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of the State of Tennessee., by Davy Crockett
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Title: A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, of the State of Tennessee.
Author: Davy Crockett
Release Date: November 5, 2011 [EBook #37925]
Language: English
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NARRATIVE
OF THE
LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT,
OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE.
I leave this rule for others when I'm dead,
Be always sure you're right--THEN GO AHEAD!
THE AUTHOR.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
SIXTH EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA.
E. L. CAREY AND A. HART.
BALTIMORE:
CAREY, HART & CO.
1834.
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1834,
BY DAVID CROCKETT,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Columbia.
STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON,
PHILADELPHIA.
PREFACE.
Fashion is a thing I care mighty little about, except when it happens to
run just exactly according to my own notion; and I was mighty nigh
sending out my book without any preface at all, until a notion struck
me, that perhaps it was necessary to explain a little the reason why and
wherefore I had written it.
Most of authors seek fame, but I seek for justice,--a holier impulse
than ever entered into the ambitious struggles of the votaries of that
_fickle_, _flirting_ goddess.
A publication has been made to the world, which has done me much
injustice; and the catchpenny errors which it contains, have been
already too long sanctioned by my silence. I don't know the author of
the book--and indeed I don't want to know him; for after he has taken
such a liberty with my name, and made such an effort to hold me up to
publick ridicule, he cannot calculate on any thing but my displeasure. If
he had been content to have written his opinions about me, however
contemptuous they might have been, I should have had less reason to
complain. But when he professes to give my narrative (as he often does)
in my own language, and then puts into my mouth such language as would
disgrace even an outlandish African, he must himself be sensible of the
injustice he has done me, and the trick he has played off on the publick.
I have met with hundreds, if not with thousands of people, who have
formed their opinions of my appearance, habits, language, and every
thing else from that deceptive work.
They have almost in every instance expressed the most profound
astonishment at finding me in human shape, and with the _countenance_,
_appearance_, and _common feelings_ of a human being. It is to correct
all these false notions, and to do justice to myself, that I have
written.
It is certain that the writer of the book alluded to has gathered up
many imperfect scraps of information concerning me, as in parts of his
work there is some little semblance of truth. But I ask him, if this
notice should ever reach his eye, how would he have liked it, if I had
treated _him_ so?--if I had put together such a bundle of ridiculous
stuff, and headed it with _his_ name, and sent it out upon the world
without ever even condescending to ask _his_ permission? To these
questions, all upright men must give the same answer. It was wrong; and
the desire to make money by it, is no apology for such injustice to a
fellow man.
But I let him pass; as my wish is greatly more to vindicate myself, than
to condemn him.
In the following pages I have endeavoured to give the reader a plain,
honest, homespun account of my state in life, and some few of the
difficulties which have attended me along its journey, down to this
time. I am perfectly aware, that I have related many small and, as I
fear, uninteresting circumstances; but if so, my apology is, that it was
rendered necessary by a desire to link the different periods of my life
together, as they have passed, from my childhood onward, and thereby to
enable the reader to select such parts of it as he may relish most, if,
indeed, there is any thing in it which may suit his palate.
I have also been operated on by another consideration. It is this:--I
know, that obscure as I am, my name is making a considerable deal of
fuss in the world. I can't tell why it is, nor in what it is to end. Go
where I will, everybody seems anxious to get a peep at me; and it would
be hard to tell which would have the advantage, if I, and the
"Government," and "Black Hawk," and a great eternal big caravan of _wild
varments_ were all to be showed at the same time in four different parts
of any of the big cities in the nation. I am not so sure that I
shouldn't get the most custom of any of the crew. There must therefore
be something in me, or about me, that attracts attention, which is even
mysterious to myself. I can't understand it, and I therefore put all the
facts down, leaving the reader free to take his choice of them.
On the subject of my style, it is bad enough, in all conscience, to
please critics, if that is what they are after. They are a sort of
vermin, though, that I sha'n't even so much as stop to brush off. If
they want to work on my book, just let them go ahead; and after they are
done, they had better blot out all their criticisms, than to know what
opinion I would express of _them_, and by what sort of a curious name I
would call _them_, if I was standing near them, and looking over their
shoulders. They will, at most, have only their trouble for their pay.
But I rather expect I shall have them on my side.
But I don't know of any thing in my book to be criticised on by
honourable men. Is it on my spelling?--that's not my trade. Is it on my
grammar?--I hadn't time to learn it, and make no pretensions to it. Is
it on the order and arrangement of my book?--I never wrote one before,
and never read very many; and, of course, know mighty little about that.
Will it be on the authorship of the book?--this I claim, and I'll hang
on to it, like a wax plaster. The whole book is my own, and every
sentiment and sentence in it. I would not be such a fool, or knave
either, as to deny that I have had it hastily run over by a friend or
so, and that some little alterations have been made in the spelling and
grammar; and I am not so sure that it is not the worse of even that, for
I despise this way of spelling contrary to nature. And as for grammar,
it's pretty much a thing of nothing at last, after all the fuss that's
made about it. In some places, I wouldn't suffer either the spelling, or
grammar, or any thing else to be touch'd; and therefore it will be found
in my own way.
But if any body complains that I have had it looked over, I can only
say to him, her, or them--as the case may be--that while critics were
learning grammar, and learning to spell, I, and "Doctor Jackson, L.L.D."
were fighting in the wars; and if our books, and messages, and
proclamations, and cabinet writings, and so forth, and so on, should
need a little looking over, and a little correcting of the spelling and
the grammar to make them fit for use, its just nobody's business. Big
men have more important matters to attend to than crossing their
_t_'s--, and dotting their _i_'s--, and such like small things. But the
"Government's" name is to the proclamation, and my name's to the book;
and if I didn't write the book, the "Government" didn't write the
proclamation, which no man _dares to deny_!
But just read for yourself, and my ears for a heel tap, if before you
get through you don't say, with many a good-natured smile and hearty
laugh, "This is truly the very thing itself--the exact image of its
Author,
DAVID CROCKETT."
WASHINGTON CITY,
February 1st, 1834.
NARRATIVE
OF THE
LIFE OF DAVID CROCKETT.
CHAPTER I.
As the public seem to feel some interest in the history of an individual
so humble as I am, and as that history can be so well known to no person
living as to myself, I have, after so long a time, and under many
pressing solicitations from my friends and acquaintances, at last
determined to put my own hand to it, and lay before the world a
narrative on which they may at least rely as being true. And seeking no
ornament or colouring for a plain, simple tale of truth, I throw aside
all hypocritical and fawning apologies, and, according to my own maxim,
just "_go ahead_." Where I am not known, I might, perhaps, gain some
little credit by having thrown around this volume some of the flowers of
learning; but where I am known, the vile cheatery would soon be
detected, and like the foolish jackdaw, that with a _borrowed_ tail
attempted to play the peacock, I should be justly robbed of my pilfered
ornaments, and sent forth to strut without a tail for the balance of my
time. I shall commence my book with what little I have learned of the
history of my father, as all _great men_ rest many, if not most, of
their hopes on their noble ancestry. Mine was poor, but I hope honest,
and even that is as much as many a man can say. But to my subject.
My father's name was John Crockett, and he was of Irish descent. He was
either born in Ireland or on a passage from that country to America
across the Atlantic. He was by profession a farmer, and spent the early
part of his life in the state of Pennsylvania. The name of my mother was
Rebecca Hawkins. She was an American woman, born in the state of
Maryland, between York and Baltimore. It is likely I may have heard
where they were married, but if so, I have forgotten. It is, however,
certain that they were, or else the public would never have been
troubled with the history of David Crockett, their son.
I have an imperfect recollection of the part which I have understood my
father took in the revolutionary war. I personally know nothing about
it, for it happened to be a little before my day; but from himself, and
many others who were well acquainted with its troubles and afflictions,
I have learned that he was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and took
part in that bloody struggle. He fought, according to my information, in
the battle at Kings Mountain against the British and tories, and in some
other engagements of which my remembrance is too imperfect to enable me
to speak with any certainty. At some time, though I cannot say certainly
when, my father, as I have understood, lived in Lincoln county, in the
state of North Carolina. How long, I don't know. But when he removed
from there, he settled in that district of country which is now embraced
in the east division of Tennessee, though it was not then erected into a
state.
He settled there under dangerous circumstances, both to himself and his
family, as the country was full of Indians, who were at that time very
troublesome. By the Creeks, my grandfather and grandmother Crockett were
both murdered, in their own house, and on the very spot of ground where
Rogersville, in Hawkins county, now stands. At the same time, the
Indians wounded Joseph Crockett, a brother to my father, by a ball,
which broke his arm; and took James a prisoner, who was still a younger
brother than Joseph, and who, from natural defects, was less able to
make his escape, as he was both deaf and dumb. He remained with them for
seventeen years and nine months, when he was discovered and recollected
by my father and his eldest brother, William Crockett; and was purchased
by them from an Indian trader, at a price which I do not now remember;
but so it was, that he was delivered up to them, and they returned him
to his relatives. He now lives in Cumberland county, in the state of
Kentucky, though I have not seen him for many years.
My father and mother had six sons and three daughters. I was the fifth
son. What a pity I hadn't been the seventh! For then I might have been,
by _common consent_, called _doctor_, as a heap of people get to be
great men. But, like many of them, I stood no chance to become great in
any other way than by accident. As my father was very poor, and living
as he did _far back in the back woods_, he had neither the means nor the
opportunity to give me, or any of the rest of his children, any
learning.
But before I get on the subject of my own troubles, and a great many
very funny things that have happened to me, like all other historians
and biographers, I should not only inform the public that I was born,
myself, as well as other folks, but that this important event took
place, according to the best information I have received on the subject,
on the 17th of August, in the year 1786; whether by day or night, I
believe I never heard, but if I did I, have forgotten. I suppose,
however, it is not very material to my present purpose, nor to the
world, as the more important fact is well attested, that I was born;
and, indeed, it might be inferred, from my present size and appearance,
that I was pretty _well born_, though I have never yet attached myself
to that numerous and worthy society.
At that time my father lived at the mouth of Lime Stone, on the
Nola-chucky river; and for the purpose not only of showing what sort of
a man I now am, but also to show how soon I began to be a _sort of a
little man_, I have endeavoured to take the _back track_ of life, in
order to fix on the first thing that I can remember. But even then, as
now, so many things were happening, that as Major Jack Downing would
say, they are all in "a pretty considerable of a snarl," and I find it
"kinder hard" to fix on that thing, among them all, which really
happened first. But I think it likely, I have hit on the outside line
of my recollection; as one thing happened at which I was so badly
scared, that it seems to me I could not have forgotten it, if it had
happened a little time only after I was born. Therefore it furnishes me
with no certain evidence of my age at the time; but I know one thing
very well, and that is, that when it happened, I had no knowledge of the
use of breeches, for I had never had any nor worn any.
But the circumstance was this: My four elder brothers, and a well-grown
boy of about fifteen years old, by the name of Campbell, and myself,
were all playing on the river's side; when all the rest of them got into
my father's canoe, and put out to amuse themselves on the water, leaving
me on the shore alone.
Just a little distance below them, there was a fall in the river, which
went slap-right straight down. My brothers, though they were little
fellows, had been used to paddling the canoe, and could have carried it
safely anywhere about there; but this fellow Campbell wouldn't let them
have the paddle, but, fool like, undertook to manage it himself. I
reckon he had never seen a water craft before; and it went just any way
but the way he wanted it. There he paddled, and paddled, and
paddled--all the while going wrong,--until,--in a short time, here they
were all going, straight forward, stern foremost, right plump to the
falls; and if they had only had a fair shake, they would have gone over
as slick as a whistle. It was'ent this, though, that scared me; for I
was so infernal mad that they had left me on the shore, that I had as
soon have seen them all go over the falls a bit, as any other way. But
their danger was seen by a man by the name of Kendall, but I'll be shot
if it was Amos; for I believe I would know him yet if I was to see him.
This man Kendall was working in a field on the bank, and knowing there
was no time to lose, he started full tilt, and here he come like a cane
brake afire; and as he ran, he threw off his coat, and then his jacket,
and then his shirt, for I know when he got to the water he had nothing
on but his breeches. But seeing him in such a hurry, and tearing off his
clothes as he went, I had no doubt but that the devil or something else
was after him--and close on him, too--as he was running within an inch
of his life. This alarmed me, and I screamed out like a young painter.
But Kendall didn't stop for this. He went ahead with all might, and as
full bent on saving the boys, as Amos was on moving the deposites. When
he came to the water he plunged in, and where it was too deep to wade
he would swim, and where it was shallow enough he went bolting on; and
by such exertion as I never saw at any other time in my life, he reached
the canoe, when it was within twenty or thirty feet of the falls; and so
great was the suck, and so swift the current, that poor Kendall had a
hard time of it to stop them at last, as Amos will to stop the mouths of
the people about his stockjobbing. But he hung on to the canoe, till he
got it stop'd, and then draw'd it out of danger. When they got out, I
found the boys were more scared than I had been, and the only thing that
comforted me was, the belief that it was a punishment on them for
leaving me on shore.
Shortly after this, my father removed, and settled in the same county,
about ten miles above Greenville.
There another circumstance happened, which made a lasting impression on
my memory, though I was but a small child. Joseph Hawkins, who was a
brother to my mother, was in the woods hunting for deer. He was passing
near a thicket of brush, in which one of our neighbours was gathering
some grapes, as it was in the fall of the year, and the grape season.
The body of the man was hid by the brush, and it was only as he would
raise his hand to pull the bunches, that any part of him could be seen.
It was a likely place for deer; and my uncle, having no suspicion that
it was any human being, but supposing the raising of the hand to be the
occasional twitch of a deer's ear, fired at the lump, and as the devil
would have it, unfortunately shot the man through the body. I saw my
father draw a silk handkerchief through the bullet hole, and entirely
through his body; yet after a while he got well, as little as any one
would have thought it. What become of him, or whether he is dead or
alive, I don't know; but I reckon he did'ent fancy the business of
gathering grapes in an out-of-the-way thicket soon again.
The next move my father made was to the mouth of Cove creek, where he
and a man by the name of Thomas Galbreath undertook to build a mill in
partnership. They went on very well with their work until it was nigh
done, when there came the second epistle to Noah's fresh, and away went
their mill, shot, lock, and barrel. I remember the water rose so high,
that it got up into the house we lived in, and my father moved us out of
it, to keep us from being drowned. I was now about seven or eight years
old, and have a pretty distinct recollection of every thing that was
going on. From his bad luck in that business, and being ready to wash
out from mill building, my father again removed, and this time settled
in Jefferson county, now in the state of Tennessee; where he opened a
tavern on the road from Abbingdon to Knoxville.
His tavern was on a small scale, as he was poor; and the principal
accommodations which he kept, were for the waggoners who travelled the
road. Here I remained with him until I was twelve years old; and about
that time, you may guess, if you belong to Yankee land, or reckon, if
like me you belong to the back-woods, that I began to make up my
acquaintance with hard times, and a plenty of them.
An old Dutchman, by the name of Jacob Siler, who was moving from Knox
county to Rockbridge, in the state of Virginia, in passing, made a stop
at my father's house. He had a large stock of cattle, that he was
carrying on with him; and I suppose made some proposition to my father
to hire some one to assist him.
Being hard run every way, and having no thought, as I believe, that I
was cut out for a Congressman or the like, young as I was, and as little
as I knew about travelling, or being from home, he hired me to the old
Dutchman, to go four hundred miles on foot, with a perfect stranger that
I never had seen until the evening before. I set out with a heavy heart,
it is true, but I went ahead, until we arrived at the place, which was
three miles from what is called the Natural Bridge, and made a stop at
the house of a Mr. Hartley, who was father-in-law to Mr. Siler, who had
hired me. My Dutch master was very kind to me, and gave me five or six
dollars, being pleased, as he said, with my services.
This, however, I think was a bait for me, as he persuaded me to stay
with him, and not return any more to my father. I had been taught so
many lessons of obedience by my father, that I at first supposed I was
bound to obey this man, or at least I was afraid openly to disobey him;
and I therefore staid with him, and tried to put on a look of perfect
contentment until I got the family all to believe I was fully satisfied.
I had been there about four or five weeks, when one day myself and two
other boys were playing on the road-side, some distance from the house.
There came along three waggons. One belonged to an old man by the name
of Dunn, and the others to two of his sons. They had each of them a good
team, and were all bound for Knoxville. They had been in the habit of
stopping at my father's as they passed the road, and I knew them. I made
myself known to the old gentleman, and informed him of my situation; I
expressed a wish to get back to my father and mother, if they could fix
any plan for me to do so. They told me that they would stay that night
at a tavern seven miles from there, and that if I could get to them
before day the next morning, they would take me home; and if I was
pursued, they would protect me. This was a Sunday evening; I went back
to the good old Dutchman's house, and as good fortune would have it, he
and the family were out on a visit. I gathered my clothes, and what
little money I had, and put them all together under the head of my bed.
I went to bed early that night, but sleep seemed to be a stranger to me.
For though I was a wild boy, yet I dearly loved my father and mother,
and their images appeared to be so deeply fixed in my mind, that I could
not sleep for thinking of them. And then the fear that when I should
attempt to go out, I should be discovered and called to a halt, filled
me with anxiety; and between my childish love of home, on the one hand,
and the fears of which I have spoken, on the other, I felt mighty queer.
But so it was, about three hours before day in the morning I got up to
make my start. When I got out, I found it was snowing fast, and that the
snow was then on the ground about eight inches deep. I had not even the
advantage of moonlight, and the whole sky was hid by the falling snow,
so that I had to guess at my way to the big road, which was about a half
mile from the house. I however pushed ahead and soon got to it, and then
pursued it, in the direction to the waggons.
I could not have pursued the road if I had not guided myself by the
opening it made between the timber, as the snow was too deep to leave
any part of it to be known by either seeing or feeling.
Before I overtook the waggons, the earth was covered about as deep as my
knees; and my tracks filled so briskly after me, that by daylight, my
Dutch master could have seen no trace which I left.
I got to the place about an hour before day. I found the waggoners
already stirring, and engaged in feeding and preparing their horses for
a start. Mr. Dunn took me in and treated me with great kindness. My
heart was more deeply impressed by meeting with such a friend, and "at
such a time," than by wading the snow-storm by night, or all the other
sufferings which my mind had endured. I warmed myself by the fire, for I
was very cold, and after an early breakfast, we set out on our journey.
The thoughts of home now began to take the entire possession of my mind,
and I almost numbered the sluggish turns of the wheels, and much more
certainly the miles of our travel, which appeared to me to count mighty
slow. I continued with my kind protectors, until we got to the house of
a Mr. John Cole, on Roanoke, when my impatience became so great, that I
determined to set out on foot and go ahead by myself, as I could travel
twice as fast in that way as the waggons could.
Mr. Dunn seemed very sorry to part with me, and used many arguments to
prevent me from leaving him. But home, poor as it was, again rushed on
my memory, and it seemed ten times as dear to me as it ever had before.
The reason was, that my parents were there, and all that I had been
accustomed to in the hours of childhood and infancy was there; and there
my anxious little heart panted also to be. We remained at Mr. Coles that
night, and early in the morning I felt that I couldn't stay; so, taking
leave of my friends the waggoners, I went forward on foot, until I was
fortunately overtaken by a gentleman, who was returning from market, to
which he had been with a drove of horses. He had a led horse, with a
bridle and saddle on him, and he kindly offered to let me get on his
horse and ride him. I did so, and was glad of the chance, for I was
tired, and was, moreover, near the first crossing of Roanoke, which I
would have been compelled to wade, cold as the water was, if I had not
fortunately met this good man. I travelled with him in this way, without
any thing turning up worth recording, until we got within fifteen miles
of my father's house. There we parted, and he went on to Kentucky and I
trudged on homeward, which place I reached that evening. The name of
this kind gentleman I have entirely forgotten, and I am sorry for it;
for it deserves a high place in my little book. A remembrance of his
kindness to a little straggling boy, and a stranger to him, has however
a resting place in my heart, and there it will remain as long as I
live.
CHAPTER II.
Having gotten home, as I have just related, I remained with my father
until the next fall, at which time he took it into his head to send me
to a little country school, which was kept in the neighbourhood by a man
whose name was Benjamin Kitchen; though I believe he was no way
connected with the cabinet. I went four days, and had just began to
learn my letters a little, when I had an unfortunate falling out with
one of the scholars,--a boy much larger and older than myself. I knew
well enough that though the school-house might do for a still hunt, it
wouldn't do for _a drive_, and so I concluded to wait until I could get
him out, and then I was determined to give him salt and vinegar. I
waited till in the evening, and when the larger scholars were spelling,
I slip'd out, and going some distance along his road, I lay by the
way-side in the bushes, waiting for him to come along. After a while he
and his company came on sure enough, and I pitched out from the bushes
and set on him like a wild cat. I scratched his face all to a flitter
jig, and soon made him cry out for quarters in good earnest. The fight
being over, I went on home, and the next morning was started again to
school; but do you think I went? No, indeed. I was very clear of it; for
I expected the master would lick me up, as bad as I had the boy. So,
instead of going to the school-house, I laid out in the woods all day
until in the evening the scholars were dismissed, and my brothers, who
were also going to school, came along, returning home. I wanted to
conceal this whole business from my father, and I therefore persuaded
them not to tell on me, which they agreed to.
Things went on in this way for several days; I starting with them to
school in the morning, and returning with them in the evening, but lying
out in the woods all day. At last, however, the master wrote a note to
my father, inquiring why I was not sent to school. When he read this
note, he called me up, and I knew very well that I was in a devil of a
hobble, for my father had been taking a few _horns_, and was in a good
condition to make the fur fly. He called on me to know why I had not
been at school? I told him I was afraid to go, and that the master
would whip me; for I knew quite well if I was turned over to this old
Kitchen, I should be cooked up to a cracklin, in little or no time. But
I soon found that I was not to expect a much better fate at home; for my
father told me, in a very angry manner, that he would whip me an eternal
sight worse than the master, if I didn't start immediately to the
school. I tried again to beg off; but nothing would do, but to go to the
school. Finding me rather too slow about starting, he gathered about a
two year old hickory, and broke after me. I put out with all my might,
and soon we were both up to the top of our speed. We had a tolerable
tough race for about a mile; but mind me, not on the school-house road,
for I was trying to get as far the t'other way as possible. And I yet
believe, if my father and the schoolmaster could both have levied on me
about that time, I should never have been called on to sit in the
councils of the nation, for I think they would have used me up. But
fortunately for me, about this time, I saw just before me a hill, over
which I made headway, like a young steamboat. As soon as I had passed
over it, I turned to one side, and hid myself in the bushes. Here I
waited until the old gentleman passed by, puffing and blowing, as tho'
his steam was high enough to burst his boilers. I waited until he gave
up the hunt, and passed back again: I then cut out, and went to the
house of an acquaintance a few miles off, who was just about to start
with a drove. His name was Jesse Cheek, and I hired myself to go with
him, determining not to return home, as home and the school-house had
both become too hot for me. I had an elder brother, who also hired to go
with the same drove. We set out and went on through Abbingdon, and the
county seat of Withe county, in the state of Virginia; and then through
Lynchburgh, by Orange court-house, and Charlottesville, passing through
what was called Chester Gap, on to a town called Front Royal, where my
employer sold out his drove to a man by the name of Vanmetre; and I was
started homeward again, in company with a brother of the first owner of
the drove, with one horse between us; having left my brother to come on
with the balance of the company.
I traveled on with my new comrade about three days' journey; but much to
his discredit, as I then thought, and still think, he took care all the
time to ride, but never to tie; at last I told him to go ahead, and I
would come when I got ready. He gave me four dollars to bear my expenses
upwards of four hundred miles, and then cut out and left me.
I purchased some provisions, and went on slowly, until at length I fell
in with a waggoner, with whom I was disposed to scrape up a hasty
acquaintance. I inquired where he lived, and where he was going, and all
about his affairs. He informed me that he lived in Greenville,
Tennessee, and was on his way to a place called Gerardstown, fifteen
miles below Winchester. He also said, that after he should make his
journey to that place, he would immediately return to Tennessee. His
name was Adam Myers, and a jolly good fellow he seemed to be. On a
little reflection, I determined to turn back and go with him, which I
did; and we journeyed on slowly as waggons commonly do, but merrily
enough. I often thought of home, and, indeed, wished bad enough to be
there; but, when I thought of the school-house, and Kitchen, my master,
and the race with my father, and the big hickory he carried, and of the
fierceness of the storm of wrath that I had left him in, I was afraid to
venture back; for I knew my father's nature so well, that I was certain
his anger would hang on to him like a turkle does to a fisherman's toe,
and that, if I went back in a hurry, he would give me the devil in three
or four ways But I and the waggoner had traveled two days, when we met
my brother, who, I before stated, I had left behind when the drove was
sold out. He persuaded me to go home, but I refused. He pressed me hard,
and brought up a great many mighty strong arguments to induce me to turn
back again. He pictured the pleasure of meeting my mother, and my
sisters, who all loved me dearly, and told me what uneasiness they had
already suffered about me. I could not help shedding tears, which I did
not often do, and my affections all pointed back to those dearest
friends, and as I thought, nearly the only ones I had in the world; but
then the promised whipping--that was the thing. It came right slap down
on every thought of home; and I finally determined that make or break,
hit or miss, I would just hang on to my journey, and go ahead with the
waggoner. My brother was much grieved at our parting, but he went his
way, and so did I. We went on until at last we got to Gerardstown, where
the waggoner tried to get a back load, but he could not without going to
Alexandria. He engaged to go there, and I concluded that I would wait
until he returned. I set in to work for a man by the name of John Gray,
at twenty-five cents per day. My labour, however, was light, such as
ploughing in some small grain, in which I succeeded in pleasing the old
man very well. I continued working for him until the waggoner got back,
and for a good long time afterwards, as he continued to run his team
back and forward, hauling to and from Baltimore. In the next spring,
from the proceeds of my daily labour, small as it was, I was able to get
me some decent clothes, and concluded I would make a trip with the
waggoner to Baltimore, and see what sort of a place that was, and what
sort of folks lived there. I gave him the balance of what money I had
for safe keeping, which, as well as I recollect, was about seven
dollars. We got on well enough until we came near Ellicott's Mills. Our
load consisted of flour, in barrels. Here I got into the waggon for the
purpose of changing my clothing, not thinking that I was in any danger;
but while I was in there we were met by some wheel-barrow men, who were
working on the road, and the horses took a scare and away they went,
like they had seen a ghost. They made a sudden wheel around, and broke
the waggon tongue slap, short off, as a pipe-stem; and snap went both of
the axletrees at the same time, and of all devlish flouncing about of
flour barrels that ever was seen, I reckon this took the beat. Even _a
rat_ would have stood a bad chance in a _straight_ race among them, and
not much better in a crooked one; for he would have been in a good way
to be ground up as fine as ginger by their rolling over him. But this
proved to me, that if a fellow is born to be hung, he will never be
drowned; and, further, that if he is born for a seat in Congress, even
flour barrels can't make a mash of him. All these dangers I escaped
unhurt, though, like most of the office-holders of these times, for a
while I was afraid to say my soul was my own; for I didn't know how soon
I should be knocked into a cocked hat, and get my walking papers for
another country.
