USA > Georgia > A history of Georgia : from its first discovery by Europeans to the adoption of the present constitution in MDCCXCVIII. Vol. II > Part 27
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These persons were mostly desperate men, who, hav- ing imbrued their hands in Whig blood and glutted themselves with Whig spoil, had fled thither with such property as they could transport, chiefly consisting of
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negroes and horses, and there organized themselves into a military band, under the command of Thomas Waters. In small parties, these Tories, taking with them a few Indians, made incursions into the surround- ing settlements, and even extended their forays into South Carolina, daily stealing goods, cattle, horses, and negroes, and almost daily murdering those who opposed their course.
Their depredations induced General Pickens to apply to the Governor of South Carolina for leave to conduct a small army into the Indian country, to drive them away, and to chastise the Indians. Leave was granted; and Pickens immediately wrote to Colonel E. Clark, by express, requesting him to meet him at Long Creek, with all the men he could raise, on Monday, the 16th of September, 1782, with thirty days' provisions. Clark received this letter on the 6th of September, the next day issued his orders, and, on the 17th, made the required junction, at the head of ninety-eight men, including ten volunteers under Colonel Isaac Jackson, of Richmond County. Pickens had raised and brought over three hundred and sixteen men, including officers ; the whole force, therefore, numbered but little over four hundred men. Resting for a day only, to refresh the troops and con- cert future measures, they renewed their march on the morning of the 19th, directing their course westwardly, through the woods, to the Chattahoochee River, and crossed at Beaver Shoals on the 24th. As they ap- proached the scene of action, General Pickens directed that the two companies of swordsmen, commanded by Captains Maxwell and Mapp, should march by turns in advance, and that silence should be observed by the
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whole line. All plunder was to be equally divided; and strict orders were given that the aged men and women, and the young children of the Indians, should be spared. After crossing the Chattahoochee, they struck an Indian path, and made two Indians prison- ers, who told them that eight miles up the river were several Indian towns, while twenty miles before them was Waters's settlement. Colonel Robert Anderson, with one hundred men, was detached to march up to the Indian towns, piloted by one of the Indian pri- soners; while the other Indian promised to conduct Pickens and the rest of the men through the woods to Long Swamp. Without a pathway, they marched till late at night; then rested a few hours on their arms ; and by daybreak, having resumed their march, they reached the Etowah River, where they found a small Indian village, and made one Indian prisoner. Colonel White, with a small party, was ordered down that river, to capture some towns on the east side; while Pickens and Clark crossed over, and after a march of ten miles, came to Waters's town at Long Swamp. But the watchful Tory, having learned from his spies the approach of Pickens, had fled with his booty. The General now aimed to secure the alliance of the In- dians ; and having taken several prisoners, he treated them kindly and sent them to the several chiefs, with requests to meet him at that place on the 17th of Oc- tober, to deliver up the white men among them, and to make treaties of peace, promising to spare their towns if they complied. In the meantime, Pickens kept his troops in motion ; and Colonel Clark marched even as far as Estawnalee, sixty miles from Long Swamp, in pursuit of Waters, who had camped there
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for a few days, but who fled when again pursued, and continued his flight into Florida. Many negroes, horses, peltry, and a few white men, were taken from the marauders ; and by the 17th, the brigade was back at Long Swamp, to receive the Indians, who had pro- mised to meet there in order to make a treaty. Twelve head men and over two hundred others came in, and made a treaty, ceding most of their lands, and pro- mising to meet at Augusta any commissioners that might be appointed by the Governor of Georgia to ratify the same. They also agreed to be at peace with the Americans, and to suffer no more disaffected men to dwell among them.
This treaty was no sooner signed, than the General issued orders for returning; and on the 22d of Octo- ber the troops were discharged at Long Creek, near the place where they had rendezvoused on the 17th of September. Thus was accomplished the design of this expedition. In thirty-three days from the time this small army left Wilkes, well mounted, indeed, but carrying nothing but their arms and their saddle-bags, without a tent to shelter them, or bread and salt meat to eat, and subsisting entirely on parched corn and fresh beef, without salt; they had penetrated into the depths of the Indian country ; had routed the maraud- ing Tories, destroyed many Indian villages, made a treaty of peace with several large tribes, and had se- cured for Georgia all that country which lies between the western fork of the Chattahoochee and the upper waters of the Savannah, without the loss of a single man, and without one being sick or wounded.
