The Choctaws
and Chickasaws were on her northern frontier, and were threatening. An
invasion by the way of New Orleans by English troops was hourly
expected. It required great energy and activity to anticipate and guard
against these threatening dangers. Poindexter employed his time and his
influence to prepare the people to act efficiently and at a moment's
warning. When the threatened invasion became a reality, and General
Jackson was descending the river with troops as the American commander,
and when the militia were on the ground, and nothing remained to be
done in Mississippi, he promptly repaired to the scene of action and
volunteered his services to Jackson, who, accepting them, placed him on
his staff as a volunteer aide.
In this capacity he continued to serve until the end of the campaign
and the termination of the war. It was to him the negro or soldier
brought the celebrated countersign of "Beauty and booty," found on the
battle-field, and which he carried to General Jackson. His enemies laid
hold of this incident and perverted it slanderously to his injury, by
asserting the note to be a forgery of his, done for the purpose of
winning favor with the General, and to cast odium upon an enemy
incapable of issuing such an infamous countersign.
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