We put our load into another waggon, and hauled ours to a workman's shop
in Baltimore, having delivered the flour, and there we intended to
remain two or three days, which time was necessary to repair the runaway
waggon. While I was there, I went, one day, down to the wharf, and was
much delighted to see the big ships, and their sails all flying; for I
had never seen any such things before, and, indeed, I didn't believe
there were any such things in all nature. After a short time my
curiosity induced me to step aboard of one, where I was met by the
captain, who asked me if I didn't wish to take a voyage to London? I
told him I did, for by this time I had become pretty well weaned from
home, and I cared but little where I was, or where I went, or what
become of me. He said he wanted just such a boy as I was, which I was
glad to hear. I told him I would go and get my clothes, and go with him.
He enquired about my parents, where they lived, and all about them. I
let him know that they lived in Tennessee, many hundred miles off. We
soon agreed about my intended voyage, and I went back to my friend, the
waggoner, and informed him that I was going to London, and wanted my
money and my clothes. He refused to let me have either, and swore that
he would confine me, and take me back to Tennessee. I took it to heart
very much, but he kept so close and constant a watch over me, that I
found it impossible to escape from him, until he had started homeward,
and made several days' journey on the road. He was, during this time,
very ill to me, and threatened me with his waggon whip on several
occasions. At length I resolved to leave him at all hazards; and so,
before day, one morning, I got my clothes out of his waggon, and cut
out, on foot, without a farthing of money to bear my expenses. For all
other friends having failed, I determined then to throw myself on
Providence, and see how that would use me. I had gone, however, only a
few miles when I came up with another waggoner, and such was my
situation, that I felt more than ever the necessity of endeavouring to
find a friend. I therefore concluded I would seek for one in him. He was
going westwardly, and very kindly enquired of me where I was travelling?
My youthful resolution, which had brooked almost every thing else,
rather gave way at this enquiry; for it brought the loneliness of my
situation, and every thing else that was calculated to oppress me,
directly to view. My first answer to his question was in a sprinkle of
tears, for if the world had been given to me, I could not, at that
moment, have helped crying. As soon as the storm of feeling was over, I
told him how I had been treated by the waggoner but a little before, who
kept what little money I had, and left me without a copper to buy even a
morsel of food.
He became exceedingly angry, and swore that he would make the other
waggoner give up my money, pronouncing him a scoundrel, and many other
hard names. I told him I was afraid to see him, for he had threatened me
with his waggon whip, and I believed he would injure me. But my new
friend was a very large, stout-looking man, and as resolute as a tiger.
He bid me not to be afraid, still swearing he would have my money, or
whip it out of the wretch who had it.
We turned and went back about two miles, when we reached the place where
he was. I went reluctantly; but I depended on my friend for protection.
When we got there, I had but little to say; but approaching the
waggoner, my friend said to him, "You damn'd rascal, you have treated
this boy badly." To which he replied, it was my fault. He was then
asked, if he did not get seven dollars of my money, which he confessed.
It was then demanded of him; but he declared most solemnly, that he had
not that amount in the world; that he had spent my money, and intended
paying it back to me when we got to Tennessee. I then felt reconciled,
and persuaded my friend to let him alone, and we returned to his waggon,
geared up, and started. His name I shall never forget while my memory
lasts; it was Henry Myers. He lived in Pennsylvania, and I found him
what he professed to be, a faithful friend and a clever fellow.
We traveled together for several days, but at length I concluded to
endeavour to make my way homeward; and for that purpose set out again on
foot, and alone. But one thing I must not omit. The last night I staid
with Mr. Myers, was at a place where several other waggoners also
staid. He told them, before we parted, that I was a poor little
straggling boy, and how I had been treated; and that I was without
money, though I had a long journey before me, through a land of
strangers, where it was not even a wilderness.
They were good enough to contribute a sort of money-purse, and presented
me with three dollars. On this amount I travelled as far as Montgomery
court-house, in the state of Virginia, where it gave out. I set in to
work for a man by the name of James Caldwell, a month, for five dollars,
which was about a shilling a day. When this time was out, I bound myself
to a man by the name of Elijah Griffith, by trade a hatter, agreeing to
work for him four years. I remained with him about eighteen months, when
he found himself so involved in debt, that he broke up, and left the
country. For this time I had received nothing, and was, of course, left
without money, and with but very few clothes, and them very indifferent
ones. I, however, set in again, and worked about as I could catch
employment, until I got a little money, and some clothing; and once more
cut out for home. When I reached New River, at the mouth of a small
stream, called Little River, the white caps were flying so, that I
couldn't get any body to attempt to put me across. I argued the case as
well as I could, but they told me there was great danger of being
capsized, and drowned, if I attempted to cross. I told them if I could
get a canoe I would venture, caps or no caps. They tried to persuade me
out of it; but finding they could not, they agreed I might take a canoe,
and so I did, and put off. I tied my clothes to the rope of the canoe,
to have them safe, whatever might happen. But I found it a mighty
ticklish business, I tell you. When I got out fairly on the river, I
would have given the world, if it had belonged to me, to have been back
on shore. But there was no time to lose now, so I just determined to do
the best I could, and the devil take the hindmost. I turned the canoe
across the waves, to do which, I had to turn it nearly up the river, as
the wind came from that way; and I went about two miles before I could
land. When I struck land, my canoe was about half full of water, and I
was as wet as a drowned rat. But I was so much rejoiced, that I scarcely
felt the cold, though my clothes were frozen on me; and in this
situation, I had to go above three miles, before I could find any house,
or fire to warm at. I, however, made out to get to one at last, and then
I thought I would warm the inside a little, as well as the outside,
that there might be no grumbling.
So I took "a leetle of the creater,"--that warmer of the cold, and
cooler of the hot,--and it made me feel so good that I concluded it was
like the negro's rabbit, "good any way." I passed on until I arrived in
Sullivan county, in the state of Tennessee, and there I met with my
brother, who had gone with me when I started from home with the cattle
drove.
I staid with him a few weeks, and then went on to my father's, which
place I reached late in the evening. Several waggons were there for the
night, and considerable company about the house. I enquired if I could
stay all night, for I did not intend to make myself known, until I saw
whether any of the family would find me out. I was told that I could
stay, and went in, but had mighty little to say to any body. I had been
gone so long, and had grown so much, that the family did not at first
know me. And another, and perhaps a stronger reason was, they had no
thought or expectation of me, for they all had long given me up for
finally lost.
After a while, we were all called to supper. I went with the rest. We
had sat down to the table and begun to eat, when my eldest sister
recollected me: she sprung up, ran and seized me around the neck, and
exclaimed, "Here is my lost brother."
My feelings at this time it would be vain and foolish for me to attempt
to describe. I had often thought I felt before, and I suppose I had, but
sure I am, I never had felt as I then did. The joy of my sisters and my
mother, and, indeed, of all the family, was such that it humbled me, and
made me sorry that I hadn't submitted to a hundred whippings, sooner
than cause so much affliction as they had suffered on my account. I
found the family had never heard a word of me from the time my brother
left me. I was now almost _fifteen_ years old; and my increased age and
size, together with the joy of my father, occasioned by my unexpected
return, I was sure would secure me against my long dreaded whipping; and
so they did. But it will be a source of astonishment to many, who
reflect that I am now a member of the American Congress,--the most
enlightened body of men in the world,--that at so advanced an age, the
age of fifteen, I did not know the first letter in the book.
CHAPTER III.
I had remained for some short time at home with my father, when he
informed me that he owed a man, whose name was Abraham Wilson, the sum
of thirty-six dollars, and that if I would set in and work out the note,
so as to lift it for him, he would discharge me from his service, and I
might go free. I agreed to do this, and went immediately to the man who
held my father's note, and contracted with him to work six months for
it. I set in, and worked with all my might, not losing a single day in
the six months. When my time was out, I got my father's note, and then
declined working with the man any longer, though he wanted to hire me
mighty bad. The reason was, it was a place where a heap of bad company
met to drink and gamble, and I wanted to get away from them, for I
know'd very well if I staid there, I should get a bad name, as nobody
could be respectable that would live there. I therefore returned to my
father, and gave him up his paper, which seemed to please him mightily,
for though he was poor, he was an honest man, and always tried mighty
hard to pay off his debts.
I next went to the house of an honest old Quaker, by the name of John
Kennedy, who had removed from North Carolina, and proposed to hire
myself to him, at two shillings a day. He agreed to take me a week on
trial; at the end of which he appeared pleased with my work, and
informed me that he held a note on my father for forty dollars, and that
he would give me that note if I would work for him six months. I was
certain enough that I should never get any part of the note; but then I
remembered it was my father that owed it, and I concluded it was my duty
as a child to help him along, and ease his lot as much as I could. I
told the Quaker I would take him up at his offer, and immediately went
to work. I never visited my father's house during the whole time of this
engagement, though he lived only fifteen miles off. But when it was
finished, and I had got the note, I borrowed one of my employer's
horses, and, on a Sunday evening, went to pay my parents a visit. Some
time after I got there, I pulled out the note and handed it to my
father, who supposed Mr. Kennedy had sent it for collection. The old man
looked mighty sorry, and said to me he had not the money to pay it, and
didn't know what he should do. I then told him I had paid it for him,
and it was then his own; that it was not presented for collection, but
as a present from me. At this, he shed a heap of tears; and as soon as
he got a little over it, he said he was sorry he couldn't give me any
thing, but he was not able, he was too poor.
The next day, I went back to my old friend, the Quaker, and set in to
work for him for some clothes; for I had now worked a year without
getting any money at all, and my clothes were nearly all worn out, and
what few I had left were mighty indifferent. I worked in this way for
about two months; and in that time a young woman from North Carolina,
who was the Quaker's niece, came on a visit to his house. And now I am
just getting on a part of my history that I know I never can forget. For
though I have heard people talk about hard loving, yet I reckon no poor
devil in this world was ever cursed with such hard love as mine has
always been, when it came on me. I soon found myself head over heels in
love with this girl, whose name the public could make no use of; and I
thought that if all the hills about there were pure chink, and all
belonged to me, I would give them if I could just talk to her as I
wanted to; but I was afraid to begin, for when I would think of saying
any thing to her, my heart would begin to flutter like a duck in a
puddle; and if I tried to outdo it and speak, it would get right smack
up in my throat, and choak me like a cold potatoe. It bore on my mind in
this way, till at last I concluded I must die if I didn't broach the
subject; and so I determined to begin and hang on a trying to speak,
till my heart would get out of my throat one way or t'other. And so one
day at it I went, and after several trials I could say a little. I told
her how well I loved her; that she was the darling object of my soul and
body; and I must have her, or else I should pine down to nothing, and
just die away with the consumption.
I found my talk was not disagreeable to her; but she was an honest girl,
and didn't want to deceive nobody. She told me she was engaged to her
cousin, a son of the old Quaker. This news was worse to me than war,
pestilence, or famine; but still I knowed I could not help myself. I saw
quick enough my cake was dough, and I tried to cool off as fast as
possible; but I had hardly safety pipes enough, as my love was so hot
as mighty nigh to burst my boilers. But I didn't press my claims any
more, seeing there was no chance to do any thing.
I began now to think, that all my misfortunes growed out of my want of
learning. I had never been to school but four days, as the reader has
already seen, and did not yet know a letter.
I thought I would try to go to school some; and as the Quaker had a
married son, who was living about a mile and a half from him, and
keeping a school, I proposed to him that I would go to school four days
in the week, and work for him the other two, to pay my board and
schooling. He agreed I might come on those terms; and so at it I went,
learning and working back and forwards, until I had been with him nigh
on to six months. In this time I learned to read a little in my primer,
to write my own name, and to cypher some in the three first rules in
figures. And this was all the schooling I ever had in my life, up to
this day. I should have continued longer, if it hadn't been that I
concluded I couldn't do any longer without a wife; and so I cut out to
hunt me one.
I found a family of very pretty little girls that I had known when very
young. They had lived in the same neighborhood with me, and I had
thought very well of them. I made an offer to one of them, whose name
is nobody's business, no more than the Quaker girl's was, and I found
she took it very well. I still continued paying my respects to her,
until I got to love her as bad as I had the Quaker's niece; and I would
have agreed to fight a whole regiment of wild cats if she would only
have said she would have me. Several months passed in this way, during
all of which time she continued very kind and friendly. At last, the son
of the old Quaker and my first girl had concluded to bring their matter
to a close, and my little queen and myself were called on to wait on
them. We went on the day, and performed our duty as attendants. This
made me worse than ever; and after it was over, I pressed my claim very
hard on her, but she would still give me a sort of an evasive answer.
However, I gave her mighty little peace, till she told me at last she
would have me. I thought this was glorification enough, even without
spectacles. I was then about eighteen years old. We fixed the time to be
married; and I thought if that day come, I should be the happiest man in
the created world, or in the moon, or any where else.
I had by this time got to be mighty fond of the rifle, and had bought a
capital one. I most generally carried her with me whereever I went, and
though I had got back to the old Quaker's to live, who was a very
particular man, I would sometimes slip out and attend the shooting
matches, where they shot for beef; I always tried, though, to keep it a
secret from him. He had at the same time a bound boy living with him,
who I had gotten into almost as great a notion of the girls as myself.
He was about my own age, and was deeply smitten with the sister to my
intended wife. I know'd it was in vain to try to get the leave of the
old man for my young associate to go with me on any of my courting
frolics; but I thought I could fix a plan to have him along, which would
not injure the Quaker, as we had no notion that he should ever know it.
We commonly slept up-stairs, and at the gable end of the house there was
a window. So one Sunday, when the old man and his family were all gone
to meeting, we went out and cut a long pole, and, taking it to the
house, we set it up on end in the corner, reaching up the chimney as
high as the window. After this we would go up-stairs to bed, and then
putting on our Sunday clothes, would go out at the window, and climb
down the pole, take a horse apiece, and ride about ten miles to where
his sweetheart lived, and the girl I claimed as my wife. I was always
mighty careful to be back before day, so as to escape being found out;
and in this way I continued my attentions very closely until a few days
before I was to be married, or at least thought I was, for I had no fear
that any thing was about to go wrong.
Just now I heard of a shooting-match in the neighbourhood, right between
where I lived and my girl's house; and I determined to kill two birds
with one stone,--to go to the shooting match first, and then to see her.
I therefore made the Quaker believe I was going to hunt for deer, as
they were pretty plenty about in those parts; but, instead of hunting
them, I went straight on to the shooting-match, where I joined in with a
partner, and we put in several shots for the beef. I was mighty lucky,
and when the match was over I had won the whole beef. This was on a
Saturday, and my success had put me in the finest humour in the world.
So I sold my part of the beef for five dollars in the real grit, for I
believe that was before bank-notes was invented; at least, I had never
heard of any. I now started on to ask for my wife; for, though the next
Thursday was our wedding day, I had never said a word to her parents
about it. I had always dreaded the undertaking so bad, that I had put
the evil hour off as long as possible; and, indeed, I calculated they
knowed me so well, they wouldn't raise any objection to having me for
their son-in-law. I had a great deal better opinion of myself, I found,
than other people had of me; but I moved on with a light heart, and my
five dollars jingling in my pocket, thinking all the time there was but
few greater men in the world than myself.
In this flow of good humour I went ahead, till I got within about two
miles of the place, when I concluded I would stop awhile at the house of
the girl's uncle; where I might enquire about the family, and so forth,
and so on. I was indeed just about ready to consider her uncle, my
uncle; and her affairs, my affairs. When I went in, tho', I found her
sister there. I asked how all was at home? In a minute I found from her
countenance something was wrong. She looked mortified, and didn't answer
as quick as I thought she ought, being it was her _brother-in-law_
talking to her. However, I asked her again. She then burst into tears,
and told me her sister was going to deceive me; and that she was to be
married to another man the next day. This was as sudden to me as a clap
of thunder of a bright sunshiny day. It was the cap-stone of all the
afflictions I had ever met with; and it seemed to me, that it was more
than any human creature could endure. It struck me perfectly speechless
for some time, and made me feel so weak, that I thought I should sink
down. I however recovered from my shock after a little, and rose and
started without any ceremony, or even bidding any body good-bye. The
young woman followed me out to the gate, and entreated me to go on to
her father's, and said she would go with me. She said the young man, who
was going to marry her sister, had got his license, and had asked for
her; but she assured me her father and mother both preferred me to him;
and that she had no doubt but that, if I would go on, I could break off
the match. But I found I could go no further. My heart was bruised, and
my spirits were broken down; so I bid her farewell, and turned my
lonesome and miserable steps back again homeward, concluding that I was
only born for hardships, misery, and disappointment. I now began to
think, that in making me, it was entirely forgotten to make my mate;
that I was born odd, and should always remain so, and that nobody would
have me.
But all these reflections did not satisfy my mind, for I had no peace
day nor night for several weeks. My appetite failed me, and I grew
daily worse and worse. They all thought I was sick; and so I was. And it
was the worst kind of sickness,--a sickness of the heart, and all the
tender parts, produced by disappointed love.
CHAPTER IV.
I continued in this down-spirited situation for a good long time, until
one day I took my rifle and started a hunting. While out, I made a call
at the house of a Dutch widow, who had a daughter that was well enough
as to smartness, but she was as ugly as a stone fence. She was, however,
quite talkative, and soon begun to laugh at me about my disappointment.
She seemed disposed, though, to comfort me as much as she could; and,
for that purpose, told me to keep in good heart, that "there was as good
fish in the sea as had ever been caught out of it." I doubted this very
much; but whether or not, I was certain that she was not one of them,
for she was so homely that it almost give me a pain in the eyes to look
at her.
But I couldn't help thinking, that she had intended what she had said as
a banter for me to court her!!!--the last thing in creation I could
have thought of doing. I felt little inclined to talk on the subject, it
is true; but, to pass off the time, I told her I thought I was born odd,
and that no fellow to me could be found. She protested against this, and
said if I would come to their reaping, which was not far off, she would
show me one of the prettiest little girls there I had ever seen. She
added that the one who had deceived me was nothing to be compared with
her. I didn't believe a word of all this, for I had thought that such a
piece of flesh and blood as she was had never been manufactured, and
never would again. I agreed with her, though, that the little varment
had treated me so bad, that I ought to forget her, and yet I couldn't do
it. I concluded the best way to accomplish it was to cut out again, and
see if I could find any other that would answer me; and so I told the
Dutch girl I would be at the reaping, and would bring as many as I could
with me.
I employed my time pretty generally in giving information of it, as far
as I could, until the day came; and I then offered to work for my old
friend, the Quaker, two days, if he would let his bound boy go with me
one to the reaping. He refused, and reproved me pretty considerable
roughly for my proposition; and said, if he was in my place he wouldn't
go; that there would be a great deal of bad company there; and that I
had been so good a boy, he would be sorry for me to get a bad name. But
I knowed my promise to the Dutch girl, and I was resolved to fulfil it;
so I shouldered my rifle, and started by myself. When I got to the
place, I found a large company of men and women, and among them an old
Irish woman, who had a great deal to say. I soon found out from my Dutch
girl, that this old lady was the mother of the little girl she had
promised me, though I had not yet seen her. She was in an out-house with
some other youngsters, and had not yet made her appearance. Her mamma,
however, was no way bashful. She came up to me, and began to praise my
red cheeks, and said she had a sweetheart for me. I had no doubt she had
been told what I come for, and all about it. In the evening I was
introduced to her daughter, and I must confess, I was plaguy well
pleased with her from the word go. She had a good countenance, and was
very pretty, and I was full bent on making up an acquaintance with her.
It was not long before the dancing commenced, and I asked her to join me
in a reel. She very readily consented to do so; and after we had
finished our dance, I took a seat alongside of her, and entered into a
talk. I found her very interesting; while I was setting by her, making
as good a use of my time as I could, her mother came to us, and very
jocularly called me her son-in-law. This rather confused me, but I
looked on it as a joke of the old lady, and tried to turn it off as well
as I could; but I took care to pay as much attention to her through the
evening as I could. I went on the old saying, of salting the cow to
catch the calf. I soon become so much pleased with this little girl,
that I began to think the Dutch girl had told me the truth, when she
said there was still good fish in the sea.
We continued our frolic till near day, when we joined in some plays,
calculated to amuse youngsters. I had not often spent a more agreeable
night. In the morning, however, we all had to part; and I found my mind
had become much better reconciled than it had been for a long time. I
went home to the Quaker's, and made a bargain to work with his son for a
low-priced horse. He was the first one I had ever owned, and I was to
work six months for him. I had been engaged very closely five or six
weeks, when this little girl run in my mind so, that I concluded I must
go and see her, and find out what sort of people they were at home. I
mounted my horse and away I went to where she lived, and when I got
there I found her father a very clever old man, and the old woman as
talkative as ever. She wanted badly to find out all about me, and as I
thought to see how I would do for her girl. I had not yet seen her
about, and I began to feel some anxiety to know where she was.
In a short time, however, my impatience was relieved, as she arrived at
home from a meeting to which she had been. There was a young man with
her, who I soon found was disposed to set up claim to her, as he was so
attentive to her that I could hardly get to slip in a word edgeways. I
began to think I was barking up the wrong tree again; but I was
determined to stand up to my rack, fodder or no fodder. And so, to know
her mind a little on the subject, I began to talk about starting, as I
knowed she would then show some sign, from which I could understand
which way the wind blowed. It was then near night, and my distance was
fifteen miles home. At this my little girl soon began to indicate to the
other gentleman that his room would be the better part of his company.
At length she left him, and came to me, and insisted mighty hard that I
should not go that evening; and, indeed, from all her actions and the
attempts she made to get rid of him, I saw that she preferred me all
holler. But it wasn't long before I found trouble enough in another
quarter. Her mother was deeply enlisted for my rival, and I had to fight
against her influence as well as his. But the girl herself was the prize
I was fighting for; and as she welcomed me, I was determined to lay
siege to her, let what would happen. I commenced a close courtship,
having cornered her from her old beau; while he set off, looking on,
like a poor man at a country frolic, and all the time almost gritting
his teeth with pure disappointment. But he didn't dare to attempt any
thing more, for now I had gotten a start, and I looked at him every once
in a while as fierce as a wild-cat. I staid with her until Monday
morning, and then I put out for home.
It was about two weeks after this that I was sent for to engage in a
wolf hunt, where a great number of men were to meet, with their dogs and
guns, and where the best sort of sport was expected. I went as large as
life, but I had to hunt in strange woods, and in a part of the country
which was very thinly inhabited. While I was out it clouded up, and I
began to get scared; and in a little while I was so much so, that I
didn't know which way home was, nor any thing about it. I set out the
way I thought it was, but it turned out with me, as it always does with
a lost man, I was wrong, and took exactly the contrary direction from
the right one. And for the information of young hunters, I will just
say, in this place, that whenever a fellow gets bad lost, the way home
is just the way he don't think it is. This rule will hit nine times out
of ten. I went ahead, though, about six or seven miles, when I found
night was coming on fast; but at this distressing time I saw a little
woman streaking it along through the woods like all wrath, and so I cut
on too, for I was determined I wouldn't lose sight of her that night any
more. I run on till she saw me, and she stopped; for she was as glad to
see me as I was to see her, as she was lost as well as me. When I came
up to her, who should she be but my little girl, that I had been paying
my respects to. She had been out hunting her father's horses, and had
missed her way, and had no knowledge where she was, or how far it was to
any house, or what way would take us there. She had been travelling all
day, and was mighty tired; and I would have taken her up, and toated
her, if it hadn't been that I wanted her just where I could see her all
the time, for I thought she looked sweeter than sugar; and by this time
I loved her almost well enough to eat her.
At last I came to a path, that I know'd must go somewhere, and so we
followed it, till we came to a house, at about dark. Here we staid all
night. I set up all night courting; and in the morning we parted. She
went to her home, from which we were distant about seven miles, and I to
mine, which was ten miles off.
I now turned in to work again; and it was about four weeks before I went
back to see her. I continued to go occasionally, until I had worked long
enough to pay for my horse, by putting in my gun with my work, to the
man I had purchased from; and then I began to count whether I was to be
deceived again or not. At our next meeting we set the day for our
wedding; and I went to my father's, and made arrangements for an infair,
and returned to ask her parents for her. When I got there, the old lady
appeared to be mighty wrathy; and when I broached the subject, she
looked at me as savage as a meat axe. The old man appeared quite
willing, and treated me very clever. But I hadn't been there long,
before the old woman as good as ordered me out of her house. I thought I
would put her in mind of old times, and see how that would go with her.
I told her she had called me her son-in-law before I had attempted to
call her my mother-in-law and I thought she ought to cool off. But her
Irish was up too high to do any thing with her, and so I quit trying.
All I cared for was, to have her daughter on my side, which I knowed was
the case then; but how soon some other fellow might knock my nose out of
joint again, I couldn't tell. I however felt rather insulted at the old
lady, and I thought I wouldn't get married in her house. And so I told
her girl, that I would come the next Thursday, and bring a horse,
bridle, and saddle for her, and she must be ready to go. Her mother
declared I shouldn't have her; but I know'd I should, if somebody else
didn't get her before Thursday. I then started, bidding them good day,
and went by the house of a justice of the peace, who lived on the way to
my father's, and made a bargain with him to marry me.
When Thursday came, all necessary arrangements were made at my father's
to receive my wife; and so I took my eldest brother and his wife, and
another brother, and a single sister that I had, and two other young men
with me, and cut out to her father's house to get her. We went on, until
we got within two miles of the place, where we met a large company that
had heard of the wedding, and were waiting. Some of that company went on
with my brother and sister, and the young man I had picked out to wait
on me. When they got there, they found the old lady as wrathy as ever.
