History of Wilkinson County, Part 1

Author: Davidson, Victor, 1889- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1930
Publisher: Macon, Ga., Press of the J. W. Burke company
Number of Pages: 670


USA > Georgia > Wilkinson County > History of Wilkinson County > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


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7 5.


HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


VICTOR DAVIDSON


HISTORY OF WILKINSON


COUNTY


BY VICTOR DAVIDSON


IGHTERS OF


THE . NOWINY


FRICAN


REY


PUBLISHED BY THE JOHN BALL CHAPTER, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION


PRESS OF THE J. W. BURKE COMPANY MACON, GA.


INDEXED


F292 W75125


Copyright, 1930 By VICTOR DAVIDSON


AUG 25 1930 CCIA 26858


COFAQUE


OCUTE


co


DE SOTO'S ROUTE


TAMA


ALTAMANA RIVER


The Wilkinson County territory of the De Soto days.


OCONEETOWN


OEMULGE TOWN


X


OLDMOUNDS


FOLD MOUNDS


TRAIL


VILLALI


VILLAGE


TRAIL


DIG SANAY CREEK


VILLAOS VILLACE


OCHESE CROCMULGEE RIVER


TRAIL


CHIAHA


OCONEE RIVER


HICUITEE


Wilkinson County Territory as a part of the Great Creek Confed- cracy.


FT. DEFIANCE


FT. FIDIUS and ROCK LANDING


OCMULGEE OLD TOWN


TRADING PATH


KT. ADVANCE


B TOWN LAID OFF BY CLARKE


PATH


WHITE BLUFF


LONG BLUFF


UPPER UCHEE PATH


PATH


UCHER PATH


AORT


UCHEERILLYPATH CARR'S


BLUFF


JENCKS


CHICASAWor CHICKEN PATH


TO CREEK


OCONEE


RIVER


OCMULGEE RIVER


ALTAMAHA


The Wilkinson County Territory while a part of the Trans-Oconee Republic of Elijah Clarke, in 1794.


COMMISSIONER CREEK


CUSSETAH RATH


BIG SANDY CREEK


LOWER FEDERAL TRAIL


LOWER UCHEE OR


PALMETTO


FT. WILKINSON


JONES CON BALDWIN CO.


--


--


LINE RUN IN 1807 BLECKLEY


TERRITORY CUT OFF FROM WILKINSON COUNTY IN 1807


OCMULGEE RIVER


TELFAIR


WHEELER


1. The narrow strip east of the Indian Boundary line comprised the Wilkinson county of 1803, but all the remainder of the lands south of the line running from Ft. Wilkinson to the Ocmulgee River was added in 1806.


2. In 1807 the vast area was cut up into a number of counties and for the two years following Wilkinson county consisted of the territory extending from river to river and bounded by the lines


In 1809 this was cut in two by the line -.-. -.-. and Twiggs county formed.


At various' times portions of Wilkinson county have been added to Baldwin.


TWIGGS COUNTY


LINE SURVEYED 1809


INDIAN BOUNDARY LINE OF


WILKINSON COUNTY


: 18036


LAURENS COUNTY


OCONEE RIVER


PULASKI


DODGE


TABLE OF CONTENTS


Chapter


Page


I-THE INDIAN ERA OF WILKINSON COUNTY 13


II-DeSOTO'S VISIT TO WILKINSON COUNTY 16


Wilkinson County's First War Expedition, 18.


III-INDIAN TRIBES 20


Oconee, 20; The Muskogean Invasion, 22; The Uchees, 23.


IV-OLD TRAILS 26 River Crossings and Ferries, 28; The Old Federal Trail, 28. V-REVOLUTIONARY AND POST REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD 29


John Galphin's Famous Ride, 33.


VI-McGILLIVRAY'S VICTORY AT ROCK LANDING 35


VII-SPANISH AND BRITISH INTRIGUES-THE FALL OF McGILLIVRAY 45


VIII-INDIAN WAR CLOUDS GATHERING 52


A Flood as An Ally, 55; Chickasaw War, 55; King Payne Makes Peace, 56.


