage, but his temperamental disposition lent to -these qualities a degree of dash which sometimes betrayed him into -rashness which often induced men to hesitate to follow his leading. The -spirit of the warrior in battle was often his in the rough and tumble of -debate, but he found that the dash of the field in the leadership of man -would not prevail in the cool, staid thoughtfulness of the forum. He was -the dash of the mountain stream rather than the buoying and staying power -of the deep lake. A rapid thinker and a man of brilliant action, he was -more the subject of impulse than of calm and judicial poise. This -neutralizing element alone prevented Colonel Clemens from becoming a great -leader. That he had the qualities of leadership none denied, but he lacked -the poise that made his position a stable one. Still this did not prevent -his attainment to national distinction as a United States senator. - -In the indulgence of his literary tastes Colonel Clemens published, in -1856, his first book, "Bernard Lile," a romance fascinating alike for its -rosy diction, its rapid movement, and its shifting episode. At the time of -its appearance, the work created a considerable sensation. This was -followed two years later by his second work, "Mustang Gray," which was -born of his observations and experiences in the Mexican War. The first -work prepared the way for a wider circulation of the second, the -popularity of which was derived in part from its proximity, in point of -appearance, to the scenes and events of the recent war with Mexico. For a -season "Mustang Gray" was the reigning novel. Within little more than a -year from the time of the appearance of "Mustang Gray" there came from the -prolific pen of Colonel Clemens "The Rivals," based on the stirring scenes -grouped about the period of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. The cast of -the novel as a work of art has changed since the time of the appearance of -these stories, but they aptly represent the romance of that period, and -are not wanting in genuine merit. - -Politically Colonel Clemens was a Unionist. He belonged to the school of -politics of which Benjamin H. Hill was a conspicuous representative. From -his antecedents and his cavalier dash, the inference would logically be -that Jeremiah Clemens would be an ardent secessionist, but he was opposed -to immediate secession, and preferred the adoption of a co-operative -policy, after a thorough consultation of the states, which was aggrieved -by the election of Mr. Lincoln. While opposed to the ordinance of -secession, Colonel Clemens voted for it by a surrender of his conviction, -because, such was the condition of the time, that not to support it would -have placed him in opposition to his native state. In an emergency like -this Colonel Clemens yielded his convictions and went with the state. He -was appointed a major general, commanding the state troops of Alabama, a -precautionary step taken by the state, provided it should be thrown back -on itself as a result of its voluntary withdrawal from the Union. The -union proclivities of Colonel Clemens never forsook him, and during the -latter part of the Civil War he went to Philadelphia, where he wrote an -unfortunate pamphlet, ill-timed and unwise, which gave great offense. He -died near the close of the war. - - - - -THOMAS H. WATTS - - -The name of Thomas Hill Watts in the records of the state is inseparable -from a high standard of professional, public, and moral greatness. -Gigantic in person, he was equally so in all things else. He was long in -the public eye, and bore himself with so signal greatness that he is -remembered as one of the most conspicuous public figures that ever graced -the annals of Alabama. Distinguished by unusual parts even in his boyhood -days, his father, who resided near Butler Springs, in Butler County, gave -to the promising son the best advantages then afforded in scholastic -training by sending him to the University of Virginia. At that time that -institution was pre-eminently the greatest in the Union. Following the -popular trend of those days, pursued by almost every young man of promise, -Mr. Watts chose law as a profession, and began practicing at Greenville. -He soon distinguished himself at the bar, and while still a young man was -chosen to represent Butler County in the legislature. For three successive -sessions he was the choice of his county for this position, and maintained -himself with meritorious merit, as is shown by the repetition of his -election so long as he would serve. - -Locating in Montgomery, he entered on a successful practice of his -profession, and for a long period of years preserved the reputation of -being one of the leading members of the Montgomery bar. In 1855 he was -again summoned from private life to represent his party, the Whig, in a -contest for congress against Col. James F. Dowdell. Mr. Watts was -defeated after an exciting canvass, but the campaign resulted in his -acknowledged leadership of his party in the state. In the memorable -presidential campaign of 1860, Mr. Watts was the leader of the electoral -ticket in Alabama for Bell and Everett. Being a union man and opposed to -secession, his patriotism rose superior to his party fealty, and after the -election of Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Watts was as pronounced a secessionist as -any. Under existing conditions he recognized the fact that not to go with -his state was treachery, his position and sentiments being precisely those -of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Men of this school of thought deplored the -necessity of war and would gladly have averted it if possible, but when it -became inevitable there was but one course left open. Consequently in the -constitutional convention of 1861 Mr. Watts was as ardent in the -expression of southern rights as was Mr. Yancey himself. The country was -in the ferment of agitation and hostility. The south was threatened with -invasion, and every patriot was stirred. Thomas H. Watts was among the -first to raise a regiment and offer his services to the Confederacy. -Becoming the colonel of the Seventeenth Alabama regiment, his command saw -its first service at Pensacola, which at that time seemed to be destined -one of the strategic positions of the approaching conflict, but the -regiment was soon ordered to join the army of Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson, -in Tennessee. In the battle of Shiloh Colonel Watts displayed the -qualities of a soldier equal to those shown by him in other spheres which -he had occupied. He was cool, courageous, and daring under fire, to so -marked a degree that he won the attention of his superior officers, and -his conduct in that battle became a subject of popular comment throughout -the country. - -Much to his surprise, while in camp at Corinth, Miss., he was summoned to -Richmond by President Davis, who offered him the portfolio of the attorney -general in his cabinet, a place made vacant by the appointment of Hon. -Judah P. Benjamin as secretary of war. Responding to the call, Colonel -Watts resigned the command of his regiment and went immediately to the -seat of the Confederate government. Here he remained in the cabinet of Mr. -Davis till October, 1863, when he resigned to offer for the governorship -of Alabama. - -The struggling Confederacy had now reached its crisis. The position to -which Colonel Watts was elected, as governor of Alabama, was one of the -most trying possible. The administration of his predecessor had been -attended by storm and tumult. A dire extremity confronted the new and -struggling republic, as in its efforts it was seeking to gain a solid -footing. Disaster had followed disaster, relieved only by the brilliant -achievements of the southern soldiery against formidable odds. Thenceforth -it was a fight for life. - -From the outset, his position as war governor of Alabama was beset by -gigantic perplexities, but bringing to the task his resources and skill, -he was enabled to effect as much as any one could under prevailing -conditions. He turned to practical advantage the limited means within -reach, and won distinction by his mastery of a difficult situation. The -geographical situation of Alabama, as the center of the Confederacy, with -one of the stormiest seats of war in the adjoining state on the north, and -with a seaboard exposed on the south, it was inevitable that the state -would share in the invasions to which were subjected the states adjoining. - -In April, 1865, Montgomery fell into the hands of the enemy. Besides much -patriotic sacrifice as a public official, Governor Watts suffered -immensely in his private fortune, as one of the consequences of the -invasion. The enemy seemed to find special pleasure in wreaking his -vengeance on a man who had been so conspicuous since the beginning of the -struggle. The federal troops burned two hundred and fifty bales of cotton -on his plantation, besides three thousand bushels of corn, much of which -was sacked ready for distribution among the suffering people of his native -county, Butler. His meat supplies were also destroyed, and his plantation -depleted of stock, among which were forty valuable mules. In a single day -he was reduced from wealth to poverty, in consequence of his loyalty to -his native state and section. - -But sustained by an unusually happy temperament and an optimism which was -inspired by hope, he at once opened his law office, after the cessation of -hostilities, and devoted himself again to the practice of the law in the -city of Montgomery, to which he devoted the remainder of his life. His -last years were characterized by an ability which comes of a pre-eminent -native intellect, reinforced by long experience and years of garnered -wisdom. To have heard him in the courts would sometimes remind one of a -Titan sweeping a continent of thought. Besides, he was a good man. It is -to his credit, as a public servant, that amidst the most stirring periods -through which the state passed, he was not only abstemious of all -intoxicants, but enjoyed the distinction of never having offered to -another a drink. A devoted Christian gentleman, he lived and died. - - - - -J. L. M. CURRY - - -Jabez L. M. Curry was one of the most noted and brilliant sons of Alabama. -His was a long, stirring and useful life. Filling divers stations of -trust, he proved to be the equal of any. Statesman, soldier, minister of -the gospel, educator, publicist, reformer, diplomat--all these spheres -were held by him with distinction. His versatility of gifts was wonderful, -his accomplishments striking. Polished, scholarly, wise, eloquent, genial, -he was easy of adjustment to all stations and relations, and bore himself -throughout life without the slightest whisper of disparagement to his -character or career. - -A native of Georgia and a graduate from the university of that state, he -took a law course at Harvard in 1845. He became a resident of Alabama in -1837, and after the completion of his scholastic and professional courses -he entered on the practice of law. His talents veered more in the -direction of public affairs than toward the law office or the court room, -and in 1847 he was in the legislature, a representative from Talladega -County. In this capacity he served till 1856, when he became a Buchanan -elector. - -The popularity thus obtained by Mr. Curry enabled him to go to congress -for two consecutive terms, and in 1861 he entered the Confederate -congress, where he served for two terms. Entering the army he was -lieutenant colonel of the Fifth Alabama Cavalry regiment, in which he -served till the close of the war. He became an active participant in the -struggles which attended on the period of reconstruction, and in the -seventies entered the Baptist ministry, preaching with the same acceptance -with which he had served in other stations. He was never a pastor, and -eventually gave up preaching, but preserved a blamelessness of life that -has made his memory one to be revered by all who knew him. - -From 1866 to 1868, he was the president of Howard College, then at Marion. - -For a period of years Dr. Curry was a member of the faculty of Richmond -College, Virginia, where he found opportunity for the indulgence of his -literary tastes which were superior to those of most public men. While in -the early part of his career he was reserved and silent, for the most -part, in the deliberative and legislative bodies of which he was so often -a member, he became in the meridian of his splendid powers one of the most -attractive speakers in the country. His elements of strength as an orator -were forcefulness, impressiveness and projectility of power which carried -earnestness and elegance of diction. Welling from intensity of conviction -and profound conscientiousness, men saw and felt that he was absolutely -sincere, believed that which he advocated, and this gave him immense force -before a public assemblage. - -Becoming the general agent of the Peabody Educational Fund, in 1881, and -later of the Peabody and Slater Funds, he did much for the promotion of -the education of both races in the south. In this capacity Dr. Curry was -frequently brought before the legislatures of the different states of the -south in the urgency of appropriations for educational purposes, and was -a vigorous contributor to the cause of general education for a long period -of years. - -In 1885 he was sent as United States minister to the court of Spain, and -was a warm personal friend of King Alfonso XII, who died before the birth -of his son, the present monarch of that country. On the occasion of the -coronation of Alfonso XIII, the present king of Spain, Dr. Curry was sent -as special ambassador of the United States to Madrid, where he was greeted -with the same cordiality as was accorded to him in former years, during -his service as minister to that country. - -Highly favored with fortune throughout his life, Dr. Curry found time and -leisure to gratify his taste for literary pursuits, which enabled him to -enter the field of authorship and to produce a number of valuable works. -Besides many small works, usually of a religious character, Dr. Curry -wrote "Constitutional Government in Spain," a "Life of Gladstone," "The -Southern States of the American Union," and "The Civil History of the -Confederate Government." - -On the occasion of his death a few years ago at Richmond, Va., the recall -of his long and varied life and services was a subject of much favorable -comment in the press throughout the nation. For almost sixty years he had -been uninterruptedly before the public, in a variety of capacities, rarely -equalled in number by any one. The ability with which he was able to -adjust himself to the demands of these varied stations occasioned much -astonishment and favor of comment. - -In the quieter walks of life, Dr. Curry acquitted himself as he did while -in the public gaze. A polished and accomplished gentleman, with a -striking personality, he was equally accessible to the learned and the -humble. Absolutely free from austerity or the semblance of arrogance, -preserving throughout a gentle dignity, his demeanor was alike to all. It -is not a matter of wonder therefore that he was universally popular. - -Typically southern in thought and sentiment, and representing that which -was highest in the life of the social South, no one of either section ever -excelled Dr. Curry in the interest which he entertained for the negro -race. Some of the most striking and eloquent passages in his addresses -before the legislatures of the states of the South were earnest pleas in -behalf of the education of the negro. Both North and South he fairly -represented the black race, and regarded the whites of the South -providentially entrusted with a trusteeship of these people, which -obligation they should not deny nor avoid. He was in thorough accord with -Bishops Haygood and Galloway of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in -his advocacy of the claims of the negro to justice and protection, and for -equipment for the greatest possible usefulness. - -There was a rotundity and symmetry of character and of career in Dr. J. L. -M. Curry that made him a very remarkable man. His relations of friendship -extended from men in the loftiest stations of American life to that in the -lower social rounds. - -With a long life of distinguished ability in so many directions spanning a -period of three score years, it is not to be wondered at that when the -most typical American was sought to be represented in Statuary Hall, at -Washington, the popular eye was directed at once to Dr. Jabez LaFayette -Monroe Curry. - - - - -ROBERT E. RODES - - -Of the many chieftains developed from the Alabama soldiery during the -Civil War, none eclipsed in dash, efficiency, and brilliance of -leadership, Gen. Robert Emmet Rodes. A native of Virginia, and the son of -Gen. David Rodes, the subject of this sketch was trained for war by a -thorough military course at the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, -from which institution he was graduated on July 4, 1848. So distinguished -had been his career as a student, that he was retained for two years as -assistant professor, and when a commandant was to be chosen, the name of -Rodes was mentioned in close connection with that of Thomas J. Jackson, -afterward "Stonewall," for that position. - -Entering on the career of a civil engineer, Rodes was first employed in -that capacity in his native state, in the construction of a railroad, but -he was later induced to go to Texas as an engineer. In 1855 he became -assistant engineer of the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad, where after -two years' service he was made chief engineer, during which time he was -located at Tuscaloosa, where he was married. - -He was a resident of Tuscaloosa when the war began. Even in advance of a -declaration of hostilities he raised a company of cadets and went to Fort -Morgan. In the spring of 1861 he became the colonel of the Fifth Alabama -regiment, which command saw its first service at Pensacola. It was here -that he gave evidence first of his superior soldiery qualities on the -drill ground and the camp. Superb and exacting as a drill officer, and a -martinet in discipline, he did not at first impress a citizen soldiery, -and to the proud southern youth, unused to control, the young colonel was -not at first popular. In disregard of all this, he pitched his code of -discipline on a high plane, and enforced with rigid hand the strictest -army regulations. - -While the raw volunteer troops were lying inactive at Pensacola, the -authorities watching the drift of the initial events of the war, Colonel -Rodes was daily drilling his troops, and gave them a pretty thorough taste -of war, even in the camps. When later in the spring of 1861 his command -was ordered to Virginia, it was believed by many competent officers that -Colonel Rodes had the best drilled regiment in the army. So distinguished -did the regiment become in army circles, that officers of other commands -would attend on the drill of the Fifth Alabama regiment to witness the -accuracy of its evolutions and to note the perfection of the condition of -the accoutrements of each soldier. When the young troops had become inured -to actual army life, and the habits of the soldier had become fixed by -reason of time, the rigid and exacting commander was transformed into an -object of admiration, and that which at first excited opposition was -transmuted into popularity. - -The regiment of which he was the colonel barely missed becoming engaged in -the first battle of Manassas. The regiment, belonging to the command of -Gen. Joseph E. Johnson, came upon the scene just after McDowell's lines -broke, and the flight to Washington began. - -In October, 1861, Rodes was made a brigadier general. He was under fire at -Williamsburg, but the battle of Seven Pines was the first in which the -command was actually engaged. Here the estimation of the troops of their -brilliant young commander was greatly heightened, as they were led by him -in this series of bloody contests. In this battle, Rodes received a wound -in his arm, but was able to lead his troops into the battles of Boonsboro -and Sharpsburg. At Chancellorsville, one of the bloodiest of the war, -Rodes was entrusted for the first time, with the command of a division, -one of the three of Jackson's corps. - -The division of which he had command led the army in the assault on the -enemy, and thrilling his troops with the cry, "Forward, men, over friend -and foe!" they fought with unwonted valor. With an impetuosity rarely -witnessed, the division commanded by Rodes swept like a wave on a stormy -sea to the utter dismay of the enemy. - -As is well known, both Generals Jackson and A. P. Hill were wounded during -the night, and on the young commander was imposed the movement so -auspiciously begun, which movement was checked only by the darkness of the -night. General Rodes was preparing to renew the daring movement with the -break of day, and would have done so, had not Gen. J. E. B. Stuart arrived -to take command, in response to a message from Colonel Pendleton of the -artillery. - -On the arrival of Stuart, Rodes quietly yielded the command, under the -impression that the superior officer could inspire more confidence in the -troops. That General Rodes would have more successfully executed the -original plans had he retained command, was the belief of not a few army -officers. In view of his brilliant movements on the preceding day, -confidence in him was well nigh supreme. As a result of his skill and -courage on the field at Chancellorsville, Rodes was made a major general. -Appearing before his old regiment, he made the fact known, and said: "The -Fifth Alabama did it." It proved as easy for him to command a division as -it had previously been that of a regiment, as was shown in the battles of -Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania and the second battle of Cold -Harbor. - -By this time, Rodes had become the idol of his troops, and his skill and -fighting qualities were subjects of general comment throughout the army. -So impressed was General Lee by his splendid charge at Gettysburg that he -sent an officer to General Rodes to thank him and his gallant command for -their conduct in that bloodiest battle of the Civil War. - -On the retirement of Early's corps from Maryland, Rodes was in position to -inflict severe blows on the enemy at Castleman's Ferry and Kernstown. At -Winchester, he fought his last battle. His death was a calamity to the -army. As General Early testifies in his history, "In the very moment of -triumph and while conducting the attack with great gallantry and skill," -General Rodes was killed by the fragment of a shell striking near his ear. -He survived the wound but a few hours. - -On the night following the day in which he fell, many of the wounded of -his command were huddled in a large warehouse near the scene of conflict. -The groans of the suffering men filled the air, none of whom had heard of -the fate of their loved commander. The wareroom was densely dark, to which -was imparted additional horror by the piercing moans of the suffering. -During the reign of terror, another ambulance train brought in a fresh -supply of wounded from the field. Some one overheard the remark that -General Rodes had been shot through the head on the battlefield and was -dead. For an instant every voice was silent, and in another, men began to -weep like babes, over the fall of their great and gallant general. - -Rigid as General Rodes was, even sometimes to sternness, his troops almost -worshipped him, and a sight of him invariably evoked cheers which were -rarely given to any excepting to Lee and Jackson. In his work on the war, -General Early says of Rodes, "He was a most accomplished, skillful and -gallant officer upon whom I placed great reliance." - -As a soldier, he acted in thorough response to duty, and as a commander he -demanded the same respect for duty which he himself exemplified. - - - - -JOSEPH WHEELER - - -If ever one honorably won a sobriquet it was "Fighting Joe Wheeler." He -was a born fighter, a bold and brave commander, and an efficient officer. -The beginning of the Civil War found him in the regular army as a -lieutenant of cavalry, located in New Mexico, having graduated from West -Point just two years before. When he resigned his commission in the army -of the United States and offered his sword and service to the Confederate -states, he was just twenty-five years old. - -His ascent in promotion in the army of the Confederacy was rapid. First -becoming a lieutenant of artillery, he was promoted to a colonelcy of -infantry, then he became a brigadier general, later a major general, and -the close of the war found him a lieutenant general of cavalry. - -So early as 1862, little more than a year after the war began, he -commanded the cavalry corps of the western army, and was made senior -cavalry general of the Confederate armies on May 11, 1864. He had been in -the army scarcely a year before he received the thanks of the Confederate -Congress for his magnificent service, and of the legislature of South -Carolina for his defense of Aiken. - -Always active, his course through the turbulent years of the Civil War was -marked by a series of splendid achievements, scarcely equaled in number by -that of any other officer in the army. Without the dash and daring of -Forrest, Wheeler was just as effective a fighter. Forrest's method was -that of Indian warfare, keeping an eye always on the slightest advantage -afforded, and at great risk oftentimes going to a reckless extent in order -to win. He would often win all by risking all. In his case this proved -effectual, and so signal became his success, and so often, that the enemy -came to regard him as a sort of wizard of battle. - -As a West Pointer, Wheeler was far more scientific in his methods and -movements, and more cautious, but dashing as any when occasion required. -His were the tactics of the schools; the tactics of Forrest found apt -expression from him on one occasion when he said that his plan was "to get -thar first with the biggest crowd." - -It was Wheeler who captured General Prentiss' division in the battle of -Shiloh, and later with his division of cavalry covered the retreats from -Shiloh, Corinth and Perryville, and accomplishing this with such skill as -to win the commendations of the Confederate generals. - -At Murfreesboro he was again conspicuous, turning Rosecrans' flank, -capturing many prisoners and wagons, and destroying gunboats and supplies. -He distinguished himself at Chickamauga, and after the battle had been -fought made his famous raid around Rosecrans' rear, destroying one -thousand two hundred loaded wagons. Wheeler's feats of valor in east -Tennessee and in the retreat from Missionary Ridge and during the eventful -struggle from Chattanooga to Atlanta were marvelous. In his active -strategic movements he captured many wagon trains, thousands of beef -cattle and thwarted Cook's great raid. - -Wheeler saved Macon and Augusta during Sherman's march to the sea, and by -hanging on the flanks and rear of Sherman, harassed and embarrassed him -during his invasion of the Carolinas. For the services rendered in Georgia -in the protection of two of its chief cities, he received the personal -commendation of President Davis. - -Wheeler's personal presence in the lead of his command was always an -inspiration to his troops. None was braver, and oftentimes he was exposed. -In consequence, he was three times wounded, had sixteen horses shot under -him during the war, seven of his staff officers were killed, and -thirty-two wounded. This brief and rapid summary of his achievements -affords but a bare idea of the strenuousness of his career during the -stormy days of the Civil War. Becoming a planter after the war closed, in -the northern part of this state, he was chosen for many successive years -to represent the eighth district in congress. His activity in -congressional life was as distinguished as it had been on the field. An -indefatigable student of affairs, he rested not till he had probed to the -bottom of all important questions. His statistical information was -wonderful, and when accuracy on all great issues was needed, it became a -proverbial suggestion about the capitol at Washington to "ask Wheeler." -Frequently he could give offhand a long series of statistics, and was -resorted to as an encyclopedia. - -When the Spanish-American War began, President McKinley made Wheeler a -major general and sent him to Cuba, where he was placed in command of the -cavalry. His fighting qualities had not become diminished, nor was his -force abated. In the two chief battles, Santiago and El Caney, he was the -most conspicuous figure. Smitten by the Cuban fever, he quit his sick bed -and went on horseback to the front of the line all day at San Juan, and, -though burning with fever, after twelve hours of fierce battle and -exposure, interposed before discouraged officers who were suggesting -retirement from positions already won, and that could be held only by -unflinching bravery, and in the face of every officer indignantly declined -to hear of retreating one foot. General Shafter was in command, and -Wheeler warned him against the proposal to retreat, and by his splendid -and fearless courage of heart and determination, turned the disheartened -ones the other way by infusing into them his own tenacity of purpose. The -victim of a raging fever, he appeared before his troops at one stage -during the hardest fighting at San Juan, and, forgetting, for the moment, -his whereabouts, he said in a brief address to his men: "Now, at them, -boys, and wipe those Yankees off the face of the earth." This was the -occasion of much merriment, but indicated the spirit of the little man of -one hundred and ten pounds who stood ready to lead the charge. Wheeler was -the occasion of the success of the two great battles. - -At his own request, he was sent to the Philippines, but there he was -hampered by the authorities in his operations, while opportunities were -given to others. He returned to the United States, was retained with his -commission in the service and assigned to duty near New York, where, after -a few years, he died. - - - - -RAPHAEL SEMMES - - -No more picturesque figure was there during the war between the states -than Admiral Raphael Semmes. As far as one could, he supplied the sad -deficiency of the navy to a young and struggling government such as the -southern Confederacy was. Daring in the extreme, Semmes was just the man -to turn to practical advantage the slim facilities at the command of the -infant government of the Confederate States. His was a sort of guerrilla -warfare on the high seas. - -For a long period of years, Semmes had been a rover of the deep, but, -after seeing much service, he had retired to private life. As early as -1826 he was appointed a midshipman by President John Quincy Adams. Later -he studied law under his brother at Cumberland, Md., and received his -license to practice in 1834. The first duty assigned him in the navy after -he had undergone an examination, was that of second master of a frigate, -but he was soon promoted to a lieutenancy in the national navy. For -several years he cruised the seas of the globe, and in 1842 removed to a -home on the Perdido River, and seven years later took up his residence in -the city of Mobile. - -When the Mexican War began Semmes served under Commodore Conner at Vera -Cruz, where he was in command of a battery of breaching guns. Throughout -the war with Mexico, he served in the American fleet. After the -declaration of peace, he was made inspector of lighthouses on the Gulf of -Mexico, and in 1858 he rose to the position of a commander in the fleet, -and was made secretary of the lighthouse board, with headquarters at -Washington. - -Resigning his position when Alabama seceded from the Union, he repaired to -Montgomery, the first capital of the Confederacy, where he was made -commander of the Confederate navy. With the "Sumter," which Secretary -Mallory had named in honor of the first victory of the war, Semmes began -his "services afloat." The "Sumter" was a slender vessel and one of small -capacity, but it was all that could be practically called the Confederate -navy. But with this light cruiser, Semmes scoured the seas, and within a -few months captured seventeen merchant vessels, after which the small -vessel was disposed of, and Semmes having the "Alabama," a real gunboat -for that time, built in England, and secretly sent to the Azores Islands, -he assumed command of it and began in real earnest an offensive warfare on -the high seas. He wrought rapid havoc with his little gunboat, burning -fifty-seven of the enemy's ships and releasing many others on ransom bond. -There being no ports open for condemning, Semmes burned his captures as -permitted by international law. - -Dashing here and there over the deep, the operations of the "Alabama" were -a series of brilliant exploits which attracted the attention of the world. -Now at the Azores, again within two hundred miles of New York, then -appearing unheralded in the regions of the West Indies, he suddenly -appears in the waters of the Gulf off Galveston, Texas, sinks the federal -steamer "Hatteras," capturing and paroling the crew, then dashing away to -the coast of South America, he crosses the Cape of Good Hope, sweeps over -the Indian Ocean, and in his work goes half way round the globe. That -which was being done by the most daring and dashing commanders on land, -was being done by Semmes on the high seas. Swift and tactical, he would -appear at the most unsuspected time and in the most unconjectured quarter, -and spread terror and destruction. - -For three years, Semmes roamed the seas of the world uninspired by the -press and people of the South, for his deeds of daring were unknown, by -reason of the blockaded ports of the Confederacy, and yet single-handed -the little gunboat accomplished results that were wonderful. The story of -a phantom ship ploughing the seas and accomplishing amazing feats, could -scarcely be more romantic than was that which was actually done by Semmes -and his little gunboat. - -The enemy, discovering what havoc the gunboat under Semmes might -eventually work, had built a better and stronger vessel of more improved -pattern to pit against her. The "Kearsarge" was ready for action early in -1864, and sought the "Alabama" in French waters. Semmes was blockaded at -Cherbourg, where he remained as long as he could in a neutral port, and on -June 19, 1864, he steamed out of that port, aware of the fact that he was -going against a vessel every way his superior. It was known that an -encounter would take place, and the people of Cherbourg sought every -elevated place to witness the naval duel. After some slight maneuvering -the battle began. A hundred-pound shell was fired from the "Alabama" and -was buried in the rudderpost of the "Kearsarge," which rudderpost was -unarmored, and the shell failed to explode. It was well directed, and it -is believed that had it exploded the "Kearsarge" would have been sunk. -Unharmed by the guns of Semmes, the new vessel did speedy and effective -work, and the "Alabama" began to sink. Together with Semmes stood Kell, -his second in command, on the deck of the ill-fated vessel, till it was -ready to sink, when they cast their swords into the sea and leaped -overboard. They, together with the rest of the crew, were taken from the -water by the "Deerhound," an English vessel, and taken to England. - -Returning to the South, where he was made rear admiral, Semmes was placed -in command of the James River fleet, which suffered destruction on the -fall of Richmond. Escaping with his command to North Carolina, Semmes -joined the army of General Johnston and his men were formed into a brigade -of artillery. The war was now practically over, and Semmes was paroled at -the capitulation along with all others, but was afterward imprisoned for -several months, and finally pardoned. - -After serving as a professor in the Louisiana Military Institute, Admiral -Semmes returned to Mobile and began the practice of law, giving his -attention, for the most part, to constitutional and international law. He -died in Mobile, which city honors his memory, as is attested by a monument -which adorns the most conspicuous spot in the city. - -The deeds and valor of Semmes have not yet been recognized. Had the -independence of the South been achieved, he would have been one of her -most honored heroes, but he belonged to a lost cause, and that fact will -serve to dim for a period of years his history, but one day it will be -known in its fullness, and then will it shine among the most resplendent -of the daring heroes of the deep. His career was as brilliant as it was -daring. - - - - -JOHN PELHAM - - -The heroism of Alabama manhood was never more essentially embodied than it -was in the career and character of the gallant young soldier, John Pelham. -His name was repeatedly mentioned on the lips of the Confederate -chieftains as "the gallant Pelham." By no other name was he so generally -known in the great galaxy of heroes in the Army of Northern Virginia. -Pelham was especially admired by Generals Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson -and J. E. B. Stuart. A prodigy of valor, he enjoyed the admiration of the -entire army. - -The Civil War found Pelham a cadet at West Point. He was then about -twenty-two years old. He was not specially gifted in his textbooks, but -his work as a student was solid and substantial. Just before he would have -received his diploma he quit the military academy, early in 1861, and -started southward. The country throughout was feverish with excitement, -and everyone going toward the South was eyed with suspicion, which made it -difficult to get through the lines. By the employment of stratagem, Pelham -was enabled to slip through the lines at Louisville, professing to be a -secret scout of General Scott. - -Making his way to Montgomery in April, 1861, that city then being the -capital of the new Confederacy, Pelham tendered his services to Honorable -Leroy Pope Walker, secretary of war, and was at once given a commission as -first lieutenant of artillery in the regular army, and promptly assigned -to duty at Lynchburg, Va. His efficiency was at once recognized, and he -was transferred to Imboden's battery, at Winchester, where he was assigned -to duty as drillmaster. - -Pelham's first taste of war was at the first battle of Manassas, where his -skill was so conspicuous and his courage was so daring as to attract the -attention and admiration of the commanders of the army. This was followed -by a commission to raise a battery of six pieces of horse artillery, which -he proceeded to do during the months immediately following the July in -which the first great battle of the war was fought. His battery was -rapidly gotten into admirable shape, and he was soon ready for effective -service. - -The battle of Williamsburg afforded him the first opportunity of engaging -the men of his new command. Pelham was so cool and skillful in the -fiercest parts of the battle that he excited the wonder of his superiors. -With a steadiness unshaken by the thunders of battle, he directed his guns -with unerring skill, and no insignificant share of the glory was his as he -steadfastly held the enemy at bay. Again at Cold Harbor he displayed so -much tactical force combined with accuracy and effectiveness that General -Stonewall Jackson grasped the youthful commander by the hand and told him -of his high appreciation of the service rendered. At Cold Harbor he -engaged three batteries of the enemy with a single Napoleon, and -throughout the entire day stubbornly held his position, dealing -destruction and death to the enemy. Shortly after the battle of Cold -Harbor Pelham's battery engaged a gunboat at the "White House" and -compelled it to withdraw. - -By this time, Pelham had gained the reputation of a famous boy fighter, -and his steadiness in battle would have done credit to a seasoned veteran. -His battery became famous, was the subject of general comment in army -circles, and the commanders came to lean on the young officer as one of -the indispensable adjuncts to the entire command. In a crisis, or at a -difficult juncture, young Pelham was thought of as one to meet it. - -When the second battle of Manassas opened, Pelham appeared on the field -with his guns, rode to the front as though no danger was imminent, coolly -placed his battery astonishingly near the lines of the enemy, and while -the enemy rained destruction in that quarter, he took time to get well -into position, and at once began with fatal effect on the lines of the -foe. Here he won new laurels, and in the accounts of the battle his name -was mentioned among those of the general commanders. A second time, Pelham -was congratulated by General Stonewall Jackson, who in person thanked him -for his skill and bravery. - -At the battle of Sharpsburg Pelham was stationed on the left of the -Confederate forces, where most of the artillery fell under his immediate -command, and the havoc wrought by his guns was fearful. Again at -Shepherdstown there was a repetition of the same spirit which he had -exhibited on all other occasions. Accompanying Stuart on this memorable -march from Aldie to Markham's, Pelham was compelled to fight against -formidable odds along the line of march, and at one point he kept up his -firing till the enemy was within a few paces of his piece, when he -doggedly withdrew only a short distance, secured a better position for his -guns, and resumed his firing in a cool, businesslike way. - -It was at Fredricksburg that Pelham was more conspicuous than in any other -battle. With a single gun he went to the base of the heights and opened -the fight with the same indifference with which he would have gone on the -drill ground for a parade. His astonishing intrepidity won the attention -of both armies, and Pelham at once became a common target to the batteries -of the enemy. He was fearfully exposed, and every moment was filled with -extreme hazard, but with an indifference which was sublime he kept up his -firing and made fearful inroads on the enemy. It was here that there was -evoked from General Lee the expression which has become historic. -Observing the brave youth from an eminence, as he kept steadily at his -destructive work while shells were bursting about him, General Lee said: -"It is glorious to see such courage in one so young." Without wavering, -Pelham held his position at the base of the ridge till his ammunition was -gone and he was forced to retire by a peremptory order. Assigned to the -command of the artillery on the right, he was throughout the day in the -thickest of the fray, and won from General Lee the designation: "The -gallant Pelham." For his gallantry on this occasion Pelham was promoted -from a majorship to a lieutenant colonelcy, but was killed before his -commission was confirmed by the Confederate Senate. - -On March 17, 1863, he was visiting some friends at night, in Culpeper -County, when the booming of guns at Kelly's Ford fell on his ear. Excusing -himself, he mounted his horse and rode rapidly to the scene of action. His -own command had not yet arrived, but he found a regiment wavering in -confusion. Spurring his horse quickly to the front of the confused mass, -his cool ringing voice restored order, and, placing himself at their head -to lead them to battle, a fragment of shell struck the brave youth in the -head, and he was instantly killed. The news of the death of Pelham -occasioned as much mourning in the army and throughout the Confederacy as -there would have been had one of the great general chieftains fallen. Boy -as he was, his fame had become proverbial. His body was sent home for -burial, and his ashes repose today at Jacksonville, in his native county, -Calhoun. - - - - -CULLEN A. BATTLE - - -While known chiefly as a soldier because of his brilliant record in the -late war, General Cullen A. Battle was distinguished as a lawyer, orator, -and statesman, as well. The Battles were among the leading families of the -state, and were conspicuous in medicine, in law, in education, in -theology, in authorship, and in war. The family record is a brilliant one, -but our attention is now directed to a single member. - -Graduating from the University of Alabama in the bud of manhood, General -Battle entered on the practice of law at the age of twenty-two, after -having read law in the office of the Honorable John Gill Shorter. Soon -after the completion of his studies preparatory to his profession, he -removed to Tuskegee and was diligently devoted to his profession for -almost ten years. His first appearance in public life was when he -canvassed the state in 1856 for Buchanan, being at the time a presidential -elector. - -An ardent Democrat, he was on the electoral ticket of Breckinridge and -Lane in 1860, at which time he spoke throughout the state in company with -Honorable William L. Yancey. As an orator, he was gifted with a freedom of -utterance and a poetic imagination, while his delivery was one of -gracefulness and magnetism. No one more admired the witchery of his -oratory than Mr. Yancey himself, whom General Battle accompanied on his -tour to the North, and spoke with the South's peerless orator from the -same platform in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis and -Cincinnati. - -At the outbreak of hostilities, in 1861, General Battle raised a company -of volunteers at Tuskegee, which company became a part of the Third -Alabama Regiment, of which Tennent Lomax became the colonel and Cullen A. -Battle the lieutenant colonel. This regiment represented in part the pick -and flower of the young chivalry of the South. - -The Third Alabama Regiment was under fire at Drewry's Bluff, but engaged -first fiercely in battle at Seven Pines, where the brave Lomax fell, and -Battle led the regiment through the fight. In the series of battles below -Richmond he was at the head of the gallant Third Alabama, having been -promoted meanwhile to the colonelcy of the regiment. He received a slight -wound at Boonsboro, and at Fredricksburg was seriously injured by his -horse falling on him. Later we find him serving on the staff of General -Rodes in the battle of Chancellorsville. At Gettysburg the whole brigade -was quickly repulsed with great loss, all giving way but the Third Alabama -Regiment, but rallying later and fighting with renewed power. Under -conditions like these Colonel Battle attached his regiment to General -Ramseur's command and rendered conspicuous service in checking the tide of -temporary defeat. - -So pleased was General Ewell with the timely gallantry of Colonel Battle -that he promoted him to a brigadiership on the field, which act was soon -after confirmed. To him were assigned, as the component parts of a -brigade, the Third, Fifth, Sixth, Twelfth, and Sixty-first Alabama -regiments. This brigade was the first to encounter General Grant in the -Wilderness, and in his report on the battle of Spottsylvania General Ewell -says: "Battle's brigade was thrown across Hancock's front and there -occurred the hottest fighting of the war." The contest was hand-to-hand -fighting, the opposing forces using the bayonet. At Winchester, Battle's -brigade entered the action just in time to allow Evans' brigade to rally, -while driving the enemy before him. By this time "Battle's brigade" had -become so conspicuous a factor in the Army of Northern Virginia as to be -signally named for its gallantry. At the battle of Cedar Creek, General -Battle led his brigade with singular coolness and courage against the -formidable front of the Eighth Army Corps of the federal forces, which -corps was commanded by General Crook. In this action, General Battle was -struck in the knee, which permanently disabled him so that he could not -resume active duty on the field, but he was rewarded with a commission of -major general, the commission bearing date of his wound, October 19, 1864. - -It was in January, 1864, while Lee's army was in winter quarters south of -the Rapidan, that one of those momentous incidents occurred which -sometimes profoundly affect large bodies of men. Three Alabamians of the -Monroe Guards went at night to the headquarters of Captain T. M. Riley, -who was in command of the Fifth Alabama Regiment, and proposed to enlist -for the war. These were Sergeant William A. Dudley, a native of Lowndes -County, and Privates Daniel C. Rankin and his brother, Duncan A. Rankin, -who now resides at Bynum, Texas. This fact was communicated by Captain -Riley on the following day to General Battle, who commanded the brigade, -who promptly appeared in person before each regiment of his brigade and -appealed for the proposed step to be taken. This was the first brigade or -command to re-enlist unconditionally for the war. This act made General -Battle historically conspicuous in the annals of the Civil War, and -elicited from General Robert E. Rodes the following communication: - -"Conduct like this in the midst of the hardships we are enduring, and on -the part of men who have fought so many bloody battles, is in the highest -degree creditable to the men and officers of your command. I was always -proud, and now still more so, that I once belonged to your brigade. As -their division commander, and as a citizen of Alabama, I wish to express -my joy and pride, and as a citizen of the Confederacy my gratitude at -their conduct. To have been the leader of this movement in this glorious -army throws a halo of glory around your brigade which your associates in -arms will recognize to envy and which time will never dim." - -This communication from Major General Rodes was reinforced by a joint -resolution of thanks by the Confederate Congress, in which resolution the -name of General Battle is conspicuous as the moving and ruling spirit of -this conduct on the part of his brigade. - -Resuming the practice of law, at Tuskegee, after the close of -hostilities, General Battle was elected to congress from his district, but -the Republicans denied to him and to others their seats, and he, and -others like him, were disfranchised. He never again appeared in any -official capacity, but lived a life of retirement to the close. - -His death occurred at the age of seventy-six at Greensboro, N. C., and he -was buried at Petersburg, Va. The closing utterance of this hero of many -battles was: "All is bright, there's not a cloud in the sky." - - - - -PHILIP D. RODDY - - -There is the flavor of the romantic in the life and career of General -Philip Dale Roddy. That he should have become the conspicuous figure that -he was in the Confederate struggle, was due solely to inherent merit. Born -in the town of Moulton, Lawrence County, in conditions humble if not -obscure, he was an ordinary tailor in that country town, growing to -manhood without an education, and enjoying none, save as he was able to -pick up the scraps of advantage afforded in a community noted for its -intelligence and educational facilities. There was that about him, -however, which won him friends, and when he was twenty-six years old he -was elected the sheriff of Lawrence County. Later he was engaged in -steamboating on the neighboring Tennessee, in which employment the -conflict of 1861 found him. - -Raising a company of cavalry for the Confederate service, Roddy became its -captain, and was assigned to duty in connection with the western army. He -rapidly developed into an excellent scout in Tennessee, was daring, shrewd -and tactical, and in the battle of Shiloh, his company was made the escort -of General Bragg. His soldierly qualities and genuine military leadership -and gallantry were so displayed at the battle of Shiloh, that he received -special mention for his bravery. With honors still fresh on him, he -returned to north Alabama and easily raised a regiment of horse, in -prospect of the threatened invasion of that quarter. - -He had a theater of operation all his own in the valley of the Tennessee, -and with dexterity he would fall on the enemy here and there, harassing -him at every point and checking and foiling his movements. In the latter -part of the second year of the war Colonel Roddy succeeded in swelling his -small command into a brigade of horse, with which he met an invasion from -Corinth under General Sweeney. He met the enemy at Little Bear Creek, -outwitted Sweeney, and forced him back to Corinth. - -Alert to the movements of the federals, who were intent on gaining a solid -footing in north Alabama, Roddy encountered still another raid at -Barton's, and a second time saved that quarter of the state from invasion. -The enemy was forced back, Roddy capturing a part of his artillery and -inflicting on him severe loss in killed and wounded. - -He was now master of the Tennessee valley, and as opportunity would -afford, he would cross the river in a rapid raid, make valuable captures, -and replenish his stores. At one time he dashed into the federal camp at -Athens, taking the enemy completely by surprise, burned a quantity of -stores and was off again, the enemy knew not where. Still later, Roddy -fell suddenly on Corinth and secured as a trophy of victory six hundred -horses and mules, and when pursued by Colonel Cornyn to Iuka, he turned on -the enemy and forced him back. - -General Roddy became "the swamp fox" of the Tennessee Valley and from -unconjectured quarters would pounce on the enemy, inflict severe blows and -reap trophies. When Colonel Streight entered on his daring raid through -north Alabama, with a force picked for that perilous undertaking and -splendidly equipped, and while he was being pursued by General Forrest -with a force much inferior, the federal General Dodge entered the valley -to cover the movements of General Streight. Acting in conjunction with -Forrest, who was in hot pursuit of Streight, and whose command he -eventually captured, Roddy, with an inferior force, checked Dodge and -contested every inch of advance through Colbert County, thus enabling -Forrest to overtake and bag Streight. By this indirect agency General -Roddy was a sharer in the brilliant victory of Forrest. - -The splendid qualities of General Roddy now attracted the attention of the -Confederate government, and, though the theater of his exploits was -contracted, he was thought of in connection with John H. Morgan and Mosby. -General Forrest had great confidence in his ability as a commander, as was -shown on more than one occasion. - -For two years Roddy had so stubbornly resisted the movements of the enemy -in the effort to broaden the basis of his occupancy in North Alabama, that -the skillful commander had restricted him to the two points of Huntsville -on the north and Corinth on the south. But Roddy was needed at Dalton for -a season, in connection with the general movements of the army, and thence -with his command he was ordered. This left the Tennessee Valley open to -the enemy, and he entered it and strongly fortified himself at Decatur. -When, later, General Roddy returned to the former scene of his operations -he was unable to dislodge the federals from Decatur, but the rest of the -territory he steadfastly held. When General Hood succeeded General -Johnston in command of the western army, one of his chief reliances was -Roddy, to keep open his communications. - -Later in the war, Roddy came into more intimate and vital touch with -Forrest, who was very fond of him, and co-operated with the great -commander in many of his movements, and shared with him in some of his -most brilliant victories. A brief sketch like this affords but an inkling -of the power of generalship developed by General Roddy. He was a military -genius. He was born to command. He was ever alert and active, and had a -fondness for the dash of the field. He loved hard service, and rarely -failed in an enterprise, for, with all his dash and daring, he was -invariably cautious. - -No commander in the Confederate army enjoyed more completely the -confidence and devotion of his men. After the close of the war he removed -to New York, embarked in the commission business, and there died. - - - - -W. H. FORNEY - - -The heroic services and patriotic devotion of General William Henry Forney -entitle him to recognition on the roster of Alabama worthies. The -contribution of service made by General Forney to the erection of the -greatness of the commonwealth of Alabama is deserving of perpetual -recognition. - -General Forney descended from a family eminent in North Carolina, his -grandfather being General Peter Forney of that state, and a granduncle -being a distinguished member of congress from the same state. Himself a -native of North Carolina, General William H. Forney came to Alabama with -his father's family in 1835, when he was a mere boy of twelve years. -Reared in Calhoun County, he was educated at the state university, from -which he was graduated in 1844, after which he entered on the study of the -law. - -When the Mexican War broke out, young Forney enlisted in the First -Regiment of Alabama Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Coffey, in which -command he became a lieutenant, serving as such at the siege of Vera Cruz. -Returning home after the expiration of the term for which he enlisted, -which was one year, he entered again on the study of his law books. -Licensed to practice in 1848, he was the next year chosen a representative -from Calhoun County to the legislature. With this single interruption he -was devoted to his profession till the declaration of hostilities between -the northern and southern states. He entered the army as a captain in the -Tenth Alabama Regiment which was destined to suffer from unusual -casualties from the first conflict in which it was engaged to the close of -the war. The regiment of which he was a member was doing some detached -duty at Drainville, Va., when it became engaged with the enemy, and among -the seriously wounded was Captain Forney, who was shot in the leg, but -within sixty days he was again in command of his company at the front. -Meanwhile he had become the major of his regiment, with which he was -engaged in the battle of Yorktown. At Williamsburg he was again shot, -receiving a very serious wound in the shoulder which disabled his right -arm. Removed to the buildings of William and Mary College, which were -temporarily improvised as a hospital, Major Forney fell into the hands of -the enemy and was detained as a prisoner for four months. - -On his return to his command after his imprisonment, he found himself at -the head of his regiment by reason of logical promotion. He had the -misfortune to receive another wound at the battle of Salem Church, though -the injury was not of a serious nature. While leading his regiment at -Gettysburg, he was again most seriously wounded, the arm wounded at -Williamsburg, and even disabled, being now shattered. He fell on the field -from the terrible shock, and while prostrate, he received another wound by -a ball carrying away part of his heel bone. In this precarious condition, -he fell into the hands of the enemy, and was retained a prisoner of war -more than a year. While confined as a prisoner at Fort Delaware, he was -among the fifty officers chosen to be exposed to the Confederate guns on -Morris Island, and was taken near the scene ready for such exposure as a -matter of retaliation, but humane and timely intervention checked the -atrocious design, and in due time Colonel Forney was exchanged. Still a -cripple and hobbling on crutches, he returned to his command in 1864, and -was commissioned a brigadier general. Though seriously hampered by his -maimed condition, he stolidly and heroically bore his misfortune, and led -his brigade in the battles of Hatcher's Run, High Bridge, and Farmville. -He steadfastly and doggedly clung to his command, rendering valiant and -efficient service throughout the entire struggle, and was with his -tattered veterans at Appomattox when General Lee surrendered. - -Broken in health and disfigured as the result of the casualties of the -war, he turned his face homeward, and in his permanently disabled -condition reopened his law office for such business as could be found -under the widespread demoralization incident to the close of the Civil -War. The people honored him with a seat in the state senate, but under the -military rule of the period it was denied him. He closed his career at -Jacksonville, Ala. - -The state has never had a more loyal citizen, as was illustrated by his -unselfish devotion to its interest, and the army of the Confederacy no -braver soldier. To General Forney patriotism was a passion, as was -abundantly shown by the philosophic fortitude with which he bore his -misfortunes and sufferings. Others may have been more brilliant and -dashing than he, but he was an illustration of the hero who did what he -could, and by dint of actual merit, he rose to prominence in the army and -to equal prominence as a civilian. - - - - -EDMUND W. PETTUS - - -Long and notable was the career of Edmund Winston Pettus. Born two years -after the admission of Alabama into the Union, he was practically -identified with all the great periods which came into the history of the -state. Entering life early, he shared in all the epochs from the early -stages of statehood till his death at an advanced age. - -In many respects, the career of General Pettus was a remarkable one. Left -an orphan by the death of his father while yet an infant, General Pettus -was reared by a careful and devoted mother. The best possible scholastic -advantages then extant were given him, and he was able to lay the basis of -a long and eventful career. His scholastic course was taken at Clinton -College, Tennessee. - -General Pettus was a man of solid qualities, both mentally and physically. -He was six feet high, well proportioned, with broad, massive shoulders, a -large head and a commanding presence. He began the practice of the law at -twenty-eight, and, excepting the interregnum of his career as a soldier of -the Confederacy, continued in the profession until he was elected to the -National Senate from Alabama. In that capacity he was serving when he -died, at the advanced age of eighty-four. - -His career as a lawyer began at Gainesville, Sumter County, where he was -first associated with Honorable Turner Reavis. His ability was promptly -recognized, and soon after beginning to practice, he was elected district -solicitor, and re-elected after the expiration of his term, but resigned -in 1851, and removed to Carrollton, Pickens County, where he resumed -private practice. - -In 1853 Mr. Pettus was appointed by Governor Collier to fill a vacancy in -the district solicitorship. Characteristically fair and just, he won great -favor and popularity throughout west Alabama, so that when he offered for -the judgeship of the circuit, in 1855, he was easily elected. This -position he surrendered in 1858, in order to remove to Cahaba, then a -thriving center of wealth and intelligence, where he practiced law till -the opening of the war. During the early part of the year 1861, troops -were rapidly raised and organized into regiments, and as rapidly as -possible, sent to the front. In co-operation with Colonel Garratt of Perry -County, Pettus raised a regiment of infantry, which became the Twentieth -Alabama, of which regiment he became the major, and somewhat later was -made the lieutenant colonel of the command. - -Assigned to duty in the western army, the regiment did not long remain -inactive. Colonel Pettus won laurels by leading the army of General E. -Kirby Smith in driving the enemy into Covington and Cincinnati. His -regiment was afterward ordered to Mississippi and Colonel Pettus was -engaged in the battles of Port Gibson and Baker's Creek. He was captured -at Port Gibson, but succeeded in effecting his escape and in rejoining his -command. On the occasion of the promotion of Colonel Garratt at Vicksburg -Pettus became the colonel of the regiment. - -A notable incident in connection with the siege of Vicksburg gave to -Colonel Pettus fame for leadership, and for unquestioned courage -throughout the army. At an important point in the works the enemy had -captured a valuable redoubt, and General Stephen D. Lee was anxious to -have it retaken. The undertaking was full of peril, and the success of the -undertaking was doubtful. To perform the perilous undertaking, Colonel -Pettus volunteered to the commanding officer his services. Neither his own -regiment nor any of the others were willing to be led into so perilous an -undertaking, but Waul's Texas Legion volunteered in a body to make the -hazardous attack. So formidable was the redoubt that the enemy supposed -himself secure from attack. Taking advantage of this condition, Colonel -Pettus, at the head of the brave Texans, dashed unawares on the enemy, -threw the forces into utter confusion, and retook the redoubt, together -with one hundred prisoners and three flags. Thirty big guns were at once -trained on the point, but Colonel Pettus bore away his spoils without the -loss of a man. - -At Vicksburg he was again conspicuous throughout the siege, was captured -when the city fell, but soon exchanged, after which he was made a -brigadier general. His command was engaged in the battle of Missionary -Ridge, and was with Johnston in the series of conflicts which extended -from Dalton to Atlanta and Jonesboro. When Hood was appointed to succeed -Johnston, the brigade of General Pettus was with the army throughout that -disastrous campaign, and no command of the army was more hotly engaged -than was his brigade. It was he who forced the passage of Duck River, -forming his men in squads in the face of a galling fire from the rifle -pits of the enemy, and succeeded in driving him from his entrenchments -with the bayonet. - -On the retreat of Hood from Nashville the duty of protecting the rear of -the army was imposed on the brigade of General Pettus. With intrepid and -dogged courage, he held the enemy in check at many points, and perhaps -more than any other, saved the army of Hood from utter destruction. His -last service was in North Carolina, where his command was engaged in the -battles of Kingston and Bentonville, General Pettus being severely wounded -in the latter. - -The war being over, General Pettus entered again into the practice of law -in Selma. He shared in the struggles incident to the era of -reconstruction, during the entire period of which he rendered the most -faithful service at great personal sacrifice, declining meanwhile any -public recognition of his services by official position. His long -experience and native skill placed him in the first rank of practice in -the Alabama courts, and often his patience was taxed in the courts -presided over by the incompetent judges who occupied the bench during the -dark period of reconstruction. Among the judges of that time was the -notorious J. Q. Smith, as conspicuous for his lack of knowledge of the law -as he was for his impudence and presumption. On one occasion there was a -ruling of this incompetent official which was so foreign and far-fetched -as to evoke from General Pettus the daring remark that in a practice of -many years, and as a presiding judge himself at one time, he had never -heard of such a ruling. With a complacent and self-satisfactory air the -ignorant man on the bench moved himself with greatly assumed composure and -replied: "Ah! General Pettus, you have a great many things to learn yet!" - -Sharing in all the momentous movements in the political history of the -state in the period of rehabilitation following the reconstruction, -General Pettus would not consent to accept public office till 1897, when -he was chosen a United States senator from Alabama. In this capacity he -served till his death, in 1905, he and Senator Morgan dying within a few -months of each other, leaving vacant senatorial representation for Alabama -in the highest branch of congress. - - - - -ALPHEUS BAKER - - -The mention of the name of General Alpheus Baker to those who knew him, -revives the memory of flashing wit, inimitable mimicry of which he was a -master, fascinating conversation, captivating manners and a cavalier -bearing, all of which were characteristic of this gallant soldier. The -educational advantages of General Baker, while not scant, were those -afforded only beneath the parental roof. The father of General Baker was a -native of Massachusetts, removed to the South in the early years of the -nineteenth century and settled in South Carolina. The father was eminent -for his ripeness of scholarship, and his proficiency as a teacher of youth -was of the first order. Schooled under the tutelage of a parent like this, -young Baker was himself fitted to teach by the time he was sixteen years -old. His teaching served to make more compact his education, for, after -all, with the real teacher, the question is which learns the more, the -teacher or pupil? - -While still a young man Alpheus Baker had won distinction as an instructor -in the cultured circles of Abbeville Court House, then one of the most -elegant little centers in the South. He enjoyed a similar distinction at -Lumpkin, Ga., whence he came as a teacher across the Chattahoochee River -to Eufaula, in 1848. He was connected with the military school at -Glennville, in Barbour County, then one of the most noted military schools -of that grade in the entire South. Meanwhile he was engaged in the private -study of the law, for the practice of which he applied for license at -Eufaula in 1849, when he had just attained his majority. He brought to his -profession a fund of ripened wisdom supported by a thorough education and, -for one so young, a seasoned experience in the ways of the world. Young in -years, he was in experience old. Bright, vivacious and exceedingly genial -in disposition and bearing, he was not lacking in a sense of -self-assertion and manliness, an indispensable adjunct to success. His -manner was popular and he soon became a favorite in the cultured circles -of the little city of his adoption. - -Long given to close and exacting study and the mastery of principles, Mr. -Baker made rapid strides in the profession of his choice. His habits of -promptness, diligence of application, and painstaking care in the -management of cases entrusted to him, won him much general and favorable -comment not only, but procured for him multitudes of clients and a -lucrative practice. In the sixth year of his professional life at the bar, -he returned at one term of the circuit court as many as one hundred and -five cases. - -In the year 1836, when the question of slavery had become a fierce one, -and when Kansas, struggling to statehood, became a battle-ground between -the pro-slavery and the anti-slavery forces of the country, Major Buford -of Eufaula, insisted that by swelling the forces in favor of slavery in -the territory now aspiring to statehood, thus making Kansas a slave state, -would avert bloodshed. Acting on this suggestion, Major Buford removed to -Kansas, and Mr. Baker accompanied him. As is well known, the effort -failed, and the Eufaulians returned to await the consummation of "the -irrepressible conflict." In 1861 Mr. Baker was chosen one of the Barbour -County delegates to the state constitutional