USA > Alabama > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period. v. 2 > Part 5
USA > Georgia > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period. v. 2 > Part 5
USA > Mississippi > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period. v. 2 > Part 5
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alliance were mutually entered into-they guaranteeing our CHAPTER hunting-grounds and territory, and granting us a free trade XIX. in the ports of the Floridas.
" How the boundary and limits between the Spaniards and the States will be determined, a little time will show, as I believe that matter is now on foot. However, we know our limits, and the extent of our hunting-grounds. As a free nation, we have applied, as we had a right to do, for protec- tion, and obtained it. We shall pay no attention to any limits that may prejudice our claims, that were drawn by an American, and confirmed by a British negotiator. Yet, not- withstanding we have been obliged to adopt these measures for our preservation, and from real necessity, we sincerely wish to have it in our power to be on the same footing with the States as before the late unhappy war, to effect which is entirely in your power. We want nothing from you but justice. We want our hunting-grounds preserved from en- croachments. They have been ours from the beginning of time, and I trust that, with the assistance of our friends, we shall be able to maintain them against every attempt that may be made to take them from us. 1
" Finding our representations to the State of Georgia of no effect, in restraining their encroachments, we thought it proper to call a meeting of the nation, on the subject. We then came to the resolution to send out parties, to remove the Georgians and their effects from the lands in question, in the most peaceable manner possible.
"Agreeably to your requisition, and to convince you of
1785 September 5
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
CHAFTER my sincere desire to restore a good understanding between us, XIX. I have taken the necessary steps to prevent any future preda- tory excursions of my people against any of your settlements. I could wish the people of Cumberland showed an equal good disposition to do what is right. They were certainly the first aggressors since the peace, and acknowledged it in a written certificate, left at the Indian camp they had plundered. 1785 September 5 "I have only to add, that we shall meet the commissioners of Congress whenever we shall receive notice, in expectation that every matter of difference will be settled, with that libe- rality and justice worthy the men who have so gloriously asserted the cause of liberty and independence, and that we shall, in future, consider them as brethren, and defenders of the land .*
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I am, with much respect, sir, 1
Your obedient servant, ALEXANDER McGILLIVRAY.
HON ANDREW PICKENS."
This well-written communication affords the first evidence of the consummate diplomacy of this great native Alabamian. The history of this remarkable Indian will be found to be full of interest.
1785 October 28
The commissioners of Congress, elated by the conciliatory - tone of Colonel McGillivray, arrived at Galphinton. t The
* Indian Affairs, vol. 1, pp. 17-18.
t This town was named in honor of George Galphin, the great In- dian trader.
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latter failed to appear, and only the Chiefs from two towns, CHAPTER with sixty warriors, met them. Disappointed and mortified, XIX. the commissioners declined to treat with so few. In the meantime, the Georgia commissioners protested against those proceedings which the agents of Congress had intend- ed to adopt; but the latter declined to do anything fur- ther than to explain to the Indians the policy which the Con- gress intended to pursue towards them, thanked them for their attendance, and afterwards departed. No sooner had they left, than the commissioners representing Georgia made a treaty with the Creeks who were present, which confirmed the treaty of Augusta, of 1783, and granted to the State of Georgia the territory lying on the cast side of a line, to run from the junction of the Oconee and Ockmulgee to the St. Mary's iver, including all the islands and harbors, and which now constitutes more than half the coast of Georgia. What considerations induced the Indians to divest themselves of so much territory is not stated. The commissioners of Georgia laid before the legislature a copy of the articles intended to 1786 have been proposed to the Creeks by the agents of Congress, had a sufficient number been present, which that body de- clared, by resolutions, to be subversive of the rights of the State. They instructed their members in Congress to insist on the abolition of the powers of the commissioners, while they adopted measures for the preservation of the rights of the citizens of Georgia. Edward Telfair, John King and Thomas Glascock, received the thanks of the General Assem-
4*
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CHAPTER XIX.
4 1785
December
bly, for their vigilance and patriotism, and particularly for the treaty which they had made.