However the old man filled their bottle, and the young men returned in a
hurry. I then went on with my company, and when I arrived I never
pretended to dismount from my horse, but rode up to the door, and asked
the girl if she was ready; and she said she was. I then told her to
light on the horse I was leading; and she did so. Her father, though,
had gone out to the gate, and when I started he commenced persuading me
to stay and marry there; that he was entirely willing to the match, and
that his wife, like most women, had entirely too much tongue; but that I
oughtn't to mind her. I told him if she would ask me to stay and marry
at her house, I would do so. With that he sent for her, and after they
had talked for some time out by themselves, she came to me and looked at
me mighty good, and asked my pardon for what she had said, and invited
me stay. She said it was the first child she had ever had to marry; and
she couldn't bear to see her go off in that way; that if I would light,
she would do the best she could for us. I couldn't stand every thing,
and so I agreed, and we got down, and went in. I sent off then for my
parson, and got married in a short time; for I was afraid to wait long,
for fear of another defeat. We had as good treatment as could be
expected; and that night all went on well. The next day we cut out for
my father's, where we met a large company of people, that had been
waiting a day and a night for our arrival. We passed the time quite
merrily, until the company broke up; and having gotten my wife, I
thought I was completely made up, and needed nothing more in the whole
world. But I soon found this was all a mistake--for now having a wife, I
wanted every thing else; and, worse than all, I had nothing to give for
it.
I remained a few days at my father's, and then went back to my new
father-in-law's; where, to my surprise, I found my old Irish mother in
the finest humour in the world.
She gave us two likely cows and calves, which, though it was a small
marriage-portion, was still better than I had expected, and, indeed, it
was about all I ever got. I rented a small farm and cabin, and went to
work; but I had much trouble to find out a plan to get any thing to put
in my house. At this time, my good old friend the Quaker came forward to
my assistance, and gave me an order to a store for fifteen dollars'
worth of such things as my little wife might choose. With this, we
fixed up pretty grand, as we thought, and allowed to get on very well.
My wife had a good wheel, and knowed exactly how to use it. She was also
a good weaver, as most of the Irish are, whether men or women; and being
very industrious with her wheel, she had, in little or no time, a fine
web of cloth, ready to make up; and she was good at that too, and at
almost any thing else that a woman could do.
We worked on for some years, renting ground, and paying high rent, until
I found it wan't the thing it was cracked up to be; and that I couldn't
make a fortune at it just at all. So I concluded to quit it, and cut out
for some new country. In this time we had two sons, and I found I was
better at increasing my family than my fortune. It was therefore the
more necessary that I should hunt some better place to get along; and as
I knowed I would have to move at some time, I thought it was better to
do it before my family got too large, that I might have less to carry.
The Duck and Elk river country was just beginning to settle, and I
determined to try that. I had now one old horse, and a couple of two
year old colts. They were both broke to the halter, and my father-in-law
proposed, that, if I went, he would go with me, and take one horse to
help me move. So we all fixed up, and I packed my two colts with as many
of my things as they could bear; and away we went across the mountains.
We got on well enough, and arrived safely in Lincoln county, on the head
of the Mulberry fork of Elk river. I found this a very rich country, and
so new, that game, of different sorts, was very plenty. It was here that
I began to distinguish myself as a hunter, and to lay the foundation for
all my future greatness; but mighty little did I know of what sort it
was going to be. Of deer and smaller game I killed abundance; but the
bear had been much hunted in those parts before, and were not so plenty
as I could have wished. I lived here in the years 1809 and '10, to the
best of my recollection, and then I moved to Franklin county, and
settled on Beans creek, where I remained till after the close of the
last war.
CHAPTER V.
I was living ten miles below Winchester when the Creek war commenced;
and as military men are making so much fuss in the world at this time, I
must give an account of the part I took in the defence of the country.
If it should make me president, why I can't help it; such things will
sometimes happen; and my pluck is, never "to seek, nor decline office."
It is true, I had a little rather not; but yet, if the government can't
get on without taking another president from Tennessee, to finish the
work of "retrenchment and reform," why, then, I reckon I must go in for
it. But I must begin about the war, and leave the other matter for the
people to begin on.
The Creek Indians had commenced their open hostilities by a most bloody
butchery at Fort Mimms. There had been no war among us for so long, that
but few, who were not too old to bear arms, knew any thing about the
business. I, for one, had often thought about war, and had often heard
it described; and I did verily believe in my own mind, that I couldn't
fight in that way at all; but my after experience convinced me that this
was all a notion. For when I heard of the mischief which was done at the
fort, I instantly felt like going, and I had none of the dread of dying
that I expected to feel. In a few days a general meeting of the militia
was called for the purpose of raising volunteers; and when the day
arrived for that meeting, my wife, who had heard me say I meant to go to
the war, began to beg me not to turn out. She said she was a stranger in
the parts where we lived, had no connexions living near her, and that
she and our little children would be left in a lonesome and unhappy
situation if I went away. It was mighty hard to go against such
arguments as these; but my countrymen had been murdered, and I knew that
the next thing would be, that the Indians would be scalping the women
and children all about there, if we didn't put a stop to it. I reasoned
the case with her as well as I could, and told her, that if every man
would wait till his wife got willing for him to go to war, there would
be no fighting done, until we would all be killed in our own houses;
that I was as able to go as any man in the world; and that I believed
it was a duty I owed to my country. Whether she was satisfied with this
reasoning or not, she did not tell me; but seeing I was bent on it, all
she did was to cry a little, and turn about to her work. The truth is,
my dander was up, and nothing but war could bring it right again.
I went to Winchester, where the muster was to be, and a great many
people had collected, for there was as much fuss among the people about
the war as there is now about moving the deposites. When the men were
paraded, a lawyer by the name of Jones addressed us, and closed by
turning out himself, and enquiring, at the same time, who among us felt
like we could fight Indians? This was the same Mr. Jones who afterwards
served in Congress, from the state of Tennessee. He informed us he
wished to raise a company, and that then the men should meet and elect
their own officers. I believe I was about the second or third man that
step'd out; but on marching up and down the regiment a few times, we
found we had a large company. We volunteered for sixty days, as it was
supposed our services would not be longer wanted. A day or two after
this we met and elected Mr. Jones our captain, and also elected our
other officers. We then received orders to start on the next Monday
week; before which time, I had fixed as well as I could to go, and my
wife had equip'd me as well as she was able for the camp. The time
arrived; I took a parting farewell of my wife and my little boys,
mounted my horse, and set sail, to join my company. Expecting to be gone
only a short time, I took no more clothing with me than I supposed would
be necessary, so that if I got into an Indian battle, I might not be
pestered with any unnecessary plunder, to prevent my having a fair shake
with them. We all met and went ahead, till we passed Huntsville, and
camped at a large spring called Beaty's spring. Here we staid for
several days, in which time the troops began to collect from all
quarters. At last we mustered about thirteen hundred strong, all mounted
volunteers, and all determined to fight, judging from myself, for I felt
wolfish all over. I verily believe the whole army was of the real grit.
Our captain didn't want any other sort; and to try them he several times
told his men, that if any of them wanted to go back home, they might do
so at any time, before they were regularly mustered into the service.
But he had the honour to command all his men from first to last, as not
one of them left him.
Gen'l. Jackson had not yet left Nashville with his old foot volunteers,
that had gone with him to Natchez in 1812, the year before. While we
remained at the spring, a Major Gibson came, and wanted some volunteers
to go with him across the Tennessee river and into the Creek nation, to
find out the movements of the Indians. He came to my captain, and asked
for two of his best woods-men, and such as were best with a rifle. The
captain pointed me out to him, and said he would be security that I
would go as far as the major would himself, or any other man. I
willingly engaged to go with him, and asked him to let me choose my own
mate to go with me, which he said I might do. I chose a young man by the
name of George Russell, a son of old Major Russell, of Tennessee. I
called him up, but Major Gibson said he thought he hadn't beard enough
to please him,--he wanted men, and not boys. I must confess I was a
little nettled at this; for I know'd George Russell, and I know'd there
was no mistake in him; and I didn't think that courage ought to be
measured by the beard, for fear a goat would have the preference over a
man. I told the major he was on the wrong scent; that Russell could go
as far as he could, and I must have him along. He saw I was a little
wrathy, and said I had the best chance of knowing, and agreed that it
should be as I wanted it. He told us to be ready early in the morning
for a start; and so we were. We took our camp equipage, mounted our
horses, and, thirteen in number, including the major, we cut out. We
went on, and crossed the Tennessee river at a place called Ditto's
Landing; and then traveled about seven miles further, and took up camp
for the night. Here a man by the name of John Haynes overtook us. He had
been an Indian trader in that part of the nation, and was well
acquainted with it. He went with us as a pilot. The next morning,
however, Major Gibson and myself concluded we should separate and take
different directions to see what discoveries we could make; so he took
seven of the men, and I five, making thirteen in all, including myself.
He was to go by the house of a Cherokee Indian, named Dick Brown, and I
was to go by Dick's father's; and getting all the information we could,
we were to meet that evening where the roads came together, fifteen
miles the other side of Brown's. At old Mr. Brown's I got a half blood
Cherokee to agree to go with me, whose name was Jack Thompson. He was
not then ready to start, but was to fix that evening, and overtake us at
the fork road where I was to meet Major Gibson. I know'd it wouldn't be
safe to camp right at the road; and so I told Jack, that when he got to
the fork he must holler like an owl, and I would answer him in the same
way; for I know'd it would be night before he got there. I and my men
then started, and went on to the place of meeting, but Major Gibson was
not there. We waited till almost dark, but still he didn't come. We then
left the Indian trace a little distance, and turning into the head of a
hollow, we struck up camp. It was about ten o'clock at night, when I
heard my owl, and I answered him. Jack soon found us, and we determined
to rest there during the night. We staid also next morning till after
breakfast: but in vain, for the major didn't still come.
I told the men we had set out to hunt a fight, and I wouldn't go back in
that way; that we must go ahead, and see what the red men were at. We
started, and went to a Cherokee town about twenty miles off; and after a
short stay there, we pushed on to the house of a man by the name of
Radcliff. He was a white man, but had married a Creek woman, and lived
just in the edge of the Creek nation. He had two sons, large likely
fellows, and a great deal of potatoes and corn, and, indeed, almost
every thing else to go on; so we fed our horses and got dinner with
him, and seemed to be doing mighty well. But he was bad scared all the
time. He told us there had been ten painted warriors at his house only
an hour before, and if we were discovered there, they would kill us, and
his family with us. I replied to him, that my business was to hunt for
just such fellows as he had described, and I was determined not to go
back until I had done it. Our dinner being over, we saddled up our
horses, and made ready to start. But some of my small company I found
were disposed to return. I told them, if we were to go back then, we
should never hear the last of it; and I was determined to go ahead. I
knowed some of them would go with me, and that the rest were afraid to
go back by themselves; and so we pushed on to the camp of some of the
friendly Creeks, which was distant about eight miles. The moon was about
the full, and the night was clear; we therefore had the benefit of her
light from night to morning, and I knew if we were placed in such danger
as to make a retreat necessary, we could travel by night as well as in
the day time.
We had not gone very far, when we met two negroes, well mounted on
Indian ponies, and each with a good rifle. They had been taken from
their owners by the Indians, and were running away from them, and trying
to get back to their masters again. They were brothers, both very large
and likely, and could talk Indian as well as English. One of them I sent
on to Ditto's Landing, the other I took back with me. It was after dark
when we got to the camp, where we found about forty men, women, and
children.
They had bows and arrows, and I turned in to shooting with their boys by
a pine light. In this way we amused ourselves very well for a while; but
at last the negro, who had been talking to the Indians, came to me and
told me they were very much alarmed, for the "red sticks," as they
called the war party of the Creeks, would come and find us there; and,
if so, we should all be killed. I directed him to tell them that I would
watch, and if one would come that night, I would carry the skin of his
head home to make me a mockasin. When he made this communication, the
Indians laughed aloud. At about ten o'clock at night we all concluded to
try to sleep a little; but that our horses might be ready for use, as
the treasurer said of the drafts on the United States' bank, on certain
"contingences," we tied them up with our saddles on them, and every
thing to our hand, if in the night our quarters should get
uncomfortable. We lay down with our guns in our arms, and I had just
gotten into a dose of sleep, when I heard the sharpest scream that ever
escaped the throat of a human creature. It was more like a wrathy
painter than any thing else. The negro understood it, and he sprang to
me; for tho' I heard the noise well enough, yet I wasn't wide awake
enough to get up. So the negro caught me, and said the red sticks was
coming. I rose quicker then, and asked what was the matter? Our negro
had gone and talked with the Indian who had just fetched the scream, as
he come into camp, and learned from him, that the war party had been
crossing the Coosa river all day at the Ten islands; and were going on
to meet Jackson, and this Indian had come as a runner. This news very
much alarmed the friendly Indians in camp, and they were all off in a
few minutes. I felt bound to make this intelligence known as soon as
possible to the army we had left at the landing; and so we all mounted
our horses, and put out in a long lope to make our way back to that
place. We were about sixty-five miles off. We went on to the same
Cherokee town we had visited on our way out, having first called at
Radcliff's, who was off with his family; and at the town we found
large fires burning, but not a single Indian was to be seen. They were
all gone. These circumstances were calculated to lay our dander a
little, as it appeared we must be in great danger; though we could
easily have licked any force of not more than five to one. But we
expected the whole nation would be on us, and against such fearful odds
we were not so rampant for a fight.
We therefore staid only a short time in the light of the fires about the
town, preferring the light of the moon and the shade of the woods. We
pushed on till we got again to old Mr. Brown's, which was still about
thirty miles from where we had left the main army. When we got there,
the chickens were just at the first crowing for day. We fed our horses,
got a morsel to eat ourselves, and again cut out. About ten o'clock in
the morning we reached the camp, and I reported to Col. Coffee the news.
He didn't seem to mind my report a bit, and this raised my dander higher
than ever; but I knowed I had to be on my best behaviour, and so I kept
it all to myself; though I was so mad that I was burning inside like a
tar-kiln, and I wonder that the smoke hadn't been pouring out of me at
all points.
Major Gibson hadn't yet returned, and we all began to think he was
killed; and that night they put out a double guard. The next day the
major got in, and brought a worse tale than I had, though he stated the
same facts, so far as I went. This seemed to put our colonel all in a
fidget; and it convinced me, clearly, of one of the hateful ways of the
world. When I made my report, it wasn't believed, because I was no
officer; I was no great man, but just a poor soldier. But when the same
thing was reported by Major Gibson!! why, then, it was all as true as
preaching, and the colonel believed it every word.
He, therefore, ordered breastworks to be thrown up, near a quarter of a
mile long, and sent an express to Fayetteville, where General Jackson
and his troops was, requesting them to push on like the very mischief,
for fear we should all be cooked up to a cracklin before they could get
there. Old Hickory-face made a forced march on getting the news; and on
the next day, he and his men got into camp, with their feet all
blistered from the effects of their swift journey. The volunteers,
therefore, stood guard altogether, to let them rest.
CHAPTER VI.
About eight hundred of the volunteers, and of that number I was one,
were now sent back, crossing the Tennessee river, and on through
Huntsville, so as to cross the river again at another place, and to get
on the Indians in another direction. After we passed Huntsville, we
struck on the river at the Muscle Shoals, and at a place on them called
Melton's Bluff. This river is here about two miles wide, and a rough
bottom; so much so, indeed, in many places, as to be dangerous; and in
fording it this time, we left several of the horses belonging to our
men, with their feet fast in the crevices of the rocks. The men, whose
horses were thus left, went ahead on foot. We pushed on till we got to
what was called the Black Warrior's town, which stood near the very spot
where Tuscaloosa now stands, which is the seat of government for the
state of Alabama.
This Indian town was a large one; but when we arrived we found the
Indians had all left it. There was a large field of corn standing out,
and a pretty good supply in some cribs. There was also a fine quantity
of dried beans, which were very acceptable to us; and without delay we
secured them as well as the corn, and then burned the town to ashes;
after which we left the place.
In the field where we gathered the corn we saw plenty of fresh Indian
tracks, and we had no doubt they had been scared off by our arrival.
We then went on to meet the main army at the fork road, where I was
first to have met Major Gibson. We got that evening as far back as the
encampment we had made the night before we reached the Black Warrior's
town, which we had just destroyed. The next day we were entirely out of
meat. I went to Col. Coffee, who was then in command of us, and asked
his leave to hunt as we marched. He gave me leave, but told me to take
mighty good care of myself. I turned aside to hunt, and had not gone far
when I found a deer that had just been killed and skinned, and his flesh
was still warm and smoking. From this I was sure that the Indian who had
killed it had been gone only a very few minutes; and though I was never
much in favour of one hunter stealing from another, yet meat was so
scarce in camp, that I thought I must go in for it. So I just took up
the deer on my horse before me, and carried it on till night. I could
have sold it for almost any price I would have asked; but this wasn't my
rule, neither in peace nor war. Whenever I had any thing, and saw a
fellow being suffering, I was more anxious to relieve him than to
benefit myself. And this is one of the true secrets of my being a poor
man to this day. But it is my way; and while it has often left me with
an empty purse, which is as near the devil as any thing else I have
seen, yet it has never left my heart empty of consolations which money
couldn't buy,--the consolations of having sometimes fed the hungry and
covered the naked.
I gave all my deer away, except a small part I kept for myself, and just
sufficient to make a good supper for my mess; for meat was getting to be
a rarity to us all. We had to live mostly on parched corn. The next day
we marched on, and at night took up camp near a large cane brake. While
here, I told my mess I would again try for some meat; so I took my rifle
and cut out, but hadn't gone far, when I discovered a large gang of
hogs. I shot one of them down in his tracks, and the rest broke directly
towards the camp. In a few minutes, the guns began to roar, as bad as if
the whole army had been in an Indian battle; and the hogs to squeal as
bad as the pig did, when the devil turned barber. I shouldered my hog,
and went on to the camp; and when I got there I found they had killed a
good many of the hogs, and a fine fat cow into the bargain, that had
broke out of the cane brake. We did very well that night, and the next
morning marched on to a Cherokee town, where our officers stop'd, and
gave the inhabitants an order on Uncle Sam for their cow, and the hogs
we had killed. The next day we met the main army, having had, as we
thought, hard times, and a plenty of them, though we had yet seen hardly
the beginning of trouble.
After our meeting we went on to Radcliff's, where I had been before
while out as a spy; and when we got there, we found he had hid all his
provisions. We also got into the secret, that he was the very rascal who
had sent the runner to the Indian camp, with the news that the "red
sticks" were crossing at the Ten Islands; and that his object was to
scare me and my men away, and send us back with a false alarm.
To make some atonement for this, we took the old scroundrell's two big
sons with us, and made them serve in the war.
We then marched to a place, which we called Camp Wills; and here it was
that Captain Cannon was promoted to a colonel, and Colonel Coffee to a
general. We then marched to the Ten Islands, on the Coosa river, where
we established a fort; and our spy companies were sent out. They soon
made prisoners of Bob Catala and his warriors, and, in a few days
afterwards, we heard of some Indians in a town about eight miles off. So
we mounted our horses, and put out for that town, under the direction of
two friendly Creeks we had taken for pilots. We had also a Cherokee
colonel, Dick Brown, and some of his men with us. When we got near the
town we divided; one of our pilots going with each division. And so we
passed on each side of the town, keeping near to it, until our lines met
on the far side. We then closed up at both ends, so as to surround it
completely; and then we sent Captain Hammond's company of rangers to
bring on the affray. He had advanced near the town, when the Indians saw
him, and they raised the yell, and came running at him like so many red
devils. The main army was now formed in a hollow square around the town,
and they pursued Hammond till they came in reach of us. We then gave
them a fire, and they returned it, and then ran back into their town. We
began to close on the town by making our files closer and closer, and
the Indians soon saw they were our property. So most of them wanted us
to take them prisoners; and their squaws and all would run and take hold
of any of us they could, and give themselves up. I saw seven squaws have
hold of one man, which made me think of the Scriptures. So I hollered
out the Scriptures was fulfilling; that there was seven women holding to
one man's coat tail. But I believe it was a hunting-shirt all the time.
We took them all prisoners that came out to us in this way; but I saw
some warriors run into a house, until I counted forty-six of them. We
pursued them until we got near the house, when we saw a squaw sitting in
the door, and she placed her feet against the bow she had in her hand,
and then took an arrow, and, raising her feet, she drew with all her
might, and let fly at us, and she killed a man, whose name, I believe,
was Moore. He was a lieutenant, and his death so enraged us all, that
she was fired on, and had at least twenty balls blown through her. This
was the first man I ever saw killed with a bow and arrow. We now shot
them like dogs; and then set the house on fire, and burned it up with
the forty-six warriors in it. I recollect seeing a boy who was shot down
near the house. His arm and thigh was broken, and he was so near the
burning house that the grease was stewing out of him. In this situation
he was still trying to crawl along; but not a murmur escaped him, though
he was only about twelve years old. So sullen is the Indian, when his
dander is up, that he had sooner die than make a noise, or ask for
quarters.
The number that we took prisoners, being added to the number we killed,
amounted to one hundred and eighty-six; though I don't remember the
exact number of either. We had five of our men killed. We then returned
to our camp, at which our fort was erected, and known by the name of
Fort Strother. No provisions had yet reached us, and we had now been for
several days on half rations. However we went back to our Indian town on
the next day, when many of the carcasses of the Indians were still to be
seen. They looked very awful, for the burning had not entirely consumed
them, but given them a very terrible appearance, at least what remained
of them. It was, somehow or other, found out that the house had a
potatoe cellar under it, and an immediate examination was made, for we
were all as hungry as wolves. We found a fine chance of potatoes in it,
and hunger compelled us to eat them, though I had a little rather not,
if I could have helped it, for the oil of the Indians we had burned up
on the day before had run down on them, and they looked like they had
been stewed with fat meat. We then again returned to the army, and
remained there for several days almost starving, as all our beef was
gone. We commenced eating the beef-hides, and continued to eat every
scrap we could lay our hands on. At length an Indian came to our guard
one night, and hollered, and said he wanted to see "Captain Jackson." He
was conducted to the general's markee, into which he entered, and in a
few minutes we received orders to prepare for marching.
In an hour we were all ready, and took up the line of march. We crossed
the Coosa river, and went on in the direction to Fort Taladega. When we
arrived near the place, we met eleven hundred painted warriors, the very
choice of the Creek nation. They had encamped near the fort, and had
informed the friendly Indians who were in it, that if they didn't come
out, and fight with them against the whites, they would take their fort
and all their ammunition and provision. The friendly party asked three
days to consider of it, and agreed that if on the third day they didn't
come out ready to fight with them, they might take their fort. Thus
they put them off. They then immediately started their runner to General
Jackson, and he and the army pushed over, as I have just before stated.
The camp of warriors had their spies out, and discovered us coming, some
time before we got to the fort. They then went to the friendly Indians,
and told them Captain Jackson was coming, and had a great many fine
horses, and blankets, and guns, and every thing else; and if they would
come out and help to whip him, and to take his plunder, it should all be
divided with those in the fort. They promised that when Jackson came,
they would then come out and help to whip him. It was about an hour by
sun in the morning, when we got near the fort. We were piloted by
friendly Indians, and divided as we had done on a former occasion, so as
to go to the right and left of the fort, and, consequently, of the
warriors who were camped near it. Our lines marched on, as before, till
they met in front, and then closed in the rear, forming again into a
hollow square. We then sent on old Major Russell, with his spy company,
to bring on the battle; Capt. Evans' company went also. When they got
near the fort, the top of it was lined with the friendly Indians,
crying out as loud as they could roar, "How-dy-do, brother, how-dy-do?"
They kept this up till Major Russel had passed by the fort, and was
moving on towards the warriors. They were all painted as red as scarlet,
and were just as naked as they were born. They had concealed themselves
under the bank of a branch, that ran partly around the fort, in the
manner of a half moon. Russel was going right into their circle, for he
couldn't see them, while the Indians on the top of the fort were trying
every plan to show him his danger. But he couldn't understand them. At
last, two of them jumped from it, and ran, and took his horse by the
bridle, and pointing to where they were, told him there were thousands
of them lying under the bank. This brought them to a halt, and about
this moment the Indians fired on them, and came rushing forth like a
cloud of Egyptian locusts, and screaming like all the young devils had
been turned loose, with the old devil of all at their head. Russel's
company quit their horses, and took into the fort, and their horses ran
up to our line, which was then in full view. The warriors then came
yelling on, meeting us, and continued till they were within shot of us,
when we fired and killed a considerable number of them. They then broke
like a gang of steers, and ran across to our other line, where they
were again fired on; and so we kept them running from one line to the
other, constantly under a heavy fire, until we had killed upwards of
four hundred of them. They fought with guns, and also with their bows
and arrows; but at length they made their escape through a part of our
line, which was made up of drafted militia, which broke ranks, and they
passed. We lost fifteen of our men, as brave fellows as ever lived or
died. We buried them all in one grave, and started back to our fort; but
before we got there, two more of our men died of wounds they had
received; making our total loss seventeen good fellows in that battle.
We now remained at the fort a few days, but no provision came yet, and
we were all likely to perish. The weather also began to get very cold;
and our clothes were nearly worn out, and horses getting very feeble and
poor. Our officers proposed to Gen'l. Jackson to let us return home and
get fresh horses, and fresh clothing, so as to be better prepared for
another campaign; for our sixty days had long been out, and that was the
time we entered for.
But the general took "the responsibility" on himself, and refused. We
were, however, determined to go, as I am to put back the deposites, _if
I can_. With this, the general issued his orders against it, as he has
against the bank. But we began to fix for a start, as provisions were
too scarce; just as Clay, and Webster, and myself are preparing to fix
bank matters, on account of the scarcity of money. The general went and
placed his cannon on a bridge we had to cross, and ordered out his
regulars and drafted men to keep us from crossing; just as he has
planted his Globe and K. C. to alarm the bank men, while his regulars
and militia in Congress are to act as artillery men. But when the
militia started to guard the bridge, they would holler back to us to
bring their knapsacks along when we come, for they wanted to go as bad
as we did; just as many a good fellow now wants his political knapsack
brought along, that if, when we come to vote, he sees he has a _fair
shake to go_, he may join in and help us to take back the deposites.