convention, in which capacity -he was serving when Governor Moore accepted the Eufaula Rifles as a part -of the quota of volunteers called for to resist the encroachments of the -enemy on Pensacola. - -Baker was chosen the captain of this company, and, resigning his seat in -the convention, he proceeded with his command to Pensacola, which at that -time promised to be the opening scene of the war. The dashing young -officer had as privates in the ranks of his company such men as James L. -Pugh, E. C. Bullock, S. H. Dent, Sr., Thomas J. Judge, Prof. William -Parker of the University of Alabama, and Prof. Thornton of Howard College, -at Marion. - -In the following fall of 1861, Captain Baker became the colonel of a -regiment composed of Alabamians, Mississippians and Tennesseans, and was -ordered to Fort Pillow, which was destined later to become a scene of one -of the tragedies of the Civil War. Early in 1862 the regiment was captured -at Island Number Ten. He remained in prison for a period of five months, -when, on being exchanged, he was made the colonel of the Fifty-fourth -Regiment of Alabama Volunteers and shared in a number of battles, among -which was that at Fort Pemberton and Baker's Creek, in which last named -conflict Colonel Baker received a severe wound. In March, 1864, he was -made a brigadier general, and participated in the series of battles -extending from the northern part of Georgia to Atlanta. His brigade -rendered splendid service in the Carolinas during the declining days of -the war. The war being over, General Baker returned to Eufaula, where he -resided till his death. - -He was a man of rare parts. Jovial in disposition, he was a universal -social favorite. A scholar, he found congenial companionship among the -learned. A painter and musician, he was at home with the lovers of art. -But he is chiefly remembered as an orator. On the stump before a popular -audience, in the court room, and on commencement occasions, General Baker -was perfectly at home. Diversified, as we have seen, in his gifts, he was -equally diversified in his oratory. By the witchery of his oratory he -could entertain, amuse, arouse and charm an assemblage. His gift of -elocution was superb, and the play of his imagination in speaking, -rhapsodical. He was a master of assemblies. He would sway the multitude as -does the wind a field of grain. The flash of wit, the power of captivating -imagery, the rouse of passion--all these were his to a pre-eminent degree. -Back of these lay a pleasing presence and charming manner. The people -heard him gladly. - - - - -GEORGE P. HARRISON - - -In a recent work, the title of which, "Social Life of Virginia in the -Seventeenth Century," is presented the history of the original families of -repute which emigrated from England to the Old Dominion, among the names -of which appears that of Harrison. From this family have come two -Presidents of the United States, as well as other distinguished citizens -in different states of the Union. General George Paul Harrison of Opelika -is a descendant of that original Virginia stock which was so conspicuous -in laying the foundation stones of the state on the shores of which landed -the first English colony. The name of Harrison is found mentioned in many -of the southern and western states. - -General George Paul Harrison, the subject of the present sketch, was born -on the "Montieth Plantation," near Savannah, Ga., March 19, 1841, and -bears his father's name in full. The father was for many years prominent -in Georgia politics, serving many sessions in the legislature of that -state from Chatham County, and during the late war between the states, -commanding a brigade of state troops. After the war, the elder Harrison -was chosen a member of the constitutional convention of Georgia, aiding -materially in framing a constitution adjusted to the new order incident to -the close of the war. - -Our present distinguished citizen, General George P. Harrison, was -classically trained in the famous academies for which Savannah was noted -before the period of hostilities, the chief of which schools were the -Monteith and Effingham academies. From those advanced studies in his -native city, he went to the Georgia Military Institute at Marietta, from -which he was graduated in 1861 with the degrees of A.B. and C. E. as the -first honor man of his class. He was scarcely twenty at the outbreak of -the war, and in January, 1861, he shared in the seizure by the state of -Georgia, of Fort Pulaski, which was taken possession of on January 3, -1861. With his course at Marietta still uncompleted, Mr. Harrison enrolled -in the service of the state and was commissioned a second lieutenant in -the First Regiment of Georgia Regulars. In the spring of that eventful -year, while yet war was undeclared, he was detailed by Governor Joseph E. -Brown, Georgia's "war governor," as commandant of the Marietta Military -Institute, where he was enabled to prosecute his course to completion. - -Rejoining the First Georgia Regulars, he became its adjutant and went with -the command to Virginia. He participated in the earliest fighting of the -war, was with his regiment at the affair at Langley's farm, and in other -brushes with the enemy. In the winter of '61 and '62 he was commissioned -the colonel of the Fifth Georgia Regiment of State Troops and was assigned -to the protection of the coast of the state for six months, when the -regiment was reorganized for regular service in the Confederate army, with -the retention of Colonel Harrison as its commander, his command now -becoming the Thirty-second Regiment of Georgia Infantry. The regiment was -assigned to service at Charleston, where it remained until near the close -of the struggle. Though still ranking as colonel, Harrison was in command -of a brigade about fifteen months during the years '63-'64. The three -brigade commanders, Generals Hagood, Colquitt and Colonel Harrison, -commanded, by turn, on Morris Island, during the large part of the siege -of Charleston. When the assault was made on Fort Wagner on July 22, 1863, -Colonel Harrison was speedily sent to reinforce the garrison, and arrived -in the nick of time, saved the fort and put to flight the assailants. In a -contest of several days on John's Island he was in complete command of the -Confederate forces, and here he won distinction by his coolness, courage, -and strategic ability. After the final fall of Wagner, Colonel Harrison -was assigned to a separate command, with headquarters at Mount Pleasant, a -part of his command still garrisoning Fort Sumter, over which the -Confederate colors floated till February, 1865. - -During a period of 1864, Colonel Harrison was in command at Florence, S. -C., where he built a stockade for twenty-five thousand federal prisoners, -who were so humanely cared for by the young commander, as to excite the -attention of General Sherman, who, when he captured Savannah, ascertained -where the Harrison home was, as the family was now residing in that city, -and issued a general order to his troops respecting its special -protection. - -In 1864 the brigade which Colonel Harrison commanded was sent, together -with that of General Colquitt's, to turn back the invasion of the federal -General Seymour, in Florida, the object of Seymour being to isolate -Florida from the rest of the Confederacy. Colonel Harrison shared in the -honors won by General Colquitt in the decisive battle at Olustee, and was -at once commissioned a brigadier, being, it is said, the youngest general -in the army. He was not quite twenty-three years old when he received his -commission as a brigadier general. His brigade became a part of Walthall's -division, Stewart's corps. - -On the retirement of the Confederates before Sherman into the Carolinas, -the task was assigned to General Harrison of covering the retreat of -Hardee. General Harrison shared in the closing scenes of the drama in the -Carolinas, was twice wounded, and once had a horse killed under him. He -had just passed his twenty-fourth birthday when his command surrendered at -Greensboro, N. C. - -While in camp General Harrison applied himself to the study of the law as -his prospective profession, to the practice of which he was admitted soon -after the close of hostilities. Removing to Alabama, he located first at -Auburn, and later removed to Opelika, where he has since resided. Elected -commandant at the Alabama University, he accepted, after first declining -the position, after retiring from which he was made commandant at the -state agricultural college, as it was then called, at Auburn. After a year -of service there he abandoned all else and devoted himself to his -practice. - -His service for the public was soon in demand, and in 1875 he was chosen a -member of the constitutional convention of Alabama, serving in the same -capacity, in his adopted state, in which his honored father was serving at -the same time in Georgia. Then followed his election to the state senate, -in 1880, he becoming the president of that body in '82, serving two years. -In '92 he was chosen a delegate to the national Democratic convention, and -in '94 was chosen to fill the unexpired term in congress of the Honorable -W. C. Oates, who had become governor, the district indicating at the same -time his choice to succeed himself two years later. - -As a distinguished Mason, General Harrison is the chairman of the -committee on Masonic jurisprudence of the grand lodge of Alabama. The -United Confederate Veterans have shown their appreciation of General -Harrison by choosing him in twelve successive elections as major general -of the Alabama division. In 1912 he was chosen, at Macon, Ga., lieutenant -general of the army of Tennessee department, which position he now holds. -A man now of seventy-two, he resides at Opelika, as the chief counsel of -the Western of Alabama Railroad. - - - - -CHARLES M. SHELLEY - - -For solid worth, substantial and enduring results, and patriotic service, -no Alabamian enrolled among the worthies of the state excelled General -Charles Miller Shelley. He was built for service, and was endowed with an -energy practically boundless and unconquerable. Denied the boon of an -education, excepting to a limited degree, he appropriated readily examples -and suggestions, built them into practical force, which he wielded with -apt execution as a soldier, citizen, and patriot. The statement of these -qualities furnishes an outline of the character of this worthy citizen and -brave soldier. - -Seized by the enthusiasm which possessed so many of the Alabama youth when -first the cloud of war flecked the national horizon, Mr. Shelley joined -himself to a military company which went of its own will to Fort Morgan -before the war had actually begun. The forts and ports along the seaboard -of the South were supposed, at that time, to afford the first theater of -the coming conflict. These volunteers eventually returned home, a more -thorough organization was effected, and in the company formed at -Talladega, Shelley became the captain. This company was one of the -original Fifth Alabama Regiment, of which the brilliant Rodes was the -first colonel. - -For a period Captain Shelley served at Pensacola, till the regiment was -ordered to Virginia. As a part of Ewell's brigade the regiment was in -close proximity to Manassas Junction, and had a sharp brush with the -enemy at Farr's Cross Road, but did not share in the first battle of -Manassas. - -At the close of the first term of service of enlistment, Captain Shelley -resigned as captain, returned to Alabama and raised another regiment, of -which he became the colonel. This was the Thirtieth Regiment of Alabama -Volunteers, which regiment was assigned to duty in the western army, where -it won great distinction for its fighting qualities. In the memorable -campaign of 1862, in Tennessee and Kentucky, Colonel Shelley's regiment -shared throughout. Subsequently the regiment was transferred to -Mississippi and attached to Tracey's brigade, which saw hard service at -Port Gibson. The first hard fight on the field in which the Thirtieth -Alabama Regiment shared was at Baker's Creek, or Champion Hills, where -Colonel Shelley received special mention at the hands of General Stephen -D. Lee, the hero of that battle. Later still, the regiment was at -Vicksburg and shared in the result of that ill-fated city. - -In the series of conflicts in northern Georgia and in all the fighting -between that region and Atlanta, and on to Jonesboro, the Thirtieth -Alabama Regiment was conspicuous. At Jonesboro, Ga., Colonel Shelley was -placed in command of a brigade, which position he held for a few weeks, -when he was placed at the head of Cantey's brigade and given a commission -as a brigadier. He was with Hood on the return march into Tennessee, and -in the ill-starred battle of Franklin his brigade was a heavy sufferer, -having lost six hundred and seventy men out of a total of eleven hundred -whom he led into the fight. By an adroit movement at Franklin, General -Shelley saved from capture the entire corps of General Stewart, for which -skill and gallantry he received special mention at the hands of General -Hood. It is a matter of record that but for the generalship shown by -Shelley at Franklin, that battle would have been far more disastrous in -its results. He came out of the fight with little more than four hundred -men in his brigade, half of which number was captured at Nashville. - -After these convulsions in Tennessee, contemporaneous with the onward -march of Sherman to the sea, thence into North Carolina, where General -Joseph E. Johnston was restored to his command, now a fragment of its -former self, General Shelley was assigned to duty there. All the twelve -Alabama regiments belonging to the army were thrown together into one -brigade in North Carolina, and placed under the command of General -Shelley. The surrender of Johnston's army resulted in the return of -General Shelley to Selma as a paroled soldier. - -In the resistance against the encroachments of a dominant force during the -direful days of reconstruction, no man in Alabama rendered more patriotic -service than Charles M. Shelley. At different times, during the succeeding -years, General Shelley was made the campaign manager of the Democratic -party in the state, contending often against subtle odds, and to his -resourcefulness of leadership was the party largely indebted in its -gradual emergence from the throes with which it was afflicted for years. -During the closing years of his life General Shelley became one of the -most noted leaders of the Democratic party in Alabama. During the first -administration of Mr. Cleveland, he served by presidential appointment as -the third auditor of the United States treasury. He was a candidate for -the governorship in the campaign which resulted in the election of Hon. -William J. Samford. General Shelley died in Birmingham on January 20, -1907. - -In a brief review like this, scant justice to the worth of so eminent a -man as General Shelley was, both as a soldier and a citizen, is given. -Much of his service is hastily passed over, and if at all alluded to, it -is in a most generalized manner. The salient facts of his eventful life -are barely more than touched, but even from so short a recital of his -services, certain unquestioned facts fix his fame. - -General Shelley was an intrepid soldier whose pluck in the face of danger -was unusual. So far as opportunity was afforded for the exercise of -independent action in the tactics of war, he displayed rare qualities of -skill as a commander. He met all exigencies without shrinking, and -invariably bore his part with the heroism of the genuine soldier that he -was. Nor was he less inclined to assume the obligations imposed in later -struggles for Democratic supremacy in Alabama. Not a few who rose to -political distinction in the state were indebted to the means afforded by -the diligent work of General Shelley. The service rendered by him is a -part of the state's history during the last half century. In certain -instances where junctures arose, it is doubtful that any other could have -met them with equal efficiency. No strained eulogism is needed to tell the -story of his valiant service--the unvarnished facts are sufficient. -Energy, diligence, resourcefulness, courage and a perennial optimism were -the qualities displayed by General Shelley in the long service rendered by -him to the state of Alabama. - - - - -HENRY D. CLAYTON - - -General Clayton served the state in a variety of capacities. In the -legislature, he was one of its most alert and active members as chairman -of one of the important committees; as a Confederate commander, he was -courageous and skillful; as a circuit judge, he was ranked among the -ablest in the state, and as president of the state university he rendered -his last service with signal satisfaction. - -He was educated at Emory and Henry College, from which institution he was -graduated in 1848, and for distinguished scholarship bore away from the -college the Robertson Prize Medal. He lost no time after the completion of -his collegiate course, for a year later he was admitted to the bar, and -entered at once on a successful and lucrative practice. The first eight -years of his life were rigidly devoted to the law, and though recognized -as one of the ablest of the young lawyers of the state, and one of the -most popular, he could not be persuaded to enter on public life. - -In 1857, however, he was chosen without opposition to be a representative -to the legislature from Barbour County, and again in 1859 he was elected. -Mr. Clayton was chairman of the committee on the military in 1861, when -Governor Moore called for twelve months' volunteers to go to Pensacola, -which was considered to be to the enemy a vulnerable point. At that time, -Mr. Clayton was the colonel of the Third regiment of the Alabama volunteer -corps, and in response to the appeal of Governor Moore, the services of -this regiment were tendered. But as only two regiments were called for, -Governor Moore's desire was that they should come from different parts of -the state. However, two companies of Colonel Clayton's regiment were -accepted and mustered into service. - -Pressure was brought to bear on Colonel Clayton to remain in the -legislature, but he positively declined to remain, and declared his -purpose to enter the prospective army of the Confederacy. Finding that the -governor would not accept the entire regiment of which he was the -commander, he resigned his seat in the legislature and took his place in -the ranks of one of the companies as a private. Thereupon the governor -gave him a commission as aide-de-camp and sent him to Pensacola to receive -the Alabama companies as they should arrive, and organize them into -regiments. Colonel Clayton had the distinction of organizing the first -regiment that was organized for the Confederate service. Of this regiment -he was chosen the colonel. The regiment was composed of the pick of young -Alabamians, not a few of whom, though already distinguished citizens, were -serving in the ranks as privates. Among these may be named Hons. John -Cochran, James L. Pugh and E. C. Bullock. Hailing from the same city were -Colonel Clayton and these eminent citizens serving in the ranks as -privates. It reflected as great honor on these privates, as it did on the -young colonel, that while representing the same circle of society at home, -in their respective relations as soldiers, the one a colonel and the -others privates, there was exercised, on the other hand, the rigid -discipline of the officer, and on the other, the prompt obedience of the -soldier in the ranks. - -Indeed, these prominent citizens were models of obedience to discipline, -and sought to render such prompt service as would be exemplary to the men -of lesser note in the ranks. They shared the fate of the commonest soldier -in the ranks, whether it was with respect to guard duty, throwing up -fortifications, or mounting cannon. - -Months went past, and the theatre of war shifted to Virginia and Kentucky. -While the brave Alabamians remained inactive at Pensacola, decisive -battles were being fought in the regions already named. They chafed under -enforced retirement, and on the expiration of the term of service of the -regiment, Colonel Clayton was urged to reorganize it, but preferring the -active service of the field to coast duty, he returned home, organized the -Thirty-ninth Alabama regiment, and offered it to the Confederacy. Assigned -to duty in the army under General Bragg, Colonel Clayton led his troops -into the battle of Murfreesboro, where he received a wound. After a leave -of thirty days, he returned to his command, though his wound was yet -unhealed, and was surprised by the receipt of his commission as a -brigadier general. - -His command became noted in the western army for its fighting qualities, -and "Clayton's Brigade" was the synonym of dash and courage in all the -active campaigns of the western army, and in its long series of conflicts, -this intrepid brigade was engaged. After the battle of New Hope Church, in -which engagement General Clayton was again wounded, he was made a major -general, which commission he held till the surrender of Johnston in North -Carolina. In addition to the wound received at Murfreesboro, he was -knocked from his horse by a grapeshot at Chickamauga, and at Jonesboro he -had three horses either killed or disabled under him. - -After his return home at the close of hostilities, General Clayton was -elected judge of the eighth judicial circuit, in which position he served -till his removal under the reconstruction regime. After that time, he -devoted himself to law and to planting, in both of which he was -successful. - -After an unsuccessful candidacy for the governorship, General Clayton -later became the president of the State University, in which capacity he -served to the close of his life. - -General Clayton was an excellent type of the old-time Southern gentleman. -Free and cordial in intercourse with friends, hospitable, and jovial, he -was deservedly one of the most popular citizens of the state, as well as -one of the most prominent. He left a record cherished alike by the -soldiers of his old command, by the students of the university, and by the -people of a great state. - - - - -JAMES F. DOWDELL - - -During his career, Col. James F. Dowdell occupied a number of important -and responsible positions. He became a citizen of Alabama at the age of -twenty-eight, when he removed from Georgia to East Alabama and entered on -the practice of law. His parents were Virginians, his mother being a -remote relative of Henry Clay. - -Colonel Dowdell was favored by superior conditions in the outset of life, -being a graduate from Randolph-Macon College, which has long ranked as one -of the best in the South. He was also favored by superior legal training, -having studied law under Gen. Hugh Haralson, of LaGrange, Ga. - -The gifts and acquirements of Colonel Dowdell were rather unusual. While -thoroughly independent in thought, he was modest in his disposition. -Unobtrusive, he was yet firm in moral steadiness. Drawn within the circle -of enticement by reason of a varied public life, he maintained a character -unsmirched, and was honored for his uncompromising preservation of virtue. -In this respect, the tenor of his life was uniform. In public and in -private, always, he was the same. Nothing fell from his lips that the most -refined lady might not hear. Yet in intellectual combat on the hustings, -or on the floor of congress, where mind clashed again mind, he was always -an antagonist to be accounted with. While in the rush and onset of debate, -he never failed to stop at the boundary of propriety. There was an -instinctive halt and shrinkage in the presence of wrong. Nothing could -betray him beyond. - -On the entrance of Colonel Dowdell into public life, which was but a few -years after his removal to the state, he was brought into sharp contact -with several of the intellectual giants for which that period of the -state's history was noted. Five years after becoming a citizen of Alabama, -he offered for the legislature, and though defeated in his first canvass, -he succeeded in so impressing the people with his forcefulness, that the -following year he was chosen as an elector on the Pierce ticket. This -afforded an opportunity for the deepening of the impression on the public, -and a year later he was rewarded by his adopted district with a seat in -the national congress. By a political move some time later, however, he -was placed at a disadvantage. The congressional districts of the state -having been reorganized in 1853, he was thrown into the district in which -Montgomery was. But reliant on the public for a due recognition of his -record, he did not hesitate to offer for re-election in opposition to Hon. -Thomas H. Watts, a competitor of gigantic power, skilled in debate, and -perfectly familiar with current questions. This was the period when -know-nothingism was rampant, and as a political fad, novel and striking, -gave to its adherents the advantage of the excitement which it produced. -The contest with Mr. Watts was a notable one, the district was agitated as -never before by the contesting aspirants, and Mr. Dowdell won by a narrow -majority. He regarded this as one of the most decisive victories of his -life. - -Returning to congress for a second term in 1855, he was again opposed at -the end of the next two years, in 1857, by Col. Thomas J. Judge, then in -the prime of his intellectual vigor. Again, the greatest forces of Colonel -Dowdell were summoned into exercise, again was conducted a notable -campaign, and again Colonel Dowdell won. Never violent, and yet never -shrinking from an onset in a contest, he had a manner of meeting it, which -while it showed he was unafraid, he was thoroughly intent on doing right -in each instance, and disdained to seize the slightest advantage, unless -it was compatible with the code of right. This did not fail to challenge -the attention of the crowds, and elicited not a little popular acclaim. - -The reputation gained in two campaigns, the conditions of both of which -made them unusually noteworthy, served to increase the grip of Colonel -Dowdell at Washington, and profuse were the congratulations of his peers, -when fresh from the combat, he returned to resume his duties at the -national capital. At home he came to be regarded as invincible, in which -opinion some of the lions of the state capital shared. These two contests -fixed for all time his reputation in Alabama. The peculiar cast of his -ability came to be recognized, he was honored for his sense of absolute -fairness, and trusted for his integrity. He had opened the door of -opportunity which no man could shut. - -After having served in congress for three consecutive terms, Colonel -Dowdell voluntarily withdrew, and retired to private life for somewhat -more than a year. The rumblings of approaching war were already in the -air, the result of which no thoughtful man of the time could for a moment -doubt. War was inevitable. It was a time which called for all the ablest. - -From his retirement, Colonel Dowdell was summoned to become a delegate to -the secession convention of Alabama. The war followed, and Colonel Dowdell -raised a regiment of volunteers, the Thirty-seventh Alabama, which -regiment was assigned to duty in the west, under Gen. Albert Sidney -Johnson. At Corinth, Colonel Dowdell was distinguished by coolness and -courage at the head of his command. Some time later, his frail -constitution gave way under the exposure and hardship of the camp and -march, and he was forced to retire. Nor was this step voluntarily taken, -because he declined to withdraw because of the detriment of the example, -and for other reasons, and did so only under orders from a medical board. -He was unable to re-enter the army, and addressed himself to his private -affairs, aiding in every way possible in the promotion of the cause. - -After the war, Colonel Dowdell became the president of the East Alabama -College, at Auburn, then a school under the auspices of the Methodist -Episcopal Church, South. This school subsequently became the Alabama -Polytechnic Institute, which it now is. In this new position, Colonel -Dowdell served for a number of years with signal ability. While never a -pastor, he was a preacher, and frequently served in the pulpit as a -minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Distinguished in all -things that he assumed, or in all positions to which he was called, -Colonel Dowdell was most distinguished for his incorruptible character and -piety of life. He died in 1871, died as he had lived--a man of piety, an -ornament to public life, in private life a fearless citizen, an honor to -his church, and one of the first citizens of the state. - - - - -LAFAYETTE GUILD - - -Of the medical profession of Alabama, the man who attained the greatest -distinction during the Civil War, was Dr. LaFayette Guild, of Tuscaloosa. -He was of a family distinguished in medicine, his father, Dr. James Guild, -being one of the most skillful physicians in the country. His operations -in surgery ranked with those of Dr. Valentine Mott, of New York. - -Dr. LaFayette Guild graduated with the highest degree conferred by the -University of Alabama, at the age of twenty. His mental, social and -scholastic equipments were of the highest quality, for at that period, -none were more highly favored than he. The advantages of a cultured -Christian home, the station of which was in the best Southern society, and -the stimulus of a literary center, were his, to all of which advantages -were added his own energy, application, and diligence. - -At the period of his graduation from the University of Alabama, the one -great school of medicine was recognized to be the Jefferson Medical -College, of Philadelphia. After a three years' course he was graduated -from that famous institution. He was a great favorite at the medical -college, admired as much for his culture and gentleness of disposition, as -for the scholastic rank that he held. The tenderness of his sympathy was -shown by the fact that the first time he witnessed the dissection of a -human cadaver, he fainted, while another side of his character was shown, -when at one time he saved the life of a fellow student by sucking the -poison from an accidental wound inflicted while operating. These -sufficiently reveal the type of the man that he was. - -There was not wanting a strain of the chivalrous dash in Dr. Guild, who, -while he loved his profession, was not content to follow the usual humdrum -of the physician's life, and consequently chose to adopt the military -phase of the profession. He was accordingly appointed an assistant surgeon -in the regular army at the age of twenty-four, and assigned to duty, in -1849, at Key West, Florida. - -In this semi-tropical region, he was as enthusiastic in his scientific -research as he had ever been. From Florida he was transferred to -Governor's Island, off Boston, where he was able to bring into requisition -the results of his researches in Southern Florida. His valuable service -was shown in the prevention of yellow fever from infected ships from the -tropics. While stationed at Governor's Island, Dr. Guild wrote a treatise -on yellow fever, which was published by the government. He was the first -to insist stoutly that yellow fever is infectious, though not contagious, -a theory then new, but now accepted. - -Nothing relative to the health of the army escaped his trained eye. About -the time about which we are now writing, a meat biscuit which was issued -to the army, became quite popular, but he condemned it as unhealthful, and -was instrumental in inducing its discontinuance. - -From Boston, Dr. Guild was assigned to duty on the Pacific Coast, where -Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston commanded the Pacific Coast division of the -regular army. Dr. Guild's official duties were such as to enable him to -witness many scenes of Indian warfare in the Far West. It was while he was -serving on the Pacific Coast that the rupture came between the North and -the South. Promptly sacrificing his accumulated means, and the popular and -lucrative position which he had gained in the army, he resigned, turned -his face southward, visited his old home in Tuscaloosa, and repaired to -Richmond, where in July, 1861, he was appointed a surgeon in the -Confederate army. The following month, he was sent by the Confederate -government on a tour of inspection of the hospitals throughout the South. - -On his return to Richmond, Dr. Guild was assigned to duty at the front, -where his relations with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston became the most intimate, -and the families of both constituted a charming circle of army society. -Dr. Guild was among many others who insisted that General Johnston was -among the greatest strategists of either army. - -When General Johnston was wounded at Seven Pines, and General Lee took -command, one of the first inquiries of General Lee was: "Where is Dr. -Guild? Tell him to report to me at once." It was on the battle field of -Seven Pines that Dr. Guild was made medical director and chief surgeon of -the army of Northern Virginia, which position he held to the close of the -war. This position placed him on General Lee's staff, and from that time -till the close of the long and bloody tragedy, Dr. Guild sustained the -closest personal relationship with the greatest southern chieftain. - -When General Lee invaded Pennsylvania, he was one day riding through a -town at the head of his troops, the people of which town gave every -demonstration of hostility to the Confederates. From the windows and -balconies of the homes, the women waved flags and accompanied their -demonstrations with hissing and jeering. From all this the delicate and -sensitive nature of Lee shrank, and, turning to one of his aides, he said: -"Bring Drs. Guild and Breckenridge to the front." Two more graceful and -commanding personages were not in the army, and when they came galloping -up, General Lee quietly placed himself between them, and the three rode -abreast. With characteristic modesty, General Lee later explained his -reason for summoning the two physicians to the front, by saying he felt -sure "the ladies would not ridicule two such handsome men and splendid -horsemen as the two distinguished physicians." - -The war being over, Dr. Guild went to Mobile, and though still practically -a young man, he was wrecked in health by the strain and exposure incident -to the long war. His energetic spirit strove with his disabled body, and -he entertained the hope that by carefully husbanding his remaining -strength he might be able to recuperate. His plan was to begin life over -again by entering on private practice in the Gulf city. But his valuable -services were soon summoned to another sphere, for he was made quarantine -inspector of Mobile during a scourge of yellow fever, and by his skill and -diligence stayed its ravages. In 1869, Dr. Guild removed to San Francisco -with the hope of resuscitation in an equable climate, but he did not long -survive his removal, for on July 4, 1870, he died of rheumatism of the -heart in the little town of Marysville, California. - - - - -M. W. ABERNETHY - - -One act is sufficient to distinguish a man if it be of sufficient merit -and dimension. It is not only those who are eminent leaders in the field -or forum that deserve recognition and encomium at the hands of a grateful -people, but others as well, provided that their lives justify it. - -Quite out of the current of distinction as that element is recognized, -even in the eddies of life, are wrought deeds and lived lives as worthy of -applause as that provoked by the flashing sword or the eloquent lip. Nor -is it necessary that one be classed among the humble, because of that done -aside of the pre-eminent side of life. - -In this connection, the name of Major Miles W. Abernethy deserves to be -presented among those who wrought in contribution to the erection of our -commonwealth. A citizen of Calhoun County, he was a native of North -Carolina, where he was born on July 22, 1807. He was thirty-two years old -when he came from Lincoln County, that of his birth in the Old North -State, and settled in Alabama. Choosing as his home Jacksonville, where he -located as a merchant in 1839, he at once became an interested sharer in -the stirring times of that period. Alabama had now come to giant statehood -through the throes of initial struggle, and had, through her distinguished -sons, won an enviable place in the councils of the nation. Besides, the -internal improvement and vastness of the resources of the state had given -it a place among the commercial factors of the nation. - -The reputation of the state reaching Major Abernethy, served to lure him -thither in the maturity of his years, and he quietly and yet actively -entered on his career as a merchant at Jacksonville. Fixed in character, -matured in judgment, affable of manner, cultured, and possessed of a -breadth of vision much above the ordinary, he was not long in winning his -way to the confidence and esteem of the people among whom he settled. -Three years after reaching the state, he was chosen from the county, then -called Benton, to represent his constituency in the lower branch of the -state legislature, where he served with quiet and efficient ability for a -period of years. - -The monotonous routine of legislative work did not at first impress him, -and he retired after the expiration of a term or two, and resumed -merchandising and planting. However, one of his type of intelligence and -of general interest, could not be indifferent to the current affairs of a -state forging forward in development, and now a genuine factor in affairs -national. - -In 1885 he was again summoned to public life by being chosen to represent -his district in the state senate. His previous experience and intervening -and undiminished interest in public matters, had afforded him an increased -stock of qualification, and he returned to the functions of publicity with -greater force than before. Cautious, prudent, conservative and regarding -the public good with a disinterestedness wholly devoid of future -consideration of self, the counsel of Major Abernethy was in constant -demand concerning the issues pending before the general assembly. - -An ardent Democrat, and a disciple of the Calhoun school, Major Abernethy -was intent on the change of the name of the county of his residence from -that of Benton, to that of Calhoun, which name it now bears. He was one of -the committee of three appointed by the legislature to receive the new -capitol building at Montgomery, when the location was changed from -Tuscaloosa. - -But the crowning act in the life and career of Major Abernethy, and one -that gives to him a permanent place on the roster of the great and useful -among Alabamians, was his creation of the idea of founding the deaf and -dumb asylum at Talladega. Having conceived the plan of this institution -for the unfortunate, Major Abernethy put behind it his force and skill, -and rested not till it was crowned with consummation. - -Had Major Abernethy never done anything more, even though he had emerged -from obscurity, and had succeeded as he did in this undertaking of -humanitarian achievement, his name would be worthy of immortal embalmment -in the historic records of Alabama. With clearness of business judgment, -coupled with a heart of interest and of sympathy for the unfortunate, this -man, who was as gentle in sentiment as he was vigorous in great execution, -grappled with a large undertaking, and halted not till it wore the -capstone of completion. That institution stands, as it has stood for a -half century or more, not alone as a relief of one of the most -unfortunate classes of humanity, but as a monument to Major Miles W. -Abernethy. - -But his record does not end here. He was fifty-five years old when the war -between the states began, and because of a crippled hand, he could not -enter the ranks of the regular service, yet he offered his service to the -Confederate government, to render what aid he might in a struggling cause. -He was commissioned a major, and assigned to duty in the town of his -residence. His capacious and splendid home in Jacksonville became a noted -resort of rest and of recuperation to the sick and wounded of the southern -armies, every man of which classes, no matter what his condition, whether -cultured or ignorant, met a greeting of cordiality at the thresh-hold of -the Abernethy mansion. If he wore a gray uniform, he bore the credentials -of worth to the inmates of that hospitable home. Here he was tenderly -cared for till able to resume his place in the ranks, and with a blessing -from the princely proprietor, he would take his leave. Beyond this still -his beneficence extended. The families of the absent veterans were sought -out, far and near, and cared for by this prince of benefactors. All this -was done with an affableness and a tenderness so unostentatious, that -frequently only the recipients of his bounties and the inmates of his home -were aware of it. - -Thus lived and wrought this noble citizen of Alabama, and this is the -imperfect tribute to his worthy life and noble deeds. - - - - -GEORGE S. HOUSTON - - -No series of sketches of Alabama's great men would be complete with the -omission of the name of Gov. George Smith Houston. His services were -distinguished, and were rendered at a time when they could not have been -more prized. This applies with special force to his services as governor. -Endowed with peculiar powers which fitted him for a crisis, these powers -were brought into active requisition during his incumbency of the -gubernatorial chair of the state. - -Alabama was confronted by a dire crisis, and a man of many-sidedness and -unique force was needed to meet it. The state had been gutted of its means -and facilities of operation; the treasury was empty; the people -demoralized, and the credit of the state sadly impaired. To fail under -conditions like these, would have been fatal, and yet the lowest point of -depression had been reached. The situation called for exalted and peculiar -virtues. Robust manliness, rugged pluck which stood not on the order of -its going, ability not only to compass a situation, but to grapple with -it, a force of statesmanlike constructiveness, and a spirit which would -not quail before colossal difficulties--all these were needed to revive a -suspended interest, which is the most difficult of all tasks. - -To enumerate these is to describe Gov. George S. Houston. He was gifted -with a power to sway men, had an eye to details the most minute, business -acumen, familiarity with public affairs, patience to labor and to wait, -and not least of all, physical endurance. He was an extraordinary man, and -no governor has had more odds to encounter, nor has one ever met his -obligation with more fidelity. With the state palsied in every pulse by -misrule and wanton waste, he seized the reins, and from the outset guided -the affairs of the commonwealth with the skill of a trained statesman. - -The slogan of the time was retrenchment and reform. This alliterative -legend was the watchword of the incoming administration. He met the issue -like a combatant in the arena. He came not with empty demonstrations. No -profuse promises filled the air. It was not promise that was needed, but -performance. The tremendous task was assumed, and its execution has made -the name of Houston forever famous in the chronicles of Alabama. Whatever -others may have done, none have done more for Alabama than George S. -Houston. Pre-eminent as his greatness was, Mr. Houston was not unschooled -in the affairs of the public when he was called to the chair of the -governorship, in 1874. He had seen much of public life. Beginning life as -a lawyer in 1831, he was made a legislator the next year, then came a -career as a solicitor in his district, and within ten years after entering -on public life he was sent to congress. His career in congress was a -prolonged and notable one. With one slight intermission he was retained in -congress for eighteen years, extending from 1841 to 1859. It was generally -conceded in his district that he was an invincible candidate, for one -after another of some of the most prominent men of the district were -defeated by him, and some of them more than once. - -His congressional career was distinguished by his positions as chairman of -military affairs, chairman of the ways and means committee, and chairman -of the judiciary. If this distinction has been exceeded by any one, the -instance is not recalled. Certainly up to that time it had never been true -of any other, and was a matter of comment at the time. - -Politically, Mr. Houston was a Unionist and, therefore, opposed to the -war. In this he was not unlike many others. But Unionist as he was, he -suffered along with the others from the disastrous invasion to which North -Alabama was subjected, declining with characteristic firmness to take the -oath of allegiance to the United States government. Though honored by the -people of Alabama with an election to the senate in 1865, his seat was -denied him at Washington and he practiced law in Athens till 1874, when he -was triumphantly elected governor of the state, under the conditions -already described. He made a heroic canvass of the state, and greatly -impressed the people everywhere with his peculiar fitness for the position -for which he had been nominated. - -It is related that on one occasion, when Mr. Houston was to speak in a new -town in the interior, the people of the town and of the region round about -were all agog over the disposal of the great candidate on his arrival. -There was but one painted dwelling in the town, and that belonged to a -well-to-do widow, who took it in a complimentary way that her home should -be selected for the entertainment of the distinguished visitor. The day of -the speaking arrived, and so did the speaker. The town was filled with -country folk, drawn together to see and hear the man about which so much -was being said. On his arrival, Mr. Houston was taken to "the white -house," where a sumptuous dinner awaited him. He was assigned to one end -of the table, while the hostess occupied the other, no others being -present except the waiters. Mr. Houston was invited with genuine country -hospitality by the good woman, "Now, just help yourself, you see what's -before you." Mr. Houston was an excellent converses and while keeping up a -fusillade of conversation, he nibbled at the food, but really ate but -little. Though hungry, and not without ample gastronomical powers, Mr. -Houston ate quite moderately. He soon finished the meal, and in wonder -that her guest should prize her elaborate spread so lightly, the -hospitable hostess rather chided him with, "Why, you don't eat anything. I -got you the best dinner I could, and here it is, you don't eat." With -characteristic courtliness, Mr. Houston said, "Madame, should I follow the -dictates of my inclination, I should eat everything you have on your -table. I have never tasted food that was better, and it requires restraint -for me not to indulge to the fullest. But do you see that big crowd out -yonder. I have to speak at once, and be away to another appointment for -tonight. Should I eat as I am tempted, I should be too full for -utterance." "Well, now," said the good woman, "that's what I've often -hearn 'em say, an empty barrel sounds the loudest." Governor Houston used -to relate this incident with great gusto. - -Many were the anecdotes related of him as the retrenchment and reform -governor of the state. One of these illustrates the rigid management of -affairs, under Governor Houston. It was reported to him that the wells for -the supply of water on the capitol grounds were in an unsavory condition -and needed to be rid of their unwholesome water, each of which contained a -great deal. He caused it to be known that he was seeking one who would do -the work at the lowest figure of clearing out the wells. The cheapest -offer made was $7. The economic genius cudgelled his brain a bit, and the -happy thought occurred to him of inviting the fire companies of the city -to enter a contest on the capitol grounds, and so the invitation was -extended to them to come to the capitol, and in the presence of the -governor test their rival ability in seeking to throw the water highest on -the dome. - -The day was appointed, due notice of the contest given, and a crowd -assembled to witness the proceedings. The full wells were placed at their -disposal, and streams and jets of water played toward the summit of the -dome. When it was over the governor, as an interested spectator, appeared -before the successful contestant, made a speech on the value of fire -companies, lauded the merits of the company that threw the water highest, -and amid yells, the crowd dispersed. The wells were cleansed, the fire -companies pleased, and $7 saved to the treasury of Alabama in vindication -of a policy of retrenchment and reform. His policy arrested ruin in -Alabama, restored confidence, re-established the credit of the state, and -started it on a fresh career of prosperity. - -Governor Houston was honored by an election to the United States senate, -but died before he could enter on his duties, his death occurring at -Athens on January 17, 1879. - - - - -JOHN T. MORGAN - - -Among the many distinguished sons of Alabama, none is held in higher or -more deserving esteem, than the late Senator John Tyler Morgan. He was a -man eminent of gifts, of the highest culture, and of reigning ability. -Patriot, statesman, jurist, orator, he was all of these in a pre-eminent -sense, the recognition of which was shown in many instances, and through a -long succession of years. The record of no man produced by the state is -more interwoven into Alabama history than is that of this distinguished -citizen. Nor is his fame based on other than on superior merit. - -Not less distinguished is he in the annals of the nation. For a long -period of years, Mr. Morgan was retained in the National Senate, a tower -of strength, the acknowledged leader of southern statesmanship, the equal -of any in the country. A great constitutional lawyer, he stood the chief -exponent and champion of the constitution in the senate of the United -States. - -An arduous and industrious worker, his labors in behalf of Alabama were -unremitting during a long term of years. The sturdy Welsh blood in his -veins gave to him a steadfastness of poise, together with an immensity of -reserve force which was meted out only in response to demand. Never -spasmodic or impulsive, but steady and ready, he responded always with -gigantic ability, and with a power exercised in such way as to be most -effective. Possessed of a wide compass of valuable information, which -sought expression in facility and fluency of diction, Morgan came to be a -source of authority in the senate. When he spoke, all men listened with -profound respect. - -The name of Morgan descends from Revolutionary times, during which period -it was represented by the famous General Daniel Morgan, who was among the -distinguished officers of the first American army. Along the years of the -history of America the name appears in different connections and always -with credit. General John H. Morgan, the daring Confederate cavalry -leader, was a kinsman of Senator John T. Morgan. The family was noted for -its longevity, the father of Senator Morgan dying at the advanced age of -ninety-four. - -Mr. Morgan pursued his legal studies under his brother-in-law, William P. -Chilton. With the same assiduity with which he did all that he undertook, -he addressed himself to the acquisition of the profound principles of the -law. From the beginning, he was a most diligent student, a skillful -pleader, and a successful advocate. His first appearance in public life -was on the occasion of the Alabama convention which chose delegates to the -famous Charleston convention in 1860. The state convention of that -particular date was composed of the giants of the state. Morgan was then -just thirty-six years old, and his ability was unknown save in the local -courts in which he practiced. - -Sent as a delegate from Dallas County to the convention already named, he -had just entered the hall when he heard his name called by the secretary -as the chairman of the committee on credentials. He had heard much in the -corridors of the hotels where the air was vibrant with the discussion of -contesting delegations, in which discussions many of the most prominent -men of the state shared. Devoted to his profession, he had never taken any -active share in public questions, but was interested in the informal -discussions. - -On hearing the announcement of his name on entering the hall, he mounted a -chair, addressed the presiding officer, and was about to decline the honor -of the chairmanship, when Judge George W. Stone pulled his coat and begged -him not to finish his sentence as he had begun it, but to change it and -call his committee together. Yielding to the judgment of his senior -friend, he did as he was bidden. - -The work of the committee was both laborious and irksome, and many -delicate and sensitive features were involved in the task committed to Mr. -Morgan. There was no avoidance of a storm on its presentation. The storm -followed its submission. The young advocate, all unknown to the body, -mingled in the forensic fray in a manly defense of his report, and so ably -was it sustained by his power of presentation of the reasons for its -adoption, and so tactfully did he parry the blows of the giants who came -against him in the contest, that the question was heard all around--"Who -is Morgan?" The brilliancy of his oratory, and the skill which he -exhibited in debate, caught the attention of the public on that occasion, -and he never again sank from view till his remains were deposited in the -tomb. - -His ability established on that occasion led to his becoming an elector in -the approaching presidential contest in behalf of Breckenridge and Lane. -An elector for the state at large, he canvassed Alabama throughout, and -came to be known first, as an orator of great resource and power. This, in -turn, led to his choice as a member of the secession convention of -Alabama. - -When the war began, he became major of the Fifth Alabama Regiment, and on -the reorganization of the regiment, was chosen lieutenant colonel of that -command. Authorized by the war department to raise a cavalry regiment, he -returned to Alabama and did so. Going with his new regiment to the western -army, he was later assigned to the headship of the conscript bureau in -Alabama, according to the request of the Alabama delegation in congress. -Later still, he was notified by General R. E. Lee that he had been made a -brigadier general and assigned to the command of Rode's old brigade. While -on his way to the Virginia front, he learned in Richmond of the death of -Colonel Webb, who had been associated with him in raising the cavalry -regiment, and that he (Morgan) had been elected again to the colonelcy of -the regiment. On learning this, he declined the offered promotion in the -Army of Northern Virginia, and returned. He was again made a brigadier -general, and toward the close of the war was in the command of a division -in the Tennessee army. - -During the period of the reconstruction, General Morgan became the most -sturdy and famous champion of the people of Alabama, and greatly endeared -himself to them by his incessant labor in resisting the encroachments on -their rights. When, at last the power of reconstruction was broken, he -was, in 1876, elected to the national senate to succeed the notorious -George E. Spencer. From that time till his death, he was the political -idol of the Democratic party in the state of Alabama. For full thirty -years he served with distinguished ability in the senate, and died in the -harness of a statesman. - -One of the chief characteristics of Senator Morgan was his ability to -think with unerring accuracy on his feet. His ability to husband rapidly -his resources was remarkable. Nor in presenting these resources was there -ever a lack of classic diction. His chaste elegance commanded the -attention of every listener, especially since it was voiced in musical -tones. His power of application and his tenacity came to be known as -dominant factors of his life. Once enlisted in a cause, he espoused it -with undiminished zeal to the end. For many years he bent all his energy -toward the construction of the Nicaraguan Canal, and resisted the change -to that of the Panama Canal, and was fearless in his denunciation of the -measures adopted to bring about the change, but was forced to yield to the -numerical strength of partisanship. Another remarkable power which he -possessed was that of physical endurance. During the contest in the senate -over the Force bill he held the floor all night, speaking so as to consume -the time, and thereby prevent the passage of that measure. - -Not Alabama alone, but the entire South owes to General Morgan a debt of -gratitude for the fearlessness of his defense of the South when an able -defender was most needed. - -With a versatility which seemed without limit, Senator Morgan was always -prepared for any great junctures that might arise. He was equally at home -upon a great constitutional question, an issue of broad policy, or a -tangled principle of international law. His career marks an era of -greatness in the history of the state. - - - - -JAMES L. PUGH - - -For solid and substantial worth without ornament or frippery, no son of -Alabama has surpassed the Hon. James L. Pugh. His presence and bearing and -his conversation and speeches conveyed the same idea. Utterly without -ostentation, he acted and spoke with an evident absence of -self-consciousness. - -Mr. Pugh was a man of stable rather than of brilliant qualities, hence he -was an intensely practical man. He was indifferent to nothing of interest, -was never superficial, and regarded everything from the viewpoint of the -practical. He was studious, judicial in his cast of mind, of conservative -temperament, and deliberate of speech. Often animated in public address, -he was never excitable or explosive. His every utterance indicated -deliberation. - -The year of his birth was identical with that of the admission of Alabama -into the Union--1819. He came from hardy North Carolina stock, and was -brought by his father to Alabama when he was only four years old. At -eleven he was an orphan boy, a most precarious condition for one so young -in a frontier state. A bare-footed boy, left largely to shift for himself, -he afforded an index of his future worth and greatness, by engaging to -ride the country mail on Saturdays in order to provide means for the -payment of his tuition during the remainder of the week. Later, while yet -a youth, he became a clerk in a dry goods establishment in Eufaula, where -he obtained frugally hoarded means with which to prosecute his studies, -meanwhile looking forward to the law as a profession. After a severe -taxation of strength during the day as a clerk, he would study late at -night, and by such studious application, qualified himself for entrance on -his legal studies. He studied law in the office of John Gill Shorter, who -afterward became governor of Alabama. - -After the entrance of Mr. Pugh on the practice of law for a number of -years, he was chosen an elector on the Taylor ticket, and later still, was -a Buchanan elector. Thus, before the people, his way to congress was -opened, and as a member of the house of representatives he was chosen in -1858. The outbreak of the war occurring two years later, like all other -southern members, he withdrew from congress, shared in the secession -sentiment of the state, and was among the first to enlist as a volunteer -from Alabama in the service of the Confederacy. He was enrolled as a -private soldier in the first Alabama regiment of infantry. - -He shouldered his musket and went with his command to Pensacola, where he -underwent all the fortunes of a soldier in the ranks, declining any -consideration because of the position which he had held as a member of the -national congress. Numerous were the offers made him by his comrades to -assume his duties, and thus relieve him of hardship, but all this he -politely declined, and met the exactions of military duty with cheerful -alacrity. His position was one that tested his mettle, for often beneath -the blazing sun he was engaged in common with his comrades in throwing up -earthworks. The regiment of which he was a member, was ordered to -Paducah, Kentucky, where he served for a year, when his constituents -recalled him by electing him a member of the Confederate congress. In his -first race he had no opposition, but in the second campaign, in 1863, he -had three opponents, but was a second time elected, and served the state -in the congress of the Confederacy till the downfall of the government. No -one was more loyal to the young government than Mr. Pugh, for there was -not a month, of the four years of its career, that he was not engaged in -its service. After the capitulation of the armies, he returned to Eufaula, -and resumed the practice of law. - -An ardent southerner and patriot, he naturally shared in the resistance -against carpetbag rule, and as occasion would demand he would lend -assistance to his struggling people, though he sought no office, but was -rigid in his devotion to his profession. In the memorable contest of 1876, -he was a Tilden elector, and made an active canvass in this and other -states. In 1875, when the backbone of reconstruction was broken, he was -chosen a member of the state constitutional convention, and rendered -valuable service as one of the most prominent members of that body. - -In appreciation of worth and service, Mr. Pugh was chosen a National -Senator from Alabama in 1880, and was a yoke-fellow of John T. Morgan in -the senate for the space of eighteen years. It was universally conceded -that no state had a stronger brace of senators than Alabama during that -period of southern rehabilitation. He was not conspicuous as a speechmaker -in the senate chamber, though he was not silent, for as occasion demanded -he was heard, and always effectively. When he did arise to speak, he -commanded universal attention, partly because of the high esteem in which -he was held, and partly because it was understood that when Senator Pugh -spoke it was with well-digested views on measures of great importance. He -retired from the senate in 1897, being at that time seventy-seven years -old, and returned to his home at Eufaula, where he resided till his death. - -A review of the career of Mr. Pugh will reveal the fact that in all his -emergencies from private life it was in response to recognized duty. He -was not spectacular, and never relied on his oratory for popular acclaim. -His power before the people lay in his impressiveness as a solid speaker, -for no one could listen to him without the impression of the intensity of -his conviction. Whether always right or not, he believed it, and therefore -spoke. Only when he felt that he could be of service was that service -tendered. No more convincing expression of his patriotism could be -afforded than when as a returned congressman he quietly enlisted as a -private in the ranks of the army, at a time when men vastly inferior to -him were solicitous for commissions. This affords an index of the -sturdiness of the character of Senator Pugh. No position ever held by him -was characterized by other than by the most substantial efficiency. No man -who ever represented Alabama in any sphere was more practically and -patriotically loyal than James Lawrence Pugh. - - - - -ANSON WEST - - -The Rev. Anson West, D.D., was the chief Methodist historian of the state. -While the work of which he is the author properly relates itself to the -history of Methodism in Alabama, there is much collateral history -necessarily embraced within its compass which makes it a valuable -contribution to the archives of the state. In its scope, his history -extends from the earliest settlement of Alabama by the whites, to a period -well within the last decade of the nineteenth century--a span of well nigh -a hundred years. - -The history of a people such as the Methodists are, and have been from the -fountain source of statehood, and even before, is not without immense -value. Methodists have been a mighty force in Alabama, and still are, and -the record of their achievements affecting all the orbits of life is a -mighty stimulus, as is all history, for, as Goethe puts it, "The best -thing which we derive from history is the enthusiasm that it raises in -us." - -But the service rendered the state by Dr. Anson West is not to be -restricted to his history of Methodism. He was a tower of strength in his -generation, a man of commanding pulpit ability, a scholar of decided -literary taste, and a character possessed of originality of thought and -boldness of expression which challenged admiration, even though it did not -always carry conviction. Not unlike most preachers, especially of the -Methodist and Baptist ranks, of the period when his life dawned into -manhood. Dr. West was a typical polemicist. In those early days of -ecclesiastical controversy, the man who could wield the most trenchant -blade, and deal the heaviest blows, elicited the most popular applause. -Dr. West was a born debater, and every antagonist found him full panoplied -and never averse to vindicate lustily any cause which he might espouse. -Still he was a cultured gentleman, and numbered many friends among those -with whom he denominationally differed. Nor were his disputations directed -alone against those of an opposite school of theology, but within the pale -of his own people his sword was often brandished in the espousal of a view -which he cherished. It was in the field of controversy that Dr. West was -at his best. Happily, those days of controversy, often not conducted in -the gentlest spirit, are well behind us, but the time was when the clash -of ecclesiastical combat resounded the country through. They had the -redeeming value of stimulating thought, producing much literature of a -sort, and creating schools which else would not have been. Not to be a -combatant in those early days, was to be a man of inertness and of narrow -influence. - -As has already been said, there was an independence of character in Dr. -West that awoke admiration in all capable of appreciating force and worth. -As firmly rooted as a mountain on its base, he was incapable of a -plausibility which veers toward unstableness. No matter in what relation, -there was no misunderstanding any position which was taken by Dr. West. -His countenance was an index to his firmness. He was sometimes firm even -to sternness, an inherent quality of his character which was doubtless -strengthened by the controversial period through which much of his early -life was passed. But to have known him with any degree of intimacy, was to -find that beneath a somewhat rugged exterior beat the heart of a genuine -man. Advancing age softened and mellowed much of that which often led to a -misunderstanding of his real nature. - -Among the productions from his pen was a work entitled "The State of the -Dead," which work reveals much research and profound study on a -much-mooted question. In the presentation of his views on divers subjects -Dr. West was not unaware of encountering opposition, sometimes on the part -of those with whom he was denominationally connected, but his convictions -were never bridled in the expression of the independence of thought. - -Nor was the life and career of Dr. West confined to his pulpit -ministrations, with an occasional excursion into the field of authorship. -He was a stalwart citizen and patriot, and with the courage of an Ajax he -was ever ready to pronounce his views, and to wield his battle-ax, if -necessary, in the advocacy of any question for the public weal. He was a -man, and whatever interested men interested Dr. West. He was a citizen as -well as a minister. - -Dr. West was an ardent advocate of education, and often his tongue and pen -were brought into requisition in the advocacy of this great cause. He had -his own views of this public interest, and to have them was to express and -to defend them. - -Dr. West was a devout Methodist, and from his native temperament he could -be none other than an intense one, but the compass of his being was too -great to circumscribe him to the boundaries of his own denomination in his -relations to others. Numerous were his friends and associations beyond the -pale of his own people. With the intensity and tenacity with which he -clung to his church, there was not sufficient power embodied within the -church to restrain him from a criticism of its policies or methods, if -they happened to run counter to his own convictions. With the uniqueness -of his individuality he impressed all with his earnestness and sincerity, -and, much as one might oppose him, he could not withhold regard for his -convictions. The sincerity of his convictions did not fail to find vent -through his powerful tongue and the sharp point of his pen. - -There was a wonderful blend of heroic manhood and unquestioned -spirituality in the life and character of Dr. West. This served to make -him impressive, and oftentimes powerful. Back of his often stern -declarations lay an unquestioned spiritual force, and the combination of -the two gave to Dr. West an assertiveness always to be reckoned with. His -gifts and acquirements fitted him for a high sphere in the councils of his -own communion, and while others differed with him, often widely, his -sincerity was never a question, nor was his integrity ever challenged. - -He passed through many testing periods during his eventful career, and -went from the earth leaving behind him a trail of influence for good, and -a vast contribution to the good of the public. He rests from his labors -and his works do follow him. - - - - -EUGENE A. SMITH - - -The name of Eugene Allen Smith belongs to the roll of distinguished -Alabama scholars. Autauga is his native county, where he was born October -27, 1841. Academic training was given him at Prattville, in his native -county, till 1855, after which he went to Philadelphia to school, for a -period of four years. On his return to Alabama, in 1859, he entered the -junior class of the University of Alabama. The emergency of the times led -to the adoption of a military system of government for the university, and -Mr. Smith was a member of the first corps of cadets. - -The war interfered with his course, and in 1862, he, together with other -cadets, was detailed to go to Greenville to drill recruits at a camp of -instruction. He did not return to the university to graduate, but received -his degree of bachelor of arts from the university authorities, as the -course leading to that degree had practically been taken by him. -Commissioned as first lieutenant in one of the companies drilled at the -camp of instruction, Mr. Smith saw service on the field, both in Tennessee -and in Kentucky, sharing in the capture of Mumfordville, and in the battle -of Perryville. - -In recognition of