The Georgia Legislature established a county called Hous- ton, embracing the territory extending from Nickajack, below the Muscle Shoals, out of which are now formed the modern Alabama counties of Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison and Jackson. Sevier, Downs, Herd, Donaldson and Linsey, were appointed commissioners, to organize the county of Houston. With eighty men, in flat-boats, they arrived at the Muscle Shoals, and, in the western part of the present Lauderdale county, established a land office, appointed military officers and magistrates, and elected Valentine Sevier to be a member of the Georgia Legislature. This remarkable government ex- 'isted but two weeks, when the colonists were driven off by the Indians .*
Congress appointed James White a Superintendent of the Creek Indians, who immediately proceeded to the town of Cusseta, upon the Chattahoochie. He addressed a letter to Colonel MeGillivray, and received the following reply :
"LITTLE TALLASE, 8th April, 1787.
"Sir :- It is with real satisfaction that I learn of your being appointed by Congress, for the laudable purpose of inquiring into and settiing the differences that at present subsist be- tween our nation and the Georgians. It may be necessary
* Haywood's History of Tennessee, pp. 157-158.
1
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
for you to know the cause of these differences, and our dis- CHAPTER contents, which, perhaps, have never come to the knowledge XIX, of the honorable body that sent you to our country.
"There are Chiefs of two towns in this nation, who, during the late war, were friendly to the State of Georgia, and had gone, at different times, among those people, and once, after the general peace, to Augusta. They there demanded of them a grant of lands, belonging to and enjoyed as hunting- grounds by the Indians of this nation, in common, on the east of the Oconee river. The Chiefs rejected the demand, on the plea that these lands were the hunting-grounds of the nation, and could not be granted by two individuals ; but, after a few days, a promise was extorted from them, that, on their return to our country, they would use their influence to get a grant confirmed. Upon their return, a general conven- tion was held at Tookabatcha, when these two Chiefs were severely censured, and the Chiefs of ninety-eight towns agreed upon a talk, to be sent to Savannah, disapproving, in the strongest manner, of the demand made upon their nation, and denying the right of any two of their country to make cession of land, which could only be valid by the unanimous voice of the whole, as joint proprietors in common. Yet these two Chiefs, regardless of the voice of the nation, con- tinued to go to Augusta, and other places within that State. They received presents and made promises ; but our customs did not permit us to punish them for the crime. We warned the Georgians of the dangerous consequences that would certainly attend the settling of the lands in question. Our
1787 April 8
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
CHAPTER just remonstrances were treated with contempt, and these XIX. lands were soon filled with settlers. The nation, justly alarmed at the encroachments, resolved to use force to main- tain their rights ; yet, being averse to the shedding of the blood of a people whom we would rather consider as friends, we made another effort to awaken in them a sense of justice and equity. But we found, from experience, that entreaty could not prevail, and parties of warriors were sent, to drive off the intruders, but were instructed to. shed blood, only, , where self-preservation made it necessary. -
1787 April 8
"This was in May, 1786. In October following, we were invited by commissioners, of the State of Georgia, to meet them in conference, at the Oconee, professing a sincere desire for an amicable adjustment of our disputes, and pledging their sacred honors for the safety and good treatment of all those that should attend and meet them. It not being con- venient for many of us to go to the proposed conference, a few, from motives of curiosity, attended. They were sur- prised to find an armed body of men, prepared for and pro- fessing hostile intentions. Apprehensions for personal safety induced those Chief's to subscribe to every demand that was asked by the army and its commissioners. Lands were again demanded, and the lives of some of our Chiefs were required, as well as those of some innocent traders, as a sacrifice, to - appease their anger. Assassins have been employed to effect some part of their atrocious purposes. If I fall by the hand of such, I shall fall the victim of the noblest of causes, that of maintaining the just rights of my country. I aspire to
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
the honest ambition of meriting the appellation of the pre -. CHAPTER server of my country, equally with the Chiefs among you, XIX. whom, from acting on such principles, you have exalted to the highest pitch of glory. And if, after every peaceable mode of obtaining a redress of grievances proved fruitless, a 1787 April 8 recourse to arms to obtain it be a mark of the savage, and not of the soldier, what savages must the Americans be, and how much undeserved applause have your Cincinnatus, your Fabius, obtained. If a war name had been necessary to distinguish that Chief, in such a case, the Man-Killer, the Great Destroyer, would have been the proper appellation.
