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238
LOUISIANA HISTORY
of allowing soldiers employed in constructing roads and for tions extra pay of fifteen cents per day, brought on a debate] volving constitutional questions. Strange as it might seem tods the debate centered on the right of the federal govemmaijg establish roads, particularly military roads, within a state, cates of the federally assisted road program carried the arg on the theory that the government could anticipate the these roads in wartime. The appropriation thus carried by"J of one hundred seven to fifty-seven in the House, but an j tive vote by the president of the Senate was required to" deadlock in the upper house.25
Jackson moved promptly, dispatching Major Robe Major Paul Perrault and Captain Hugh Young to ma of the road. The present-day site of the city of Florencejj at the lower end of Muscle Shoals, was selected as they the road would cross the Tennessee River.26 South of the route went through country mostly uninhabited^ in June 1817, and Jackson followed its progress by inspection tours.27 By November 1819 the road pleted a distance of one hundred twenty-five mile|
Shoals to the site of present-day Columbus, point a military ferry was installed.28 From that tended one hundred forty miles southwesterly the Choctaw nation to their lower boundary six i Leaf River. The Indians had agreed to operate pu dations along this section of the route.29
Brigadier General E. W. Ripley, commander ol the army at New Orleans and Pass Christian,
25 Ibid., April 4, Oct. 24, 1818; Jan. 12, 20, 23, 1819.
28 Jackson to Crawford. May 13, Oct. 18, 1817, NA, Mic Jackson to James Monroe, Mar. 4, 1817, in Bassett, ed-, C« drew Jackson, II, 277; Report of the Secretary of Wirv*| and Clarke, eds’ American State Papers: Military Aflar~ Milner, “Forgotten Treks,” 115.
2T Jackson to Isaac Shelby, Nov. 24, 1818, Bassett, Andrew Jackson, II, 401.
28	Captain R. K. Call to Jackson, Nov. 15, 1819,
86.
29	Jackson to Secretary of War John C. Calhoun,
^ " t-r, l^rkson. July 31, 1820, NA,#"
MILITARY ROADS
239
."it
^ Map of the military roads of the Florida parishes.
Sv-
lament to build the road northward from Madisonville.30
1819	he had pushed construction to the Louisiana-
•	Ene, but thereafter the progress was very slow. In July as completed to the Pearl River, some seventy-five miles ngton, and Camp Daingerfield was established at the die road and the river. Progress was delayed now be-Tof timber debris prevented supply barges from ascend-i and it required twelve days for a three-yoke oxcart $
E^iock Ripley—Bom Hanover, New Hampshire, April IS, 1792. few9- Interred in Locust Grove Plantation Cemetery, near St. SS***11*- Graduate of Dartmouth College. Member of the Massa-Entered the army as lieutenant colonel in 1812, promoted to brigadier general in 1813. Was made brevet major general in jjtonduct »t the Battle of Niagara Falls. Given gold medal by * conduct at Chippewa, Niagara and Erie. Resigned from the
kw in New Orleans and Feliciana Parish. Member of •^Elected to Congress for the term beginning March 4, 1835.
&£* ^°°n of New Orleans, is in the Louisiana State Museum,