were anchored
in the bay, and so placed as to command with their guns the principal
entrance to the town. Jackson, who had invaded the Spanish province
unsanctioned by the Government, was anxious to impress upon the Spanish
authorities that the measure had been reluctantly adopted, on his own
authority, as a military necessity; that he had no disposition to
violate their neutral rights; but that it was indispensable that the
British should be dislodged and driven away.

The pride of the Spaniard was roused, and there was no friendly
response to this appeal. But the Spanish garrison was small, and,
united with the English fleet, could present no effectual opposition to
the three thousand men under such a lion-hearted leader as General
Jackson. On the 7th of January the General opened fire upon the foe.
The conflict was short. The Spaniards were compelled to surrender their
works. The British fled to the ships. The guns were turned upon them.
They spread sail and disappeared. Jackson was severely censured, at the
time, for invading the territory of a neutral power. The final verdict
of his countrymen has been decidedly in his favor.

It was supposed that the British would move for the attack of Mobile.
This place then consisted of a settlement of but about one hundred and
fifty houses. General Jackson, with about two thousand men, marched
rapidly for its defence. A few small, broken bands of hostile, yet
despairing Creeks, fled back from Florida into the wilds of Alabama. A
detachment of nearly a thousand men, under Major Russell, were sent in
pursuit of these fleas among the mountains. Crockett made part of this
expedition. The pursuing soldiers directed their steps northwest about
a hundred miles to Fort Montgomery, on the Alabama, just above its
confluence with the Tornbeckbee, about twelve miles above Fort
Stoddart. Not far from there was Fort Mimms, where the awful massacre
had taken place which opened the Creek war.

There were many cattle grazing in the vicinity of the fort at the time
of the massacre, which belonged to the garrison. These animals were now
running wild. A thousand hungry men gave them chase. The fatal bullet
soon laid them all low, and there was great feasting and hilarity in
the camp. The carouse was much promoted by the arrival that evening of
a large barge, which had sailed up the Alabama River from Mobile, with
sugar, coffee, and,--best of all, as the soldiers said--worst of all,
as humanit