IX-EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE INDIANS 58


Benjamin Harrison, 59; Tlie Chehaw Indians Defeat Major Brenton's Expedition, 60.


X-THE ADAMS INSURRECTION 62


XI-CLARKE'S EXPEDITION AGAINST FLORIDA 72


XII-ELIJAH CLARKE'S REPUBLIC 82


XIII-TRANS-OCONEE LANDS LAID OFF IN DISTRICTS 92


XIV-THE HARRISON MASSACRE OF THE UCHEES 97


XV-EFAU HAUJO FINDS THE REMEDY FOR HORSE STEALING 103 XVI-TRESPASSING ON THE INDIAN LANDS 107 The Lamar Insurrection, 111.


XVII-THE TREATY OF FORT WILKINSON 112


Ceremonies of the Indians and Talks Delivered by Efau Haujo, The Mad Dog of the Tuckabaches Chief Speaker of the Creeks at the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson, 120.


XVIII-DISSATISFACTION IN GEORGIA 129


Unrest Among the Creeks, 129; The Ooseoochee Convention, 130. XIX-THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW LANDS 133


The Rush of Settlers, 134; Attempts to Purchase More Lands, 136; Hawkins Treaty in 1804, 138; Treaty of Washington, 139; Wilkinson County Should Have Contained the Capital, 140; Fraudulent Speculators, 141; The First Wilkinson County Scan- dal, 142; Defense Against the Indians, 142.


XX-THE CREATION OF A COUNTY GOVERNMENT 144 The First Court, 145; The Carving of Wilkinson Into More Counties, 147 ; Wilkinson Changed to the Ocmulgee Circuit, 149. XXI-SELECTING THE COUNTY SITE 150


XXII-THE MILITIA ORGANIZED 157


Militia Districts, 159; The Militia Captains, 160; The Virginia and Carolina Settlers, 162.


XXIII-EARLY CHURCHES 163


The Early Baptist Churches, 163; Early Methodism in Wilkin- son, 165.


XXIV-THE SCHOOLS OF WILKINSON COUNTY 168


Early Development, 168; Mt. Etna, 168; The County Academy, 169 ; The First Brick School House, 171; The Poor Schools, 173 ; The "Deestrick" School, 175; Academies, 176; Black Creek- Liberty Hill-Mount Pleasant-Union Hill-Griffin District- High Hill-Turkey Creek-Lafayette-Washington-Harrison -Cool Spring-Talmage Normal Institute, 177; The Origin of the Compulsory Education Law, 178; Early Teachers, 179.


XXV-WAR PREPARATIONS IN WILKINSON 181


The Building of the Hartford Road, 181; Wilkinson County's Part in the War of 1812, 182; Wilkinson County Threatened by the Indians, 184.


XXVI-THE POST WAR BOOM 194


XXVII-THE BUILDING OF IRWINTON 197


XXVIII-POLITICS, 1812 TO 1860 200


The King-Troupe Senatorial Race of 1844, 201; Cumming-Cars- well Senatorial Race, 202; The Wilkinson Resolution, 204; Slav- ery and Plantations in Wilkinson, 205; The Public Roads, 210.


(5)


6


HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


Chapter


Page


XXIX-IMPORTANT EVENTS 213


Decrease in Population, 213; Early Post Offices, 213 ; The Great Fire of 1831-Early Members of the Bar-LaFayette's Visit, 214; The Death of LaFayette, 215; Jesse Vaughn's Buried Jug of Gold, 216; James M. Smith, 216; Early Fruit Orchards, 216 ; The First Physician, 217.


XXX-THE CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILROAD 218


The Building of the Central of Georgia Railroad, 219; The Growth of Towns Along the Right-of-Way, 221; Wriley, Gordon. XXXI-WAR CLOUDS OF 1860 223


XXXII-THE WILKINSON MILITIA AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR 227


Co. F, 3rd Georgia-Organization of Company I, 231; Ramah Guards, 232; Company A, of the 49th Georgia, 234. XXXIII-COMPANIES D, I AND K OF THE 57th GEORGIA REGIMENT 235


Vicksburg, 236.