Among the matters which early engrossed the at- tention of the Legislature in January, 1783, was the
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state of the Indian tribes ; and, on the 11th of Janu- ary, the House ordered, " that his honor the Governor be requested to prepare immediately and send a talk to the kings and beloved men of the Creek and Che- rokee nations, and inform them that it is the desire of this State to meet them in Congress," "in order to de- mand a cession of land as a consideration or atonement for their many injuries, and to renew our treaty of peace and friendship with them." On the 21st of January the House proceeded to ballot for commis- sioners to hold this Congress, and chose General Mc- Intosh, General Twiggs, Colonel E. Clark, Colonel William Few, Edward Telfair, John Martin, and Ge- neral S. Elbert. Five of these, with the Governor (if the emergencies of the State would admit of his being present), were to "constitute a Board, vested with full power and authority on the part of this State, to treat, confer, and agree with the aforesaid Indian nations, on all matters relative to a cession of a claim of land, and to negotiate and agree on such other matters and things as may be conducive to the mutual interest and safety of all parties."
The Commissioners met in Augusta ; and, on the 31st of May, concluded a treaty with the Cherokees, based on that of Long Swamp, and securing all the advan- tages and boundaries which were conceded in that.
In November, 1783, John Twiggs, Elijah Clark, Edward Telfair, Andrew Burns, and William Glas- cock, Commissioners appointed by authority of the State, met a deputation of the head men, warriors, and chiefs of the tribes of Creek Indians, at Augusta, and formed a brief, but effective treaty, running new boun- dary lines and obtaining large accessions to the terri-
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tory of Georgia. The lands thus obtained were, by the act of the Legislature, in February, 1784, laid out into two new counties, called Franklin and Washing- ton ; and a Land Court was ordered to be opened at Augusta, on the first Tuesday of April, consisting of " the Governor, or President of the Executive Council, and three members of the same." A large portion of the new acquisition was reserved for bounties to the citizen soldiers, seamen, refugees, and others, who were entitled to land by any resolve of Congress, or act or resolve of the State. While these lands were being surveyed, the Indians were quite peaceable, and the old inhabitants of Wilkes County removed to their former lands and settlements ; but this quiet was of short duration. The restless and bloodthirsty Creeks began hostilities again, in May, 1785, in Knox's set- tlement, killing the inhabitants, burning the houses, stealing the cattle, and whatever else they could carry off.
Colonel Clark heard of this incursion the next day, and, raising a small party of men, hastened after the Indians, overtook them before they had gotten thirty miles, killed one Indian, wounded several others, re- took the stolen property, and returned to the settle- ment. The alarm, however, drew to the frontier several companies of men, who put themselves under Colonel Clark, and were by him so stationed as to protect the inhabitants and enable them to build forts for the se- curity of themselves and families. By dividing the men into squads, and putting them on turns of duty of ten days each, Clark made the burden less heavy upon the militia ; and by sending out scouting parties, and keeping up the utmost vigilance, he was enabled
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to give such protection that little damage was done and much confidence restored. A new treaty was con- cluded with these Indians, at Galphinton, on the 12th of November, 1785, by General Twiggs and Colonel E. Clark, Commissioners on the part of Georgia; and the same year a treaty was made at Hopewell, on the Keowee, between Benjamin Hawkins, Andrew Pickens, Joseph Martin, and Lachlan McIntosh, Commissioners Plenipotentiary of the United States of America, on the one part, and the head men and warriors of all the Cherokees, on the other.
Treaties with the Indians, then frequent, and coun- cils with chiefs, then of common occurrence, have now ceased in Georgia; and therefore, as a matter of his- torical interest, it may be proper to give more in detail than would otherwise be needed, the proceedings of one of these councils, as illustrating the talks made, the deeds done, the usages pursued, and the influences at work, in procuring the consent of the Indians to the treaties and cessions of land which it was the object of these conventions to secure and ratify.
