Georgia's landmarks, memorials and legends, Volume II, Part 35

Author: Knight, Lucian Lamar, 1868-1933
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga. : Byrd Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1274

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

sues. But the Hunter, taken unawares, at last suc- cumbs. His body is dragged away, his home is pilfered, and then an ember from the fire is applied to the dry bark on the sides, and soon the cabin is a smoldering ruin.

It may have been thus. This much is true. The Lone Hunter was never found by the Salzburgers, though they made a search for him where the Indians said he lived; and there was a minor Indian chief who long boasted of a Spanish rifle and sword which he claimed to have received from one of the invaders. The site of the old Indian village was near the Black plantation, some three miles distant from the Lone Hunter's cabin .*

XVI

Queen Elancydyne

Sixteen years before the beginning of our narrative a war broke out between the Cherokee and the Upper Creek Indians. The former claimed the territory as far south as the Tishmaugu and the latter as far north and east as the Iacoda Trail, which was nearly identical with the present Athens and Clarkesville road. Their first engagement was at Numerado, near the confluence of Hurricane Creek and Etolia River, above Hurricane Shoals. Amercides, apparently an Indian with a Greek name, was leader of the Cherokees, and as gallant a brave as ever drew the bow. He rode a white horse and dashed from place to place as if trained on the battle- fields of Europe.

Talitch-lechee, commander of the Creeks, anxious for a personal encounter, placed himself at a favorable point and awaited the expected opportunity. It soon came and the Creek buried his tomahawk in the gallant leader's side. When the white horse was seen running riderless through the forest of Numerado, the Cherokees began to

*We are indebted for the above story to an article which appeared in a Sylvania paper, signed "W. M. H."

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QUEEN ELANCYDYNE

retreat. But soon the scene changed. Elancydyne, the wife, or as she was generally called, the queen of Amer- cides, committing a small child which she was holding in her arms to the care of an attendant, mounted the riderless horse and at once took command. She was greeted by a yell from the Cherokees that echoed and re-echoed up and down the river and forward and back- ward across the valley. Soon the air was thick with flying arrows and whizzing tomahawks.

The conflict deepened and the battle waged on. The commander was more cautious than her fallen lord, but rode unflinchingly in the face of every danger. At last, the Creeks, finding their ranks so fatally thinned, re- treated hastily. Another yell-this time the yell of vic- tory, reverberated over the hills and the heroine of the day, forgetting all things else, hastened to see if her child was safe. She found it sleeping soundly in the arms of an attendant who, to shield the babe from harm, had received an arrow deeply in her own shoulder. Her name was Yetha ; and though the wound was thought to be fatal, she lived to be very old.

Soon a band of young warriors gathered around the queen and, carrying her over the battlefield, in grim mockery introduced her to the fallen Creeks as their conqueror. Elated by their decisive victory, the Chero- kees considered the country conquered territory as far as they claimed and began a march across it to take for- mal possession. In the meantime, however, the Creeks had received substantial recruits, and since Talitch-lechee was a wily old chief of long experience the enterprise was doubtful. His enemy, still lead by what her followers considered their invincible new queen, moved slowly and cautiously forward until they reached the verge of the plateau which dips toward Cold Spring, where they met Talitch-lechee in command of a larger force than at Num- erado.

The Creeks gave the gage of battle and soon the en- gagement became general. Though queen Elancydyne

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showed that she was a skilful and fearless leader, she was finally overcome by numbers, but by a masterpiece of strategy, she made a flank movement, and, going still forward, camped that night at Arharra on the plain where Prospect Church now stands and within hearing of the waters of Tishmaugu, the object of her expedition. This singular movement on the part of an enemy who had shown such consummate skill so puzzled Talitch-lechee that he hesitated to offer battle. The next morning, how- ever, an accident brought on a general engagement, with varying success. This continued at intervals until noon when the Creek chief sent Umausauga, one of his trusted braves, to conceal a number of expert bowmen in the branches of some spreading trees that grew in an adja- cent forest. Late in the afternoon the conflict again be- came general.