We got ready and moved on till we came near the bridge, where the
general's men were all strung along on both sides, just like the
office-holders are now, to keep us from getting along to the help of the
country and the people. But we all had our flints ready picked, and our
guns ready primed, that if we were fired on we might fight our way
through, or all die together; just as we are now determined to save the
country from ready ruin, or to sink down with it. When we came still
nearer the bridge we heard the guards cocking their guns, and we did the
same; just as we have had it in Congress, while the "government"
regulars and the people's volunteers have all been setting their
political triggers. But, after all, we marched boldly on, and not a gun
was fired, nor a life lost; just as I hope it will be again, that we
shall not be afraid of the general's Globe, nor his K. C., nor his
regulars, nor their trigger snapping; but just march boldly over the
executive bridge, and take the deposites back where the law placed them,
and where they ought to be. When we had passed, no further attempt was
made to stop us; but the general said, we were "the damned'st volunteers
he had ever seen in his life; that we would volunteer and go out and
fight, and then at our pleasure would _volunteer_ and go home again, in
spite of the devil." But we went on; and near Huntsville we met a
reinforcement who were going on to join the army. It consisted of a
regiment of volunteers, and was under the command of some one whose name
I can't remember. They were sixty-day volunteers.
We got home pretty safely, and in a short time we had procured fresh
horses and a supply of clothing better suited for the season; and then
we returned to Fort Deposite, where our officers held a sort of a
"_national convention_" on the subject of a message they had received
from General Jackson,--demanding that on our return we should serve out
_six months_. We had already served three months instead of two, which
was the time we had volunteered for. On the next morning the officers
reported to us the conclusions they had come to; and told us, if any of
us felt bound to go on and serve out the six months, we could do so; but
that they intended to go back home. I knowed if I went back home I
couldn't rest, for I felt it my duty to be out; and when out was,
somehow or other, always delighted to be in the very thickest of the
danger. A few of us, therefore, determined to push on and join the army.
The number I do not recollect, but it was very small.
When we got out there, I joined Major Russel's company of spies. Before
we reached the place, General Jackson had started. We went on likewise,
and overtook him at a place where we established a fort, called Fort
Williams, and leaving men to guard it, we went ahead; intending to go to
a place called the Horse-shoe bend of the Talapoosa river. When we came
near that place, we began to find Indian sign plenty, and we struck up
camp for the night. About two hours before day, we heard our guard
firing, and we were all up in little or no time. We mended up our camp
fires, and then fell back in the dark, expecting to see the Indians
pouring in; and intending, when they should do so, to shoot them by the
light of our own fires. But it happened that they did not rush in as we
had expected, but commenced a fire on us as we were. We were encamped in
a hollow square, and we not only returned the fire, but continued to
shoot as well as we could in the dark, till day broke, when the Indians
disappeared. The only guide we had in shooting was to notice the flash
of their guns, and then shoot as directly at the place as we could
guess.
In this scrape we had four men killed, and several wounded; but whether
we killed any of the Indians or not we never could tell, for it is their
custom always to carry off their dead, if they can possibly do so. We
buried ours, and then made a large log heap over them, and set it on
fire, so that the place of their deposite might not be known to the
savages, who, we knew, would seek for them, that they might scalp them.
We made some horse litters for our wounded, and took up a retreat. We
moved on till we came to a large creek which we had to cross; and about
half of our men had crossed, when the Indians commenced firing on our
left wing, and they kept it up very warmly. We had left Major Russel and
his brother at the camp we had moved from that morning, to see what
discovery they could make as to the movements of the Indians; and about
this time, while a warm fire was kept up on our left, as I have just
stated, the major came up in our rear, and was closely pursued by a
large number of Indians, who immediately commenced a fire on our
artillery men. They hid themselves behind a large log, and could kill
one of our men almost every shot, they being in open ground and exposed.
The worst of all was, two of our colonels just at this trying moment
left their men, and by _a forced march_, crossed the creek out of the
reach of the fire. Their names, at this late day, would do the world no
good, and my object is history alone, and not the slightest interference
with character. An opportunity was now afforded for Governor Carroll to
distinguish himself, and on this occasion he did so, by greater bravery
than I ever saw any other man display. In truth, I believe, as firmly as
I do that General Jackson is president, that if it hadn't been for
Carroll, we should all have been genteely licked that time, for we were
in a devil of a fix; part of our men on one side of the creek, and part
on the other, and the Indians all the time pouring it on us, as hot as
fresh mustard to a sore shin. I will not say exactly that the old
general was whip'd; but I will say, that if we escaped it at all, it was
like old Henry Snider going to heaven, "mita tam tite squeeze." I think
he would confess himself, that he was nearer whip'd this time than he
was at any other, for I know that all the world couldn't make him
acknowledge that he was _pointedly_ whip'd. I know I was mighty glad
when it was over, and the savages quit us, for I had begun to think
there was one behind every tree in the woods.
We buried our dead, the number of whom I have also forgotten; and again
made horse litters to carry our wounded, and so we put out, and returned
to Fort Williams, from which place we had started. In the mean time, my
horse had got crippled, and was unfit for service, and as another
reinforcement had arrived, I thought they could get along without me for
a short time; so I got a furlough and went home, for we had had hard
times again on this hunt, and I began to feel as though I had done
Indian fighting enough for one time. I remained at home until after the
army had returned to the Horse-shoe bend, and fought the battle there.
But not being with them at that time, of course no history of that fight
can be expected of me.
CHAPTER VII.
Soon after this, an army was to be raised to go to Pensacola, and I
determined to go again with them, for I wanted a small taste of British
fighting, and I supposed they would be there.
Here again the entreaties of my wife were thrown in the way of my going,
but all in vain; for I always had a way of just going ahead, at whatever
I had a mind to. One of my neighbours, hearing I had determined to go,
came to me, and offered me a hundred dollars to go in his place as a
substitute, as he had been drafted. I told him I was better raised than
to hire myself out to be shot at; but that I would go, and he should go
too, and in that way the government would have the services of us both.
But we didn't call General Jackson "the government" in those days,
though we used to go and fight under him in the war.
I fixed up, and joined old Major Russel again; but we couldn't start
with the main army, but followed on, in a little time, after them. In a
day or two, we had a hundred and thirty men in our company; and we went
over and crossed the Muscle Shoals at the same place where I had crossed
when first out, and when we burned the Black Warriors' town. We passed
through the Choctaw and Chickesaw nations, on to Fort Stephens, and from
thence to what is called the Cut-off, at the junction of the Tom-Bigby
with the Alabama river. This place is near the old Fort Mimms, where the
Indians committed the great butchery at the commencement of the war.
We were here about two days behind the main army, who had left their
horses at the Cut-off, and taken it on foot; and they did this because
there was no chance for forage between there and Pensacola. We did the
same, leaving men enough to take care of our horses, and cut out on foot
for that place. It was about eighty miles off; but in good heart we
shouldered our guns, blankets, and provisions, and trudged merrily on.
About twelve o'clock the second day, we reached the encampment of the
main army, which was situated on a hill, overlooking the city of
Pensacola. My commander, Major Russel, was a great favourite with Gen'l.
Jackson, and our arrival was hailed with great applause, though we were
a little after the feast; for they had taken the town and fort before we
got there. That evening we went down into the town, and could see the
British fleet lying in sight of the place. We got some liquor, and took
a "horn" or so, and went back to the camp. We remained there that night,
and in the morning we marched back towards the Cut-off. We pursued this
direction till we reached old Fort Mimms, where we remained two or three
days. It was here that Major Russel was promoted from his command, which
was only that of a captain of spies, to the command of a major in the
line. He had been known long before at home as old Major Russel, and so
we all continued to call him in the army. A Major Childs, from East
Tennessee, also commanded a battalion, and his and the one Russel was
now appointed to command, composed a regiment, which, by agreement with
General Jackson, was to quit his army and go to the south, to kill up
the Indians on the Scamby river.
General Jackson and the main army set out the next morning for New
Orleans, and a Colonel Blue took command of the regiment which I have
before described. We remained, however, a few days after the general's
departure, and then started also on our route.
As it gave rise to so much war and bloodshed, it may not be improper
here to give a little description of Fort Mimms, and the manner in which
the Indian war commenced. The fort was built right in the middle of a
large old field, and in it the people had been forted so long and so
quietly, that they didn't apprehend any danger at all, and had,
therefore, become quite careless. A small negro boy, whose business it
was to bring up the calves at milking time, had been out for that
purpose, and on coming back, he said he saw a great many Indians. At
this the inhabitants took the alarm, and closed their gates and placed
out their guards, which they continued for a few days. But finding that
no attack was made, they concluded the little negro had lied; and again
threw their gates open, and set all their hands out to work their
fields. The same boy was out again on the same errand, when, returning
in great haste and alarm, he informed them that he had seen the Indians
as thick as trees in the woods. He was not believed, but was tucked up
to receive a flogging for the supposed lie; and was actually getting
badly licked at the very moment when the Indians came in a troop, loaded
with rails, with which they stop'd all the port-holes of the fort on one
side except the bastion; and then they fell in to cutting down the
picketing. Those inside the fort had only the bastion to shoot from, as
all the other holes were spiked up; and they shot several of the
Indians, while engaged in cutting. But as fast as one would fall,
another would seize up the axe and chop away, until they succeeded in
cutting down enough of the picketing to admit them to enter. They then
began to rush through, and continued until they were all in. They
immediately commenced scalping, without regard to age or sex; having
forced the inhabitants up to one side of the fort, where they carried on
the work of death as a butcher would in a slaughter pen.
The scene was particularly described to me by a young man who was in the
fort when it happened, and subsequently went on with us to Pensacola. He
said that he saw his father, and mother, his four sisters, and the same
number of brothers, all butchered in the most shocking manner, and that
he made his escape by running over the heads of the crowd, who were
against the fort wall, to the top of the fort, and then jumping off, and
taking to the woods. He was closely pursued by several Indians, until he
came to a small byo, across which there was a log. He knew the log was
hollow on the under side, so he slip'd under the log and hid himself.
He said he heard the Indians walk over him several times back and
forward. He remained, nevertheless, still till night, when he came out,
and finished his escape. The name of this young man has entirely escaped
my recollection, though his tale greatly excited my feelings. But to
return to my subject. The regiment marched from where Gen'l. Jackson had
left us to Fort Montgomery, which was distant from Fort Mimms about a
mile and a half, and there we remained for some days.
Here we supplied ourselves pretty well with beef, by killing wild cattle
which had formerly belonged to the people who perished in the fort, but
had gone wild after their massacre.
When we marched from Fort Montgomery, we went some distance back towards
Pensacola; then we turned to the left, and passed through a poor piny
country, till we reached the Scamby river, near which we encamped. We
had about one thousand men, and as a part of that number, one hundred
and eighty-six Chickesaw and Choctaw Indians with us. That evening a
boat landed from Pensacola, bringing many articles that were both good
and necessary; such as sugar and coffee, and liquors of all kinds. The
same evening, the Indians we had along proposed to cross the river, and
the officers thinking it might be well for them to do so, consented; and
Major Russell went with them, taking sixteen white men, of which number
I was one. We camped on the opposite bank that night, and early in the
morning we set out. We had not gone far before we came to a place where
the whole country was covered with water, and looked like a sea. We
didn't stop for this, tho', but just put in like so many spaniels, and
waded on, sometimes up to our armpits, until we reached the pine hills,
which made our distance through the water about a mile and a half. Here
we struck up a fire to warm ourselves, for it was cold, and we were
chilled through by being so long in the water. We again moved on,
keeping our spies out; two to our left near the bank of the river, two
straight before us, and two others on our right. We had gone in this way
about six miles up the river, when our spies on the left came to us
leaping the brush like so many old bucks, and informed us that they had
discovered a camp of Creek Indians, and that we must kill them. Here we
paused for a few minutes, and the prophets pow-wowed over their men
awhile, and then got out their paint, and painted them, all according to
their custom when going into battle. They then brought their paint to
old Major Russell, and said to him, that as he was an officer, he must
be painted too. He agreed, and they painted him just as they had done
themselves. We let the Indians understand that we white men would first
fire on the camp, and then fall back, so as to give the Indians a chance
to rush in and scalp them. The Chickasaws marched on our left hand, and
the Choctaws on our right, and we moved on till we got in hearing of the
camp, where the Indians were employed in beating up what they called
chainy briar root. On this they mostly subsisted. On a nearer approach
we found they were on an island, and that we could not get to them.
While we were chatting about this matter, we heard some guns fired, and
in a very short time after a keen whoop, which satisfied us, that
whereever it was, there was war on a small scale. With that we all
broke, like quarter horses, for the firing; and when we got there we
found it was our two front spies, who related to us the following
story:--As they were moving on, they had met with two Creeks who were
out hunting their horses; as they approached each other, there was a
large cluster of green bay bushes exactly between them, so that they
were within a few feet of meeting before either was discovered. Our
spies walked up to them, and speaking in the Shawnee tongue, informed
them that General Jackson was at Pensacola, and they were making their
escape, and wanted to know where they could get something to eat. The
Creeks told them that nine miles up the Conaker, the river they were
then on, there was a large camp of Creeks, and they had cattle and
plenty to eat; and further, that their own camp was on an island about a
mile off, and just below the mouth of the Conaker. They held their
conversation and struck up a fire, and smoked together, and shook hands,
and parted. One of the Creeks had a gun, the other had none; and as soon
as they had parted, our Choctaws turned round and shot down the one that
had the gun, and the other attempted to run off. They snapped several
times at him, but the gun still missing fire, they took after him, and
overtaking him, one of them struck him over the head with his gun, and
followed up his blows till he killed him.
The gun was broken in the combat, and they then fired off the gun of the
Creek they had killed, and raised the war-whoop. When we reached them,
they had cut off the heads of both the Indians; and each of those
Indians with us would walk up to one of the heads, and taking his war
club would strike on it. This was done by every one of them; and when
they had got done, I took one of their clubs, and walked up as they had
done, and struck it on the head also. At this they all gathered round
me, and patting me on the shoulder, would call me "Warrior--warrior."
They scalped the heads, and then we moved on a short distance to where
we found a trace leading in towards the river. We took this trace and
pursued it, till we came to where a Spaniard had been killed and
scalped, together with a woman, who we supposed to be his wife, and also
four children. I began to feel mighty ticklish along about this time,
for I knowed if there was no danger then, there had been; and I felt
exactly like there still was. We, however, went on till we struck the
river, and then continued down it till we came opposite to the Indian
camp, where we found they were still beating their roots.
It was now late in the evening, and they were in a thick cane brake. We
had some few friendly Creeks with us, who said they could decoy them. So
we all hid behind trees and logs, while the attempt was made. The
Indians would not agree that we should fire, but pick'd out some of
their best gunners, and placed them near the river. Our Creeks went down
to the river's side, and hailed the camp in the Creek language. We heard
an answer, and an Indian man started down towards the river, but didn't
come in sight. He went back and again commenced beating his roots, and
sent a squaw. She came down, and talked with our Creeks until dark came
on. They told her they wanted her to bring them a canoe. To which she
replied, that their canoe was on our side; that two of their men had
gone out to hunt their horses and hadn't yet returned. They were the
same two we had killed. The canoe was found, and forty of our picked
Indian warriors were crossed over to take the camp. There was at last
only one man in it, and he escaped; and they took two squaws, and ten
children, but killed none of them, of course.
We had run nearly out of provisions, and Major Russell had determined to
go up the Conaker to the camp we had heard of from the Indians we had
killed. I was one that he selected to go down the river that night for
provisions, with the canoe, to where we had left our regiment. I took
with me a man by the name of John Guess, and one of the friendly Creeks,
and cut out. It was very dark, and the river was so full that it
overflowed the banks and the adjacent low bottoms. This rendered it very
difficult to keep the channel, and particularly as the river was very
crooked. At about ten o'clock at night we reached the camp, and were to
return by morning to Major Russell, with provisions for his trip up the
river; but on informing Colonel Blue of this arrangement, he vetoed it
as quick as General Jackson did the bank bill; and said, if Major
Russell didn't come back the next day, it would be bad times for him. I
found we were not to go up the Conaker to the Indian camp, and a man of
my company offered to go up in my place to inform Major Russell. I let
him go; and they reached the major, as I was told, about sunrise in the
morning, who immediately returned with those who were with him to the
regiment, and joined us where we crossed the river, as hereafter stated.
The next morning we all fixed up, and marched down the Scamby to a place
called Miller's Landing, where we swam our horses across, and sent on
two companies down on the side of the bay opposite to Pensacola, where
the Indians had fled when the main army first marched to that place. One
was the company of Captain William Russell, a son of the old major, and
the other was commanded by a Captain Trimble. They went on, and had a
little skirmish with the Indians. They killed some, and took all the
balance prisoners, though I don't remember the numbers. We again met
those companies in a day or two, and sent the prisoners they had taken
on to Fort Montgomery, in charge of some of our Indians.
I did hear, that after they left us, the Indians killed and scalped all
the prisoners, and I never heard the report contradicted. I cannot
positively say it was true, but I think it entirely probable, for it is
very much like the Indian character.
CHAPTER VIII.
When we made a move from the point where we met the companies, we set
out for Chatahachy, the place for which we had started when we left Fort
Montgomery. At the start we had taken only twenty days' rations of
flour, and eight days' rations of beef; and it was now thirty-four days
before we reached that place. We were, therefore, in extreme suffering
for want of something to eat, and exhausted with our exposure and the
fatigues of our journey. I remember well, that I had not myself tasted
bread but twice in nineteen days. I had bought a pretty good supply of
coffee from the boat that had reached us from Pensacola, on the Scamby,
and on that we chiefly subsisted. At length, one night our spies came
in, and informed us they had found Holm's village on the Chatahachy
river; and we made an immediate push for that place. We traveled all
night, expecting to get something to eat when we got there. We arrived
about sunrise, and near the place prepared for battle. We were all so
furious, that even the certainty of a pretty hard fight could not have
restrained us. We made a furious charge on the town, but to our great
mortification and surprise, there wasn't a human being in it. The
Indians had all run off and left it. We burned the town, however; but,
melancholy to tell, we found no provision whatever. We then turned
about, and went back to the camp we had left the night before, as nearly
starved as any set of poor fellows ever were in the world.
We staid there only a little while, when we divided our regiment; and
Major Childs, with his men, went back the way we had come for a
considerable distance, and then turned to Baton Rouge, where they joined
General Jackson and the main army on their return from Orleans. Major
Russell and his men struck for Fort Decatur, on the Talapoosa river.
Some of our friendly Indians, who knew the country, went on ahead of us,
as we had no trail except the one they made to follow. With them we sent
some of our ablest horses and men, to get us some provisions, to prevent
us from absolutely starving to death. As the army marched, I hunted
every day, and would kill every hawk, bird, and squirrel that I could
find. Others did the same; and it was a rule with us, that when we
stop'd at night, the hunters would throw all they killed in a pile, and
then we would make a general division among all the men. One evening I
came in, having killed nothing that day. I had a very sick man in my
mess, and I wanted something for him to eat, even if I starved myself.
So I went to the fire of a Captain Cowen, who commanded my company after
the promotion of Major Russell, and informed him that I was on the hunt
of something for a sick man to eat. I knowed the captain was as bad off
as the rest of us, but I found him broiling a turkey's gizzard. He said
he had divided the turkey out among the sick, that Major Smiley had
killed it, and that nothing else had been killed that day. I immediately
went to Smiley's fire, where I found him broiling another gizzard. I
told him, that it was the first turkey I had ever seen have two
gizzards. But so it was, I got nothing for my sick man. And now seeing
that every fellow must shift for himself, I determined that in the
morning, I would come up missing; so I took my mess and cut out to go
ahead of the army. We know'd that nothing more could happen to us if we
went than if we staid, for it looked like it was to be starvation any
way; we therefore determined to go on the old saying, root hog or die.
We passed two camps, at which our men, that had gone on before us, had
killed Indians. At one they had killed nine, and at the other three.
About daylight we came to a small river, which I thought was the Scamby;
but we continued on for three days, killing little or nothing to eat;
till, at last, we all began to get nearly ready to give up the ghost,
and lie down and die; for we had no prospect of provision, and we knew
we couldn't go much further without it.
We came to a large prairie, that was about six miles across it, and in
this I saw a trail which I knowed was made by bear, deer, and turkeys.
We went on through it till we came to a large creek, and the low grounds
were all set over with wild rye, looking as green as a wheat field. We
here made a halt, unsaddled our horses, and turned them loose to graze.
One of my companions, a Mr. Vanzant, and myself, then went up the low
grounds to hunt. We had gone some distance, finding nothing; when at
last, I found a squirrel; which I shot, but he got into a hole in the
tree. The game was small, but necessity is not very particular; so I
thought I must have him, and I climbed that tree thirty feet high,
without a limb, and pulled him out of his hole. I shouldn't relate such
small matters, only to show what lengths a hungry man will go to, to
get something to eat. I soon killed two other squirrels, and fired at a
large hawk. At this a large gang of turkeys rose from the cane brake,
and flew across the creek to where my friend was, who had just before
crossed it. He soon fired on a large gobler, and I heard it fall. By
this time my gun was loaded again, and I saw one sitting on my side of
the creek, which had flew over when he fired; so I blazed away, and down
I brought him. I gathered him up, and a fine turkey he was. I now began
to think we had struck a breeze of luck, and almost forgot our past
sufferings, in the prospect of once more having something to eat. I
raised the shout, and my comrade came to me, and we went on to our camp
with the game we had killed. While we were gone, two of our mess had
been out, and each of them had found a bee tree. We turned into cooking
some of our game, but we had neither salt nor bread. Just at this
moment, on looking down the creek, we saw our men, who had gone on
before us for provisions, coming to us. They came up, and measured out
to each man a cupfull of flower. With this, we thickened our soup, when
our turkey was cooked, and our friends took dinner with us, and then
went on.
We now took our tomahawks, and went and cut our bee-trees, out of which
we got a fine chance of honey; though we had been starving so long that
we feared to eat much at a time, till, like the Irish by hanging, we got
used to it again. We rested that night without moving our camp; and the
next morning myself and Vanzant again turned out to hunt. We had not
gone far, before I wounded a fine buck very badly; and while pursuing
him, I was walking on a large tree that had fallen down, when from the
top of it, a large bear broke out and ran off. I had no dogs, and I was
sorry enough for it; for of all the hunting I ever did, I have always
delighted most in bear hunting. Soon after this, I killed a large buck;
and we had just gotten him to camp, when our poor starved army came up.
They told us, that to lessen their sufferings as much as possible,
Captain William Russell had had his horse led up to be shot for them to
eat, just at the moment that they saw our men returning, who had carried
on the flour.
We were now about fourteen miles from Fort Decatur, and we gave away all
our meat, and honey, and went on with the rest of the army. When we got
there, they could give us only one ration of meat, but not a mouthful of
bread. I immediately got a canoe, and taking my gun, crossed over the
river, and went to the Big Warrior's town. I had a large hat, and I
offered an Indian a silver dollar for my hat full of corn. He told me
that his corn was all "_shuestea_," which in English means, it was all
gone. But he showed me where an Indian lived, who, he said, had corn. I
went to him, and made the same offer. He could talk a little broken
English, and said to me, "You got any powder? You got bullet?" I told
him I had. He then said, "Me swap my corn, for powder and bullet." I
took out about ten bullets, and showed him; and he proposed to give me a
hat full of corn for them. I took him up, mighty quick. I then offered
to give him ten charges of powder for another hat full of corn. To this
he agreed very willingly. So I took off my hunting-shirt, and tied up my
corn; and though it had cost me very little of my powder and lead, yet I
wouldn't have taken fifty silver dollars for it. I returned to the camp,
and the next morning we started for the Hickory Ground, which was thirty
miles off. It was here that General Jackson met the Indians, and made
peace with the body of the nation.
We got nothing to eat at this place, and we had yet to go forty-nine
miles, over a rough and wilderness country, to Fort Williams. Parched
corn, and but little even of that, was our daily subsistence. When we
reached Fort Williams, we got one ration of pork and one of flour, which
was our only hope until we could reach Fort Strother.
The horses were now giving out, and I remember to have seen thirteen
good horses left in one day, the saddles and bridles being thrown away.
It was thirty-nine miles to Fort Strother, and we had to pass directly
by Fort Talladego, where we first had the big Indian battle with the
eleven hundred painted warriors. We went through the old battle ground,
and it looked like a great gourd patch; the sculls of the Indians who
were killed still lay scattered all about, and many of their frames were
still perfect, as the bones had not separated. But about five miles
before we got to this battle ground, I struck a trail, which I followed
until it led me to one of their towns. Here I swap'd some more of my
powder and bullets for a little corn.
I pursued on, by myself, till some time after night, when I came up with
the rest of the army. That night my company and myself did pretty well,
as I divided out my corn among them. The next morning we met the East
Tennessee troops, who were on their road to Mobile, and my youngest
brother was with them. They had plenty of corn and provisions, and they
gave me what I wanted for myself and my horse. I remained with them
that night, though my company went across the Coosa river to the fort,
where they also had the good fortune to find plenty of provisions. Next
morning, I took leave of my brother and all my old neighbours, for there
were a good many of them with him, and crossed over to my men at the
fort. Here I had enough to go on, and after remaining a few days, cut
out for home. Nothing more, worthy of the reader's attention, transpired
till I was safely landed at home once more with my wife and children. I
found them all well and doing well; and though I was only a rough sort
of a backwoodsman, they seemed mighty glad to see me, however little the
quality folks might suppose it. For I do reckon we love as hard in the
backwood country, as any people in the whole creation.
But I had been home only a few days, when we received orders to start
again, and go on to the Black Warrior and Cahawba rivers, to see if
there was no Indians there. I know'd well enough there was none, and I
wasn't willing to trust my craw any more where there was neither any
fighting to do, nor any thing to go on; and so I agreed to give a young
man, who wanted to go, the balance of my wages if he would serve out my
time, which was about a month. He did so, and when they returned, sure
enough they hadn't seen an Indian any more than if they had been all the
time chopping wood in my clearing. This closed my career as a warrior,
and I am glad of it, for I like life now a heap better than I did then;
and I am glad all over that I lived to see these times, which I should
not have done if I had kept fooling along in war, and got used up at it.
When I say I am glad, I just mean I am glad I am alive, for there is a
confounded heap of things I an't glad of at all. I an't glad, for
example, that the "government" moved the deposites, and if my military
glory should take such a turn as to make me president after the
general's time, I'll move them back; yes, I, the "government," will
"take the responsibility," and move them back again. If I don't, I wish
I may be shot.
But I am glad that I am now through war matters, and I reckon the reader
is too, for they have no fun in them at all; and less if he had had to
pass through them first, and then to write them afterwards. But for the
dullness of their narrative, I must try to make amends by relating some
of the curious things that happened to me in private life, and when
_forced_ to become a public man, as I shall have to be again, if ever I
consent to take the presidential chair.
CHAPTER IX.
I continued at home now, working my farm for two years, as the war
finally closed soon after I quit the service. The battle at New Orleans
had already been fought, and treaties were made with the Indians which
put a stop to their hostilities.