XXXIV-CONDITIONS IN WILKINSON DURING THE WAR 240


Scarcity of Salt, 241; The Smallpox Epidemic, 241; Value of Slaves, 245.


XXXV-WITH THE WILKINSON COUNTY COMPANIES IN VIRGINIA' Cedar Run-Second Manassas, 250; Chancellorsville, 252; Get- tysburg, 253; In Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, Wilderness, 255 ; Spotsylvania.


249


XXXVI-THE WAR REACHES WILKINSON 258


Stoneman's Raiders, 258; Co. D 8th Ga. and Co. H, 2nd Ga., 258; Sherman's Burning of Irwinton, 262 ; Pillaging the Homes of Wilkinson, 265; When Big Sandy Swamp Was No Man's Land, 266; Battle at River Bridge, 267; Ball's Ferry Skirmish, 267 ; War Heroines of Wilkinson, 268.


XXXVII-THE ESCAPE OF BOB TOOMBS 271


XXXVIII-RECONSTRUCTION DAYS IN WILKINSON 273


Arrest of Citizens, 275; The Klan's Last Meeting, 277; Prohi- bition in Wilkinson, 278; Newspapers, 279.


APPENDIX


APPENDIX 281


TREATY AT FORT WILKINSON IN 1802 283


WILKINSON COUNTY-LIST OF OFFICERS 286


Justices of the Inferior Court, 286; Tax Receivers, 287 ; Tax Collectors, 287; Surveyors, 287; Clerks of the Superior Court, 288; Coroners, 288 ; Sheriffs, 288 ; Clerks of the Inferior Court, 288 : Treasurers, 289; Represen- tatives, 289; Commissioners of Roads and Revenues, 289; County School Commissioners, 290; Ordinary-Senators, 290.


RECORDS OF WILLS AND ESTATES 291


Wills-Records of Returns, 1820-1828, 1848-1853, 291; 1828-1838, 292; 1838- 1848, 293; 1853-1858, 294; Estates, 1853-'58, 295 ; 1849-1853, 296; 1838-1848, 297; 1820-1828, 298.


EXTRACTS FROM MARRIAGE RECORDS, 1819-1865 301


Marriage Records Reversed, 355.


CELEBRATION OF FOURTH OF JULY AT IRWINTON, 1831 370


Clippings from Ga. Journal, July 14, 1831, 370.


A SHORT HISTORY OF THE EBENEZER ASSOCIATION TAKEN FROM REGULAR FILE OF MINUTES BY WILEY SHEPHERD 373


CHURCH HISTORIES 380


Mt. Nebo, 380; Ramah, 380; Liberty, 383; Mt. Olive, 383; Oakdale, 383 ; Toomsboro Baptist, 384; Walnut Creek, 384; Bethel, 384; Mt. Carmel, 384; Alsbury, 384; New Providence, 385; Poplar Springs, 385; Old Chapel, 385 ; Old Hopewell, 385; The Irwinton Churches, 385; Red Level, 386; Union Methodist, 387 ; Toomsboro Christian, 387; Myrtle Springs, 387; Pleasant Plains, 388; Friendship, 389; The Toomsboro M. E., 389.


HISTORY OF TOWNS IN WILKINSON COUNTY :


Danville, 390; Allentown 391 ; Gordon, 392.


ROSTER OF THE WILKINSON COUNTY COMPANIES IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES 395


Muster Roll of Co. I, 3rd Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf .. 395; Co. F, 3rd Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf., 399; Ramah Guards, 403; Co. A, 49th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. Army of Northern Va. Wilkinson County, Wilkinson Invincibles, 406; Co. I, 57th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. Army of Tennessee, Laurens and Wilkinson County,


7


HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


Page


Chapter


Buckaloo Rifles, 411; Co. D, 57th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. 414; Co. K, 57th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. Army of Tennessee, 417 ; Co. H, 2nd Reg. 1st Brigade Ga. State Troops, Commanded by Col. R. L. Storey, 421 ; Co. D, 8th Reg. Ga. Militia, 122.