The following extracts from the Journal of the Con- gress held at Hopewell, Kiowee, in December, 1785, and January, 1786, between the Hon. Benjamin Haw- kins, General Andrew Pickens, Hon. Joseph Martin, and General Lachlan McIntosh, Commissioners Pleni- potentiary of the United States, to treat with the Che- rokees, and all other Indians southward of them, within the limits of the United States, will illustrate this sub- ject and give an interesting view of such proceedings. The Journal was kept probably by Benjamin Hawkins, and to it he has added explanatory notes :-
VOL. II.
27
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HOPEWELL ON KIOWEE, the 18th of November, 1785.
The Commissioners of the United States in Congress assembled, appointed to treat with the Cherokees, and all other Indians southward of them, within the limits of the United States assembled.
Present, Benjamin Hawkins, Andrew Pickens, Jo- seph Martin, and Lachlan McIntosh.
From the State of North Carolina, the Honorable William Blount, Esquire, who produced his commission as agent for that State.
The Commissioners ordered a return to be made of the Indians, and there were five hundred. The head- men and warriors having informed that the present representation of their tribes was not complete, but would be so in a few days, it was agreed to postpone treating with them until the whole representation should arrive.
November 21st, 1785 .- The headmen and warriors of all the Cherokees assembled. Ordered that the in- terpreters inform the Indians that the Commissioners will meet them to-morrow, at ten o'clock, under the bower erected for that purpose.
November 22d, 1785 .- The Commissioners assem- bled. Present, Benjamin Hawkins, Andrew Pickens, Joseph Martin, and Lachlan McIntosh. From the State of North Carolina, William Blount, Agent. From the State of Georgia, John King and Thomas Glascock, Commissioners. From all the tribes or towns of the Cherokees, the headmen and warriors. James Madison, and Arthur Coody, Interpreters.
The Commissioners delivered the following address to the Indians :-
Headmen and Warriors of all the Cherokees: We
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are the men whom you were informed came from Con- gress to meet you, the headmen and warriors of all the Cherokees, to give you peace and to receive you into the favor and protection of the United States, and to remove as far as may be all causes of future conten- tion or quarrels, that you, your people, your wives and your children, may be happy, and feel and know the blessings of the new change of sovereignty over this land, which you and we inhabit.
We sincerely wish you to live as happily as we do ourselves, and to promote that happiness as far as is in our power, regardless of any distinction of color, or of any difference in our customs, our manners, or par- ticular situation.
This humane and generous act of the United States, will, no doubt, be received by you with gladness, and held in grateful remembrance, and the more so, as many of your young men, and the greatest number of your warriors, during the late war, were our enemies, and assisted the King of Great Britain in his endea- vors to conquer our country.
You yourselves know that you refused to listen to the good talks Congress sent you ; that the cause you espoused was a bad one; that all the adherents of the King of Great Britain are compelled to leave this coun- try, never more to return.
Congress is now the sovereign of all our country, which we now point out to you on the map.1 They
1 We used McMurray's map, and explained with great pains the limits of the United States, as well as the occurrences of the late war, and we believe they comprehended us. Some of the Indians had visited the Six Nations ; some had been up the Wabash, and down the Miami to Lake Erie; and others had been at Fort Pitt, Natchez, Pensacola, St. Augustine, Savannah, Charleston, and Williamsburg.
B. HAWKINS.
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want none of your lands, or anything else which be- longs to you ; and as an earnest of their regard for you, we propose to enter into articles of a treaty, per- fectly equal, and conformable to what we now tell you.
If you have any grievances to complain of, we will hear them, and take such measures in consequence thereof as may be proper. We expect you will speak your minds freely, and look upon us as the representa- tives of your Father and friend, the Congress, who will see justice done you. You may now retire, and reflect on what we have told you, and let us hear from you to-morrow, or as soon as possible.
November the 23d .- Present as yesterday.
After sitting some time in silence, the Tassel of Chata arose, and addressed the Commissioners as follows :-
I am going to let the Commissioners hear what I have to say to them. I told you yesterday I would do this to-day. I was very much pleased with the talk you gave us yesterday ; it is very different from what I expected when I left home. The headmen and war- riors are also equally pleased with it. Now I shall give you my own talk. I am made of this earth, on which the Great Man above placed me to possess it ; and what I am about to tell you, I have had in my mind for many years.