But in this time, I met with the hardest trial which ever falls to the
lot of man. Death, that cruel leveller of all distinctions,--to whom the
prayers and tears of husbands, and of even helpless infancy, are
addressed in vain,--entered my humble cottage, and tore from my children
an affectionate good mother, and from me a tender and loving wife.
It is a scene long gone by, and one which it would be supposed I had
almost forgotten; yet when I turn my memory back on it, it seems as but
the work of yesterday. It was the doing of the Almighty, whose ways are
always right, though we sometimes think they fall heavily on us; and as
painful as is even yet the remembrance of her sufferings, and the loss
sustained by my little children and myself, yet I have no wish to lift
up the voice of complaint. I was left with three children; the two
oldest were sons, the youngest a daughter, and, at that time, a mere
infant. It appeared to me, at that moment, that my situation was the
worst in the world. I couldn't bear the thought of scattering my
children, and so I got my youngest brother, who was also married, and
his family to live with me. They took as good care of my children as
they well could, but yet it wasn't all like the care of a mother. And
though their company was to me in every respect like that of a brother
and sister, yet it fell far short of being like that of a wife. So I
came to the conclusion it wouldn't do, but that I must have another
wife.
There lived in the neighbourhood, a widow lady whose husband had been
killed in the war. She had two children, a son and daughter, and both
quite small, like my own. I began to think, that as we were both in the
same situation, it might be that we could do something for each other;
and I therefore began to hint a little around the matter, as we were
once and a while together. She was a good industrious woman, and owned a
snug little farm, and lived quite comfortable. I soon began to pay my
respects to her in real good earnest; but I was as sly about it as a fox
when he is going to rob a hen-roost. I found that my company wasn't at
all disagreeable to her; and I thought I could treat her children with
so much friendship as to make her a good stepmother to mine, and in this
I wan't mistaken, as we soon bargained, and got married, and then went
ahead. In a great deal of peace we raised our first crop of children,
and they are all married and doing well. But we had a second crop
together; and I shall notice them as I go along, as my wife and myself
both had a hand in them, and they therefore belong to the history of my
second marriage.
The next fall after this marriage, three of my neighbours and myself
determined to explore a new country. Their names were Robinson, Frazier,
and Rich. We set out for the Creek country, crossing the Tennessee
river; and after having made a day's travel, we stop'd at the house of
one of my old acquaintances, who had settled there after the war.
Resting here a day, Frazier turned out to hunt, being a great hunter;
but he got badly bit by a very poisonous snake, and so we left him and
went on. We passed through a large rich valley, called Jones's valley,
where several other families had settled, and continued our course till
we came near to the place where Tuscaloosa now stands. Here we camped,
as there were no inhabitants, and hobbled out our horses for the night.
About two hours before day, we heard the bells on our horses going back
the way we had come, as they had started to leave us. As soon as it was
daylight, I started in pursuit of them on foot, and carrying my rifle,
which was a very heavy one. I went ahead the whole day, wading creeks
and swamps, and climbing mountains; but I couldn't overtake our horses,
though I could hear of them at every house they passed. I at last found
I couldn't catch up with them, and so I gave up the hunt, and turned
back to the last house I had passed, and staid there till morning. From
the best calculation we could make, I had walked over fifty miles that
day; and the next morning I was so sore, and fatigued, that I felt like
I couldn't walk any more. But I was anxious to get back to where I had
left my company, and so I started and went on, but mighty slowly, till
after the middle of the day. I now began to feel mighty sick, and had a
dreadful head-ache. My rifle was so heavy, and I felt so weak, that I
lay down by the side of the trace, in a perfect wilderness too, to see
if I wouldn't get better. In a short time some Indians came along. They
had some ripe melons, and wanted me to eat some, but I was so sick I
couldn't. They then signed to me, that I would die, and be buried; a
thing I was confoundedly afraid of myself. But I asked them how near it
was to any house? By their signs, again, they made me understand it was
a mile and a half. I got up to go; but when I rose, I reeled about like
a cow with the blind staggers, or a fellow who had taken too many
"horns." One of the Indians proposed to go with me, and carry my gun. I
gave him half a dollar, and accepted his offer. We got to the house, by
which time I was pretty far gone, but was kindly received, and got on to
a bed. The woman did all she could for me with her warm teas, but I
still continued bad enough, with a high fever, and generally out of my
senses. The next day two of my neighbours were passing the road, and
heard of my situation, and came to where I was. They were going nearly
the route I had intended to go, to look at the country; and so they took
me first on one of their horses, and then on the other, till they got me
back to where I had left my company. I expected I would get better, and
be able to go on with them, but, instead of this, I got worse and worse;
and when we got there, I wan't able to sit up at all. I thought now the
jig was mighty nigh up with me, but I determined to keep a stiff upper
lip. They carried me to a house, and each of my comrades bought him a
horse, and they all set out together, leaving me behind. I knew but
little that was going on for about two weeks; but the family treated me
with every possible kindness in their power, and I shall always feel
thankful to them. The man's name was Jesse Jones. At the end of two
weeks I began to mend without the help of a doctor, or of any doctor's
means. In this time, however, as they told me, I was speechless for five
days, and they had no thought that I would ever speak again,--in
Congress or any where else. And so the woman, who had a bottle of
Batesman's draps, thought if they killed me, I would only die any how,
and so she would try it with me. She gave me the whole bottle, which
throwed me into a sweat that continued on me all night; when at last I
seemed to make up, and spoke, and asked her for a drink of water. This
almost alarmed her, for she was looking every minute for me to die. She
gave me the water, and, from that time, I began slowly to mend, and so
kept on till I was able at last to walk about a little. I might easily
have been mistaken for one of the Kitchen Cabinet, I looked so much
like a ghost. I have been particular in giving a history of this
sickness, not because I believe it will interest any body much now, nor,
indeed, do I _certainly_ know that it ever will. But if I should be
forced to take the "white house," then it will be good history; and
every one will look on it as important. And I can't, for my life, help
laughing now, to think, that when all my folks get around me, wanting
good fat offices, how so many of them will say, "What a good thing it
was that that kind woman had the bottle of draps, that saved PRESIDENT
CROCKETT'S life,--the second greatest and best"!!!!! Good, says I, my
noble fellow! You take the post office; or the navy; or the war office;
or may-be the treasury. But if I give him the treasury, there's no devil
if I don't make him agree first to fetch back them deposites. And if
it's even the post office, I'll make him promise to keep his money
'counts without any figuring, as that throws the whole concern heels
over head in debt, in little or no time.
But when I got so I could travel a little, I got a waggoner who was
passing along to hawl me to where he lived, which was about twenty miles
from my house. I still mended as we went along, and when we got to his
stopping place, I hired one of his horses, and went on home. I was so
pale, and so much reduced, that my face looked like it had been half
soled with brown paper.
When I got there, it was to the utter astonishment of my wife; for she
supposed I was dead. My neighbours who had started with me had returned
and took my horse home, which they had found with their's; and they
reported that they had seen men who had helped to bury me; and who saw
me draw my last breath. I know'd this was a whapper of a lie, as soon as
I heard it. My wife had hired a man, and sent him out to see what had
become of my money and other things; but I had missed the man as I went
in, and he didn't return until some time after I got home, as he went
all the way to where I lay sick, before he heard that I was still in the
land of the living and a-kicking.
The place on which I lived was sickly, and I was determined to leave it.
I therefore set out the next fall to look at the country which had been
purchased of the Chickasaw tribe of Indians. I went on to a place called
Shoal Creek, about eighty miles from where I lived, and here again I got
sick. I took the ague and fever, which I supposed was brought on me by
camping out. I remained here for some time, as I was unable to go
farther; and in that time, I became so well pleased with the country
about there, that I resolved to settle in it. It was just only a little
distance in the purchase, and no order had been established there; but I
thought I could get along without order as well as any body else. And so
I moved and settled myself down on the head of Shoal Creek. We remained
here some two or three years, without any law at all; and so many bad
characters began to flock in upon us, that we found it necessary to set
up a sort of temporary government of our own. I don't mean that we made
any president, and called him the "government," but we met and made what
we called a corporation; and I reckon we called _it_ wrong, for it
wa'n't a bank, and hadn't any deposites; and now they call the bank a
corporation. But be this as it may, we lived in the back-woods, and
didn't profess to know much, and no doubt used many wrong words. But we
met, and appointed magistrates and constables to keep order. We didn't
fix any laws for them, tho'; for we supposed they would know law enough,
whoever they might be; and so we left it to themselves to fix the laws.
I was appointed one of the magistrates; and when a man owed a debt, and
wouldn't pay it, I and my constable ordered our warrant, and then he
would take the man, and bring him before me for trial. I would give
judgment against him, and then an order of an execution would easily
scare the debt out of him. If any one was charged with marking his
neighbour's hogs, or with stealing any thing, which happened pretty
often in those days,--I would have him taken, and if there was tolerable
grounds for the charge, I would have him well whip'd and cleared. We
kept this up till our Legislature added us to the white settlements in
Giles county; and appointed magistrates by law, to organize matters in
the parts where I lived. They appointed nearly every man a magistrate
who had belonged to our corporation. I was then, of course, made a
squire according to law; though now the honour rested more heavily on me
than before. For, at first, whenever I told my constable, says I--"Catch
that fellow, and bring him up for trial"--away he went, and the fellow
must come, dead or alive; for we considered this a good warrant, though
it was only in verbal writings. But after I was appointed by the
assembly, they told me, my warrants must be in real writing, and signed;
and that I must keep a book, and write my proceedings in it. This was a
hard business on me, for I could just barely write my own name; but to
do this, and write the warrants too, was at least a huckleberry over my
persimmon. I had a pretty well informed constable, however; and he aided
me very much in this business. Indeed I had so much confidence in him,
that I told him, when we should happen to be out anywhere, and see that
a warrant was necessary, and would have a good effect, he need'nt take
the trouble to come all the way to me to get one, but he could just fill
out one; and then on the trial I could correct the whole business if he
had committed any error. In this way I got on pretty well, till by care
and attention I improved my handwriting in such manner as to be able to
prepare my warrants, and keep my record book, without much difficulty.
My judgments were never appealed from, and if they had been they would
have stuck like wax, as I gave my decisions on the principles of common
justice and honesty between man and man, and relied on natural born
sense, and not on law, learning to guide me; for I had never read a page
in a law book in all my life.
CHAPTER X.
About the time we were getting under good headway in our new government,
a Capt. Matthews came to me and told me he was a candidate for the
office of colonel of a regiment, and that I must run for first major in
the same regiment. I objected to this, telling him that I thought I had
done my share of fighting, and that I wanted nothing to do with military
appointments.
He still insisted, until at last I agreed, and of course had every
reason to calculate on his support in my election. He was an early
settler in that country, and made rather more corn than the rest of us;
and knowing it would afford him a good opportunity to electioneer a
little, he made a great corn husking, and a great frolic, and gave a
general treat, asking every body over the whole country. Myself and my
family were, of course, invited. When I got there, I found a very large
collection of people, and some friend of mine soon informed me that the
captain's son was going to offer against me for the office of major,
which he had seemed so anxious for me to get. I cared nothing about the
office, but it put my dander up high enough to see, that after he had
pressed me so hard to offer, he was countenancing, if not encouraging, a
secret plan to beat me. I took the old gentleman out, and asked him
about it. He told me it was true his son was going to run as a
candidate, and that he hated worse to run against me than any man in the
county. I told him his son need give himself no uneasiness about that;
that I shouldn't run against him for major, but against his daddy for
colonel. He took me by the hand, and we went into the company. He then
made a speech, and informed the people that I was his opponent. I
mounted up for a speech too. I told the people the cause of my opposing
him, remarking that as I had the whole family to run against any way, I
was determined to levy on the head of the mess. When the time for the
election came, his son was opposed by another man for major; and he and
his daddy were both badly beaten. I just now began to take a rise, as in
a little time I was asked to offer for the Legislature in the counties
of Lawrence and Heckman.
I offered my name in the month of February, and started about the first
of March with a drove of horses to the lower part of the state of North
Carolina. This was in the year 1821, and I was gone upwards of three
months. I returned, and set out electioneering, which was a bran-fire
new business to me. It now became necessary that I should tell the
people something about the government, and an eternal sight of other
things that I knowed nothing more about than I did about Latin, and law,
and such things as that. I have said before that in those days none of
us called Gen'l. Jackson the government, nor did he seem in as fair a
way to become so as I do now; but I knowed so little about it, that if
any one had told me he was "the government," I should have believed it,
for I had never read even a newspaper in my life, or any thing else, on
the subject. But over all my difficulties, it seems to me I was born for
luck, though it would be hard for any one to guess what sort. I will,
however, explain that hereafter.
I went first into Heckman county, to see what I could do among the
people as a candidate. Here they told me that they wanted to move their
town nearer to the centre of the county, and I must come out in favour
of it. There's no devil if I knowed what this meant, or how the town was
to be moved; and so I kept dark, going on the identical same plan that I
now find is called "_non-committal_." About this time there was a great
squirrel hunt on Duck river, which was among my people. They were to
hunt two days: then to meet and count the scalps, and have a big
barbecue, and what might be called a tip-top country frolic. The dinner,
and a general treat, was all to be paid for by the party having taken
the fewest scalps. I joined one side, taking the place of one of the
hunters, and got a gun ready for the hunt. I killed a great many
squirrels, and when we counted scalps, my party was victorious.
The company had every thing to eat and drink that could be furnished in
so new a country, and much fun and good humour prevailed. But before the
regular frolic commenced, I mean the dancing, I was called on to make a
speech as a candidate; which was a business I was as ignorant of as an
outlandish negro.
A public document I had never seen, nor did I know there were such
things; and how to begin I couldn't tell. I made many apologies, and
tried to get off, for I know'd I had a man to run against who could
speak prime, and I know'd, too, that I wa'n't able to shuffle and cut
with him. He was there, and knowing my ignorance as well as I did
myself, he also urged me to make a speech. The truth is, he thought my
being a candidate was a mere matter of sport; and didn't think, for a
moment, that he was in any danger from an ignorant back-woods bear
hunter. But I found I couldn't get off, and so I determined just to go
ahead, and leave it to chance what I should say. I got up and told the
people, I reckoned they know'd what I come for, but if not, I could tell
them. I had come for their votes, and if they didn't watch mighty close,
I'd get them too. But the worst of all was, that I couldn't tell them
any thing about government. I tried to speak about something, and I
cared very little what, until I choaked up as bad as if my mouth had
been jam'd and cram'd chock full of dry mush. There the people stood,
listening all the while, with their eyes, mouths and ear all open, to
catch every word I would speak.
At last I told them I was like a fellow I had heard of not long before.
He was beating on the head of an empty barrel near the road-side, when a
traveler, who was passing along, asked him what he was doing that for?
The fellow replied, that there was some cider in that barrel a few days
before, and he was trying to see if there was any then, but if there was
he couldn't get at it. I told them that there had been a little bit of a
speech in me a while ago, but I believed I couldn't get it out. They
all roared out in a mighty laugh, and I told some other anecdotes,
equally amusing to them, and believing I had them in a first-rate way, I
quit and got down, thanking the people for their attention. But I took
care to remark that I was as dry as a powder horn, and that I thought it
was time for us all to wet our whistles a little; and so I put off to
the liquor stand, and was followed by the greater part of the crowd.
I felt certain this was necessary, for I knowed my competitor could open
government matters to them as easy as he pleased. He had, however,
mighty few left to hear him, as I continued with the crowd, now and then
taking a horn, and telling good humoured stories, till he was done
speaking. I found I was good for the votes at the hunt, and when we
broke up, I went on to the town of Vernon, which was the same they
wanted me to move. Here they pressed me again on the subject, and I
found I could get either party by agreeing with them. But I told them I
didn't know whether it would be right or not, and so couldn't promise
either way.
Their court commenced on the next Monday, as the barbacue was on a
Saturday, and the candidates for governor and for Congress, as well as
my competitor and myself, all attended. The thought of having to make a
speech made my knees feel mighty weak, and set my heart to fluttering
almost as bad as my first love scrape with the Quaker's niece. But as
good luck would have it, these big candidates spoke nearly all day, and
when they quit, the people were worn out with fatigue, which afforded me
a good apology for not discussing the government. But I listened mighty
close to them, and was learning pretty fast about political matters.
When they were all done, I got up and told some laughable story, and
quit. I found I was safe in those parts, and so I went home, and didn't
go back again till after the election was over. But to cut this matter
short, I was elected, doubling my competitor, and nine votes over.
A short time after this, I was in Pulaski, where I met with Colonel
Polk, now a member of Congress from Tennessee. He was at that time a
member elected to the Legislature, as well as myself; and in a large
company he said to me, "Well, colonel, I suppose we shall have a radical
change of the judiciary at the next session of the Legislature." "Very
likely, sir," says I, and I put out quicker, for I was afraid some one
would ask me what the judiciary was; and if I knowed I wish I may be
shot. I don't indeed believe I had ever before heard that there was any
such thing in all nature; but still I was not willing that the people
there should know how ignorant I was about it.
When the time for meeting of the Legislature arrived, I went on, and
before I had been there long, I could have told what the judiciary was,
and what the government was too; and many other things that I had known
nothing about before.
About this time I met with a very severe misfortune, which I may be
pardoned for naming, as it made a great change in my circumstances, and
kept me back very much in the world. I had built an extensive grist
mill, and powder mill, all connected together, and also a large
distillery. They had cost me upwards of three thousand dollars, more
than I was worth in the world. The first news that I heard after I got
to the Legislature, was, that my mills were--not blown up sky high, as
you would guess, by my powder establishment,--but swept away all to
smash by a large fresh, that came soon after I left home. I had, of
course, to stop my distillery, as my grinding was broken up; and,
indeed, I may say, that the misfortune just made a complete mash of me.
I had some likely negroes, and a good stock of almost every thing about
me, and, best of all, I had an honest wife. She didn't advise me, as is
too fashionable, to smuggle up this, and that, and t'other, to go on at
home; but she told me, says she, "Just pay up, as long as you have a
bit's worth in the world; and then every body will be satisfied, and we
will scuffle for more." This was just such talk as I wanted to hear, for
a man's wife can hold him devlish uneasy, if she begins to scold, and
fret, and perplex him, at a time when he has a full load for a rail-road
car on his mind already.
And so, you see, I determined not to break full handed, but thought it
better to keep a good conscience with an empty purse, than to get a bad
opinion of myself, with a full one. I therefore gave up all I had, and
took a bran-fire new start.
CHAPTER XI.
Having returned from the Legislature, I determined to make another move,
and so I took my eldest son with me, and a young man by the name of
Abram Henry, and cut out for the Obion. I selected a spot when I got
there, where I determined to settle; and the nearest house to it was
seven miles, the next nearest was fifteen, and so on to twenty. It was a
complete wilderness, and full of Indians who were hunting. Game was
plenty of almost every kind, which suited me exactly, as I was always
fond of hunting. The house which was nearest me, and which, as I have
already stated, was seven miles off, and on the different side of the
Obion river, belonged to a man by the name of Owens; and I started to go
there. I had taken one horse along, to pack our provision, and when I
got to the water I hobbled him out to graze, until I got back; as there
was no boat to cross the river in, and it was so high that it had
overflowed all the bottoms and low country near it.
We now took water like so many beavers, notwithstanding it was mighty
cold, and waded on. The water would sometimes be up to our necks, and at
others not so deep; but I went, of course, before, and carried a pole,
with which I would feel along before me, to see how deep it was, and to
guard against falling into a slough, as there was many in our way. When
I would come to one, I would take out my tomahawk and cut a small tree
across it, and then go ahead again. Frequently my little son would have
to swim, even where myself and the young man could wade; but we worked
on till at last we got to the channel of the river, which made it about
half a mile we had waded from where we took water. I saw a large tree
that had fallen into the river from the other side, but it didn't reach
across. One stood on the same bank where we were, that I thought I could
fall, so as to reach the other; and so at it we went with my tomahawk,
cutting away till we got it down; and, as good luck would have it, it
fell right, and made us a way that we could pass.
When we got over this, it was still a sea of water as far as our eyes
could reach. We took into it again, and went ahead, for about a mile,
hardly ever seeing a single spot of land, and sometimes very deep. At
last we come in sight of land, which was a very pleasing thing; and when
we got out, we went but a little way, before we came in sight of the
house, which was more pleasing than ever; for we were wet all over, and
mighty cold. I felt mighty sorry when I would look at my little boy, and
see him shaking like he had the worst sort of an ague, for there was no
time for fever then. As we got near to the house, we saw Mr. Owens and
several men that were with him, just starting away. They saw us, and
stop'd, but looked much astonished until we got up to them, and I made
myself known. The men who were with him were the owners of a boat which
was the first that ever went that far up the Obion river; and some hands
he had hired to carry it about a hundred miles still further up, by
water, tho' it was only about thirty by land, as the river is very
crooked.
They all turned back to the house with me, where I found Mrs. Owens, a
fine, friendly old woman; and her kindness to my little boy did me ten
times as much good as any thing she could have done for me, if she had
tried her best. The old gentleman set out his bottle to us, and I
concluded that if a horn wasn't good then, there was no use for its
invention. So I swig'd off about a half pint, and the young man was by
no means bashful in such a case; he took a strong pull at it too. I then
gave my boy some, and in a little time we felt pretty well. We dried
ourselves by the fire, and were asked to go on board of the boat that
evening. I agreed to do so, but left my son with the old lady, and
myself and my young man went to the boat with Mr. Owens and the others.
The boat was loaded with whiskey, flour, sugar, coffee, salt, castings,
and other articles suitable for the country; and they were to receive
five hundred dollars to land the load at M'Lemore's Bluff, beside the
profit they could make on their load. This was merely to show that boats
could get up to that point. We staid all night with them, and had a high
night of it, as I took steam enough to drive out all the cold that was
in me, and about three times as much more. In the morning we concluded
to go on with the boat to where a great _harricane_ had crossed the
river, and blowed all the timber down into it. When we got there, we
found the river was falling fast, and concluded we couldn't get through
the timber without more rise; so we drop'd down opposite Mr. Owens'
again, where they determined to wait for more water.
The next day it rained rip-roriously, and the river rose pretty
considerable, but not enough yet. And so I got the boatsmen all to go
out with me to where I was going to settle, and we slap'd up a cabin in
little or no time. I got from the boat four barrels of meal, and one of
salt, and about ten gallons of whiskey.
To pay for these, I agreed to go with the boat up the river to their
landing place. I got also a large middling of bacon, and killed a fine
deer, and left them for my young man and my little boy, who were to stay
at my cabin till I got back; which I expected would be in six or seven
days. We cut out, and moved up to the harricane, where we stop'd for the
night. In the morning I started about daylight, intending to kill a
deer, as I had no thought they would get the boat through the timber
that day. I had gone but a little way before I killed a fine buck, and
started to go back to the boat; but on the way I came on the tracks of a
large gang of elks, and so I took after them. I had followed them only a
little distance when I saw them, and directly after I saw two large
bucks. I shot one down, and the other wouldn't leave him; so I loaded
my gun, and shot him down too. I hung them up, and went ahead again
after my elks. I pursued on till after the middle of the day before I
saw them again; but they took the hint before I got in shooting
distance, and run off. I still pushed on till late in the evening, when
I found I was about four miles from where I had left the boat, and as
hungry as a wolf, for I hadn't eaten a bite that day.
I started down the edge of the river low grounds, giving out the pursuit
of my elks, and hadn't gone hardly any distance at all, before I saw two
more bucks, very large fellows too. I took a blizzard at one of them,
and up he tumbled. The other ran off a few jumps and stop'd; and stood
there till I loaded again, and fired at him. I knock'd his trotters from
under him, and then I hung them both up. I pushed on again; and about
sunset I saw three other bucks. I down'd with one of them, and the other
two ran off. I hung this one up also, having now killed six that day. I
then pushed on till I got to the harricane, and at the lower edge of it,
about where I expected the boat was. Here I hollered as hard as I could
roar, but could get no answer. I fired off my gun, and the men on the
boat fired one too; but quite contrary to my expectation, they had got
through the timber, and were about two miles above me. It was now dark,
and I had to crawl through the fallen timber the best way I could; and
if the reader don't know it was bad enough, I am sure I do. For the
vines and briers had grown all through it, and so thick, that a good fat
coon couldn't much more than get along. I got through at last, and went
on near to where I had killed my last deer, and once more fired off my
gun, which was again answered from the boat, which was still a little
above me. I moved on as fast as I could, but soon came to water, and not
knowing how deep it was, I halted and hollered till they came to me with
a skiff. I now got to the boat, without further difficulty; but the
briers had worked on me at such a rate, that I felt like I wanted sewing
up, all over. I took a pretty stiff horn, which soon made me feel much
better; but I was so tired that I could hardly work my jaws to eat.
In the morning, myself and a young man started and brought in the first
buck I had killed; and after breakfast we went and brought in the last
one. The boat then started, but we again went and got the two I had
killed just as I turned down the river in the evening; and we then
pushed on and o'ertook the boat, leaving the other two hanging in the
woods, as we had now as much as we wanted.
We got up the river very well, but quite slowly; and we landed, on the
eleventh day, at the place the load was to be delivered at. They here
gave me their skiff, and myself and a young man by the name of Flavius
Harris, who had determined to go and live with me, cut out down the
river for my cabin, which we reached safely enough.
We turned in and cleared a field, and planted our corn; but it was so
late in the spring, we had no time to make rails, and therefore we put
no fence around our field. There was no stock, however, nor any thing
else to disturb our corn, except the wild _varments_, and the old
serpent himself, with a fence to help him, couldn't keep them out. I
made corn enough to do me, and during that spring I killed ten bears,
and a great abundance of deer. But in all this time, we saw the face of
no white person in that country, except Mr. Owens' family, and a very
few passengers, who went out there, looking at the country. Indians,
though, were still plenty enough. Having laid by my crap, I went home,
which was a distance of about a hundred and fifty miles; and when I got
there, I was met by an order to attend a call-session of our
Legislature. I attended it, and served out my time, and then returned,
and took my family and what little plunder I had, and moved to where I
had built my cabin, and made my crap.