Elancydyne, on her white horse, led the van, and her example so inspired her followers that they gave another deafening yell and rushed forward to engage at close quarters; but the Creeks retreated in the direction of the concealed bowmen. Again the Cherokee queen was in the thickest of the fray, and soon fell from her horse, pierced by many bristling arrows. The wail of lament "Oncowah, Oncowah!" rising from the field of carnage, disheartened the Cherokees and they in turn sullenly re- treated to the north, tenderly carrying their fallen queen with them. If she had survived the battle it is difficult to say what would have been the result .*

*Extract from The Early History of Jackson County, Georgia, etc., by J. G. N. Wilson. Edited and published by W. E. White, 1914.

SECTION V

Tales of the Revolutionary Camp-Fires

SECTION V

Tales of the Revolutionary Camp-Fire

Gunpowder For Bunker Hill

Perhaps it may have been too small an item for the historians of New England to chronicle, but the State of Georgia made a contribution to the battle of Bunker Hill* which was deemed to be of very great value at the time to the cause of independence and which undoubtedly in- fluenced in no slight degree the subsequent fortunes of the Revolution. On the 10th of May, 1775, there came to Savannah, by special courier, the first tidings of the bat- tle of Lexington. It stirred the patriots to the highest pitch of excitement, and some of the bolder spirits of the colony hastily devised a plan of action which was destined to startle the royal Governor. Near the eastern extremity of the town was the magazine. It was built of brick and buried some twelve feet under ground. Within this subterranean vault there were large supplies of am- munition, which Gov. Wright deemed it unnecessary to protect because of the substantial character of the struc- ture. But he little suspected the resourcefulness of the Revolutionists.

Though Georgia was still nominally within the British allegiance, the necessity of securing the contents of this magazine for future operations became urgent; and Dr.

*History of Georgia, by Wm. B. Stevens, Vol. II. History of Georgia, by Chas. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. II.

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

Noble Wymberley Jones, Joseph Habersham, Edward Telfair, William Gibbons, Joseph Clay, John Milledge and several others, most of whom were members of the Coun- cil of Safety, organized themselves into a band and at a late hour on the next evening broke into the magazine and removed therefrom about six hundred pounds of gunpowder. Gov. Wright soon caught wind of the affair and issued a proclamation offering one hundred and fifty pounds sterling for the arrest of the offenders; but the raiders were not betrayed. Some of the gunpowder was sent to Beaufort, S. C., for safe-keeping; and the rest was concealed in the garrets and cellars of the houses of the captors; but some of it was later on sent to Boston, where, in the battle of Bunker Hill, it illuminated the opening drama of hostilities.

II Georgia Commissions the First Warship

Another gunpowder incident is well authenticated. On the 4th of July, 1775, the Provincial Congress met in Savannah to sever the tie of allegiance between the Col- ony and the Crown; and, after choosing delegates to the Continental Congress, in Philadelphia, the next step was to fortify the State against assault by providing the nec- essary sinews of war. To this end a schooner was com- missioned and put in charge of two stout patriots, Oliver Bowen and Joseph Habersham, wlio, it appears from subsequent events, were already in possession of infor- mation which promised to yield substantial results.

Notified of the fact that a ship was en route to Geor- gia, having on board a supply of powder for the use of the Royalists, the Committee of Safety, at Charleston, S. C., resolved to capture the vessel. Accordingly forty men were selected for the hazardous enterprise; and, embarking in two barges, they proceeded to the mouth

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GEORGIA COMMISSIONS THE FIRST WARSHIP

of the Savannah River and encamped on Bloody Point, in full view of Tybee Island. Whether directly or indi- rectly, word reached Savannah of what was in the air, and the Provincial Congress decided to re-enforce the South Carolinians and to participate in the haul. The Georgia schooner took a position beyond the bars and some dis- tance in advance of the two barges, where it quietly lay in wait. On the fifth day, a vessel was sighted above the horizon. It proved to be Captain Maitland's ship, witlı the powder on board, for which the patriots were looking. But the Captain, observing the Georgia schooner, sus- pected at once some evil design, and, without trying to enter the river, he turned around and put back to sea. Instantly Captain Bowen started in pursuit. He was an experienced sailor, the schooner was comparatively light, and, under his skillful manipulation, it cut the waters like an arrow. The fugitive vessel was soon overtaken; and, with the help of the South Carolinians, the military stores on board were seized.