his proficiency as a drill officer, Mr. Smith was -detailed to the University of Alabama as instructor in tactics, at which -post he continued till the end of hostilities between the states. Then he -began in earnest his scholastic career, for in 1865 he went to Europe, and -for three years studied in the Universities of Berlin, Goettingen, and -Heidelberg, devoting his time exclusively to the study of the sciences, -with special reference to chemistry, physics, botany, mineralogy, and -geology. - -Dr. Smith's course abroad was completed early in 1868, when he passed with -the highest grade, _summa cum laude_, an examination for the degree of -doctor of philosophy, having for his main subjects, mineralogy and -geology, and for minor subjects, chemistry and botany. After reaping his -degree, he remained still another semester at Heidelberg in attendance on -lectures. - -Possessed of an inquisitive and retentive mind, Dr. Smith, while in -Europe, spent much of his time on tours of observation and scientific -investigation in Russia, the Netherlands, the German states, Switzerland, -the region of the Tyrol, Austria, France, and Italy, and when he started -on his homeward trip he was engaged for a time in geological -investigations both in England and in Scotland. - -On his return to America, late in 1868, Dr. Smith went immediately to the -University of Mississippi, serving as assistant on a geological survey. -For three years he was devoted to the work of making chemical analyses of -soils for the survey, varying his investigations by an occasional -excursion into the cretaceous and tertiary formations of Mississippi, and -in 1871, he published his first paper, "On the Geology of the Mississippi -Bottom." - -During the following summer, Dr. Smith was elected to the chair of geology -and mineralogy of the University of Alabama. Two years later, in 1873, he -was appointed state geologist of Alabama, and for ten years his work on -the survey was gratuitously rendered to the state. In 1880 he rendered -valuable service in connection with the tenth census, furnishing reports -on Alabama and Florida for the cotton culture volumes of that census. - -While visiting Florida in connection with this mission, Dr. Smith -discovered that the greater part of the peninsula of Florida was underlaid -by a substratum of the Vicksburg or Eocene limestone, which comes to the -surface at intervals down the peninsula through the overlying Miocene and -later formations. The results of this tour were published in the American -Journal of Science for April, 1881. A more comprehensive paper was written -for the fourth report of the United States Entomological Commission, which -embodied a general description of the climate, geological and agricultural -features of the cotton-producing states. - -In connection with all this labor, Dr. Smith had charge of the departments -of chemistry and geology at the State University of Alabama for many -years. In 1888 a new chemical laboratory was erected at the university, -which addition, under the special direction of Dr. Smith, was thoroughly -equipped with all needed chemical apparatus, and is one of the best -chemical departments among those of the institutions of the South. - -In the meantime worthy honors came to Dr. Smith from different quarters. -He was appointed honorary commissioner to the Paris Exposition, from -Alabama, in 1878. He became a member of the American Association for the -Advancement of Science, serving as secretary and vice president of the -geological section, and serving also as a member of the committee -appointed by that body on the International Geological Congress and on the -Geological Congress Auxiliary of the Columbian Exposition. He is a charter -member of the Geological Society of America--of which he has been Vice -President, member of the council and President in 1913. He was appointed -to prepare the report of the American subcommittee on the Marine Cenozoic -for the International Geological Congress. - -Dr. Smith has long ranked the leading scientist of Alabama, and his -investigations in the field of geology have been of immense value to the -state and country. His connection with the state university has been one -of its chief elements of popularity. Modest and shrinking in disposition, -without the least obtrusiveness or assertion, he has not been estimated at -his real worth to the public, and only those who have been thrown into -immediate connection with him know of the enormity of his labor and of its -value to the state. The young men under his instruction, and the learned -faculty of the university prize his worth, and are unstinted in the -expression of their estimation of his services. No son of Alabama has been -more distinguished throughout America and among the savants abroad than -Dr. Eugene Allen Smith. - - - - -JAMES T. MURFEE - - -The real educator does more than to impart knowledge and acquaint with -principles with which to translate this knowledge into practical use--he -imparts himself. No youth falls under the influence of a great teacher -without taking with himself thereafter somewhat of that instructor. He is -not the great and successful educator who merely knows, but one who does, -as well. - -This was pre-eminently the dominant power of James Thomas Murfee, LL.D., -whose station in life and whose labors within the realm of education made -him distinguished throughout the South, and beyond. To him education was a -passion, not of the spasmodic sort which spends its force at theoretical -random, but which he built into constructive character in such way as -wisely to direct the instruction obtained. His idea was to build knowledge -into character, making the one a component of the other, and thus -construct manhood, not alone for usefulness in the ordinary humdrum of -life, but in order to invest the entire man with an atmosphere conducive -to making life radiant, delightful and useful--to teach one not alone to -do, but to be. This was the conception which Dr. Murfee had of a thorough -education. - -Swayed by this purpose, Dr. Murfee for a long period of years, taught in -several states, but the bulk of his lifework was done in Alabama. One -never met him without finding him buoyant with enthusiasm concerning -education. Nor did he expend his theories in mere phrasing, but reduced -them to actual practice. His was the enthusiasm of patience. His passion -was to make men, and to turn to practical account every advantage afforded -in the drill of the classroom to this end. He sought to excite assertion -of a salutary sort, and then to impart the power for its execution. There -are hundreds of men adorning the different vocations in this state and in -others, including the preacher in the pulpit, who gratefully trace the -inception of their success to this great teacher of youth. - -Indeed, the rule is well nigh universal that a genuinely successful man is -able to date the turning point of his life to the vital touch with some -superior character, from which thrill has been derived, and as life -broadens into stern practicalness, additional ingredients from the same -source are appropriated which continue to tincture and temper for good -throughout. While the recipients of these advantages may not be always -conscious of the derivation of these augmenting and contributory forces, -yet the fact remains that without the abiding presence of this once -dominant force, life might have been vastly different. - -There would come under the sway of this master of men, at the different -institutions in which he served, raw lads from obscure rural retreats, -unskilled, gawky, and awkward, yet within whom were powerful -possibilities, which the student of character and the incisive teacher -would detect, and, like the opaque diamond in the hand of the lapidary, -the crude youth would yield results often the most astonishing. - -Thus through multitudes who sat at his feet Dr. Murfee has been -instrumental in changing the faces of many communities, as his students -have taken their places in life. This expression is attributed to -Alexander the Great: "I am indebted to my father for living, but to my -teacher for living well." - -All this is suggested by the life and career of the great teacher now -under review. A life so long and so useful was necessarily varied. Born in -Southampton County, Virginia, on September 13, 1833, Dr. Murfee lived -through a number of the most stirring periods of our national history. His -collegiate career was at the Virginia Military Institute, from which he -was graduated with the rare distinction of never having received a demerit -in a school, the most rigid and exacting in scholastic work and -discipline. It is not surprising that the result was that he bore away the -highest honors of his class, which occurred in 1853. - -Dr. Murfee's gifts and disposition led him to the adoption of the vocation -of teaching, and he was called first to Lynchburg, Va., in that capacity; -then, later, to the chair of physical science in Madison College, -Pennsylvania. In 1860 he came to Alabama as professor of mathematics and -commandant of cadets at our state university. During the war that -followed, soon after his advent into the state, he became the lieutenant -colonel of the Forty-first Alabama Regiment, but resigned to resume his -duties at the University of Alabama. Near the close of the war, when the -state was overrun by the federals, he commanded the cadets in an -engagement at Tuscaloosa. - -After the close of the war Dr. Murfee was engaged as architect to design -and erect new buildings for the university, in place of the magnificent -edifices destroyed by the enemy, to which stupendous task he set his hand -and mind, recommending at the same time a new scheme of university -organization, all of which was accepted by the board of trustees, but he -was thwarted in his efforts by the reconstruction regime. - -Called in 1871 to the presidency of Howard College, then at Marion, which -institution had writhed in the throes incident to those troublous times, -he brought it to the front as one of the best institutions of its grade -then in the South. On the removal of Howard to Birmingham, in 1887, Dr. -Murfee was tendered the presidency of the college in its new location, but -preferred to remain at Marion, where he founded, in the original college -buildings, the Marion Institute, of which he was the superintendent until -1906, when he retired from active service on an annuity from the Carnegie -Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. This annuity was granted on -the basis of "long and distinguished service to the cause of education in -Alabama." - -In 1882, Dr. Murfee was appointed by President Harrison, a member of the -board of visitors to the West Point Military Academy. After his retirement -from active service, Dr. Murfee devoted his time leisurely to the -development of the educational foundation at Marion, that it might become -a source of perpetual strength to the state and to the South. On April 23, -1912, Dr. Murfee died at Miami, Fla., at the advanced age of seventy-nine -years. - - - - -ABRAM J. RYAN - - -"Father Ryan," as he is familiarly called, was Alabama's sweet singer. He -was a born poet, and sang because he could not help it. Emanating from the -heart, his plaintive strains go straight to the head. Yet he wrote only at -intervals. Moved by the afflatus which only a poet feels, he would now and -then take up his poetic pen and give voice to the minstrelsy of his soul. -His verse is merely fugitive snatches of song springing from an -imagination essentially poetic, and a heart subdued by religious emotion. -In no sense was poetry a profession with this charming lyrist, for he -himself tells us that his verses "were written at random--off and on, -here, there, anywhere--just when the mood came, with little of study and -less of art, and always in a hurry." - -Leaping warm from the heart and taking the wings of poesy, his thought -throbs with virility, and makes an appeal to the heart of another with a -force that is irresistible; visions of matchless beauty rose continually -before his imperial imagination and sought vent in song. - -Had Father Ryan subjected his thought to the lapidary finish of the -professional poet, it is doubtful if it would now be so popular. He wrote -as he was moved, the fervid thought seizing the first words within reach -as a vehicle, and thus they fall on the ear of the world. - -Simple songs his poems are, generally melancholy, meditative, pensive, the -chief virtue of them being that they touch the heart. His thoughts seem -to move in popular orbits in search of objects invested with the -plaintive. It is not the weirdness so often met with in Poe that one -encounters in the poetry of Ryan, but the touch of moaning, the sadness of -a burdened heart yearning and burning for that which it has not, but hopes -for and looks for in other realms yet unrevealed. Resounding corridors of -gloom, dimly lighted vestibules, processions of mourners moving till lost -in darkness, the chimes of melancholy airs heard by mystic ears, the -muffled footfall in mysterious darkness, the touch of vanished hands, the -outreach of timorous arms through the gloom for a kindred touch, the -sighing of a soul for its inheritance--these are the elements which -resound his verses through. - -Much of his poetry savors of his theologic thought and environment, and, -naturally enough, the object frequently pertains to that dear to the -devout Catholic; but it is not about the substance of his thought that we -here speak, but of his undoubted genius as a poet. Equal objection might -prevail against much that is written by other poets, as, for instance, the -substance of some of Poe's productions, whose "Annabel Lee" is heathen -throughout, but it is poetic in its every syllable. - -The symbols and paraphernalia of his church, its worship, and all that -pertains to it may be encountered in one way or another in the poetry of -Ryan, but the undoubted genius with which it is wrought and molded into -verse is that which fascinates the lover of poetry. - -That Father Ryan would have been pre-eminent in poetry had he exercised -his powers, seems clear. The vividness of expression, the subtle beauty -inherent in his strains, and the deft touch given his thought are those of -the genuine poet. He dwells apart from the ordinary drift of thought. The -coloring of his thought was derived from numerous sources, and, emitted -from the furnace of his heart, it was ever in transformed shape. The -rattle and clatter of the rushing world fell on the ear of his soul with -the element of melody. His emotions were pent up, and when they leaped -their barriers, they gave to a responsive soul-world that which we call -Father Ryan's poems. His own soul, subdued to softness and gentleness by -his inner reflection, sang itself in musical cadence. - -His verse, always graceful and often brilliant, flowing melodious and -limpid with the lilt of a landscape rill, borrowing delicate tints of -beauty from the greensward and varied bloom which fringe its banks, and -flashing back the light derived from heaven, makes an instinctive appeal -to the soul of the reader, and has a sobering effect on his thought. From -the source to the sea there is the same gentle flow with its occasional -puddle and its subdued sound of ripple. - -That which our poet does is more indicative of possibility than of final -actuality. His strains are merely soft touches of the fingers of the -musician on the keys of the soul, and yet they evoke such melody that one -wishes the reserved force of the soul, whence they come, might have fuller -and freer expression, that the slight thrill experienced might rise to -rhapsody. - -Most rare are many of the pithy passages to be met with in his -productions. Did space permit, it would be a delight to enumerate many of -these gems which glitter along his pages, but only one or two may here be -indicated. On the occasion of a visit to Rome, he penned a fragment on -"After Seeing Pius IX." The first four lines are here quoted to illustrate -the power of the poet derived from a mere glance of a man's face, and in -the last two of the lines quoted resides a power in metaphor rarely met -with. Says the poet: - - "I saw his face today; he looks a chief - Who fears not human rage, nor human guile; - Upon his cheeks the twilight of a grief, - But in that grief the starlight of a smile." - -The transference of the idea of the twilight and the gentle star meekly -peeping through, to the struggle discerned in the features of one, is a -picture that would occur to none other than a poet. - -Equally striking is the beauty of the figure contained in his "A Land -Without Ruins," where he says: - - "Yes, give me the land where the battle's red blast - Has flashed to the future the fame of the past." - -Numerous are the striking pictures which he brings before the eye by one -single stroke of the pen. Nor does Father Ryan conjure with the emotions -merely to quicken and to stir for the moment. Indeed, he does not seem -conscious of that which he has done and so greatly done; he merely sings -out his soul in low refrain and leaves his melody lingering in the air. - -Ryan was patriotic to the core. In the thunderous years of the great Civil -War his pen was busy with the ink of patriotic fire, but the aftermath of -the war was more aptly suited to his nature. When in her night of sorrow, -the South was a land of mounded graves, within which slept a generation of -young heroes, while blackened chimneys stood sentinel over them, and while -the monuments of the South were only heaps of charred ruins, and her once -fair fields were littered with wreck and disaster, these appealed to our -lyrist with unwonted force. The spirit of his Hibernian blood was -invincible, and when embodied in a stream of poetic fire it illuminated -scenes which else were dreary and desolate. From out the environment of -darkness and ruin, his spirit sought the solace which the future must -bring in recognition of principle, and thus he sang. Thousands who -differed with Father Ryan religiously, honored him as a gifted singer. He -has but scant recognition in the literary history of the country, but this -is to be expected. He was largely a poet of locality, both geographically -and religiously, and wrote not so much for others as for his own pastime, -but Alabama owes him much as her greatest poet. Because of the genuine -merit inhering in his verse, and because of the unquestioned worth -attaching to his productions, he is easily the file leader of the literary -spirits of Alabama. - - - - -JAMES R. POWELL - - -The presentation of the name of Colonel Powell suggests a turning point in -the history of the state. A new era had dawned of which Colonel Powell was -an exponent. The long agitation with which the country was rocked for -decades, had culminated in bloody conflict which was waged to exhaustion. -The turbulence of rehabilitation represented in the struggles of -reconstruction had followed, and now the eyes of the people were once more -turned to the ways of peace and re-established prosperity. Resources -practically immeasurable were untouched in the soils and mountains of a -great state, and public thought began to peer into the future with a -longing for tranquil prosperity. A class of men represented by the subject -of this sketch was in demand, and, as is always true, when the demand -exists for men they are to be found. Thus appeared this pioneer at the -threshold of a new era. - -A native of Brunswick County, Virginia, Mr. Powell, while yet a beardless -youth, had ridden the distance from Virginia to Alabama on horseback. This -was before Alabama had emerged into statehood. On his faithful horse he -reached the straggling village of Montgomery with less than twenty dollars -in his pockets. Entering on life in the new region to which he had come, -as a mail contractor, he gradually rose to the direction of a line of -stage coaches for the transportation of mail and passengers, and with a -widening horizon of business tact and comprehensiveness of enterprise for -which he was remarkable, he adjusted his stage coach enterprise to a -chain of hotels, the most noted of which were located at Montgomery, -Lowndesboro and Wetumpka. These interests flourished as the people -continued to pour into the new state. As the forests were transmuted into -smiling fields, villages, and towns began to emerge into populous centers, -and institutions began to flourish. While Powell was instrumental in -making new conditions, the conditions were making Powell. A man grows by -the means which he creates. While he makes a fortune the fortune makes -him. Gifted with an enterprising and constructive mind, Mr. Powell was -gradually coming to that stage for which his life was fitting him. The -combination of conditions which followed in the wake of the turbulence of -years, was one which would arrest the enterprising eye of a man of -executive skill, and breadth of vision, which James R. Powell had. Two -unfinished lines of railway penetrated the state, in part, one reaching -from the Gulf northward, but checked by mountain barriers, the other -stretching from the fertile West southward, but halting before the -mountains, beyond which was the line with which it was destined to be -linked in the creation of one of the greatest arteries of commerce in the -South. Between the two, lay a wide barrier of mountain region, in which -were embosomed untouched treasures which were destined in their -development to excite the interest of the world. - -With these resources was associated in the fertile brain of James R. -Powell, the picture of a mineral metropolis in the mountains of north -Alabama, and in a region where men least dreamed of such a possible -creation. He had engineered primitive mail routes, first on horseback, and -later by the rumbling coach, and widening the expansion of interest and -effort by the establishment of timely hostelries, but here he was destined -to crown his unusual career as the builder of a mighty city. Hence, -Birmingham. - -In the rush and rattle of a great mart, such as Birmingham has become, -those of a later generation, who throng its streets of architectural -magnificence, and gaze on its piles of splendor, are apt to forget those -who laid the foundation stones of the great municipality, and made -possible a mighty urban center, destined to eclipse all others of the -South in compass and in the number of its people. Men are apt to tread -with careless feet over the unmarked graves of the harbingers of that -bequeathed to a later generation, forgetful of the brain which contrived -and the hand which executed. - -It is not the phrase of empty eulogium to speak of James R. Powell as one -of the greatest of Alabamians. Unlettered in the schools, he followed the -unerring finger of a transparent judgment, and unawed by formidableness of -difficulty or vastness of scheme, he planned and wrought, both wisely, -and, propelled by a pluck born of the enthusiasm of patience, he -succeeded. The career of a man like this in a generation, or even in a -century, is a vital inspiration, and far worthier of record more -elaborate, than a brief and humble sketch like this. - -Incidents in his career illustrative of his native and inherent greatness, -are worthy of at least a casual notice not only, but of permanent -embalmment in the memories of those who reaped where he sowed. Men like -the subject of the present sketch are apt to be thought of as sordid and -selfish, while with intensity of spirit and strenuousness of brow, they -drive impetuously over obstruction, forgetful of the gentler amenities of -life. Oftener, however, than is supposed, there is beneath the intense -exterior, hearts of corresponding compass with the sweep of executive -activity. There were many instances of gentle and substantial worth woven -into the career of Colonel Powell, only one of which is here given. - -The record of the severity of the winter of 1863 is phenomenal in -meteorological chronicles. The lakes and ponds were covered with a thick -stratum of ice. An object of wonder to many, the phenomenon addressed -itself to the practical side of the mind of Colonel Powell, who cut large -quantities of the ice and carefully stored it away. The manufacture of ice -was then practically unknown as a commodity for market, and it was in -great demand in the hospitals of the Confederacy. He declined an offer of -forty thousand dollars for his store of ice, and presented it to the -Confederate army hospital department, for use in Alabama and Georgia. Many -acts of generous spirit were his, but they belong to the chronicles of -unwritten history. - -In 1871, James R. Powell, at the head of the famous Elyton Land Company, -was scouring the territory of Jefferson County with the plan in view of -founding here a large city, the logical result of the immense resources -embedded in the hills and mountains of this favored region. The -Louisville & Nashville Railroad had supplied the missing link between the -North and South, and Colonel Powell was among the first to see the -possibility of a great city in this region. While the local and adjacent -resources were then only imperfectly known, they were sufficiently known -to justify the colossal proposal of a mighty emporium. The task was -herculean, but the projector was a man of wide experience in grappling -with odds, and in subordinating to the mastery of his will the disputing -difficulties. Small minds quarrel and quibble over points of -inconsequence, while giants stride over them with serene non-recognition. - -Without tiring, Colonel Powell gave the world accounts of the fabulous -resources of the district of the prospective city. The facts first -published throughout the United States and Europe, were first regarded as -speculative rose-water, but they in truth represented only a stiver of -that which subsequently came to be known. - -Birmingham was first a straggling, struggling village, penetrated here and -there at irregular distances, by rugged highways, the terror of the driver -in a rainy season. Diminutive houses dotted the scene over, without -respect to order or system. One small brick structure stood where now -stands the Brown-Marx Building, then the most substantial expression of -confidence yet given. Highways of deep red clay ran past the building on -either side, and among the shanties and small houses was an occasional -dingy tent. - -Under such conditions, Colonel Powell, with his usual daring, ventured to -invite the session of the Alabama Press Association to hold its session -in "the city of Birmingham," in 1873. He succeeded, but, not content with -this, he appeared before the body and again pleaded that the following -session be held here also. He encountered stout opposition for two -reasons, namely, Birmingham was a most uninviting place, without -accommodation, and other places of the state wanted the next session. But, -combining diplomacy with suavity, Powell prevailed a second time. Having -succeeded in this, he urged that the New York Press Association, which -would be meeting at the same time, be invited to join their brethren of -the quill in Alabama. Such temerity staggered the body. Besides the ragged -and rugged conditions existing, the New York press was hostile to that of -the South, because of its opposition to President Grant in his southern -policy. Insuperable seemed the barriers in the way of such an -accomplishment as Colonel Powell sought, but he overbore all obstruction, -and succeeded. - -The result of such movement, coupled with the geological investigations -going steadily on meanwhile, made Birmingham secure. The voice of the -northern press resounded throughout all the states, and went beyond the -Atlantic. Honorable Abram S. Hewitt, of New York, sounded the prophetic -expression: "The fact is plain--Alabama is to become the iron -manufacturing center of the habitable globe." A wave of awakening light -spread throughout the financial world, and Birmingham was secure. - -But a new disaster arose. A scourge of Asiatic cholera smote the young -city now struggling to the birth. The dead were numerous, and a funeral -pall hung over the town. Colonel Powell remained with Roman courage on -the ground, caring for the suffering, burying the dead, and preserving -order. Pestilence stalked along the rugged streets and wasted at noonday, -but the faith of this man of iron nerve was unshaken. His courage -stiffened that of others--his faith was contagious. No wonder that he came -to be called "The Duke of Birmingham." No special shaft marks the -recognition of this mighty builder of a great city, but the city attests -his power. In the dim light in St. Paul's, in London, the tourist reads a -tablet, "Christopher Wren, builder. Would you seek his monument? Look -around." Not otherwise is the relation of Greater Birmingham to James R. -Powell. Its towering turrets and lofty buildings, its residence palaces -and shaded streets, its smoking stacks and hives of mineral mines, and its -numerous railway lines with their cargoes of daily traffic--these are his -monument. - -That one so great and noble should come to a death so novel and untimely -is a mystery. He fell a victim to a pistol fired by a beardless youth in a -Mississippi tavern, in 1883. For all the future his monument will stand, -Alabama's greatest city. - - - - -H. F. DeBARDELEBEN - - -In the year 1851 there might have been seen working in a grocery store, in -Montgomery, a sprightly lad of ten, whose father had just died, and whose -mother had removed to the Capital City. This boy was Henry DeBardeleben, -destined to become prominent not alone in the development of the resources -of the state of Alabama, but a picturesque figure in the coal and iron -industry of the South. - -Friendships of other days had united the Pratts and the DeBardelebens, -which led to the guardianship of the lad by Alabama's pioneer -manufacturer, Daniel Pratt, under whom Mr. DeBardeleben was directly and -fortunately fitted for life. His academic course over, the young man was -placed as superintendent over the famous gin factory at Prattville. Mr. -DeBardeleben found in business a more congenial air than he found in -books. The harness of work in the supervision of a manufactory was more -easily adjusted to the young man than was that of the schoolroom, and the -young man shed the one and gladly donned the other, for, from the outset, -he cared but little for books, only as they could be used as tools to -bring something to pass. - -In the new sphere in which he now was, young DeBardeleben was of just the -cast of temperament to seize the principles of business, work them into -habit, and translate them into life. He learned those under the tutelage -of Daniel Pratt, and in later years often alluded to them by the power of -association with conditions encountered in future life. For instance, Mr. -Pratt would never allow a piece of timber the least defective to be used -in the manufacture of gins. It must be thoroughly seasoned, and be sound -in every respect. Then, too, no defect must be sought to be concealed by -an oversmear of paint, but solid merit must be in every splinter, screw -and nail. Besides, no promise must be made that was not to be literally -kept, if possible, and all bills must be promptly met to the day. In -addition still, there must be no lounging or lolling during working hours, -for idleness was akin to criminality in the mind of Daniel Pratt, and -things must move while they were working. - -Easily susceptible, the young man grasped these as cardinal principles of -life, and they became to him abiding oracles for which he cherished the -highest regard. Becoming the son-in-law of Mr. Pratt, marrying his only -daughter, and, indeed, his only child, Mr. DeBardeleben necessarily became -the more intimate with the proprietor and father-in-law. - -One of the first interests enlisting the attention of Mr. DeBardeleben was -that of a central system of railway through the heart of Alabama. A -railroad from the Gulf reached the base of the mountains of north Alabama, -but there it stopped. From the opposite direction another descended from -Nashville into Alabama, and likewise stopped on the opposite side of the -mountains. To see this missing link supplied by the knitting together of -the two ends was a matter of deep concern to Mr. DeBardeleben, and he -rested not till it was done. That accomplished, the opening of the -resources embedded in the mountains and hills of north Alabama enlisted -him. As he came to learn more of these abounding deposits his enthusiasm -was enlisted as never before, and visions of accomplishment rose before -him to lure him to fresher endeavor. It is not possible within the narrow -compass of a slight sketch even to name the enterprises to which he set -his hand, and only the barest outline of the man and of his achievements -is possible. - -The combination of elements in his character was exceedingly rare. He was -a great and perpetual dreamer, but his dreaming was of the solid and -constructive sort. No day dreams nor woven rainbows were his, merely for -entertainment of lazy hours. He pictured possibilities, not visionary -vacuities. He had poetry in his being, but it was the poetry that was -practical. He was a great poet and a great business prince combined. He -was not unmindful of the formidableness of difficulty, but it inspired -rather than deterred him. Underneath the ardor of the man was a solid -substratum of calculation, and a calculation that took into account -herculean effort. His penetration was sharp, quick and decisive. - -In this sweeping delineation the fact is not overlooked that Mr. -DeBardeleben was forced to succumb to the inevitable when Birmingham fell -a victim to the cholera scourge, and equally to the prostration occasioned -by the memorable Black Friday in Wall street, the effects of which event -fell with crashing weight on every interest throughout the Union. Furnaces -grew cold, the pick in the mine lay idle, eager laborers sat holding -their hands in idleness, and a nightmare fell on the nation throughout. To -have known Birmingham in those days would have been to know a forlorn -town, straggling and gloomy, while the environing districts were silent -and smokeless. - -But the darkness gradually wore back to light. - -With the return of dawn, men were open-eyed for advantage in the great -mineral domains of Alabama. Mr. DeBardeleben returned to Birmingham in -1877 with an immense fortune at his command, for he was the successor of -Daniel Pratt. Now he became united with Colonel Sloss and Mr. T. H. -Aldrich, names forever inseparable from the history of the mineral -development of north Alabama, and an invincible trio it was. - -In the immense enterprises now entered on by the three, there was -sufficient in the colossal proportions of the undertakings for the -adjustment and adaptation of the peculiar gifts of all. Mr. DeBardeleben -was the chief planner and sagacious seer of the group, and daring he was -in all the enterprises proposed, but he was willing not alone to see, but -to do. The expansive fields of ore constantly challenged his highest -forces of enthusiasm and energy, and he chafed under his own limitations, -as a man, to meet the challenge forthwith. Dreaming in the solid way -already indicated, planning by day and night, and meanwhile always doing, -Mr. DeBardeleben was a prodigious factor of development in this marvelous -district. - -It was the dawn of a great era in the history of the Birmingham district -when Henry Fairchild DeBardeleben combined his immense energy and equally -immense fortune in its development. He took the refluent tide of -prosperity at its fountain, and, directing it into new channels, -rehabilitated the district, and in the transformation made others -forgetful of the preceding gloom. Indifferent to fame, he was intent on -gratifying his unceasing enterprise and energy by seeing the strides of -development made. - - - - -WILLIAM C. OATES - - -Altogether worthy of enrollment among the great men of Alabama, is the -name of Governor William C. Oates. His service to the state for many years -was varied and loyal. He was crowned with honors by his countrymen and was -altogether worthy. Reared to manhood with only ordinary educational -advantages, he was for many years recognized as one of the foremost -citizens of the state. He was a man of solid qualities without the glint -of the picturesque or the foil of the superficial. Honesty was his purpose -in life, and in view of this quality, his faults were as transparent as -were his merits. In no cause or issue was there a misapprehension of his -position. If in some respects he was rugged, it was due to the fact that -he did not propose to pose for that which he was not. He had his enemies, -but they were no more cordial in their opposition than were his numerous -and strong friends in their attachment and loyalty. - -In the dawn of manhood he gave but little promise of success. Leaving home -at the age of sixteen, he roved the far Southwest for a period of years, -struck the hard sides of life, and returned to his home more matured in -wisdom by his bitter experience, and came to realize the necessity of -stability of plan and purpose in order to succeed. In the raw region of -Henry County, as it then was, Oates taught a rural school for a period of -months, later readdressed himself to study, and finished his course at a -high school at Lawrenceville. At that time the bar opened the widest and -most inviting gateway to eminence, and Oates aspired to be a lawyer. - -In the office of Pugh, Bullock & Buford, at Eufaula, the rustic aspirant -learned the principles of his chosen profession, and was admitted to the -bar in 1858. Locating in the rural village of Abbeville, the seat of -justice of Henry County, he rose to be the leading lawyer of southeast -Alabama, and gradually came to be recognized as one of the best lawyers of -the state. His matter-of-fact manner and sturdy honesty won him a wide -circle of confidence, and men would ride on horseback long distances to -engage his professional service. - -The rural press was not so abundant at that early day as it has since -become, and because of a lack of representation in that then inaccessible -region, he edited a newspaper at Abbeville. He was engaged in the combined -functions of editing a country journal and practicing law, when the storm -of war broke over the land in 1861. Raising a company of volunteers, he -became the captain, and was attached to the Fifteenth Alabama Regiment of -Infantry. He led his command into twenty-seven battles and became -conspicuous for his courage on the field. He received his commission as -colonel in 1863, and received a wound at Brown's Ferry, on the Tennessee -River, near the close of that year. At Fussell's Mills, near Petersburg, -Va., he sustained the loss of his right arm, but after recovering from the -wound, he resumed the command of his regiment, which command he retained -until the close of the war. - -Returning to Abbeville after his capitulation, Colonel Oates again took -up his practice, and came to be esteemed one of the leading citizens of -the state. With all important movements in the state he was connected, and -his practice meanwhile became immense, so that Colonel Oates came to be -regarded not only as one of the most successful and leading lawyers of the -state, but one of the most prosperous. In many ways his name was -prominently known throughout the state, and a number of times mentioned in -connection with gubernatorial honors. This was notably true in the two -conventions for the nomination of a governor in the years 1870 and 1872. - -In 1870 he represented Henry County in the state legislature, where he -became a distinguished leader. His service as a legislator brought him -still more prominently before the public. He was a member of the -constitutional convention in 1875, and from 1881 to 1894 he served his -district, the third Alabama, in the National Congress. His long and useful -career in congress gave him an influence second to that of none other of -the Alabama delegation. He was serving in congress when he was chosen -governor of the state in 1895. - -Shortly after this came the monetary slogan of the free coinage of silver -at the sixteen-to-one ratio, of which William Jennings Bryan was the -apostle, and Governor Oates was with the minority of eminent Alabamians -who resisted the doctrine, in consequence of which he paid the penalty of -defeat at the polls for the national senatorship in a subsequent election. - -When the Spanish-American War began in 1898 Governor Oates was -commissioned a brigadier general and served throughout the ninety-three -days of that sharp and decisive contest. - -He was again chosen a member of the convention which revised the state -constitution, in which body his services were of immense value to Alabama. -His closing years were spent in the city of Montgomery, where he continued -to practice law till compelled by failure of vision to surrender it. He -died at an advanced age. - -Reviewing a sketch so brief and imperfect, and one altogether unworthy of -his long career of usefulness, we are enabled to glean sufficient to learn -that for a full half century Governor Oates was engaged in contributing to -the growth and development of the state. The stations filled by him with -ability so signal, and extending through so many years, attest his -usefulness as a valuable citizen of Alabama. As a lawyer of distinction, a -soldier as courageous as any son of Alabama, a delegate in molding the -fundamental law of the commonwealth, a statesman whose qualities were -signally demonstrated in the halls of congress, and in the gubernatorial -chair, there is due him the worthiest praise. Solid rather than brilliant, -rugged rather than polished, useful rather than ornate, and substantial -without the alloy of artificiality, there were embodied in Governor Oates -elements of genuine greatness. In nothing mediocre, he rendered a -permanent service to Alabama and went to his grave as one of the state's -most distinguished public servants. - - - - -JONATHAN HARALSON - - -Judge Jonathan Haralson was an eminent type of that generation of southern -gentlemen who were a connecting link between the old and the new South. He -had just reached the threshold of cultured manhood when the crash of war -came. He was of the finished mold of the young southerners of that period. -He descended from a noble stock that was pre-eminent in southern society -and in the affairs of his native section. His father belonged to that -wealthy class of typical planters that gave prestige to the South on two -continents. His uncle, General Hugh A. Haralson, was one of the most -distinguished congressmen from Georgia, and for many years together was -one of the most learned jurists of that state. - -Graduating from the University of Alabama in 1851, Judge Jonathan Haralson -studied law and was admitted to the bar a year later, but in order to -equip himself thoroughly he went to the law school of the University of -Louisiana, where he spent a year and obtained his degree of LL.B. He -immediately entered on the practice in Selma, where he became eminent as a -citizen, barrister, and an active Christian. - -When, in 1876, the legislature of Alabama organized the city court of -Selma, a court of common law with civil, criminal and equity jurisdiction, -the bar of Dallas County recommended Judge Haralson to Governor Houston -for the judgeship of this court. For sixteen years he presided over the -court with signal ability. At the end of that time he was elected to the -supreme bench of the state, where he served for twelve years. - -One of the distinctions conspicuous among others possessed by Judge -Haralson is worthy of special mention. His unusual culture, affableness of -disposition, cheerfulness, varied ability, and prominence in Christian -work found for him unsought niches of high honor in Christian work. Purely -in recognition of his worth, he was chosen the president of the Baptist -State Convention of Alabama in 1874, which position he held for eighteen -years, and was the most distinguished layman in the denomination of the -state during that time. In 1888 he was chosen the president of the -Southern Baptist Convention, which embraces the largest Baptist -constituency in the world, and for ten successive years presided over that -great body. He was a model parliamentarian, and came to rank as one of the -foremost laymen of his denomination in the union. His retirement from that -position was voluntary, for no one ever enjoyed more universal confidence -and popularity than he. - -Other honors still were his. He was for many years a member of the board -of trustees of the Polytechnic Institute at Auburn, chairman of the board -of trustees of Howard College, and a member of the American Baptist -Education Society. An index to the character of Judge Haralson is afforded -in the remark which he has been heard to make that he suffered nothing to -interfere with his religious obligations. His conception of life -throughout was ideal. Himself a model of genuine manliness, he sought to -stimulate it in others. In all things his method was that of exactness. -There was a scrupulous care in his bearing, his speech, his conduct toward -others, and to the close of his life, the little amenities that make up so -much of life, were not lacking in his character. While his high sense of -manliness begot firmness, it was of that type which always bore the stamp -of gentleness. - -His suavity won him friends by the multitude, and his character and -ability gained for him unlimited confidence. Presiding over bodies -sometimes rent by agitation, where skill and firmness were put to the -severest test, such was his personal influence, and such the confidence -reposed in him, that no appeals from his decision as a parliamentary -officer were ever taken. - -Judge Haralson has but recently passed away, leaving behind him a record -of public life of more than fifty years, with not a dent in his shield or -a tarnish on his armor. He labored as long as he was able, and under the -weight of years voluntarily retired from public life. His death occurred -in his eighty-second year. In the quietude of his own home circle in -Montgomery, after his retirement from the supreme bench, he serenely -awaited the call of death. - -Among the public men produced by Alabama, none ever excelled Judge -Jonathan Haralson in loftiness of character, incorruptibleness of life, -gentleness of disposition, and fidelity to duty. He was never the least -ostentatious. His manner was quiet and cordial, and never the least -reserved. While his conclusions were always positive and firm, they were -so tempered by gentleness as to leave never a shadow behind. He was as -cautious of the feelings of others as he was for those of his own. - -No man was freer of self-seeking. It was purely in recognition of his -worth that he was called forth by others to the varied functions which he -performed. His companionableness bound to him the best of men who loved -him because of the loftiness of his life. - -He lived throughout, the life of a typical southern gentleman--easy and -quiet of manner, pleasing always in his address, unstilted, yet possessed -of all the graces of the highest expression of culture. He was never -profuse of praise or of compliment, but indulged in a sort of pleasing -raillery and jest in which was couched an estimate which he entertained, -and which meant immensely more from him than would the extravagance of -many another. In a circle of friends he was invariably charming. His -appreciation of a joke was delightful, and in this he indulged to the -close. Jocular without yielding to unseemly levity, easy without undue -freedom or familiarity, sometimes slightly stinging in his jovial -criticisms of those for whom he had the highest regard, he always -recognized the boundary of propriety, and never suffered himself to be -betrayed beyond. There was no assumption either in his speech or manner. -He was simple, while at the same time great in very many respects, -invariably respectful, and dutiful to every trust, as a friend and as an -official--these were the dominant traits in the character and life of -Judge Jonathan Haralson. - - - - -W. J. SAMFORD - - -Readers of that sterling Democratic journal, the New York Daybook, -published in the metropolis in the years before the war, recall the -articles of a spicy correspondent from "The Oaks," in Alabama. That writer -was the father of Gov. William James Samford. As one might judge from the -conversation and from the speeches of Governor Samford, he was reared in -an atmosphere of literature. To him, like to thousands of other southern -youth, the war was untimely, as it interposed to cut short all prospects -of a finished education, for as a stripling of seventeen he entered the -service of the Confederacy. He had previously enjoyed all the facilities -afforded in a country school near Auburn, and was in the sophomore class -at the University of Georgia, when the call to arms reached him. Youthful -as the boy soldier was, he soon became a lieutenant in the Forty-sixth -Alabama Infantry, which distinction he won by gallantry on the field. -Conditions were such that he was oftenest in command of the company. - -Captured at Baker's Creek, he was taken to Johnson's Island. When his -command was surrounded at Baker's Creek, with no chance of escape, he drew -his sword and behind a log drove it into the ground to the hilt to prevent -its falling into the hands of the enemy. After his exchange, Governor -Samford rejoined his command and was with Lee's remnant when it -surrendered. - -Returning home when he was just twenty-one, Governor Samford went bravely -to work on a farm to help save the growing crop of the spring of 1865. -During the following fall he was married to Miss Drake, and settled on a -small farm which he largely tilled with his own hands for several years. -Possessed of an unusual intellect, as all who knew him recognized, -Governor Samford was not content with turning the glebe, and procuring the -elementary books of law, he would study at night after laboring through -the day. He was fortunate in the companionship of an intelligent and -sympathetic wife, to whom he would from time to time recite, as he would -wade through the successive volumes of law. - -In 1871 he removed to Opelika, was admitted to practice, and applied -himself with energy. His thorough knowledge of the principles of law, -resulting from his rigid application from the time of his entrance on its -study, was superinduced by the labor which he bestowed on each case. A -diligent, attentive, and intelligent lawyer is rarely without clients, and -this admits of peculiar application to Governor Samford. - -A striking and command physique, a genial manner, a mastery of his cases, -and an eloquence which was natural, won him a practice that rapidly -extended, not only, but a rank at the bar of which any one might justly -feel proud. It is a notable fact that in the long career of the practice -of Governor Stamford, he was never caught on any point unawares. He had -gone over the entire ground in advance, had consulted the authorities with -minute care, and entered the court fully equipped. Never presuming, as -some lawyers do, that his opponents would overlook certain points involved -in a given case, he strongly fortified each one, especially the weaker, -so that he was ready for battle when the case was called. - -This habit, well known in connection with the practice of Governor -Samford, won for him a widening fame, so that his practice was -considerable and prominent throughout East Alabama, and in other parts of -the state, and even beyond. A client once defeated in an important -criminal case, by the scientific knowledge of Governor Samford, remarked -that a man who knew as much as Samford, should not be allowed to practice! -Instances occurred when the opposition and even the court itself, was -taken by surprise by his exactness of knowledge of the scientific points -involved in given cases. Governor Samford had read every available -scientific work bearing on the case at issue, and was a match for the most -expert witness that could be pitted against him. - -While Governor Samford was fearless in the prosecution or defense of any -cause, civil or criminal, entrusted to his care, there was always a -stately suavity that characterized his bearing, even in the rough and -tumble of the courtroom, as his native gentleness of heart forbade the -slightest harshness, or any warmth of passion. He was willing to -acknowledge a lack of firmness on his part, about which he would speak to -friends, but he would at the same time acknowledge that it was due to his -indisposition to be unkind to any one. - -The creation of the present board of pardon in this state was due to his -energy, as he did not believe that so much of that which is sacred should -be lodged in the hands of a single man, but that there should be -deliberation derived from a number of sources in the settlement of grave -questions. No one was more distrustful of his own firmness than was he -when confronted by an issue involving much happiness. There was this -womanly element in his great nature which would sway him in spite of -himself. Whatever may be said of Governor Samford, his most obstinate -opponent could never deny the existence of this trait of gentleness and -kindness. Yet when confronted by a principle which demanded decision, he -could be firm, and was, as was abundantly shown by the exercise of the -veto power when it needed to be invoked. - -Governor Samford's service to the state was manifold. Beginning as a -soldier boy at seventeen, his career was marked throughout by services of -a varied nature. While serving as a representative in the lower house, -from Lee County, he was the recognized leader of that body. As senator, -his merits were recognized by his being chosen the president of that body. -As a delegate to the constitutional convention, his services were -invaluable. As a representative in congress, he made a reputation for -himself and for the state. Honored at last as governor, he brought to the -functions of that high office his learning, ability, and experience in -public life, all of which were valuable. - -Only hints of the force of this profound lawyer, skilled statesman, -cultured citizen, eloquent barrister, and Christian governor can be given -in a sketch so circumscribed as this, but even such glimpses afford -sufficient insight to enable one to judge of his rank of superiority. -Always bright and cheerful, his sense and appreciation of humor did not -forsake him on his last bed of illness. Yet there was profound devotion to -God which he cherished and cultivated to the end. Cut down in the prime of -life, Governor Samford died while serving as governor of the state. - - - - -W. W. SCREWS - - -For solid and substantial service and for disinterested devotion to the -cause of Democracy, the duration of all which stretches through a period -of about a half century, none excels the veteran editor, William Wallace -Screws, of Montgomery. From the early dawn of manhood to ripened age, -Major Screws has been identified with the fortunes of his native state. It -is doubtful that another has impressed the thought of the state so -uninterruptedly for so long a time as he. There has never been the -slightest waver in his fidelity and downright labor for a long period of -years. Certainly he has sufficiently won the approval of the people of the -state as to be worthy of a place among the men who have constructed the -commonwealth to its present stage of advancement. No flash nor -picturesqueness, no sensation nor sudden innovation has at any time -attached to that which he has done--it has been service rendered as in a -treadmill, patiently, persistently, and perseveringly. He has gone down -into the depths with his people, has suffered as they have, and has risen -along with them through the varying fortunes which have been theirs in the -years of the immediate past. - -Major Screws' native region is Barbour County. His academic training and -all indeed he ever had, was at Glennville, a village noted in other days -for its educational advantages. He entered life early, for he was admitted -to the bar at twenty, after having studied in the law office of Watts, -Judge & Jackson, at Montgomery. At the end of a two years' practice, he -entered the Confederate service, being among the first to enlist. Like -many others, Major Screws was not a secessionist, but he was a patriot, -and subordinating his personal views to the expressed judgment of the -people of Alabama, he shouldered his musket and went with the first troops -that were concentrated at Pensacola. He joined in the capture of the navy -yard and of Fort Barancas, and later became a lieutenant in Company H, -Fifty-ninth Alabama regiment, and served under General Bragg in Tennessee -and Kentucky, participating in the battles of Chickamauga and Knoxville. - -The last year of the war found Major Screws under Lee in Virginia. During -that stressful and distressful period he was an active sharer, and was -with the remnant of that brave army that surrendered at Appomattox. It was -during his campaigning with the two armies that Major Screws developed his -popular ability as a writer. A vigorous and versatile correspondent from -the front, he enlivened the columns of the Montgomery Advertiser, then -presided over by that brilliant editor, Samuel G. Reid. The keen insight -of Major Screws into the situation led him at one time to forecast some of -the contemplated movements of Bragg's army, the publication of which led -to his arrest by General Bragg, but this was a merely meaningless episode, -and only served to develop the fact that the sagacious correspondent had -too keen an insight for the comfort of the commanding general. - -On his return home in 1865, Major Screws was entirely reliant on his pen -for a livelihood, and became connected with The Advertiser as an -associate. Great consideration was shown him by the editor, Mr. Reid, who -finally put him in possession of the paper. Here has been the orbit of his -great service to the state. His tripod was his throne, and though the -paper was suppressed for a period of months, under the bayonets of -reconstruction, it was not throttled, and its columns radiated with -exposures of the corruption of those corrupt days. Under Major Screws, The -Advertiser was the vent of heroic expression and the champion of the -liberties of the people of Alabama. In those days of darkness and of -trial, when Major Screws wrestled with poverty in the maintenance of his -journal, the people of Alabama little knew what he was undergoing in their -behalf. But in cool heroism he labored on, as though he had the purse of a -prince at his command, and unselfishly served the people, undergoing -perhaps as much privation as anyone who has ever served the state. - -Under conditions like these the unselfishness of Major Screws was put to -the test on more than one occasion. At one time during the agitation -caused by the Stantons in the notorious struggle to obtain the issue of -bonds in behalf of the Alabama and Chattanooga Railroad, the history of -which struggle is too long to be gone into here, an agent of the Stantons -appeared at Montgomery and proposed to Major Screws to pay him $51,000 for -the use of the Montgomery Advertiser in the promotion of the fraudulent -scheme. Major Screws was to remain the editor of the paper, and the sum -proposed was merely to purchase the right to use its columns, through -another, in fixing this burden on the people of the state. He was a poor -man, grappling with the difficulties incident to the times, but he flatly -declined the offer, and bravely continued his opposition to the issue of -the bonds. - -There was another occasion when he might have succumbed to a proposal as a -Democrat, and found some plausible pretext for his action. The marvelous -mineral resources of the state were winning national attention, and a -segment of the Democracy in congress under the leadership of Hon. Samuel -J. Randall, of Pennsylvania, was espousing protection in the interest of -the mineral developments of the country. Mr. Randall was the champion of -these Democratic protectionists, and it was sought to bring the mineral -interests of Alabama into the movement. The bait was a tempting one at a -time when capital was in great need for the development of our deposits, -and an exponent, such as the Montgomery Advertiser was, would have proved -of immense advantage to this wing of the Democratic party. Accordingly, a -special agent was commissioned to Montgomery to offer to Major Screws the -snug sum of fifty thousand dollars to espouse the cause of that particular -wing, and take plausible shelter beneath the plea of the necessary -development of the coal and iron of Alabama, but this he promptly -declined. These are sufficient to show his unselfishness as well as his -devotion. - -Perhaps more than any other since the Civil War, Major Screws has been -instrumental in shaping and directing the policies of the Democratic party -in the state. He was a candidate for office once, when in 1868 he was -elected secretary of state, and during the first administration of Mr. -Cleveland he was appointed postmaster at Montgomery. These are the only -positions he has ever filled. His career is an important component of the -forces which have made Alabama great in the galaxy of American states. - -Major Screws has grown old in years in the cause of democratic liberty in -Alabama, yet in spirit he is as virile and vigorous as he was in the days -gone. - - - - -HILARY A. HERBERT - - -When a lad of thirteen, Col. Hilary A. Herbert came with his father's -family from Laurensville, South Carolina, to Alabama, and settled at -Greenville, Butler County, where the lad grew to distinguished manhood. -His advanced studies were prosecuted at the universities of Alabama and -Virginia, at both of which schools he established a reputation for aptness -and rigid accuracy. Admitted to the bar, Colonel Herbert had scarcely -begun his career as a lawyer when the Civil War began. He had leisurely -pursued his scholastic course and was about twenty-seven years old when -the call to arms came. - -Entering the army as a captain, he was attached to the Eighth Alabama -Infantry, which regiment was sent to Virginia. He was with Magruder at -Yorktown, was in the peninsula campaign, during which time he was promoted -to the rank of major, and at Fair Oaks he fell into the hands of the -enemy. He was soon exchanged, and on rejoining his command, was made -lieutenant colonel. His regiment was first assigned to Longstreet's corps, -but later was transferred to that of A. P. Hill. - -Colonel Herbert led his regiment into the battles of Fredericksburg, Salem -Heights, Antietam, and Gettysburg. In the battle last named the Eighth -Alabama was directly opposed by a Federal regiment commanded by Colonel -Maginess, who, in after years, sat side by side with Colonel Herbert in -congress. - -The retirement of Colonel Herbert from the army was due to a serious -wound received in the Wilderness. The wound was inflicted on the left arm, -a portion of the bone of which was carried away, and that practically -nerveless limb still hangs at his side as a memorial of his gallant -services. On receiving his wound, he was borne from the field in a -critical condition. - -Up to that time, though commanding the regiment for a long period, Herbert -was only a lieutenant colonel, the colonel having been long disabled and -unfit for duty, was not with the regiment, though his name still appeared -on the roster as the commander of the regiment. Personally disabled as -were both the colonel and the lieutenant colonel, they stood in the way of -the promotion of those who were still in active service on the field. In -recognition of this condition, Colonel Herbert wrote at once to the -brigade commander, expressing the wish to be retired. Major I. P. Emerich, -who was now in command, with great magnanimity, protested against such -action, insisting that Herbert had won distinction as a leader of his -troops, and insisted that fairness demanded that he be promoted before he -be suffered to retire. Major Emerich was joined by other officers of the -command in the protest, which resulted in the retirement of Colonel -Herbert with the full rank of colonel. The action was alike creditable to -Colonel Herbert and Major Emerich. The latter still lives an honored -citizen of Mobile. - -After the capitulation of the Confederate armies, Colonel Herbert located -at Greenville in the resumption of the law practice, where he was easily -at the head of the local profession. A wider sphere opened to him in -1872, in Montgomery, whence he removed and entered into copartnership with -Mr. Virgil Murphy, and later was associated with Messrs. Clopton and -Chambers, with whom he was engaged till 1877, when he was elected to -congress, his intention being to gratify an ambition by remaining in his -seat but one session of two years. - -But an event occurred which changed the current of Colonel Herbert's -career. Samuel J. Randall, of Pennsylvania, had become speaker of the -house, and there appeared on the scene Col. Tom Scott, of the same state, -with a colossal scheme to procure a subsidy of $40,000,000 with which to -build the Texas Pacific Railroad with branches extending to the most -important southern points. It was a gigantic venture and wore a rosy front -for the South, which region was seeking to get again afoot. On the -delegation from the South, pressure was brought, because it was so -plausibly promising and it was sought to be made appear that it was an -undertaking which the South could not lightly esteem. The enginery of the -scheme was far reaching in its operation, for the state legislatures were -urged to take such action as would force the co-operation of their -congressional delegations in its success. The Alabama legislature -instructed its senators to vote for it, and requested its representatives -to do so. - -Knowing the source and purpose of the mammoth scheme, Colonel Herbert -declined to support it. Every possible pressure was brought to bear, but -Herbert was immovable. His maiden speech in congress was in opposition to -Scott's plan. His argument changed the current of his life. The speech -was printed and sent throughout his district, and though he protested -against his renomination, he was returned to congress. Colonel Scott made -another desperate effort to force the co-operation of Colonel Herbert, -even employing learned and local counsel in Montgomery to induce the -legislature to give imperative instruction to the state delegation to -support the measure, and while this learned attorney alluded before the -legislature to Colonel Herbert as misrepresenting the interests of the -state, the assembly declined to instruct the members as desired, and the -whole scheme was killed. Colonel Herbert now came to be recognized as one -of the safest custodians of the interests of the state. While not a -demonstrative gentleman, his merits came to be recognized in congress, as -was shown by his appointment on the ways and means committee on which -committee were such men as Reed, McKinley, and Morrison. His district kept -him in congress as long as he would serve. - -In 1885 he was appointed chairman of the committee on naval affairs at the -request of President Cleveland. In 1893 Mr. Cleveland appointed him -Secretary of the Navy. So popular was Colonel Herbert in Congress, that -Republicans vied with Democrats in demonstrations of gratification at his -promotion to the presidential cabinet. Just after his appointment to this -honored post, he entered the hall of congress and was moving quietly -toward the Democratic cloak room. Mr. Outhwaite, of Ohio, was speaking as -Colonel Herbert was moving along the outer aisle, when a member spied him -and broke forth with "Herbert! Herbert!" He paused, when Mr. Outhwaite -generously said, "I will yield five minutes of my time to the gentleman -from Alabama." There was no escape, and Colonel Herbert had to speak. He -pronounced with deep emotion his high appreciation of the honor and -tribute, and it is said that this was the first instance where he was -unable to restrain his emotions in public. He was wholly unable to -disguise his profound emotions at a demonstration so great. - -To Colonel Herbert the entire country is indebted for the efficiency of -its national navy. Behind the guns of Dewey, at Manila, and those of -Schley at Santiago, was the efficiency of Hilary A. Herbert. Though -advanced in age, he is still prosecuting his practice in the national -capital. - - - - -WILLIS BREWER - - -Prominent among Alabamians who have aided in building into greatness our -commonwealth is the Honorable Willis Brewer, of Lowndes County. Along -different channels he has wrought for many years. Planter, journalist, -lawyer, author, and statesman, Colonel Brewer has been no inconspicuous -contributor to the growth of the state. A native of Sumter County, -Alabama, with his education restricted to academic training, he has turned -to most valuable account his gifts and acquirements, and by the -self-cultivation of the one, and by means of close and studious -application of the other, he has been an active participant in the affairs -of the state for many years. - -When a mere lad of sixteen he, in connection with the late Judge William -R. DeLoach, of Sumter County, began the publication of a paper at Milton, -Florida, where they were, when the war began, in 1861. Both enlisted in -the Confederate army, but the health of Mr. Brewer became broken, and he -was assigned to post duty during much of the war, but served for a period -on the staff of General Wirt Adams in the Mississippi campaign. - -His fondness for journalism led him to resume the editorial pen just after -the close of the war, when he published at Camden, Alabama, the Wilcox -Times. It was at this time, when Mr. Brewer was only twenty-two years old, -that Governor Patton appointed him on his staff with the rank of colonel, -by which title he has since been known. - -In 1868 Colonel Brewer removed to Hayneville, and founded the Hayneville -Examiner. The times and the environments served to evoke from the young -editor the best that was in him, and his paper became one of the most -powerful engines in the state in the exposure of the corruption of -reconstruction. The slogan resounding from the Hayneville Examiner, "the -people against the fools and thieves in power," caught, in its aptness, -the ear of the state, and became a popular legend throughout the -reconstruction era. - -In 1876 to 1880 Colonel Brewer served the state as auditor. During 1880 he -was chosen for the legislature and served during the remarkable period of -eighteen years, twelve of which as senator and six as representative. At -the end of that period he was chosen for congress, where he served for -four years. Twenty-six years of public service, years of diligent -activity, entitles him to the gratitude of the people of a great state. - -Valuable as his service was in every position occupied by Colonel Brewer, -his most useful service was rendered while he was state auditor. His -career in that capacity began with the