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and up to the commanding officer's headquarters. Dale was so nearly frozen that he could not get off his horse. Three men took him off and stood him up before a pine knot fire, giving him a mixture of hot coffee and whiskey, a beverage unknown to the young people of this day and time. Dale soon thawed and handed the dispatches to the officer in command. This was the first news of the battle of New Orleans and a great hurrah was kept up all night.
My father was personally acquainted with Sam Dale, and to prove the truth of some of the happenings in his life written by Claiborne, though
that book contains some romantic _________________?, I
will relate what took place between my father and me.
In 1865, I was in Mobile and bought the life of Dale written by Claiborne. On returning home I had to camp out several times and read the book through before the end of my journey. The next day after reaching home, I put the book in my pocket and went to see my father. I was not long in his company before I mentioned the name of Sam Dale, and' asked my father if he could recall any incident in Dale's life that would likely be published. After a moment's reflection he said "yes" and went on to state almost verbatim what Claiborne had said on Dale's arrival at the encampment of the regiment. He was even more explicit than Claiborne and said that when Dale was brought to headquarters by the corporal of the guard that Dale was so near frozen that he could not get off his horse and that he, Josiah Evans, and Marsh Crane took him from his horse and stood him up before a pine knot fire and gave him some laced coffee, a mixture of coffee and whiskey. I told my father that I had never doubted a word that he ever told me and then took the book from my pocket and read to him what I had just told him. It pleased him very much.
It may be interesting to some to know what laced coffee is. It is an olden time drink and few people of this day and time know anything about it.
Take a cup of hot coffee, without milk, sweeten with sugar, and pour in a square drink of whiskey; you then have laced coffee. It is wholesome, aids digestion, and should be drank while eating. Whiskey and honey as well as fast women are dangerous things to handle these fast
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times, and reminiscences of olden times do not offer a comparison to what now exists. I'll close this without further comment.
Passing from the history as told me by my father and mother, I now come to the part witnessed by myself.
About the 10th of February 1832, my father moved from Wayne Co. to a place called Eewennans in the Choctaw Nation, two miles north of the Choctaw boundary and one and a half rriles west of the state line between Miss, and Ala. It appears that about the year 1820, David Gage, a Presbyterian minister and Moses Jewel, a teacher, came South from the state of New York. The former locating at a place which he called Eewennans and the latter at what he named Jewel Stand. A Miss Skinner, also a teacher, came South with Gage and Jewel and	resided at
Gage's house at Eewennans.
After the U. S. Survey of the Chactaw Nation, Eewennans proved to be in the NW 1/4 of SE 1/4, Sec. 18 T. 1, R 18E. Jewel Stand proved to be in the NW 1/4 of SE 1/4 of Sec. 17, T.2, R 18E.
These persons, Gage, Jewel and Miss Skinner came for the purpose of teaching the Indians domestic habits. After the treaty	of Dancing
Rabbit Creek, Sept. 1830, Jewel went	back to New
York, Gage remained at Eewennans and Miss Skinner continued the school through 1831 & 32. This was a mixed school of Indians and whites, and the first I ever attended. I am possibly the only living white person in the state who attended a school of this kind.
Previous to the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek there was a number of Choctaw agencies established by the U. S. Government. The location of the one established in the eastern part of the nation is in doubt, but I am satisfied that the agency was at Eewennans. I frequently heard Mr. Gage speak of Gen. Gaines and the Choctaw Chief, Pushmataha, stopping at his house and speding some time.
My father was the first settler in the Choctaw Nation. He built a house on the first rise to the upland east of Buckatunna Swamp. This swamp was a dense wilderness and infested with all kinds of wild animals such as panthers, wildcats, bears and wolves. Our house stood in 150 yards of this swamp
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