The Battle at Horseshoe Bend by Michael Aye

Author:Michael Aye [Aye, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bitingduck Press
Published: 2014-12-13T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Five

Jonah moved from the center of the fireplace allowing the new ‘visitors’ to get close to the hearth and warm themselves. Jonah was not sure what he’d expected Weatherford to look like, but it was not what he saw. The fearsome Red Stick war chief known by both Red Eagle and William Weatherford was dressed in white man’s attire, a wealthy white man’s attire. His clothes were of thick wool. His coat, a red plaid mackintosh, was not the type of apparel you’d normally see an Indian or white man wearing. Of course, his grandfather, old Alex McGillivray, was said to have been a man of great means.

He owned a huge plantation and several flatboats, which carried his cargoes to Mobile for trading. Henry Parrish had said McGillivray traded on a grand scale. On one trip south, his shipment would fill several hundred flatboats, keelboats, and barges. McGillivray was the emperor of the Creeks. He was known by the president of the United States and leaders of other nations. Jonah also remembered something his father had said. McGillivray had been a freemason. As emperor, he felt for the Creeks to survive that they would have to emulate the white man. Most of the Creeks wore shirts, trousers, and boots just like the whites. They owned numerous slaves and had large landholdings, often greater than the white settlers, who continued to encroach upon the Creek lands.

McGillivray’s daughter was an Indian princess. He had given a huge plantation to Charles Weatherford as a wedding present for marrying his daughter. Why, then, did William Weatherford, Red Eagle, turn his back on his father and grandfather’s wealth and way of life? Did he feel such a calling from his mother’s people? Was he tired of seeing jealous white men destroy the Indian way of life? Was he tired of broken treaties and white man laws being made just to steal away what the whites had not already taken? Gazing at the warrior, Jonah recalled something else Henry Parrish had said. Had it not been for the massacre at Fort Mims, he would be siding with Weatherford.

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Madison had to force the door shut against a heavy wind. Once the door was closed, he spoke in Creek to the new guests. He then returned to speaking English. “Gentlemen, this is Lumhe-Chati, or Red Eagle. He is also known as William Weatherford.” Mama Lee’s training in manners caused Jonah to reach out his hand.

“You may call me William, if you like,” Weatherford said, grasping the hand in a firm but friendly handshake.

“I’m Jonah Lee, Mr. Weatherford. It’s a pleasure to meet such a gallant foe.”

“Good words from a man who is known not only as the president’s man but a warrior in his own right.”

I’ll be damned, Jonah thought. How’d he know that?

Smiling, Weatherford released Jonah’s hand and said, “We should not be enemies on a day such as this. There is no glory in freezing.”

This time it was Jonah who smiled. “A truce, then, until the weather clears and a day has passed.

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