administration of Governor Houston, -which was one of retrenchment and reform. The pivot on which the economic -administration of Governor Houston turned was the office of the auditor, -over which presided Colonel Brewer. Here he discovered the leakage of the -resources of the state, and it was Colonel Brewer who not only discovered -this vent but sealed it, and gave backbone to the economy of the -administration. To illustrate, Colonel Brewer found that the tax -collector of Mobile County was allowed a credit of sixty-two thousand -dollars for the lands bought by the state in 1874-75, and yet it was shown -that Mobile was sold every year, while in the County of Dallas, not -including the town lots, ninety-five thousand acres were sold in 1875. - -Conditions like these had prostrated the state financially, and the eight -per cent "horse shoe" money of the state was being hawked in the market at -fifty and sixty cents on the dollar. Within two years after Colonel Brewer -became state auditor, the eight per cent bonds of the state were funded at -six per cent. He never suffered a tax collector to settle with a -subordinate, but always with himself. - -Another illustration of his share in the financial rehabilitation of the -state is afforded by the fact that Colonel Brewer originated the state law -of sale of property for taxes, which law he worked through the legislature -during the session of 1878-9. He is the author of the law relative to -descent and distribution by means of which parents inherit from their -children when they die intestate, without wife or children. For seventy -years the state had made no provision for parents, and no matter how old -or infirm, they could not inherit, and the property fell to the brothers -and sisters of the intestate. - -From the dry, dull details of rigid business and the exacting irksomeness -of burdensome labor, Colonel Brewer could turn with his facile pen to the -production of the rarest English and the highest expression of thought. -His passion for literature, for he is a most versatile student, has -resulted in a style peculiarly his own--crisp, terse, luminous, -condensed, cast in a classic mold. His History of Alabama, published in -1872, is an invaluable contribution to the literature of the state. As a -stylist he is rigid in exactness, while preserving a singular flavor which -is most agreeable to the learned reader. His "Children of Issachar," a -novel, deals with Ku Klux times. "The Secret of Mankind" is a metaphysical -production which has won such praise as to cause it to be compared to the -works of Tacitus and Swedenborg. Though published as far back as 1895, -this work is securing a revived popularity, and is now being translated -into the German. The last literary production of Colonel Brewer, "Egypt -and Israel," is a scholarly production of philology, and shows a -remarkable knowledge of the language of the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews. - -At this writing Colonel Brewer is still among us. His poise is still as -erect as when a lad, and his speech as clear, though he has passed his -sixty-seventh milestone. In commenting on an allusion made to him in the -Mobile Register in September, 1907, which journal spoke of him as "the -last of the southern colonels," the Montgomery Journal said of Colonel -Brewer: "No man in the state has a more distinguished personality, a -personality more distinctly southern, and none whose brain and intellect, -culture and learning so forcibly remind of the Old South, as does the -Register's Hayneville friend." - -In quiet leisure Colonel Brewer is spending his closing days at "The -Cedars," his country mansion, a few miles distant from Montgomery. - - - - -JOSEPH F. JOHNSTON - - -Alabama was favored by the double administration of Joseph Forney -Johnston, who took with him into the office of chief executive the -qualities of a successful man of business and a varied experience of -years. When a boy, Governor Johnston removed from his native state, North -Carolina, and, his father settling at Talladega, the son was placed at -school, where he was when hostilities were begun between the states in -1861. Scarcely eighteen years old, he was among the first in the state to -enlist in the Confederate service, and became a private in the Eighteenth -Alabama Regiment. It is a matter of common observation that a good soldier -makes a good citizen, which admits of application to Governor Johnston. -The record of his soldierly career may be summarized in the facts that the -stripling soldier rose from the ranks to a captaincy, served throughout -the struggle, and bore from the conflict four scars as the results of -wounds in so many battles. - -Like thousands of others, the close of the war found him practically -penniless in the midst of conditions of desolation occasioned by the long -struggle, and in facing the future, as a young man of twenty-three, he -selected law as a profession, studying in the office of General W. H. -Forney. Admitted to the practice, Mr. Johnston located at Selma, where for -eighteen years he devoted himself to law, confining himself, for the most -part, to commercial law, which served to imbue him thoroughly with the -principles of business. While an active participant in current affairs of -a public nature, he was content to render whatever service he might to the -common weal, but evinced no desire for official station. In the -reconstruction struggles he actively shared, and, while assisting others -to the gratification of political ambition, Mr. Johnston was content to -adhere strictly to the demands of his profession. - -The development of vast mineral deposits in north Alabama induced his -removal to Birmingham in 1884, in which growing city he practically -abandoned the practice of the law, having been chosen the president of the -Alabama National Bank. A still wider sphere was opened to him when he was -invited to become the first president of the Sloss Iron & Steel Company. -Voluntarily retiring from the presidency of the bank, he assumed the -larger duties of this great organization. This responsible station -afforded ample exercise of the qualities of business with which Captain -Johnston was equipped, and by the application of these, the company was -placed on a solid and paying basis. - -After years of service in this capacity, he caused it to become known that -he aspired to the governorship of the state. He had never held political -office, had never before desired it, hence had never before sought it; but -now he did not disguise the fact that he wished to occupy the executive -chair in the capitol of Alabama. His characteristic announcement of his -candidacy was quite aside of the hackneyed phraseology of the ordinary -political seeker. With blunt frankness he declared that he had not been -solicited by numerous friends, and was not yearning to become a victim on -the altar of political sacrifice in a consuming desire to render a public -good, but simply that he had an ambition to become governor, believing -that he could serve the state efficiently and with fidelity. Nor did he -disguise the fact that he was possessed of this ambition for the -distinction which it would afford and the honor it would bring. - -Having resolved to enter the race for this high office, he bent his -energies to the achievement. Twice he sought the position, and twice -failed. In the third contest, however, in 1896, he was overwhelmingly -chosen. That much was due to his praiseworthy persistency, his fealty to -his party, which was ardently shown in his espousal of the candidacy of -his opponents after he had himself failed, and to the fact that greater -publicity was given his forces of character, there is no doubt. His -unsuccessful efforts had served to display the type of man that he was, -and there was a growing recognition of his merits. - -On his entrance to the gubernatorial office he began at once to reduce the -government to a business basis. He proceeded to lop off, here and there, -official branches that bore no fruit and yet were duly fertilized at the -public expense; he regulated the system of taxation, so as to equalize it, -by requiring taxes to be paid which had hitherto escaped; he instituted -the system of the examination of the books and accounts of county -officials by expert accountants, and by economy of management caused to -accrue to the state treasury a sum exceeding thirty million dollars. He -took a direct personal interest in the public school system of the state, -and it was during the administration of Governor Johnston that the -question of an improved public road system was inaugurated. By steps like -these he came to be recognized as "the business governor." He was -unanimously chosen to succeed himself after the expiration of his first -term, and his gubernatorial career closed with the last year of the -nineteenth century. In 1909 Governor Johnston and Honorable J. H. Bankhead -were chosen by the popular vote of the state to succeed Senators John T. -Morgan and E. W. Pettus, and in 1910 took their seats. Senator Johnston -displayed the same solid qualities in the National Senate that he had -previously shown as governor. His was not a demonstrative career, for he -was a man of solid qualities rather than one of shining gifts. There was -the utmost popular confidence in his judgment and in the integrity of his -character. Steadfast to duty, often when physically unable, for his health -had become greatly impaired, he won, as a senator, the thoughtful -confidence of the people of Alabama. - -An indication of the conscientiousness of his conviction was shown in the -fact that in the famous Lorimer case, before the senate of the United -States, Senator Johnston, guided by the evidence, declined to be swayed by -the popular clamor to vote for the ejection of the Illinois senator. To -many this was thought to be hazardous, but he openly declared that rather -than do violence to his convictions, he would resign his seat. He -therefore voted for the retention of Mr. Lorimer, and refused to be -swerved by the outcry of the popular press. Senator Johnston was -preparing for a contest to succeed himself when he suddenly died at -Washington, in August, 1913. - - - - -ROMANCE OF ALABAMA HISTORY - - - - -FIRST WHITE INVADER - - -The morning of May 25, 1539, found the shore of Tampa Bay, Florida, the -center of a bright and animating scene. A wealthy Spaniard, chivalrous and -dashing, had just before reached the port with a force of six hundred men, -twenty officers and twenty-four priests in white canonicals, all bent on -an expedition into the far interior. Their quest was the long-imagined El -Dorado of the western world, which was a prize glittering before the -imagination of the fervid adventurer. Ferdinando DeSoto, who led this -daring troop, was not unaccustomed to adventures such as he had in -contemplation, for he had been with Pizarro in Peru, where he was rewarded -with rich booty, and he pined to invade the southern part of the North -American continent, where he hoped to reap richer rewards than were found -on the continent to the south. In the exploration on which he was now -entering he had been preceded ten years before by Narvaez, who had -perished by drowning. Now, with a freshly equipped expedition, DeSoto -entered anew on an exploration of these western wilds in search of gold. - -Novel spectacle was this on the wild and primitive shore of Florida. Men -in brilliant uniforms, and with helmets glittering in the spring sun, -gayly caparisoned steeds, a procession of white-robed priests bearing -their crucifixes, formed a procession at once novel and imposing. As they -filed out and formed for the march, there was ranged in their rear a -small herd, each of cattle and of hogs, to be driven on the expedition for -supplies of milk and meat. As the expedition advanced inland, there was a -strange multiplication both of swine and of cattle. - -It was picturesque enough, this cavalcade of horsemen in shining attire, -bearing the ensign of Spain, wending its way slowly through the virgin -forests of tall pines. Their camp fires of rich, resinous pine knots, in -the midst of stately trees, which stood like pillars in a vast cathedral, -lent a scene of enlivenment to the forest surroundings. The region was -green with long, wild grass and the native peavine, while the blossoms of -early spring were in their glory. - -Streams deep and crystal abounded, along which grew the rank cane. Herds -of deer and droves of wild turkeys came frequently into view as targets -for the Spanish marksmen, and the troop reveled in unusual luxury, with -venison and turkey meat even in the wild woods of the continent of the -West. - -From the early stages of the march toward the interior, combats with the -Indian tribes began, but the Indian was unequal to the Spaniard because of -the better equipment of the latter. The savages were overawed by the -splendor of the white soldier, and as much by his horse as by himself, for -horses the Indians had never before seen. DeSoto was fortunate in the -capture of Jean Ortiz in a contest in the interior of Florida. Ortiz had -been one of the band of Narvaez, had been captured by the Indians ten -years before, had succeeded in saving his life by wily stratagem, and -because of his soldierly qualities had been made a chief of one of the -tribes. - -Under conditions like these, Jean Ortiz had lived for ten years, making -the most of the circumstances, and had long ago given up all hope of -leading other than the life of a wild savage. The dominion of his tribe -fell within the march of invasion of the Spaniards, and Ortiz led his -warriors to battle against them. Sorely beaten in the encounter, many of -his warriors having been slain, Ortiz and his troops fled in confusion, -hotly pursued by the Spanish horsemen. Ortiz was specially sought to be -killed because he was the leader, and as a cavalryman raised his lance to -deal a deadly blow, the chief cried out in Spanish, much to the surprise -of the pursuer: "Slay me not; I, too, am a Christian!" The half-nude -savage was taken to DeSoto, his body smeared with divers paints, his hips -swathed in a fawn skin girdle and his head bedecked with a coronet of -pretty feathers. He told the story of his capture and wild life to the -Spanish commander, and placed himself at his service. Ortiz proved to be a -valuable ally to the troop in acquainting DeSoto with the methods of the -savages, and in serving frequently as an interpreter. - -DeSoto found the aborigines to be far more formidable fighters than he had -expected. While their implements of combat were rude, yet when wielded by -the Indian, they did deadly execution. The chief weapon of warfare of the -Indian was the bow, the character of which made it an object of terror. -The bows were made of sun-cured hickory saplings the size of a man's wrist -and eight feet long. Curved and secured by a strip of rawhide, the bow was -no mean instrument of peril in the hands of the muscular savage. To the -flexibility of the hickory bow and the elasticity of the thong were -adjusted the skill and aim of the practiced warrior. The arrows were -finished with a view to accuracy of aim, velocity, and deadliness of -execution. Tipped with triangular flints with rough edges and pointed -sharpness, they were driven with an aim so unerring, and with such force -and celerity, that they could be shot through a man or beast at a distance -of one hundred yards. With a quiver full of these arrows strapped to his -back, the brawny warrior would sally forth, an object of terror. - -Fortunately for the Spaniards, they were prepared with armor sufficient to -withstand these crude weapons, for each soldier wore a coat of steel, a -helmet and breastplate, and carried a shield of metal. Their horses were -also protected with coats of steel. With their biscayan lances, -broadswords, arquebuses, crossbows, and a small piece of artillery, the -Spaniards felt secure against the primitive implements of the savage. -Though thus secured against savage attack, DeSoto and his men soon learned -that theirs was not a primrose path through the American wilds. The Indian -proved to be a terrible antagonist with his foxy stratagem and his -primitive method of warfare. These pampered sons of Spain, many of whom -had been petted and nourished in mansions and in palaces of luxury, had -daily to fight for their lives on the invaded territory of the red man, -who would engage the Spaniards at points of the greatest advantage to -themselves, and who enjoyed every possible advantage because of their -familiarity with the surroundings. But for Ortiz, the expedition might -have perished before it had quitted the present territory of Georgia. - -The Spaniards never knew when to expect an assault. Often at the most -unconjectured time, they would receive a shower of arrows, noiseless in -their flight, and coming from unseen sources. Every hour, by day and by -night, they were kept in suspense, and even intervals of quietude became -ominous of accumulating trouble. Sometimes from the summits of rocky hills -in front an attack would be made; sometimes one flank assailed, then both -simultaneously; while not infrequently the rear would be attacked by -overwhelming numbers of shrieking, yelling demons, whose painted, naked -bodies and fierce demonstrations would create pandemonium. There was -little in tragic scenes like these to hearten the tender gentry of Spain. -By dint of rare discipline, maneuver, powder and ball, of which the -Indians knew nothing, and an intensely common interest of protection which -welded the Spaniards together, they invariably prevailed, but never were -shrewder, more stubborn or fiercer foes encountered, than these raw -savages of the American forest. - -Though duly provided with workers in metal with their pots and ladles for -the refinement of gold, the troops found no use for them after months of a -straggling march through the woods of the South. The alluring vision of -the invading Spaniard of the abundance of gold in the retreats of the -American wilds, was gradually dispelled and vastly counterbalanced by the -hourly peril that menaced. That the spirit of the troops so long survived -conditions like these, shows the stern stuff of which the Spanish soldier -of that time was made. His love of gold was consuming, while his spirit of -adventure was the most audacious. These, combined with the necessary -coherence in common defense, made DeSoto's band well nigh invincible. - -After a considerable detour of the present state of Georgia, DeSoto -reached the region where the city of Rome now is, where he crossed the -river, and was the first white man to set foot on the soil of Alabama. Of -the subsequent scenes of the expedition we shall have occasion to learn in -the chapters that are to follow. - - - - -INGRATITUDE AND CRUELTY - - -Thirteen months of hardship and of Indian warfare had changed the original -picnic appearance of the Spanish troop. The uniforms were not now so -lustrous, and the young grandees did not disport themselves as they did -more than a year before, on the shore of Tampa Bay. The elements had -dimmed the luster of their equipments, the hot southern sun had bronzed -their complexions, their uniforms looked much the worse for wear, and, -while the pots and ladles of the refiners were still unused, there was yet -the undaunted flash of hope in the Castilian eye. It was a resolute legion -under a resolute leader. - -The Coosa was crossed, that stream of crumpled surface which the Indian in -his native sense of poetry had called "Rippling Water," which is the -meaning of Coosa, and now the cavalcade turned toward the southwest, as -one would look from Rome toward Blount Springs and Tuscaloosa. It seems -that from the Georgia side the Indians had sent runners to the tribes on -the thither side, warning of the advance of the strange cavalcade of -invasion, for as DeSoto pursued his way he met one embassy after another, -offering every concession in order to placation. - -The line of march was through the present counties of Cherokee, Calhoun, -Talladega and Coosa. Like Caesar in Gaul, DeSoto jotted down his -observations and impressions, for he was a scholarly warrior, and his -records are a matter of permanent value. He was charmed by the primeval -beauty of that northeastern region of Alabama. Streams, swift, bright and -deep, unalloyed by the soil and sediment of the present time, wound their -way among the hills; magnificent timbers stocked the forests; mountains -were the more imposing because of their wooded flanks; flowering vines, in -gorgeous beauty, climbed to the tops of the tallest trees; festoons of -wild grapes were suspended from tree to tree; varied floral coloring -decked the region throughout, while meadows of the rarest green were -spread like carpets along the valleys, through which ran flashing streams -like threads of silver woven into the carpeted verdure. - -Here, too, the observant and intelligent Spaniard detected the difference -between the Indian tribes that he had encountered on the eastern side of -the river, from those on this side. Fertility of soil, picturesqueness of -scenery, or the inheritance of forces from a superior ancestry, or all -these combined, had placed the Alabama tribes far in advance of their -tawny brethren across the stream. Here were found cleared fields, on which -was grown corn in abundance, of which there were rude barns full to -overflowing. Settlements and towns were laid out with some respect to -order, and the huts and wigwams were built with more regard to comfort and -of appearance. It was the opinion of DeSoto that the highest civilization -possible to the Indian unaided, was here reached. - -Environed by conditions like these, the Spanish commander was much -affected, favorably concerning the Indian, but unfavorably respecting -himself and his men. This advanced condition of the Indian suggested to -him a problem which he had not anticipated, for he was now to deal with a -class of people not before met, and for which he had not planned. This was -accompanied by a suspicion, inseparable from Spanish character, that these -manifestations of embassies meant for him a trap, and by this he was -controlled ever afterward, much to his disadvantage, as we shall see. - -He was now within the dominion of the chief of Coosa, a great monarch in -these far interior wilds. His dominion was vast, his people loyal and -brave, thrifty and numerous. His capital city was Coosa, and to DeSoto the -chief sent an embassy of welcome, which was coldly greeted by the -suspicious Spaniard. When DeSoto came near the capital, he was met by the -Indian monarch himself, attended by a thousand painted warriors, stalwart, -tall, erect, lithe, and dignified of movement. They walked the earth like -princes. Around a band about the head of each, were nodding plumes of -varicolored feathers. With lofty port and evident pride, they escorted -their chief into the presence of the Spanish invader. The chief himself -was a fellow of commanding build, and as he sat erect on a rude chair -borne on the shoulders of four brawny braves, he was not unconscious of -his consequence as a great ruler. - -The Spanish were astonished by a scene so splendid in these sylvan -retreats. To them it was a spectacle of wonder. About the wide shoulders -of the mighty chief was a mantle of martin skins, soft and glossy, which -fell in graceful folds about his huge form, while his head was adorned -with a coronal of brilliant plumage. His immense escort of painted -attendants lifted their voices in Indian melody, accompanied by piping on -their cane flutes. - -The two bands of Indians and of Spaniards were brought front to front, -each silently scanning the other curiously, each magnificent in its own -way. Each was equally a revelation to the other--the plumed and half-naked -savages, with faces hideous with divers paints, bearing bows, arrows and -wooden clubs, and the steel-clad warriors of ancient Spain with metal -armor, and mounted on animals never before seen by the Indians. Through -Jean Ortiz, an interpreter, the ceremony was conducted. Speeches were -exchanged, after which DeSoto was escorted with much pomp to the quarters -prepared for his entertainment. - -Haunted by a dark suspicion, DeSoto kept the chief near him and retained -him as a sort of hostage near his quarters. While the Indian is -revengeful, he is kind even unto death, when a friend. The chief had -exhausted his ingenuity in providing entertainment for his distinguished -guest, and that guest now requited that kindness by placing the chief -under arrest. The man of the woods showed deeply and keenly the -humiliation felt, but the supercilious Spaniard cared not for that. The -untutored warriors were enraged by the untimely treatment of their chief -and gathered in knots and groups about the settlement with a low hum of -murmur. Their savage blood waxed hot, and they began to foment mischief. -DeSoto cared nothing for savage amenity and hospitality, and was concerned -alone for his own safety. Gratitude is not an element in the Spanish -character, and DeSoto had not crossed the seas to indulge in diplomatic -palaver, but had come in search of the yellow gold. - -Stung by revenge, the Indian warriors by thousands slid away to the woods -by different ways, to plan for the extinction of the invading host, the -intruder, the ingrate. Apprised of their movement, DeSoto summoned his -forces and sent them in pursuit, and scattered the warriors before they -could assemble, and by concerted action attack him. A large number of them -were made prisoners, both of men and women, whom DeSoto handcuffed, put -iron collars about their necks and loaded them with chains. All this was -done openly in their own capital city. Around his headquarters sat in -groups the meek-eyed prisoners, while near the house provided for the -entertainment of the Spaniard sat their revered chief, himself a prisoner. -The chief, the wiser of the two, pleaded that, whatever was meted out to -him, his people be not thus so cruelly served. In response DeSoto -sufficiently relented to release some of the prisoners, while he retained -others, and when at last he took his leave he forced them to become -burden-bearers of his camp equipage. - -Still anxious to afford assurance of his sincerity, the imprisoned chief -sought repeatedly to avow it afresh, but it fell on the leaden ears of the -heartless Spaniard. Engaging DeSoto in conversation, the chief even went -so far as to offer a vast domain of land to the Spaniard for the founding -of a Spanish colony, and proposed to allow him to select it himself. At -this DeSoto only laughed, and told his entertainer that it was not land -that he sought, but gold. Well had DeSoto learned the lesson given by the -atrocious Pizarro in Peru, with whom he was, during that notorious -invasion far to the south. - -DeSoto was in no haste to quit the Coosa capital, and with lavish hand he -fed his horses, cows, and hogs on the housed corn and provender of the -savages, while his men were refreshed by a long-needed rest. When he at -last took his departure, he left with the Indians some of his most -undesired cattle and swine, besides a negro slave, who had fallen sick, -and was unable to travel. The Indians were delighted to retain the -African, as they were greatly impressed by his thick, heavy lips, his -black skin, and his woolly hair. Long afterward it was noted that the -Indians in that quarter were of a darker hue than were the neighboring -tribes, which was attributed to the remote ancestry of this son of Ham. -After lingering for a full month in the Indian capital, DeSoto took his -leave, but not without crowning his cruelty by taking with him the proud -young chief as a prisoner of war. The most that can be said in extenuation -of this infamy is that he treated him with kindness. Realizing that it was -futile and perhaps perilous to protest, the chief bore the indignity with -becoming calmness, showing that of the two men, he was the superior. -Though kindly treated, the chief was closely watched and guarded, lest he -might escape and produce havoc. Taking up his line of march, DeSoto still -moved toward the south. - - - - -TUSKALOOSA, CHIEF OF THE MOBILIANS - - -As had before occurred, couriers preceded DeSoto, warning the Indians of -other settlements and tribes of his coming. Numerous Indian towns were -passed by the Spaniards as they wended their way, following the wide and -well-beaten paths of the Indians as they threaded the primeval forests. -The Spaniards were cautious and wary, and kept a sharp outlook for lurking -danger. They would invariably pitch their camps at night on the outskirts -of an Indian village, and at times, well within its limits. If an attack -or misfortune should come, there was an evident advantage of close -proximity to supplies. The Spaniard was suspicious, the Indian -distrustful. - -Much after the fashion of the ancient cities of Europe and of the farther -east, some of the larger towns of the Indians were surrounded by massive -walls. Timbers hard and heavy, of cured oak and hickory, sometimes sunk -deep into the earth and standing upright, at others lying horizontally, -but in each instance strong and compact, made the walls most formidable to -attack. Along the summits of these ramparts, high and rude, were watch -towers or lookouts, warily sentineled. There was evident the sense of -geometric order, skilled workmanship, and resistfulness to attack from -without, all of which served to heighten the wonder of the Spaniard, if -indeed it did not deepen his solicitude. - -The Tallapoosa River was reached--a stream flanked by dense woods and -penetrating soils of blackness and of a dingy red. DeSoto was greatly -impressed by the savage skill shown in the location of a fortified town in -a graceful curve of the river. Tallassee, for that was the name of the -town, had a double protection in the river which coiled about it, and in -the wall which more immediately encircled it. From the nature of the -fortifications, the Indians evidently regarded Tallassee one of their -strong and strategic points. In the regions adjacent, lining the fertile -banks of the river, were fields of corn with heavy ears almost -sufficiently ripe for the harvester. This was in 1540, some time after -which this beautiful and prosperous Indian region was invaded by tribes of -Indians from Mexico, who, with tomahawk and fire, laid waste the country, -burning the towns, and reducing to slavery such of the native tribes as -were not slain. In point of Indian relics, no part of the country is rarer -and richer than this. Numerous relics have here been found for the -enrichment of depositories, and a few years ago a peculiar implement of -antiquated warfare was plowed up in this region. The metal implement suits -the description of the cannon in use at the time of the DeSoto invasion. -It represents the type of ordnance known in those days as the "drag," the -heavier pieces of which were suspended by chains, from an axle between two -wheels, when movable, or between two fixed objects, when used for -stationary service. They were sometimes sufficiently light to be held off -from the person, in the palm of the hand, when used for firing. This last -description suits that of the implement found in the Tallapoosa region. It -may be seen among the interesting collections so industriously made by -Dr. Thomas M. Owen, the able and efficient director of the Alabama state -department of archives and history, in the capitol at Montgomery. When the -railroad was building between West Point and Montgomery, there was dug up -in the region of the Tallapoosa River, a necklace of rare beads, such as -were worn by chiefs and princesses in the primitive days. - -At Tallassee, whither had come the terrible news of the approaching -Spaniards, such of the Indians as did not betake themselves to the forts -met DeSoto with slight and cool civility. In order to rest his force, the -Spaniard halted here for twenty days, during which time men and stock were -recuperated and the stores of the commander replenished. It was here that -DeSoto was visited by a sprightly young brave of splendid physical mold, -gaudily attired, excessively polite, and making much show of primitive -diplomacy, who invited the Spaniard to the dominion and capital of -Tuskaloosa, a powerful chief, the territory of whom began about thirty -miles south of Tallassee and extended westward to the banks of the -Tombeckbe. - -DeSoto was notified that Tuskaloosa was in person awaiting him near the -northern confine of his dominion, and was ready to accord a welcome alike -befitting the great monarch, and the brave Spanish commander. To all of -this and much more, DeSoto listened with imperturbable mood, meanwhile -according due respect to the punctilious young diplomat, who, when he -signified his purpose to return, the Spaniard sent a message of grateful -acknowledgment to the chief, not unattended with gifts. With this the -incident closed, but it had a bloody sequel. - -On quitting Tallassee, and before crossing the river on his southward -march, DeSoto released the chief of the Coosa and sent him back to his -people a bearer of gifts. The chief had served DeSoto's purpose, and, now -that no danger could come of him, he was dismissed. The valuable gifts in -part atoned for the perfidy of his retention in captivity. - -Up to this time the Spaniards had had much their own way. Everything that -disputed their progress had been swept aside as so many cobwebs. With -genuine Castilian arrogance, mixed with cruelty, they had marched the land -through with the air of masters, but their brightest days were now behind -them. The future had in store for them abounding trouble and misfortune, -to grapple with which would tax them to the utmost. Gold, the only object -of the quest of this adventurous itinerary, had induced these young -fellows of Spain to sell their estates and enlist under the standard of -DeSoto, had not been found. Not a grain of the precious metal had been -discovered, and more, they were not destined to find any. They had been -lured by lust for gain far into the wilderness fastnesses of America, had -encountered fierce and hostile tribes, were remote from their ships, and -their condition was now a precarious one. Brave, daring and well equipped -as they were, even these advantages were not without serious limitation, -and there was little to save them from utter extinction in these deep -forest retreats. - -Nor were there lacking omens of disaster which did not escape the acute -detection of the wary and wily Spaniard. Beneath the thin sheath of -diplomacy and protestations of friendship and of hospitality, there -lurked a subtle purpose to decoy these men of Spain to destruction. DeSoto -felt this in his bones. That the Coosa chief was sincere there is little -doubt, but DeSoto's treatment of him had exposed his apprehension, which, -in turn, sharpened the revenge of the Indian. The Spaniard's overwrought -precaution hastened to ripeness a conspiracy which else might have been -averted. - -Coming within easy reach of the place of meeting appointed by the chief, -Tuskaloosa, DeSoto dispatched his camp master, Moscoso, in advance with -fifteen picked horsemen, clad in imposing attire, ostensibly to negotiate, -but really to impress. Ostensibly Moscoso was to ascertain the wishes of -the chief concerning the nature of the formalities at the approaching -meeting. Moscoso found the proud monarch of the wilderness seated on two -beautiful cushions, placed on a rare and curiously wrought mat. He was -stationed on a lofty eminence which commanded, in all directions, a view -of imposing natural grandeur. Around him stood, in large numbers, -half-naked warriors, with bodies smeared with paint of different colors. -Above the chief they held a canopy formed of deerskins, and supported at -each end with slanting staves. The canopy was rudely ornamented on the -upper side with parallel lines of varied color. While this was used as an -improvised protection from the sun, it was really a banner of war. The -chief was a fine specimen of the physical man, large, strong, sinewy, -erect, and heavy limbed. He looked the savage sovereign to perfection. His -manner was consequential, but dignified. Anxious to impress the haughty -chief with the importance, and especially with the prowess, of the coming -Spaniards, Moscoso and his band pranced their proud steeds before him. -With necks arched, eyes dilated and nostrils thin, the horses reared and -plunged, while the practiced cavalrymen would perform feats of acrobatic -horsemanship. With visage unmoved, the chief quietly gazed on without -demonstration. - -Later, dashed up DeSoto with the entire troop, hoping to produce an -impression of awe, if not of terror, but the stolid chief remained as -austere as ever. If DeSoto would impress Tuskaloosa with his importance, -Tuskaloosa was just as intent on impressing DeSoto with his profound -greatness. It was throughout a dramatic game of diplomacy, at which each -sought to play with more effect. The reception was short, the speeches -brief and cautious. The savage spoke with haughty reserve, as though -compelled by courtly form. DeSoto, though speaking briefly, was -extravagant in praise of the chief, but especially of himself. He sought -to impress the proud Indian with the idea that, while as an Indian he -thought him peculiarly great, and in condescending magnanimity he would -accord this, still it was an honor not to be lightly esteemed by the -chief, that the Spanish commander should make any concession at all. This -event occurred just south of Line Creek, in the present county of -Montgomery. - -The meeting was mutually unsatisfactory. Both chief and commander were -doubtful of the accomplished result, and both were consequently stiffened -to increased vigilance and resolution. One was suspicious, the other -treacherous. In motive, each was equally hostile. Each felt that he had -strained concession, each was bent on final success. That a juncture had -been reached that would result in a fair test of ability, each knew, and -of the issue, neither doubted. Both would plan and watch. It was a -hand-to-hand fight beneath a show of formality. Whatever the conditions, -DeSoto was determined to keep the chief near himself. After two days, -DeSoto prepared to move. With much show of politeness, he invited the -chief to ride with him. The choicest of the horses was selected, a blood -red blanket thrown over it, while there was tendered to the chief a -crimson cap, and robe of the same color, all of which fascinated -Tuskaloosa while it showed a courtesy undreamed of. For the first time, -the doughty warrior was lifted astride a charger. The spectacle was -grotesque enough--the red robed warrior on the red blanketed steed, with -his huge feet, in loose moccasins, hanging low. Out of the camp they rode -at the head of the cavalcade, DeSoto and the chief, while thronging -thousands gazed with admiring and gaping wonder. It was a ride that -preceded a bloody tragedy. - - - - -TROUBLE BREWING - - -Since he had gone so far in unmasking his apprehension there was now left -nothing for DeSoto to do but to accept whatever results might come. He -could not recede from the position which he had assumed without danger, -yet that he could maintain it, remained to be seen. As league on league -they rode together, DeSoto and Tuskaloosa, the Spaniard was kind, polite -and civil, chatting through an attendant interpreter with the doughty and -deluded chief, it gradually dawned on the Indian that he was trapped, but -he uttered not a word. The fact that DeSoto's objective point was the -capital of the captive chief afforded opportunity for the contrivance of -new schemes in the heart of Tuskaloosa. - -Still moving in a southerly direction, through the present territory of -Montgomery and Lowndes counties, and the lower end of Dallas, the command -reached Piasche, a town built within a bend of the Alabama River. -Unfortunately for DeSoto, his supply of salt was here exhausted, from the -lack of which all suffered--both man and beast. A peculiar malady was the -result, from the effects of which a number of the troops died. Others -affected by the malady became loathsome. The deficiency of salt was in -part overcome by the use of ashes of a certain plant, for information -concerning which DeSoto was indebted to the natives. - -On leaving Piasche the troops followed the Alabama River, and passed -through a portion of the present County of Wilcox. Meanwhile the chief -had become sullen and morose, as though cherishing a deeply nourished -grudge, but not once did he complain or protest against his imprisonment, -and for a time DeSoto flattered himself that the deluded chief was pleased -with the distinction of accompanying him on his tour, while the Indian -well understood the situation, but was willing to rely on the future for -redress. - -By one thing was DeSoto puzzled and embarrassed--that of a number of -warriors who had followed the troops all the way from Line Creek in order -to watch the fate of their chief. They would hang on the rear of the -troop, stop when it would, and move when it moved. While not pleased with -this, DeSoto was reluctant to drive them away, as he was under the -impression that he had Tuskaloosa thoroughly infatuated with him and he -was anxious to retain the supposed hoodwink. The embarrassment was -increased when Tuskaloosa, who seemed to detect the deception into which -DeSoto had beguiled him, availed himself of the advantage thus afforded, -and asked for an occasional interview with his warriors who followed the -troop. - -To decline the request would be to expose DeSoto's plan concerning -Tuskaloosa, while to grant it, was not unattended by danger. However, the -privilege was granted, with the result that Tuskaloosa was constantly -sending messengers toward his capital with dispatches, of the nature of -which DeSoto knew nothing. There was constant disagreement between the -Spanish troops and the Indian hangers-on, and danger was constantly -imminent. An outbreak finally occurred in which two Spaniards were -killed, when DeSoto raved and swore, and more than intimated to Tuskaloosa -that he was the occasion of it, and in his warmth of wrath let fall some -intimated threats of future purposes which furnished to his shrewd Indian -guest what his ultimate determination was. To all of this, Tuskaloosa -growled back that he was the keeper of the Spaniards, and the threats he -treasured up in his heart. - -So grave, at last, became the suspicion of DeSoto that he sent two of his -most trusted followers in advance, to the Indian capital, to ascertain, if -possible, if there was not a conspiracy hatching against him and his men. -Following rapidly, came DeSoto himself with a hundred of his picked men. -Following him again, were a hundred foot soldiers in their best trim, -while to Moscoso was entrusted the rest with the heavy ordnance to come -more leisurely on, but to lose no time. The plan was that by the -successive arrival of troops, in detachments, to impress the Indians that -his numbers were without limit, as they should arrive in order. At no -time, however, did DeSoto leave the chief, but kept him close to his side. -The two messengers charged to ascertain the true situation at Maubila, -reported to their commander that there was evidently much discontent among -the Indians that boded no good. - -Early on the morning of October, 18, 1540, DeSoto reached the Indian -capital, Maubila. Much as he had before been impressed by the skill and -workmanship of the Indians, he was surprised at the scene now presented. -Here indeed was a great Indian city, beautiful for location, and -formidable in its fortifications. Situated on a wide grassy plain through -which ran the deep rolling Alabama, was the capital of the Mobilian tribe. -The city was completely walled about with timbers of immense size, -standing perpendicularly, and made deep set in the earth, and the thick -coat of plastering made of lime mud, gave it the appearance of a wall of -stone. There were two gates in the walls which stood oppositely, and when -closed were very strong. Within, there were eighty large edifices, any one -of which would accommodate 1,000 men. The grounds were well cared for with -their carpet of natural grass. The city viewed from without, looked like -one of the ancient cities of Asia with its lookouts of sufficient size to -accommodate in each eight men. At regular intervals around the walls, but -a few feet above the ground, were portholes for bowmen. - -The exact location of Maubila has given rise to much speculation, and not -a little discussion. Plausible reasons are assigned by different writers -in support of their respective views, but the preponderance of testimony -seems to favor the present site of Choctaw Bluff, in Clarke County, as the -location. In opposition to this view, however, it has been urged that its -distance toward the south is incompatible with the time given for reaching -it by the DeSoto band. - -The arrival of the troops on horseback, under DeSoto, aroused terror on -the part of the Indians, who seemed to regard more the terrible horses -than the men themselves. At the head of the imposing troop rode the -haughty DeSoto in splendid uniform, his armor glittering and his gay plume -gracefully falling back of a wide brim, while beside him was the revered -chief, with his robe of red and his crimson cap, now somewhat dimmed by -rough exposure. There was a hush of consternation when first the cavalcade -rode into full view on the plain. DeSoto had intended by dramatic effect -to overawe the Indian spectators, and with this end in view he neglected -nothing. The armor of the troops was unusually bright, the men were -perfectly erect in their saddles, the horses neighed and pranced, and the -whole effect was inspiringly striking. - -The cavalcade proceeds to the gate on one side of the city, and proudly -enters. With the first sensation of terror gone, the multitude breaks -forth into mighty demonstration. Throngs of men give vent to their -emotions in wild whoops and shouts, accompanied by rude music on cane -flutes. They leap, they dance, and by every conceivable means manifest -their excited joy. On the public square, the dusky maidens gather, and -with shrieks and shouts, dance with unabated glee. No demonstration to a -returning conqueror could exceed that now accorded to DeSoto and his men, -as they proudly ride within the walls of Maubila. Hideous cries from -thousands of throats, mingled with the unmusical notes of many reeds, made -the scene one of terror. - -Silently, but with much ostentation, they ride upon the public square -beneath the wide-spreading oaks. At a given signal, all dismount. A canopy -underspread with rich matting, had been prepared for DeSoto and the chief. -They slowly repair thereto and are seated. With the suddenness of a flash, -Tuskaloosa leaps to his feet, his eye glittering with pent-up anger, and -in stentorian tones he demands that he receive the honor due him within -his own walls, and that he be no longer treated as a common prisoner. -DeSoto is taken quite off his guard. He is as silent as the tomb. An awful -hush falls suddenly on the scene. Wheeling on his heel, the indignant -monarch steps forth and leisurely retires to one of the buildings. DeSoto, -usually very resourceful, is now at his wits' end. Hoping to placate the -stormy chief, he sends an invitation to join him at breakfast, but the -offer is not only sternly declined, but Tuskaloosa notifies the Spaniard -that the sooner he betakes himself without his dominions, the better it -will be for him. A crisis had come and DeSoto must face it. - - - - -BATTLE OF MAUBILA - - -Signs now grow more ominous and rapidly, and DeSoto begins to fear the -worst. This is his greatest dilemma. He would avoid a clash if he could, -and fight only if he must. The occasion has become tense, and he thinks -and plans fast. The Indians have largely vanished from sight in rather a -mysterious way, and those now huddled on the square are in close -conference. A Spanish spy whispers to DeSoto that a thousand warriors, -well armed, are concentrated in one of the large buildings, while in -another is a large supply of Indian munitions of war. The crisis is graver -than he had apprehended. The Spaniard dreaded Indian treachery the more -because it might exceed that of his own. That which he has just learned is -startling, and shows that he has not been mistaken in his suspicions. - -Meanwhile DeSoto keeps up negotiations with the chief, but receives only -rebuff. Meanwhile, also, he is sending secret orders to his men to be -ready at any moment and for any emergency. He now realizes his error in -allowing Tuskaloosa to get beyond his grasp. That which he now wishes is -to have him once more in his possession, and to this end he is working. -His flattery is profuse, his promises to the chief extravagant. His -principal hope lies in gaining the possession once more of his person. He -plies his ingenuity by cajolery, and by all the arts known to the -flatterer, but the foxy Indian had himself recently learned some lessons -of Spanish character, and he is as anxious to keep himself beyond the -reach of DeSoto, as DeSoto's anxiety is to gain possession of him. In one -of the buildings, Tuskaloosa is holding a council with his leading -spirits, as message after message comes from DeSoto. The Indian is not so -unskilled in the art of deception, that he does not see through the thin -guise of the purpose of the Spaniard. "Surely in vain the net is spread in -the sight of any bird." While the negotiations are thus pending, while the -parleying and dallying are going on, an Indian warrior dashes from the -assembled host, and with stentorian voice attended with grim expressions -of heated hostility, denounces the Spaniards as robbers, thieves and -murderers--denounces DeSoto for holding in captivity the beloved chief, -who is as free as the Spaniards, and as good as the Spanish leader -himself, meanwhile making as though he would shoot with an arrow into the -Spanish ranks. Truth is hard, and sometimes hurts. DeSoto is inclined to -disregard all this. The fact is, there was a mutual and balanced fear -between the two parties. Each feared the other; each was equally doubtful -of an issue joined. - -What might have been the result had not a most untimely occurrence taken -place, cannot be imagined, but a Spanish cavalier standing near the -warrior who gave vent to the speech just referred to, irritated beyond -control, clove him asunder with a heavy sword, and his bowels gushed out -in sight of all present. This is the touch of the match to the magazine. -Like the muffled roar of a distant storm, the savages quickly gather, and -in fury rush on the Spaniards, who stand with entire self-collection as -though nothing was occurring. Checked by this marvelous coolness, the -Indians hesitate, and with the utmost precision, the Spaniards march -outside the walls, excepting fifteen, who alarmed by the outbreak, flee -into a room of one of the buildings and close fast the door. - -Once beyond the gate, the Spaniards wheel in defiance and show battle. -Their eyes flash terror, their attitude is one of ferocity. DeSoto has -less than a hundred men, as the infantry has not yet arrived. Soon it -appears, however, and gives fresh nerve. Save the unfortunate killing of -the warrior, nothing has been yet done to indicate an approaching battle, -though the signs thicken fast. The low thud of hurrying feet within the -walls, while all else is silent, betokens trouble. The Spaniards have but -a minute or so to wait, before indications of hostility are manifest. The -camp equipage has been left by the Spaniards on the square, as well as the -Indian prisoners, who had been used all the way from Coosa as burden -bearers. The baggage is burned and the prisoners are freed. The iron -collars are taken from their necks, and the chains from their wrists, and -bows and clubs are placed in their hands to avenge themselves of their -oppressors. The fifteen who fled into one of the buildings are still cut -off, and the situation is ominously acute. - -The delay is only temporary, for soon the savages pour through the gateway -with demoniacal yelling, while a thousand swift arrows plow the air. Five -Spaniards of the little band fall dead, and DeSoto receives a wound. -Regardless of the flowing blood, he leads his command to meet the shock of -the foe. Surprised at courage so unusual, the savages falter, then rush -back within the gate and make it fast. They now turn to the destruction of -the fifteen penned within the room, and seek to force the door, but as -each savage shows himself the enclosed men shoot him down. Some of the -best of DeSoto's fighters are shut within that room--among them are five -of DeSoto's bodyguard, some crossbowmen, two priests, and a friendly -Indian. Their doom seems certain, but they are fighting like bayed tigers. -Unable to force the door, the Indians climb to the top of the walls, and -begin to tear up the roof in order to reach them, but again as an Indian -comes within view he is killed. The dead are heaped before the door, they -lie in a pile on the roof. - -Meanwhile there is no slack in the fighting at the front. The Spanish -assault the walls, but are driven back, though in perfect order. -Encouraged by this, and believing the battle already won, the Indians -again throw open the big gate and rush with fury on the Spaniards. Indians -know little of the value of a retreat in order to rally, and are stunned -by the steadiness and nerve with which they are met. Now begins the battle -in downright earnestness. - -DeSoto is at great disadvantage both in numbers and in supplies of -munitions. Moscoso lingers with the reserves. He is much in need, should -be here, but delays. With strained vision, DeSoto looks for his -lieutenant, but he comes not. The fight is now hand to hand. The Indians -are perhaps fifty to one against the Spaniards, but order and discipline, -powder and ball, crossbow and sword, horse and armor prevail against the -odds. DeSoto leads his troops in person. His men are animated by his -dauntless presence and the terror of his execution. He fights like a -common trooper. The blood still oozes from his wound, but he fights on -still. The Spaniards not only hold their own, but force the savages back. - -At this juncture Moscoso arrives. The Indians rush again within the walls -and make fast the gate. DeSoto now plans for the final onset. His heavy -ordnance is to be brought into prompt execution. On the spot he organizes -his detachments, and while the arrows are flying, he assigns to each body -its task in the closing scene of the drama. Coolness like this is almost -superhuman, but DeSoto is not cooler than his men. - -The axes begin to ring on the gate. Nerved now to desperation by this, the -Indians fight with more ferocity than ever. With resounding blows the axes -fall on the doomed gate. From the summit of the walls and from the -portholes the arrows are rained down on the Spaniards, but striking their -encased armor glide off. Huge pebbles, the size of a man's fist and -larger, fall like hailstones upon their helmets, but to no effect. The -gate begins to give way, it reels, it falls with a creaking crash, and the -Spaniards sweep within. Indians and Spaniards alike fight like demons. -DeSoto still leads, hewing down man after man with his broadsword. His men -follow with equal execution. - -Torches in hand, the walls are being fired. The thick plastering is -knocked off and in many places, the fires begin. Ladders are improvised, -the walls are scaled, and near the summit the torch is applied. The -fifteen pent-up men are released, jump with exhilaration into the fray, -and do deadlier work than the others. The fires begin to climb the walls. -They toss high in air their forked tongues. In a swaying column the smoke -darkens the heavens. - -For nine long hours the battle has raged without cessation, and the end is -not yet. Yells, orders, shrieks, the clang of steel, the stroke of axes, -the roar and crackle of flames mingle in common confusion. DeSoto rushes -on a big warrior, raises his lance to drive it through him and receives a -long arrow in his thigh. He cannot stop to extricate it now, and while it -is protruding, and is much in his way, he fights on like a demon -unchained. Rising in his saddle he sways his sword about his head and -yells, "Our Lady and Santiago!" and plunges anew into the storm of battle. -Spurring his horse into the thickest of the fight, he lays many a warrior -low. - -The Indians begin to break away. They rapidly disappear. The fires become -intense, unbearable. It is a circle of flame leaping from eighty buildings -of dried wood, all at once. The fires rage. The dead braves lie in heaps -both within and without the wall. The blood stands in puddles over a wide -area. At last there are no Indians to fight. They have fled in confusion -to the woods, and DeSoto is master of the situation. - -October 18, 1540, remains to this time the date of the bloodiest Indian -battle that was ever fought. The sun goes down on a city which in the -early hours of the day resounded with the sound of cane lutes, and the -voices of many dancers. The mighty buildings which met the astonished gaze -of the Spanish conqueror, are now a mass of charred ruins. The autumn -grass, green and luxuriant in the morning, is now red with gore. The -populous city of ten hours before is deserted. The great trees, rich in -foliage, are now blasted and seared. Where peace and prosperity were, -havoc is now enthroned. DeSoto had won; his greatest obstruction is now -out of his way, but fresh, and now unconjectured, troubles await him for -which he is ill prepared. - - - - -AFTERMATH OF THE BATTLE - - -The morning following the battle of Maubila the autumnal sun broke in -radiance over the desolate scene. The high oaken walls were gone, the -great buildings had vanished, the ancestral oaks that stood about the -grounds now looked like bare sentinels with arms of nakedness--scarred, -barkless and leafless, the greenswarded square of the morning before was a -sheet of black. When the morning before DeSoto first beheld it, Maubila -was a busy hive of humanity, but it was now as silent as the desert. The -buzz of conversation was no more, the cane lute was silent, the shout of -the warrior had died away, the voices of the Indian maidens were hushed. -The warriors were now stiff in death--the maidens had perished. From the -smouldering ruins of the burned city, still crept a slow smoke, while -around the borders of the horizon it shrouded the fronting woods. Nothing -was wanting to complete the scene of desolation, nothing to finish the -picture of horror. - -About the grounds lay heaps of the dead, many burned to blackness, while -around the walls without, bodies were scattered like leaves. The wide -paths leading to the city from different directions, were paved with the -dead, while along the neighboring streams they lay, still grasping their -bows and tomahawks. Wounded unto death, they had dragged their bodies in -burning thirst to the streams, had slaked their intense desire for water, -and had lain down to die. Squaws and babies were intermingled with brave -warriors, while maidens in their tawdry regalia, worn to greet the -Spaniard and his men, were stretched in death. The leaves, grass, and low -underbrush about the once proud city, were painted in the blood of its -brave defenders, now no more. - -To DeSoto it was a victory dearly bought. He had won by dint of discipline -and of orderly evolution, by means of powder and bullet and encasing -armor, but he had paid a heavy toll. It was the beginning of his own end, -and that of the expedition which he led. Eighty-two Spaniards of the small -band were either dead, or a little later, died of their wounds. Forty-five -horses had been killed, and much of the clothing of the men had been -consumed in the flames, together with medicines, relics, and much other -valuable property. There was not an unwounded man in the party save among -the priests, who did not share in the fight. Some of the men bore as many -as eleven wounds, and in not a few instances, the arrows were still buried -in the flesh, made difficult of extrication because of the triangular -shape of the stones with which the arrows were tipped. Every surgeon was -dead excepting one of the staff, and he the least skillful. Following the -example of the men under Cortez in Mexico, the Spaniards cut away the fat -part of the thighs of the slain Indians, and bound the flesh about their -wounds. The camp was removed sufficiently away from the scene to escape -the stench of the dead, the Spanish slain were buried, and DeSoto was left -to plan for the future. Forgetful of his own wounds, he was intent on the -comfort of his men. He would seek to cheer them with visions of fortune -yet to be realized, and with promises never to be fulfilled. - -In the solitude of thought, DeSoto kept well within himself. He realized -the seriousness of the situation, was half inclined to abandon the quest -for gold, but his proud spirit revolted against acknowledgement of -failure. Yet a serious breach had been made in his ranks, his resources -were impaired beyond recuperation, winter was coming on, he knew not the -condition of the country ahead, nor did he know what the temper of his -troops would be after the reaction from the battle. He talked to no one, -for the very excellent reason that he did not know in whom to confide. The -Spaniard is wary, suspicious. Every one suspects every other. Daring as -DeSoto was, he was not without a modicum of precaution. As he had westward -gone, the tribes had increased in intelligence and in formidableness. What -lay before him toward the further west, he knew not. He could not sustain -another Maubila. After all, would it be wise or not, to seek again the -fleet in Tampa Bay? Here was a perplexity with which to wrestle. He must -act, and that soon, but how, was the question that harassed his mind. - -One ray of hope pierced the gloom of the silent and morose Spaniard--the -Indian tribes westward and northward, on learning of the fate of Maubila, -sent envoys of peace to DeSoto, attended with assurances of good will and -of friendship. Stricken with terror by the feat of the valiant white -invader, they were anxious to placate him in advance. Whatever may have -been their sentiments before, they were now sycophantic enough. Among the -Indian visitors it was said by some that the Chief Tuskaloosa had fled -during the battle, but the general opinion was that he had perished. These -same Indian envoys told DeSoto that the great chief had long been planning -for the extinction of the Spanish host, and that his plot was deeply laid, -which news served to encourage the Spaniard with the belief that he had -committed no blunder in overthrowing him. These envoys gave partial nerve -to DeSoto in his growing perplexity and despondency. - -While the commander sat alone in his tent meditating on what course he -should pursue, his men nursed their wounds, and with returning relief, -they became the same volatile spirits as before. Up to this time, their -confidence in their leader had been supreme. While they did not comprehend -his unusual moroseness, and while no one would venture to approach him -with any degree of familiarity, they confided in his judgment, and lolled -the days away in utter indifference of the future. Sprawled on their rough -pallets of leaves and straw, or else stretched on the grass beneath the -wide trees, they would while away the time gambling. Their cards had been -destroyed by the fire, but they improvised others. They were inveterate -gamblers. Throughout the entire march these reckless fellows gambled at -every halt. Money, jewelry, horses, clothing, and even Indian mistresses -were staked in the games. With nothing now to beguile the tedium of the -camp, they whiled away the days in gaming, while the demure commander sat -alone in his tent doubtful as to what to do next. Heartened by the reports -of the envoys, DeSoto finally almost resolved to push westward, but an -unexpected dilemma arose for which he was least prepared. Idleness was -demoralizing his men, and an unlooked-for trouble was in store for him, -the news of which almost stunned him, when he learned it. Far severer and -sorer than any yet encountered, it went to his heart like cold steel, when -once it was realized. - - - - -MURMURING AND MUTINY - - -Nearly eight months now lie behind the expedition, and they had been -months of almost superhuman endurance. Exposure to rain and cold, groping -through tangled swamps, and wading or swimming numerous creeks and rivers, -undergoing hunger, fatigue, and sickness, kept in constant anxiety, by day -and by night, lest they be attacked by a stealthy foe, climbing high hills -and mountains without the semblance of a road, or even a path, fighting -frequently without any knowledge of the force opposed, utterly cut off -from communication with home, or with the outside world, and utterly -without any compensation for all endured--when were the trials of a body -of men greater? Their ranks were now thinned, most of their luggage was -gone, they were worn out by long marches, many of their comrades were -sleeping in graves in a land of wilderness, and yet not a grain of the -much-sought gold has been found. Many had staked their fortunes on the -quest, and these young, blooded Castilians were now beginning to show -signs of hostile restlessness. - -DeSoto discovered all this, and he had so often cheered them with dazzling -phantoms, while he had only poverty and distress to offer, that he knew -not whither to turn in an extremity so dire. A difficulty now faced him -that required greater courage than that needed to resist Indian arrows, -for his men were quietly fomenting rebellion. They had learned from Indian -visitors to the camp, that a fleet of Spanish ships, under Maldinado, was -lying off the present location of Pensacola, awaiting the return of -DeSoto. This was corroborated by other reports from the coast. This -impelled a determination on the part of the men, to break away and seek -the shores of the south. DeSoto would himself have turned southward at -this juncture, but for his humiliating failure. The vision of his -sumptuous home in distant Spain rose often before him, and in his dreams -he had pictured a palace rivalling that of royalty, in consequence of his -discovery of gold, but he was destined never to see that home again. - -The worst at last came. His apprehensions were fully confirmed when he -learned that under the leadership of some of his most trusted men, a -conspiracy was hatching to leave him to his fate, and make their way -southward, some proposing to sail home, others to join a new expedition to -Peru. In order to satisfy himself fully, DeSoto quietly slid about the -camp at night, and by a process of eavesdropping gain what he might. Among -his men were some who had deserted Pizarro at a juncture, and DeSoto began -to prepare for the worst. This was the severest trial of his eventful -life. He had no means of knowing who were his friends, or indeed whether -he had any. The crisis was extreme. - -Turning the matter over in his mind, DeSoto finally resolved on a -desperate course. He had been planning to found a Spanish settlement in -this particular region, and had gone so far as to send an Indian agent to -Ochus, where the plans of colonization were being arranged. Goaded to the -extreme of desperation, he proposed to make a bold show of authority and -force. It was now just a month since the battle, and all his men had so -far recovered from their wounds that they were again able to take up the -line of march. Reserving his plan to himself, on the morning of November -18, he suddenly issued an order to get ready to move at once. His men did -not know what direction he would go, but to their astonishment, he turned -northward. He accompanied his order with a threat to kill any man who -undertook to disobey. This was quite unusual, indeed, nothing like it had -before occurred, and it took the men quite off their guard. Before the -troops could confer or consult, every man was in his saddle and strung out -on the line of march. By this means DeSoto surprised the men instead of -their surprising him. He was really without authority in a step so -arbitrary. The expedition was entirely voluntary, but DeSoto saw that -unless he could by a single stroke, shatter the rising revolt, he should -be totally undone. - -Giving up the idea of a colony, DeSoto moved toward the northwest, beyond -the confines of the present County of Clarke, and through the territory of -Marengo and Greene, as they now are, and, after five days, reached the -Black Warrior River about where the village of Erie now is. Here he -encountered resistance. The news of the disaster at Maubila had spread to -the remotest settlements, arousing the Indians to vengeance, and at Erie, -they appeared 1,500 strong, painted, and bearing clubs and bows. As though -nothing was before them, the Spaniards moved steadily on, the Indians -falling back, while they filled the air with their arrows. On reaching -the river, the Indians in haste filled their waiting canoes and rowed -rapidly across, and such as could not find place in the boats, plunged in -and swam the stream. On the opposite side, the Indians met a large -reinforcement that had gathered to dispute the passage of the river by -DeSoto. The Spaniards began leisurely to fortify, giving but slight heed -to the wild demonstrations on the opposite side, which the Indians -observing, quietly dispersed and disappeared, save a number who were left -to watch the object of the Spaniards. - -Detailing a hundred men to cut timbers and construct rafts, DeSoto quietly -rested till the arrangements were complete, when he began to cross with -his force, giving no attention to the showers of arrows from the foe. -Struck by his cool determination, the Indians fled precipitately. - -No region before entered, had so impressed DeSoto, as this one. He was -charmed by its natural grandeur. The late dry fall had enlivened the -autumnal scenery, the grass was still green, which, together with the -flaming foliage of the forests, lent magnificence to a wide scene. The -soil was of a deep black, and the surface somewhat rolling, the billows of -green and the delicious color of the engirdling woods, affording a view -lovelier than any he had ever before witnessed. The troop was now passing -through the upper part of Greene County, where it borders on Pickens. - -Five days more brought the Spaniards to the bank of the Little Tombeckbe. -The Spaniards were impressed by the fact that in proportion to the -fertility of the country, was a sparseness of population, the explanation -being that the Indian detests prairie mud, making his home on the uplands, -and descending to the fertile plains only to replenish his store of meat. -Again at the Little Tombeckbe, the Indians appeared in hostile array, and -DeSoto, eager to avoid battle, sent a friendly Indian across the stream to -negotiate terms of peace. Him they slew within sight of the Spaniards, and -then strangely fled to the woods, and DeSoto crossed without further -interruption. He was now on the eastern border of Mississippi, but the -final act of the tragedy was