"I had appointed the Cussetas, for all the Chiefs of the Lower Creeks to meet in convention. I shall be down in a few days, when, from your timely arrival, you will meet the Chiefs, and learn their sentiments, and I sincerely hope that the propositions which you shall offer us will be such as we can safely accede to. The talks of the former commissioners, at Galphinton, were much approved of, and your coming from the White Town (seat of Congress) has raised great expec- tations that you will remove the principal and almost ouly cause of our dispute, that is, by securing to us our hunting- grounds and possessions, free from all encroachments. When we meet, we shall talk these matters over.
Meantime, I remain,
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With regard, your obedient servant,
ALEXANDER McGILLIVRAY.
HON. JAMES WHITE."
Dr. White met McGillivray at Cusseta, with a large num-
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CHAPTER XIX. 1787 April 10
ber of Lower Creeks, when the Superintendent desired them to ratify the treaties of Augusta, Galphinton and Shoulder- bone, and to make arrangements for running the boundary line around the ceded territory. The Chiefs boldly opposed the proposition, and declared that their "lands were their life and breath, and if they parted with them they parted with their blood." The two Chiefs, who conveyed away these lands, being severely censured, stated that the Georgians compelled them to make the grant, by threats and the flourish of long knives.
McGillivray startled the Superintendent with a new propo- sition. He said : "Notwithstanding I prompt the Indians to defend their lands, I look upon the United States as our most natural ally. Two years I waited, before I would seek the alliance I have formed. I was compelled to it. I could not but resent the greedy encroachments of the Georgians, to say nothing of their scandalous and illiberal abuse. But I will now put it to the test, whether they or myself entertain the most generous sentiments of respect for Congress. If that honorable body can form a government to the southward of the Altamaha, I will be the first to take the oath of allegiance, and, in return to the Georgians, for yielding to the United States that claim, I will obtain a regular and peaceable grant of the lands on the Oconee, on which they have deluded people to settle, under the pretence of grants from the In- dians, and which you, yourself, (Dr. White,) have seen are most ill-founded. I will give you till the first of August for an answer."
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
Thus terminated the council, and the Superintendent found CHAPTER himself baffled and perplexed by the ingenuity of McGillivray, XIX. 1'87 April 10 who always managed to defeat any scheme of the Federal Government.
The Georgians, on the other hand, denied the charges of violence and fraud, contended that a sufficient delegation of Indians were present to make the grants, and that they were procured from them fairly and honorably, without threats or the display of knives. They contended that the Upper Creeks, who never occupied the Oconee lands, had no right to have a voice in the matter. They admitted that, at the treaty of Shoulderbone, in 1786, they had armed troops pre- sent; but they were there for the purpose of suppressing hostilities, should they show themselves. They also admitted that, for enforcing a compliance of the treaty, they carried hostages to Augusta, which had been customary in all former negotiations with savages .*
* Indian Affairs, vol. 1, pp. 18-23.
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CHAPTER XX.
BLOODY SCENES IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA.
Ar this period, some exciting scenes occurred in the region now known as North Alabama. We have already followed a party of emigrants to the Cumberland. Many others flocked to that country, and it soon became well settled, for a wild country. The Upper Creeks and Cherokees continually made war upon these Cumberland people. The French, upon the Wabash, had, for a long time, carried on a commerce, near the sites of the present towns of Tuscumbia and Flo- rence. So long as M. Viez was at the head of this trade, the Cumberland people were not harassed ; but, recently, he had been succeeded by others, who supplied the Indians with arms, and encouraged them to attack the American settle- ments. The latter had only acted upon the defensive, but it was now determined to advance upon the frontier towns of the Indians. One hundred and thirty men assembled, from different parts of the Cumberland region, and marched, under Colonel James Robertson, to the Tennessee river, piloted by two Chickasaws. David Hays was despatched from Nashville with boats, laden with provisions, destined for the Muscle Shoals. Descending the Cumberland, he was
CHAPTER XX. 1779 1780
1787 June 1
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
furiously attacked by the Indians, at the mouth of Duck CHAPTER river, and, after some of his men had been killed, and others XX. · wounded, he returned to Nashville with his boats. Owing to this, the horsemen were without food during the greater part of the expedition.