I gathered my corn, and then set out for my Fall's hunt. This was in the
last of October, 1822. I found bear very plenty, and, indeed, all sorts
of game and wild varments, except buffalo. There was none of them. I
hunted on till Christmass, having supplied my family very well all along
with wild meat, at which time my powder gave out; and I had none either
to fire Christmass guns, which is very common in that country, or to
hunt with. I had a brother-in-law who had now moved out and settled
about six miles west of me, on the opposite side of Rutherford's fork of
the Obion river, and he had brought me a keg of powder, but I had never
gotten it home. There had just been another of Noah's freshes, and the
low grounds were flooded all over with water. I know'd the stream was at
least a mile wide which I would have to cross, as the water was from
hill to hill, and yet I determined to go on over in some way or other,
so as to get my powder. I told this to my wife, and she immediately
opposed it with all her might. I still insisted, telling her we had no
powder for Christmass, and, worse than all, we were out of meat. She
said, we had as well starve as for me to freeze to death or to get
drowned, and one or the other was certain if I attempted to go.
But I didn't believe the half of this; and so I took my woolen wrappers,
and a pair of mockasins, and put them on, and tied up some dry clothes
and a pair of shoes and stockings, and started. But I didn't before know
how much any body could suffer and not die. This, and some of my other
experiments in water, learned me something about it, and I therefore
relate them.
The snow was about four inches deep when I started; and when I got to
the water, which was only about a quarter of a mile off, it look'd like
an ocean. I put in, and waded on till I come to the channel, where I
crossed that on a high log. I then took water again, having my gun and
all my hunting tools along, and waded till I came to a deep slough, that
was wider than the river itself. I had crossed it often on a log; but,
behold, when I got there, no log was to be seen. I knowed of an island
in the slough, and a sapling stood on it close to the side of that log,
which was now entirely under water. I knowed further, that the water was
about eight or ten feet deep under the log, and I judged it to be about
three feet deep over it. After studying a little what I should do, I
determined to cut a forked sapling, which stood near me, so as to lodge
it against the one that stood on the island, in which I succeeded very
well. I then cut me a pole, and crawled along on my sapling till I got
to the one it was lodged against, which was about six feet above the
water. I then felt about with my pole till I found the log, which was
just about as deep under the water as I had judged. I then crawled back
and got my gun, which I had left at the stump of the sapling I had cut,
and again made my way to the place of lodgement, and then climb'd down
the other sapling so as to get on the log. I then felt my way along with
my feet, in the water, about waist deep, but it was a mighty ticklish
business. However, I got over, and by this time I had very little
feeling in my feet and legs, as I had been all the time in the water,
except what time I was crossing the high log over the river, and
climbing my lodged sapling.
I went but a short distance before I came to another slough, over which
there was a log, but it was floating on the water. I thought I could
walk it, and so I mounted on it; but when I had got about the middle of
the deep water, somehow or somehow else, it turned over, and in I went
up to my head I waded out of this deep water, and went ahead till I came
to the high-land, where I stop'd to pull off my wet clothes, and put on
the others, which I had held up with my gun, above the water, when I
fell in. I got them on, but my flesh had no feeling in it, I was so
cold. I tied up the wet ones, and hung them up in a bush. I now thought
I would run, so as to warm myself a little, but I couldn't raise a trot
for some time; indeed, I couldn't step more than half the length of my
foot. After a while I got better, and went on five miles to the house of
my brother-in-law, having not even smelt fire from the time I started. I
got there late in the evening, and he was much astonished at seeing me
at such a time. I staid all night, and the next morning was most
piercing cold, and so they persuaded me not to go home that day. I
agreed, and turned out and killed him two deer; but the weather still
got worse and colder, instead of better. I staid that night, and in the
morning they still insisted I couldn't get home. I knowed the water
would be frozen over, but not hard enough to bear me, and so I agreed to
stay that day. I went out hunting again, and pursued a big _he-bear_ all
day, but didn't kill him. The next morning was bitter cold, but I knowed
my family was without meat, and I determined to get home to them, or
die a-trying.
I took my keg of powder, and all my hunting tools, and cut out. When I
got to the water, it was a sheet of ice as far as I could see. I put on
to it, but hadn't got far before it broke through with me; and so I took
out my tomahawk, and broke my way along before me for a considerable
distance. At last I got to where the ice would bear me for a short
distance, and I mounted on it, and went ahead; but it soon broke in
again, and I had to wade on till I came to my floating log. I found it
so tight this time, that I know'd it couldn't give me another fall, as
it was frozen in with the ice. I crossed over it without much
difficulty, and worked along till I got to my lodged sapling, and my log
under the water. The swiftness of the current prevented the water from
freezing over it, and so I had to wade, just as I did when I crossed it
before. When I got to my sapling, I left my gun and climbed out with my
powder keg first, and then went back and got my gun. By this time I was
nearly frozen to death, but I saw all along before me, where the ice had
been fresh broke, and I thought it must be a bear straggling about in
the water. I, therefore, fresh primed my gun, and, cold as I was, I was
determined to make war on him, if we met. But I followed the trail till
it led me home, and I then found it had been made by my young man that
lived with me, who had been sent by my distressed wife to see, if he
could, what had become of me, for they all believed that I was dead.
When I got home I was'nt quite dead, but mighty nigh it; but I had my
powder, and that was what I went for.
CHAPTER XII.
That night there fell a heavy rain, and it turned to a sleet. In the
morning all hands turned out hunting. My young man, and a brother-in-law
who had lately settled close by me, went down the river to hunt for
turkeys; but I was for larger game. I told them, I had dreamed the night
before of having a hard fight with a big black nigger, and I knowed it
was a sign that I was to have a battle with a bear; for in a bear
country, I never know'd such a dream to fail. So I started to go up
above the harricane, determined to have a bear. I had two pretty good
dogs, and an old hound, all of which I took along. I had gone about six
miles up the river, and it was then about four miles across to the main
Obion; so I determined to strike across to that, as I had found nothing
yet to kill. I got on to the river, and turned down it; but the sleet
was still getting worse and worse. The bushes were all bent down, and
locked together with ice, so that it was almost impossible to get
along. In a little time my dogs started a large gang of old turkey
goblers, and I killed two of them, of the biggest sort. I shouldered
them up, and moved on, until I got through the harricane, when I was so
tired that I laid my goblers down to rest, as they were confounded
heavy, and I was mighty tired. While I was resting, my old hound went to
a log, and smelt it awhile, and then raised his eyes toward the sky, and
cried out. Away he went, and my other dogs with him, and I shouldered up
my turkeys again, and followed on as hard as I could drive. They were
soon out of sight, and in a very little time I heard them begin to bark.
When I got to them, they were barking up a tree, but there was no game
there. I concluded it had been a turkey, and that it had flew away.
When they saw me coming, away they went again; and, after a little time,
began to bark as before. When I got near them, I found they were barking
up the wrong tree again, as there was no game there. They served me in
this way three or four times, until I was so infernal mad, that I
determined, if I could get near enough, to shoot the old hound at least.
With this intention I pushed on the harder, till I came to the edge of
an open parara, and looking on before my dogs, I saw in and about the
biggest bear that ever was seen in America. He looked, at the distance
he was from me, like a large black bull. My dogs were afraid to attack
him, and that was the reason they had stop'd so often, that I might
overtake them. They were now almost up with him, and I took my goblers
from my back and hung them up in a sapling, and broke like a quarter
horse after my bear, for the sight of him had put new springs in me. I
soon got near to them, but they were just getting into a roaring
thicket, and so I couldn't run through it, but had to pick my way along,
and had close work even at that.
In a little time I saw the bear climbing up a large black oak-tree, and
I crawled on till I got within about eighty yards of him. He was setting
with his breast to me; and so I put fresh priming in my gun, and fired
at him. At this he raised one of his paws and snorted loudly. I loaded
again as quick as I could, and fired as near the same place in his
breast as possible. At the crack of my gun here he came tumbling down;
and the moment he touched the ground, I heard one of my best dogs cry
out. I took my tomahawk in one hand, and my big butcher-knife in the
other, and run up within four or five paces of him, at which he let my
dog go, and fixed his eyes on me. I got back in all sorts of a hurry,
for I know'd if he got hold of me, he would hug me altogether too close
for comfort. I went to my gun and hastily loaded her again, and shot him
the third time, which killed him good.
I now began to think about getting him home, but I didn't know how far
it was. So I left him and started; and in order to find him again, I
would blaze a sapling every little distance, which would show me the way
back. I continued this till I got within about a mile of home, for there
I know'd very well where I was, and that I could easily find the way
back to my blazes. When I got home, I took my brother-in-law, and my
young man, and four horses, and went back. We got there just before
dark, and struck up a fire, and commenced butchering my bear. It was
some time in the night before we finished it; and I can assert, on my
honour, that I believe he would have weighed six hundred pounds. It was
the second largest I ever saw. I killed one, a few years after, that
weighed six hundred and seventeen pounds. I now felt fully compensated
for my sufferings in going after my powder; and well satisfied that a
dog might sometimes be doing a good business, even when he seemed to be
_barking up the wrong tree_. We got our meat home, and I had the
pleasure to know that we now had plenty, and that of the best; and I
continued through the winter to supply my family abundantly with
bear-meat and venison from the woods.
CHAPTER XIII.
I had on hand a great many skins, and so, in the month of February, I
packed a horse with them, and taking my eldest son along with me, cut
out for a little town called Jackson, situated about forty miles off. We
got there well enough, and I sold my skins, and bought me some coffee,
and sugar, powder, lead, and salt. I packed them all up in readiness for
a start, which I intended to make early the next morning. Morning came,
but I concluded, before I started, I would go and take a horn with some
of my old fellow-soldiers that I had met with at Jackson.
I did so; and while we were engaged in this, I met with three candidates
for the Legislature; a Doctor Butler, who was, by marriage, a nephew to
General Jackson, a Major Lynn, and a Mr. McEver, all first-rate men. We
all took a horn together, and some person present said to me, "Crockett,
you must offer for the Legislature." I told him I lived at least forty
miles from any white settlement, and had no thought of becoming a
candidate at that time. So we all parted, and I and my little boy went
on home.
It was about a week or two after this, that a man came to my house, and
told me I was a candidate. I told him not so. But he took out a
newspaper from his pocket, and show'd me where I was announced. I said
to my wife that this was all a burlesque on me, but I was determined to
make it cost the man who had put it there at least the value of the
printing, and of the fun he wanted at my expense. So I hired a young man
to work in my place on my farm, and turned out myself electioneering. I
hadn't been out long, before I found the people began to talk very much
about the bear hunter, the man from the cane; and the three gentlemen,
who I have already named, soon found it necessary to enter into an
agreement to have a sort of caucus at their March court, to determine
which of them was the strongest, and the other two was to withdraw and
support him. As the court came on, each one of them spread himself, to
secure the nomination; but it fell on Dr. Butler, and the rest backed
out. The doctor was a clever fellow, and I have often said he was the
most talented man I ever run against for any office. His being related
to Gen'l. Jackson also helped him on very much; but I was in for it, and
I was determined to push ahead and go through, or stick. Their meeting
was held in Madison county, which was the strongest in the
representative district, which was composed of eleven counties, and they
seemed bent on having the member from there.
At this time Col. Alexander was a candidate for Congress, and attending
one of his public meetings one day, I walked to where he was treating
the people, and he gave me an introduction to several of his
acquaintances, and informed them that I was out electioneering. In a
little time my competitor, Doctor Butler, came along; he passed by
without noticing me, and I suppose, indeed, he did not recognise me. But
I hailed him, as I was for all sorts of fun; and when he turned to me, I
said to him, "Well, doctor, I suppose they have weighed you out to me;
but I should like to know why they fixed your election for _March_
instead of _August_? This is," said I, "a branfire new way of doing
business, if a caucus is to make a representative for the people!" He
now discovered who I was, and cried out, "D--n it, Crockett, is that
you?"--"Be sure it is," said I, "but I don't want it understood that I
have come electioneering. I have just crept out of the cane, to see
what discoveries I could make among the white folks." I told him that
when I set out electioneering, I would go prepared to put every man on
as good footing when I left him as I found him on. I would therefore
have me a large buckskin hunting-shirt made, with a couple of pockets
holding about a peck each; and that in one I would carry a great big
twist of tobacco, and in the other my bottle of liquor; for I knowed
when I met a man and offered him a dram, he would throw out his quid of
tobacco to take one, and after he had taken his horn, I would out with
my twist and give him another chaw. And in this way he would not be
worse off than when I found him; and I would be sure to leave him in a
first-rate good humour. He said I could beat him electioneering all
hollow. I told him I would give him better evidence of that before
August, notwithstanding he had many advantages over me, and particularly
in the way of money; but I told him that I would go on the products of
the country; that I had industrious children, and the best of coon dogs,
and they would hunt every night till midnight to support my election;
and when the coon fur wa'n't good, I would myself go a wolfing, and
shoot down a wolf, and skin his head, and his scalp would be good to me
for three dollars, in our state treasury money; and in this way I would
get along on the big string. He stood like he was both amused and
astonished, and the whole crowd was in a roar of laughter. From this
place I returned home, leaving the people in a first-rate way; and I was
sure I would do a good business among them. At any rate, I was
determined to stand up to my lick-log, salt or no salt.
In a short time there came out two other candidates, a Mr. Shaw and a
Mr. Brown. We all ran the race through; and when the election was over,
it turned out that I beat them all by a majority of two hundred and
forty-seven votes, and was again returned as a member of the Legislature
from a new region of the country, without losing a session. This
reminded me of the old saying--"A fool for luck, and a poor man for
children."
I now served two years in that body from my new district, which was the
years 1823 and '24. At the session of 1823, I had a small trial of my
independence, and whether I would forsake principle for party, or for
the purpose of following after big men.
The term of Col. John Williams had expired, who was a senator in
Congress from the state of Tennessee. He was a candidate for another
election, and was opposed by Pleasant M. Miller, Esq., who, it was
believed, would not be able to beat the colonel. Some two or three
others were spoken of, but it was at last concluded that the only man
who could beat him was the present "government," General Jackson. So, a
few days before the election was to come on, he was sent for to come and
run for the senate. He was then in nomination for the presidency; but
sure enough he came, and did run as the opponent of Colonel Williams,
and beat him too, but not by my vote. The vote was, for Jackson,
_thirty-five_; for Williams, _twenty-five_. I thought the colonel had
honestly discharged his duty, and even the mighty name of Jackson
couldn't make me vote against him.
But voting against the old chief was found a mighty up-hill business to
all of them except myself. I never would, nor never did, acknowledge I
had voted wrong; and I am more certain now that I was right than ever.
I told the people it was the best vote I ever gave; that I had supported
the public interest, and cleared my conscience in giving it, instead of
gratifying the private ambition of a man.
I let the people know as early as then, that I wouldn't take a collar
around my neck with the letters engraved on it,
MY DOG.
ANDREW JACKSON.
During these two sessions of the Legislature, nothing else turned up
which I think it worth while to mention; and, indeed, I am fearful that
I am too particular about many small matters; but if so, my apology is,
that I want the world to understand my true history, and how I worked
along to rise from a cane-brake to my present station in life.
Col. Alexander was the representative in Congress of the district I
lived in, and his vote on the tariff law of 1824 gave a mighty heap of
dissatisfaction to his people. They therefore began to talk pretty
strong of running me for Congress against him. At last I was called on
by a good many to be a candidate. I told the people that I couldn't
stand that; it was a step above my knowledge, and I know'd nothing about
Congress matters.
However, I was obliged to agree to run, and myself and two other
gentlemen came out. But Providence was a little against two of us this
hunt, for it was the year that cotton brought twenty-five dollars a
hundred; and so Colonel Alexander would get up and tell the people, it
was all the good effect of this tariff law; that it had raised the price
of their cotton, and that it would raise the price of every thing else
they made to sell. I might as well have sung _salms_ over a dead horse,
as to try to make the people believe otherwise; for they knowed their
cotton had raised, sure enough, and if the colonel hadn't done it, they
didn't know what had. So he rather made a mash of me this time, as he
beat me exactly _two_ votes, as they counted the polls, though I have
always believed that many other things had been as fairly done as that
same count.
He went on, and served out his term, and at the end of it cotton was
down to _six_ or _eight_ dollars a hundred again; and I concluded I
would try him once more, and see how it would go with cotton at the
common price, and so I became a candidate.
CHAPTER XIV.
But the reader, I expect, would have no objection to know a little about
my employment during the two years while my competitor was in Congress.
In this space I had some pretty tuff times, and will relate some few
things that happened to me. So here goes, as the boy said when he run by
himself.
In the fall of 1825, I concluded I would build two large boats, and load
them with pipe staves for market. So I went down to the lake, which was
about twenty-five miles from where I lived, and hired some hands to
assist me, and went to work; some at boat building, and others to
getting staves. I worked on with my hands till the bears got fat, and
then I turned out to hunting, to lay in a supply of meat. I soon killed
and salted down as many as were necessary for my family; but about this
time one of my old neighbours, who had settled down on the lake about
twenty-five miles from me, came to my house and told me he wanted me to
go down and kill some bears about in his parts. He said they were
extremely fat, and very plenty. I know'd that when they were fat, they
were easily taken, for a fat bear can't run fast or long. But I asked a
bear no favours, no way, further than civility, for I now had _eight_
large dogs, and as fierce as painters; so that a bear stood no chance at
all to get away from them. So I went home with him, and then went on
down towards the Mississippi, and commenced hunting.
We were out two weeks, and in that time killed fifteen bears. Having now
supplied my friend with plenty of meat, I engaged occasionally again
with my hands in our boat building, and getting staves. But I at length
couldn't stand it any longer without another hunt. So I concluded to
take my little son, and cross over the lake, and take a hunt there. We
got over, and that evening turned out and killed three bears, in little
or no time. The next morning we drove up four forks, and made a sort of
scaffold, on which we salted up our meat, so as to have it out of the
reach of the wolves, for as soon as we would leave our camp, they would
take possession. We had just eat our breakfast, when a company of
hunters came to our camp, who had fourteen dogs, but all so poor, that
when they would bark they would almost have to lean up against a tree
and take a rest. I told them their dogs couldn't run in smell of a bear,
and they had better stay at my camp, and feed them on the bones I had
cut out of my meat. I left them there, and cut out; but I hadn't gone
far, when my dogs took a first-rate start after a very large fat old
_he-bear_, which run right plump towards my camp. I pursued on, but my
other hunters had heard my dogs coming, and met them, and killed the
bear before I got up with him. I gave him to them, and cut out again for
a creek called Big Clover, which wa'n't very far off. Just as I got
there, and was entering a cane brake, my dogs all broke and went ahead,
and, in a little time, they raised a fuss in the cane, and seemed to be
going every way. I listened a while, and found my dogs was in two
companies, and that both was in a snorting fight. I sent my little son
to one, and I broke for t'other. I got to mine first, and found my dogs
had a two-year-old bear down, a-wooling away on him; so I just took out
my big butcher, and went up and slap'd it into him, and killed him
without shooting. There was five of the dogs in my company. In a short
time, I heard my little son fire at his bear; when I went to him he had
killed it too. He had two dogs in his team. Just at this moment we
heard my other dog barking a short distance off, and all the rest
immediately broke to him. We pushed on too, and when we got there, we
found he had still a larger bear than either of them we had killed,
treed by himself. We killed that one also, which made three we had
killed in less than half an hour. We turned in and butchered them, and
then started to hunt for water, and a good place to camp. But we had no
sooner started, than our dogs took a start after another one, and away
they went like a thunder-gust, and was out of hearing in a minute. We
followed the way they had gone for some time, but at length we gave up
the hope of finding them, and turned back. As we were going back, I came
to where a poor fellow was grubbing, and he looked like the very picture
of hard times. I asked him what he was doing away there in the woods by
himself? He said he was grubbing for a man who intended to settle there;
and the reason why he did it was, that he had no meat for his family,
and he was working for a little.
I was mighty sorry for the poor fellow, for it was not only a hard, but
a very slow way to get meat for a hungry family; so I told him if he
would go with me, I would give him more meat than he could get by
grubbing in a month. I intended to supply him with meat, and also to get
him to assist my little boy in packing in and salting up my bears. He
had never seen a bear killed in his life. I told him I had six killed
then, and my dogs were hard after another. He went off to his little
cabin, which was a short distance in the brush, and his wife was very
anxious he should go with me. So we started and went to where I had left
my three bears, and made a camp. We then gathered my meat and salted,
and scaffled it, as I had done the other. Night now came on, but no word
from my dogs yet. I afterwards found they had treed the bear about five
miles off, near to a man's house, and had barked at it the whole
enduring night. Poor fellows! many a time they looked for me, and
wondered why I didn't come, for they knowed there was no mistake in me,
and I know'd they were as good as ever fluttered. In the morning, as
soon as it was light enough to see, the man took his gun and went to
them, and shot the bear, and killed it. My dogs, however, wouldn't have
any thing to say to this stranger; so they left him, and came early in
the morning back to me.
We got our breakfast, and cut out again; and we killed four large and
very fat bears that day. We hunted out the week, and in that time we
killed seventeen, all of them first-rate. When we closed our hunt, I
gave the man over a thousand weight of fine fat bear-meat, which pleased
him mightily, and made him feel as rich as a Jew. I saw him the next
fall, and he told me he had plenty of meat to do him the whole year from
his week's hunt. My son and me now went home. This was the week between
Christmass and New-year that we made this hunt.
When I got home, one of my neighbours was out of meat, and wanted me to
go back, and let him go with me, to take another hunt. I couldn't
refuse; but I told him I was afraid the bear had taken to house by that
time, for after they get very fat in the fall and early part of the
winter, they go into their holes, in large hollow trees, or into hollow
logs, or their cane-houses, or the harricanes; and lie there till
spring, like frozen snakes. And one thing about this will seem mighty
strange to many people. From about the first of January to about the
last of April, these varments lie in their holes altogether. In all that
time they have no food to eat; and yet when they come out, they are not
an ounce lighter than when they went to house. I don't know the cause of
this, and still I know it is a fact; and I leave it for others who have
more learning than myself to account for it. They have not a particle of
food with them, but they just lie and suck the bottom of their paw all
the time. I have killed many of them in their trees, which enables me to
speak positively on this subject. However, my neighbour, whose name was
McDaniel, and my little son and me, went on down to the lake to my
second camp, where I had killed my seventeen bears the week before, and
turned out to hunting. But we hunted hard all day without getting a
single start. We had carried but little provisions with us, and the next
morning was entirely out of meat. I sent my son about three miles off,
to the house of an old friend, to get some. The old gentleman was much
pleased to hear I was hunting in those parts, for the year before the
bears had killed a great many of his hogs. He was that day killing his
bacon hogs, and so he gave my son some meat, and sent word to me that I
must come in to his house that evening, that he would have plenty of
feed for my dogs, and some accommodations for ourselves; but before my
son got back, we had gone out hunting, and in a large cane brake my dogs
found a big bear in a cane-house, which he had fixed for his
winter-quarters, as they sometimes do.
When my lead dog found him, and raised the yell, all the rest broke to
him, but none of them entered his house until we got up. I encouraged my
dogs, and they knowed me so well, that I could have made them seize the
old serpent himself, with all his horns and heads, and cloven foot and
ugliness into the bargain, if he would only have come to light, so that
they could have seen him. They bulged in, and in an instant the bear
followed them out, and I told my friend to shoot him, as he was mighty
wrathy to kill a bear. He did so, and killed him prime. We carried him
to our camp, by which time my son had returned; and after we got our
dinners we packed up, and cut for the house of my old friend, whose name
was Davidson.
We got there, and staid with him that night; and the next morning,
having salted up our meat, we left it with him, and started to take a
hunt between the Obion lake and the Red-foot lake; as there had been a
dreadful harricane, which passed between them, and I was sure there must
be a heap of bears in the fallen timber. We had gone about five miles
without seeing any sign at all; but at length we got on some high cany
ridges, and, as we rode along, I saw a hole in a large black oak, and on
examining more closely, I discovered that a bear had clomb the tree. I
could see his tracks going up, but none coming down, and so I was sure
he was in there. A person who is acquainted with bear-hunting, can tell
easy enough when the varment is in the hollow; for as they go up they
don't slip a bit, but as they come down they make long scratches with
their nails.
My friend was a little ahead of me, but I called him back, and told him
there was a bear in that tree, and I must have him out. So we lit from
our horses, and I found a small tree which I thought I could fall so as
to lodge against my bear tree, and we fell to work chopping it with our
tomahawks. I intended, when we lodged the tree against the other, to let
my little son go up, and look into the hole, for he could climb like a
squirrel. We had chop'd on a little time and stop'd to rest, when I
heard my dogs barking mighty severe at some distance from us, and I told
my friend I knowed they had a bear; for it is the nature of a dog, when
he finds you are hunting bears, to hunt for nothing else; he becomes
fond of the meat, and considers other game as "not worth a notice," as
old Johnson said of the devil.
We concluded to leave our tree a bit, and went to my dogs, and when we
got there, sure enough they had an eternal great big fat bear up a
tree, just ready for shooting. My friend again petitioned me for
liberty to shoot this one also. I had a little rather not, as the bear
was so big, but I couldn't refuse; and so he blazed away, and down came
the old fellow like some great log had fell. I now missed one of my
dogs, the same that I before spoke of as having treed the bear by
himself sometime before, when I had started the three in the cane break.
I told my friend that my missing dog had a bear somewhere, just as sure
as fate; so I left them to butcher the one we had just killed, and I
went up on a piece of high ground to listen for my dog. I heard him
barking with all his might some distance off, and I pushed ahead for
him. My other dogs hearing him broke to him, and when I got there, sure
enough again he had another bear ready treed; if he hadn't, I wish I may
be shot. I fired on him, and brought him down; and then went back, and
help'd finish butchering the one at which I had left my friend. We then
packed both to our tree where we had left my boy. By this time, the
little fellow had cut the tree down that we intended to lodge, but it
fell the wrong way; he had then feather'd in on the big tree, to cut
that, and had found that it was nothing but a shell on the outside, and
all doted in the middle, as too many of our big men are in these days,
having only an outside appearance. My friend and my son cut away on it,
and I went off about a hundred yards with my dogs to keep them from
running under the tree when it should fall. On looking back at the hole,
I saw the bear's head out of it, looking down at them as they were
cutting. I hollered to them to look up, and they did so; and McDaniel
catched up his gun, but by this time the bear was out, and coming down
the tree. He fired at it, and as soon as it touch'd ground the dogs were
all round it, and they had a roll-and-tumble fight to the foot of the
hill, where they stop'd him. I ran up, and putting my gun against the
bear, fired and killed him. We now had three, and so we made our
scaffold and salted them up.
CHAPTER XV.
In the morning I left my son at the camp, and we started on towards the
harricane; and when we had went about a mile, we started a very large
bear, but we got along mighty slow on account of the cracks in the earth
occasioned by the earthquakes. We, however, made out to keep in hearing
of the dogs for about three miles, and then we come to the harricane.