yet to come. - - - - -THE CLOSING SCENE - - -Though we have followed the daring and dashing DeSoto to the western -confines of the state, the story would be incomplete without a record of -the closing scene of his career. His life was thrilling in incident, even -to the end. Entering the territory which long afterward came to be called -Mississippi, DeSoto found it the most fertile and prosperous of the -regions yet visited. Thriving Indian towns abounded with evidence of the -most advanced Indian civilization he had yet met. - -Though delayed, winter at last set in with unusual severity, and DeSoto -decided to spend the cold season in that quarter. He was eager for the -good will of the inhabitants, and sought by every possible means to gain -it. Foraging over the country, his men would return with supplies, and -always with prisoners. These DeSoto would liberate with much show of -kindness, and dismiss them with presents to their chief. This would -surprise the prisoners, and more the chiefs themselves. This resulted in -bringing to his camp the chief of the Chickasaw tribe, the fiercest and -most warlike of all those on the continent, and notably the most advanced. -This chief, not to be outdone by the kindness of the Spaniard, brought as -a present, one hundred and fifty rabbits, besides four mantles of rich -fur. Nor did he cease with a single visit, but came again and again and -chatted with DeSoto with unrestrained familiarity around his camp fire. -The Indian was studiously diplomatic, and after several visits, disclosed -to DeSoto that he had a certain rebellious subject whom he wished the -Spaniard to subdue for him. This task, the chief further disclosed, was -one attended with such complications as to prevent his action in the -matter, and yet if DeSoto would intervene with sternness, the chief would -see to it that it would not be forgotten. - -DeSoto sent his men against the rebellious subaltern, burned his village -and forced him to sue for terms with the chief. On occasion, when the -chief would spend a few hours with him, DeSoto would send him home on one -of his finest horses, much to the delight of the savage. But a strain came -in their relations when after the fight with the insubordinate Indian, -those of the tribe who had accompanied DeSoto's men back to camp were -served with savory and toothsome bits of pork. The Indians had never -before tasted swine meat, and they were so delighted, that they showed -their appreciation by several nightly visits to the pig pens, and by a -stealthy appropriation of some of the choicest rooters. DeSoto was willing -to divide, but protested against his pig sties becoming the prey of -nightly marauders. His men lay in wait for the red rogues, who caught -three, two of whom they killed, and in order to advertise a warning to -future offenders, cut off the hands of the third at the wrist, and set him -free. This was one exception to the rule working both ways. The Spaniards -had never scrupled to steal from the Indian, or to take, by force, -whatever might please them, but so soon as somebody's else ox was gored, -the rule of roguish reciprocity ceased its operation. The standard of the -Spaniard was, might makes right. An early spring came with its balminess, -its singing birds, and first blossoms, and DeSoto was actuated to move -onward, and yet he was reluctant to quit the ease of so many months. He -was worn down by the strain to which he had so long been subjected. He -sought to rally himself, but his gait had lost much of its elasticity, his -eye was not so lustrous, and the stylus of care had marked deep crowfeet -on his brow. Whatever there was of nobleness in him, was turned into a -sense of sternness. Presuming that he knew the Indian character, he had -lost much already, but he proved not to be an apt scholar in Indianology. -He had courted the good will of the chief of Chickasaws, and had been -requited by a return of civility, but the Spaniard really had a contempt -for Indian character, and contempt always clouds justice, and when -exercised, leads often to serious error. - -Now that he was about to quit his encampment, DeSoto made a peremptory -order on the Chickasaw chief for 200 of his ablest men to become his -burden bearers. The Chickasaws were the proudest and most arrogant of the -Indian tribes, and rather than be humbled, they preferred death. As -allies, they were valuable, as foes, formidable. - -On the receipt of the order from DeSoto, the gentleness of the lamb was -turned into the wrath of the lion, but the Indian chief wisely curbed his -spirit, and sent an evasive answer, not without a dignified phase of -manliness, and an expression of remindfulness that DeSoto did himself -slight credit by failing to understand the stuff, of which himself, the -chief, was made. This was not the first time that DeSoto had encountered -men in these western wilds who were wiser than he took himself to be. -DeSoto saw too late that he had turned loose a storm which he might not be -able to manage. Moscoso was summoned, told to be on his guard, and to get -ready for the worst. DeSoto impressed him with the importance of the -utmost vigilance, but Moscoso saw nothing in it all, and continued lax. - -Though the trees were budding, and the young leaves were peeping from -their coverts, there came on one of the last nights in March, one of those -cold snaps to which this latitude is subject. A cold wind roared from the -north, and furiously soughed through the trees. In its suddenness, the -Spaniards made unusual preparation for comfort that night, and huddled -together on their bunks of straw and dried leaves. The camp was as silent -as a cemetery, save the howling of the wind. The fires died down, and the -men were fast asleep. Suddenly there came a din of confusion rarely heard, -mingled with the howling of the wind. From four different quarters came -the sound of the beating of wooden drums, the hoarse notes of sea shells, -and the unearthly shrieks of thousands of warriors. When the sleepers -awoke, the roofs of dry hay were afire, and the Indians were already in -the camp. They had wisely chosen that terrible night for the extinction of -the invaders, and on nothing less were they bent. The Spaniards had often -had recourse to fire, and the Indians thought they would test its virtue. -Fire-tipped arrows, shot into the straw-thatched roofs had fired them, -while the dry wattled cane of which the huts were built, lent loud -detonations by the explosion of their joints. The fire-tipped arrows, -DeSoto later learned, was by the use of a decoction from certain herbs -known only to these Indians as a means of occasioning fire. - -Springing from his couch, DeSoto was the first to gain his horse, and a -cavalier mounted his own at the same moment. With sword and lance, they -spurred their horses into the midst of the host of savages, dealing death -with every movement. Half-dressed, the other troopers followed in quick -succession, and soon the camp was the scene of a hand-to-hand fight. -DeSoto had failed to fasten the girth of his saddle sufficiently, and by a -sudden turn of his horse in one of his desperate sallies, he was thrown -hard to the ground, just as he had laid an Indian low. He was speedily -rescued by his men, and securing his girth, he fought as never before. -While the fight was at its height, fifty of his men chose the moment as an -opportune one to desert, but DeSoto had them brought back and join in the -fray. The Indians were routed, but not till forty Spaniards had been -killed. This had the effect of welding the Spaniards afresh, and ended all -insubordination. - -There was no more sleep in the Spanish camp that night. Moscoso was -summoned, roundly abused, and cashiered in the presence of the troops, and -Beltecar was appointed in his stead. After burying his dead, DeSoto set -out on a renewed march, encountered resistance again at Alilome, where, -after another fierce engagement, he routed the enemy, but lost fifteen -more men, making in all three hundred and fifteen, of the six hundred, -with whom he started, and in May, 1541, reached the Mississippi River, of -which he is the reputed discoverer. Here he lingered a year, making an -excursion into Arkansas, and on his return, was stricken with swamp fever. -His system was ill prepared for this attack, and from the first, he was -aware that he must die. He summoned his men about him, restored Moscoso to -command, begged his men to be subject to the new commander, and yielded to -the last foe--death. - -To prevent the possible mutilation of his body, his men hewed out a coffin -from the trunk of a huge oak, placed the body within it, sealed it -securely and bore it to the middle of the deep Mississippi and lowered it -in its current. Thus died this chivalrous son of Spain, and though a -monster of cruelty, none in the annals of that ill-fated land was ever -braver. - - - - -ORIGINAL MOBILE - - -Following the death of DeSoto, it was one hundred and sixty-two years -before another white man was in Alabama. During this century and a half, -there was developed such a spirit of exploration as the world had never -before known. The new regions of the earth were visited by explorers from -a number of European nations, chief among which were Spain, Portugal, -France, England, and Holland. The French came to vie with the Spaniards in -the comprehensiveness of expedition and exploration, and from Canada, the -French found their way to the upper limits of the navigable waters of the -Mississippi, and followed it to the gulf. - -From their established possessions west of the great river, the French -came later to skirt the upper waters of the gulf, and were much impressed -by the sinuous character of the long shore front, with its numerous inlets -and indentations, its promontories, bays, and rivers. It was by means like -these that they first entered Mobile Bay, and finally came to found -Mobile. Biloxi had previously been established, and was an important -colonial center to the enterprising French of that period. In order to -impress the native savage and ward off interference, the French would -erect forts of mud, poles, and grass, which, while appearing formidable to -the Indians, they were flimsy and frail. The savages themselves relied on -their strong-timbered forts for defense, and they had an idea that those -of the French were similarly strong. - -Attracted by the beautiful sheet of water known to us as Mobile Bay, the -French entered it from the gulf through its deep mouth, flanked on the one -side by a long tongue of land, and on the other by an island. Once on the -bosom of the bay, its shores were explored, and on the present location of -Mobile was erected Fort St. Louis, which was intended as a permanent name, -but Iberville, the great sea captain of the French, insisted on calling it -Mobile, from the name of the tribe of Indians on the boundary of the -territory of which the original fort was built. The name is supposed to -mean "paddling." - -From its inception, Mobile came to be to the French an important center. -By nothing was Iberville more impressed than by the magnificent timbers -with which the forests were stocked. Nothing was more important at that -time than heavy oaken timber for ship building, and to the practical eye -of the great navigator, it seemed an excellent place for the erection of a -saw mill. Later developments of the geographical advantages of the -location, led to its adoption as the headquarters and seat of government -for this region of the French possessions. Seaward, it was open to the -world as a port of navigation. - -It was found that the river, on the west bank of which is the location, -was like the base of the letter Y, with its prongs, fifty miles to the -north, penetrating regions at great distances in the interior, which -regions were already populous with Indians, and of fabulous fertility of -soil. While, like the Spaniards, the French dreamed of mines of gold, -they were not unmindful of the importance of colonization. - -One of the first chief cares of these early colonizers was that of winning -to their loyalty the native tribes, as an agency against the English, who -were equally desirous of the possession of the fertile region. Bienville, -the French governor of Louisiana, was ambitious to extend the dominions of -his royal master as far eastward as possible, and vied with the English in -seeking the alliance of the native tribes. From no point were these -natives so easily reached, as from the fort just erected on the swell of -land on the western side of this river pouring into the beautiful bay. -Sufficient space was therefore at first cleared, a stockade was built, a -few dingy tents were erected about it, while on the premises might have -been seen a few specimens of imported swine, chickens, and horses moving -domestically about. - -There was, however, lacking one element of civilization, concerning which -Bienville proceeded to make complaint to the home government at Paris. The -improvised homes were minus the presence of the gentler sex. On receipt of -this information, the King of France forthwith instructed the bishop of -Quebec to send to the Mobile region twenty-three young women of good -families, to become the wives of these original founders. In due time -these twenty-three blushing maidens reached the fort under the care of -four Sisters of Charity. Governor Bienville at once issued a proclamation -announcing their arrival, and very practically proceeded to place a -premium on manly worth, by stating that no man would be allowed to claim -the heart and hand of these waiting damsels, who did not first prove -himself capable of supporting a wife. The result was a rapid improvement -of the manhood of the community, eventuating in another fact, namely, that -not many moons waned before every one of the Canadian prospectives became -a wife. - -These were the first marriage rites, under Christian sanction, ever -solemnized on the soil of Alabama. This meant homes, and homes meant the -beginning of a new order of civilization. This romantic touch to our early -civilization in Alabama is worthy of record. - -From that primitive beginning in the wild woods of south Alabama, and from -conditions as crude and uncanny as those named, our chief port had its -beginning little more than two centuries ago. As a common center of -importance, it was visited by numerous deputations of Indians, from points -near and remote, skimming with their light canoes the deep waters of the -Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers. While this was true, trade was established -with the Spaniards as far south as Vera Cruz, and from the region of the -great lakes of the north, came French traders to Mobile. While the -conditions were such as to excite the most optimistic outlook, there were -counter conditions of vexation and of perplexity. These early years were -full of anxiety and harassment to Bienville. In his efforts to conciliate -the native tribes, he encroached on the territory of the active emissaries -of the English, as competitors of native alliance, and thus the Indian -became a shuttle in the loom of primitive politics between the French and -the English. The Indians were incited to lure the French into the interior -by false representations, and straightway to massacre them. To question -their statements, meant unfriendliness, to trust them, meant death. -Abundant trouble was in store for the French governor in the immediate -future. - - - - -FORT TOMBECKBE - - -Just above the point where the bridge of the Southern Railway spans the -Tombigbee, at Epes station, in Sumter County, may be seen a clump of -cedars on a high chalky bluff overlooking the river. This is a historic -spot, for here Governor Bienville had built Fort Tombeckbe, as an outpost -of civilization. The barest traces of the old fort are left in the slight -mounds still to be seen, but it was at one time an important base to -Bienville. - -By tampering with the savages in the interior of Alabama, English -emissaries had occasioned such confusion as to give to Bienville much -annoyance. Whatever may be said of the conduct of England in this -connection, and it was reprehensible enough, it was at par with that which -was done by the French. Both nations took advantage of the untutored -savage, and laid under requisition his worst passions, in order each to -avenge itself on the other. On the part of England, however, this -continued much later, and that nation was responsible for many of the -atrocities perpetrated on Americans. - -On one occasion, two artful warriors appeared at Mobile with every -possible show of interest in the government of Bienville, and with -extravagant asseverations of loyalty to his government. Bienville was -responsive to demonstrations like this, for nothing he so much desired as -the loyalty which these red men professed. These savages advised the -French governor that they had carefully accumulated much corn at a given -point up the river, and if he desired it, they were in position to sell -it cheaply. As provisions were growing scarce at the fort, this was -cheering news to Bienville, and he promptly sent five men from the -garrison to fetch it. Only one of the five returned, and he with an arm -almost cut from his shoulder, the rest of the party having been massacred. -Bienville was at once impressed that it was necessary to teach the Indians -that he was not to be trifled with, and taking forty men in seven canoes, -he ascended the river to the scene of the late massacre. Finding ten empty -Indian canoes tied to the bank, he knew that their settlement was not far -distant, and from the smoke seen rising above the tree tops, he was able -to locate the village. Hiding his men in the underbrush till night, he -crept stealthily to the encampment and opened fire. The Indians were -scattered in all directions, and loading his boats with provisions, -Bienville leisurely returned to the fort. How many of the Indians were -killed in this night attack, was not ascertained, but Bienville suffered -the loss of three men. These offensive Indians were of the Alabamas, whom -to punish more effectually, Bienville incited against them both the -Choctaws and the Chickasaws, promising rewards to those who would kill the -greater number. That the Alabamas were effectually punished, abundant -proof was afforded by the numerous warriors who sought their way to Mobile -to compare the number of scalps which they bore, dangling from their -belts. Beads, hatchets, pipes, and ammunition were given the savages in -reward for their work of death. - -Fort Tombeckbe had been built at the point already designated, which was -within the territory of the Choctaws, whose special service Bienville now -needed, since the Chickasaws had revolted against him. Meantime they had -also become most hostile toward the Choctaws, therefore Bienville -concluded that their service could be the more readily enlisted in his -proposed expedition against the Chickasaws. In order to subdue the hostile -Chickasaws, Bienville proposed a unique expedition which he would head in -person. The dominions of the Chickasaws were remote from Mobile, but he -would make Fort Tombeckbe the base of his operations, while he would bring -them again into subjection. - -Accordingly Bienville summoned the garrisons from Natchez and Natchitoches -to co-operate with the one at Mobile in the up-country expedition. As it -was regarded as a sort of picnic outing, a company of volunteers, composed -of citizens and merchants from New Orleans asked to join in the excursion. -Everything was gotten in readiness. Thirty rough dugouts, and an equal -number of flat boats or barges, were arranged along the shore ready to -join in the diversion of subduing the Chickasaws. In due time, Governor -Bienville appeared in gay uniform, plumed hat, and bright sword, and -headed the expedition which sailed from Mobile on the morning of April 1, -1736. The day might have been taken as indicative of that which was to -come, for never was a body of men more fooled than were these. - -There were pomp and circumstance on this occasion. Banners, trappings, and -bunting were galore. Boats, little and large, were well filled, men, young -and old, business men and merchants, adventurers and gamblers, idlers and -jail birds, men of fortune and men of leisure, rough mariners and veteran -soldiers, friendly Indians and forty-five negroes, made up the medley of -the expedition. The Indians belonged to the general command, while the -negroes were a separate command under a free, intelligent mulatto, named -Simon. They shove from the shore in the current. Lillied flags wave and -flutter in glinting curve, varied colored banners are displayed, and the -incongruous expedition starts. Amidst the yells of the hosts, the cannon -booming from the fort, the report of which rebounds and re-echoes along -the shore, while the gay and hilarious host shouts itself hoarse, the -expedition starts. For twenty-three days they pull against the current in -their ascent of the Tombigbee. Messengers were dispatched in advance to -advise Captain DeLusser, at Fort Tombeckbe, of the coming of the mighty -multitude, and to provide against their hunger by cooking several barrels -of biscuits. DeLusser cooked for life, by day and by night, but he had -only about two-thirds the quantity of biscuits needed for the hungry host -on its arrival. No trip could have been more laborious, as the barges had -to be dragged against the current by seizing the overhanging branches and -vines, when possible, and at other times employing beaked rods by means of -which, when grappling with trees or rocks the barges were pulled slowly -along. All this was forgotten when the fort was reached, and men could -again refresh themselves. - - "When the shore is won at last, - Who will think of the billows past?" - -Bienville was much disappointed to find that just before his arrival there -had been a revolt at the fort, and the conspirators were now in irons -awaiting his coming. The plan of the conspirators was to kill DeLusser and -the commissariat, and return to the Chickasaws two men who had been -delivered from their hands, and who had been previously reduced by the -Chickasaws to slavery. By thus conciliating the Chickasaws, the -conspirators hoped to have aid given them in reaching Canada, where they -would join the British. Bienville made short work of them, for after a -brief court martial, they were marched out on the prairie and shot. The -most significant event connected with the coming of Bienville was that of -the assembling of six hundred Choctaw warriors, who had heard much of -Bienville and under their leaders, Mingo and Red Shoes, had now come to -offer their service. To impress them with his importance, Bienville -regaled the warriors with a dress parade of his host, only a part of which -knew anything about military evolutions, but where the Indians knew -nothing of regularity, the purpose was equally served. With great delight -the savages witnessed the drill, and announced themselves ready to join -Bienville in his campaign against the Chickasaws, fifty miles away. With -his body of five hundred and fifty, and the six hundred Choctaws, and the -reinforcements under D'Artaguette of three hundred more, which last body -was to join him later, Bienville felt confident of success, but he little -knew the character of the foe that he was to meet. - - - - -CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE CHICKASAWS - - -Never felt one surer of success than Bienville when he took up afresh his -expedition against the Chickasaws. By prearrangement, D'Artaguette was to -descend from the Illinois region, and meet him near the stronghold of the -Chickasaws and aid him in their subjection. Of ardent temperament, -Bienville was easily made overconfident, and yet he had but little on -which to rely. Save the veterans of the command, he had little else. - -The motley horde that had enlisted under his banner at Mobile, was not -worthy of trust in an emergency, nor did he know how far he could depend -on his Indian allies, for Red Shoes hated the white man, only he hated the -Chickasaws the more. He was going not so much in aid of the French, as he -was to punish the Chickasaws. This made his influence a doubtful quality, -and that influence was great with the Choctaws. But if Bienville could -have the command of D'Artaguette to aid him, which was destined not to be, -he could possibly succeed, though the Chickasaws were the fiercest -fighters among the tribes, and they had among them English officers, who -were training them for the coming attack. - -The command was again ready to move, but the keen edge of the novelty and -enthusiasm was now blunted, on the part of at least a large contingent of -the command, which was going simply because they had to go. The scene was -a peculiar one, as the boats were ranged along the bank of the river at -Fort Tombeckbe. With refreshing complacency, the French took possession of -the boats, Simon and his seventy-five black followers owned their crafts, -and the Canadians and Indian allies were left to make their way, as best -they could, along the river to the point where all were to unite to go -against the Chickasaws. - -On May 22, 1736, they reached the region where Cotton Gin Port, -Mississippi, now is, where Bienville built a temporary fort which he named -Fort Oltibia, and after securing his stores, locking his boats to the -trees, and appointing a guard to protect them, he started with twelve -days' rations to the Chickasaws' stronghold, still twenty-seven miles in -the interior. - -It was a rainy season, the prairie mud was deep, the inland streams were -up, the country a tangled region of underbrush, the banks of the streams -slippery with lime mud, and most of the host already demoralized. They -started inland, the men sometimes being forced at times to wade waist deep -in crossing the streams, the march was slow and laborious, and the -prospect grew dimmer with decreasing enthusiasm, as they proceeded. There -was straggling not a little, but from more of this Bienville was saved, by -reason of the fact that they were in the enemy's country, and a sense of -common interest welded them together. They marched past fortified villages -of the Chickasaws, which villages Bienville disregarded, but he found it -next to impossible to restrain the Choctaws, in their hatred of the -Chickasaws from attacking these. One fortified village, Schouafalay, the -Choctaws did attack, much against the judgment of Bienville. - -There was partial relief afforded the troops when they emerged from the -tangled wilderness and reached the open prairie. Here was an abundance of -game, of much of which the troops availed themselves, while they were -cheered not a little by the patches of ripe strawberries growing in -wildness on the plain, and by the unbroken green of the prairie dashed -here and there by patches of beautiful blossoms. - -They were now within six miles of the object of attack. Here it was -proposed that the commands of Bienville and of D'Artaguette were to unite, -but the latter failed to appear. The scouts sent on in advance by -Bienville, reported that they could not find D'Artaguette and could learn -nothing of his whereabouts. This was a sore disappointment to Bienville, -for he had counted much on D'Artaguette and his veterans, but he could not -now stop. He still had about one thousand five hundred in his command, and -he was confident of success. - -Bienville's plan was to pass around Ackia, where the Chickasaws were -strongly fortified, and proceed to the town of Natchez, overthrow the -Indians there, and by that means inspire the troops, and at the same time -demoralize the Chickasaws. In a council of officers now called, he -advocated this plan, but the Choctaw leaders would not listen to a -proposal like this. They wanted to attack the Chickasaws outright, crush -them, and then quietly return. Some of the French officers concurred in -the proposed policy of the Choctaws, while not a few coincided with -Bienville. The Choctaws seemed almost uncontrollable in their frantic -desire to reach the Chickasaws. To have heard them rave, one would have -thought that there was little use of the French in the expedition, at all. - -Nothing was now left but to traverse the remaining six miles, and give -battle to the waiting Chickasaws. The line of march was again taken up, -and another half day brought them within full view of the battlements of -the enemy. The conditions were not such as to occasion much inspiration. -The fortifications were imposing, and seemed sufficiently strong to resist -any force. - -On an eminence stood the fort of heavy logs. Around it were palisades with -port holes just above the ground, while just within the palisades was a -trench, in which the defenders would stand, rest their guns within the -port holes, and fire with ease on the plain below without the slightest -exposure of their bodies. Outside the palisades were a number of strongly -fortified structures or cabins. The fort itself was of triangular shape, -with the roof of heavy green logs, overlaid with a thick stratum of dried -mud, a double security against fire, should the French undertake the use -of combustibles. The imposing fortifications had a disheartening effect -even on the officers of the French troops, and much more the men. - -A careful inspection was made, and there was nothing left but to plan for -the attack. The French were to open the battle, and the Choctaws were left -to attack as they might wish. The Indians occupied a camp some distance -from the others, and proceeded to paint and to deck themselves for -battle. They stood in readiness, as though waiting for the battle to open. -All plans were gotten in readiness, and at two o'clock in the afternoon -the fight was to begin by regular assault from the outset. - - - - -BATTLE OF ACKIA - - -At two o'clock on the afternoon of May 26, 1736, the battle of Ackia was -opened by Chevalier Noyan, who, as his troops advanced within carbine shot -of the fort, could easily see English officers within the palisades -directing the defense. - -The French were moving to the attack in the open, without personal -shields, which were too heavy to be brought so great a distance, and they -had to resort to portable breastworks made of heavy ropes, closely woven -together in strips of about four feet in width and about twenty feet in -length. This wide strip of roping had to be borne at either end by strong -men, who were of course exposed, while the firing line was somewhat -protected. These mantelets, for such the movable fortifications were -called, were carried by negroes, whom the French forced into this perilous -service. A broadside of musketry was opened on the fort, in response to -which the garrison vigorously replied, and among the casualties was that -of killing one of the negroes, while another was wounded, whereupon every -black man who was supporting the mantelets threw them down and fled the -field. Without a waver in their line, the French pressed on to the attack. - -The grenadiers led the advance and moved on into the outside village. The -battle was now on in earnest, and one of the ablest of the French -commanders, Chevalier de Contre Coeur, was killed, together with a number -of grenadiers, but the fortified cabins were taken without, as well as -some smaller ones, to the latter of which fire was applied. This quick -advantage gained, led to an enthusiastic determination to carry the fort -by assault. Noyan, at the head of his troops, saw the advantage and was -ready to lead the charge. With sword upraised, he commanded the advance, -but on looking back he found that all the troops, save a mere handful, had -fled back to the fortified cabins, leaving the officers. The enemy taking -advantage of this juncture, fired more vigorously still, and another of -the brave commanders, Captain DeLusser, the same who commanded at Fort -Tombecke, fell. The officers bringing up the rear urged, besought, -exhorted the troops who had sought shelter in the cabins to rejoin their -officers, but to no purpose. They were promised the reward of promotion, -but that did not avail. Finally the officers sought to appeal to their -pride by proposing to take such as would follow and themselves make the -assault, to all of which the troops were agreed, but they did not propose -to face again the galling fire of the Chickasaws. Suiting the action to -the word, the officers proceeded to the assault, for which they paid -severely, for every prominent leader was shot down wounded--Noyan, -Grondel, Montburn and De Velles. Though bleeding and suffering, Noyan -supported himself and, much exposed, held his ground with a remnant of -troops. Hoping to elicit those from the cabins, he ordered an aide to -request the secreted troops to come to his rescue, as he was wounded. As -the officer turned to obey, he was shot dead. - -The assault had been carried to within a short distance of the main walls -where the officers lay bleeding from their wounds, the foremost of whom -was the gallant Grondel. A number of Indian warriors issued from the fort -to scalp him, on observing which a sergeant with four men rushed to his -rescue, drove the Indians back into the fort, and raised his body to bear -it off the field. Just as they started, every rescuer was killed. A -stalwart Frenchman named Regnisse, seeing what had happened, dashed toward -the body alone, under a galling fire, lifted the wounded man to his back -and bore him off, though not without the receipt of another wound by -Grondel. - -Meanwhile, where were the courageous Choctaws who were so eager for the -fray and who were the chief cause of bringing on the fight? While the -French were exposed to a raking fire, these six hundred painted warriors -remained at a safe distance on the plain, giving frequent vent to shouting -and shrieking and yelling, interspersed now and then with dancing, and -shooting into the air. This was the utmost of the service rendered by the -Choctaw allies. - -Though with a courageous few, Noyan had come under the shadow of the walls -of the fort, he could do no more unsupported, and so proceeded to return, -in order, to the fortified cabins, where he found his men crouching in -fear, when he at once notified Bienville of the peril of the situation. He -asked for a detachment to bear off the dead and wounded, and notified the -governor that without troops to support him, nothing more could be done to -capture the fort. - -At this juncture, Bienville saw a demonstration made on the part of the -savages in the fort, from an unconjectured quarter, to capture the cabins -in which were gathered the men and officers, and made haste to send -Beauchamp, with eighty men, to head off the movement, rescue the troops -and to bring away the wounded and the dead. Beauchamp moved with speed, -turned back the movement, and while many of the dead and wounded were -recovered, he could not recover all. In this movement Beauchamp lost a -number of men. So hot was the firing from the fort, that he was compelled -to leave a number to the barbarity of the Chickasaws. - -As Beauchamp was retiring in an orderly way, the Choctaws issued from -their camp with much impetuosity and fury, as though they had at last -resolved to carry everything before them. Fleet of foot, and filling the -air with their wild yelling, they dashed toward the fort, but just then a -well-directed fire into their ranks, from the Chickasaws, created a speedy -rout, and they fled in every direction. - -Had Bienville been able to bring his cannon so far into the interior, he -would have demolished the fort in short order, but as it was, everything -was against him. Instead of his plans being executed as originally formed, -they fell to pieces, step by step, and his defeat was the most signal. -Thus ended the campaign against the Chickasaws, the fiercest and most -warlike of all the tribes. After all the imposing grandeur at the outset -of the campaign it ended in a fiasco. The situation was much graver than -Bienville seemed to apprehend. He was in the heart of the enemy's country, -without substantial support. His Choctaw allies had failed him, and in a -grave crisis his own men had forsaken him. Nothing would have been easier -than for the Chickasaws to cut him off from his boats, and extinguish the -entire command, but, themselves unapprised of the conditions, they kept -well within the enclosure of the fort. Other difficulties were in store -for the unfortunate Bienville. - - - - -AFTER THE BATTLE, WHAT? - - -The battle of Ackia had lasted three hours, but during that brief time -there were some as excellent exhibitions of bravery, as well as sad -defections of soldiery, as can well be conceived. However, all the -dramatic and tragical scenes were not confined to the battle, as other -interesting details are to follow. The day was now closing. For about two -hours, the utmost quiet had fallen on the scene. The noisy Choctaws, in a -camp adjoining, had become strangely silent. Not a note of activity came -from the fort, not a man was to be seen. The horses and cattle of the -Chickasaws, grazing on the prairie when the battle began, had fled far -across the plain, but now that the day was closing, and the firing had -ceased, they came wending their way across the expanse to a small stream -that flowed at the base of the hill. - -In a group the French officers were standing, discussing the scenes of the -recent conflict, and indignant at the conduct of the Indian allies; they -turned jocularly to Simon, the negro commander, and chid him on the -cowardice of his black crew. Simon was polite and bright, and was much in -favor with the officers. While he smiled in return to the jocularity of -the officers, he glanced about him, suddenly picked up a long rope, and -said: "I'll prove to you that a negro is as brave as anybody, when it is -necessary to be," and with this dashed toward the herd of cattle and -horses, selected a milk-white mare, hastily made a halter, mounted on her -back, and sped the entire circuit of the walls of the fort, perhaps a -distance of a quarter of a mile. He was fired on by hundreds of rifles -from the fort, but dashed back to the group of officers without having -received a scratch, leaped from the back of the mare, gracefully saluted -the officers and bowed, while they cheered his exploit. No one doubted the -courage of Simon after that feat. - -That night the French slept on their arms. Not a note came from the fort. -There was funereal silence everywhere. When, however, light broke over the -scene on the following morning, a horrible spectacle met the gaze of the -French. The Chickasaws had sallied forth during the night and had borne -within the fort the dead left on the scene, had quartered them, and had -hung from the walls portions of the bodies of the unfortunate slain. This -act of barbarous defiance, added to the sting of defeat, infuriated many -of the officers and men, and they demanded to be given another chance at -the Chickasaws and they would demolish the fort. Incensed and insulted, -they became almost uncontrollable, but Bienville admonished coolness and -prudence, for he had had enough, and was now more concerned about how he -should get away with his crippled command. As the Choctaw allies had -proved an incubus to Bienville from the start, and a source of annoyance -and of embarrassment, the governor thought to enlist them in the removal -of his stores and of the wounded. To this proposal they at first demurred, -then became sullen, and finally refractory, and proposed to abandon the -French outright, leave them to their fate, and hunt again their homes to -the south. - -Bienville was a shrewd diplomat and sagacious, and knew full well that if -such an emergency should come, and the Choctaws would reach the boats -first, take them and the stores left at Fort Oltibia, float down the -river, and leave him and his men to perish in the wilds. In order to avert -this calamity he proceeded on a policy of conciliation. It was ascertained -that Red Shoes was the instigator of the discontent, who was as merciless -as he was shrewdly ambitious of influence and leadership. Bienville -dreaded him, and had distrusted him all along, but there was no way of -disposing of him, and he had to accompany the command. The governor sent -for the chief, who appeared before him accompanied by the despicable Red -Shoes. Bienville not only persuaded the chief to remain steadfast, but -gained his consent to have his warriors become burden-bearers of the camp -equipage. At this agreement between the two leaders, Red Shoes indignantly -protested, and in his rage snatched his pistol from his belt and would -have shot the chief on the spot, had not Bienville seized his brawny arm -and prevented the commission of the deed. - -The march back to the boats was tedious and irksome, covering only four -miles the first day. Two of the wounded men died on the way and were -buried in the woods. The showers under which the march to the fort had -prevailed, ceased for a week or more, followed by a season of hot, dry -weather, the river at that point had shrunk, and the water was scarcely -of sufficient depth to float the craft. As quickly as possible, things -were gotten in readiness, the Choctaws were again left to shift for -themselves, and Bienville and his command drifted down the river to Fort -Tombeckbe. Here he left De Berthel in command, with a year's supply of -provisions, a quantity of merchandise with which to trade with the -Indians, the wounded men to be cared for till restored, and Bienville, -with spirit much subdued and humiliated over his discomfiture, returned to -Mobile. - -But what had become of D'Artaguette and his three hundred? His fate was -the saddest. In seeking to comply with the request of Bienville to join -him in the expedition against the fort, he had fallen in with a body of -Chickasaws, who, by superior numbers, had overwhelmed him and captured him -and his entire command. Himself and his men were prisoners in the fort -during the engagement, and the ammunition used by the Chickasaws was that -captured from the ill-fated D'Artaguette. Up to the time of the attack on -the fort, D'Artaguette and his men were as well treated as Indians can -treat the captured, but on the retirement of Bienville, D'Artaguette and -his men were tied to stakes and burned. - -For all the disasters attendant on the ill-starred campaign, including -that of the fate of D'Artaguette, Bienville was held responsible by the -Paris government, with which he lost favor, and the wane of influence and -of power followed. Bienville was a victim of conditions over which no -mortal could have had control, but it was a juncture of conditions that -sometimes comes to the most meritorious of men, into which Bienville was -brought, and he had to be sacrificed. While the work that he did laid the -foundation of the civilization of three southern commonwealths, he was -removed in dishonor, and left the scene of action and sank from view -forever. - - - - -THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS - - -About the year 1721, a body of German colonists reached Mobile, and -settled in the region adjoining. Among them was a woman of unusual -personal beauty and of rare charm of manner. Her dress, and especially her -jewels, indicated not only her station, but her wealth. She caused it to -be understood that she was the daughter of the Duke of Brunswick -Wolfenbuttel and the wife of Alexis Petrowitz, the son of Peter the Great, -and accounted for her strange presence in the wilds of south Alabama, as -due to the fact that she had been cruelly treated by the heir to the -Russian throne; that she had fled the dominion of the great Peter, and for -security, had sought the most distant region known to her. She furthermore -asserted that the younger Peter had duly advertised the death of his wife, -but insisted that the monstrous Muskovite had done this in order to -conceal the scandal of her forced flight from his castle, and in order, -too, to explain her absence from the court circles of St. Petersburg. - -All this she explained to be a mere ruse, and that she was the real -princess who had escaped his tyranny, preferring the inhospitable -wilderness of a distant continent, to the royal palace with its tyrannous -cruelty. The story received general credence, since the splendor of her -attire and her familiarity with the inner secrets of the Russian court -proved that she was no ordinary personage. Besides all this, there was -increased evidence afforded by her conduct. Her beautiful face was -saddened by some evident trouble over which she seemed to brood, as with -a far-away look she would sit and muse for hours together. How else could -all this be explained, save by the story which she related? This is just -the evidence one would look for in substantiation of a story of cruelty. - -The prepossessing manner of the princess, her immense fortune, and her -ability to discuss Russian affairs, served to win not alone the confidence -of all, but their sympathy as well. Her wrongs were the burden of her -conversation, and her own reported station in life elicited much -deference, which was duly and promptly accorded by all alike. - -Great as the credence was, as a result of the recital of her wrongs, it -received a reinforcement from another source that seemed to place it -beyond question. Chevalier d'Aubant, a young French officer, had seen the -wife of the Russian prince, and he declared that this was none other than -she. He could not be mistaken, for he had seen her at St. Petersburg. This -insistence settled the identity of the princess in the estimation of all. - -But d'Aubant did not stop at this point of mere recognition. His profound -sympathy awoke interest, which brought him frequently within the circle of -the charms of the fair Russian, and, in turn, interest deepened into -tenderness of affection. To the vivacious Frenchman, the glitter of wealth -was far from proving an obstruction to the valiantness with which he -assailed the citadel of her heart. At any rate, the chevalier and princess -became one, lived in comparative splendor for years, and removed to -Paris, where, in sumptuous apartments, they resided till the death of the -chevalier. - -The deep shadow which had come into the life of the princess, according to -her own story, won her hosts of friends whom she was able to retain by -reason of her charms. The well-known character of the second Peter, a -dissolute, worthless wretch, and the fact that his father had sent him -abroad in Europe, to travel with the hope that his ways might be reformed -by a wider margin of observation of the affairs of the world, lent -increased credence to the pathetic story and elicited fresh installments -of interest and sympathy. Chevalier d'Aubant died in the belief that he -had married the repudiated wife of the eldest son of Peter the Great of -Russia. - -But a fatal revelation was inevitable. It is said that while strolling in -the Garden of the Tuileries she was one day met by the marshal of Saxe, -who recognized her as one of the attendants of the Russian princess, an -humble female who greatly resembled her mistress, and by reason of her -contact with the most elevated of Russian society, had acquired the -manners of the best, and while in the service of the princess had means of -access to her wardrobe and purse, and by stealth, had enriched herself and -at an unconjectured time fled the palace and escaped to America. The -Chevalier d'Aubant, having seen the princess once, was easily deceived by -the appearance of this woman, her wealth, and by the reputation of the -Russian prince. On her ill-gotten wealth he lived for years, and died in -blissful ignorance of her huge pretension. - -It is said that the pretender died at last in absolute penury in Paris, -leaving an only daughter as the result of the marriage with Chevalier -d'Aubant. The story has been related in different forms by different -writers, and at one time was quite prevalent as a sensational romance in -the literary circles of Europe. The particulars of this rare adventure may -be found recorded in much of the literature of that period, some insisting -on its accuracy, while others deny it. Duclos, a prolific writer of -European romance, furnishes the amplest details of the affair, while such -writers as Levesque, in his Russian history; Grimm, in his correspondence, -and Voltaire, straightway repudiate the genuineness of the story on the -basis of its improbability. The incidents of the time at the Russian -court, the career of d'Aubant, and much else afford some reason for -believing that there is at bottom, some occasion for a romance so -remarkable. - -Without here insisting on its genuineness, such is the story, in one of -its forms, as it has come to the present. However, this, as well as much -else, indicates how much of interesting matter lies in literary mines -unworked in connection with our primitive history. The literary spirit of -the South has never been properly encouraged by due appreciation, with the -consequence of a scant literature. The industrial spirit seized our -fathers in other years, and the fabulous fertility of our soils, the -cultivation of which beneath fervid skies, in an even climate, has largely -materialized our thought, and still does. Who now reads a book? If so, -what is the character of the book? We scan the morning daily, or read at -sleepy leisure the evening press, skim the magazines, and this usually -tells the story. From sire to son this has been the way gone for -generations. Permit the bare statement without the moralizing. - - - - -EARLIEST AMERICAN SETTLERS - - -In advance of the territorial construction of Alabama, this region had -been sought as a refuge by adherents of the British crown during the -stormy days of the Revolution, while others who were loyal Americans, also -came to escape the horrors of war in the Carolinas. All these filed -through the dense forests which covered the intervening distance at that -early day. Across Georgia, the most western of the thirteen colonies, they -fled, putting the Chattahoochee between them and the thunder of war, and -buried themselves in the obscurity of the Alabama forests. These forests -had remained unbroken from the beginning, now pierced here and there by -the wide beaten paths of the Indian. Several of these paths became, in -subsequent years, highways of primitive commerce, running from terminal -points hundreds of miles apart. - -The Indian knew nothing of roads and bridges, his nearest approach to the -last named of these conveniences being fallen trees across the lesser -streams. Nor had he the means of constructing them, as he was dependent on -the flint implements which he rudely constructed into hatchets and wedges. -By means of these, he would fashion his light canoe from the less heavy -woods, like the cedar and birch, which were easily worked while in a green -state, but when dry became firm and light and well suited to float the -waters of the streams and bays. While in a green state, the trunks of -these trees were hollowed out with each end curved up, and the paddles -were made from slabs riven from some timbers light and strong. These -canoes served to transport them across the streams, and afforded the means -of fishing and hunting. When not in use, craft like this was secured to -trees by means of muscadine vines. These were the conditions found by the -white man when he came to invade the domain of the Indian. - -With his improved implements of iron and steel trees were easily felled by -the paleface, rafts were built, bridges were constructed, and by degrees, -as the population grew, roads were opened. The refugees from the storms of -war who came about 1777, followed the Indian trails when they could, but -now and then they would have to plunge into the thick forests, pick their -way as best they could through a tangled wilderness, and pursue their -course to their destination. By immigrants like these, some of the -territory stretching from the western confine of Florida to the Tombigbee, -came to be peopled in the first years of the nineteenth century, and for -more than two decades before. - -Localities in the present territory of the counties of Monroe, Clarke, -Baldwin and Washington were occupied as early as 1778. Some of the white -men in the lower part of Monroe County married Indian maidens, from which -connections came some of the families that subsequently became conspicuous -in the early annals of the state. Among such may be named the -Weatherfords, Taits, Durants, and Tunstalls. In the bloody scenes which -followed in Indian warfare, some of these espoused the cause of one race, -and some the other. Not a few of these became wealthy, according to the -estimate of the times; some were intelligent and influential, and imparted -a wholesome influence to the early society of the state. - -Primitive commerce was quickened along the great beaten pathways in -consequence of the advent of the whites. These original highways extended -from the ports of Mobile and Pensacola long distances into the interior. -One of these ran from Pensacola by way of Columbus, Georgia, to Augusta, -where was intersected another, which reached to Charleston. Another ran by -way of Florence and Huntsville to Nashville, whence it extended as far -north as old Vincennes, on the Wabash. Through the ports of Mobile and -Pensacola exports were made to distant parts, as primitive craft was -always in wait for these commodities at these ports. The commodities were -brought from the interior on pack horses, or rather ponies, which -commodities consisted of indigo, rawhides, corn, cattle, tallow, tar, -pitch, bear's oil, tobacco, squared timber, myrtle wax, cedar posts and -slabs, salted wild beef, chestnuts, pecans, shingles, dried salt fish, -sassafras, sumach, wild cane, staves, heading hoops, and pelfry. - -The introduction of cotton had begun long before the invention of the gin -by Eli Whitney, in 1792. The seeds were first picked from the cotton with -the fingers, which was improved later by some small machines, the -appearance of which was hailed as a great advance on previous methods, and -an early chronicler records the fact with much elation, that by means of -the method of these small French machines as much as seventy pounds of -cotton were cleared of seed in a day. The commodities already named were -transported to the sea on small, scrawny ponies, usually called "Indian -ponies," tough, and possessing a power of endurance against hardship and -fatigue that was wonderful. The cost of transportation was practically -nothing, as these animals were hobbled at noon and at night, and turned -out to graze to the full on the rank grass and native peavines, and, when -in the region of a low country, on young cane. The weight of a load was -usually one hundred and eighty pounds, one-third of which was balanced in -bundles or packs on either side, while a third was secured in the center -on the back of the animal. Ten of these ponies were assigned to a single -"drover," who walked in the rear of the drove and managed all by wild -yelling. After one or two trips over the same way, the ponies came to -learn where to stop for water and encampment. They often wore bells of -different tones, the wild clangor of which bells would fill the -surrounding forest for great distances. When loaded, the ponies would fall -into line at a given signal of the "drover," each knowing his place in the -file, and amble away with ears thrown back, going ordinarily the distance -of twenty-five miles each day. Some of the streams were fordable, while -others had to be swum by these primitive express trains. Camping places -became famous along the different routes, at which points all the droves -came to camp. - -As commerce thus grew, there came anon highwaymen who would rob the droves -of their burdens. One of these robbers became as notorious as Dare Devil -Dick in English annals. His name was Hare, and Turk's Cave, in Conecuh -County, was the place for the deposit of his booty. With the years, this -obstruction was removed. By means of this traffic not a few accumulated -considerable fortunes, the traditions of whose wealth still linger in the -older regions, with many extravagant stories attending. These stories -embodied in a volume would give an idea of the ups and downs of these -early times in Alabama. - - - - -INDIAN TROUBLES - - -The Indian viewed with envious eye the pale-faced invader who dared to -"squat" on his dominions, for which he had slight use save for that of -hunting. The law of the untutored savage is revenge, and to the Indian -revenge means murder. The safety of the whites lay in the community of -interest and a common bond of protection. In every large settlement or -group of settlements there was built a local stockade of protection and -defense, while in a given region there was erected a large fort, to be -occupied in case of serious danger, or of general attack. Of these there -was a large number throughout the territory of Alabama. There was no basis -by which the Indian could be judged. He was a stealthy, treacherous -fellow, who was constantly lurking about the homes of the first settlers, -in order to wreak vengeance on the women and children, to massacre whom -the Indian thought would force the retirement of the men. - -Among the strange incidents connected with the menacing presence of the -Indian during the primitive period of the state's history, was that of the -conduct of the horses and cows when a savage would come within easy -distance. Whether grazing or at work, these animals would instinctively -lift their heads and raise their tails, while with protruding ears they -would indicate the direction of the savage. More than that, they would -frequently give demonstration to their excitement by running here and -there, and stop only to turn their ears in the direction of the -approaching or lurking Indian. They did not see him, but by some other -means, perhaps by the keen sense of smell, they could detect the presence -of the savage, even while he was some distance away. It was thus that -these animals became danger signals which no one dared disregard. Not -infrequently a horse would stop while plowing, lift his head, snuff the -air, and give other indications of excitement, all of which would put one -duly on guard. By this infallible sign, much violence was averted and many -lives saved. The ears of the brutes became almost as valuable to these -pioneers, as the needle of the compass to the mariner, and certainly the -protruding ear was just as unerring as the pointing of the needle. - -Another fact which became proverbial among the primitive settlers was, -with regard to young children, especially helpless babies, in the presence -of excitement and danger. Not infrequently mothers would have but a few -minutes in which to flee for safety to the nearest stockade, and often -they would snatch their sleeping babes from their cradles, in order to -make hasty flight, and the remarkable fact is that the little ones would -never cry. In their flight, mothers would sometimes stumble and fall with -their babes in their arms, but the little ones would still hold their -peace. These facts became proverbial among the pioneers. - -The condition to which one may become inured or accustomed, was abundantly -illustrated in pioneer life. Occasional danger would have made life well -nigh unbearable, but when it was frequent, when one did not know when he -was to be pounced upon from some covert, by an Indian, it came to be a -matter of constant expectation, and was no more thought of than any other -ordinary condition of life. Of course, with danger always impending, men -went armed, and the constant expectation of attack reduced the condition -to one of the most ordinary. Men generally felt but little concern about -themselves, but they were gravely concerned about their dependable -families. These hardy men of the frontier usually became indifferent to -personal danger, which fact greatly impressed the savage. While he hated -the paleface, he dreaded to encounter him. Only under conditions of -advantage, or when so penned that there was but slight hope of escape, -would the Indian dare to engage in open fight with a white man. The skill -of the Indian was limited, while the cool calculation of the white man -would enable him the more readily to comprehend a given situation. In a -reencounter the Indian would always act with precipitation, while the -white man would act with calculation, even under a stress of exciting -conditions. This was often illustrated in the difference of the conduct of -the two races. - -One chief advantage the Indian enjoyed over the white man--he could easily -outrun him. The Indian was trained to fleetness of foot from early -childhood. He could run with bent form, faster than could the white in an -upright position. - -It was almost incredible how rapidly the Indian could penetrate the -tangled underbrush in flight, or in seeking the advantage of a foe. -Athletic training was common among all the tribes. On just two things the -Indian relied, one of which was his fleetness of foot and the other his -ambuscade, unless he was forced into a condition of desperation, when he -would become the most terrible of antagonists. While the sinews of the -Indian were toughened by his mode of life, his muscles were kept in a -perfectly flexible condition. This was in part due to his constant -exposure to the open air. He slept and lived in the open. The consequence -was that the constitution of the Indian was rarely impaired by disease. -Active exercise, in which he every day indulged, the open air, simple -food, and sleeping on the hard earth, made him an athlete, and among them -there were often prodigies of strength. - -The Indian spurned ease, and to him clothing was an encumbrance. It was -like a child encased in a shield. On the other hand, the white man coveted -ease. In those early days, and even for generations later, the white man -would regard a bed uncomfortable unless it was of feathers, and he would -never walk when there was a possibility of riding. In physical strength -and endurance, therefore, the Indian was the superior, while in coolness -and in calculation, and in the rapid husbanding of resource, the white man -was at an immense advantage, and this made him the dominant factor. - -This last element stood the whites well in hand in their intercourse with -the Indians. Treacherous to the utmost, the Indian, in his pretensions of -friendship, came to be a study to the frontierman, and rarely was one -thrown off his guard by the pretended warning of an Indian. Oftener than -otherwise, given advice of impending danger, by an Indian, was reversed, -and savages were often intercepted in fell design by the whites, who came -readily to detect the treacherous purpose of the Indian. When suddenly -foiled, no people were more easily demoralized than were the Indians. Of -these characteristics, as frequently displayed, we shall have occasion to -take note in these sketches. - - - - -ALEXANDER McGILLIVRAY - - -The name of Alexander McGillivray is inseparable from the earliest annals -of Alabama history. So notorious was he, that to omit his name from the -records of the state, would be to occasion a serious gap. Though a private -citizen, McGillivray, in the sway of power, was practically a sovereign. -In the constitution of this wonderful man were extraordinary force, -comprehensive resourcefulness, unquestioned magnetism, and sinisterness of -purpose, rarely equaled. He was born to dominate, and his facility for -planning and scheming, as well as for executing, was phenomenal. Nor was -the dominion of his influence restricted to Alabama, for it extended into -Georgia and Florida, and reached even the seat of the national government, -which was at that time, seeking to stand erect in its emergence from -infantile conditions. - -McGillivray was the Machiavelli of these early times. With a gaze lifted -immensely above that of his contemporaries, he planned vast designs, while -the order of mind of this remarkable man was such that, in the requisite -details of execution, he could fit and adjust conditions with a skill so -marvelous, and a precision so exact, as to be able to accomplish all to -which he set his hand. - -His mind was fertile, his vision comprehensive, his judgment unerring, his -skill adroit, his cunning foxy, his facilities without seeming limit, and -his absence of principle as void as space. His plans were often a network -of tangled schemes, so wrought into each other, that to most men involved -in such, there would be no possibility of escape, but under the -manipulation of this master of craft and of intrigue, they would be -brought to a culmination invested with so much plausibility, as to divest -them of any open appearance of wrong. McGillivray was always cool and -collected, suave and smiling, and could make so fair a show of sincerity -and of innocence, backed by a cogency of assertion, as often to make the -false wear the mask of truth. - -The times in which McGillivray lived were exceedingly favorable to the -cultivation of his character. That which he did would have been unnatural -with an ordinary man, but to Alexander McGillivray, and to the period in -which he lived, nothing seemed more natural. The times were out of joint, -his native gifts were exceptional, the period afforded just the orbit for -their exercise, and with audacious effrontery he seized on every chance to -execute his fell designs. - -The close of the Revolution had left the country in a deplorable -condition. The demoralization which inevitably follows in the wake of war, -was one of unusual seriousness to the young American nation. Added to that -of widespread disaster was the sudden transition from colonial conditions, -under the crown, to that of republican independence. History has failed to -emphasize the moral and social conditions in the American territory, -incident to the Revolution, which conditions imposed a herculean task on -our primitive statesmen. At best, the undertaking of a free government, -under conditions such as then prevailed, was an experiment on which the -hoary nations of Europe looked with doubting interest. - -Under the conditions of universal demoralization, the task was assumed of -welding into coherency the scattered elements of population, which -population viewed freedom more as license than as liberty, and with an -interpretation like this, there was a greater tendency toward viciousness -and criminality than toward a patriotic interest in the erection of stable -government. Then, too, the untutored savage still roved the forests, and -his wigwam settlements extended from limit to limit of the territory of -the prospective nation. The savage was revengeful, and stood in defiance -of the encroachment of the whites on his rightful domain. It was under -conditions like these that the unscrupulous McGillivray came on the scene -with all his seductive arts. - -In point of diplomacy, he was the peer of any man on the continent, while -in cunning unscrupulousness he was unapproached by any. To scheme was to -him a natural gift; to plot was his delight, and to him intrigue was a -mere pastime. His machinations were so adroitly shaped as to enable him to -rally to his aid forces the most opposite and contradictory, and yet into -each of his wily schemes he could infuse the ardor of enthusiasm. The -danger embodied in McGillivray was that he was not only bad, but that he -was so ably and atrociously wicked. In his veins ran the blood of three -races--Indian, Scotch, and French. His grandfather, Captain Marchand, was -a French officer, his father, a Scotchman, and his mother, one-half -Indian. Alexander inherited the strongest traits of these three races. He -had the quick but seductive perception of the French, the cool -calculation and dogged persistency of the Scotch, and the subtle -shrewdness and treachery of the Indian. Possessing these traits to a -preeminent degree, they were greatly reinforced by an education derived -from the best schools of the time, he having been educated at Charleston, -South Carolina. He was Chesterfieldian in conventional politeness, and as -smooth as Talleyrand in ambiguity of speech. Apparently the fairest and -most loyal of men, he possessed a depth of iniquity inconceivable. - -His father, Lachlan McGillivray, had run away from his home in Scotland -when a lad of sixteen, and reached Charleston about forty years before the -outbreak of the Revolution. Penniless and friendless, he engaged to drive -pack-horses, laden with goods, to the Indian settlements on the -Chattahoochee. His only compensation for the trip was a large jackknife, -which proved the germ of a subsequent fortune. Nothing was more highly -prized at that time, than a good jackknife. Lachlan McGillivray exchanged -his knife for a number of deer skins, which commanded an exorbitant price -in the markets of Charleston. Investment followed investment, which -resulted in increasing dividends to the Scotch lad, so that by the time he -was fully grown, he owned two plantations on the Savannah River, both of -which were stocked with negro slaves. He later came to possess large -commercial interests, both in Savannah and Augusta, and having married the -half-breed Indian girl, in Alabama, he owned large interests in this -state. He had, besides Alexander, three other children. One of these -married a French officer, Le Clerc Milfort, who became a -brigadier-general in the army of Napoleon, while another became the wife -of Benjamin Durant, a wealthy Huguenot merchant, the ancestor of the -present Durants in Mobile and Baldwin counties, while another still, -married James Bailey, a half-breed, who was subsequently a conspicuous -defender of Fort Mims. These names are suggestive of fountain sources of -history. This brief introduction prepares us to enter on the remarkable -career of Alexander McGillivray. - - - - -THE INDIAN "EMPEROR" - - -Among the other traits of Alexander McGillivray was that of an -insufferable vanity. The Indians came to recognize him as their chief, but -this he indignantly put aside and named himself "the emperor." Designing -the career of his son to be that of a merchant, Lachlan McGillivray had -afforded him every possible educational advantage that the most advanced -schools could give, but the young man chafed under the restrictions of -commercial life and left his father's home, which was now in Georgia, and -returned to Wetumpka, the scene of his birth and childhood, and allied -himself with the Indians of that region. Most opportune was the time to -young McGillivray, for the Creeks had become involved in a serious -disturbance with the whites of Georgia, and were in search of a competent -leader who could cope with the situation. - -The American Revolution was now in progress. The British, here and there -about the South, were active through the Tories, in inciting to rebellion -the ferocious Indians. Every wrong was exaggerated, and many supposed -wrongs were created, to engender strife between the whites and the -Indians. On reaching Wetumpka, young McGillivray was hailed as their chief -and as the man who had come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Fresh -from academic honors, the youth was altogether responsive to the -flatteries of the Indians. Proclaiming himself the emperor of