THE DEATH OF A WILKINSON COUNTY SOLDIER IN VIRGINIA 424 426


KIRKPATRICK'S TRIAL


GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX


GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX


431


The John Ball Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 433. John Ball. 434. Gordon Woman's Club, 435.


Robert Toombs Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy, 436. Wilkinson County Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy, 437.


Adams, W. C. Family, 438. Holloman (Holliman) Family, 546.


Allen, Willis, 440. Hooks, Charles, 547.


Bacon, Nathaniel Hunter, 441.


Hooks, John Wesley, 549.


Baum, Alexander and Amelia Fried, 443. Beall, James Morris, 444.


Bell, Ross Augustus, 445.


Billue, The Family, 447.


Bloodworth, John Pink, 449.


Bloodworth, John Fleming, 450.


Boone, Family, 455.


Bower, James C. and Related Families, 460; The Davis Family, 462; John Eady, 462.


Branan, Caswell, 464. Broadfield, Mrs. Fannie Burney, 466.


Brooks, J. W., Sr., 468.


Brooks, J. W., Jr., 469.


Bryan, William Henry, 471.


Bugg, Mrs. Maude Taylor, 472.


Burke, Daniel, 473.


Butler, Joseph Edward, 475.


Carswell, George Henry, 477.


Cason, Levi Richardson, 482. Chambers, William Irwin, 483.


Chambers, Franklin, 485.


Chambers, Andrew, 487.


Cliett, Homer Adolphus, 488.


Culpepper, Charles, 490. Daughtry, George Orinthus Allen, 493. Davidson, Mrs. Martha Jane (Hogan), 495. Davidson, John Thomas, 496.


Davidson, Victor, 497.


Davidson, Mrs. Victor, 498.


Davis, John Seaborn, 499.


Everett, George W., 487.


Fountain - Garrett - Knight, 501; Pro- logue, 501; Fountain Family Chart, 503; Garrett, 506; Garrett Family Chart, 509; Knight, 517; Knight Family Chart, 519. Freeman, Mrs. Annie Tarpley, 523.


Gibson, Dr. Thomas, 524. Gifford, Gay Family, 525.


Gilmore, Byington, 528.


Hall-Freeman-Hall, 532; Hansford A. Hall, 532; Thomas Madison Free- man, 533; Willie Alford Hall, 535. Hall, John Marvin, 538.


Hatcher, Major John and His Descend- ants, 540. Hicks, The Family, 545.


Pugh, Ruth Whipple, 603.


Rivers, Joel, 605.


Ryle, William B., 606.


Sanders, King, 607.


Sanders, Thurman, 608.


Stanley, Eddie, 609.


Stephens, Herbert Eugene, 611.


Stokes, Joseph Alexander, 613. Tigner, Lamar S., 614.


Todd, John Caldwell Calhoun, 617.


Whipple, The Family, 619.


Whitehurst, Rozar Families, 623 :


Whitehurst, 623; Wilkinson Mayberry, Whitehurst, 623; Rozar, 625. Williams, Mamie Emma Wood, 627. Williams, William Charles, 628.


King, The John Family, 564.


Kinney, William Oscar, 565.


Kitchens, Mrs. Julia Porter, 567.


Lamb, Mrs. Nancy Caroline Ward, 568.


Land, Mrs. Georgia Elvenia Burke, 569.


Lee, Family Chart, 570.


Lee, The Family, 571.


Lee, The Family and Its Descendants, 573.


Lee, Walter Washington, Sr., 579. Lee, William Greene, Biographical Sketch, 581.


Lee, Sidney Warren, 583.


Lewis, The Family, 586.


Lindsey, John William, 589.


Manson, Orian Wood, 590.


McArthur, John, 591.


McGinty, William Thomas, 593. Meredith, 595.


Nesbit, Alexander H. and Sarah Jane (Johnston), 596. Patterson, William Craven, 597.


Pittman, Rev. James Lee, 599.


Player, Leon P., 600.


Porter, John Floyd, 602.


Hughes, Haywood Donaldson, 557.