Striking the Tennessee at a point very near the present town of Florence, Colonel Robertson concealed his men. A well-beaten path was discovered, leading down the banks, and on the south side of the river stood some cabins, in view. Seven men were placed in the canes, to observe the move- ments of the Indians. A canoe was seen to move to an island, filled with natives, who there plunged into the river and engaged in bathing. They then returned to the south bank, evidently watching for the Americans, of whose ap- proach they had gained some vague intelligence. Captain Rains had set out up the river, with fifteen men, with orders to capture an Indian alive : but, after marching to the mouth of Blue Water, he returned, without having made any dis- covery. When the shadows of twilight began to darken the wilderness, the troops assembled, in the most noiseless man- ner, upon the low grounds. The seven men, who had watched all day, plunged into the mighty river early in the night, and swam to the opposite shore, where they discovered that the cabins were unoccupiedl. Finding a tremendous canoe, with a hole in the bottom of it, they brought it over to the north bank. Stopping the leak with their shirts, Colonel Robertson placed in it all the fire-arms, and forty men ; but they soon paddled back, in a sinking condition. The party made no
1787
June
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
CHAPTER further attempt to cross, until daylight ; then fifty men, with XX. the arms and ammunition, went over in the boat, which had now been rendered sea-worthy, by a piece of linn-bark. The rest of the party swam their horses over. A heavy rain coming on, as soon as they reached the southern shore, they took shelter in the cabins. When the clouds had dispersed, they came forth, and began the march upon a plain path, leading westwardly. At about the distance of five miles, they reached corn-fields, and, further on, they came to Cold Water Creek, the same which runs by the modern Tuscumbia. The larger portion of the command immediately crossed over, and entered upon the low grounds, among a number of cabins, distant from the river about three hundred yards. The peo- ple of the town ran down to their boats. Some, in endea- voring to escape, crossed over the creek, to the east side, where they were shot down by Captain Rains and a few men stationed there to intercept them. Colonel Robertson charged to the river, and his troops committed havoc on all sides. They killed many of the Indians, who got into the boats, and others who had plunged into the stream. Three French traders, and a white woman, who would not surren- der, fled to a boat, and entered it, along with twenty-six Indians. The Americans, with one volley, killed them all. The chief French trader, and six others, were captured. In 1787 June this town were stores of taffai, and all kinds of Indian mer- chandize, arms and ammunition. Colonel Robertson brought all the boats up the creek, had a strong guard placed over them, and then burned the town, killing the fowls and hogs.
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
Next morning, giving to Toka, the Chickasaw guide, and his CHAPTER companion-who presently set out for their nation-a liberal XX. supply of merchandize and arms, Colonel Robertson buried the whites, loaded several of the boats with goods, and placed them in charge of three men, who departed down the river, with the French prisoners. Robertson marched by land, and, near Colbert's Ferry, overtook the boats, and they all en- camped there together. To their great joy, they found that not a soul had received a wound. In the morning, the French prisoners, with a squaw, were permitted to depart in one of the boats. They were liberally supplied with provisions, and their trunks of clothing were given up to them. The sugar and coffee, taken at the town, were articles of great luxury in those days, and were now equally divided among the troops. Robertson marched across the country to the Cumberland, and thus terminated a fatiguing expedition, of nineteen days. The boats, with the merchandize, proceeded down the Ten- nessee river, in charge of Denton and others. On their way, they met a party of French traders, destined for the town which they had destroyed, who, in their enthusiasm, fired off their guns, in a fit of joy, supposing the voyagers were also traders of their people. The Americans took advantage of the discharge, and, before they could re-load, captured the whole party, with all their goods. Arriving in the Cumber- land settlements, the merchandize was sold at Eaton's Station, and the proceeds divided among the troops.