Here we had to quit our horses, as old Nick himself couldn't have got
through it without sneaking it along in the form that he put on, to make
a fool of our old grandmother Eve. By this time several of my dogs had
got tired and come back; but we went ahead on foot for some little time
in the harricane, when we met a bear coming straight to us, and not more
than twenty or thirty yards off. I started my tired dogs after him, and
McDaniel pursued them, and I went on to where my other dogs were. I had
seen the track of the bear they were after, and I knowed he was a
screamer. I followed on to about the middle of the harricane; but my
dogs pursued him so close, that they made him climb an old stump about
twenty feet high. I got in shooting distance of him and fired, but I was
all over in such a flutter from fatigue and running, that I couldn't
hold steady; but, however, I broke his shoulder, and he fell. I run up
and loaded my gun as quick as possible, and shot him again and killed
him. When I went to take out my knife to butcher him, I found I had lost
it in coming through the harricane. The vines and briers was so thick
that I would sometimes have to get down and crawl like a varment to get
through at all; and a vine had, as I supposed, caught in the handle and
pulled it out. While I was standing and studying what to do, my friend
came to me. He had followed my trail through the harricane, and had
found my knife, which was mighty good news to me; as a hunter hates the
worst in the world to lose a good dog, or any part of his hunting-tools.
I now left McDaniel to butcher the bear, and I went after our horses,
and brought them as near as the nature of case would allow. I then took
our bags, and went back to where he was; and when we had skin'd the
bear, we fleeced off the fat and carried it to our horses at several
loads. We then packed it up on our horses, and had a heavy pack of it
on each one. We now started and went on till about sunset, when I
concluded we must be near our camp; so I hollered and my son answered
me, and we moved on in the direction to the camp. We had gone but a
little way when I heard my dogs make a warm start again; and I jumped
down from my horse and gave him up to my friend, and told him I would
follow them. He went on to the camp, and I went ahead after my dogs with
all my might for a considerable distance, till at last night came on.
The woods were very rough and hilly, and all covered over with cane.
I now was compel'd to move on more slowly; and was frequently falling
over logs, and into the cracks made by the earthquakes, so that I was
very much afraid I would break my gun. However I went on about three
miles, when I came to a good big creek, which I waded. It was very cold,
and the creek was about knee-deep; but I felt no great inconvenience
from it just then, as I was all over wet with sweat from running, and I
felt hot enough. After I got over this creek and out of the cane, which
was very thick on all our creeks, I listened for my dogs. I found they
had either treed or brought the bear to a stop, as they continued
barking in the same place. I pushed on as near in the direction to the
noise as I could, till I found the hill was too steep for me to climb,
and so I backed and went down the creek some distance till I came to a
hollow, and then took up that, till I come to a place where I could
climb up the hill. It was mighty dark, and was difficult to see my way
or any thing else. When I got up the hill, I found I had passed the
dogs; and so I turned and went to them. I found, when I got there, they
had treed the bear in a large forked poplar, and it was setting in the
fork.
I could see the lump, but not plain enough to shoot with any certainty,
as there was no moonlight; and so I set in to hunting for some dry brush
to make me a light; but I could find none, though I could find that the
ground was torn mightily to pieces by the cracks.
At last I thought I could shoot by guess, and kill him; so I pointed as
near the lump as I could, and fired away. But the bear didn't come he
only clomb up higher, and got out on a limb, which helped me to see him
better. I now loaded up again and fired, but this time he didn't move at
all. I commenced loading for a third fire, but the first thing I knowed,
the bear was down among my dogs, and they were fighting all around me.
I had my big butcher in my belt, and I had a pair of dressed buckskin
breeches on. So I took out my knife, and stood, determined, if he should
get hold of me, to defend myself in the best way I could. I stood there
for some time, and could now and then see a white dog I had, but the
rest of them, and the bear, which were dark coloured, I couldn't see at
all, it was so miserable dark. They still fought around me, and
sometimes within three feet of me; but, at last, the bear got down into
one of the cracks, that the earthquakes had made in the ground, about
four feet deep, and I could tell the biting end of him by the hollering
of my dogs. So I took my gun and pushed the muzzle of it about, till I
thought I had it against the main part of his body, and fired; but it
happened to be only the fleshy part of his foreleg. With this, he jumped
out of the crack, and he and the dogs had another hard fight around me,
as before. At last, however, they forced him back into the crack again,
as he was when I had shot.
I had laid down my gun in the dark, and I now began to hunt for it; and,
while hunting, I got hold of a pole, and I concluded I would punch him
awhile with that. I did so, and when I would punch him, the dogs would
jump in on him, when he would bite them badly, and they would jump out
again. I concluded, as he would take punching so patiently, it might be
that he would lie still enough for me to get down in the crack, and feel
slowly along till I could find the right place to give him a dig with my
butcher. So I got down, and my dogs got in before him and kept his head
towards them, till I got along easily up to him; and placing my hand on
his rump, felt for his shoulder, just behind which I intended to stick
him. I made a lounge with my long knife, and fortunately stuck him right
through the heart; at which he just sank down, and I crawled out in a
hurry. In a little time my dogs all come out too, and seemed satisfied,
which was the way they always had of telling me that they had finished
him.
I suffered very much that night with cold, as my leather breeches, and
every thing else I had on, was wet and frozen. But I managed to get my
bear out of this crack after several hard trials, and so I butchered
him, and laid down to try to sleep. But my fire was very bad, and I
couldn't find any thing that would burn well to make it any better; and
I concluded I should freeze, if I didn't warm myself in some way by
exercise. So I got up, and hollered a while, and then I would just jump
up and down with all my might, and throw myself into all sorts of
motions. But all this wouldn't do; for my blood was now getting cold,
and the chills coming all over me. I was so tired, too, that I could
hardly walk; but I thought I would do the best I could to save my life,
and then, if I died, nobody would be to blame. So I went to a tree about
two feet through, and not a limb on it for thirty feet, and I would
climb up it to the limbs, and then lock my arms together around it, and
slide down to the bottom again. This would make the insides of my legs
and arms feel mighty warm and good. I continued this till daylight in
the morning, and how often I clomb up my tree and slid down I don't
know, but I reckon at least a hundred times.
In the morning I got my bear hung up so as to be safe, and then set out
to hunt for my camp. I found it after a while, and McDaniel and my son
were very much rejoiced to see me get back, for they were about to give
me up for lost. We got our breakfasts, and then secured our meat by
building a high scaffold, and covering it over. We had no fear of its
spoiling, for the weather was so cold that it couldn't.
We now started after my other bear, which had caused me so much trouble
and suffering; and before we got him, we got a start after another, and
took him also. We went on to the creek I had crossed the night before
and camped, and then went to where my bear was, that I had killed in the
crack. When we examined the place, McDaniel said he wouldn't have gone
into it, as I did, for all the bears in the woods.
We took the meat down to our camp and salted it, and also the last one
we had killed; intending, in the morning, to make a hunt in the
harricane again.
We prepared for resting that night, and I can assure the reader I was in
need of it. We had laid down by our fire, and about ten o'clock there
came a most terrible earthquake, which shook the earth so, that we were
rocked about like we had been in a cradle. We were very much alarmed;
for though we were accustomed to feel earthquakes, we were now right in
the region which had been torn to pieces by them in 1812, and we thought
it might take a notion and swallow us up, like the big fish did Jonah.
In the morning we packed up and moved to the harricane, where we made
another camp, and turned out that evening and killed a very large bear,
which made _eight_ we had now killed in this hunt.
The next morning we entered the harricane again, and in little or no
time my dogs were in full cry. We pursued them, and soon came to a thick
cane-brake, in which they had stop'd their bear. We got up close to him,
as the cane was so thick that we couldn't see more than a few feet. Here
I made my friend hold the cane a little open with his gun till I shot
the bear, which was a mighty large one. I killed him dead in his tracks.
We got him out and butchered him, and in a little time started another
and killed him, which now made _ten_ we had killed; and we know'd we
couldn't pack any more home, as we had only five horses along; therefore
we returned to the camp and salted up all our meat, to be ready for a
start homeward next morning.
The morning came, and we packed our horses with the meat, and had as
much as they could possibly carry, and sure enough cut out for home. It
was about thirty miles, and we reached home the second day. I had now
accommodated my neighbour with meat enough to do him, and had killed in
all, up to that time, fifty-eight bears, during the fall and winter.
As soon as the time come for them to quit their houses and come out
again in the spring, I took a notion to hunt a little more, and in
about one month I killed forty-seven more, which made one hundred and
five bears I had killed in less than one year from that time.
CHAPTER XVI.
Having now closed my hunting for that winter, I returned to my hands,
who were engaged about my boats and staves, and made ready for a trip
down the river. I had two boats and about thirty thousand staves, and so
I loaded with them, and set out for New Orleans. I got out of the Obion
river, in which I had loaded my boats, very well; but when I got into
the Mississippi, I found all my hands were bad scared, and in fact I
believe I was scared a little the worst of any; for I had never been
down the river, and I soon discovered that my pilot was as ignorant of
the business as myself. I hadn't gone far before I determined to lash
the two boats together; we did so, but it made them so heavy and
obstinate, that it was next akin to impossible to do any thing at all
with them, or to guide them right in the river.
That evening we fell in company with some Ohio boats; and about night we
tried to land, but we could not. The Ohio men hollered to us to go on
and run all night. We took their advice, though we had a good deal
rather not; but we couldn't do any other way. In a short distance we got
into what is called the "_Devil's Elbow_;" and if any place in the wide
creation has its own proper name, I thought it was this. Here we had
about the hardest work that I ever was engaged in, in my life, to keep
out of danger; and even then we were in it all the while. We twice
attempted to land at Wood-yards, which we could see, but couldn't reach.
The people would run out with lights, and try to instruct us how to get
to shore; but all in vain. Our boats were so heavy that we couldn't take
them much any way, except the way they wanted to go, and just the way
the current would carry them. At last we quit trying to land, and
concluded just to go ahead as well as we could, for we found we couldn't
do any better. Some time in the night I was down in the cabin of one of
the boats, sitting by the fire, thinking on what a hobble we had got
into; and how much better bear-hunting was on hard land, than floating
along on the water, when a fellow had to go ahead whether he was exactly
willing or not.
The hatchway into the cabin came slap down, right through the top of the
boat; and it was the only way out except a small hole in the side,
which we had used for putting our arms through to dip up water before we
lashed the boats together.
We were now floating sideways, and the boat I was in was the hindmost as
we went. All at once I heard the hands begin to run over the top of the
boat in great confusion, and pull with all their might; and the first
thing I know'd after this we went broadside full tilt against the head
of an island where a large raft of drift timber had lodged. The nature
of such a place would be, as every body knows, to suck the boats down,
and turn them right under this raft; and the uppermost boat would, of
course, be suck'd down and go under first. As soon as we struck, I
bulged for my hatchway, as the boat was turning under sure enough. But
when I got to it, the water was pouring thro' in a current as large as
the hole would let it, and as strong as the weight of the river could
force it. I found I couldn't get out here, for the boat was now turned
down in such a way, that it was steeper than a house-top. I now thought
of the hole in the side, and made my way in a hurry for that. With
difficulty I got to it, and when I got there, I found it was too small
for me to get out by my own dower, and I began to think that I was in a
worse box than ever. But I put my arms through and hollered as loud as I
could roar, as the boat I was in hadn't yet quite filled with water up
to my head, and the hands who were next to the raft, seeing my arms out,
and hearing me holler, seized them, and began to pull. I told them I was
sinking, and to pull my arms off, or force me through, for now I know'd
well enough it was neck or nothing, come out or sink.
By a violent effort they jerked me through; but I was in a pretty pickle
when I got through. I had been sitting without any clothing over my
shirt: this was torn off, and I was literally skin'd like a rabbit. I
was, however, well pleased to get out in any way, even without shirt or
hide; as before I could straighten myself on the boat next to the raft,
the one they pull'd me out of went entirely under, and I have never seen
it any more to this day. We all escaped on to the raft, where we were
compelled to sit all night, about a mile from land on either side. Four
of my company were bareheaded, and three bare-footed; and of that number
I was one. I reckon I looked like a pretty cracklin ever to get to
Congress!!!
We had now lost all our loading; and every particle of our clothing,
except what little we had on; but over all this, while I was setting
there, in the night, floating about on the drift, I felt happier and
better off than I ever had in my life before, for I had just made such a
marvellous escape, that I had forgot almost every thing else in that;
and so I felt prime.
In the morning about sunrise, we saw a boat coming down, and we hailed
her. They sent a large skiff, and took us all on board, and carried us
down as far as Memphis. Here I met with a friend, that I never can
forget as long as I am able to go ahead at any thing; it was a Major
Winchester, a merchant of that place: he let us all have hats, and
shoes, and some little money to go upon, and so we all parted.
A young man and myself concluded to go on down to Natchez, to see if we
could hear any thing of our boats; for we supposed they would float out
from the raft, and keep on down the river. We got on a boat at Memphis,
that was going down, and so cut out. Our largest boat, we were informed,
had been seen about fifty miles below where we stove, and an attempt had
been made to land her, but without success, as she was as hard-headed as
ever.
This was the last of my boats, and of my boating; for it went so badly
with me, along at the first, that I hadn't much mind to try it any more.
I now returned home again, and as the next August was the Congressional
election, I began to turn my attention a little to that matter, as it
was beginning to be talked of a good deal among the people.
CHAPTER XVII.
I have, heretofore, informed the reader that I had determined to run
this race to see what effect _the price of cotton_ could have again on
it. I now had Col. Alexander to run against once more, and also General
William Arnold.
I had difficulties enough to fight against this time, as every one will
suppose; for I had no money, and a very bad prospect, so far as I
know'd, of getting any to help me along. I had, however, a good friend,
who sent for me to come and see him. I went, and he was good enough to
offer me some money to help me out. I borrowed as much as I thought I
needed at the start, and went ahead. My friend also had a good deal of
business about over the district at the different courts; and if he now
and then slip'd in a good word for me, it is nobody's business. We
frequently met at different places, and, as he thought I needed, he
would occasionally hand me a little more cash; so I was able to buy a
little of "the _creature_," to put my friends in a good humour, as well
as the other gentlemen, for they all treat in that country; not to get
elected, of course--for that would be against the law; but just, as I
before said, to make themselves and their friends feel their keeping a
little.
Nobody ever did know how I got money to get along on, till after the
election was over, and I had beat my competitors twenty-seven hundred
and forty-eight votes. Even the price of cotton couldn't save my friend
Aleck this time. My rich friend, who had been so good to me in the way
of money, now sent for me, and loaned me a hundred dollars, and told me
to go ahead; that that amount would bear my expenses to Congress, and I
must then shift for myself. I came on to Washington, and draw'd two
hundred and fifty dollars, and purchased with it a check on the bank at
Nashville, and enclosed it to my friend; and I may say, in truth, I sent
this money with a mighty good will, for I reckon nobody in this world
loves a friend better than me, or remembers a kindness longer.
I have now given the close of the election, but I have skip'd entirely
over the canvass, of which I will say a very few things in this place;
as I know very well how to tell the truth, but not much about placing
them in book order, so as to please critics.
Col. Alexander was a very clever fellow, and principal surveyor at that
time; so much for one of the men I had to run against. My other
competitor was a major-general in the militia, and an attorney-general
at the law, and quite a smart, clever man also; and so it will be seen I
had war work as well as law trick, to stand up under. Taking both
together, they make a pretty considerable of a load for any one man to
carry. But for war claims, I consider myself behind no man except "the
government," and mighty little, if any, behind him; but this the people
will have to determine hereafter, as I reckon it won't do to quit the
work of "reform and retrenchment" yet for a spell.
But my two competitors seemed some little afraid of the influence of
each other, but not to think me in their way at all. They, therefore,
were generally working against each other, while I was going ahead for
myself, and mixing among the people in the best way I could. I was as
cunning as a little red fox, and wouldn't risk my tail in a "committal"
trap.
I found the sign was good, almost everywhere I went. On one occasion,
while we were in the eastern counties of the district, it happened that
we all had to make a speech, and it fell on me to make the first one. I
did so after my manner, and it turned pretty much on the old saying, "A
short horse is soon curried," as I spoke not very long. Colonel
Alexander followed me, and then General Arnold come on.
The general took much pains to reply to Alexander, but didn't so much as
let on that there was any such candidate as myself at all. He had been
speaking for a considerable time, when a large flock of guinea-fowls
came very near to where he was, and set up the most unmerciful
chattering that ever was heard, for they are a noisy little brute any
way. They so confused the general, that he made a stop, and requested
that they might be driven away. I let him finish his speech, and then
walking up to him, said aloud, "Well, colonel, you are the first man I
ever saw that understood the language of fowls." I told him that he had
not had the politeness to name me in his speech, and that when my little
friends, the guinea-fowls, had come up and began to holler "Crockett,
Crockett, Crockett," he had been ungenerous enough to stop, and drive
_them_ all away. This raised a universal shout among the people for me,
and the general seemed mighty bad plagued. But he got more plagued than
this at the polls in August, as I have stated before.
This election was in 1827, and I can say, on my conscience, that I was,
without disguise, the friend and supporter of General Jackson, upon his
principles as he laid them down, and as "_I understood them_," before
his election as president. During my two first sessions in Congress, Mr.
Adams was president, and I worked along with what was called the Jackson
party pretty well. I was re-elected to Congress, in 1829, by an
overwhelming majority; and soon after the commencement of this second
term, I saw, or thought I did, that it was expected of me that I was to
bow to the name of Andrew Jackson, and follow him in all his motions,
and mindings, and turnings, even at the expense of my conscience and
judgment. Such a thing was new to me, and a total stranger to my
principles. I know'd well enough, though, that if I didn't "hurra" for
his name, the hue and cry was to be raised against me, and I was to be
sacrificed, if possible. His famous, or rather I should say his
in-_famous_, Indian bill was brought forward, and I opposed it from the
purest motives in the world. Several of my colleagues got around me, and
told me how well they loved me, and that I was ruining myself. They
said this was a favourite measure of the president, and I ought to go
for it. I told them I believed it was a wicked, unjust measure, and that
I should go against it, let the cost to myself be what it might; that I
was willing to go with General Jackson in every thing that I believed
was honest and right; but, further than this, I wouldn't go for him, or
any other man in the whole creation; that I would sooner be honestly and
politically d--nd, than hypocritically immortalized. I had been elected
by a majority of three thousand five hundred and eighty-five votes, and
I believed they were honest men, and wouldn't want me to vote for any
unjust notion, to please Jackson or any one else; at any rate, I was of
age, and was determined to trust them. I voted against this Indian bill,
and my conscience yet tells me that I gave a good honest vote, and one
that I believe will not make me ashamed in the day of judgment. I served
out my term, and though many amusing things happened, I am not disposed
to swell my narrative by inserting them.
When it closed, and I returned home, I found the storm had raised
against me sure enough; and it was echoed from side to side, and from
end to end of my district, that I had turned against Jackson. This was
considered the unpardonable sin. I was hunted down like a wild varment,
and in this hunt every little newspaper in the district, and every
little pin-hook lawyer was engaged. Indeed, they were ready to print any
and every thing that the ingenuity of man could invent against me. Each
editor was furnished with the journals of Congress from head-quarters;
and hunted out every vote I had missed in four sessions, whether from
sickness or not, no matter, and each one was charged against me at
_eight_ dollars. In all I had missed about _seventy_ votes, which they
made amount to five hundred and sixty dollars; and they contended I had
swindled the government out of this sum, as I had received my pay, as
other members do. I was now again a candidate in 1830, while all the
attempts were making against me; and every one of these little papers
kept up a constant war on me, fighting with every scurrilous report they
could catch.
Over all I should have been elected, if it hadn't been, that but a few
weeks before the election, the little four-pence-ha'penny limbs of the
law fell on a plan to defeat me, which had the desired effect. They
agreed to spread out over the district, and make appointments for me to
speak, almost everywhere, to clear up the Jackson question. They would
give me no notice of these appointments, and the people would meet in
great crowds to hear what excuse Crockett had to make for quitting
Jackson.
But instead of Crockett's being there, this small-fry of lawyers would
be there, with their saddle-bags full of the little newspapers and their
journals of Congress; and would get up and speak, and read their
scurrilous attacks on me, and would then tell the people that I was
afraid to attend; and in this way would turn many against me. All this
intrigue was kept a profound secret from me, till it was too late to
counteract it; and when the election came, I had a majority in seventeen
counties, putting all their votes together, but the eighteenth beat me;
and so I was left out of Congress during those two years. The people of
my district were induced, by these tricks, to take a stay on me for that
time; but they have since found out that they were imposed on, and on
re-considering my case, have reversed that decision; which, as the
Dutchman said, "is as fair a ding as eber was."
When I last declared myself a candidate, I knew that the district would
be divided by the Legislature before the election would come on; and I
moreover knew, that from the geographical situation of the country, the
county of Madison, which was very strong, and which was the county that
had given the majority that had beat me in the former race, should be
left off from my district.
But when the Legislature met, as I have been informed, and I have no
doubt of the fact, Mr. Fitzgerald, my competitor, went up, and informed
his friends in that body, that if Madison county was left off, he
wouldn't run; for "that Crockett could beat Jackson himself in those
parts, in any way they could fix it."
The liberal Legislature you know, of course, gave him that county; and
it is too clear to admit of dispute, that it was done to make a mash of
me. In order to make my district in this way, they had to form the
southern district of a string of counties around three sides of mine, or
very nearly so. Had my old district been properly divided, it would have
made two nice ones, in convenient nice form. But as it is, they are
certainly the most unreasonably laid off of any in the state, or perhaps
in the nation, or even in the te-total creation.
However, when the election came on, the people of the district, and of
Madison county among the rest, seemed disposed to prove to Mr.
Fitzgerald and the Jackson Legislature, that they were not to be
transferred like hogs, and horses, and cattle in the market; and they
determined that I shouldn't be broke down, though I had to carry
Jackson, and the enemies of the bank, and the legislative works all at
once. I had Mr. Fitzgerald, it is true, for my open competitor, but he
was helped along by all his little lawyers again, headed by old Black
Hawk, as he is sometimes called, (alias) Adam Huntsman, with all his
talents for writing "_Chronicles_," and such like foolish stuff.
But one good thing was, and I must record it, the papers in the district
were now beginning to say "fair play a little," and they would publish
on both sides of the question. The contest was a warm one, and the
battle well-fought; but I gained the day, and the Jackson horse was left
a little behind. When the polls were compared, it turned out I had beat
Fitz just two hundred and two votes, having made a mash of all their
intrigues. After all this, the reader will perceive that I am now here
in Congress, this 28th day of January, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and thirty-four; and that, what is more agreeable
to my feelings as a freeman, I am at liberty to vote as my conscience
and judgment dictates to be right, without the yoke of any party on me,
or the driver at my heels, with his whip in hand, commanding me to
ge-wo-haw, just at his pleasure. Look at my arms, you will find no
party hand-cuff on them! Look at my neck, you will not find there any
collar, with the engraving
MY DOG.
ANDREW JACKSON.
But you will find me standing up to my rack, as the people's faithful
representative, and the public's most obedient, very humble servant,
DAVID CROCKETT.
THE END.
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have written some portions of it differently, but we can profit, we
trust, by observing how opposite accounts can be fairly given of the
same transactions, and learn something of the trouble in which history
is written."
_Baltimore American._
"THE SUBALTERN IN AMERICA.--Under this title, Messrs. Carey, Hart & Co.
have recently published a work in one volume, comprising a full
narrative of the campaigns of the British army, at Baltimore,
Washington, New Orleans, &c. during the late war. The incidents of the
war, as related in the American papers, are probably familiar to most
persons, through that channel. Yet the ends of truth, and the means of
forming a just judgment, may require that one should hear the statement
of the adverse party, as well as that most favourable to our side of the
question. There is, moreover, two ways of telling even the truth. They
who feel an interest in the details of this important struggle between
kindred nations, have, in the book before us, an opportunity of hearing
them, as shaped out by one of the adverse party. The 'Subaltern' bore an
active share in the several campaigns, of which he professes to give an
account; and if his narrations are somewhat partial to his own side of
the question, it is but the indulgence of a very common foible, which
may be the more readily excused, as the means of correction are at
hand."--_Baltimore Patriot._
In two Volumes, 12mo.
PIN MONEY;
BY MRS. CHARLES GORE,
Authoress of "HUNGARIAN TALES," "POLISH TALES," etc.
"Her writings have that originality which wit gives to reality, and wit
is the great characteristic of her pages."--_Bulwer's New Monthly
Magazine._
"Light spirited and clever, the characters are drawn with truth and
vigour. Keen in observation, lively in detail, and with a peculiar and
piquant style, Mrs. Charles Gore gives to the novel that charm which
makes the fascination of the best French memoir writers."--_London
Literary Gazette._
In one Volume, 12mo.
LEGENDS AND TALES OF IRELAND
BY SAMUEL LOVER.
E. L. CAREY AND A. HART
In two Volumes, 12mo.
THE MAN-OF-WAR'S-MAN;
By the Author of "TOM CRINGLE'S LOG."
"No stories of adventures are more exciting than those of seamen.
The author of Tom Cringle's Log is the most popular writer of that
class, and those sketches collected not long since into a volume by
the same publishers, in this city, were universally read. A large
edition was soon exhausted. The present is, we believe, an earlier
production, and has many of the same merits."--_Baltimore Gazette._
"Messrs. Carey & Hart have published, in two volumes, 'The
Man-of-War's-Man.' The success which attended the publication of
'Tom Cringle's Log,' might well induce its ingenious author to
undertake a continuous narrative, having for the subject of
illustration the manners and customs of seamen. The work now before
us is of the kind, well imagined, and executed with all the tact
and clearness that distinguished the 'Log Book' of Master Cringle,
with the advantages of a more regular plot and interesting
denouement."--_U. S. Gazette._
"Nobody needs be told what sort of a book Tom Cringle can
write--that humorous and most admirable of sailors! We may just
remark that the reader will find in the present volume the same
power of description and knowledge of the world--the same stirring
adventures, phrases, dialects, and incidents which rendered his
last work so extravagantly popular. The printing is uncommonly good
for a novel."
In one Volume, 8vo.
