Fort  Mima,  Massacre  at. In  the  autumn
of  1812,  Tecumtha  and  the  Prophet  (which  see)
went  among  the  Creeks  to  stir  them  up  to  make
war  upon  the  white  people. They  were  divided
in  sentiment,  for  many  of  them  preferred  peace
and  friendship  with  the  Americans,  and  civil
war  was  engendered. The  white  settlers  among
them  were  in  great  peril,  and  in  the  spring  of
1S13  they  were  led  to  expect  an  exterminating
blow. They  knew  that  a  British  squadron  was
in  the  Gulf,  aud  on  friendly  terms  with  the  Span-
iards at  Fensacola. They  prepared  to  defend
themselves  as  well  as  they  might. They  learn-
ed that  British  agents  at  Pensacola  ■were  distrib-
uting supplies  among  the  Creeks. Very  soon
hostilities  began  here  and  there,  and  the  white
people  fled  to  secret  places  for  refuge — some  in
the  thick  swamps  not  far  above  the  junction  of
the  Alabama  and  Tombigbee  rivers. There  they
L— 33


were  joined  by  wealthy  half-blood  families,  and
the  house  of  Samuel  Mims,  an  old  and  wealthy
inhabitant,  was  strongly- stockaded  with  heavy
pickets. Several  other  buildings  were  enclosed
within  the  acre  of  ground  stockaded,  and  the
whole  was  known  as  Fort  Mims. Major  Beas-
ley  was  placed  in  command,  aud   authorized
to  receive   any  citizens  who  would  assist  in
defence  of  the  station,  and  issue  soldiers'  ra-
tions to  them. Its  dimensions  were  soon  too
smaU  for  the  people  who  flocked  to  it  for  pro-
tection against  the  impending  storm,  and  a  new
enclosure  was  built. At  the  close  of  August  In-
dians were  seen  prowling  around  Fort  Mims;
but  Major  Beasley  was  confident  that  he  could
"  maintain  the  post  against  any  number  of  In-
dians."   The  30th  of  August  was  a  beantifol  day,
and  no  sense  of  danger  was  felt  at  the  fort. It
contained  five  hundred  and  fifty — men,  women,
and  children. The  midday  drum  was  beaten  for
dinuer. The  soldiers  were  loitering  listlessly
around,  or  were  playing  cards ;  almost  one  hun-
dred children  were  playing  around,  and  young
men  and  maidens  were  dancing. At  that  mo-
ment a  thousand  almost  naked  Creek  warriors
lay  in  a  ravine  not  more  than  four  hundred
yards  from  the  fort,  ready,  like  famished  tigers,
to  spring  upon  their  prey. 