General Woodward's account follows:
The entry of Gen. LaFayette into Alabama was the most imposing
show I witnessed while I lived in the State. In 1824, I think it
was, LaFayette was looked for in Alabama. I was the first and
oldest Brigadier General in Alabama, (after it became a State.)
Gen. Wm. Taylor, I think, was the oldest Major General; and
Israel Pickens was Governor. There may have been his equal, but
there never has been his superior in that office since Alabama
became a State. At the time LaFayette was expected, Gen. Taylor
was absent, I think, in Mobile. The Indians were a little soured,
from a treaty that had been, or was about being made with the
Georgians. Gov. Pickens requested me to take an escort and
conduct LaFayette through the nation. The Hon. James Abercrombie
then commanded the Montgomery Troop, and Gen. Moore of
Clai-borne, commanded the Monroe Troop, both of whom volunteered
their services.
Before the escort left Alabama, (which then extended only to Line Creek,) Gen. Taylor arrived and took the command. That was before the day of platforms and conventions -- men lived on their own money. You must guess then there was some patriotic feeling along, for there were between two and three hundred persons, all bearing their own expenses. Some in going and coming had to travel four hundred miles, and none less than two hundred miles. Besides the military, there were a number of the most respectable citizens of Alabama, among whom were Bolling Hall, ex-member of Congress, ex-Gov. Murphy, John D. Bibb, John W. Freeman and Col. James Johnston, one of the best men that ever lived or died. If there are any such men these days, I have not had the pleasure of their acquaintance.
Our trip to the Chattahoochee was pleasant indeed. We made our headquarters three miles from Fort Mitchell, on big Uchee Creek, at Haynes Crabtree's. Had that been a war, and if it had continued till the present day, all of that crowd that's now living would be soldiers. After some three or four day's stay at Crabtree's, we learned that Gen. LaFayette had passed White Water, and we knew at what time he would reach the river. The Indians seemed to take as much interest in the matter as the whites.
All hands mustered on the west or Alabama side, where we could see the Georgia escort approach the east bank of the Chattahoochee, with their charge. On the east bank, Gen. LaFayette was met by Chilly McIntosh, son of the Indian Gen. McIntosh, with fifty Indian warriors, who were stripped naked and finely painted. They had a sulky prepared with drag-ropes, such as are commonly used in drawing cannon. The General was turned over by the Georgians to the Indians. That was the greatest show I ever saw at the crossing of any river. It beat all of Gen. Jessup's wind bridges across the Tallapoosa, and other places where there was never much more water than would swim a dog, only at a high rise. As the ferry-boat reached the Alabama side, the Indians, in two lines, seized the ropes, and the General seated in the sulky, was drawn to the top of the bank, some eighty yards, where stood the Alabama Delegation. At a proper distance from the Alabama Delegation, the Indians opened their lines, and the sulky halted.
Everything, from the time the
General entered the ferry, till
this time, had been conducted in the most profound silence. As
the sulky halted, the Indians gave three loud whoops. The General
then alighted, took off his hat, and was conducted by Chilly
McIntosh, a few steps, to where stood Mr. Hall, with head
uncovered, white with the frosts of age. I knew Mr. Hall from my
boyhood. He always showed well in company; but never did I see
him look so finely as on that occasion. He looked like himself --
what he really was -- an American gentleman. As McIntosh
approached Mr. Hall, he said, "Gen. LaFayette, the American
friend, "Mr. Hall, of Alabama," pointing to each as he called
his name. Mr. Hall, in a very impressive manner, welcomed
LaFayette to the shores of Alabama, and introduced him to the
other gentlemen. Dandridge Bibb then addressed the General at
some length. I heard a number of persons address LaFayette on his
route through Alabama; none surpassed Dandridge Bibb, and none
equalled him, unless it was Hitchcock and Dr. Hustis at Cahaba. I
have always been looked upon as rather dry-faced; but gazing on
the face of the most distinguished patriot that it had ever
fallen to my lot to look upon, and the feeling remarks of Mr.
Bibb on that occasion, caused me, as it did most others that were
present, to shed tears like so many children.
After the address at the river, all marched to Fort Mitchell hill, where there was an immense crowd of Indians, the Little Prince at their head. He addressed the "French Captain," through Hamley, in true Indian style. I could understand much of his speech, but cannot begin to give it as Hamley could. The Prince said that he had often heard of the French Captain, "but now I see him, I take him by the hand, I know from what I see, he is the true one I have heard spoken of; I am not deceived -- too many men have come a long way to meet him. He is bound to be the very man the Americans were looking for."
The Prince, after satisfying the General that he (the Prince) was satisfied that the General was the true man spoken of and looked for, then went on to say, that he had once warred against the Americans, and that the French Captain had warred for them, and of course they had once been enemies, but were now friends; that he (the Prince) was getting old, which his withered limbs would show -- making bare his arms at the same time -- that he could not live long; but he was glad to say, that his people and the whites were at peace and he hoped they would continue so.
But he had raised a set of young warriors, that he thought would prove worthy of their sires, if there should ever be a call to show themselves men; and that as a ball play was, outside of war, the most manly exercise that the Red Man could perform, he would, for the gratification of the General and his friends, make his young men play a game. The old man then turned to his people, and said to them -- they were in the presence of a great man and warrior; he had commanded armies on both sides of the Big Water; that he had seen many nations of people; that he had visited Six Nations, in Red Jacket's time, (the General told the Indians he had visited the Six Nations,) that every man must do his best -- show himself a man, and should one get hurt he must retire without complaining, and by no means show anything like ill humor. The speech ended, about two hundred stripped to the buff, paired themselves off and went at it. It was a ball play sure enough, and I would travel farther to see such a show than I would to see any other performed by man, and willingly pay high for it, at that. The play ended, and all hands went out to head quarters at Big Uchee, where we were kindly treated by our old friend Haynes Crabtree.