the Creeks, -he donned their garb, and became their idol. He began his operations on a -scale so delightful to the Indians, that he won their confidence at once. - -His movements attracted the attention of the British authorities at -Pensacola, and there was tendered him a colonelcy in their army, without -interference with his chiefship in the Indian tribe. He was placed on the -payroll of the English army and exchanged his toggery of the Indian chief -for the crimson uniform of the British colonel. This was an occasion of -fascination to the Indians, who exulted in the promotion of their young -chief. McGillivray now had everything his way. He plied his seductive -arts, and there was nothing that he desired that was withheld. The Indians -doted on him, and the pride of the young man knew no limit. He proved a -skillful leader in battle, courageous and strategic, but his sphere was in -the field of diplomacy. He left others to lead in fight, while he -solicited the aid of Indians in the service of the king of England. In the -ranks of the Tories, none was so efficient as was McGillivray, yet when -the war closed disastrously to the crown, and when the British had no -further use for him, they abandoned him to his fate, took his commission -from him, and cared no more for him. - -While the result was disastrous to the British arms, it was exceedingly so -to the McGillivrays. The father had been a devoted loyalist throughout, -and when peace was declared his property was confiscated, he was left -without a penny, and, worse still, the Whigs thirsted for his blood. They -sought to find him, and, without a dime in his pocket, he fled the country -and returned to Europe, after making many narrow escapes, for had he been -captured, he would have paid the penalty of his loyalty to the British -crown by dangling from the end of a rope. All that saved Alexander's neck -was that he was recognized the chief of the Indian tribes whom the -Americans were eager to conciliate. The conditions created by the close of -the war afforded to Colonel McGillivray a fresh opportunity for new -alliances on a new field. - -Impoverished by the calamitous result of the Revolution, Colonel -McGillivray was more enraged than dispirited, and in seeking new -connections, he turned to the Spanish, who recognized the services of so -valuable an ally, and were not slow to use him. In order to facilitate -their schemes they gave to McGillivray the commission of colonel in the -Spanish army on full pay, and besides, made him commissary commissioner to -the Creek Indians, whom to win to the loyalty of Spain there was offered -to them open ports on the Gulf coast for the shipment of their peltry. - -This latter position gave to McGillivray vast advantage, as his palms -itched for Spanish gold, much of which he handled in this new relation. -Having the confidential ear of both parties, McGillivray was not slow to -replenish his impoverished purse. He was equally the trusted counselor of -both, and was not hindered in cross-purposes by any scruple, to make the -most of the advantage afforded. He was the prince of plotters, and the -impersonation of selfishness. A treaty was entered into at Augusta, -Georgia, between the white settlers and the Creeks, respecting the lands, -which treaty was repudiated by the Indian tribes, and led to outbreaks of -violence on the part of the savages. This action was inspired by -McGillivray, the promotion of whose interest lay in agitation and -disturbance. Outbreaks became general, as the result of the instigation of -McGillivray, who did nothing openly, but inspired the Spanish to stimulate -the animosity of the savages against the white settlers. - -Conditions rapidly assumed an aspect of gravity, and outbreaks became so -general, that it was necessary for the American government to take the -matter seriously in hand, and to seek to placate the Indians. A commission -of able men was appointed by congress, under the leadership of General -Andrew Pickens, to negotiate with the Indians, with the end in view of -adjusting all differences. General Pickens addressed a letter to -McGillivray, which communication was a masterpiece of astute diplomacy. -While it bristles with threat, it is at the same time pervaded by -conditional conciliation; while stout in the assertion of independence, it -is yet concessive in tone, and while it promises direful consequences in -case the general government declines to recognize the rights of the -Indians, it adroitly injects, in a patronizing way, the suggestion that -the Americans who had wrested independence from the British crown would be -glad to be in position to accord great consideration to the unfortunate -Indian. - -Able as General Pickens was in the field of statescraft, it was impossible -for him so to depress the standard of his character to such a plane as to -be able to cope with the villainy of McGillivray. The difficulty lay in -the fact that the two men were working from two opposite points. Pickens -was seeking reconciliation, while this was precisely what McGillivray did -not wish. Pickens was seeking to heal a serious breach, while it was to -the interest of McGillivray to keep it as wide open as possible. However, -negotiations were arranged for and the congressional commission was to -meet, in council, Colonel McGillivray, at Golphinton. - - - - -McGILLIVRAY'S CHICANERY - - -At great sacrifice, and by laborious travel, the commissioners of the -government, under General Pickens, made their way to Golphinton, when, lo! -McGillivray was not there. Instead, he had sent to represent the Indians, -the chiefs of two towns, accompanied by about sixty warriors. As -negotiations had been conducted by McGillivray, and as his presence was -necessary to consummate the proposed treaty, there was not only -disappointment on the part of the commissioners, but great indignation. -Even though every chief had been present, the absence of their -representative and commissioner would invalidate any agreement, and this -McGillivray well knew. - -Nonplused by his absence, the commissioners of the government merely -stated to those present that which congress desired to accomplish, and -withdrew. This gave rise to fresh complications, which now assumed a -three-cornered aspect, as the federal commissioners' plans were objected -to by the commissioners of Georgia, on the one hand, and by the Indians, -on the other. Conditions were growing worse instead of better, much to the -delight of Alexander McGillivray, who would produce such a juncture as -would eventuate in his final enrichment. Without the knowledge of either -of the other parties, he was pulling the wires with the hand of an adept -schemer. After all the negotiation, therefore, the whole affair proved a -fiasco. - -Still, something must be done. Conditions could not remain as they were, -and border warfare was continually imminent. The government was prostrated -by the Revolution, and a general war with the Indians might invite an -interference on the part of both England and Spain. President Washington -was much worried and perplexed, and summoned to his aid the ablest -counselors. The situation was exceedingly grave, and a single misstep -might plunge the country into the most disastrous of wars. - -The next step led to the appointment of Dr. James White as the -superintendent of the Creek Indians. Dr. White was cool and cautious, a -skilled diplomat, and was familiar with Indian treachery, while he had the -advantage of enjoying, to a degree, their confidence. He was not without a -sense of self-reliance in the undertaking, and if he could not succeed in -the ratification of a treaty, he would so probe into the situation as to -glean facts which would enable the government the better to adopt proper -policies. He knew McGillivray well, and was not averse to a tilt in -diplomacy with this arch plotter and schemer. He at once wrote to -McGillivray from Cusseta, setting forth his mission and that which he -proposed to accomplish. The reply was one of equivocal phraseology, -lengthy, shrewd, evasive. It might mean anything or nothing, and was -susceptible to a variety of interpretations. The upshot of the -correspondence was a meeting at Cusseta. This time McGillivray was present -with a proposal to the national commissioner, which proposal was -astounding and startling. Surrounded by a large number of chiefs, -McGillivray submitted his unreasonable proposal. This occurred in April, -1787. - -The proposal, in brief, was that the general government make large and -unreasonable grants, with the alternative of a prompt acceptance, or that -of a declaration of war on the first of the following August, just four -months hence. McGillivray knew that the proposed conditions would not be -acceptable, and he also knew the consequences of a war to the young -nation. Matters were not growing better fast. Here was a juncture that -called for the skill of the ripest statesmanship. The general government -and the state of Georgia were as much out of accord, as were both, with -the Indians. It was an opportunity which the keen McGillivray could not -suffer to remain unused. It was a matter of bargain and trade with him, -and the question uppermost with him was how much he could derive from it. - -So astounding was the proposal, that Dr. White found himself a pigmy -dealing with a colossus, and he could do nothing more than to report to -the President the result of the meeting. All the while, McGillivray was -shuffling with the Spanish authorities in such a way as to extort large -sums of gold from them, while he was dissembling with the American -government for a similar reason, using meanwhile the deluded Indian as an -instrument to promote his designs. He would hold the Indian in his grip by -an affected solicitude in his behalf, while he would promise certain -results to Spain for given sums, and meanwhile agitate Washington with a -threat of war. Men and interests, however sacred, were to him as puppets -to be employed for the profoundest selfishness. He would create -demonstrations of hostility on the part of the Indians, in order to extort -from interested merchants tribute to quell the disturbance. He would -threaten Spain with America, and America with Spain, thereby producing -alarming conditions in the commercial world, and from nations and -merchants alike, he reaped booty. - -Exasperated to a pitch almost uncontrollable, Washington at one time -thought of a war of extermination, but this would involve the lives and -property of the people of the whole South, involve the country seriously -with England and Spain, and leave a stain on the American government, and -the idea was abandoned. Resourceful as he was, Washington had practically -reached the limit of suggestiveness when it occurred to him to appoint a -secret agent charged with the mission of inviting a big council of the -Indian chiefs to repair on horseback all the way from Alabama and Georgia -to New York, then the seat of national government, in order to confer with -him in person in the adjustment of all grievances. Colonel Marinus Willett -was chosen by the President for this delicate and difficult function. - -Taking a ship at New York, Colonel Willett was just fourteen weeks -reaching Charleston, from which point he immediately set out along the -Indian trails on horseback for the region of the Chattahoochee. He was -served by faithful Indian guides, and through many days of hard riding, he -proceeded to his destination where he had arranged a meeting with -McGillivray and all the great chiefs. Conditions were now favoring -McGillivray, for he well knew that he had produced grave concern at the -national capital, and was abundantly prepared for the result which he was -now nursing. According to prearrangement, Colonel Willett and Colonel -McGillivray met at the town of Ocfuske, on the Tallapoosa River. -McGillivray found his match in Colonel Willett, who was as skilled in the -art of diplomacy as was McGillivray, but without his unscrupulousness. - - - - -A NOVEL DEPUTATION - - -The diplomats met--Willett and McGillivray. Willett was polite, courtly of -address, skillful of speech, resourceful, but wary. McGillivray was suave, -excessive in politeness, equivocal of speech, deceitful, ostensibly -generous, though as treacherous as a serpent. Both were able. Each had had -much to do with men and affairs, but the motives of the two were as wide -as the poles. In the assembled council, Willett showed that he was at -home. Under the guise of excessive politeness, the two played against each -other for advantage with the skill of trained fencers. There was a mastery -of self-confidence that equally possessed both. Each spoke in a measured, -cautious way. With mutual distrustfulness, each vied with the other in -courtesy of tone. Objections were met and verbal blows were parried with a -degree of politeness that approached the obsequious. It was Greek meeting -Greek. The widest discretion was Willett's in arranging for the proposed -council in New York, where the Indian chiefs were invited by the "great -President" to meet him. - -With the mastery of a skilled disputant, Colonel Willett addressed the -assembled chiefs, including, of course, Colonel McGillivray. The pith of -his speech was that "our great chief, George Washington," had sent him to -convey to them a message of cordial affection, and to invite them to his -great council house in New York, where he wished to sign with his own -hand, along with Colonel McGillivray, a treaty of peace and of alliance. -He assured them of the high regard entertained for them by "our great -chief," who did not want their lands, but wished to see them happy, -contented, and protected. He further assured them that Washington would -make a treaty "as strong as the hills and as lasting as the rivers." His -tone of address and assurance of sincerity greatly pleased the assembly. - -The result of the meeting, which lasted for hours, was that a deputation -of chiefs, together with Colonel McGillivray, would accompany Willett on -horseback to New York. Arrangements for transporting the baggage on horses -were made, and the day appointed for the departure. Accordingly, Colonels -Willett and McGillivray, a nephew of Colonel McGillivray, and a body of -Indian chiefs filed out of Little Tallassee, near Wetumpka, on the morning -of June 1, 1790, for the distant capital. Along the way the party was -reinforced by other chiefs on horseback, who were in wait for the arrival -of Willett and McGillivray. At Stone Mountain, Georgia, the two great -chiefs of the Cowetas and Cussetas joined the party. Onward the procession -moved, exciting much interest, and in certain quarters, not a little -sensation. On reaching the home of General Andrew Pickens, on the Seneca -River, in South Carolina, they were received with the utmost cordiality by -this distinguished gentleman, who arranged for more comfortable means of -travel. Here the party fell in with the Tallassee king, Chinnobe, the -"great Natchez warrior," and others. Henceforth the Indians rode in -wagons, excepting the four who were the bodyguard of Colonel McGillivray, -who accompanied him on horseback, while Colonel Willett rode alone in a -sulky. At Richmond and at Fredericksburg the party halted to rest, at -which places much consideration was shown to Colonel McGillivray. -Distinguished honor was shown the entire party at Philadelphia, where they -were entertained for three days. Boarding a sloop at Elizabethtown, New -Jersey, they were finally landed in New York. - -Now began a series of demonstrations that lasted through a number of days. -The sachems of Tammany Hall turned out in full regalia, met the deputation -at the water's edge in lower New York, which was at that time about all -there was of the city, marched up Wall Street, then the principal -thoroughfare of the city, past the federal building, where congress was in -session, then to the home of the President, with that pomp and ceremony of -which Washington was very fond. Each member of the deputation was -presented to the President, while the eyes of the enchanted chiefs fairly -glittered with delight as they unceremoniously gazed on the scenes about -them in the mansion of the President. Washington could not outdo Colonel -McGillivray in conventionality in the exchange of greeting. Both were men -of splendid physique, McGillivray being just six feet high, with broad -shoulders, well proportioned, and as straight as a flagstaff. From the -home of the President the procession filed to the office of the secretary -of war, thence to the mansion of Governor Clinton, all of which being -over, they were marched for entertainment to the principal hostelry of -the city, the City Tavern, where a banquet was spread for the unique -deputation, when the functions of the first day were closed. - -Other notable attentions charmed the visiting chiefs, whose elation over -the novel scenes in which they were the principal sharers was equaled -alone by the concern of Colonel McGillivray regarding what all this might -mean for him. The chiefs of the wilds were easily beguiled by these -profuse attentions, but not so the wily McGillivray. With sedulous care he -kept the chiefs well under his thumb, lest they might fall into other -hands, by means of which they might be alienated from himself. - -After some days, negotiations were entered on between McGillivray and the -Indian chiefs, on the one hand, and Henry Knox, the chosen representative -of the government, on the other. With cautious vigilance on the part of -both Knox and McGillivray, each step in the proceeding was taken. Knox -knew his man, and McGillivray knew what he wished, and all else was made -subservient to that purpose. McGillivray was as free in the ply of his art -in the metropolis, as he was beneath the native oaks of his tribe on the -distant Coosa. Nothing daunted him, and with dexterity he employed his art -as the situation was gone into. A sensational episode occurred in -connection with the proceedings. Washington learned that the Spanish of -Florida and of Louisiana, having heard of the departure on this mission of -McGillivray and his chiefs, had dispatched a secret agent with a bag of -Spanish gold, by ship to New York, to bribe the chiefs and prevent a -treaty. McGillivray wore their uniform, bore a commission as colonel in -their army, and was their agent, but their confidence in him was naught, -hence the mission of the agent. This agent was detected on his arrival, -and was shadowed by an officer from the moment he touched the soil of the -city. The agent was never able to reach the Indians. With consummate skill -the contest continued from day to day, McGillivray determined to force the -initiative in the offer to be made, before he would agree to commit -himself. He was a plausible enigma to the statesmen at New York, whom he -forced to show their hands before he would agree to disclose his purposes -and wishes. - - - - -THE TENSION RELIEVED - - -While several previous articles have been devoted to the notorious career -of Alexander McGillivray, there was a phase of the situation which -logically belongs to the interesting proceedings in New York which should -not be omitted, and when read in connection with facts already presented, -adds increased interest to the narrative. - -Keeping his plans well to himself, McGillivray was quietly breeding -schemes with which to baffle the able men at the national capital. For -days together, the negotiations were kept up, and they were days of -serious concern and of lingering suspense to President Washington. The -parleying and dallying led to the apprehension that McGillivray would -propose terms so startling, as to end the whole affair with a fiasco, and -in view of the recent demonstration, reduce the situation to governmental -mortification. On the other hand. McGillivray was apprehensive that his -intended proposals would be rejected, hence his tactical delay and parley. -Knox was patient, McGillivray impatient. At last Knox was able to force -from the wily trickster and supple diplomat the condition on which he -would be willing to sign the treaty. It proved to be an occasion of as -much elation to the one as to the other. McGillivray chuckled over his -success, while the government congratulated itself on the settlement of -terms so easy. - -When, at last, McGillivray stated his terms, they were that fifteen -hundred dollars in gold should be paid him outright by the government -annually, together with other easy emoluments, yet to be named, and a -certain quantity of merchandise, with certain limited sums of money to the -Indians each year, for which consideration the vast domains of the Oconees -were to be surrendered, while they were to remain under the peaceable -protection of the United States, and form no treaties with any others. -Yet, on account of that which occasioned this treaty so cheaply, much -suspense and terror had been created and much blood spilled, and not a few -whites were even then in bondage to the Indians. These slaves were to be -liberated, and the two powerful tribes, the Creeks and the Seminoles, were -to become subject to the general government. Paltry as the consideration -was, McGillivray got the utmost of his wishes, and crowed over the result. - -The infamy of this malicious character grows in depth with the probing. -Back of his tampering with different embassies in the past, his Judas-like -dealing with different nations at the same time, his instigation of the -tribes to outbreak, his dragging these Indian chiefs across the country -all the way to New York, lay the sinister and sordid selfishness of this -perfidious man, already named, McGillivray provided for himself by being -made a brigadier general in the regular American army on full pay, which -was at that time twelve hundred dollars, while he was to derive additional -remuneration as the government agent to the Indian tribes. - -Intoxicated with delight at his success, McGillivray headed the procession -homeward bound, after an exchange of congratulations with President -Washington, where each vied with the other in stilted conventionality. -McGillivray flattered the artless Indians into the belief that he had won -for them a victory, and they shared with him in the gusto of his elation. -His maneuvers were just such as to produce fresh plans of conspiracy and -of intrigue for the future. On his return home, he doffed the uniform of -the Spanish colonel, and donned that of the American brigadier, all of -which heightened the admiration of the Indians, while it afforded newer -opportunity to the general to lay deeper schemes and reap richer rewards. -This course was occasioned by the reasons now to be given. - -One of our modern investigations would have disclosed the fact that while -the treaty was based on the conditions named, there lay beneath it, out of -the sight of the general public, a secret treaty between President -Washington and General McGillivray, on condition that he would manage the -Indians as the President might desire. As a sort of secret agent, and in -order to enhance his position in the estimation of the Indians, -McGillivray was made a channel for the transmission of certain gifts and -privileges, which he was to use to the advantage of the government, for -which he cared not a thread, and he would never have become the secret -purveyor, without the prospect of personal enrichment. He was to give to -the Indians, in his own way, the assurance that their commerce was to find -exit through the Gulf and ocean ports, while he was to present to each -chief, as from himself, but really from the government, a handsome gold -medal, besides a yearly gift of one hundred dollars in gold. Besides -still, the government was in the same secret way to educate annually four -of the Indian youth, free of all charge. All this was to be done in such -manner, as to have it appear how strong was the hold and influence of -McGillivray on the general government, and thus maintain his grip on the -Indians. This looks a little nebulous, from the government side, but it is -a matter of history, and at the time, was known only to the favored few. -History, like the sea, has hidden depths. That which Washington wished, -was to keep in subjection the troublesome Indian; that which McGillivray -wished was the enhancement of his importance, in order to the -gratification of his personal vanity, and in order, too, to a plethoric -purse. At any rate, such are the facts. What our modern muckrakers might -make of a proceeding like this now, deponent knoweth not. While in the -state councils of New York, there was silent and suppressed glee over the -result, in the heart of Alexander McGillivray, at the same time, there -were fresh schemes being incubated, as in daily meditation he southward -rode. Washington thought he had McGillivray bagged, while McGillivray knew -he had Washington hoodwinked. Later developments afford fresher -revelations of the diabolical character of Alexander McGillivray. - -A season of tranquillity ensued which Washington regarded as auspicious, -when as a matter of fact it was ominous. McGillivray never intended to -execute the terms of the treaty, only in so far as they would conduce to -his personal ends, for on his return to the South, he at once entered into -secret negotiations with the Spanish. He explained to them that his jaunt -to the capital was a mere ruse, in order to gather information, the better -to aid the king of Spain, and that he was just now ready to render to -Spain the most efficient service. Here, then, was an American general -disporting himself in the national uniform, spurs, boots, epaulettes, and -all, betraying the government into the hands of a foreign foe. While -drawing the pay of a brigadier, he was, as a secret emissary of Spain, the -recipient of a sum much larger. - -In order, at last, to promote his schemes, he fomented strife and -agitation among the chiefs, by instigating them to protest against the -terms of the treaty. Meanwhile, he informed the government at New York -that he was doing his utmost to enforce the terms, and must have broad -discretion and ample time, in order to accomplish the end in view. Between -himself and the secretary of war an active correspondence was kept up in -which correspondence the atrocious Alexander McGillivray was more than a -match for the cabinet officer of Washington. Thus went events for years -together. - - - - -THE CURTAIN FALLS - - -In the records of the race, it would be difficult to find embodied in the -life and career of any one, more strange and incongruous elements than -those which entered into the history of General Alexander McGillivray. -Though unquestionably a man of ability, that ability was turned into the -most wicked of channels; highly gifted with the elements of leadership, -these were devoted to the single end of the enhancement of his purse; -gracious in manner, courteous, and ostensibly obliging to an astonishing -degree, yet, at bottom, all this demonstration was only so many decoys to -catch the unsuspecting, and even to the suspicious they were oftener than -otherwise availing; cool and collected, placid and serene, it was but the -charm to wheedle the confidence in order to sinister consummation, and, -while emphatic sometimes with a make-believe sincerity, it was only to -delude. - -McGillivray's only idea of right was that of self-gratification. If to do -right at any time was most productive of methods of self-promotion, why he -would adopt that course, but only as a means of convenience. Unhampered by -a sense of obligation and unchecked by conscientious scruple, his -prodigious intellect and fertility of resource made Alexander McGillivray -the most dangerous of men. Yet he could descant at length with all the -mein of a moral philosopher on duty and obligation, the rights of man, the -turpitude of wrong, the cruelty of injustice, the inhumanity of deception, -and all else in the catalogue of morality. His familiarity with all these -afforded him room for the amplest guilt. Self was his measuring rod, laid -with accurate hand on the most contradictory of conditions. - -The amplitude of his personal forces enabled McGillivray to do what the -fewest can successfully--wind his sinuous course through the most tangled -conditions, while dealing with a number of conflicting agencies and -causes, and yet equally dupe all, and if apprehended, be able so to summon -to his defense a sufficiency of plausibility as actually to invest the -whole situation with a sheen of fairness. Contradictory at many points, he -could give to all the aspect of consistency. - -The only service that Alexander McGillivray rendered was that of -preventing a general outbreak of the Indian tribes, which fact was due, -not to his horror of blood, so much, as to the fact that using the deluded -red man, he was able to hold him up as an object of fear, and thus elicit -by agitation and apprehension, that which would conduce to his emolument. -He never did right unless it was to his profit, and falsehood was -preferable to truth, if it would serve a turn to his personal profit. He -derived abundant encouragement from the conditions of his environment, to -which his character was exactly adapted. The man and the occasion met in -Alexander McGillivray. - -As the agent of the government entrusted with the dispensation of the -financial and commercial gifts to the Indians, in accordance with the -secret treaty with President Washington, no one ever knew how much, or how -little, the poor red men ever received. The fact that the arrangement was -a secret one, was much to the purpose and pleasure of McGillivray. The -government promptly met its obligation, and there is not wanting evidence -that there all sense of obligation ended. This notorious man went to his -grave invested with the deepest suspicion. Nor was it altogether -restricted to suspicion, this outrageous conduct of Alexander McGillivray. -Detection was unescapable under certain conditions. Secret agents of a -suspicious government, spying out his varied transactions, exposed his -atrocity time and again, but in each instance, it was found that he had so -successfully woven a network of defense, that to undertake to eliminate -him by force, would have been like tearing a new patch from an old -garment, according to the sacred parable, the rent of which would have -been made the worse thereby. - -The government sought by indirection and not always in the most creditable -way, to uproot the confidence of the Indians by due exposure, but -McGillivray was never found unprovided with means to account for the -reasonableness of each separate charge. With the strategy of a Napoleon, -this extraordinary man could outgeneral all who were pitted against him. -Such was the character, such the career of Alexander McGillivray. - -He was now an old man. The stylus of care and of responsibility, assumed -in an arena the most atrocious, had drawn deep grooves on his brow. His -silver hair and tottering gait admonished him of the brief time that was -his, but so far from relaxing his grip on the things which had actuated -him throughout, this condition only served to tighten it. Experience had -sharpened his wits, and villainy had made him impregnable in plying his -art. His was a master passion that gave fresh desperateness in view of the -approaching end. A vast fortune was his, and with the passion of the man -who never had a higher dream than that of personal gain, he hugged it with -a tenacity common to men under conditions of advancing age, yet knowing -meanwhile, that with his end would come that of the use of his immense -means. - -He lived to see himself repudiated by all alike. He was rejected by the -American government, cast out by the Spaniards, and, by degrees, came to -be distrusted even by the Indians. All sense of remorse was gone, all the -finer emotions which shrink from public exposure of wrong, long ago -deadened. Moral obliquity was complete, and hardened iniquity made him -insensible to the frown of reproach with which he was everywhere met. - -Worn out by the criminality of a long life, McGillivray sought a home, in -his last days, at Little River, in the lower part of Monroe County, where -he died on February 17, 1793. His remains were taken to Pensacola and -interred in the spacious gardens of William Panton, a wealthy Scotch -merchant, with whom McGillivray had long been associated in business -connections. His very aged father survived him, and was still living at -Dummaglass, Scotland, to whom William Panton wrote of the death of his -notorious son. Thus passed away the greatest diplomat Alabama ever -produced, but he left to posterity nothing worthy of emulation. - - - - -LORENZO DOW - - -So far as can be ascertained, and the fact seems beyond doubt, the first -protestant that ever preached in Alabama was the eccentric Methodist -minister, Lorenzo Dow. He combined in his character a number of strange -elements, some of which were quite strong, and by his stentorian preaching -he stirred the people wherever he went. He was unique in his make-up, and -no conjecture could be had of what he would ever say or do. Mr. Dow -reached the distant frontier settlements of Alabama along the Tombigbee as -early as 1793. He was a fearless, stern, plain, and indefatigable preacher -of the old-time type, who spurned all danger, and boldly faced the direst -of perils on the border, that he might preach the gospel. He had a notable -career, though still a young man, before he found his way to the vanguard -of western civilization. - -Born in Connecticut during the stormy days of the Revolution, Dow became a -Christian in his youth, and for some time was perplexed about what church -relationship he should form. He finally joined the Methodists, as the zeal -of that people was an attraction to his heated temperament. His errant and -arbitrary course soon made him an undesirable acquisition to the -Methodists, and while not severing his relations with the church, he was -disposed to yield to a disposition to become a general evangelist or -missionary of the independent type. His health was broken, and he -conceived the idea of going as far westward as the advanced line of -Caucasian occupation had gone, taking with him on his perilous journey -his young wife. - -At this time Mr. Dow was about twenty-seven years old. By means of the -tedious and uncomfortable methods of travel at that early time, he found -his way from New England to the thin line of settlements along the -Tombigbee. Here, in company with his wife, Peggy, he preached as a son of -thunder, but as though the dangers encountered did not gratify his love of -the perilous, he sought his way through the dangerous wilds to the region -of Natchez, Mississippi, long before made an important French settlement. -To Dow peril was a fascination, and like the Vikings of Saga story, he -sought danger in order to gratify a desire to fight. Not that he was a man -of physical violence, but his love of contention and of opposition was -without bound. He loved combat for its own sake, and was never so much at -peace as when engaged in wordy war. He was of that mold of humanity that -immensely preferred disagreement with one than tranquil acquiescence. He -rusted when not in use. His blade glimmered only by constant wielding. - -From the region of Natchez, he returned at last to the Tombigbee and -Tensas settlements, virile, strenuous, impetuous, and fiery. His journal, -which seems to have been sacredly kept, discloses many romantic adventures -among the wild tribes, many of the leading spirits among whom regarded him -with a terror that was awfully sacred, because of his utter lack of fear, -his consuming zeal, and his stormy preaching. In advance of the choice of -St. Stephens as the territorial capital, he visited the location while -only one family was residing there. Impressed by the location which -overlooks the river from an elevation, and the country beyond, Dow -predicted that it would become a point of great importance. Both in his -diary and in the "Vicissitudes" of Peggy Dow, we learn much of the -adventures of this anomalous brace of souls. He would sleep in the open -air in the resinous regions of South Alabama, where the abounding pine -straw could be raked together in a heap for a mattress, and where he could -be lulled to slumber by the soothing monotone of the tall pine trees. -There is little doubt that the frail system of this wonderful man was -prolonged, by being nurtured in the open air, freighted with turpentine, -and strengthened by activity. - -Mrs. Peggy, on the other hand, judging from the tone of her journal, did -not find so much gratification in this rough and tumble method of life, as -did her incorrigible liege lord. There is an undisguised reluctance in her -words of compliance with conditions from which there was no appeal. - -One of the most singular chapters in the life of Lorenzo Dow preceded his -invasion of the far Southwest. When seized by a peculiar fancy that he was -called to preach to the Roman Catholics of the world, and having learned -that Ireland was one of their strongholds, he hied himself thither. To the -quaint Irish, he was a wonder. His vociferous preaching and pungent zeal -drew large crowds, but at times his path was not strewn with primroses, -and the rougher element of the Irish throngs offered battle at times to -his vaunting banters, but nothing was more to the liking of the -indomitable Lorenzo. He stood ready to meet any rising emergency even when -it was as grave as the attacks of the scraggy sons of the Emerald Isle. - -From Ireland he crossed over into Britain, and introduced the camp meeting -method of worship, which meetings became popular in England, and later, in -the United States. So far as is known Lorenzo Dow was the founder of the -camp meeting with its flexibility and abandon of worship. His way in -England was clearer than it had been in Ireland. To the staid Briton, he -was an object of wonder, and his natural eloquence and eccentricities of -speech and of dress, won for him boundless popularity, and the pressing -throng heard him with avidity. He found peculiar delight in his assaults -on the Jesuits, whom he denounced as conspirators against civil and -religious freedom. - -Weird, stormy, and extensive as the career of Lorenzo Dow was, he was not -an old man when he died, being only fifty-seven. He fought off -constitutional weakness and heroically braced himself against the inroad -of disease, with the same force with which he did all things else. For -years he held the dark monster, death, at bay, and grimly declined to die -that he might live and fight, to do which none was fonder than the -redoubtable Dow. - -As may be easily inferred, Dow was a man of scant learning, so far as -pertains to books, but he was a close and apt student of men and of -affairs, and from his acquired fund, he preached with great effectiveness, -unrestrained by conventionality, and unhindered by prim propriety. He told -the truth as he saw it, not in tones of choice diction, but with a -quaintness and pluck, and with such projectile force as to stir conviction -and arouse action. He chose to be called a Methodist, yet he chafed under -the imposed limitations of his church, and defiantly trampled down all -restrictions, while he followed the bent of his own sweet will, controlled -by none, not even his bosom companion, Peggy, if the indirect suggestions -of her journal are to be relied on. He did not seek to found churches, but -only desired to preach in his own wild manner. Sometimes he would make -appointments a year in advance, at remote points, but would meet them -promptly at the hour named. - -In point of whimsicalness, Lorenzo Dow has had few peers, for he would -veer from the ordinary, for which he had a singular passion, but no one -was ever found who could pronounce Lorenzo Dow a fool. He was not without -extravagance of speech and of manner, but when challenged, he was gladly -able to evince strength equal to the occasion. - -His son, Neal Dow, was a brigadier in the Union army, and the author of -the "Maine law," which procured a prohibitory statute for his state. - - - - -WEATHERFORD, THE "RED EAGLE" - - -The most picturesque figure among the Indian leaders of the Alabama -tribes, was William Weatherford, called by the Creeks, of whom he was the -splendid commander, Lamochattee, or Red Eagle. He was a nephew of Gen. -Alexander McGillivray, and had an equal admixture of blood in his veins. -Weatherford was reared near Montgomery, at the village of Coosada, just -below the junction of the Coosa and the Tallapoosa Rivers, where his -father owned a plantation, a large store, and a popular race track. -Charles Weatherford, the father, was a white man who had married a -half-breed, and became very popular and influential among the Indians, as -an agent in important functions, in negotiating with the Spanish and the -Americans. - -The son, even from boyhood, was a pet among the Indians, by whom he was -greatly pampered and flattered, and into the wild pursuits of whom the lad -entered with a gusto. With them he hunted and swam, practiced athletics, -on foot and on horse, danced with them at their rude frolics, vied with -the best in the use of the bow and arrow, the rifle and pistol, in all of -which he became an expert, much to the delight of the warriors. He was -especially skilled in horsemanship, his taste for which was gratified to -the amplest by the fine animals in his father's stables, which animals -were kept for racing purposes. - -The pronounced force of Weatherford's leadership was early shown, when he -would join in the perilous expeditions of his tribe against others in the -frequent wars along the Cumberland and the Chattahoochee, and in other -regions, as well. Not only for these qualities was the handsome and -chivalrous young man idolized, but also for his gifted oratory. He had a -voluble tongue, possessed a wonderful power of persuasion, and his -knowledge of Indian character enabled him to inflame and sway their -volatile passions at will. - -At an early age, Weatherford became a dominant figure among the tribes, -and soon came to be proclaimed a great leader. He understood perfectly the -Indian character, and his power of discernment taught him when to speak, -and when to keep silent. Genius, judgment, oratory, and courage were the -ranking qualities of Weatherford's character, which, when taken in -connection with his natural gracefulness and agility, made him an object -little short of adoration to the untutored tribes. Nor was this yet all, -for to these meritorious qualities were added others which while -forbidding to sense of refinement, greatly enhanced Weatherford in the -estimation of the Indian. He was avaricious, treacherous, blood-thirsty, -and a glutton and debauchee of a low cast. - -Early in life, he came into possession of a fine plantation, which he -every way beautified, while his home was made the abode of the worst vices -to which the Indian was addicted, all of which served to elevate him in -Indian esteem. His physique afforded him another advantage, for he was -tall, symmetrically built, and bore himself with the erectness of a -flagstaff, while his large black eyes were flashing, his nose of the -Grecian mold, with other features in harmonious blend. Such was the Red -Eagle of the Creeks, who was to become their great leader and champion, in -the stormy years that were to be. Like Hannibal of old concerning the -Romans, Weatherford had early instilled into him a profound antipathy for -the whites. His uncle, General McGillivray, to whom the young man was -greatly attached, and to whom, too, he was an ideal, had early injected -into the heart of the nephew hatred for the white man, and hostility -toward him. Weatherford when young would accompany his favorite uncle to -Pensacola, and while associating with the Spanish, he would imbibe -additional rancor for the Anglo-Saxon. To him, the encroachment of the -white population on Alabama soil, meant robbery and ruin to the Indian, -and the worst blood of his nature was fired with growing intensity -throughout the period during which he was ripening into manhood. - -Weatherford was scarcely thirty years old when Tecumseh, the celebrated -chief, visited the Muscogees, in 1812. The popularity and bearing of the -young favorite of the Creeks caught the eye of the astute old chief, who -took the young man at once into his confidence, opened his plans for the -extinction of the white race in Alabama, and flattered him not a little, -when he named Weatherford the intrepid leader of the tribes of the south. -Tecumseh wished him to plunge into the war of extermination at once, but -Weatherford asked for time to consider the assumption of a charge so -grave, and promised to give his final answer on the return of Tecumseh in -the near future. - -The truth is, that Weatherford had serious misgivings about his relation -to the pending troubles, and with all his dash and venom, he was not -without judgment and discrimination. While he hated the white man, he knew -his courage and force, and besides, he had many relatives and friends who -would resist any demonstration of hostility on the part of the Indians. -Yet Tecumseh, by fervor of appeal, had fired the Indian heart, and the -tribes were seething for the onset. Under these conditions, Weatherford -found himself in a dilemma. - -Quietly stealing away from his plantation in the neighborhood of Wetumpka, -he went down the Alabama River to the region of Little River, in the lower -part of Monroe, to confer with his brother, Jack Weatherford, and his -half-brother, David Tait. The difficulty of the situation was increased -when both advised the younger brother to have nothing to do with the -impending troubles, and urged him to return to his home, and with his -family, slaves, and stock, to flee to the region in which they resided. -These older brothers predicted not only defeat, but disaster to -Weatherford, if he should yield to the solicitations of the tribes to -become their leader. The brothers pointed out that while much injury might -be inflicted on the whites, they would, in the end, crush the Indians; -that he would do well not to be drawn into the hostile campaign. The -advice was accepted, and William Weatherford retraced his steps to the -upper counties, with the intention of adopting the course suggested, but -it was too late. - - - - -ENFORCED ACQUIESCENCE - - -The tumult of passion raised by Tecumseh, and the full knowledge of the -proposal which he had made to Weatherford, as well as the well-known fact -of his kinship with certain influential families in lower Monroe, of their -attitude to the Indians, and last of all, the hesitation of Weatherford to -assume command, and his strange visit to his brothers--all of these things -awoke suspicion and placed the Indians on their guard. Here was a reversal -of human sentiment as sudden and as powerful as possible. Weatherford had -been idolized till suspicion was aroused, when his presumed treachery was -watched with much eagerness. On his return from the visit to his brothers, -Weatherford was chagrined, and doubly disappointed, to find that his -premises had been invaded, his family, slaves, and stock seized by the -Indians, and held under close guard against his return. Not only so, but -they laid hold on him also, and notified him that they would kill him and -his if he did not join them, and lead them against the whites. It was now -death, or submission to their demand, the latter of which was, after all, -not difficult for Weatherford, for the denunciation heard by him on every -hand, revived the old fire in his heart, and complete as the change was, -as a result of his visit to his brothers, he now cordially acquiesced in -their demands, and announced himself ready to lead them to the field. - -Under these compulsory conditions, Weatherford fed afresh his hatred for -the white race, recalling that which his uncle had instilled, and with -all his being, he threw himself into the cause of the Indians, and became -the most brilliant and the bitterest of Indian leaders. Since there was -nothing left but acquiescence with the demands of the Indians, Weatherford -gored himself to unquenchable hatred, and boldly took the field at the -head of the hilarious and tawny braves. Summoning to his support all the -resources for a fierce war, and calling to his aid every available warrior -of the tribe, a thousand in number, he was ready for the march to the -counties of the south. Already hostilities had broken out in the southern -quarter of the state, and the initial victory of the Indians at the battle -of Burnt Corn, gave vigor to his spirits, and led him utterly to repudiate -the sentiments which he cherished when he left the homes of his brothers, -only a few weeks before. - -At the head of as ferocious an army as ever trod the soil of any region, -Weatherford repaired southward on a mission of utter extermination. Every -day of the march sharpened his zest for the fray, as well as that of his -fierce followers on the war path. He slid into the south as stealthily as -possible, and on reaching the scene of impending hostility, found that the -whites had betaken themselves into a strong stockade, which had been built -about the residence of one of the settlers named Mims, which name was -given to the fort. Together with his picked warriors, he stealthily -inspected the fort unobserved, studied its weakness and its strength, and -repaired to the deep forest to await the time to attack. - -He saw that to undertake to storm the strong barricade meant disaster to -his army, and with genuine genius of generalship, he decided to await the -favorable moment to strike the fatal blow. He hid his warriors in the deep -woods, at a point sufficiently remote from the fort not to be detected, -allowed no camp fires to blaze during the night, and no demonstration that -would occasion alarm at the fort, while he would daily reconnoitre the -situation, and watch how life went inside the stockade. - -Within Fort Mims, day after day passed in silence, silence into -inactivity, then into indifference, and this in turn, into negligence. The -growth of this spirit within the fort was a matter of encouragement to -Weatherford on the outside, several miles away, and this, he was -persuaded, would continue to grow. When it should have become a spirit of -lassitude, toward which it was tending, then would Weatherford strike. -Lounging within the walls of the stockade induced exceeding restlessness, -and by degrees, the inmates of the fort would sally forth in quest of -flowers and wild fruits, while within the enclosure, diversions and games -were introduced and gained in favor. In addition still, the great gateway, -which at first had been kept closed, was now suffered to remain open, not -only during the day, but at night. Heavy rains had washed the sand against -the gate, so that if it were desired to close it, it would be with great -difficulty. The inmates had grown indifferent to the situation, and really -had ceased to believe there was any occasion for apprehension. - -Of all this Weatherford, lurking in the neighboring forest, was apprised, -and while his warriors chafed yet the more because of the delay, the -inmates of the fort grew increasingly indifferent, both which facts were -conducive to the purpose of the wily Weatherford. It was not easy for the -wary chief to hold in check his warriors, but he would daily persuade them -that the pear was not yet ripe, and that when the set time should come, -the victory would be the easier. Weatherford fully understood that when -the dogs of war were turned loose, he would have to rely entirely on the -force of their frenzy and excitement for success, while he quite -understood the collectable qualities of the whites, who, even when -surprised, would rally and rerally with a growing coolness in the -struggle. - -Thus the days became monotonous alike to the inmates of the fort, and the -warriors hid away in the woods, but the effect on each was diametrically -different. This was just as Weatherford wished it, and while he found it -not easy to hold in check his warriors thirsting for blood, he was enabled -to do so till the fatal day arrived. - - - - -FORT MIMS MASSACRE - - -The fatal morning of August 30 dawned on Fort Mims. The weather was hot, -and slowly from sleep the inmates of the fort awoke. Breakfast over, the -day began the usual routine of indifference to conditions, the little -children beginning their play about the block houses, men gathering in -small groups about the enclosure, chatting, smoking, laughing or playing -cards, while later a fiddle was brought into requisition for an old time -reel by a body of youngsters, while the elderly women sat in quiet groups -sewing, talking, and knitting. The matter of attack, so much feared at -first, was now a subject of jocular comment, men joking as to what they -would do, should the Indians appear. - -Amidst the scene of merriment, a negro appears fresh from the woods, and -in excitement, tells of having seen a body of Indians rapidly approaching -the fort. Major Beasley, the commander, who is engaged in a game of cards -with other officers, orders the black to be strung up and whipped for -giving a false alarm. The gate still stands wide open with its obstruction -of sand banked against it, and the serenity within the fort remains the -same. - -Suddenly, the calmness is broken by the firing of muskets without, -attended by the hideous yells of savages. They are near the entrance, and -sure of making good their way into the fort, they make a demonstration of -joy. Consternation seizes the inmates. The rushing tramp of the -approaching assailants is now heard, and as a squad rushes to take its -place in the gateway, the Indians are in full view, only a few yards away. -Before Beasley could rally his men, a few Indians have rushed through the -gate. The advance of the Indians is shot down, and the voice of Beasley is -heard calling to his men to rally at the gate. They seek to close it, but -the Indians are now coming rapidly on, and every one is needed to keep -them back. If the narrow passage of the gate limits the entrance of the -savages, it also hampers the defense of the garrison. A solid mass of -savages, half naked and with the glitter of fury in the eyes of each, jam -in closeness to force the passage. The defenders in desperation shoot them -down, or stab them, one by one with their bayonets. There is no time for -order, and confusion is complete. At the gate, it is a hand to hand fight, -as officers give orders, and the Indians yell like demons, and press with -might to force the entrance. Within the fort, women are shrieking, and -children crying in wild confusion. Only the advance of the Indians has as -yet appeared, the others approaching in order on the run, under the -leadership of Weatherford. Piles of dead bodies, Indians and white, -already fill the gateway. - -Major Beasley stands at the head of his men, faces the savages, and fights -like a demon. He cheers his men, while he bravely leads. He is courage to -the core, and every man is doing his utmost. Inspired by the pluck of the -men, the women rush to the rescue. Beasley falls, shot through his body. -Lying prostrate in the passage, his life ebbing rapidly away, as he sinks -in death, he appeals to his men. A brave lieutenant takes his place, is -soon covered with blood from his own wounds, but fights on, and from -sheer loss of strength, reels and falls. Two brave women rush up, drag his -body from the pile of dead, bear it back, give him water, and suddenly he -rises, staggers to the gate, and renews the fight. After a half hour's -fighting, the gate is closed just as Weatherford appears with eight -hundred fresh warriors. Excluded from the gate, the Indians under -Weatherford, begin to cut down the pickets about the fort, and as holes -are made through the pickets, the firing is continued. The advantage is -now on the side of the savages. Blow on blow finally brings down a portion -of the walls, and like an overflowing flood the yelling demons rush -within. Outside, the dry walls and pickets are set on fire by the savages, -the roofs are soon aflame, while the work of destruction goes speedily on. -On their knees, women plead for life, while they clasp their children -close to them, but they are slain and scalped on the spot. Neither age nor -sex is spared. Of the five hundred and fifty within the fort, only a few -negroes and half breeds are permitted to live. - -In a corner of the fort is seen an Indian holding at bay his companions -who are seeking to reach a group of half breeds huddled together, a mother -and her children. The Indian defender strikes down any who attempt to -reach them. The explanation of this strange scene will appear in the next -article. Besides these thus rescued, only nine out of the entire number -within the fort are spared. Of the thousand savages who assaulted the fort -three hundred and fifty were killed. - -It has been said that Weatherford sought to restrain his warriors from -the wanton bloodshed, but on the contrary, he was in the thick of the -fray, dealing the deadliest blows, and by his example, inspiring his men -to the utmost destruction. Than Weatherford, the whites never had a more -relentless and bloodthirsty foe. His purpose was the extinction of the -whites, and in this, his first battle, he would teach them a lesson of -savage warfare that would remind them of that against which they had to -contend. He was as merciless a demon as was to be found among the men of -the forest. In after years, when Weatherford saw that his cause was lost, -and when he surrendered to General Jackson, and went to the lower part of -Monroe to live, there was an effort made to create the impression of his -proposed gentleness at Fort Mims, but it is utterly without foundation. - -The horror of the dreadful scene was added to by the devouring flames. The -roofs and the walls falling in on the dead, they were scorched or burned -in one common heap, and Weatherford, though he afterward became a good -citizen in the same region, gloated over the murderous desolation thus -wrought. His delight was fiendish, his glut of revenge was ominous. This -was Weatherford on August 12, 1812. - -The news of the horrible massacre spread dismay everywhere. It sounded the -note of extinction of one or the other of the Indian or white races. -Dismay gave place to revenge, and everywhere men flew to arms. From that -time forth the battle cry of the whites was, "Remember Fort Mims." From -the north marched Jackson from Tennessee, and from the west came -Claiborne with his Mississippi militia. Weatherford had raised a storm -which he would never be able to quell. - - - - -INDIAN GRATITUDE - - -From the general estimate of Indian character, one would be slow to -believe the savage capable of gratitude, but even with the Indian, -instances of this virtue are not altogether wanting, one among which was -displayed at the horrible massacre of Fort Mims. Of the seventeen who -escaped death from that tragedy of blood and fire, was a mother and her -eight children. - -That they should have been found together by a certain Indian warrior, who -was enabled to give full expression to his gratitude, was providential. -The story is well worthy a place in our annals. Years before this terrible -holocaust at Fort Mims, an Indian boy, an outcast and an orphan, in his -friendless wandering, found his way to the home of a Scotchman in the -wilds of South Alabama, whose name was McGirth, who had married a -half-breed. Touched by the condition of the off-cast Indian waif, the good -Mrs. McGirth not only fed and clad him, but took him into the home, cared -for him, and reared him as her own son. The Indian boy, Sonata, grew to -manhood beneath the McGirth roof, and shared in common with the children -of the family, the moderate comforts of the frontier home. - -After Sonata became a man, he took leave of the home, and joined himself -to the Creek tribe of which he was a member. The McGirths lost sight of -Sonata, Sonata of his benefactors. Years with their changes came and went, -and Sonata was in the upper counties with his people. - -When the war began, he was one of the braves who enlisted under -Weatherford in the campaign of extermination which led to the slaughter at -Fort Mims. He was among the foremost to enter the ill-fated fort, and do -deadly execution. In his death-dealing blows, Sonata came suddenly on a -woman, somewhat advanced in life, behind whom crouched a number of -children. With upraised hands, she pleaded, as did all others, that she -and hers might be spared. In the wild tide of death, while the slaughter -was at its height, the uplifted hand of Sonata was suddenly stayed. There -was something in the voice of the pleading woman that was familiar to the -ear of the savage, and his tomahawk was arrested in mid-air. He looked -into her face, and while the woman did not recognize him, he did her, and -in the excitement of the carnage that was rampant, he dropped his tomahawk -and led the woman and her children to a corner of the fort, and took a -position of defense in their behalf. Again and again, efforts were made to -reach them, but he stood sentinel over the group, and suffered not a hair -of their heads to be touched, claiming that they were his slaves, and must -not be disturbed. It was his foster mother, Mrs. McGirth. - -It so happened that when the alarm was first given to the settlements to -repair to the fort, Mr. McGirth was away from home, in another part of the -country on business, for he was a trader, and did not return till after -the slaughter at the fort. When the horrors of the massacre were over, -Sonata mounted his prisoners on horseback and sped them away to his home -far up on the Coosa. He feared that should they remain in the -neighborhood of the fort, even in the camp of the Indians, he would be -unable to restrain the ferocity of the savages, hence their flight to the -upper country. Nor did the grateful protege leave his former foster mother -and her group, till he saw them comfortable in his own wigwam beside the -Coosa. This done, and he hurried back to rejoin his command. When -hostilities in the South partly subsided, Sonata sought again his home to -see that Mrs. McGirth was cared for. - -The seat of war was transferred from the south to the upper counties, and -Weatherford was preparing to encounter General Jackson, who was descending -from Tennessee to destroy Weatherford and his command. Sonata had been at -home for some time, and when he felt that it was his duty to re-enlist -against Jackson, he arranged for the flight of Mrs. McGirth and her -children, should he fall in battle. - -In the bloody conflict of Cholocco Litabixee, where a thousand painted -warriors met Jackson in battle, only two hundred survived. Among the slain -was the grateful Sonata, the news of whose death reaching Mrs. McGirth, -she hastened with her family to the south. All who had previously known -her, thought of her only as dead, among whom was her broken-hearted -husband, who had long ago given up his family as among those who had -perished at Fort Mims. He had settled at Mobile a sad and broken-hearted -man, and sought diversion of his sorrow in business. One day, while he was -laboring on the wharf at Mobile, there was suddenly ushered into his -presence his entire group, still unbroken. He stared at them as though -they had strayed from the land of the dead. He stood fixed like a statue, -with his face as expressionless as the surface of a lake. He was dumb. -This was followed by a nervousness that made him shake as with an ague. He -stared till he realized the truth of their deliverance, when he burst into -uncontrollable weeping, and wept till he no more had power to weep. - -The story following his return to Mobile after the massacre was a sad one. -He had gone immediately to the scene of the slaughter, hoping to recognize -his loved ones and give them decent burial, but flames had disfigured the -faces of all, now lying charred and blackened in death, and the utmost he -could do, was to aid in the burial of all, presuming that among them -somewhere, were his own loved ones. - -To the rescued Mrs. McGirth is history largely indebted for a detailed -description of the scenes enacted at Fort Mims. Though an uneducated -woman, she was endowed with a remarkable fund of common sense, and without -extravagance, gave the fullest account of the dreadful slaughter. Her -kindness to the poor Indian boy saved her in the direst extremity of her -life. "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many -days." - - - - -THE CANOE FIGHT - - -The Indian was as thoroughly skilled in the use of the oar on the larger -streams and inland bays, as he was with the tomahawk, the scalping knife, -and the bow. It is believed that the name of one of the Alabama tribes was -derived from their adroit use of the oar. In his Creek Migration Legend, -Gatschat suggested that Mobilian means "paddling." Certain it is that the -early settlers found the Indian an adept in the use of the skiff or canoe. - -The faculty with which the Indian could direct his canoe, and the -dexterity with which he could divert it suddenly from a given course, was -wonderful. He had studied with the utmost accuracy the force or swiftness -of the current of a given stream, and could calculate at a glance any -point at which he would arrive on the opposite side, when starting from -the side of departure. On the land, the whites were generally at an -advantage in a contention with the Indians, but on the water the Indians -generally excelled. - -The bloody massacre at Fort Mims had created a spirit of recklessness on -the part of the whites. The warfare was turned into a species of hunting -expeditions, and the regions were scoured as though in search of wild -beasts. The massacre had put fire into the bones of the whites, and a -prolonged revenge was the result. Thereafter they never waited for an -Indian to advance, they simply wished to know where the savages could be -found. The Indians made no use of the fertile soils save for hunting, and -when the whites sought to till them and turn them to practical use, -seeking meanwhile to preserve peaceful relations with the red men, the -Indians sought their destruction. The morality of the question of -depriving the Indian of his possessions turned on this point, and not on -that of deliberate robbery, as is so often contended. The white settlers -sought to buy the lands for agricultural purposes, but the Indian wanted -the virgin forests to remain untouched that he might hunt. Since the red -men had raised the cry of extermination, with Weatherford in the lead, and -since they had shown at Fort Mims that nothing short of utter extinction -was sought, the whites accepted the issue, and under conditions like these -the conflict raged. This condition converted every white man into a -soldier, a patriot, an exterminator. - -Among the most daring and intrepid of Indian fighters, in those early -days, was Gen. Sam Dale. A giant in size and in strength, as fearless as a -lion, and familiar with the stratagem of the Indian, no one did more -valiant service in those early days of Indian warfare than he. More than -any other white man, the Indians dreaded Dale, whom they called "Big Sam." -His known presence on any occasion would produce among the Indians -consternation. - -While on a scouting expedition along the banks of the Alabama, Dale -discovered a canoe descending the stream with eleven stalwart warriors. -Seeing that they were making for a dense canebrake, Dale ordered his men -to follow him quickly, and seven reached the canebrake just as the savages -were about to land. Dale and his men opened fire on them, but overshot -them, when two of the Indians sprang into the water. As they rose, Dale -killed one, and Smith the other. The remaining nine began to back the boat -so as to reach the current, and escape, three using the oars, while the -others lay flat on the bottom of the boat. It seems that Weatherford was -within hailing distance, for one of the warriors shouted to him to come to -their aid. In order to facilitate the movement of the boat, one of the -warriors had jumped overboard, and was directing it toward the current, -and as he stood breast deep in the water, he shouted to Dale in derision -to shoot, meanwhile baring his bosom. Dale fired and crushed his skull. -Soon the boat was well in the current, and was moving down stream. - -Being on the side of the river opposite that on which his boats were, Dale -called across the river to his men to bring the boats. Six sprang into a -boat and started toward Dale, but when they got near enough to see that -the canoe was filled with savages lying flat, they sped back. Just below -was a free negro named Caesar, with a boat and gun, and Dale shouted to -him to bring his boat, and when the negro declined, Dale yelled to him -that unless he should come at once, he would cross the river and kill him, -when Caesar crossed a hundred yards below the canoe of the Indians. Dale -and two of his men sprang into it, and Caesar was ordered to head off the -boat of the Indians. - -So soon as the boats touched, Dale sprang up and placing one of his feet -in each boat, the nearest warrior leveled his gun at him, but it flashed. -Quickly clubbing it, he dealt a blow at Dale's head, he dodged, and -shivered the head of the Indian with his gun. Austill sprang up, but was -knocked down by an Indian, who in a moment more would have killed him, but -Dale broke his gun across the warrior's head. Austill grasped the barrel, -and renewed the onset. Dale being without a gun, Caesar handed to him his -gun with a bayonet attached. The boats drifting apart, Dale leaped into -the Indian boat alone, while the other bore away. Smith fired and wounded -the Indian nearest Dale, who was now standing like a monument in the boat -of the Indians, two of whom lay dead at his feet. At his back the wounded -savage snapped his gun at Dale several times, while four powerful warriors -were in front. Too close to shoot, the foremost one dealt a blow with his -gun at Dale, who parried it with his gun, and then drove the bayonet -through him. The next made an onset, but was killed by Austill. The third -came, but was thrust through with the bayonet. The last was a giant -wrestler, well known to Dale, and as he strided over the prostrate bodies -of his companions, he yelled: "Big Sam, I am a man--I am coming--come on!" - -With this, the big athlete sprang forward, clubbing Dale with his heavy -musket. He struck Dale's shoulder with such violence as to dislocate it, -when Dale buried the bayonet into his body. It glanced around the ribs and -stuck fast into his backbone. Dale held him down while he was struggling -to recover, and when Dale jerked it out, he leaped to his feet and with a -wild yell sprang furiously at the big white man, but Dale was ready with -the bayonet which he drove through his heart. Within ten minutes eleven -Indians had been killed, six of whom died by the hands of Dale. - - - - -A LEAP FOR LIFE - - -There is no more ambitious purpose in this series of unpretentious -sketches than to present the striking events, or those of more than -ordinary humdrum, that dot the rich history of our state. The sketches are -mere snatches, severed here and there, from historical connection only in -so far as that connection