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CHAPTER III
THE WAR OP 1812—To SECURE FREEDOM UPON THE HIGH SEAS, THIS
COUNTRY ONCE MORE ENGAGES IN A STRUGGLE WITH ENGLAND—
AMERICAN SAILORS IMPRESSED ON BOARD ENGLISH WARSHIPS—GEOR
GIA'S PART IN THE WAR Is CHIEFLY TO AID IN QUELLING A FRONTIER
OUTBREAK OP THE CREEK INDIANS—TECUMSBH'S ELOQUENCE IN
FLAMES THE FOREST—SOMETHING ABOUT THIS EXTRAORDINARY MAN—
THE INFLUENCE OF COL. BENJAMIN HAWKINS IN RESTRAINING THE
LOWER CREEKS—THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1812—GOVERNOR
MITCHELL'S WAR MESSAGE—PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENDING GEOR
GIA'S SOIL—$30,000 APPROPRIATED—AMELIA ISLAND INFESTED WITH
LAWLESS CHARACTERS—FUGITIVES INTO EAST FLORIDA—GOVERNOR
MlTCIIELL VISITS THE BORDER—DEMANDS A DISCONTINUANCE OF DEP
REDATIONS—WISHES TO ANNEX FLORIDA, TO WHICH ENDS HE FAVORS
ENCOURAGING THE REVOLUTIONISTS—BUT THE PROJECT FAILS—
STOCKADE FORTS ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER—THE FIRST REAL
SKIRMISH—MASSACRE AT FORT MIMS—To AVENGE THIS HOLOCAUST
A BODY OF GEORGIA MILITIA STARTS IN PURSUIT—UNDER A CALL FROM
THE SECRETARY OF WAR, 3,600 TROOPS ARE MOBILIZED AT FORT
HAWKINS—GEN. JOHN FLOYD PUT IN COMMAND—FROM THE STATE
OF TENNESSEE MARCHES A BODY OF MEN AT THE HEAD OF WHICH
RIDES ANDREW JACKSON.
To secure freedom upon the high seas war was formally declared
against England by the United States Government in 1812. But before
treating of Georgia's part in this second war for independence we must
explain the necessity for this renewal of hostilities with England. When
Napoleon was at the height of his power in 1806 he sought to embarrass
British commerce by closing all of the continental parts to England's
trade, a drastic measure against which England retaliated by forbidding
any vessel to enter the ports of France or those of her allies. Due to
these edicts, American vessels trading with the countries at war, in
curred the liability of capture, first by the one and then by the other.
British naval officers, inspired by an old enmity, had more than once
searched American vessels; but without stopping at this indignity they
had even seized American sailors, impressing them into service on board
English warships on the spurious claim that these sailors were British
subjects. Such high-handed piracy was not to be countenanced, and
accordingly this country in what was known as the Embargo of 1807 sus
pended all commerce and forbade any vessel to leave its ports. To Geor
gia especially this measure dealt a severe blow. .She was just beginning
to export large quantities of cotton to Europe and from this trade her
wealth was mainly derived. But the Legislature of 1807 in a patriotic
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