This expedition produced a short respite from Indian at- tacks. The savages, however rallied, and began a warfare
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
CHAPTER fiercer than ever. At length, in the fall, Captain Shan- XX. non, with a mounted party, pursued some Creeks from the 1787 Cumberland to the northern bank of the Tennessee, in the present county of Lauderdale, and engaged in a severe fight with Black Foot and his clan. Victory at length declared for the daring Cumberlanders. The Chief was killed, with a number of his warriors. During this fall, the settlers en- gaged in numerous military excursions, upon Duck and Elk rivers, in pursuit of Indians, who were retreating from fresh scenes of pillage and blood. The magnificent forests of North Alabama were scoured, in all directions, by these intrepid Americans .*
At the same time, the Creeks were active upon the Geor- gia frontier. Enraged at the settlement of the Oconee lands, they reduced to ashes the new town of Greensboro', together with the court-house, killed many of the inhabitants, on va- rious portions of the frontier, and carried to the nation white captives, negroes, and all sorts of plunder.t Georgia urged the Congress to punish these depredators, by sending against them an army ; but the national agents were reluctant to enter into another war. However, Secretary Knox did plan upon paper a Southern army, which was not raised, while the Georgians were left to defend themselves, to the best of their ability.
1788
Congress, again seeking to interpose by a treaty, appointed
* Haywood's History of Tennessee, pp. 217-225.
+ Indian Affairs vol. 1, pp. 23-24.
·
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
Richard Winn, Indian Superintendent, with whom was asso- CHAPTER ciated George Mathews, on the part of Georgia, and Andrew XX. Pickens, on the part of South-Carolina. They opened a ne- gotiation with Colonel McGillivray, but he refused to meet them, unless they first removed the Georgians from the Oco- nee lands, within the bounds of the old British government. Hostilities, of course, continued, for it was now impossible to comply with the bold demands of McGillivray, who stood upon an enviable and independent footing. Caressed by Panton, with whom he was a co-partner in an extensive commerce, paid by the Spanish government, obeyed by his own people, and many of the Cherokees and Choctaws, and supplicated by the American Congress, the Chieftain could well afford to 1788 dictate arbitrary terms, and continue to advance against the Georgians with hundreds of his prowling warriors.
At length, Governor Thomas Pinckney, of South-Carolina, entered into a correspondence with McGillivray, to endeavor to bring about a peace and the settlement of the boundary, and elicited from him several letters. A portion of one of them runs as follows :
"The third invitation which was sent to us to treat, was from the Georgians only, through their commis- sioners, at the head of whom was Mr. Habersham, President of the Executive Council, and he proposed the Oconee as the place of meeting. They pledged their sacred honors for the safety and welfare of every Indian that should attend ; but I, being so often threatened, and having the worst opinion of the back people, as they are called, did not go, but sent a
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THE SPANIARDS IN ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.
CHAPTER few Coweta warriors, to report to me on their return. During XX. the conferences of the Oconee, an additional cession was de- manded, which was strongly opposed by the Cowetas and others, for which they were violently insulted by a Colonel Clarke, which the commissioners could not prevent. Though their sacred honors were pledged for maintaining good order, several warriors, of different towns, were forcibly seized upon by armed men, and conveyed to Augusta, more as prisoners than hostages, to be kept as a pledge that my life, and six more of the leading men, should be taken. Such conduct convinced the whole nation that it was full time to adopt measures for the general safety."*
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1788
About this time, a bloody transaction occurred in the ter- ritory of the present county of Conecuh. During the revo- lutionary war, Colonel McGillivray formed an acquaintance with many conspienous royalists, and, among others, with Colonel Kirkland, of South-Carolina. That person was at McGillivray's house, upon the Coosa, in 1788, with his son, his nephew, and several other gentlemen. They were on their way to Pensacola, where they intended to procure passports, and settle in the Spanish province of Louisiana. When they determined to leave his hospitable abode, McGil- livray sent his servant to guide them to Pensacola. The presence of this servant would assure the Indians that they were friends, for it was dangerous to travel without the Chief- tain's protection. Colonel Kirkland and his party had much
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