In the year 1813 the Creek nation of Native Americans split in two, one of the two groups, who soon became known as the Red Sticks, wanted to fight against any other accommodations being made with the white settlers, on the other hand the second group wanted to adopt the white settlers’ lifestyle. In the summer of 1813 the Creek nation was launched into a civil war and the angry Red Sticks began a mass slaughter of all domestic animals in the Upper Towns.

The white settlers knew nothing of the internal conflict amongst the Creek and they grew increasingly alarmed as news trickled in about the actions of the Red Sticks in the Upper Towns. As a result the settlers began barricading themselves up in forts while awaiting reinforcements.

Soon American spies learned that that Peter McQueen, one of the Red Stick leaders was leading a party of Red Sticks who were sent to Pensacola, Florida in order to acquire food, assistance, supplies, and arms from the Spanish. Peter McQyeen received the request supplies from Spanish governor, Mateo González Manrique who gave the Red Sticks 45 barrels of corn and flour, blankets, ribbons, scissors, razors, a few steers, and 1000 pounds of gunpowder and an equivalent supply of lead musket balls and bird shot.

When word reached Colonel Caller, he and Major Daniel Beasley of the Mississippi Volunteers led a mounted force of 6 companies, 150 white militia riflemen, and 30 Creek/White mix bloods called Tensaw, in order to intercept the Red Sticks supply train. On July the American force attacked the force of Red Sticks and successfully drove off the Native Americans. While the Americans looted the pack trains the Red Sticks returned and forced the Americans to retreat. The battle soon came to be called the Battle of Burnt Corn. The United States of America was now at war with the Creeks.

In August Peter McQueen and Red Eagle (another Red Stick chief) amassed a large force of 1,000 Creek warriors in order to attack Fort Mims. Fort Mims was located 35-45 miles (50-70 kilometers) north of Mobile on the eastern side of the Alabama River. 517 people, both whites and Tensaw (264 of which were armed militiamen), were barricaded inside the fort.

On August 21st 1813 a Native American Choctaw warrior arrived at Fort Easley, he reported that over four hundred Red Sticks were planning to attack the fort, and then move on to Fort Madison. The warning was then relayed to General Ferdinand Claiborne at St. Stephens, who in turn sent reinforcements to Fort Easley. Ferdinand was of the opinion that Major Daniel Beasley was capable of protecting Fort Mims.

On the 29th two slaves who were tending cattle outside the fort reported seeing “painted warriors” but the riding patrols didn’t see anything so Major Beasley discounted the slaves report.

210 years ago, on August 30th, 1813 the Red Sticks attacked Fort Mims. Early in the morning a scout arrived to warn Major Beasley of the attack, but Beasley (who was reportedly drunk at the time) dismissed the warning and made no preparations for the attack. Beasley had previously claimed that he could defend the Fort against “any number of Indians” but in truth the fort was poorly defended. The east gate was partially propped open by drifting sand, and Beasley had neglected to actually post any sentries, dismissing any warnings of a probable Creek attack.

During the mid-day meal the Red Sticks attacked in a quick assault, hoping to take the Fort in one large surprise attack. They quickly took control of the gun loopholes and breached the outer enclosure. Thinking quickly Captain Bailey, who had also fought in the battle of Burnt Corn, rallied the people and managed to hold the inner enclosure, thus fending off the Red Sticks deadly charge. The two sides continued to do battle, each returning shots over the inner enclosure walls. After about two hours the Red Sticks stopped firing and quickly fell back. Their initial attack blunted the Creeks, casualties were rising and a hasty council was assembled in order to decide whether or not to continue the attack. After much debate it was decided that both Captain Bailey and the Tensaw must pay for their treason in the battle of Burnt Corn. At 3:00 pm the Red Sticks amassed and renewed their attack on the inner fortress.

Due to the ferocity of the second attack the defenders were forced to retreat farther into a building commonly known as the bastion. In turn the Red Sticks lit fire to the bastion. The Red Sticks then managed to force their way into the inner enclosure and began a mass slaughter of all inside. The defenders led again by Captain Bailey offered staunch resistance and the ensuing struggle lasted for two hours. By the end of the battle at 5:00 pm the Red Sticks had killed almost everyone inside the fort.

The Red Sticks chose to spare most of the slaves but also took 100 of them captive. They also took at the very least 3 women and 10 children captive. 36 people in all had escaped two women, one young girl, and 33 men, one of which was Captain Bailey who had somehow escaped although he was mortally wounded. All in all, there were 247 Americans and 100 Red Sticks dead.

After the attack the Red Sticks went on to raze all of the nearby plantations, kill 5,000 cattle, burn crops and houses, and either capture or slay any slaves in the area.

By Josiah Patrick

Plot Overview:

The hobbits are a simple folk who live simple lives and try to stay away from adventure. Bilbo Baggins is a very respectable hobbit who never did anything unexpected, until one day he is recruited by a group of thirteen dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. He is hired as a burglar at the suggestion of the wizard Gandalf. The goal of the quest is to travel to the Lonely Mountain and slay the great dragon Smuag and reclaim the mountain and its treasure. Little do they know they will face many hardships along the way.