serves to give a proper setting. Though several -articles are devoted to the eventful career of Red Eagle, there is no -attempt made here or elsewhere in the series to follow his dashing life, -as the idol of his dusky hosts, throughout, but as they are presented, -proper regard is had for the chronology of events. - -The advent of General Jackson on the scene in Alabama, took Weatherford -back to the central region of the state to dispute his advancement. -Untrained as Weatherford was in the science of war, he knew it -instinctively, as does any other natural military man. He had all the -elements of a great soldier, else he could not have withstood so long the -forces of his formidable adversaries. His territory was exposed from every -quarter, and in order to meet the odds coming against him from Mississippi -and Tennessee, he had to concentrate his forces, not only, but had to -accumulate supplies with which to support his army on the field. - -Weatherford was not slow to realize that to fight organized forces under -competent and skilled commanders, demanded more than a desultory warfare -on his part, hence he set to work for a long and arduous campaign. The -success at Fort Mims, where with unusual skill Weatherford directed the -campaign, and outgeneraled all the white commanders, made him the one -great chief of the Indians. Under similar conditions, this would have been -true of any people and of any man. He was still the Red Eagle, but to that -was added by his adoring followers the designation of Tustenuggee, or -mighty chief. While the vain warrior was inflated by the adulation of his -followers, he knew the feebleness of his numbers and the scantiness of his -resources. Because of these conditions, and because he was hailed chief, -he appreciated what it meant in its application to him in his difficult -condition. For the first time, he was to lead his untrained warriors -against drilled troops. It was native valor against courage and skill, -native strategy against scientific tactics, the war of the savage against -that of the civilized white man. - -Within a month, four battles were fought--Tallahatchee, Talladega, -Hillabee and Autossee--all fought in November, 1813, one hundred years -ago. At Echanachaca, or Holy Ground, were concentrated Weatherford's -supplies, and the women and children of his tribe. This point was located -on the south bank of the Alabama, between Pintlalla and Big Swamp Creek, -in the present region of Lowndes County. To the Indian, the Holy Ground -was that which Jerusalem was to the ancient tribes of Israel. In this -sylvan retreat, dwelt their chief prophets who had drawn a circle about -it, and the deluded savage was persuaded to believe that for a white man -to plant his foot on this consecrated ground, would mean instant death. - -The Holy Ground was surrounded by a region of loveliness. For seven months -in the year the virgin soil of the prairie was carpeted with luxuriant -grasses, dashed here and there with patches of pink and crimson bloom, -while the wild red strawberry, in occasional beds of native loveliness, -lent additional charm. Enclosed by high pickets rudely riven by savage -hands, and girdled by the magic circle of the prophets, the Holy Ground -was thought to be impregnable. Here Weatherford was attacked by General -Claiborne at the head of the Mississippi militia, on December 23, 1813, -the day before Christmas eve. To Claiborne's command was attached a body -of friendly Choctaw Indians under Pushmataha. - -General Claiborne began the attack with a storm. Weatherford led his -troops with consummate skill and unquestioned courage, but to little -effect. The fact that he, the notorious leader at Fort Mims, was in -command, whetted the desire of the Mississippians not alone to defeat him, -but to capture him. In spite of the false security promised the Indian by -their prophets, and in spite of the valor of their idol chief, they melted -rapidly before the deadly aim of the Mississippi backwoodsmen. Seeing that -the battle would be against him, Weatherford with skill worthy any great -commander, slipped the women and children across the Alabama, while he -still fought with ability, and while his men were piled around him in -heaps, he fought to the bitter end, and was the last to quit the field. -When all hope was gone, he mounted his noble charger and sped away like -an arrow towards the Alabama River. - -He was hotly pursued by a detachment of dragoons, who almost surrounded -the chieftain before he fled the field. Down the wide path leading toward -the river, the hoofs of the horses of the pursued and the pursuers -thundered. There was no hope of escape for Weatherford, but to reach the -river in advance, and swim across. Hemmed in on every side, he was forced -to a summit overlooking the stream at the height of almost one hundred -feet of perpendicular bluff. On the precipice the bold leader halted for a -moment, like a monument against the distant sky. Splendidly he sat his -horse, as his pursuers thundered toward him, and with taunting shouts -called to him that he was caught at last. He coolly raised his rifle to -his eye, and brought down the foremost horseman, then slowly turning down -a deep defile which no one would dare to tread, he slid his horse down the -stony surface which broke abruptly off about fifty feet above the river. -Putting spurs to the sides of the beautiful animal, it leaped with its -brave rider on its back into the seething current below. Just before the -water was reached, Weatherford leaped from the horse's back. The horse -went down to rise no more, while Weatherford, still holding his rifle -aloft, with one hand, swam to the opposite side and thus escaped with -deeper vengeance against the white man than ever before. He was yet to -lead his troops in other battles, and to fight while there was hope of -success. - -The world instinctively honors a brave man. This valorous chief had -withstood overpowering numbers during the day, had saved his women and -children, and now as a December night came down on that sad day of defeat, -he stood on the north bank of the Alabama drenched and cold, but nerved by -a spirit as heroic as ever had place in the bosom of man. Though an -Indian, Weatherford was an ideal hero. Fear he knew not, and while the -most daring of fighters, he was never reckless. His power of collection -was simply marvelous. - - - - -WEATHERFORD'S OVERTHROW - - -Weatherford met his downfall at the battle of Tohopeka. This was the last -battle ever fought by the Indians in Alabama. In a long succession of -engagements, Weatherford, though fighting bravely, had incurred defeat. -His warriors slain almost to the last man, he would rally another force, -inspire his wild troops with fresh hope and new courage; and again offer -battle to General Jackson. The limit of his resources was now in the force -which he had summoned on the Tallapoosa, where with unusual desperation -the Indians had resolved to make the last stand. - -Weatherford had selected his own ground for the final contest, and it was -well chosen. In a long loop of the river near the further end of the -entrance to which was an Indian village called Tohopeka. Across the -entrance, or neck, there was erected a bulwark of heavy, seasoned logs, -which fortification extended from bank to bank of the stream the distance -of about three hundred yards. This defense was about ten feet high, with a -double row of portholes from which the Indians could fire simultaneously, -as a part would stand upright, and the other would shoot on their knees. -Protected by the river on the flanks and in the rear, they were able to -concentrate their fire solely to the front. With a deadly aim, and -shielded by their breastworks of logs, they felt that they could pick off -the assaulting party, one by one, and thus utterly destroy the army of -Jackson. - -Behind this formidable bulwark were gathered one thousand two hundred -Indian warriors from the towns of Oakfuskee, Hillabee, New Yauka and -Eufaula. These were desperate men, well armed, and each confident of -dealing a final blow to Jackson's army. Weatherford had summoned to the -occasion the principal prophets of the nation, who inspired the dusky -defenders with the belief that it was impossible for them to fall, because -in this present emergency the Great Spirit would give them the victory. -The more to inspire the troops, the prophets themselves proposed to share -in the battle, and arrayed in their blankets of red, with their heads -bearing coronets of varied feathers, while about their shoulders were -capes of brilliant plumage of red, black, blue, green and yellow, they -joined the Indian ranks. About their ankles were tiny bells of different -tones, the jingle of which they kept up during the battle, while -occasionally they would leap, dance, and howl in inspiration of the -warriors. Weatherford was too sensible a man to attach any importance to -the sacredness of their claims, but he was solicitous to elicit to the -utmost the fighting mettle of his men. To the rude and ridiculous -incantations of the prophets he would add his matchless eloquence, in -bringing his troops to the highest pitch of desperation. - -The women and children had been removed from the village of huts and -tents, to the rear of the garrison, while back of the village still were -tied the canoes of the Indians on the river bank, to be used in the -emergency of defeat. But while Jackson appeared at the front, General -Coffee with a strong force appeared in the rear of Weatherford, with the -river between him and the village of Tohopeka. One of the first cares of -Coffee was to send a force to fetch the boats, by means of which he could -cross the river and assail the Indians in the rear. - -Jackson received a signal from Coffee that the latter was ready for the -attack to be made at the front, when about ten o'clock on the morning of -March 27, 1814, two field pieces opened on the breastwork of logs. No -effect whatever was had on the logworks by the artillery, and Jackson -resolved on storming the fortifications. Under a raking fire the troops -marched at a double quick, and began pouring over the breastwork, many -falling in the assault of approach, and many more on the walls, and within -the fort. It became a hand to hand fight for the mastery, and the Indians -were beaten back from their works, fighting meanwhile with desperate -courage. - -During the assault at the front, Coffee crossed his force over in the -boats, and added discomfiture to the Indians by firing the village in -their rear. Between a cross fire, the Indians fought with more desperation -than ever. In the roar of battle could be heard the animating voice of the -heroic Weatherford urging his troops to desperation, while in the ranks he -fought like a common warrior. When Jackson saw that all hope for the -Indians was gone, he sent a messenger with proposals of surrender. This -was treated with disdain, and the response was that no quarter was asked, -and none would be given. It was then that the American troops began with -renewed desperation, and entered on a work of extermination. From behind -brush, stumps, or other obstructions the Indians fought till the approach -of night. Many of the warriors sought to escape by jumping into the river, -but they were picked off by the riflemen, and the waters of the Tallapoosa -were reddened with their blood. A few escaped, but on the field were -counted the bodies of five hundred and fifty warriors. It was estimated -that not more than twenty-five of the army of Weatherford survived. - -Among the striking incidents of the battle was that of a warrior who was -shot down in a wounded condition, in the midst of others who were killed, -and who saved his life by drawing the bodies of two others across his own, -and appeared as though dead, and was counted among the dead when the field -was reviewed at the close of the day. When darkness came on, he dragged -his bleeding body to the river, and with difficulty swam across. Another, -named Manowa, was seriously wounded, but managed to reach the river, in -which he sank his body in water four feet deep, and holding it down by -means of gripping a root of a tree, he maintained life by poking the joint -of a cane above the surface, through which he breathed. Availing himself -later of the darkness, he finally escaped. In later years he showed that -he was shot almost to pieces, yet with stoical endurance he underwent the -tortures of hours under the water, escaped, and survived. - -But where was Weatherford? This was the question on every lip. They could -not find him among the slain, and it was thought that he was perhaps among -those who perished on the river in seeking to escape. But, as usual, he -fought to the last, was among the latest to quit the field, when he -escaped to the river on his fine charger, concealed himself till darkness -came, when he floated on his horse down the river, around the bend past -the American camp, and made his way into the hills to the south of the -Tallapoosa River. Here he remained for some time, during which General -Jackson offered a reward for him, taken dead or alive. The condition of -his romantic reappearance will be told in the next article. - - - - -WEATHERFORD SURRENDERS - - -For some time following the battle of Tohopeka, the warriors came in and -surrendered to Jackson. None of them seemed to know anything of -Weatherford, for he had not shown himself since the fatal contest. -Determined not to be forcibly taken, Weatherford resolved on going -voluntarily to the camp of Jackson, make a plea for the women and -children, and then surrender, to be dealt with as the American commander -might desire. - -Issuing from his solitary retreat in the hills, he mounted his fine gray, -with his rifle well loaded, and turned toward the American camp. On his -way, a large deer came within rifle range, which he shot, strapped it -behind his saddle, reloaded his rifle, and proceeded to the camp of -Jackson. His full purpose was to present himself as a prisoner, and to -demand proper treatment, which if denied him, he intended to kill Jackson -on the spot, and boldly take the consequences. Reaching the outposts, he -politely asked the way to the tent of the commander, when the pickets -chided him, without knowing who he was, and gave him no satisfaction. A -gray-haired civilian being near, kindly pointed out the tent of General -Jackson, who was sitting just within it, talking to some of his officers. -As Weatherford rode up, Jackson spied him, but a few yards away, and -rising from the camp-chair greeted him with, "Well, Bill Weatherford, -we've got you at last!" This was followed by some abusive language to -which Weatherford made no reply till he had finished, when he said: "I am -not afraid of you, General Jackson. I am a Creek warrior, and fear no man. -I am not here to be insulted, and if you undertake that, I shall put a -bullet through your heart. You can't awe me, but I wish to say some -things, and when I am done, you may do with me what you please, but these -things you shall hear. I have come voluntarily to surrender, and you shall -not insult me, sir, till I am through speaking." Jackson's eyes were -flashing in anger while Weatherford spoke coolly, as he sat on his horse. -Meanwhile a large crowd gathered about the scene. - -Continuing, Weatherford said: "It is plain that I can no longer fight you. -If I could, I would. It is not fear that leads me to surrender, but -necessity. My brave warriors are dead, and their war-whoop is silent. -Could I recall them, I should fight you to the last. I come to ask nothing -for myself. I am now your prisoner. I am indifferent about what you shall -do to me, but am not about the women and children of my dead warriors. -These helpless ones are now starving in the woods. Their fields and cribs -have been destroyed by your people, and they are wanderers in the woods, -without an ear of corn. All that I now ask is that you will send out -parties and bring them in and feed them. I know that I am held responsible -for the massacre of the women and children at Fort Mims, but I could not -stay the fury of my warriors there, though I sought to do so. However, -take what view you please of that, I am no longer concerned about myself. -I am done fighting, but these helpless women and children in the woods are -my chief concern. They never did you any harm, but I did all I could, and -only the lack of men prevents me from continuing the struggle. I have done -my best. Would have done more if I could. I am now in your hands, and if -it is the wish of the white people, you may kill me." - -The crowd, roused by his defiance, rushed about him with cries, "Kill him! -Kill him!" While Weatherford bowed his head, with his rifle still in front -of him, Jackson strided forward with indignation, and in a stentorian -voice commanded silence, and then in severe rebuke said: "Any man who -would kill as brave a man as this, would rob the dead." The crowd was -sternly ordered to disperse, and Jackson, subdued by the eloquence of the -brave chief, as well as by his courage, invited him into his tent, and -extended to him all the civilities due a distinguished guest. The horse -was given in charge of an orderly, and the brave men sitting face to face -forgot the strife of the past, and were now friends. A prolonged interview -followed, in which a treaty was entered into, and the war between the red -and white races was over in Alabama. Jackson arranged to provide for the -women and children of the Indians, and when all was duly settled, -Weatherford kindly presented to General Jackson the buck which he had -shot, and they shook hands, when Weatherford mounted his horse and rode -away. Jackson and not Weatherford became concerned about the safety of the -other, for he knew the temper of the people and the vengeance which they -bore toward Weatherford. In truth, Jackson was charmed by the spirit of -the chief, and resolved on saving him from the fury of those who had -suffered by reason of the Fort Mims massacre. - -Weatherford now sought his home at Little River, in Monroe County, where -his brothers had kindly divided their effects with him, and established -him comfortably on a good plantation stocked with negro slaves. Gen. -William Henry Harrison having resigned as major general in the regular -army was disbanded, and the troops returned home. him. The war with the -Indians being over, the Tennessee troops were mustered out of service, the -army was disbanded and the troops returned home. - -In the southern part of the state, the Mississippi militia was still held -in organization, a large body of which was located at Fort Claiborne, on -the Alabama River. This was about one year before the battle of New -Orleans was fought. As this does not come within the compass of this -narrative, we lose sight of General Jackson here, excepting as he will -appear in the succeeding article in a new relation to Weatherford, who did -not find his surroundings the most congenial in the outset of his -residence at Little River. Of the hazards which menaced him in that -quarter we shall see in the article next succeeding this. With the -presentation of that article, Weatherford will vanish from the narrative. -But that which follows, reflects the spirit which animated both -Weatherford and Jackson to the end. - - - - -WEATHERFORD'S LAST DAYS - - -The presence of William Weatherford at Little River, as a permanent -citizen, was not appreciated by the residents in that quarter. It was not -far from this place that the terrible tragedy of the massacre had occurred -only about two years before, and grief over the butchery of loved ones was -still keen, and sensitiveness was raw. While with Weatherford, all was -over, not so with those whose cherished ones were murdered, and soon -rumors became rife that violence would be visited on the head of the -ex-chief. - -As a means of protection he was advised to repair to Fort Claiborne, some -distance up the river, till the fury was passed. Thither he repaired, was -kindly received by the commander, and placed in a tent near his own, -around which was posted a cordon of soldiers. Still the fury would not -down, and rumors were of such a nature of the intention to kill him, as to -awaken the gravest apprehension of his safety. He remained here about two -weeks, when he was summoned into a quiet conference with the commander, -the result of which was that, on the night following, Weatherford was -escorted to the outskirts of the camp by a single guard, with a note to -the officer of the outpost, Captain Laval. On the receipt of the note, -Laval quietly took the arm of Weatherford, and through the pitchy darkness -conducted him to a certain tree where a good horse was found hitched, and -Weatherford was told to mount it, and flee for his life. He shook hands -with Laval, saying, "Good-by, God bless you," and vaulting into the -saddle, sped away through the thick gloom like an arrow. Laval stood and -listened to the rattling of the horse's feet till the chief was fully a -mile or more away. - -Weatherford sought the camp of Jackson, on the eve of his return to -Tennessee, and Jackson assured him of his protection. To the Hermitage, -General Jackson took his erstwhile adversary, cared for him with the -utmost hospitality, and when assured that it was entirely safe for -Weatherford to return to Little River, sent him thither. The bearing of -these heroes toward each other was equally creditable to both. - -Weatherford returned to his plantation in the quietest way possible, and -throughout his later life was one of the most exemplary citizens of the -county. As a neighbor, there was none better. He rapidly won the -confidence of the community, then the esteem, and all rancor rapidly -subsided. - -An incident in his life fully illustrates the spirit of the man. At a -private sale held in the county, at which sale every element of society -was, two bullies took advantage of an old citizen, named Bradberry, whose -son had been a lieutenant in the army, was in the battle of Burnt Corn, -and was finally killed in battle. These two bravados having provoked a -difficulty with the venerable Bradberry, one of them broke a pitcher over -his head, while the other ran up and stabbed him in the back of the neck, -and the old man fell dead at his feet. Weatherford witnessed the scene -throughout. His Indian nature came to him anew, his blood was on fire, and -he found it impossible to restrain himself. He was the more exasperated -when the brace of murderers took their stand on the public square, and, -defiantly brandishing their revolvers, dared anyone to approach them. A -justice of the peace being present, called on the crowd to arrest the -perpetrators of the deed, but no one ventured to approach them, for their -names had long been a terror in the region. Standing near the magistrate, -Weatherford said, "Maybe this is the white man's way of doing things, but -if there was a drop of Indian blood in that dead man's veins I should -arrest these fellows at the risk of my life." The justice then told him to -arrest them. Weatherford quietly drew out his pearl-handle dagger, while -he shifted his heavy hickory stick to his left hand, and moved upon the -murderer of Mr. Bradberry. The murderer warned him to stand back, but with -firm step, Weatherford coolly approached him, commanded him to give up his -weapons at once, when the murderer did as he was bidden. Then, clutching -the murderer's throat with the grip of a vise, Weatherford called for a -rope, and securely tied his hands behind him and turned him over to the -officer. - -The other continued clamorous, swearing that he would kill any man who -sought to arrest him. Without regard to his threats, Weatherford now -turned to him. As he came near, the fellow said, "I didn't mean you, -Billie Weatherford," to all of which Weatherford paid no attention, and, -taking his weapons from him, he clutched him likewise and quietly tied him -and gave him over to the officer. - -When asked why he dared venture in the way he did, Weatherford gave -explanation in a way that is really philosophic. He explained that it is -not the noisy man that is to be feared, but the cool man. Then he wished -to know which was the noisy and the cool in that transaction. The bravado -when confronted by courage, wilts. Weatherford's idea was that the man who -is always going to fight will never fight without an advantage. He seeks -to impress others with his courage, but not till he gains undue advantage -over an adversary will he fight. - -This made Weatherford a hero in the section in which he lived. By his -conduct as a neighbor and citizen he became increasingly popular, and -succeeded in transmuting the bitterness against him into love. For twelve -years he lived in the Little River community with increasing popularity. -He was a prosperous planter, shared in all that concerned the weal of the -community, never flinched in the discharge of duty as a citizen, and when -he died, his death was universally regretted. In a fatiguing bear hunt in -the swamps along the river, he overtaxed his strength, and died in 1826. -Throughout his life he deplored the precipitate tragedy at Fort Mims, and -no doubt his subsequent reflection led him to insist that it was not his -wish that the women and children should perish. Descendants bearing his -name still live in that quarter of the state, esteemed for their worth as -quiet and worthy citizens. - - - - -AARON BURR IN ALABAMA - - -Than Aaron Burr there has scarcely been a more striking, not to say a more -startling, figure in the public life of America. Reared in the highest -circle of society, greatly gifted by nature, enjoying the best possible -advantages in education, a brave officer in the Revolution, Vice-President -of the United States, and coming within a scratch of being President, and -the grandson of the great philosopher, Jonathan Edwards, this favored son -of fortune was a fugitive with a reward offered for his apprehension. -Sides so varied rarely appear in the life of anyone. Aaron Burr was -arrested, brought to trial, and was finally acquitted, and yet such was -his private life, and so deep was the suspicion against him, that his -former friends forsook him, and on one occasion Henry Clay declined to -take his hand, when offered. - -The story of Burr is too long to be undertaken here, even in brief -outline, though it is thrilling throughout, and to this day his movements -remain wrapped in mystery, because Burr in his dying hour disclaimed any -purpose of the dismemberment of the Union, which was one of the chief -charges urged against him so long as he lived. That he had deep designs, -however, is not a question, and with proclamations containing offers of -reward for his arrest circulated, and his effort to leave the country, the -doubt of his guilt and of his complicity in some nefarious scheme is at -once dispelled. He was well on his way to Pensacola in his flight, when he -was checked in the Tensas settlement, in this state, which event led to -his trial. - -The night of February 18, 1807, was one of unusual coldness for this -latitude. The surface of the ground was frozen, and nothing was so unusual -as for travelers to be abroad on the highways. In the little village of -Wakefield, in Washington County, were a few huts of the early settlers of -that region. In one of these, at the hour of ten, were two young men -greatly absorbed in a game of backgammon. A fire of logs and pine knots -burned in the wide fireplace, the village was quiet in slumber, and -perhaps the light seen through the chinks of the cabin was the only one -visible in the village. These young men engaged in the game, heard the -sounds of horses' feet rapidly approaching their cabin. Someone halting in -front of the cabin, in which the young men sat, a voice hailed, and on -opening the door, the light revealed two mounted men, one of whom asked -where the tavern was, and then how far it was to the home of Colonel -Hinson. They were told that the home was seven miles away, the road rough -and dark, and that a dangerous stream intervened. As the two travelers sat -on their horses with the light of the cabin falling fully on them, one was -seen to be much more than an ordinary man because of the character of his -language, his striking face, and the evident anxiety expressed in an -unusual way, and while he wore a slouched hat and the garb of a common -farmer, his exquisite boots and superb horse revealed the discrepancy in -the conditions. - -Notwithstanding the advice of the young man not to undertake the hazard -of finding the home of the Hinsons, on a dark night like that one, the -travelers got their information and rode away. The two young men in the -cabin were Nicholas Perkins, a lawyer, and Thomas Malone, a clerk in the -local court. After the travelers had gone, and the young men were again in -the cabin, Perkins expressed the opinion that the man of unusual -appearance was Aaron Burr, as it exactly suited the description given in -the proclamations, and proposed that they follow him and procure his -arrest. - -At the suggestion, Malone demurred, saying that it was not particularly -their business, the night was severely cold, and it was absurd to be -chasing a stranger on a bare suspicion, through the cold darkness and at -the risk of their lives. But Perkins was not so easily daunted, and met -each objection in a vigorous way. However, Malone could not be enlisted in -the effort, and Perkins sallied forth in search of the sheriff, Theodore -Brightwell, with whom he was soon on horseback, and they were making their -way to Colonel Hinson's. Meanwhile Burr and his companion had reached -Hinson's about twelve o'clock. Colonel Hinson was absent, and in response -to the hailing at the gate, Mrs. Hinson glanced through the window, saw -two men mounted, and went back to bed without responding. The travelers -alighted, went into the kitchen, where a fire was still burning, and were -warming themselves, when the sheriff, a relative of Mrs. Hinson, walked -into the kitchen, having left Perkins on the roadside to await his return, -as Perkins deemed it imprudent to show himself after having been talked -to in Wakefield. Burr partly concealed his face with his handkerchief, and -at first was the only occupant of the kitchen, as his companion had gone -with the horses to a stable. - -After a few hurried words, the sheriff aroused Mrs. Hinson, a supper was -improvised, the strangers began eating, Burr was affable and chatty, was -profuse in apology for the unseasonable interruption, and complimentary of -the excellent supper. The sheriff had prepared Mrs. Hinson to ascertain, -if possible, if either man was Burr, and while the sheriff stood over the -fire, with his back to the company, and after Burr had retired to the -kitchen, she asked his companion if she did not have the distinction of -entertaining Colonel Burr. In much confusion, the companion arose without -a word of reply, and joined Burr in the kitchen. - -The sheriff rejoined them, engaged in conversation, and soon all were -abed. The next morning, Burr expressed his disappointment at not meeting -Colonel Hinson, and, strange to say, was soon mounted, together with the -sheriff and his companion, the sheriff proposing to show the travelers the -way out of the country, and well on toward Pensacola. - -Meantime, Perkins was left to his fate in the cold. Finding toward morning -that the sheriff apparently did not intend to return, Perkins made his way -to Fort Stoddard by a rapid ride to the river, where he obtained a boat, -and engaged a negro to row it down the river. The fort was reached about -daybreak, Perkins notified Captain Gaines, the commander, of all that had -taken place, and at sunrise, a troop were in their saddles, following -Gaines and Perkins toward the road leading to Pensacola. About nine -o'clock they met the three men on horseback--Burr, his companion, and -Sheriff Brightwell. They were in fine spirits, and were chatting in a -jocular way, when suddenly they were confronted by a troop of government -cavalry. Burr at once recognized Perkins as the young man to whom he had -talked the night before in the village of Wakefield. Then came a -juncture. - - - - -BURR'S ARREST - - -With the glance of his eagle eye, Burr took in the situation at once, and -in a moment was prepared for it. Captain Gaines saluted him, and asked if -he had the honor of addressing Colonel Burr. Polite as the salutation was, -Burr feigned great indignation in denying the right of a stranger to ask a -question so impolite, of a traveler on the highway. Gaines cut short the -tactics of the occasion by saying: "I arrest you at the instance of the -Federal Government." In a burst of indignation, Burr again demanded to -know his right and authority to arrest a traveler going in pursuit of -private affairs on the public highway. In a perfectly cool way, Gaines -replied that he was an officer of the army in possession of the -proclamations of the governor of Mississippi, and of the President of the -United States, directing his arrest. Burr reminded Gaines that though he -was an officer, he was young and inexperienced, and might not be aware of -the responsibility incurred in arresting strangers, to all which Gaines -replied that he was willing to assume the responsibility, and would do his -duty. - -Heated by the obstinate coolness and evident determination of the young -officer, Burr began to denounce the proclamation, as expressions of -resentment and of malevolence, without justification, and resumed his -advice of warning to Gaines of the hazard he was incurring by an undue -interference of strangers on a public road. With iron coolness, Gaines -ended the colloquy by telling Burr that his mind was made up, and he -wished to treat him in a manner becoming his high office as vice president -of the United States, all of which would be duly respected so long as Burr -conducted himself becomingly, but that he would have to take him a -prisoner to Fort Stoddard. Burr sat, and his eyes blazed while he looked -at Gaines. Without further ceremony, Gaines moved with an order to his -men, and Burr submitted. - -The conduct of Sheriff Brightwell was never explained. He had left Perkins -the night before on the edge of the road some distance from the Hinson -home, did not arrest Burr, and was now on his way with Burr to Carson's -Ferry, on the Tombigbee, to enable Burr to get to Mobile and make his way -to Pensacola. Was the sheriff awed by the commanding presence of the -distinguished man, unduly persuaded, thrown off of his guard by seductive -and misleading logic, or was he influenced by the fact that his kinsman, -Colonel Hinson, had some months before met Burr at Natchez, was charmed by -him, and had invited him to his home to spend some time, or was there a -bribe involved in the transaction? - -Burr was taken to Fort Stoddard, where he was intent on making himself -most agreeable by his courtly manner and pleasing address, and whiled away -the days playing chess with Mrs. Gaines, the wife of the man who arrested -him, and the daughter of Judge Harry Toulmin of Mobile. Burr was -especially intent on showing every possible kindness to a brother of the -commander at the fort, which brother was an invalid. Indeed, he won the -hearts of all by his affableness and cheeriness of disposition. - -Meanwhile, preparations were on foot to convey the noted prisoner to -Richmond, Va., for trial. When the arrangements were completed, Burr was -sent by boat up the Alabama River, along the banks of which curious crowds -had gathered, to catch a glimpse of the notorious captive, among whom were -many women, who when they saw him a helpless prisoner, some of them burst -into weeping, and one of them was so fascinated by his manner and conduct, -that she afterward named a son for him. - -At a point called "The Boat Yard," Burr was consigned to the care of eight -selected men, who were to escort him across the country on horseback to -Richmond for trial. Two of the guard were of the federal cavalry, all were -cool and determined men, and the guard was placed under the command of -Nicholas Perkins, the young man who had procured his arrest. - -Burr was dressed in the same garb which he wore when arrested, a -round-about homespun coat, a pair of copperas trousers, and a sloughed -beaver hat, once white, but now very dingy, which drooped at points, and a -pair of dainty boots. A gaping crowd was present to see the departure, and -as Burr mounted his horse to ride away, he lifted his hat in a manner so -graceful as to waken a rousing cheer. He rode the same horse on which he -was captured, and his equestrian appearance and qualities were superb. A -tent was provided for his comfort, and at night while it was closely -guarded, and while the wolves howled in the neighboring woods, he would -sleep with all the comfort that a camp could afford. The party passed up -through the counties of Monroe, Butler, Montgomery, thence to the -Chattahoochee. The two federal soldiers rode closely beside him, and when -entering a swamp, the entire party would gather close about him. - -Among the incidents of the journey was that of a tavern-keeper just beyond -the Chattahoochee, who on learning that the party, which had stopped at -his rural hostelry for the night, had come from the region of the Tensas, -quizzed his guests with many questions, and to the embarrassment of all, -turned his loquacity toward the rumor that had reached him of the arrest -of "that dangerous scoundrel, Aaron Burr," and wished to know if they knew -anything of it. All present dropped their heads in confusion, but Burr, -who fixed his flashing eyes on the garrulous fellow, and when the -innkeeper began his denunciation of Burr, saying what he would like to do -for him if he could "lay eyes on him," Burr straightened up with his full -of fire eyes and said, "I am Aaron Burr, now what'll you have?" The -tavern-keeper vanished in a moment, and his lips were hermetically sealed -till the party left, while his attentions were most profuse. - -Burr made but one effort to escape. In South Carolina, where lived his -son-in-law, Col. Joseph Alston, who was afterward governor of South -Carolina, Burr felt that he was somewhat known, and one afternoon late, as -the squad approached Chester Courthouse, and was passing the tavern, where -a large crowd was gathered, Burr leaped from his horse, and exclaimed, "I -am Aaron Burr, gentlemen, under military arrest, and claim the protection -of the civil authorities." Perkins and several of the guard dismounted, -and ordered him to remount his horse, which he defiantly declined to do, -when Perkins threw his arms about him and flung him into his saddle, and -the party galloped away. The crowd looked on with wonder, and to them it -was only a strange proceeding of a prisoner under guard who was seeking to -escape, and the sensation turned out to be merely momentary. A vehicle was -bought, Burr was placed in it with a guard, and no further trouble was had -to the end of the journey. - - - - -A DREAM OF EMPIRE - - -The fall of Napoleon at Waterloo, created consternation in the ranks of -his adherents. In rejoining him after his return from Elba, they had -staked all on his attempt to regain the empire. When he fell, his -supporters were in a worse plight than was he. A number of the best were -shot, among them Marshal Ney, while many others fled penniless to -different parts of the earth, among whom was a large and respectable body -who came to America. These included Marshal Grouchy, who was charged with -being the occasion of the defeat at Waterloo, and others whose names will -appear in this narrative. This body of refugees sailed for America, where -they hoped to build a miniature empire in a remote quarter of the American -continent, with such construction that while they would be able to imitate -their life in France, by having their own local laws, they would at the -same time bring themselves into practical conformity to the constitution -of the United States. We shall see how fully their dream was realized. - -Once in America, they elicited the aid and co-operation of a Dr. Brown, of -Kentucky, who had spent much time in France, knew the French people, and -was endeared to them. Dr. Brown acted as an interagent between the French -and the Federal Government in the introduction of the cause of the -refugees. That which they sought was the utmost confines of western -occupation, for two reasons, one of which was because of the cheapness of -the land, and the other was because of its segregation. At that time the -Tombigbee was that western boundary. Here was to be established a new -France, with its growth of olive trees and grape vines. To the ardent -French this was a rosy dream, and on these western borders they saw in -vision, mansions and palaces, spacious grounds, and the affluence of gay -society to which they were accustomed in their own brilliant capital on -the Seine. Dreams like these heartened the host and eclipsed all care and -worry, and banished the prick of ills to which they were destined to be -subjected. Arriving at Philadelphia, they lingered for many months during -the negotiations with the American Government for a domain of land on the -distant Tombigbee. They commissioned a French statesman, Nicholas S. -Parmentier, as their agent to consummate the plan. There was accordingly -adopted a bill by the American congress in March, 1818, granting to these -refugees four townships fronting on the Black Warrior River, in the -present County of Marengo. This land was sold at $2 an acre, payable -within fourteen years, provided the olive and the vine were produced. The -land was divided by themselves, as a stock company, each one of the three -hundred and fourteen families taking quantities of from eighty to four -hundred and eighty acres. In contemplation of a town to be built, there -was assigned additionally to each head of a family, a lot within the -proposed city, and one on the suburbs. - -With this arrangement completed, the novel colony was to sail at once and -occupy it. Accordingly a schooner, the McDonough, was chartered to convey -the company, numbering about one thousand five hundred in all, to Mobile, -when they were to make their way up the river to their final destination. -With their varied household effects, the vivacious French set sail from -Philadelphia in April, 1818, and for more than a month, slowly sailed down -the coast of the Atlantic. - -During the following May, late one afternoon, Lieutenant Beal, the -commander of Fort Bowyer, near Mobile, saw in the distance, a vessel -wrestling with a gale which was sweeping that quarter of the sea. Through -his glass, the commander could see the direction in which the vessel was -bearing, while sorely tossed by the wind, which was blowing at a fearful -velocity. The captain of the McDonough had a chart which was out of date, -and Beal saw that the vessel was heading rapidly toward danger. He fired a -cannon as an alarm gun, hoping thereby to arrest the erroneous course of -the vessel. The day was now far advanced, and darkness settled over the -face of the sea. Beal took the precaution to erect lights along the shore, -and some time after night, he heard the signals of distress from the -unfortunate McDonough. - -While the wind was still very high and fierce, Beal did not think that the -vessel should be left to its fate, and called for those who would -volunteer to go with him in as large boat as they had at command, to the -rescue of those on the vessel. The McDonough had struck, and was lying in -the thick gloom at the mercy of the waves, in the sand into which an -obsolete chart had directed the captain. Accompanied by five brave men, -Beal plunged into the darkness with the boat, and guided by the dim -lights of the vessel, he was enabled to reach it somewhat after midnight. -Everything on board the vessel was in commotion, as every fresh wave -threatened to engulf it, but Beal coolly proposed to save, if he could, -the women and children, whom he crowded into his boat and set out on his -return toward the fort through the dense gloom. After much struggle the -boat was safely brought to the fort, and the women and children were -saved. Luckily the vessel was later released by the waves from its -perilous condition in the sand, and in the early morning was washed into -deeper water, and though crippled by the accident, was saved, and in due -time pulled into port at Fort Bowyer. There was great glee and sport among -the French after it was all over, as they would joke each other with that -which happened. They soon forgot the seriousness of the situation to which -they were only a few hours before exposed, and gave themselves again to -jollity and song. - -In expression of their just gratitude to the brave lieutenant who had been -the occasion of so much timely aid, they proposed to take him with them to -Mobile, and give him a banquet. This was accordingly done, vivacity ran -high amidst sparkling wines and merriment unconfined, and the gay throng -in the banquet hall little resembled a colony driven by disaster from -their native land, and so recently exposed to death. - -At Mobile, the McDonough was dismissed, and plans were at once adopted to -provide flatboats and barges to convey the company up the winding -Tombigbee to their future home among the wilds of Western Alabama. Of -their future experiences we shall hear later. - - - - -THE TRIP AND SETTLEMENT - - -It was a gay and mirthful throng that was gathered on board the rough -flatboats, at the wharf of Mobile, on the morning of the departure of the -French for their settlement far up along the Tombigbee. One would have -thought that it was a huge picnic party instead of a people fleeing from -oppression, with all the novelties of an untamed region to be grappled -with. Distinguished French generals were among them, men who had for years -shared in the bloody campaigns of Napoleon. There were also eminent men of -science, educators, merchants, and statesmen, with their wives and -children. The delicate French women still wearing their Parisian styles, -and beautifully dressed children, young men and women, and a few servants -constituted the multitude now slowly pulling out from Mobile for a long -and torturous trip up the river. More incongruous conditions can scarcely -be imagined. - -In those primitive days before the use of steam, the barges had to be -heavily dragged against the upstream current by the use of long poles -planted into the bank of the stream from the stern of the vessel, while at -the same time long poles with iron beaks were used from the bow, by being -fastened to trees or projecting rocks. The proceeding was torturous -enough, but nothing dampened the ardency of these effervescent French, and -every incident was turned into a fresh outburst of jollity, and -seriousness was tossed to the winds. - -At night, they would build their campfires on the bank of the river in -the edge of the primitive forests, and after the evening meal, the violin, -guitar and the accordion would be brought into requisition to repel dull -care, and regale themselves on the tedious passage. The wild flowers were -in bloom, and the early fruits were already ripening in the woods, and not -infrequently the company would stop at some inviting point and spend a day -picking flowers and fruits, romping the woods, and frolicking. - -Thus wore away two or three months during which they were making their way -from Mobile to the present site of Demopolis. They were not without -competent guides, of course, to direct them to the point of their future -homes on the wild prairies, and when the junction of the Tombigbee and the -Black Warrior was reached they landed on the white, chalky banks to begin -life on the frontier. Along the bank for some distance were strewn their -household goods, of every conceivable article--oval-topped trunks with big -brass tacks, carpetbags, chests of divers colors and of varied size, -bundles carefully wrapped, demijohns, military saddles, swords, -epaulettes, sashes, spurs, bandboxes, violins, guitars, and much else that -made up the medley of more than three hundred families, who were about to -enter on a wilderness life on the prairies of West Alabama. - -They had provided themselves with a few tents, which were promptly brought -into use, while improvised habitations were at first constructed of the -tall canes which grew wild along the river, and of the lithe saplings cut -from the clumps of trees which dotted here and there the prairie over. The -prairies were now in their floral beauty, while the young, tender cane -was just springing, undermatted with luxuriant grass, with here and there -a dash of wild strawberries. In dry weather the surface of the land was -flinty with abounding fissures, while during the rainy season it was -converted into a soft, waxy, black mud. These bright and pretty French -women, used to the gilded salons and festive scenes of Paris, found a -complete reversal of conditions in this wild and inhospitable region, but -their native joviality never forsook them. Novelties and mistakes were -turned into laughter, and roughness into cheeriness. They would promptly -adjust themselves to conditions, and would meet them with burst after -burst of jollity. They shared in the sentiment expressed by the trivial -John Gay, who wrote: - - "Life is a jest, and all things show it, - I thought so once, and now I know it." - -Donning their dainty garbs, these unconquerable French women did not -hesitate to cook, wash, iron, hoe in their gardens and yards, or join -their husbands in efforts of a more serious nature, in tillage, and in the -erecting of log houses. Their lightness of heart was a cordial in the -conditions of actual gloom which sometimes confronted them, but they would -never repine, and would decline to take conditions seriously. - -The personnel of this novel colony was most interesting. Marshal Groughy -was classed by them with that segment of society called by Mr. Roosevelt -"undesirable citizens," because of the affair at Waterloo, and was left -behind in Philadelphia, though he was one of the allottees of the land -procured, but got another to occupy it for him. The stigma of the defeat -of Waterloo was his, and this made him most unpopular. But Count -Desnoettes, who was a cavalry general in Napoleon's army, and a great -favorite with the Emperor, was of the colony. Napoleon loved Desnoettes -because of his fighting qualities, and because of his exceeding -attractiveness of person. He accompanied Bonaparte on the memorable -retreat from Russia, and when the French officers were gathered at -Fontainebleau, on the eve of Napoleon's departure to Elba, and all were -weeping, he embraced Desnoettes, saying that he would avail himself of -this means of bidding all farewell. - -Penier was a distinguished statesmen; Colonel Raoul was a distinguished -cavalry fighter, who had accompanied Napoleon in his exile to Elba, and -afterward led the advance guard on the return of the Emperor to France -after escaping from his island imprisonment. Madame Raoul was a handsome -Italian woman, a native of Naples. Cluis was one of the aids of Marshal -Lefebvre; Chaudoin was a French poet of note; Clausel was a count; -L'Allemand was a lieutenant general of artillery under Napoleon; Lackonel -was a savant, who was at the head of the department of education, in the -empire, during the regime of Napoleon, together with others of equal note. - -All of these notables were once residents of Alabama, and encountered the -conditions of pioneer life on its western plains. Of some of the ups and -downs of this strange colony something will be said in the next article. - - - - -LIFE IN THE FRENCH COLONY - - -One may easily infer from that already said about these peculiar -colonists, who settled in the early years of the nineteenth century, at -the confluence of the Tombigbee and Black Warrior Rivers, that life under -such conditions must have been strikingly novel throughout. It was an -attempt to graft an exceptional European civilization, with all its -traditional peculiarities of many centuries, into the raw wilderness -conditions of western civilization, and to preserve intact, the customs of -the gay Gallic capital of Europe, on the prairies of black mud in Alabama. -The log huts which lined the streets of primitive Demopolis, were made as -nearly palaces as they well could be, and the streets themselves were -lighted at night, in imitation of the French capital. It was a play doll -performance, as pathetic as it was patriotic and loyal. - -The French founded and named Demopolis "the city of the people," seeking -thus to blend a miniature Paris with democratic sentiment. In vain did -these people seek to grow the olive and the vine in an unfriendly soil, -and the attempt was gradually abandoned, and by every possible makeshift -they eked out a bare subsistence. In a fertile soil, vegetables and corn -were easily grown, and with these and with such supplies as they could get -from the game of the woods, they struggled on against odds. They were not -without annoyance from the Indians, and more from the American settlers -who were now beginning to come into that quarter of the Alabama -territory. These latter would entrench on the lands of the French which -gave rise to much friction, and an agent had to go to Washington to sue -for protection against such invasions. This occasioned opposition to the -"furreners," as the French came to be popularly called, in the neighboring -log cabins of the American squatters. - -As an indication of the extremity to which the French were reduced, -Colonel Raoul, a large, handsome and dignified cavalry officer in the -Napoleonic army, had to establish a ferry on the river to convey travelers -from one side to the other, while his beautiful queenly wife sold -gingerbread and persimmon beer on the bank, at the ferry. With her -delicate jeweled fingers she would manufacture these crude refreshments, -and with much grace serve them to the rude pioneers. - -Years afterward, when Raoul had been restored to the confidence of the -French government, and was occupying a lucrative position in Paris, after -serving for some time in the Mexican army, he was visited by John Hurtel, -who was also one of the French colonists, but now a prosperous merchant in -Mobile. Intimate and even affectionate as friends, Colonel Raoul gave a -dinner to his Mobile friend, and invited to the banquet many of his -distinguished Parisian friends. To a group, Raoul was relating his pioneer -experiences as a ferryman, which all laughingly doubted, when Raoul called -to Hurtel, in another part of the room to join them. He then asked Hurtel -what he (Raoul) did at Demopolis. He replied that he kept a ferry. "And -what did the madame do?" asked Raoul. "Sold ginger cakes and simmon -beer," said Hurtel, all of which was greeted with roars of laughter. - -As an expression of devotion to his imperial sovereign, General Desnoettes -built a shanty near his log cabin, which shanty he called his "sanctuary." -In the center of this humble museum stood a bronze statue of Napoleon, -encircled by relics of war captured by Desnoettes--swords, pistols, -spears, spurs and saddles--while in graceful folds about the walls hung -the captured banners. The customs of the people were often as grotesque as -they were pathetic. After days of struggle and labor, the evenings would -be spent in music and dancing in the log cabins, or else along the narrow -grassy streets of the village would resound, till a late hour of the -night, the notes of musical instruments. The great generals of a hundred -battles preserved their military dignity and conventionalities while -working with might and main in their laboring garbs, with their -broad-brimmed hats flapping about their heads. Every stranger would be -greeted with the military salute, no matter who he was. - -In compliance with the requirements of the territorial laws, every male -citizen of a given age, had to meet statedly at some point named by the -commanding militia officer, to drill. From this the French were not -exempt, and these experts in military science were compelled to join in -the ranks of the rough and tumble yeomanry on the muster ground, and go -through with the rude evolutions known to them from the days of their -cadetship. - -These were the days of the country grocery, and of the crossroads grocery, -which were inseparable from the muster ground and the rural drill, and -their presence meant fisticuff fights, gouged eyes, broken noses, and -dislocated teeth. There was not the best feeling toward the "furrener," at -any rate, and there was a disposition in this region especially, to -provoke him to difficulty. It is related that on one occasion a bully -under the sway of liquor, sought a difficulty with one of the French, -which ended in the Frenchman being knocked down and jumped on by the rough -militiaman. The poor fellow knew not a word of English, and he cried in -his extremity for "enough" the French word "bravo," which he knew had -something to do with fighting. He repeatedly yelled "bravo" with the hope -that some one would pull off his assailant, but the assailant interpreted -it to mean an expression of defiance, and was brutally pommeling the Gaul. -Some of the by-standers properly construed the meaning of the Frenchman, -from the tone of his appeal, and pulled the ruffian off. - -In the geographical names of that region--Arcola, Agleville (Eagleville), -Linden (Hohenlinden), and Marengo, not to mention Demopolis--one finds the -evidence of the past occupation of the French. During the first year or -two, a number of other French came from France and joined the colony, but -the object which they had in view, failing, that of raising grapes and -olives, the colony gradually dissipated, the emigrants going in different -directions, and in Mobile and New Orleans, as elsewhere, may be found the -descendants of some of these original colonists, still bearing the names -of their ancestors of almost a century ago. Long after the occupied -domain had been abandoned, there could be seen in the waxy mud in the -region of Demopolis the imprints of the delicate shoes of those Parisian -women. - - - - -PRIMITIVE HARDSHIPS - - -Few are aware of the extremes to which the earliest settlers of Alabama -were reduced in their migration from the old colonies to this region, -while it was yet a territory. It may be said that the original stock of -Alabama settlers was generally of the best type of Anglo-Saxon manhood and -womanhood. Inherently, they had no superiors on the continent. They are -not to be thought of as adventurers, restlessly migrating to a new region -with a dissatisfaction which sought relief in the mere act of moving, for -adventurers would never have undergone that which was experienced by these -fathers, in pitching their homes in a wilderness infested by savages and -wild beasts. The fact that they did that which was done, labels the type -of character of these original commonwealth builders. - -Back of their migration from Virginia and the Carolinas, from which most -of the original settlers of Alabama came, lay a fact which largely -influenced their removal. The new republic was still in course of -construction. The revolution had left a chaotic condition in the older -colonies, and men of sturdiness conceived the idea of going far westward, -where they could create new conditions, and build for the future. They -were not unprepared for the privation that was to be encountered, nor -altogether unapprised of it, but in the face of these suspended -difficulties, they were nerved by genuine Caucasian grit. A number of -solid and substantial folk would get together and agree to removing to the -west, with a common understanding of general sharers in a common -interest, thereby procuring a sense of sympathetic protection, traverse -the wide distance, occupy a given community in a fresh territory, and rear -their fortunes together. - -The most ordinary conveniences were scarce, utensils and tools hardly to -be had, shoes and clothing scant, methods of conveyance rude, and thus to -the utmost extremity were these original founders of Alabama reduced. The -dependence for transportation was a few horses and oxen, which were -employed in common by a body of hardy colonists. On the horses were placed -the women and children, on the oxen the scanty household effects; the -stock was grouped in a common herd, cattle, swine and sheep, to be driven -on foot by the men and boys, each of whom was supplied with a gun or an -implement, and thus would they begin their march to a region of which they -knew nothing, save that it was without population, densely wooded and with -no other denizens than those of Indians and of ferocious beasts. - -Even where roads and bridges were encountered on the way, they were crude, -and west of the confines of Georgia, the wilderness was untraversed save -by the wild savage, whose slender paths wound the forests through. So far -as these pathways were available, they were used, but oftener than -otherwise these plucky pioneersmen would have to hack their way through -the forests, opening paths as they slowly went. Regarded from this point -of time, there was a ludicrousness in these primitive shifts, but men and -women were never more serious than were these old-fashioned mothers and -fathers. They were the rough germs from which sprang a civilization -unsurpassed in its elements in history. Wives, mothers, and daughters, -bare-headed or wearing the old fly bonnet, were mounted on poor horses, -with children on their laps, or clinging on from behind, while dangling on -either side of the burdened beast were packages which contained the most -of that which they possessed in this world. In advance, men with axes -would rapidly hew away the underbrush for a bare passage, while the -bleating herd would follow, driven mostly by the larger boys. The smaller -streams were waded, while in order to cross the larger streams, rafts were -constructed, the timbers of which were held together by the native vines, -while such of the animals as could swim were forced to do so. - -There was a flow of cheer and jocularity which served as a condiment to -hard conditions, and when the camp fires were lighted, the stock fed on -the native grasses, and supper was eaten, men chatted and smoked, sang and -told jokes, while the industrious wives and daughters would ply their -knitting needles. By turns the camp was guarded against possible -contingencies for the night, and the next morning the same arduous march -would be resumed. - -The destination finally reached, the struggles against difficulties would -begin in earnest. Boundaries of chosen land would be indicated by cutting -belts about the trees with a peculiar, personal mark, and then await the -future for full legal possession. In the construction of temporary homes, -colonists would vie with each other in the ingenuity displayed. The -method most common was to select trees as corners of the dwelling, and -then wattle saplings among those intervening from corner to corner, while -the roof was made of bark and the skins of wild animals. The cooking was -done without, in one or two small utensils. The grounds about were cleared -of the underbrush sufficiently to be planted, which was commonly done with -wedge-shaped rods being thrust stroke by stroke into the rich soil, the -seed dropped, and covered with the foot. As for meat, there was slight -difficulty, as deer, turkeys and squirrels were abundant. Shoes and -clothing would soon become matters of grave concern, but the deficiency -would be met by the appropriation of the hides of animals, from which -grotesque garments would be made, while the feet would be wrapped about -with strips of just sufficient size to cover them, the fur being turned -inward, and held by strings tied about each foot. The fortunate possession -of a pair of good shoes was an object of neighborhood envy. Objects so -valued and prized as were real shoes, were worn only on special occasions. -It was a custom long after the original settlement of Alabama, for many to -take their shoes under their arms, in going to church, and just before -reaching the place of worship, to put them on. Shoes that creaked were -specially prized, as they would attract attention. - -Small water mills came to be erected, and it was not unusual for one to -take his corn on his back the distance of twenty miles in order to have it -ground. This meant an absence from home of three or four days at a time. -From the earliest years of the century just gone, these conditions -continued in parts of the interior of Alabama till 1815 and even later. -The battle of New Orleans meant much for what was then known as the -southwest, of which Alabama was a part. Not a few of the future -distinguished families in the history of the state, emerged from -conditions such as here have been described. From straits of poverty, they -came to be among the most wealthy of the state. - - - - -LAFAYETTE'S VISIT - - -In April, 1825, when LaFayette visited Alabama, the state was about six -years old. Conditions were still very crude, there being but few roads, -and they bad enough in a wet season; but few villages existed; the country -was sparsely settled; the Indian was still in the land, but was now -subdued and peaceable, and a few boats plied the waters of the rivers. -Israel Pickens was then governor, and it was through his patriotic -enterprise as a wideawake governor, that LaFayette was induced to turn -aside from Augusta, Ga., and make the overland trip to Cahaba, the new -capital of Alabama, instead of going to Charleston to take a boat to New -Orleans. - -LaFayette was now about sixty-eight years old, but he was still vigorous -and active, and so far from a tour through a region largely wilderness, -deterring him, he was really anxious to take it. As he came westward from -Augusta, conditions grew cruder, but every possible provision was made for -his comfort. For months together, he had been in the country as its guest, -and the character of the receptions varied in every respect save one--the -cordiality of the people which was unbounded. - -The American congress had extended to him a formal invitation to return to -America on a visit, the invitation being impelled by a double motive, that -of showing the revolutionists of his own land, to whose vengeance -LaFayette had fallen a victim, because of his democratic principles, that -America was his loyal friend, and that of enabling a new generation of -Americans to express their gratitude to a patriot of France, who had spilt -his blood in behalf of the independence that they enjoyed. From the moment -that he landed on our soil, throughout, his tour was a triumphal journey, -and he was hailed with a universal tumult of honor and praise. He was -comparatively a poor man because of principle. Though the possessor of -vast estates in France, they were forfeited, or in plainer language, were -confiscated by the government of France, because of his republican -principles. The American congress voted him $200,000 in gold, and a -township of land. He was deeply moved by the gratitude and love of the -young nation, and often in speaking in response to welcomes accorded, his -voice would tremble with emotion. It may be said, in passing, that at the -one hundredth anniversary of the battle of Yorktown, in 1881, in which -battle LaFayette shared, a representative of his family was present as the -guest of the nation. - -When LaFayette reached Washington, in 1825, there was accorded him an -ovation that was almost overwhelming. From long distances the common -people had traveled, some coming on foot, others on horseback, in ox -carts, wagons, carriages and every way, men, women and children, to catch -a glimpse of the great ally of Washington, and patriot of the revolution, -and all about the city on the outside were their braying mules, neighing -horses, and lowing oxen in the midst of an unbroken encampment formed by -the country folk. In crushing multitudes they thronged about LaFayette, in -genuine democratic style, seeking to grasp his hand, a demonstration that -was as much enjoyed by LaFayette as by themselves. Henry Clay was then -speaker of the house, and his speech of welcome to LaFayette is one of the -most splendid bursts of oratory that ever came from his musical lips. The -reply of the distinguished Frenchman did him great honor. It is a pity -that these great deliverances are buried in old and musty books of which -but little is known. Wherever LaFayette appeared in Washington, the -unrestrained multitudes would rush frantically toward him as though they -would devour him. - -From Washington he planned his trip southward and westward, or toward the -great Southwest, as Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana were then called. -In making his dates, in advance, he knew practically nothing of the nature -of the country, nothing of the difficulty of travel, so that by the time -he reached the eastern border of Alabama he was several days behind time. -So far from delay cooling the ardor of the people, it had just the -opposite effect. The interest deepened, widened and seethed meantime, and -his announced coming into a given region absorbed all things else. Even -the Indians of Georgia and of Alabama were seized by the contagion of -enthusiasm, and while knowing little or nothing of LaFayette or of his -career, they learned that he was the friend of Washington, and a great -warrior, and so joined with native ardor into the excitement of his -reception. A body of painted warriors with varied and gay plumage, and -with bodies stained in divers colors, and wearing red and striped -blankets, insisted on becoming a part of his escort through Georgia, and -cherished the privilege of serving him with the most minute servility. -There is a good side to humanity always, if we only reach it. To the -Indians it was a special delight to shoot down an occasional buck on the -way, and to present it to the polite Frenchman between whose cultured -conventionality and the rude but touchingly sincere kindness of the -Indian, there was an amusing difference. - -With great effort and sacrifice, Governor Pickens had made every -arrangement possible for as august demonstration as the young state could -give to the eminent guest of the nation. His plans were perfect in every -detail, for he was an executive master, as is shown by the correspondence -in the possession of the present writer, between him and the militia -commanders, as well as with the civil authorities and prominent citizens. -The chief difficulty seems to have been to raise a fund sufficient for a -demonstration worthy of the great French patriot, for money was -exceedingly scarce in those infant days of struggle, but Pickens was -indefatigable, and he had a way of accomplishing whatever he set his hands -to. Fortunate for Governor Pickens was the delay of LaFayette, as this -enabled him to execute more to his satisfaction the vast and difficult -plans relating to the series of receptions along the triumphal march of -LaFayette through Alabama. For days together, LaFayette was lost to the -public eye as traversing the wilderness he was lost in its depths, making -his way as best he could from the Savannah to the Chattahoochee under the -protection of the Georgia escort of militia and painted Indian warriors. -The