This land we are now on is the land we were fight- ing for during the late contest,2 and the Great Man
2 Hopewell is fifteen miles above the junction of Kiowee and Tugaloo. It is a seat of General Pickens, in sight of Seneca, an Indian town ; at the commencement of this late war, inhabited by one hundred gunmen, but at present is a waste. Dursets Causas is forty miles east of this, and that was the eastward Indian boundary till the treaty of 1777.
B. HAWKINS.
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made it for us to subsist upon. You must know the red people are the aborigines of this land, and that it is but a few years since the white people found it out.
I am of the first stock, as the Commissioners know, and a native of this land : and the white people are now living on it as our friends. From the beginning of the first friendship between the white and red peo- ple, beads were given as an emblem thereof; and these are the beads I give to the Commissioners of the thir- teen United States as a confirmation of our friendship, and as a proof of my opinion of what you yesterday told us. (A string of white beads.)
The Commissioners have heard how the white peo- ple have encroached on our lands, on every side of us that they could approach.
I remember the talks that I delivered at the Long Island of Holston, and I remember giving our lands to Colonel Christie and others who treated with us, and in a manner compelled me thereto, in 1777. I re- member the talks to Colonel Christie when I gave the lands at the mouth of Claud's Creek, eight springs past. At that treaty we agreed upon the line near the mouth of Limestone. The Virginia line, and part from the mouth of Claud's Creek to Cumberland Mountain, near the Gap, was paid for by Virginia.
From Claud's Creek a direct line to the Chimney-Top Mountain, thence to the mouth of Big Limestone, on Nalickackey, thence to the first mountain, about six miles from the river, on a line across the same, was never paid for by the Carolina which joins the Virginia line. I wish the Commissioners to know everything that concerns us, as I tell nothing but the truth. They, the people of North Carolina, have taken our lands for
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no consideration, and are now making their fortunes out of them. I have informed the Commissioners of the line I gave up, and the people of North Carolina and Virginia have gone over it, and encroached on our lands expressly against our inclination. They have gone over the line near Little River, and they have gone over Nine Mile Creek, which is but nine miles from our towns. I am glad of this opportunity of get- ting redress from the Commissioners. If Congress had not interposed, I and my people must have moved. They have even marked the lands on the bank of the river near the town where I live, and from thence down in the fork of the Tennessee and Holston.
I have given in to you a detail of the abuse and en- croachments of these two States. We shall be satisfied if we are paid for the lands we have given up; but we will not, nor cannot, give up any more. I mean the line I gave to Colonel Christie.
I have no more to say ; but one of our beloved wo- men has, who has borne and raised up warriors. (A string of beads.)
The War Woman of Chata then addressed the Com- missioners :-
I am fond of hearing that there is a peace, and I hope you have now taken us by the hand in real friend- ship. I have a pipe and a little tobacco to give the Commissioners to smoke in friendship. I look upon you and the red people equally as my children. Your having determined on peace is most pleasing to me, for I have seen much trouble during the late war.
I am old, but I hope yet to bear children, who will grow up and people our nation, as we are now to be under the protection of Congress, and shall have no
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more disturbance. (A string, little old pipe, and some tobacco.)
The talk I have given is from the young warriors I have raised in my town as well as myself. They re- joice that we have peace, and we hope the chain of friendship will never more be broke. (A string of beads.)
THE COMMISSIONERS TO THE TASSEL. We want the boundary of your country : you must recollect yourself and give it to us, particularly the line between you and the citizens, with any information you may have on that subject. If necessary, you may consult your friends, and inform us to-morrow, or as soon as possible with conveniency.
TASSEL. I will let you know the line to-morrow. I have done speaking for this day.
