Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1895 — AN INDIANA PATRIARCH. [ARTICLE]

AN INDIANA PATRIARCH.

He Fought In the War of 1312 Under General Jackson. A newspaper correspondent travel, ing in Indian territory found a full blooded Cherokee who, according to a.utheutic accounts was 112 .vears old. He was living in a cabin alone. His name is Big Robin. Physically he is vigorous to for one so old, walking three blocks and up a. flight of stairs in Fort Smith, to a photograph gsllery without the slightest indication of fatigue. Big Robin says he don’t know how long ho has been in this country, writes the correspondent, but is sure he has Deen here, more than fifty years. Long ago he had a wife and childrein, but they have beendead so long he has but slight remembrance of them. He has Pne son living who is now a very old nan, but Big Robin refuses to live with him, preferring the solitude of his cabin in the fo/estj where he spends his time bottoming chairs and doing other work of a similar nature for those in the neighborhood. He amuses himself when not otherwise engaged tinging from a well-worn Cherokee hymn-book, which he carries with him it all times, and which he took from ais pocket and held in his hand when he sat for his picture. When questioned as to his early history his memory seemed very deficient, but when asked if he had . iver Deen a warrior he braced up and ‘ displayed much interest. He said that he fought in the war of 1812 under Jen. Jackson, and participated in the battje of the Horseshoe, at which time.; duTwas "a lusty warrior, under the immediate command of" Maj. Ridge, the loted Cherokee. The night before the battle Gen. Jackson was anxious that he hostile Creeks should have no means of retreat in the event of a mccessful storming of their fortificalions on the next morning. 'The Creeks bad wisely provided for this contingency by mooring several hundred 5 noes at the water’s edge in the rear >f their breastworks. Gen. Jackson told the Cherokee chiefs and warriors the necessity of cutting off the means )f escape for the enemy, when Maj. Ridge, Charles Reese and, Big Robin volunteered to swim the river in the night and cut loose the canoes. Accordingly th<-y swam the river with their bowie knives in their teeth, and succeeded in accomplishing their purpose. but not without a fight, as they veto discovered by the Creek Gentries, ivho at once endeavored to destroy them. In a hand-to-hand fight in the water, Maj. Ridge, while swimming, silled a Creek warrior, which Reese ind Big Robin beat off the others, and, the bold swimmers reached the opposite of the river in safety. Maj. Ridge md Charles Reese were the great unjles'of E. C. Boudinot, of this'eity, and. ifter the victory at the battle which followed the daring exploit of the sight, Gen. Jackson presented Reese with a silver-mounted rifle in token ot Ms gallantry on that occasion, which gophy is still in the Rmvlinot family.