north of Bayou Iberville, Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain, passed into the possession of Great Britain by the terms of the Treaty of Paris. In 1780 the fort and town were captured by the Spaniards, and in 1783 the occupancy of the place was confirmed to Spain by the cession to that Power of all the British possessions on the Gulf of Mexico. In April, 1813, the town was surrendered by the Spaniards to the United States forces under General Wilkinson, and since then it has remained in the possession of the Republic. In 1819 Mobile was incorporated as a city. It then contained a population of 800. During the civil war Mobile was one of the principal ports of the Confederates. It was blockaded by the United States forces during the war. In the spring of 1865 Forts Morgan and Gaines were reduced by the United States army, and the Confederate fleet, under Admiral Buchanan, was defeated and destroyed by the squadron of Admiral Farragut, in the desperate battle of Mobile Bay. These successes on the part of the United States forces resulted in their occupation of the city of Mobile.

MISCELLANY.

BATTLE OF THE HORSE-SHOE BEND.

The Creeks concentrated their forces at the great bend of the Tallapoosa, usually called Horse-Shoe by the whites, and Tohopeka by the Indians, a word in their language said to signify a horse-shoe. The peninsula formed by the bend contained about 100 acres, on which was a village of some 200 houses. About 1000 Indians, from the adjoining districts, had fortified themselves on the peninsula with great skill, having a formidable breastwork built of large logs. They had also an ample supply of provisions and ammunition.

On the 16th of March, 1814, General Jackson, having received considerable reinforcements of volunteers from Tennessee, and friendly Indians, left Fort Strother with his whole disposable force, amounting to about 3000 of every description, on an expedition against this assemblage of Indians. He proceeded down the Coosa 60 miles to the mouth of Cedar Creek, where he established a post called Fort Williams, and proceeded on the 24th across the ridge of land dividing the waters of the Coosa from the Tallapoosa; and arrived at the great bend on the morning of the 27th, having the three preceding days opened a passage through the wilderness of 52 miles. On the 26th, he passed the battle ground of the 22d of January, and left it 3 miles in his rear. General Coffee was detached, with 700 cavalry and mounted gunmen, and 600 friendly Indians, to cross the river below the bend, secure the opposite banks, and prevent escape. Having crossed at the Little Island ford, 3 miles below the bend, his Indians were ordered silently to approach and line the banks of the river, while the mounted men occupied the adjoining heights, to guard against reinforcements, which might be expected from the Oakfusky towns, 8 miles below. Lieutenant Bean, at the same time, was ordered to occupy Little Island, at the fording place, to secure any that might attempt to escape in that direction. In the meantime, General Jackson,

with the artillery and infantry, moved on in slow and regular order to the isthmus, and planted his guns on an eminence 150 yards in front of the breastwork. On perceiving that General Coffee had completed his arrangements below, he opened a fire upon the fortification, but found he could make no other impression with his artillery than boring shot-holes through the logs. General Coffee's Indians, on the bank, hearing the roaring of the cannon in front, and observing considerable confusion on the peninsula, supposing the battle to be nearly won, crossed over and set fire to the village, and attacked the Creeks in the rear. At this moment General Jackson ordered an assault upon the works in front. The regular troops, led by Colonel Williams, accompanied by a part of the militia of General Dougherty's brigade, led on by Colonel Russell, presently got possession of a part of the works, amid a tremendous fire from behind them. The advance guard was led by Colonel Sisler, and the left extremity of the line by Captain Gordon of the spies, and Captain M'Marry, of General Johnson's brigade of West Tennessee militia. The battle for a short time was obstinate, and fought musket to musket through the port-holes; when the assailants succeeded in getting possession of the opposite side of the works, and the contest ended. The Creeks were entirely routed, and the whole margin of the river strewed with the slain. The troops under General Jackson, and General Coffee's Indians, who had crossed over into the peninsula, continued the work of destruction as long as there was a Creek to be found. General Coffee, on seeing his Indians crossing over, had ordered their places to be supplied on the bank by his riflemen; and every Indian that attempted to escape by swimming the river, or crossing the Little Island below, was met and slain by General Coffee's troops. The battle, as long as any appearance of resistance remained, lasted five hours; the slaughter continued until dark, and was renewed the next morning, when 16 more of the unfortunate savages were hunted out of their hiding places and slain. Five hundred and fifty-seven warriors were found dead on the peninsula; among whom was their famous prophet Manahell, and two others, the principal instigators of the war; 250 more were estimated to have been killed in crossing the river, and at other places, which were not found. General Jackson's loss was 26 white men, and 23 Indians, killed; and 107 white men, and 47 Indians, wounded.

This decisive victory put an end to the Creek war. In the short period of five months, from the 1st of November to the 1st of April, 2000 of their warriors, among whom were their principal prophets and kings, had been slain, most of their towns and villages burned, and the strong places in their territory occupied by the United States troops. After this battle, the miserable remnant of the hostile tribes submitted. Weatherford, the principal surviving chief and prophet, who led the Indians at Fort Mimms, accompanied his surrender with this address to General Jackson :

"I fought at Fort Mimms-I fought the Georgia army-I did you all the injury I could. Had I been supported as I was promised, I would have done you more. But my warriors are all killed. I can fight no longer. I look back with sorrow that I have brought destruction upon my nation. I am now in your power. Do with me as you please. I am a soldier."

THE State of Mississippi is situated between 30° 20' and 35° N. latitude, and between 88° 12′ and 91° 40′ W. longitude. It is bounded on the north by Tennessee, on the east by Alabama, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana, and on the west by Louisiana and Arkansas, from which it is separated by the Mississippi River. Its extreme length, from north to south, is about 400 miles, and its average width, from east to west, about 150 miles.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The northern and eastern sections of the State constitute a fine rolling country, which, extending westward, approaches the Mississippi in many parts in high bluffs or in high hills. The southern part of the State is level. Much of the State is marshy, while the country along the Yazoo and Sunflower rivers is almost a continuous swamp, and exceedingly fertile. The northeastern counties are fine prairie land, and the southeastern covered with a dense growth of pine, known as the "Piney Woods."

The Mississippi River, already described, washes the entire western shore of the State. Its tributaries in this State are, beginning on the north, the Yazoo, Big Black, and Homochito, and a number of small streams. The Yazoo is formed by the confluence of the Tallahatchie and Yallobusha rivers, at Leflore, in Carroll county. The general direction of the main stream and its branches is southwest. The former