MUSUCHANAIL, of New Cussé, in the Middle Settle- ment. I speak in behalf of Kowé, New Cussé, and Watogé. I am much pleased with the talks between the Commissioners and the Tassel, who is the beloved man of Chata. I remember the talks given out by you yesterday. I shall always, I hope, remember that if we were distressed in any manner, we should make our complaints to the Commissioners, that justice may be done. There are around us young men and war- riors who hear our talks, and who are interested in the success of this treaty, particularly as their lands are taken from them on which they lived entirely by hunt- ing. And I hope, and they all anxiously hope, it is in the power of the Commissioners to do them justice. The line mentioned by the beloved man of Chata is in truth as he expressed it. I remember it; and it was formerly our hunting-grounds.
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The encroachments on this side of the line have en- tirely deprived us of our hunting-grounds : and I hope the Commissioners will remove the white people to their own side. This is the desire of the three towns I speak for. The settlements I mean are those on Pigeon River and Swanano. It was the desire of the Commissioners that the Indians should tell all their grievances, and I hope they will do justly therein. When any of my young men are hunting on their own grounds, and meet the white people, they (the white people) order them off and claim our deer. (A string of white beads.)
CHESCOENWHEE. I am well satisfied with the talks of this day. I intended to speak; but as the day is far spent, I will decline it till to-morrow. I will go home, and consider on it.
November 24th, 1785 .- Present as yesterday.
TUCKASEE. I remember the talks when I made peace. I have appointed Chescoenwhee to speak for me to-day.
CHESCOENWHEE. I rejoice that the Commissioners have delivered their talks to the headmen of the dif- ferent towns. I am in hopes that these our talks will always remain unbroken. What you hear from the representatives of the towns, the young warriors will invariably adhere to. I am in hopes it is now in the power of the Commissioners, from their talks of yes- terday and the day before, to see justice done to us : to see that we may yet have a little land to hunt upon. I was sent here to settle all matters respecting my country ; and, being under the protection of the United States, I shall return satisfied. We have been formerly under the protection of * Great Britain ; and then, when I saw a white man, I esteemed him
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a friend; and I hope that the Commissioners of Con- gress will see that times may be as formerly. I wish what I say may be deemed strictly true, for so it is ; and that I may always be looked on as a friend to the thirteen United States, and that they will see justice done me.
The talks of the Commissioners are the most pleas- ing to us, as they do not want any lands. Formerly, when I had peace-talks, the first thing the white people expressed was a desire for our lands. I am in hopes you will adjust and settle our limits, so that we may be secured in the possession of our own. I will abide by what hitherto has been said on this subject, but cannot cede any more lands. (A string of beads.)
TASSEL. I have shown you the bounds of my coun- try on my map, which I draw in your presence, and on the map of the United States. If the Commis- sioners cannot do me justice in removing the people from the fork of French Broad and Holston, I am unable to get it of myself. Are Congress, who con- quered the King of Great Britain, unable to remove these people ? I am satisfied with the promises of the Commissioners to remove all the people from within our lines, except those within the fork of Holston and French Broad; and I will agree to be content that the particular situation of the people settled there, and our claims to the lands, should be referred to Congress, as the Commissioners may think just, and I will abide by their decision.
UNSUCHANAIL. I and my people are to extend the line ; and although our claims are well founded to a large portion of the mountains, which are of little ad- vantage to any but hunters, and of great value to them,
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yet I am willing to extend the line to the southward until we come to the South Carolina Indian boundary ; and we have a right, founded on the treaties at Dewitt's Corner and at Augusta, to make that line as far as the south fork of Oconee, our boundary against the white people.
November 28th, 1785 .- The Commissioners assem- bled. Present, Benjamin Hawkins, Andrew Pickens, Joseph Martin, and Lachlan McIntosh. From the State of North Carolina, William Blount, Agent. From the State of Georgia, John King and Thomas Glas- cock, Commissioners. The Headmen and Warriors of all the Cherokees. James Madison and Arthur Coody, Sworn Interpreters. Major Samuel Taylor, Major William Hazzard, Captain Commandant John Cowan, John Owen, and George Ogg, merchants, with several other respectable characters.
The Commissioners produced the draught of a treaty on the plan they originally proposed to the Indians, which was read and interpreted to them with great attention ; so that they agreed that they perfectly un- derstood every article, and would with pleasure sign the same. Accordingly, two copies were signed by the Commissioners and all the headmen,-the one for the United States, and the other for the Cherokees.
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