THE AMERICAN
FLOWER GARDEN DIRECTORY,
CONTAINING PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE CULTURE OF PLANTS IN THE
HOT-HOUSE, GARDEN-HOUSE, FLOWER-GARDEN, AND ROOMS OR PARLOURS,
For every month in the year; with a description of the plants most
desirable in each, the nature of the soil and situation best
adapted to their growth, the proper season for transplanting, &c.;
instructions for erecting a
HOT-HOUSE, GREEN-HOUSE, AND LAYING OUT A FLOWER-GARDEN.
Also, table of soils most congenial to the plants contained in the
work. The whole adapted to either large or small gardens, with
lists of annuals, bienniels, and ornamental shrubs, contents, a
general index, and a frontispiece of Camellia Fimbriata.
BY HIBBERT AND BUIST,
EXOTIC NURSERYMEN AND FLORISTS.
In two Volumes, 12mo.
JACOB FAITHFUL;
By the Author of PETER SIMPLE, &c. &c.
In Two Vols. 12mo.
FIRST LOVE, A NOVEL.
"Its style is elegant, and its information that of a lady of amiable
feelings and motives, who well understands her sex."--_Spectator._
"The whole of the story, but particularly the dawning of that early
dawning of life's morning, First Love, and the subsequent progress of
that passion, are indeed delightfully sketched."--_Morning Post._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
TRAITS AND STORIES OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY
FIRST SERIES.
"Admirable--truly, intensely Irish: never were the outrageous
whimsicalities of that strange, wild, imaginative people so
characteristically described; nor amidst all the fun, frolic, and folly,
is there any dearth of poetry, pathos, and passion. The author's a
jewel."--_Glasgow Journal._
"To those who have a relish for a few tit-bits of rale Irish
story-telling,--whether partaking of the tender or the facetious,
or the grotesque,--let them purchase these characteristic
sketches."--_Sheffield Iris._
"The sister country has never furnished such sterling genius, such
irresistibly humorous, yet faithful sketches of character among the
lower ranks of Patlanders, as are to be met with in the pages of these
delightful volumes."--_Bristol Journal._
"This is a capital book, full of fun and humour, and most
characteristically Irish."--_New Monthly Magazine._
"Neither Miss Edgeworth, nor the author of the O'Hara Tales, could have
written any thing more powerful than this."--_Edinburgh Literary
Gazette._
"We do not hesitate to say, that for a minute and accurate sketching of
the character, manners, and language of the lower orders of the Irish,
no book was ever published at all equal to this."--_Spectator._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
TRAITS AND STORIES OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY.
SECOND SERIES.
"Traits and Stories of Irish Peasantry.--The whole story is one of that
mirth-inspiring nature, that those who read it without hearty laughter
must be either miserable or very imperturbable."--_Metropolitan, edited
by T. Campbell._
"There is strength, vigour--and above all--truth, in every story, in
every sentence, every line he writes. The statesman ought to read such
books as these; they would tell him more of the true state of the
country than he has ever heard from the lips of her orators, or the
despatches of the 'Castle Hacks.' We wish Mr. Carlton would send forth a
cheap edition, that 'Traits and Stories' of Irish peasants might be in
the hands of people as well as peers."--_Bulwer's New Monthly
Magazine._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
THE STAFF-OFFICER. OR, THE SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.
A TALE OF REAL LIFE.
"The web of life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together; our
virtues would be proud if our faults whipped them not, and our crimes
would despair if they were not cherished by our virtues."
BY OLIVER MOORE.
"We are prepared to admit that our extracts do not do justice to the
work: the writer's power is in discriminating _female_ character; but as
he judiciously makes it develope itself by incident, to illustrate this
would require scenes and pages to be transferred to our columns. As a
whole, this novel will be read with interest: it is light and pleasant;
with many very natural scenes, many excellent and well-drawn characters,
and without one line or word of affectation or pretence."--_Athenæum._
"This is a most entertaining work: it is written with great spirit,
elegance, and candour. The delineation of character (particularly that
of many distinguished individuals officially connected with Ireland
during the Pitt administration) is skilfully and vividly drawn; and the
multifarious incidents--several of which are of a highly _piquant_
description--are given with a tact and delicacy creditable to the
judgment and talent of the author. We can say with truth, that we have
fairly gone through this tale of real life without being cloyed or
wearied for a single moment; but that it excited, and kept up, an
interest in our minds which few volumes designed for mere amusement have
been able to inspire."--_Brighton Herald._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
THE NAVAL OFFICER;
OR, SCENES AND ADVENTURES IN THE LIFE OF FRANK MILDMAY.
By the Author of "PETER SIMPLE," "THE KING'S OWN," etc.
"This is the most seaman-like composition that has yet issued from the
press. We recommend it to all who 'live at home at ease,' and need
scarcely say, that no man-of-wars man should remain an hour without
it."--_Atlas._
The following beautiful and judicious compliment to the genius of
Captain Marryatt, author of the Naval Officer, is from the pen of Mr.
Bulwer, who, it will be acknowledged, is no inexperienced or unobserving
critic:
"Far remote from the eastern and the voluptuous--from the visionary and
refining--from the pale colouring of drawing-room life, and the subtle
delicacies of female sentiment and wit, the genius of Captain Marryatt
embodies itself in the humour, the energy, the robust and masculine
vigour of bustling and actual existence; it has been braced by the sea
breezes; it walks abroad in the mart of busy men, with a firm step and a
cheerful and healthy air. Not, indeed, that he is void of a certain
sentiment, and an intuition into the more hidden sources of mental
interest; but these are not his forte, or his appropriate element. He is
best in a rich and various humour--rich, for there is nothing poor or
threadbare in his materials. His characters are not, as Scott's, after
all, mere delineations of one oddity, uttering the same eternal
phraseology, from the 'prodigious' of Dominie Sampson, to 'provant' of
Major Dalgetty--a laughable, but somewhat poor invention: they are
formed of compound and complex characteristics, and evince no trifling
knowledge of the metaphysics of social life."
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
THE CONTRAST A NOVEL.
By EARL MULGRAVE, Author of "MATILDA," "YES AND NO," etc.
"'Yes and No' contained the best _tableaux_ of actual--human--English
society in the nineteenth century, of any novel we know of. The same
characteristics that distinguished the most agreeable novel are equally
remarkable in its successors."--_Bulwer's New Monthly Magazine._
"'Contrast' cannot fail to prove interesting."--_Court Journal._
"These volumes possess the rather uncommon merit of a very interesting
story. The design is to paint a man whose strong feelings are curbed by
an over-fastidiousness--what the French so happily term un-homme
difficile."--_London Literary Gazette._
"Messrs. Carey and Hart have republished, in two neat volumes, Earl
Mulgrave's novel of the 'Contrast,' which has been so favourably
received in England. It is said to be one of the best novels of the
kind, that has issued from the press for years."--_Philadelphia
Inquirer._
"'Pelham,' and 'Yes and No,' are perhaps the only paintings of the
present time which are drawn with the accuracy of knowledge, and the
vivacity of talent. Were we to be asked by a foreigner to recommend
those novels which, founded on truth, gave the most just delineation of
the higher classes in England, it is to the above mentioned works we
should refer. _The present volumes, however, are an infinite improvement
on their predecessor._"--_London Literary Gazette._
In One Volume, 8vo.
MEMOIRS OF MARSHAL NEY,
COMPILED FROM PAPERS IN THE POSSESSION OF HIS FAMILY.
The work has been put together under the direction and management of the
Duke of Elchingen, Marshal Ney's second son, who has affixed his
signature to every sheet sent to press.
"They may be regarded as the Ney Papers, connected together by an
interesting biography; the anecdotes with which they are interspersed
have plainly been collected with great pains from all the early friends
of that illustrious warrior."--_Blackwood's Magazine._
"The memoirs before us are founded upon the papers and documents which
he left behind him at his death, consisting of anecdotic and
biographical fragments, accounts of his divers missions and campaigns,
and the substance of many extraordinary secrets intrusted to him as a
general and a statesman. All these materials throw great light upon the
history of the French empire, as the details given in the memoirs
possess the strongest interest."--_Pennsylvania Inquirer._
In One Volume, 12mo.
CONVERSATIONS ON VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY;
COMPREHENDING THE ELEMENTS OF BOTANY, WITH THEIR APPLICATION TO
AGRICULTURE.
By the Author of "CONVERSATIONS ON CHEMISTRY," &c. &c.
Adapted to the use of schools by J. L. BLAKE, A. M.
Third American Edition, with coloured plates.
IN PREPARATION,
THE GIFT; A CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S PRESENT, FOR 1835.
Edited by MISS LESLIE, author of "PENCIL SKETCHES," &c.
The publishers have the promise of articles from many of the most
popular authors of the day. The ILLUSTRATIONS are in the hands of some
of the most eminent engravers, and no expense will be spared to render
the work in every respect equal to the foreign productions of the same
class.
MATHEMATICS FOR PRACTICAL MEN; BEING A COMMON-PLACE BOOK OF PRINCIPLES,
THEOREMS, RULES AND TABLES, IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF PURE AND MIXED
MATHEMATICS,
With their applications; especially to the pursuits of surveyors,
architects, mechanics, and civil engineers. With numerous
engravings.
BY OLINTHUS GREGORY, LL.D., F.R.A.S.
SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED AND IMPROVED.
"Only let men awake, and fix their eyes, one while on the nature of
things, another while on the application of them to the use and service
of mankind."--_Lord Bacon._
In One Volume, 18mo.
COLMAN'S BROAD GRINS.
A NEW EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS.
"'This is a little volume of the comic,' which we recollect to have
laughed over many a time, in our boyish days, and since. It is old
standard fun,--a comic classic."--_Baltimore Gazette._
ENGLISH EDITIONS.
Price 37-1/2 cents each number.
CUVIER'S ANIMAL KINGDOM;
Now in course of publication in London. The Animal Kingdom, arranged
according to its organization, serving as a foundation for the natural
history of animals, and an introduction to comparative anatomy, with
figures designed and coloured after nature. The Crustacea, Arachnides
Insecta, by Latreille, translated from the latest French edition, with
additional notes and illustrations, by nearly five hundred additional
plates, to be completed in thirty-six monthly numbers, at 37-1/2 cents
each.
Six numbers have already been received. The attention of the public is
particularly requested to this work, as it is, without question, by far
the cheapest and most beautiful edition of the "Animal Kingdom" of
Cuvier that has yet appeared.
LANDSCAPE AND PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE WAVERLEY NOVELS.
NEW EDITION;
Containing one hundred and twenty superb engravings.
The above work is complete in _twenty-four_ numbers, and supplied at the
moderate price of _seventy-five cents per number_. The former edition
sold at _double the price_.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE POETICAL WORKS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT;
Now in course of publication in England; to be complete in _twelve_
monthly numbers, four of which have already appeared. Price 75 cents
each.
FINDEN'S LANDSCAPE ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE LIFE AND WORKS OF LORD BYRON.
Price 75 cents per number.
To be completed in 24 numbers, 18 of which have already appeared.
Each number contains five highly-finished engravings.
A WHISPER TO A NEWLY-MARRIED PAIR.
"Hail, wedded love! by gracious Heaven design'd,
At once the source and glory of mankind."
"We solicit the attention of our readers to this publication, as one,
though small, of infinite value."--_Baltimore Minerva._
"'The Whisper' is fully deserving the compliments bestowed upon it, and
we join heartily in recommending it to our friends, whether married or
single--for much useful instruction may be gathered from its
pages."--_Lady's Book._
"The work contains some original suggestions that are just, and many
excellent quotations; some of her hints to the ladies should have been
_whispered_ in a tone too low to be overheard by the men."--_Daily
Chronicle._
In One Volume, 18mo.
PRINCIPLES OF THE ART OF MODERN HORSEMANSHIP FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
IN WHICH ALL THE LATE IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLIED TO PRACTICE.
Translated from the French, by DANIEL J. DESMOND.
THE ART OF HORSEMANSHIP.--This is the title of a neat little work
translated from the French of Mr. Lebeaud, by Daniel J. Desmond, Esq. of
this city, and just published by Carey & Hart. It gives full and
explicit directions for breaking and managing a horse, and goes into
detail on the proper mode of mounting, the posture in the saddle, the
treatment of the animal under exercise, &c. An appendix is added,
containing instructions for the _ladies_, in mounting and dismounting.
The Philadelphia public are under obligations to Mr. Desmond for this
translation. We have long needed a manual of horsemanship, to correct
the inelegant habits in which many of our riders indulge, and to produce
uniformity in the art of equitation. We see daily in our streets,
mounted men, who totter in their seats as if suffering under an
ague-fit; others who whip, spur, and rant, as if charging an enemy in
battle; and again others, of slovenly habits, with cramped knees, and
toes projecting outwards, who occupy a position utterly devoid of every
thing like ease, grace, or beauty. These things are discreditable to our
community, and earnestly do we hope, that this book will have many
attentive readers.--_Philadelphia Gazette._
In One Volume, 12mo
TWO HUNDRED RECEIPTS IN DOMESTIC FRENCH COOKERY.
By MISS LESLIE, Author of the "SEVENTY-FIVE RECEIPTS."
Price 50 cents.
"'The 200 Receipts by Miss Leslie,' published by Carey and Hart of
Philadelphia, has been much praised, and we think deservedly. The
selection of subjects made by the accomplished writer is of a most
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say, that she has treated them in such an eloquent and forcible manner,
as to raise in the minds of all dispassionate readers the most tender
and pleasurable associations. We commend her to the careful perusal and
respect of all thrifty housewives."--_New York Mirror._
In One Volume, 12mo.
THE PAINTER'S AND COLOURMAN'S COMPLETE GUIDE;
Being a Practical Treatise on the Preparation of Colours, and their
application to the different kinds of Painting; in which is particularly
described the WHOLE ART OF HOUSE PAINTING. By P. F. TINGRY, Professor of
Chymistry, Natural History, and Mineralogy, in the Academy of Geneva.
First American, from the third London Edition, corrected and
considerably improved by a practical chymist.
In One Volume, 18mo.
THE FAMILY DYER AND SCOURER;
Being a Complete Treatise on the Arts of Dying and Cleaning every
article of Dress, whether made of Wool, Cotton, Silk, Flax, or Hair;
also Bed and Window Furniture, Carpets, Hearth-rugs, Counterpanes,
Bonnets, Feathers, &c. By WILLIAM TUCKER, Dyer and Scourer in the
Metropolis.
ELEMENTS OF MORALITY FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF YOUTH.
WITH SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES.
Translated by A. BOLMAR, and E. K. PRICE
Half bound. Price 19 cents.
In One Volume, 12mo.
PICTURE OF PHILADELPHIA;
Or a brief account of the various institutions and public objects in
this Metropolis, forming a Guide for Strangers, accompanied by a new
Plan of the city. In a neat pocket volume.
In One Volume, 12mo.
THE HORSE IN ALL HIS VARIETIES AND USES;
His breeding, rearing, and management, whether in labour or rest; with
RULES occasionally interspersed, for his PRESERVATION from disease. By
JOHN LAWRENCE, author of "The History of the Horse," etc.
"Independently of the practical value of the book, and it is really
and extensively valuable, it is one of the most amusing the reader
will meet with in a thousand, complete and unique, embracing every
possible subject that can be connected with the horse."--_Monthly
Magazine._
CHESNUT STREET,
OCTOBER, 1833.
NEW WORKS PUBLISHED AND PREPARING FOR PUBLICATION,
BY E. L. CAREY & A. HART, PHILAD.
In two Volumes, 12mo.
THE ROUÉ
By the author of the "OXONIANS."
In one Volume, 8vo.
A TREATISE ON LESSER SURGERY; OR THE MINOR SURGICAL OPERATIONS.
BY BOURGERY, D. M. P.
Author of "A Complete Treatise on Human Anatomy, comprising
Operative Medicine," translated from the French, with notes, and an
appendix; by
WILLIAM C. ROBERTS AND JAS. B. KISSAM.
In two Volumes, 12mo.
MANNERS OF THE DAY. A NOVEL.
In one Volume, 12mo.
MAGENDIE'S FORMULARY.
A new Edition, revised and corrected.
In two Volumes, 12mo.
TALES OF THE MUNSTER FESTIVALS.
By the Author of the "COLLEGIANS."
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
TRAVELS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF PERU; INCLUDING A YEAR'S RESIDENCE IN
POTOSI.
By EDMUND TEMPLE, Kt. of the Royal and distinguished Order of CHARLES
III.
"These travels in Peru will long maintain their reputation for the
accuracy of detail, the spirit of the style, and the utility of the
information they contain. The professional matter is very
valuable."--_Bulwer's New Monthly Magazine._
"There is much to instruct, and a great deal to amuse. Amid the details
of personal adventures, there is a great deal of shrewd and strong
observation."--_London Monthly Magazine._
"We have met with no volumes of travels in that country with which, upon
the whole, we have been so much pleased as the one before
us."--_Baltimore Gazette._
"This is an instructive and entertaining work."--_National Gazette._
"This book is one of the most entertaining that has been issued from the
press for some time."--_Pennsylvania Inquirer._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
SYDENHAM; OR, MEMOIRS OF A MAN OF THE WORLD.
"A new novel of fashionable life, under the title of 'Sydenham, or
Memoirs of a Man of the World,' will shortly be given to the public. It
exhibits the history of a young man of rank and fortune, who, being of a
decidedly satirical turn, resolves to gratify his favourite penchant to
ascertain the internal state of fashionable society, and minutely to
observe human nature under every variety of shade and circumstance.
Among other characters with whom he comes in contact, is the celebrated
BRUMMEL, who figures under the name of Beaumont: this gentleman arrests
his peculiar attention, and serves him for a complete study. The work
is, moreover, illustrative of those sets or circles in the world of ton
which have never been depicted in the pages of fiction, and respecting
which so much curiosity has long been felt."--_New Monthly Magazine._
"Each of these volumes is in fact a separate work--each in a different
style and spirit--each aspiring to a different fame in composition.
'Sydenham' is a capital work, which, without the trouble of puffing,
must make a great stir in the upper and political circles."--_London
Lit. Gaz._
"Sydenham is well written, and contains much pleasant and some severe
satire. The present Whig ministers in England are handled without
gloves, and a number of distinguished personages occupy more conspicuous
places than they would have been likely to choose, had the matter been
referred to themselves."--_Courier._
"The work before us is one of the most powerful of its class; it bears
intrinsic evidence of a new writer. The portrait of Brummel, the 'arch
dandy,' is excellent; and all the scenes in which he is engaged are
managed with skill and tact. There is, in fact, sufficient material in
this book for three or four novels."--_New Monthly Magazine._
"All the personages are of course real, though under fictitious names;
these pages are, in reality, memoirs of the intrigues of the times, full
of keen observation, graphic sketches of character, biting sarcasm, one
page of which would make the fortune of a pamphlet."--_London Gazette._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
RECORDS OF TRAVELS IN TURKEY, GREECE, &c. IN THE YEARS 1829, 1830, AND
1831; AND OF A CRUISE IN THE BLACK SEA, WITH THE CAPTAIN PASHA.
BY ADOLPHUS SLADE, ESQ.
"One of the most valuable and interesting works which has yet been
placed in our hands, on the domestic state of Turkey."--_Monthly
Review._
"We do not know when we have met with two volumes more amusing--they are
full of highly entertaining and curious matter."--_Court Jour._
"The work before us supplies the best description of this remarkable
nation."--_Courier._
"One of the most amusing and interesting of oriental travellers, none
having ever equalled him in a thorough knowledge of the true state of
society, and the true character of the Turks."--_Spectator._
"We can warmly recommend this book for perusal, it is not only very
amusing but very valuable."--_Metropolitan._
"We can assure our readers that no records of travels in modern times,
with which we are acquainted, presents so many features of general
attraction as the volumes before us."--_London Monthly Review._
"Mr. Slade has produced, without any trace of pretension, one of the
most sensible and agreeable books of travel we have ever had the
pleasure to peruse."--_United Service Journal._
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
LEGENDS OF THE RHINE.
By T. C. GRATTAN, Esq. Author of "HIGH-WAYS AND BY-WAYS."
"We are well content to pass an hour once more with the lively and
entertaining author of 'High-ways and By-ways." The hour has not yet
gone by, and we have not completed the perusal of the two volumes; but
the tales we have observed are worthy the repute in which the writer is
held, and are even of a higher order--more chaste in language and
perfect in style."--_Boston Traveller._
"Messrs. Carey and Hart have just issued 'Legends of the Rhine,' by the
author of 'High-ways and By-ways.' To those who recollect Mr. Grattan's
former writings, (and who among novel readers does not?) it is only
necessary to say, that the present 'Legends' are, in no respect,
inferior to their predecessors. The traditions which he has here wrought
into shape are all said to have an existence among the dwellers near the
mighty river; and it is certain they are full of romantic interest. The
'Legends' are twelve in number, and, though not equal in all respects,
there is no one of them that does not possess a strong claim to
admiration."--_Saturday Courier._
"Few sets of stories, published within the last ten years, have been
more popular than those called 'High-ways and By-ways.' The author of
these, after having produced two or three successful works of a
different sort, has given us two volumes of tales, with the title
'Legends of the Rhine,' which are to be published to-morrow, we
understand, by Carey and Hart. The author professes, seriously, to have
founded his narratives on traditions yet extant among those who live
near the banks of the great German river; and many of them end so
tragically that we can hardly suspect the writer of having invented them
for his own amusement or that of his readers. They are all interesting,
though not all skilfully framed; and each of them contains pages that
may be placed in a competition with the most shining passages of any
other living novel writer."
In Two Volumes, 12mo.
STANLEY BUXTON; OR, THE SCHOOLFELLOWS.
By JOHN GALT, Esq., Author of "ANNALS OF THE PARISH," "LAWRIE TODD,"
"EBEN ERSKINE," etc.
"While guile is guiltless, and life's business play,
Friendships are formed that never know decay."
"Oh, that all novels were like this piece of admirable
fiction."--_Spectator._
"We must say this work is in Mr. Galt's best style, the volume before us
contains samples of his tastes and of his powers."--_Bulwer's New
Monthly Magazine._
"Mr. Galt's new novel is on our table, and we regret we have not space
to go further into the arcana of 'Stanley Buxton,' in which the author
has aimed at painting natural feelings in situations not common, and
with much success. Some of his descriptions are also deserving of
special praise. Two episodes in the second volume add to the general
interest, and further recommend the work to public favour."--_London
Literary Gazette._
"We find in this work the force of conception, and the full execution
which distinguish the 'Annals of the Parish,' and 'Lawrie
Todd.'"--_Sun._
"The new novel, 'Stanley Buxton,' just published by Carey and Hart, may
be called one of the very best of Mr. Galt's productions."--_Daily
Chronicle._
"In 'Stanley Buxton' there is the same delightful freshness, the same
striking originality of purpose, the same easy and flowing, yet racy
and spirited manner which characterized the 'Annals of the
Parish.'"--_Saturday Courier._
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Despatch._
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PETER SIMPLE; OR, ADVENTURES OF A MIDSHIPMAN.
By the Author of "THE KING'S OWN."
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TOM CRINGLE'S LOG.
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TOM CRINGLE'S LOG. FIRST AND SECOND SERIES.
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_HALL ON THE LOSS OF BLOOD._
RESEARCHES
PRINCIPALLY RELATIVE TO
THE MORBID AND CURATIVE EFFECTS OF LOSS OF BLOOD.
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and Surg. Journal, No. XX. for October, 1830._
In One Volume, 8vo.
_TEALE ON NEURALGIC DISEASES._
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A PRACTICAL COMPENDIUM OF MIDWIFERY:
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AN ACCOUNT OF SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DISEASES PECULIAR TO WOMEN;
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FRESCATIS; OR, SCENES IN PARIS.
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COLMAN'S BROAD GRINS.
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REFLECTIONS ON EVERY DAY IN THE WEEK, WITH OCCASIONAL THOUGHTS.
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_TATE ON HYSTERIA._
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BY GEORGE TATE, M.D.
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thanks for the pains he has taken to shed a new light on an obscure and
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A SUBALTERN IN AMERICA; COMPRISING HIS NARRATIVE OF THE CAMPAIGNS OF THE
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In Two Volumes, 12mo.
NIGHTS-AT-MESS.
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NATURE DISPLAYED IN HER MODE OF TEACHING LANGUAGE TO MAN;
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BY N. G. DUFIEF.
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DUFIEF'S SPANISH NATURE DISPLAYED.
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A NEW UNIVERSAL AND PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY OF THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH
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BY N. G. DUFIEF.
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_THE SURGEON-DENTIST'S MANUAL._
THE SURGEON-DENTIST'S ANATOMICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MANUAL.
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MANUAL OF SURGICAL OPERATIONS.
CONTAINING THE NEW METHOD OF OPERATING
DEVISED BY LISFRANC.
Followed by two Synoptic Tables of Natural and Instrumental Labours.
By J. COSTER, M.D. and P. of the University of Turin.
"Dr. John D. Godman, Lecturer on Anatomy, in this city, a gentleman of
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II. page 541._
In One Volume, 8vo.
_SAISSY ON THE EAR._
DISEASES OF THE INTERNAL EAR.
BY J. A. SAISSY.
Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, Literature, and Arts in
Lyons, Fellow of the Medical Society of the same city, and of the
Medical Societies of Bordeaux, Orleans, Marseilles, &c. Honoured
with a premium by the Medical Society of Bordeaux, and since
enlarged by the author.
Translated from the French by NATHAN R. SMITH, Professor of Surgery in
the University of Maryland, with a Supplement on Diseases of the
External Ear, by the Translator.
FROISSART AND HIS TIMES.
BY THE LATE BARRY ST. LEGER.
* * * * *
Transcriber Notes
Obvious punctuation and spelling errors have been corrected.
The following are as in the original:
Major Russell and Major Russel are used interchangeably in the
book.
Page4 original: and the trick he has played off on the publick.
Page 10 its versus it's original: use, its just nobody's business. Big
men
Page 86 (scroundrell's) original: old scroundrell's two big sons
with us, and made
Page 119 flower is old english for flour original: man a cupfull of
flower. With this, we thickened
Page 168 bran-fire and branfire original: This is," said I, "a
branfire new way of doing - clearly not hypenated in this line.
The following changes have been made:
Page 17 original: bioagraphers, I should not only inform the public
replacement: biographers, I should not only inform the public
Page 141 original: and years all open, to catch every word I would
replacement: and ears all open, to catch every word I would
Page 158 original: where I stop'd to pull of my wet clothes, and
put
replacement: where I stop'd to pull off my wet clothes, and put
Page 230 original: and mistatement with which we are beset,
replacement: and misstatement with which we are beset,
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Narrative of the Life of David
Crockett, of the State of Tennessee., by Davy Crockett
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