There was a man, then living among the Indians, Capt. Tom Anthony, who long since found a last resting place in the wilds of Arkansas. He was a man of fine sense and great humor. There was also an Indian known as Whiskey John. John was the greatest drunkard I ever saw; he would drink a quart of strong whiskey without taking the vessel that contained it from his lips. (This is Alabama history, and there are plenty now living that have seen him do it.) To see John drink was enough to have made the fabled Bacchus look out for a vacancy that frequently occurs among the Sons of Temperance. Capt. Anthony told John that all hands had addressed the French Chief, and that it was his duty to say something to him on behalf of those that loved whiskey. John could speak considerable English in a broken manner. It so happened that the General and others were walking across the Uchee Bridge when John met them. John made a low bow, as he had seen others do. The General immediately pulled off his hat, thinking he had met with another Chief. John straightening himself up to his full height, (and he was not very low,) commenced his speech in the manner that I will try to give it to you. "My friend, you French Chief! me Whiskey John," (calling over the names of several white persons and Indians;) "Col. Hawkins, Col. Crowell, Tom Crowell, Henry Crowell, Billy McIntosh, Big Warrior Indian, heap my friends, give me whiskey, drink, am good. White man my very good friend me, white man make whiskey, drink him heap, very good, I drink whiskey. You French Chief. Tom Anthony say me big Whiskey Chief. You me give one bottle full. I drink him good." The General informed John that he did not drink whiskey, but would have his bottle filled. John remarked "Tom Anthony you very good man, me you give bottle full. You no drink, me drink him all, chaw tobacco little bit, give me some you."
Now the above is an Indian speech, and no doubt will appear silly to some who have not been accustomed to those people. Should it, however, fall under the eye of those who were along at the time, they will recognize John's speech, and call to mind our old friends, Capt. Anthony and Col. James Johnson, who was the life of our crowd.
We remained that night at Crabtree's and the next day reached Fort Bainbridge, where an Indian countryman lived, by the name of Kendall Lewis, as perfect a gentleman, in principle, as ever lived in or out of the nation, and had plenty, and it in fine style. The next day we started for Line Creek.
It fell to my lot to point out many Indians, as well as places, for we were stopped at almost every settlement to shake hands, and hear Indian speeches. Among many things and places that were pointed out to the General, was the place where Lot was killed, the old "Lettered Beech," at Persimmon swamp, the old Council Oak, Floyd's battle ground, the grave of James McGirth, the place where McGirth made peach brandy, many years before, and many other things.
That night we reached Walter B. Lucas'. Everything was "done up" better than it will ever be again; one thing only was lacking -- time. We could not stay long enough. The next morning we started for Montgomery. Such a cavalcade never traveled that road before or since.
On Goat Hill, and near where Capt. John Carr fell in the well, stood Gov. Pickens, and the largest crowd I ever saw in Montgomery. Some hundred yards east of the Hill, was sand flat, where Gen. LaFayette and his attendants quit carriages and horses, formed a line and marched to the top of the hill. As we started, the band struck up the old Scottish air, Hail to the Chief. As we approached the Governor, Mr. Hall introduced the General to him. The Governor tried to welcome him, but like the best man the books give account of, when it was announced that he was commander of the whole American forces, he was scarcely able to utter a word. So it was with Gov. Pickens. As I remarked before, Gov. P. had no superior in the State, but on that occasion he could not even make a speech. But that did not prevent Gen. LaFayette from discovering that he was a great man; it only goes to prove what is often said, that many who feel most can say least, and many who have no feeling say too much.
The people of Montgomery did their duty. Col. Arthur Hayne, who was a distinguished officer in the army in the war of 1812, and who was the politest gentleman I ever saw, was the principal manager. If the Earl of Chesterfield had happened there he would have felt as I did the first time I saw a fine carpet on a floor and was asked to walk in; I declined, saying, "I reckon I have got in the wrong place." Several steamboats were in waiting at the wharf, and the next morning all hands went aboard and started for Cahaba, at that time the Seat of Government.
At Cahaba, as in Montgomery, everything was "done up" as it should be. There the General met with Major Porter, whom he had known in the Revolution. There I shed more tears. The General examined the old ditch that had been cut by his countrymen many years before. An old cannon was shown him also, which was left by the French Army, when they quit the country. He remarked that those relics caused sad feelings, that there was still a pleasure, a kind of melancholy pleasure, which he could not describe.
About this time a gentleman
was wounded from the firing of a
cannon on a trading boat. The General visited the wounded man,
and took much interest in his welfare; he was told that the
gentleman had many friends who would care for him. I told him
that he was an old camp mate of mine; he replied, "one good
soldier will always take care of another." I remained in Cahaba
until the General embarked on board, and on bidding him farewell,
said, "I have done what little I could to make your journey to
this place as pleasant as possible, and I now have to leave you."
He took me by the hand and said, "I thank you kindly; may God
bless and prosper the young and thriving State you live in; I
shall always cherish the kindest feelings for you and the other
gentlemen that escorted me through the nation, as well as all
others who have taken so much trouble to make me welcome among
you." The last words I heard him utter were, "Farewell, my
friend! Take care of that wounded man."