During the quest Bilbo finds a magical ring that can turn whoever is wearing it invisible; he uses it several times to help on their journey as they face goblins, wolves and spiders and are captured by elves. The dwarves find the little hobbit’s help invaluable on the quest even though they at first doubted him.

This is an epic journey full of adventure, peril and battles. It is an amazing book that I think is a true work of art and you will enjoy if you choose to read it.

Language:

None.

Romance:

None.

Positive Elements:

This book has a good deal of positive elements, such as the redemption of Thorin, the perseverance of Bilbo, as well as him not wanting much reward, the kindness that Elrond shows to them as his guests, how they help each other and don’t leave each other behind, and many others.

Spiritual Elements:

This book has a bit of magic, such as used by Gandalf who makes flashes of light and light fires with magic, Beorn who shape shifts with magic, and a magic ring that makes you invisible to name some. The book does not have an over excessive amount of magic in it and it is not dark magic.

Violence and Gore:

This book has many battles in it, as can be expected from a fantasy adventure book. Some of the battles include when Gandalf and Thorin fight off goblins, when Bilbo fights the giant spiders, and the battle of five armies. Also, the goblins whip the company when they have them captured.

As for gore the book has none at all.

Darkness:

The goblins are evil creatures who enjoy torturing their prisoners. The book also mentions an evil villain called the necromancer and describes him as being very dark. But it does not have very much darkness.

Other Negative Elements:

None.

By Nathaniel Patrick

Standing at the door to the building Farmer Herst had pointed out I knocked timidly. The woman who opened the door was formidable to say the least, standing ramrod straight her wide frame filled the doorway. Hands on her hips she looked down at me over the rim of her eyeglasses. Her greying hair was pulled into a tight bun. I just stared at her, too scared to move or speak.

“Well?” she said eventually, “If you are one of those trouble makers from the ditches than you aren’t doin’ a very good job of makin’ trouble.”

Trouble maker from the ditches? I thought. I was definitely not that; although I wasn’t entirely sure what that was. But from the woman’s voice I knew it wasn’t a good thing.

I stood up tall, straightened my rags and said in a voice that was meant to be confident but came out as a squeak, “I’m no trouble maker Ma’am. Farmer Herst sent me. He said that I needed a new dress and that you are the best in the county.”

“That’s the truth!” she said. Although I wasn’t sure if she meant I needed a new dress or the she was the best seamstress. “And it seems just like Farmer Herst to send you. I don’t suppose he sent you with some money, did he?”

“I have money.” I said, pulling out my coin pouch.

“Hmm… well then come on in and we’ll see what we can do.”

As I followed her in I stopped and stared. The place was a wonderland. There were rows and rows of brightly colored fabric covering the walls. There were calicos, silks, felts, homespun, cashmere, velvet, linen, fleece, muslin, flannel, corduroy, leather and even some that looked like it was woven from the fur of a Cycrole. As we walked toward the front we passed a table covered in jars full of buttons, needles, pins and thimbles. I look about and saw other tables throughout the room. Some had patterns and sample dresses while others had hundreds of colors of thread and a variety of tools for cutting. There was even a table cover in baskets filled with skeins of yarn.

When we got to the counter I gaped. On shelves underneath were spools and spools of ribbon. Thin, thick, plain, and patterned, there was an incredible amount of ribbon. ““Ahh…” said the woman, “You like my ribbon collection, do you?”

“Yes Ma’am, very much!” I answered.

She smiled at me before disappearing behind the counter. She came back up with a box from which she pulled several dresses that looked about my size. She held them up against me while muttering things to herself.

By the time I left the shop the woman, whose name turned out to be Mrs. Matilda Halsburn, had measured me, given me a hairbrush, braided my hair and showed me how, and sold me simple dress. On the way out, as I looked longingly at the fabric and ribbons she stopped me. “Here,” she said handing me several fabric scraps, a length of ribbon, some buttons, a spool of thread, and a needle, “You can use these to make a dress for your doll.” I thanked her profusely but did not admit that I had no doll. She told me to come by next time I was in town.

Davian and I raced to the bend in the road and I won, despite my heavy pack. We kept up a lively conversation on the road, I telling him about Mrs. Matilda and her shop, and Davin telling me about the boys in town and how he had beat them all at a game of Lamricks. He was kind enough to give me a piece of his precious candy. When we got to the forest path that led to his home I bid him farewell. Before I left he made me promise to stop by their house on my way to town next week, to which I heartily agreed. I hurried back after that, eager to make it up the mountain before dark.

By Susanna Patrick

Assurance of the Resurrection

1. For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

2. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. & We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

Be Reconciled to God

12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Assurance of the Resurrection:

I chose this chapter because something struck me in the first portion which is where I focus because it uses nakedness as a metaphor saying sin is nakedness (which is fitting). As I was preparing this devotional God spoke to me telling me that the more faith we have in Him the more righteous we become, we are clothed in righteousness. The metaphor is perfect and so we want to go to heaven where there is an abundance of clothing/righteousness!

The Judgment Seat of Christ:

This next part shows that if we want our abundance of clothing we need to serve Him wholeheartedly, that we must make sacrifices for the greater good.

Be Reconciled to God:

Be reconciled to God is this paragraph's theme. It shows us that through the resurrection we can be resurrected from our sin to a new creation living righteous with an abundance of faith!

By Seth Patrick.