William Carey Crane

“ The old prophets gazed on the skies and stood firm; warriors, assured in their extremity that relief would at length come, clustered around them. When the last prophet and the last warrior at his side yielded their lives with an expiring groan, then only hope expired within them. Even then, the bloody work was not ended. Another work of slaughter and the victory of Andrew Jackson at Tohopeka would be complete.
Constructed over a ravine in the form of the roof, a house pierced with narrow port-holes was a part of the breastworks where a large party of Indians had secreted themselves. ”

“ Although warriors by hundreds were falling, they still believed their prophets; who assured them that they would win the day and gain a victory over the palefaces. With a storm of wrath, they believed that the Great Spirit would sweep away their enemies, and that a cloud from heaven would be His signal. Even when the struggle was decided, while Gen. Jackson was issuing an order to cease from the carnage, while an interpreter was on his way to tell the Indians that their lives would be spared if they would surrender, a cloud suddenly spread over the sky. ”

“ He was in training for the grand destiny which his young life presaged. He was under tuition for the leadership of that brave band of pioneers who through fierce struggles and sufferings triumphed in the peaceful enjoyment of a liberated Republic. ”

“ A desperate effort was made, the arrow was drawn forth, and a stream of blood rushed from the torn flesh. The young hero crossed the breastworks that his wounds might be dressed. The wound was bound up by the surgeon and the blood stanched. Gen. Jackson came to see who were wounded, and observing the young ensign among the number, firmly ordered him not to return to the contest. He begged the General to let him return to his men. The General gave him positive orders not to cross the breastworks again. Houston was determined to win a hero's name in that battle, or die in the contest. ”

“ Jackson's army contained more than two thousand men; and through the forests, in every direction, his spies and scouts were scattered. Guided by their prophets, the Creek Indians had retreated from village to village and gathered the whole of their available force, the chosen warriors of the nation, one thousand strong, on a bend of the Tallapoosa River, well described by its name Tohopeka, or the horseshoe. Here they resolved to stand and risk their destiny on a single contest. The horseshoe bend is a peninsula, comprising about one hundred acres of land, which opened to the north. ”

“ Andrew Jackson and his army, the enemy had to contend with foemen who excelled in military artifices, and who, with the daring courage of their natures nurtured in forest homes, were eager to enter the strife even at the cost of annihilating their Indian opponents. ”

“ Hence, a murderous fire could be directed against their assailants whenever they should show themselves. In this place were assembled the last remnant of the Creek warriors of the Horseshoe bend. Cannon could not be brought to bear upon the place. Only a bold charge, which probably would cost the lives of the courageous men who should make it, could dislodge them from their position. These brave, desperate Indians had sealed their fate by rejecting with contempt the offer of life, on condition of their surrender. Gen. Jackson called for volunteers to make the charge. ”

“ In accordance with the convictions of his life, and acting on the principles which always had governed and animated him, he threw up his commission in the army, returned with the delegation to the agency on the Hiwassee, and then resigned his commission as sub-agent among the Cherokee Indians, and went to Nashville to commence the reading necessary to practice law. Few young men had ever had such a preparatory drill in the hard service of life, beginning as Sam Houston. ”

“ Turning a bend of the Mississippi, they saw what they supposed to be a vessel on fire, making headway on the stream without sails, and emitting heavy columns of smoke. It proved to be the first steamer which ever went up the Mississippi River. The party exchanged their narrow quarters on the skiff for the steamboat, and eight days thereafter Lieutenant Houston, reaching New Orleans, reported for duty. Here once more he had his wounds operated upon, and came near losing his life. ”