correspondence shows that he could not be heard of for days together, -but on the banks of the Chattahoochee the provided escort waited, day -after day, till he should appear. He at last came within sight and the -demonstration began, and novel enough it was. Of this we shall learn more -in the article next succeeding. - - - - -LAFAYETTE'S RECEPTION - - -Large barges were in readiness to convey the party across the -Chattahoochee to the Alabama side, where was gathered a multitude of -distinguished citizens, a troop of Alabama militia under General Taylor, -and a body of Indian warriors in their native attire, who seemed more -enthusiastic than the others. As the barges glided toward the bank, the -Indians raised yell after yell, and rushed to the edge of the water to -receive them. They were under the command of Chilly Mackintosh, or Little -Prince. So soon as the barges were arranged for landing, the Indians -dashed on board, unhitched the horse from the sulky that bore LaFayette, -each vying with every other to render the promptest service, and drew the -vehicle to the top of the steep bank with every indication of delight. - -When all was over, speeches of welcome and the response were in order. -Here LaFayette met a former aide of his, who had served him during the -Revolution, as a young man, but now somewhat advanced in life--Rev. Isaac -Smith, a Methodist missionary to the Indians. LaFayette recognized him, -and gave a warm and affectionate greeting. In the exuberance of his zeal, -the missionary begged that they bow in prayer. There under the tall trees -of the river's bank the party bowed in solemn prayer, LaFayette and the -Indians joining, and with uplifted voice, Mr. Smith prayed the blessings -of heaven on the great patriot. The Indians intent on showing their -interest proposed to have a game of ball for the entertainment of -LaFayette, after which Mr. Smith invited him to his humble home, where -they recounted to each other the scenes of their lives since they parted -at the disorganization of the army, about forty-three years before. - -After a season of rest, LaFayette started with the cavalcade along a road -which led through an uninhabited region for almost a hundred miles, he -riding in a fine carriage drawn by four beautiful grays, and attended by -the uniformed state soldiery and the Indians, who proposed to see him -safely through their own territory. So complete were the arrangements made -by Governor Pickens, that at proper intervals, along the dreary and -monotonous way, there were the amplest provisions for refreshments, of -food, shelter, and rest. - -At Line Creek, twenty miles from the village of Montgomery, the limit of -the territory of the Indians was reached, and here they took formal leave -of LaFayette. Their chief, the Little Prince, made a stirring speech to -LaFayette in his native tongue, not a word of which did LaFayette -understand, and guided solely by the gesticulation and facial expression -of the chief, the old patriot replied in English, not a word of which did -the Indians comprehend. With much ceremony they shook hands with -LaFayette, and quietly turned on their march to their homes in the woods. - -At Line Creek, the ranks of the cavalcade were largely reinforced by the -addition of a fresh installment of troops and of many distinguished -citizens, who had made their way across the country from different -directions, in order to share in the demonstration. Once within the -confines of civilization the journey to Montgomery and beyond was relieved -by the cultivated fields of the white man, now in the bloom of young and -promising crops, and the homes of refinement dotting the country over. -This was a great relief to LaFayette, who had been buried for almost a -week in the depths of an uncultivated wilderness. The improved roads -enabled the procession to make greater speed as it moved toward the -village of Montgomery. - -On a range of hills about two miles from the village, arrangements had -been made for the cavalcade to halt for the formal reception to be given -by the governor, who had come from Cahaba to meet the distinguished guest -at that point. On each side of the road was a large, snowy-white tent, -between which, over the road, was an arch of beautiful artistic -construction, beneath which stood Governor Pickens and his suite awaiting -the arrival of the eminent guest. When the carriage which bore LaFayette -halted under the arch, Governor Pickens advanced to greet him, and after a -mutual introduction, the governor proceeded to extend the courtesies of -the new state, in apt and well-chosen terms, for which he was remarkable, -and was followed by the reply of General LaFayette, in phraseology just as -happy. This was followed by a sort of improvised reception on the spot, -when the distinguished citizens of the state were presented to LaFayette -one by one. In the meantime, the ladies who had come to assist in doing -honor to the occasion, remained in the tents, and the governor taking the -arm of the great guest, led him into the tents and introduced him to the -ladies. This occurred at noon on Sunday, April 3, 1825, and immediately -after these initial ceremonies were over, the procession again took up the -line of march for the village of Montgomery, LaFayette now being taken in -the carriage of Governor Pickens. A band of music attended on the -procession, the notes of which were mingled with the acclamation of the -multitude, the volume of sound increasing as Montgomery was approached, as -fresh accessions were made to the procession. Every object that could -create noise and din was brought into use, among which were the -detonations of powder, which in the absence of guns was confined in such a -way as to cause a loud explosion, and bells of every size were rung, the -people seeming determined to make up in noise the deficiency of -population, for at that time Montgomery was nothing more than a small -town. - -Once in the town, the most sumptuous quarters possible were placed at the -disposal of LaFayette and his party, and though he was fatigued, the -people pressed in to greet him. LaFayette and the governor dined privately -together, and in the evening attended together divine service. - -Monday brought to LaFayette a busy day. Citizens had come from every -quarter of the state to shake his hand, among whom were some old veterans -who had served under him in the campaigns of the Revolution. His eye -kindled at the sight of a Revolutionary soldier, and his greeting was -always one of the most ardent affection. He must need have a brief -off-hand chat with every old soldier that came in to see him. A busy day -was followed by a ball given in honor of the eminent soldier and patriot. -This lasted till 11 o'clock at night, when a procession was formed to -escort him to the river landing, where three small steamers were in -waiting to take the party down the river to Cahaba--the Henderson, Balize -and the Fanny. - -The next article will conclude the account of the notable visit of -LaFayette to Alabama. - - - - -LAFAYETTE'S DEPARTURE - - -As one now goes up Commerce street, Montgomery, from the railway station, -he will find about midway between the station and the Exchange Hotel, on -the right side of the street, a bronze tablet in the wall on which is -inscribed this valuable bit of historic information: "On this site stood, -until December, 1899, the house in which Marquis de LaFayette was given a -public reception and ball, April 4, 1825, while on his last tour through -the United States. This tablet is placed by the Society of the Sons of the -Revolution in the state of Alabama in lasting memory of this illustrious -patriot and soldier of the Revolution, the friend of Washington and the -youthful champion of liberty. April 4, 1825-April 4, 1905." On the same -tablet appears the figure of LaFayette with the accompanying dates of 1776 -and 1883, and beneath appear the words, "The Sons of the Revolution." -While our people have been generally negligent of the preservation of -notable spots, it is an occasion of gratitude to the Sons of the -Revolution that they have so thoughtfully saved this site from utter -obliteration. - -Resuming the narrative where it was left off in the first article, with -respect to LaFayette and the large escort that accompanied him on the -boats down the river, the flotilla reached the village of Selma the next -morning, where a stop was made to enable an eager multitude who had -gathered from different and distant directions, to catch a glimpse of the -illustrious guest of the nation, and to grasp his hand. The stay was -necessarily brief, for the boats must steam rapidly on to Cahaba, where -the people of the new capital were eagerly waiting to extend to LaFayette -a really great welcome. - -The sight of the boats coming down the river was sufficient to raise from -the throats of the assembled multitude on the bank of the river, a loud -acclamation, attended by the waving of handkerchiefs, hats, umbrellas, and -banners, accompanied by the loud booming of guns and the ringing of bells. -It was difficult for LaFayette to descend the gangway, so eager were the -people to reach him and take his hand. Once on shore, and Mr. Dellet, who -was charged with the task of extending the speech of welcome, delivered -his speech, which was fitly responded to, when a long procession was -formed, which marched to the courthouse, which was tastefully decorated -throughout, and a formal reception was held. This being over, a sumptuous -dinner was in readiness, and, after dining, LaFayette was allowed a few -hours of respite. After refreshing himself by sleep, he appeared again, -and the ingenuity of the people seemed to be exhausted in the methods -devised to do him honor. - -His stay at Cahaba was the shorter because he was already several days -overdue at other points. Plans had been made for a stop of a day at -Claiborne, Monroe County, then one of the largest and thriftiest towns in -the state, but which is now practically extinct, but the miscalculation in -fixing advanced dates forbade a stay of only a few hours in this bustling -little river center. An elaborate ball had been prepared for at Claiborne, -in honor of the French hero, but he was unable to remain, and after some -hours of delay the boats proceeded southward, bearing the LaFayette party, -the governor and his staff, and a multitude of attendants on the several -steamers. - -The next important point to be reached was Mobile. No place in all his -travels exceeded in demonstration that accorded by this Alabama -metropolis. The wharves were thronged by the eager crowds, watching for -the first appearance of the boats descending the river, and their -appearance was the signal for the shouts of the multitude, the ringing of -church bells, and the booming of big guns. The usual ceremonies were gone -through of speeches of reception and the reply, banquets and receptions, -into all of which LaFayette entered with the snap and spirit of a boy. He -had been much refreshed and invigorated by his trip down the river, and -this unusual amount of rest gave him fresh elasticity. He seemed to throw -off all reserve, and yielded himself with abandon to the festivities and -gaieties of the occasion. He was no more happy than was Governor Pickens, -who was intent on the highest possible expression of hospitality to the -national guest, and the more so, because he was so insistent on his coming -to the young state. To the credit of Governor Pickens, be it said that -there was not a jar or jostle in the elaborate plan and arrangement which -he had conceived and executed to the letter, from the time LaFayette set -foot on the soil of Alabama till he left it forever. - -The stay in Mobile was cut somewhat short for the reasons already given, -as New Orleans was on the tiptoe of expectation of LaFayette's arrival. -Governor Pickens remained with LaFayette till he left the utmost limit of -the state. The finest boat that had yet been built for southern waters, -the Natchez, was to convey LaFayette to New Orleans. The Natchez was -accompanied by other steamers, which bore the large escort, but Governor -Pickens and LaFayette sailed out of the port of Mobile to Mobile Point, -where Governor Pickens took affectionate leave of his eminent guest. The -separation of these two eminent men was most affecting, as they had become -mutually much won to each other. It was agreed that they should continue -to correspond so long as both continued alive. LaFayette asked that a copy -of the paper containing an account of his visit to Alabama be sent him, -which explains the following letter: - - "My Dear Sir: According to my promise, I directed a paper to meet you - at Pittsburg and again enclose you one herein. This contains but a - partial account of our doings when you were with us. You will receive - a packet which I have caused to be directed to you at Boston, giving - an account at each place where you stopped in your journey through - this state, believing that it may be satisfactory to you, or to some - of your friends, in giving a reference to the incidents occurring here - on the gratifying occasion to our citizens of the young state of - Alabama. - - "I hope you will have reached Boston by the time you wished, in good - health and spirits, after a journey unexampled in our own or any - other time; a march so extended, so rapid, and at the same time so - triumphant has never been the boast of any personage before, and it is - truly a source of common congratulation among the friends of - republican institutions and of free social order throughout the world. - - "I am too sensible of the fatigues of your late journey, of those - gratifying attentions by which you will be surrounded when this shall - have reached you, to add anything to them by a longer letter without - material to make it interesting to you. - - "Hereafter when you shall be enjoying the tranquillity of your own - domestic circle, I hope to have the pleasure of corresponding with you - in conformity with your kind invitation when I parted with you. - - "I am, with sentiments of profound respect and esteem, your most obt., - - "ISRAEL PICKENS. - - "General LaFayette." - -This is a literal transcription of the first letter addressed by Governor -Pickens to General LaFayette. - - - - -OLD SCHOOL DAYS - - -No change that has come to later times has been more radical than that in -our schools. The discipline, management, method of instruction and general -spirit of the school have all undergone a thorough transformation. In the -early days, the old blue-back speller was a sine qua non in the elementary -schools. Its columns and battalions of words, ranging from the least -spellable words to those that are octosyllabic and even beyond, all of -which had to be learned by rote, made many an excellent speller of the -English. The modern method of acquiring ability to spell may be superior, -but one who ever mastered the old blue-back was never known to be an -indifferent speller. Consigned to the limbo of the junk heap, the -blue-back may be, but to master it was to become the possessor of most of -the words in common use, and more besides. - -In former days the location of a country school was selected with -reference to the largest possible patronage, while many boys and girls -were forced to trudge the distance of several miles each morning to -attend, and return the same distance home every afternoon. The buckets -with curved wire handles would contain the dinners of the children of a -given family. School periods extended from eight in the morning till four -in the afternoon, with three brief intervals of recess during the day. For -a well-regulated school, the furniture comprised plain, unpainted seats, -none too comfortable, and unpainted desks. Where not so well regulated -the seats were of split logs, backless, with peg supporters, and no desks, -save that of the teacher, which was used at different times by a given -class of students in taking writing lessons from the teacher. - -This teacher sat on a platform, which was slightly raised, in order to -give him complete oversight of each pupil. Within his desk were securely -kept the sinews of discipline in the form of a number of well-seasoned -hickories, flexible, tough, and just long enough for faithful execution. -These were a source of terror to all alike, for under the nature of the -discipline there were no immunes in view of certain infractions. - -The rules of discipline were generally harsh, hard and drastic, the very -essence of the unreasonable. A pupil failing to spell a given number of -words, or to give a given number of correct answers, was straightway -drubbed. This was done in a most mechanical way, as the machinery of -discipline must, of course, run regularly. Nothing was said, but the -teacher would administer the flogging, and go straight on with his other -work. The fear of punishment, so far from acting as a stimulus, was a -barbarous hindrance. Study was not pursued so much as a pleasure, as it -was from fear of punishment. - -A "big boy," one past sixteen generally, was given the alternative of a -flogging in the presence of the school, or of downright dismissal. No -respect was had for the difference between a laborious, earnest student, -who might be slow of acquisition, and one who was bright and quick, though -the former might be the solider of the two, and often was. School was -taught according to certain arbitrary rules and not according to the -principle of common sense. Most schools were therefore regarded by pupils -as terrors, and not as places of mental pleasure. A "tight" teacher, as -the rigid disciplinarian was called, was much in demand. Many a pedagogue -would lose an opportunity to procure a school because he was "loose," or, -as we would say nowadays, because he was reasonable, and not a ringmaster -with his whip. No higher commendation was there than that one would flog -even the largest boys. In consequence of this condition in the early -school, the teacher was held in almost universal awe, with no touch of -congeniality with any pupil. - -In all recitations save those of reading and spelling, pupils would sit. -The spelling classes were somewhat graded, and, in reciting, would stand -in a line facing the teacher, who would "give out" the words to be -spelled. Each syllable had not only to be spelled and articulated, but in -spelling, each preceding syllable was pronounced, even to the close of the -word. If, for instance, the word notoriety was given, the pupil would -spell n-o, no, t-o, noto, r-i, notori, e, notorie, t-y, te, notoriety. -When it would come to spelling long words, they would be rattled off with -a volubility that was often amazing. It was interesting to hear words like -incombustibility and honorificabilitudinity spelled after this fashion. As -with a vocal fusillade, the pupil would clatter off long words, building -each up as he would proceed, the teacher would stand with his head -slightly careened to hear it properly done. Whatever other effect such -exercise had, it gave clearness of articulation. If a word was misspelled, -it was given to the next student with a "Next!" from the teacher, and if -successfully spelled by the one next below him, he would "turn down" the -one who failed, or, in other words, take his place in the line, sending -the one who failed nearer toward the foot of the class. Like trembling -culprits the pupils would thus stand throughout the recitation, and -everyone who had missed spelling a given number of words, walked -mechanically up to the teacher and took his drubbing. Every class of -spellers was only a body of culprits on trial. - -One of the choice pranks of those early days was that of "turning the -teacher out." When a holiday was desired, and had been previously -declined, a revolt was almost sure to follow. A secret conclave of "the -big boys" was held, a mutiny was hatched, a fearless ringleader was -chosen, the plans were laid, and the time of the real issue awaited. On -the morning of the desired holiday, the young conspirators would reach the -school an hour or two in advance, barricade every door and window so that -none could enter, and quietly await the coming of the teacher. He would -usually demand that the house be opened, when the leader would inform him -that it would be done solely on condition that he would give them a -holiday. - -The teacher's ingenuity, tact, or physical strength was often sorely taxed -by a juncture like this. It was not an easy thing to handle a half dozen -or more determined boys just emerging into manhood, and those whose quiet -grudge prompted a desire for a tilt, at any rate, and the teacher must -either yield and thus lose his grip thereafter, or take the chance of a -rough and tumble with the odds against him. The usual method of settlement -was to sound a truce, and compromise on some satisfactory basis. One -advantage always lay on the side of the teacher--no matter how stern or -severe his method of adjustment in quelling the rebellion, he would have -the moral reinforcement of the parents, but it was an advantage that might -prove more than a forlorn hope, if he should attack a body of muscular -country boys. - -Happily, those days are gone, with some slight advantages, perhaps, over -some of the present methods, but with immensely more disadvantages. At -least, the tyranny and brutality of the olden days have given place to -common sense. - - - - -THE CROSS ROADS GROCERY - - -Among the defunct institutions of a past era in the state's history, is -that of the country grogshop, which was known in those days as "the cross -roads grocery," a name derived from the enterprising spirit of the keepers -of such places to locate where the roads crossed, in order to catch more -"trade." Many of these country saloons became notorious resorts. These -places were the rendezvous of the rustics of the hilarious type in those -far-off days. These rude trysting places were the weekly scenes of coarse -sports, gross hilarity, and of rough-and-tumble fights. Hither the rowdies -gathered from a wide region, drank freely, yelled vociferously, and fought -not a little. The monthly muster of the militia was usually in connection -with one of these rural institutions, and hither would come "the boys" for -an all-day frolic. While squirrel guns and old flint and steel rifles were -used in the drill, these would never be brought into requisition when the -combats would usually ensue. Shooting and stabbing were far less frequent -then than now, the test of manhood being in agility, strength, and the -projectile force of the fist. There were bullies, not a few, and when one -got sufficiently under way to raise a yell like a Comanche Indian, it was -regarded as a defiant banter. This species of "sport" would usually come -as the last act of the tragedy of the day. - -Among the diversions of the day was that of test of marksmanship. The -stakes were usually steaks, or, to use the terminology of the time, "a -beef quarter." To be able "to hit the bull's-eye," as the center of the -target was called, was an ambition worthy of any rustic. A feat so -remarkable made one the lion of the day, and his renown was widely -discussed during the ensuing week. No greater honor could come to one than -to be able to win a quarter, and "the grocery" was alluded to as a place -of prominent resort throughout a wide community. There were also "racing -days," which was applied to foot races as well as to horse racing. There -was a track for each hard by "the grocery," and in the foot races the -runners would strip bare to the waist, pull off their shoes, and run the -distance of several hundred yards. Brace after brace of runners would test -their speed during the day, the defeated contestant having always to -"treat the crowd." - -This was varied, in turn, by horse racing day. Two parallel tracks were -always kept in order by the grocery keeper for this equestrian sport. -Scrawny ponies that had plowed during all the week were taken on the track -on Saturday, betting was freely indulged in, the owners would be their own -jockeys, and amusing were many of the races thus run. - -Still another sport, cruel enough in itself, was that of the "gander -pulling." A large gander with greased neck would be suspended to a -flexible limb overhanging the road, and one by one the horsemen would ride -at full tilt, grasp the neck of the goose, and attempt to wring it off, -while his horse was at full speed. With many a piteous honk, the goose -would turn its head here and there to avoid being seized, and it was not -easy to accomplish the required feat. A given sum of money was the usual -reward to the successful contestant. This cruel sport of more than -seventy-five years ago was among the first to disappear from the programme -of rural diversions. The reader of "Georgia Scenes" has been made familiar -with this sport, which at one time was quite popular. - -"Muster day," which came once each month, was usually one of bloody -hilarity. The crude evolutions on the field being over, "the boys" would -return to the grocery, and, after being bounteously served several times -at the bar, they were ready for the fun, which usually began with a -wrestling or boxing bout, in which some one who was unsuccessful would -change the scene into one of an out-and-out fray. When temper became -ascendant, which was not difficult under the condition of free imbibing, -one violent blow would invite another, when the crowd would form a ring -around the belligerents, and cries of "Stand back!" and "Fair play!" would -be heard on all hands. If one interfered in behalf of a kinsman or friend, -he was pounced on by another, and not infrequently as many as a dozen men -would be embroiled in a fisticuff battle. Nothing was tolerated but the -fist. Not even a stick could be used, though when one was down under his -antagonist it was accounted lawful to use the teeth, or even to fill the -eyes of an opponent with sand, in order to make him squall. When the -shriek of defeat was sounded, the successful antagonist was pulled off, -and some one treated him on the spot. - -It was by this means that bullies were produced in those days. Sometimes a -bully would come from some other region where he had swept the field, in -order to test his prowess with a local bully. Bets would be made in -advance, and the announcement through the region, a week or so in advance, -would serve to draw an unusual crowd to the scene of pugilistic contest. A -ring was drawn in the sand, and while the contest would begin in a boxing -exercise, there came a time when it grew into a battle royal with the -fists. The champions of different neighborhoods each felt that not only -was his own reputation at stake, but that of his community. Bulls on the -pastures would not fight with greater fierceness than would these rough -rowdies. When one or the other would "give up," then would come a general -disagreement among the boozy bettors, and the entire crowd would become -involved in a general melee. - -Saturday night usually brought fresh accessions from the neighboring -population, and frequently the brawls would last throughout the night. -Broken fingers, noses, well-chewed ears, and dislocated teeth usually made -up the casualties of the day. Bunged and beaten as many were, they would -resume their usual labor during the next week, while the scenes of the -preceding Saturday would be the subject of general comment, and the end of -the following week would find them again at the grocery. - -These groceries, so called, prevailed throughout the South till the -opening of the Civil War, during which it is presumed that the -belligerently disposed got full gratification on fields of a different -type. Among the changes wrought in our social life by the war, this was -not among the least. Efforts to revive "the grocery" of the "good old -times" after the return of the few from the battlefields of the war, -proved abortive, and thus vanished this popular institution in the states -of the South. - - - - -EARLY NAVIGATION - - -The rude crafts that once floated our magnificent rivers were crude and -primitive enough, and were but a slight advance on the dugout or canoes of -the red men. The heavy, clumsy flatboat, propelled in part by long oars -used by the hand, and in part by long poles let down from the edge of the -boat and by the pressure of the body urged slowly along, and by the use of -grappling hooks to pull the boat upstream, were in use far into the -twenties of the nineteenth century. These boats were of limited surface -capacity, difficult of management, and exceedingly slow. An indication of -their sluggish movement is afforded by the fact that in 1819, when -Honorable Henry Goldthwaite was on his way from Mobile to Montgomery, to -make the latter town his home, he was just three months on the voyage up -the Alabama River. With slow movement and noiselessly, these heavy craft -would be propelled up the river, and on approaching a given point the -boatmen would signal their approach by firing a small cannon kept on each -barge for that purpose. After the invention of the steam whistle, now so -common, by Adrian Stephens, of Plymouth, England, whistles came at once -into use on all American waters. - -For ages these great streams had been rolling wanton to the sea, and after -the occupation of Alabama by the whites, the natural advantages were -readily recognized, but as nothing was then known of the steam engine, of -course there was nothing left but to employ the most available craft for -transportation. For a long period, only the awkward barges and flatboats -were used. It may be readily seen how the introduction of steamers on our -rivers would facilitate individual and aggregate prosperity, which had -been so long retarded by the slow process of navigation already mentioned. - -Though Robert Fulton's first grotesque steamer appeared on the waters of -the Hudson as early as 1807, and while a steamer had not yet been seen in -these parts, enterprising spirits, in anticipation of the coming use of -steamboats, organized a company at St. Stephens, the territorial capital, -in 1818, which company was duly authorized by the legislature of the -Alabama Territory, and bore the name of the St. Stephens Steamboat -Company. This was followed two years later by another, which was -incorporated under the name of the Steamboat Company of Alabama, and a -year later still came the organization of the Mobile Steamship Company. If -it is supposed that the fathers had no enterprise in those early days, -this will serve to disabuse the minds of all doubters. They were dealing -in steam futures, but they were ready for the coming tide of steam -progress. In due course of time, these rival organizations introduced -steamers on the rivers of the state, but they were not rapid of -locomotion, were at first small, rather elaborate in adornment, and -afforded some degree of comfort to a limited number of passengers. These -diminutive floaters were gradually displaced by larger vessels, the number -multiplied, and by 1845 magnificent packets were lowered from the decks -and became "floating palaces" on our waters. - -At first, a steamer was propelled by a wheel at each side, but this -gradually gave way to a single wheel at the stern. The period of the -career of these magnificent steamers was a brief one, lasting not more -than fifteen or twenty years before the outburst of the Civil War. - -Railways in Alabama were still practically unknown, and steamboat travel -was exceedingly popular. On the best and finest steamers the entertainment -could scarcely be excelled. The staterooms were often elegant, and always -comfortable, and the tables were banquet boards. The best country produce -was gathered at the landings, and the table fare was one of the boasts of -the steamers. The most sumptuous carpets were on the floors of the -passenger saloons, while superb furniture was alike pleasing to the eye -and comfortable in practical use. The boats were constructed with three -decks, known, respectively, as the lower, the middle or passenger, and the -upper or hurricane deck. - -During the cotton season, which extended from September to March, or about -one-half the year, the boats would descend the rivers loaded each trip -with hundreds of bales of cotton, and returning, would be laden with -merchandise, while in both directions, there was usually a throng of -passengers. On some of the most elegant steamers were calliopes, the music -of which would resound at night over many miles of territory pierced by -the rivers. Nothing known to entertainment or comfort was omitted on a -first-class steamer in the forties and fifties. - -Many of the landings on the rivers were located on high bluffs through -which a flight of steps would lead from the summit to the water's edge, -the length of which flight would sometimes exceed several hundred feet. -Alongside the uncovered stairway, was a tram for a wide car, which was -nothing more than a platform on wheels, which wheels ran on two beams of -wood, the surface of which was sheeted with iron. The car was operated by -means of a pulley on the summit, which, in turn, was operated by a mule or -horse moving in a circular enclosure. The freight from the steamer was -strung along the bank below, to be cared for by the warehouse above. When -cotton was to be shipped from the top of the bluff, a number of deck hands -would go to the top of the steps, and each bale was slid down the tramway -to the boat. The bale would be started endwise and descend with whizzing -swiftness, strike the lower deck, be seized by the hands below, and put in -place. - -Great were the days of the reign of the steamboat! While slow, compared -with later methods of travel, steamboat passage was the acme of comfort -and enjoyment. The social pleasure afforded was unsurpassed. While it -would require several days to go two or three hundred miles by boat, the -element of time was not so much a consideration in those leisurely days as -it is now, and the regret was often that the time of the passage was not -longer. During the busy season the schedule of the boats was most -irregular, and not infrequently passengers would wait the arrival of the -boat for twenty-four hours, and sometimes even longer. - -It was interesting, the contention and competition among the rival boats -for freight and passenger traffic. In order to be able to advertise the -popularity of a given steamer, the subordinate officers and others of the -crew, would solicit passengers at the hotels of the terminal cities, and -would not only offer free passage, sometimes, but actually offer a -consideration of a small sum of money, in addition, to such as would make -choice of that steamer in preference to another. - -The war greatly crippled boating on the rivers, and with the rally and -rehabilitation of the South from the effects of the war, the railway came -on anon, and the steamers largely disappeared from our rivers. - - - - -HARRY, THE MARTYR JANITOR - - -Howard College, then at Marion, was burned on the night of October 15, -1854. - -Dr. Henry Talbird was at the time the president of the institution, and -his nightly habit was to make a thorough inspection of the grounds and -buildings, in order to see that all was well. After making his usual and -uniform round on the night just named, he went to bed somewhat after ten -o'clock. He had fallen into deep sleep, when he was aroused by the ringing -of bells and the loud cry of "Fire! Fire! Fire!" On rushing out, he found -the lower floor of the dormitory all ablaze, the fire already having begun -its ascent up the stairway. - -To this day the origin of the fire is a mystery. It was in the fall of the -year, the weather was still warm, and there was no occasion for fire about -the building. The basement was one mass of rolling flames when first the -building was reached. In a house near by, the janitor, a negro boy of -twenty-three, was sleeping, and when he reached the scene, the flames were -moving steadily up the stairway. He made a movement as if to plunge into -the flames, when he was warned to keep clear. He replied that he must save -the boys who were sleeping on the two upper floors, and did plunge through -fire and smoke, and disappeared beyond. - -Within a short time many of the people of the town had gathered, and the -boys began to leap, one after another, to the ground. Ladders were brought -into requisition to aid those on the highest floor to escape. Every -student was aroused by the heroic colored janitor, and all but one had -descended safely to the ground. - -The young man who was still missing soon appeared at a window and was -saved through the exertions of the late Dr. Noah K. Davis, late professor -of philosophy in the University of Virginia, and several others. - -About this time the negro boy, burnt almost bare, and raw from his burns, -his hair burnt from his head, and his eyebrows and lashes gone, appeared -at one of the highest windows and flung himself to the ground, about sixty -feet below. - -He rolled over on the grass a dead man. - -His body was drawn from under the influence of the intense heat, and every -effort was made to restore life, but he had been burned to death, and -evidently had thrown himself from the window to prevent his body from -being consumed in the burning building. - -The terrible fire was now lost sight of in the attention which was -bestowed on the faithful negro janitor. He had given his life for others. - -The following morning, elaborate preparations were made for the becoming -burial of the heroic Harry. Negro slave, as he was, he was honored with a -burial from the leading white church of the town. - -The building was packed with wealthy planters, merchants, lawyers, and -their families to do honor to the hero of the fire. - -In the funeral services leading citizens arose, one by one, to pronounce -eulogies on the dead slave. - -Flowers were in profusion, and the procession to the cemetery was composed -of the carriages of the wealthy. Greater distinction could not have been -shown the most eminent citizen of the town. - -At the grave, every possible consideration was shown, and mournfully the -vast crowd turned from the grave of an humble slave. A sum of money was at -once raised for the purpose of placing a high marble shaft at his grave, -and in the cemetery at Marion it still stands conspicuously, with the -inscriptions undimmed by the storms of more than half a century. On the -front of the shaft is the inscription: "Harry, servant of H. H. Talbird, -D.D., president of Howard College, who lost his life from injuries -received while rousing the students at the burning of the college -building, on the night of October 15, 1854, aged 23 years." On another -side appears the inscription: "A consistent member of the Baptist church, -he illustrated the character of a Christian servant, 'faithful unto -death.'" On still another side appears the language: "As a grateful -tribute to his fidelity, and to commemorate a noble act, this monument has -been erected by the students of Howard College and the Alabama Baptist -Convention." The fourth side of the monument bears this inscription: "He -was employed as a waiter in the college, and when alarmed by the flames at -midnight, and warned to escape for his life, he replied, 'I must wake the -boys first,' and thus saved their lives at the cost of his own." - -Here humanity asserted itself to the full. Uninfluenced by any other -consideration than that a young man had proved himself a hero in a dire -crisis, every worthy man and woman was ready to accord to a dead but -heroic slave, the merits of his just deserts. - -At this time the country was shaken by the acrimonious discussion of -domestic slavery, in which the negro was as extravagantly exploited in the -North as he was depreciated in the South; so much so, indeed, that it was -deemed unwise in the South to accord him other than ordinary -consideration. But in a juncture like this, humanity asserted itself, and -to the faithful negro janitor every possible honor was shown. For when an -ignorant slave boy became a rare hero, and voluntarily gave his life for -others, all else, for the time, was forgotten at the bar of tested -humanity. - -The name of Harry was heralded through the press of the country, and on -the floor of the Baptist State Convention of Alabama wealthy slave owners -eulogized him a hero, and freely opened their purses to give expression to -their appreciation of his chivalrous conduct in saving the lives of so -many. - - "World-wide apart, and yet akin, - As shown that the human heart - Beats on forever as of old." - - - - -A MEMORABLE FREEZE - - -The year 1849 is signalized as the most remarkable in the history of the -state. The winter was ushered in by mildness, there was but little harsh -weather during the entire season, and the winter was early merged into the -mildness of spring. Vegetable life began to appear in the greenswards, the -blossoms came in profusion, birds were singing and nesting, vegetables -grew to early perfection, and the good housewives were careful to stow -away the winter apparel with safeguards against moths and other -destructive insects. - -Planters were awake to turning the advanced season to practical account, -the fields were plowed and planted, and the young crops began growing -rapidly under the genial and fervid skies. The crops were much advanced -because of these favorable conditions, and the fruit was rapidly -increasing in size. Every indication pointed to a prosperous year, and the -flash of confidence was in the eye of every planter. Cool snaps would now -and then come, but they were not of such character as to occasion concern, -and the young crops were growing rapidly apace. Corn had been planted -early, and excellent stands were everywhere to be seen. The peculiar -season excited much wonder, and was the occasion of not a little comment. -There was a rush and bustle of life everywhere. Cotton was early planted, -was chopped out, and was rapidly growing off. - -The burst of summertide had practically come by the middle of April, the -gardens were yielding abundantly of vegetables, and cold weather came to -be regarded as a memory. The oldest declared that they had never before -witnessed a year like that, and the indications were that the harvest -would come at least a month in advance of any previous year. Early fruits -began to ripen, and progressive housewives were vying with each other in -the production of early fruits and vegetables, and especially in the -quantity of eggs gathered. - -Near the latter part of April of that year a sudden change came. The -atmosphere became rapidly chilly, but as snaps had come at different -times, this occasioned no serious alarm. - -But the weather continued to become more icy, and there was a rapid shift -of apparel. The sudden change culminated in one of the fiercest freezes -that had occurred within a number of years. The corn was waist high, and -the cotton fully twelve inches in height, and perfectly clear of grass. -The morning following the severe freeze revealed a wide waste of -desolation. Wilt and blight and death were everywhere. The deepest green -was turned into sallow, and cheerlessness everywhere reigned. Not a -glimpse of green was to be seen. Gardens, fields and pastures equally -shared in the general desolation. Not a note of a bird could be heard, -many of the songsters were found dead, and nature seemed to put on the -weeds of mourning. - -The enthusiasm of the planting public was turned into consternation. There -was everywhere dismay. The season was well advanced, seed was scarce and -difficult to be had, and the sudden check was a shock. The difficulty was -that few knew what to do in the presence of a phenomenon so remarkable. -But there was no halt on the part of the progressive planters. They -resumed their activity and fell to the work of planting anew. The soil was -in excellent condition, economy was had in the use of seed, and soon -another crop was planted. The weather rapidly changed to warmth again, -showers followed, and the seasons thenceforth were ideal. Every condition -favored germination and growth, cultivation was rapid, and within a few -weeks the fields were again radiant in vernal freshness. The leaves came -again slowly on the trees, though many of the trees died. Fruit utterly -failed, and not a few of the fruit trees were killed. - -As with compensating balance, a long summer ensued, followed by a late -fall, the crops grew rapidly to perfection, every condition favored their -tillage and final harvesting, the whole resulting in one of the most -bounteous crops produced up to that time in the state. - -Hickorynuts, walnuts, acorns, and swampmast generally were abundant to the -salvation of the small game of the woods, and to the supplementary aid of -the raisers of hogs, and no inconvenience was experienced save that -everything was backward. - -The opening of the cotton market was delayed for a month or six weeks, but -the price was good, and the year 1849 recovered from its disaster, and -proved to be one of the most prosperous that had ever been experienced. -Merchants who were accustomed to go north for their stocks were somewhat -delayed, but so were the seasons, and conditions were amply equalized by -the close of the year, and events took their usual and uniform round. - -To be sure, scientific wiseacres here and there declared that the seasons -were changing, just as is always true when phenomena come, but practical -men went on their way, farmers becoming more economic and careful, but as -'49 receded, it became a year much talked of during the then existing -generation, and in time became a tradition as a remarkable exception among -the years. - -Remarkable meteorological phenomena have come in all periods of history, -and while they have furnished supposed data to a certain class of -scientists, so-called, with which they have woven theories not a few, the -temperature of the different zones has continued as of old, and while -fatuous theories have gone to the winds, the seasons have kept on their -wonted rounds as of old. - -The modification of temperature may come as a result of certain conditions -like that of the denudation of our forests and others, yet there is -scarcely any prospect that any material change will come, for so long as -the gulf stream pursues its way, climates are not liable to undergo any -decided change. - - - - -TWO SLAVE MISSIONARIES - - -Amidst the shadings and shinings of slavery were two instances in Alabama -history that are worthy of record. During the regime of slavery, provision -was made in the churches of the whites for the accommodation of the -slaves, in the larger churches by spacious galleries, and in the smaller -ones, by rear seats. The latter custom prevailed, for the most part, in -the rural churches. - -Among the different denominations, the Baptists and Methodists were -foremost in the provision of the means of the evangelization of the -slaves. These two denominations made each year appointments of white -missionaries to the blacks on the plantations, and on the services held -under such conditions, both the whites and blacks would attend. Provision -was made for membership of the slaves in the churches of the whites, where -they enjoyed the same privileges in common, being received into membership -in the same way, baptized, as were the others, and sharing in the -communion alike. When the slaves were freed, they were encouraged to found -their own churches and other institutions, the friendly whites aiding them -in every way possible. - -So far back as 1828, before the agitation of the slavery question began in -earnest, in the press, the schools, and in the congress of the United -States, much attention was given to the christianization of the slaves. -This spirit was somewhat later checked by the establishment of the -underground railroad, and by other methods clandestinely employed by the -abolitionists to liberate the southern slaves. These secret methods called -into exercise counter means as those of circumvention. Among these last -mentioned was that of the legal imposition of a penalty on anyone who -would teach a slave to read or to write, which law was generally enacted -in the slave states, and the other was that of the fugitive slave law, -which was enacted September 18, 1850. - -Between the legislative bodies and the Christian denominations there was -no apparent conflict, and yet those interested in the evangelization of -the slaves recognized the necessity of intelligence in order to appreciate -the gospel. The practical result was that the legislature would enact its -laws and the churches would pursue their own courses in their own ways. In -the Alabama Baptist Association a step was taken, in 1828, that reveals -one of the bright sides of slavery. At that time the Alabama association -embraced a number of counties in the heart of the "black belt," where were -many of the largest slave owners of the state. - -Within the territory of that association was a remarkable negro named -Caesar, who belonged to John R. Blackwell. This slave showed not only -remarkable ability as a preacher, but possessed a rare character which was -highly esteemed by the whites. The missionary to the slaves at that time -was Rev. James McLemore, on whom Caesar won rapidly, and he often took the -slave preacher with him on his tours, and not infrequently had him to -preach in his stead. Mr. McLemore called the attention of the association -to the worth of this man, and proposed that he be bought from his master, -given his freedom, and be employed as a missionary to the slaves on the -plantations. This was accordingly done, through a committee of the body, -and the sum of $625 was paid for Caesar out of the treasury of the -association, and the remainder of the life of Caesar was given exclusively -to preaching as a free man. Exceedingly black as Caesar was, he was gladly -listened to by white auditors, as he would go here and there about the -country on his missionary tours. - -In another instance, the Alabama state convention sought to purchase a -gifted slave for the same purpose. There belonged to John Phillips, of -Cotton Valley, Macon County, a slave whose name was Dock, a large, -muscular and valuable man, who was a blacksmith on his master's -plantation. He and his master had been reared together, and were much -devoted to each other. In his younger days, Dock had been taught to read -and to write by his young master, who came at last to inherit him from his -father's estate. Mr. Phillips continued to teach Dock, who became a -preacher of note among his people, and who was widely esteemed by the -whites because of his Christian worth, wise influence on the slaves, and -because, too, of his gift as a preacher. He attracted the attention of -some of the prominent members of the convention, and the proposal was made -to purchase his freedom, and to send him forth as a missionary among the -blacks. An influential committee was appointed, one of which number was -the late Dr. Samuel Henderson, and in due time, the committee visited the -master with the view of negotiating the purchase. - -When the matter was submitted to the master he replied that he did not -wish to prevent the greatest good being done among the slaves, and -admitted that Dock was a tower of strength with his people, but added that -he regarded Dock indispensable to his plantation, because he was his chief -"driver," and his only reliable blacksmith. After much discussion, the -master consented to leave the matter for settlement to Dock himself. -Accordingly he and the committee of distinguished preachers repaired to -the blacksmith shop, called Dock out, who was wearing his long leather -apron, and had his sleeves rolled to his shoulders, while his face was -begrimed with smoke and soot. Mr. Phillips remained silent, and allowed -the preachers and Dock to negotiate concerning his purchase and consequent -freedom. - -Dock listened in silence while they proceeded to show him the advantages -which would accrue to him, in consequence of his freedom and the exercise -of his gifts as a preacher. When the committee had ended, Dock asked his -friend and master what he had to say to a proposal so novel, and the -master told him that it was left to him to decide. The blacksmith then -said: "Marse John, we were raised together, and have always been like -brothers. You give me all the freedom I want. You let me have a horse to -ride when I want it, and there has never been a word between us. No -greater kindness could I have, if I were free, but if you want to sell me, -I will go, not because I want to, but because you want to get rid of me. -Of course, I belong to you, and if you leave it to me, I'm going to stay -with you till one or the other of us dies." "That settles it, gentlemen," -said the master, and turning to Dock, he said, "You may go back to your -work." Dock lived many years, was a slave preacher of power, but was never -free. There is much of the inner history of the South of which the world -knows nothing. - - - - -THE CAMP MEETING - - -For the camp meeting, so long a popular institution in the South, we are -indebted to the people called Methodists. The originator of the camp -meeting seems to have been Lorenzo Dow, who adopted this as a popular -method of reaching the people of England in the earliest years of the -nineteenth century. It was so successful that the early Methodists adopted -it with much advantage in the new and growing states of America. Others -partly adopted this method, but none could ever equal the success of the -Methodists in its conduct. It remained a popular institution till the -beginning of the Civil War. - -Unique in many respects, the camp meeting rapidly won in popular favor. -Though religious, the camp meeting had the inviting side of an outing and -the dash of the picnic together, with the abandon attendant on a season of -religious worship in the woods. Its lack of restraint of formality and -conventionality, such as pertained to church worship, gave it a peculiar -tang of popularity. In the camp meeting there was a oneness of spirit, -with the total obliteration of favoritism where people could worship -without the fear of trenching on the rules of stilted propriety, and -without having to conform to style or aught else, but common sense -propriety. The preacher could preach as long as he might wish, and the -people could sing and shout without limit. The fresh, open air, the tented -grounds, social contact, and freedom of worship were the chief elements of -an old-time camp meeting. Certain points throughout the South became -famous as camp grounds, and remained so for full fifty years or more. That -the camp meeting was an occasion of vast good, no one familiar with it -would deny. To old and young alike it was always one of the prospective -focal points of genuine enjoyment. There was the zest of novelty of living -apart a week or ten days from the noisy world, in the midst of the most -congenial association. The approach of the season for the camp meeting -spurred the farmer to the time of "laying by" his crop, and excited the -diligence of the good housewife in hoarding eggs, butter and honey and of -fattening the turkeys and chickens, all for "the coming camp meeting." Nor -did the idea of denominationalism ever enter the minds of the people. -While it was a Methodist institution, those of other denominations shared -with equal interest in its promotion and success. The recreation afforded -was of the most wholesome type physically, mentally, socially, and -spiritually. - -A level tract of land in close proximity to a large spring of water was -usually selected, cleared of its undergrowth and fallen timbers, in the -midst of a populous region, and with surroundings of abundance in order to -provide against any emergency respecting man or beast. The grounds were -generally laid out in regular order after the fashion of a camp, and any -who might wish to do so were invited to pitch their tents, and share in -the general enjoyment of the occasion. The only restriction imposed were -those of good order and the observance of decent propriety about one's -tent. Disorder of no kind was tolerated, and if discovered, was promptly -removed. There were no rigid rules, the law being that of common sense -based on decency and propriety. - -The camp meeting was held at an annually stated time, and by the Christian -community was looked forward to with a sense of delight that must have -been akin to that of the ancient Israelites in their annual pilgrimages to -Jerusalem. For at least a week in advance of the beginning of the meeting, -there were those who were active in getting the grounds into condition for -the coming event, while those who were to tent on the grounds were engaged -in storing supplies and arranging for the comfort of the occupants of the -tents and cottages erected about the grounds. The tents were thickly sown -down with oat or wheat straw, and partitioned with curtains, in -accommodation to the different sexes. - -The chief building on the grounds was the place of worship, or the -tabernacle. This was usually a pavilion with permanent roof and seats and -deeply overstrewn with straw. Sometimes it was an immense tent which was -erected each year. The worship began with a sunrise prayer meeting, to -which the audience was summoned, as it was to all occasions of worship, by -the blowing of a large cow horn. Four services a day were held, one at -sunrise, another at midday, a third in the afternoon, and another at -night. No limitation of time was imposed on the services. They were as -liable to last four or five hours, as one. The matter was settled by the -interest, and not by the watch. Often after midnight the services were -still in progress. - -Near the center of the grounds was what was called the fire-stand, which -was a small platform four or five feet square, covered deeply in sand, on -which a fire was kept blazing by means of light-wood during the entire -night. This platform was supported by four strong supports, and the -resinous flame would irradiate all the grounds and surrounding forest. -About the camp, were the stalls for the stock, and the braying mules and -neighing horses served to remind one of the domestic conditions of the -camp. - -These occasions were gala ones to the young folk who were seen perched in -buggies about the grounds discussing themes that "dissolve in air away," -while more serious subjects were being conned under the roof of the -tabernacle. No class more gladly hailed the camp meeting than the -old-time, thrifty slave, who appeared on the scene with crude articles for -sale. The old black mammy was present with her coil of flaring bandana -about her head, and wearing her snowy apron, while she sold her long -ginger cakes, while the old uncle dispensed from an earthen jug good -"simmon beer," or corn beer, while others were venders of watermelons and -sugar cane. - -Other organizations more formal and formidable have come to take the place -of the old time camp meeting, but it is doubtful that they accomplish the -same beneficent results. The camp meeting was a social cement which -blended most beautifully with that which was spiritual in a wide region, -and in its discontinuance there is occasioned a gap which nothing has come -to fill. - - - - -THE STOLEN SLAVE - - -Rev. Dr. I. T. Tichenor, who was for many years pastor of the First -Baptist Church of Montgomery, later the president of the Polytechnic -Institute at Auburn, and still later corresponding secretary of the Home -Mission of the Southern Baptist Convention, relates the following story of -cruelty as connected with his pastorate at Montgomery. It was the habit of -Dr. Tichenor to preach to the slaves of Montgomery, every Sunday -afternoon, during his long pastorate in that city. - -Among the many hundred slaves who came to the service was a large, -muscular, yellow man, well advanced in years, whose infirmity was -supported by a large hickory stick, the peculiar thump of which always -signalized the coming of this old man into the church. The pastor was -sympathetically attracted to the old man because of his devotion, marked -silence, and physical infirmity. This particular slave rarely smiled, and -when the pastor would call on him to pray, which he sometimes did, Jesse -Goldthwaite, the crippled slave, would respond with a fervency rarely -heard. - -When the emancipation of the slaves came as a result of the close of the -war, there was much jubilation, but it seemed not to affect Jesse -Goldthwaite. Conscious that his end was near, freedom could be of but -slight benefit to him. The distinguished white pastor noticed that the old -man was not the least cheerful, in the midst of the wild demonstrations of -racial joy, and the shadow of the sorrow under which the aged slave lived -never disappeared. After the slaves had been free for some time, Jesse -came one day during the week into the study of Dr. Tichenor, and -addressing him as "master," as he was in the habit of doing, wished to -know if he would be good enough to write some letters for him. - -Dr. Tichenor assured him that it would be a pleasure to serve him. With -difficulty the old ex-slave took a seat that was offered him, and leaning -on his big stick began by saying that when he was stolen from his home in -Maryland, his father, mother, three brothers and a sister were then living -in a thrifty village in that state, the name of which village was given. -But this was just fifty-two years before. Jesse indulged the hope that -some of them still lived, though he had not heard from them since he was -kidnaped at the age of eighteen. - -Never having heard his story, Dr. Tichenor encouraged him to give it. -Jesse's father and his family were free. The family lived on the outskirts -of a Maryland village where the father owned a good home and a small farm. -Having occasion to send Jesse on an errand to the shores of the -Chesapeake, the stalwart youth of eighteen, muscular, large, active and -bright, was seized by some slave traders, and forcibly taken on board a -small vessel and carried to Richmond, where in the slave market he was -sold on the block. He protested that he was free, and was forcibly brought -hither, but no attention was given to his defense. From Virginia he was -brought to Montgomery, and bought by the Goldthwaites, in which family he -had been for more than fifty years. On being sold at Montgomery he again -protested, but was answered by the statement that he had been bought in -good faith, and the fault was not that of his present owners. This, he -said, destroyed all hope, and he knew that he was doomed to a life of -slavery, from which condition there was no possible appeal. This made him -desperate, and he resolved on a course of perpetual rebellion. His -mistress sympathized with him in his condition, after she learned his -story, and sought to show him every possible kindness, but his refractory -disposition brought him under the stern discipline of his master, who -sought to subdue him at any cost. While he was forced to succumb, he was -not reconciled to his fate, and resisted in every way possible. He was -notorious as a thief, liar, and profane swearer, and in his desperation he -resolved to drown his troubles in drunkenness. Exposure on cold nights, -while drunk, induced the rheumatism and impaired his sight almost to -blindness. - -The years wore wearily on, and when he was brought under the influence of -the preaching of Dr. Tichenor, Jesse became a Christian, and thenceforth -he sought to lead a subdued and submissive life, but his frame was now a -wreck. Advancing age had bent his form, and it was with difficulty that he -could see. While submissive, Jesse was never cheerful, but lived under the -burden of a wrong enforced, from which there was no possible deliverance. -Now, at the age of seventy-two, he came to Dr. Tichenor to request that he -write to Maryland, and if possible, to learn whether any of his relatives, -who never knew of his fate, were still surviving. Letters were written, -one to the postmaster of the village, and to others known personally to -Dr. Tichenor, at Baltimore, and elsewhere. - -For several weeks the old man would trudge with difficulty to the pastor's -study to learn of the result of the letters, but no favorable answer came. -In order to cheer the old man, and to prolong hope, Dr. Tichenor would -write to yet others, but nothing could be learned of the whereabouts of -any of those sought by Jesse Goldthwaite. The aged ex-slave would leave -the presence of the pastor with a heavy groan each time, and express the -hope that when he should come the next time he might be able to learn of -his loved ones of the long ago. Finally the old man ceased to come. It was -thought that continued discouragement had checked his visits, but when Dr. -Tichenor sought to learn of the strange absence of Jesse, he ascertained -that he had been dead for weeks. In a negro cabin he had died in -Montgomery, and had been quietly buried by his own people in the pauper -graveyard. - -In the annals of the horrors of slavery no story can perhaps excel that of -the doom of Jesse Goldthwaite. Born a free man, and stolen in the prime of -his robust youthhood, manacled and sold into slavery, he lived more than a -half century in this condition, and when he died, he was buried in a grave -of poverty. - - - - -HAL'S LAKE - - -In the fork of the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers, about fifty miles above -Mobile, is said to be a lake, beautiful and clear, which is called Hal's -Lake. The name is derived from an incident that occurred in the days of -slavery. A runaway slave from a Mississippi plantation found refuge and -secretion in this dismal resort, and hither he lured other slaves, all of -whom lived in the region of the lake for an unknown time. - -Having run away from a plantation in Mississippi, Hal, a stalwart slave, -made his way across the Tombigbee, and on reaching the swamp of big cane, -tangled underbrush and large trees, he found his way into it with great -difficulty, where he discovered that the bears of the swamp had regular -paths, the tall canes on the sides of which being worn smooth by their -fur. For a day or two the runaway subsisted on the wild fruits of the -swamp, but on exploring further toward the north, he found that there were -plantations on the opposite side of the Alabama River, and by means of the -use of a piece of wood to support him in swimming across, he made his way, -a hungry man, to a plantation at night, where he told his story and -procured food. - -Hal soon became an expert forager, as was indicated by the loss of an -occasional pig, lamb, goat, or turkey from the plantation. Not content -with his own freedom, he determined to bring his family to this swampy -retreat. Making his way back to his distant home, he succeeded at night in -mounting his family on two or three choice horses, and being familiar -with the country in that region, he chose to travel during the first night -along plantation paths, and the next morning after leaving the home, he -and his were fully thirty miles away. The horses were turned loose, and -the remainder of the journey was pursued at night, while the fleeing -slaves would sleep during the day. When the Tombigbee was reached, he -succeeded in conveying his family over by lashing some logs together. -After a perilous passage, they finally reached the swamp, and set about -providing a temporary home on the lake, by constructing a booth of canes -and saplings, covering it with bark. - -In his trips to the neighboring plantations across the river for -necessaries, Hal induced other slaves to join him in his safe retreat. -After a time, he had a colony in a quarter where white men had never gone, -and on the shores of the lake chickens crew, turkeys gobbled, with the -mingled notes of the squealing of pigs and the bleating of goats. - -Hal was the sovereign of the tiny commonwealth, and in due course of time -he found it unnecessary himself to go on foraging expeditions, and would -send others. Still the population of the colony grew, as an occasional -runaway slave would be induced to join it. In those days of "underground -railroads," the continued absence of a slave from a plantation would be -taken to mean that he had fled by some of the numerous means of escape, -and after a period, search for the missing would be given up. Not only was -there a mysterious disappearance of slaves, but that of pigs, chickens, -sheep and other domestic animals, as well. The secret of this slave haunt -was well preserved, and the news of its security became an inducement to a -large number of slaves, some from a considerable distance, to join Hal's -colony beside the lake. - -Not only was Hal autocratic in his immured fastness between the rivers and -in the jungle of cane, but he became tyrannical, which in turn, provoked -revolt. A burly slave refused to obey his dictation, and Hal straightway -expelled him from the colony, and exiled him. Bent on revenge, the exile -made his way back to his master, surrendered and told the story fatal to -Hal's colony. The mysteries of several years were thus cleared up to -planters along the rivers. The exile became the guide to the retreat where -was ensconced the slave colony, and with packs of dogs and guns, the -stronghold was surrounded and the slaves captured. But slight resistance -to the dogs was offered, and the submissive black men and their families -were conveyed across the river, the ownership of each ascertained, and -each was sent, under guard, to his owner. As for Hal and his family, the -sheriff notified the owner on the distant Mississippi plantation of their -capture, and he came, in due time, proved his chattels, and they were -taken back to their original home. - -How long they might have remained in this secure retreat, but for the -intolerance of the original leader, it is impossible to say. Hal was not -unlike many another with advantages vastly above his--power made him -top-heavy, and soft seductions were turned into tyranny, all of which -reminds us of the comment of Artemus Ward on the conduct of the Puritans -of New England. Artemus said: "They came to this country to worship God -according to their own consciences, and to keep other people from -worshipin' Him accordin' to their'n." - -The capture of Hal and of his party led to the discovery of this -phenomenal body of clear water in that interior retreat not only, but to -the discovery of bears, which fact made it the hunting ground for big game -for many years. It is said that much big game is still to be found in that -region between the two great rivers. - -How much of truth there is in the details of this story which comes to us -from the old slave days, none can tell, but it reveals to us one of the -features of slave life. That the story has its foundation in fact, there -seems to be no doubt, and it still lingers as a tradition in that quarter -of the state. - - - - -Transcriber's Note: - -Text on page 530 is misprinted in the original. This error is presented in -this version as it is in the original. - - Gen. William Henry Harrison having resigned as major general in the - regular army was disbanded, and the troops returned home. him. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Makers and Romance of Alabama History, by -B. F. 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