Hughs, Nathaniel, 558.


Isenberg, Sol, 559. Ivey, Rev. B. H., 560.


Johnson, Emile, 561.


Jones, William Allen, 563.


Hooks, Mrs. John Wesley, 550.


Hubbard, Eli Bartow, 552.


Hughes, Rev. Green Berry, 553.


Foreword


ITHOUT intending any invidious comparison, the local his- tory of Wilkinson County written by Victor Davidson, Esq., is the best of many I have read. The author has a proper sense of proportion in knowing what to put in, what to leave out, what to treat in detail, and what to handle in a brief way. His treatment of the background is, it seems to me, par excellent. His knowledge of Indian affairs, a large part of which is related to the early set- tlements in Wilkinson, and therefore properly a part of this volume, is nevertheless of state-wide interest; and students who wish to know more of Georgia's dealings with the Indians will find here the fullest treatment of the subject that has fallen under my eye- indeed I know of no other source where the connected story may be found, and it has been written in a most attractive style.


Mr. Davidson has also shown, in the following pages, much of the inner life of the people of his county. He has not contented himself with mere dates, and names, and of sounding the praises of the more prominent ones, but he has portrayed the home life of the people and has recorded many of the side lights without which no true picture could be presented.


No history of the entire State can do what these county chronicles are doing. The former is limited to a statement of the outstanding facts which affect the current of the whole commonwealth; but the latter can and should make mention of many things for which there would be no place in the other; and yet, it is the lights and shadows of the little things that make up the complete portrait.


His treatment of the part played by the country in the War Between the States is especially well done.


The work has been so thoroughly wrought, and with so much pains and accuracy, that the talented writer who is responsible for it is entitled not only to the thanks of the people of Wilkinson, but of those everywhere who are interested in the history of the State.


WARREN GRICE.


TO MY MOTHER who first impressed me with a desire to write this book and


TO MY WIFE who assisted me in the work


HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


CHAPTER I


THE INDIAN ERA OF WILKINSON COUNTY


ITHERE is unmistakable evidence to be found through- out this section pointing towards the fact that hundreds of years ago the country was thickly populated with human beings. There are large mounds to be found near Black Lake, below the old Oconee Town, south of Milledgeville, near Lord's Lake, several miles farther down the river, one near Wriley, one on Cedar Creek near Burke's Old Mill Site, one farther down the creek not far from the Dublin and Irwinton Road. There are many places in the county where numbers of arrow heads indicate that they might be on old battlegrounds of contending tribes. Like- wise, in the memory of people yet living, there were many more indications of Indians to be found years ago which are now obliterated. Mrs. J. W. Fordham, who lives near Balls Ferry, gave the author the information that during her childhood, there was located on the lands now belong- ing to Mr. Ennis Miller a round tract of ground, packed very hard, which was said to have been the place where the Indians were accustomed to dance their war dance. Mr. J. J. McArthur, of Gordon, tells of there having been a similar spot of ground near the Irwinton and Macon Road about seven miles from Irwinton on his old home- place. Mrs. C. G. Kitchens, tells of an old site resembling that of the cliff dwellers near Turkey Creek about two miles from Danville from which she digged some bones and pottery. Among the things found there was the petri- fied skeleton of a human being. It had been buried in a sit-


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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


ting position apparently after a number of things had been burned near him. Among the ashes were some partly burned bones the nature of which she was unable to deter- mine, also a piece of a metal chain and many arrow- heads. Some excellent pottery was found in one of the mounds near Black Lake several years ago. This pottery was sold to the Superintendent of the State Sanitarium at Milledgeville at that time. The mounds near Lord's Lake are large and have large flat rocks piled on them.


