military skill far in advance of most of
the Indian tribes. Mr. Crockett was one of the first to volunteer to
form a company to serve for sixty days, under Captain Jones, who
subsequently was a member of Congress from Tennessee. In a week the
whole company was organized, and commenced its march to join others for
the invasion of the Creek country. It was thought that by carrying the
war directly into the Indian towns, their warriors might be detained at
home to protect their wives and children, and could thus be prevented
from carrying desolation into the settlements of the whites.

In the mean time David Crockett revisited his humble home, where his
good but anxious and afflicted wife fitted him out as well as she could
for the campaign. David was not a man of sentiment and was never
disposed to contemplate the possibility of failure in any of his plans.
With a light heart he bade adieu to his wife and his children, and
mounting his horse, set out for his two months' absence to hunt up and
shoot the Indians. He took only the amount of clothing he wore, as he
wished to be entirely unencumbered when he should meet the sinewy and
athletic foe on the battle-field.

This company, of about one hundred mounted men, commenced its march for
an appointed rendezvous called Beatty's Spring. Here they encamped for
several days, waiting the arrival of other companies from distant
quarters. Ere long there was collected quite an imposing army of
thirteen hundred men, all on horseback, and all hardy backwoodsmen,
armed with the deadly rifle. A more determined set of men was perhaps
never assembled. While they were thus gathering from far and near, and
making all preparations to burst upon the foe in one of war's most
terrific tempests, Major Gibson came, and wanted a few men, of tried
sagacity and hardihood, to accompany him on a reconnoitring tour across
the Tennessee River, down through the wilderness, into the country of
the Creek Indians. It was a very hazardous enterprise. The region
swarmed with savages. They were very vigilant. They were greatly and
justly exasperated. If the reconnoitring party were captured, the
certain doom of its members would be death by the most dreadful
tortures.

Captain Jones pointed out David Crockett as one of the most suitable
men for this enterprise. Crockett unhesitatingly consented to go, and,
by permission, chose a companion by the name of George Russel, a young
man whose courage and sagacity