According to the hearsays handed down by the past generations and told to the author by C. B. Lamb, about three hundred years before Wilkinson County was first settled by the whites, which would have been about the year 1500, the most terrible hurricane that had ever been before experienced by the Indians devastated the section of the country from the vicinity of Turkey Creek as its eastern boundary and extending approximately twenty miles in width from this section to the Ocmulgee river, up- rooting all the monster yellow pines that covered this whole section, and almost exterminating the tribes of In- dians who then dwelt at Allentown and on Turkey Creek, so frightening the remainder that they left in a body, never again returning to live here. As the tradition goes, the yellow pine was not reseeded in this particular section but that in its stead the "short-strawed" pine took its place, and although this whole section is surrounded by lands upon which the yellow pine flourished, never since then has it been found here. The tradition says further that when the white man first settled here the roots and stumps of these old yellow pines could frequently be found.


An old tradition told the author by B. C. Arnold sev- eral years ago is to the effect that Devil's Branch near Danville was so named by the Indians who were accus- tomed to go there to hunt, but every time they would go there, a hairy monster in the shape of a man and with


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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


flaming eyes would chase them away, and for this reason they gave it the name of the Devil's Branch and avoided the spot. It will also be noted that this stream flowed near the old Indian village at Allentown.


By the same person, the author was informed that Tur- key Creek was so designated by the Indians on account of the numerous wild turkeys to be found there, and the Buck Creek was given that appellation by reason of the deer that were always there.


CHAPTER II DE SOTO'S VISIT TO WILKINSON COUNTY


THERE is a vast diversity of opinion as to the route taken by De Soto in his journey through this section of the State. The map accompanying Irving's "Conquest of Florida" indicates that the route led by way of the present city of Macon and thence to Milledgeville, before pro- ceeding to Silver Bluff near Augusta. Numerous writers accept and follow this theory.


Still others among whom may be mentioned Stevens, in his History of Georgia, frankly admit that it is impossible to trace the exact route. The translations of Garcilaso, of Biedma, of Elvas and of Ranjel, in the Car- negie library of Atlanta do not give sufficient data to de- termine the route absolutely, but these apparently just as strongly sustain the opinions of Charles C. Jones, Jr., who, in his History of Georgia, indicates the route as having led through Coffee or Irwin county, thence cross- ing the Ocmulgee, on through Laurens and up the Oconee for a distance before crossing. There is much data to sus- tain Jones in this opinion. Pickett in his History of Ala- bama states that De Soto spent the winter of 1539-40 near Tallahassee, Florida, and it is agreed by practically all modern writers on the subject that the Silver Bluff near Augusta is identical with Cofachiqui, and that the general direction of De Soto's line of march was northeast. It will be observed that a straight line on the map connecting Tallahassee with Augusta, will follow the route suggested by Jones. Mention is also frequently made of the Indian trail which was followed by this expedition, and over which the Indian guides assured De Soto they had pre- viously traveled the entire distance. This leads us to be- lieve that it is extremely probable that the old trail, shown


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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY


on the Map of 1715 "Plate C" accompanying Swanton's History of the Creek Indians, must have been the same trail followed by De Soto.


Mention is made by Irving and others of the Spaniards passing through the province of "Atapaha" or "Alta- maca," and some conclude this was Altamaha. However, it is just as probable that this was Alapaha, as the river of this name crosses the route suggested by Jones, while the Altamaha river is much farther to the east of the route. After leaving Atapaha the next province the Spaniards reached was Ocute. Swanton in his History of the Creek Indians gives his opinion that Ocute and Hitchitee are synonymous and in his map "Plate I" accompanying his History of the Creeks indicates that the territory in the forks of the Oconee and Ocmulgee which was later to be- come the lower portion of Wilkinson County was the pro- vince of the Ocute of De Soto. Some idea of the populous condition of the country is given when the chieftain of Ocutes sent a deputation of two thousand Indians to meet De Soto carrying with them as présents, rabbits, part- ridges and dogs. When De Soto arrived at his town he gave up his mansion to the Governor.


All the writers mention the fertility of the soil, the plentiful supply of food and game, as well as the hospi- tality of the people of Ocute or Cofa. The location of the town of Ocute or Cofa is fixed by Jones as being in the present Laurens County, formerly Wilkinson County. It was here that De Soto astounded the Indians by pointing a cannon at a tree and with two shots cut it down. Before leaving, the cannon being too heavy to carry, he presented it to the chief.




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