Georgia's share of the prize was nine thousand pounds of powder, a quantity which was none too large for her needs, in view of her exposed water front; but, impor- tuned by the Continental Congress, she sent over half of the amount to Philadelphia to meet the needs of the Northern Colonies and to be distributed among the em- bryo armies which were then being organized to protect them. It has often been said to the disparagment of Georgia that she was the last of the original thirteen Colonies to lower the English flag. But she was the young- est member of the sisterhood, she was in need of the mother country's protection against threatened troubles with the Indians, she possessed an excellent chief-mag- istrate in Gov. Wright, and she bore the favorite name of the House of Brunswick. There was much to justify her in holding back until the last moment. But, having espoused the cause of freedom, it was in no sulky mood that she entered the struggle; and Georgia must be cred-

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS ·

ited with the first capture made by the first vessel com- missioned for naval warfare in the Revolution .*

However, this was not the powder which Governor Wright was expecting from the British depot of supplies, in consequence of a letter addressed by him to Gen. Gage some weeks earlier. The helpless condition of the Province had induced the Governor to send dispatches to Gen. Gage and also to Admiral Graves, asking for immediate re-enforcements. But the letters were inter- cepted by good Whigs who suspected the character of the contents and who, using the same envelopes, substitu- ted fictitious enclosures, stating that the situation in Georgia was perfectly tranquil. Though the letters in due time reached the proper destination, there was nat- urally no response; and Gov. Wright was puzzled for an explanation until years afterwards, when he chanced to meet Gen. Gage in London. -

III. The Arrest of Governor Wright

Not long after the adjournment of the famous con- vention which placed Georgia in the patriotic confeder- acy, there occurred in Savannah an event of the most sensational and dramatic character. It was the capture of Governor Wright, the royal chief-magistrate. He was not only arrested, but actually imprisoned within the walls of his own residence; and the whole affair was planned and executed by one man, Joseph Habersham.

In consequence of the arrival at Tybee of two men- of-war, with a detachment of King's men, it was decided by the Council of Safety that the arrest of certain influ- ential loyalists, among them John Mullryne, Anthony Stokes, and Josiah Tattnall, the elder, was demanded

*History of Georgia, by Chas. C. Jones, Jr., Vol. II.

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THE ARREST OF GOVERNOR WRIGHT

by the exigencies of the situation. To secure the person of the Governor was made the initial object of the pa- triots, and Major Habersham volunteered to perform the difficult task. His plans were already well laid, and on the same evening he proceeded without delay to the house of the Governor, where the King's Council had assembled to consider ways and means of checking the in- surgent uprise. He passed the sentinel at the door, en- tered the hall, and, marching to the head of the council- table, laid his hand upon the shoulders of the Governor, saying as he did so.

"Sir James, you are under arrest."

The audacity of the officer produced the desired effect. Supposing from the bold manner of his entrance that he was heavily supported by military re-enforcements in the background, Governor Wright felt himself to be power- less. Surprised by the unexpected turn, he was probably for the first time in his life bereft of the King's English. But he soon found himself, at the same moment, quite as helplessly abandoned by the King's Council. Putting gravity aside, the sage advisers of the administration betook themselves to flight, some finding an exit through the rear door, others leaping through the windows, in the most undignified confusion.

There was an irony of fate in the sad predicament of the Governor. Despite the most diligent efforts on liis part to capture the raiders engaged in the magazine af- fair, here he was himself captured by one of the very patriots whose punishment he sought. The fortunes of war had converted the executive mansion, for the time being, into the colonial Bastile. Giving lis solemn parole to hold no communication with the ships at Tybee and to remain upon the premises, he was allowed to stay in the royal residence, under guard. Says Bishop Stevens : "This is one of the most signal instances of deliberate and successful daring in the history of the war. For a youth of twenty-four, unarmed and unsupported, to enter the mansion of the chief-magistrate, and, at his own

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table, amidst a circle of counsellors, place him under arrest, is an act of heroism ranking with the most bril- liant exploits in American history." It is possible that the bold officer was not without re-enforcements behind the scenes. The authorities are not agreed upon this point; but in either event his intrepidity remains unchal- lenged.

When the Governor saw an opportunity to escape, his solemn parole was forgotten. Through the estate of John Mullryne, at Thunderbolt, he made his way to the British vessels lying in the harbor and succeeded in get- ting back to England. On the fall of Savannah into the hands of the British some three years later, he returned to Georgia, and convened the assembly which passed the famous disqualifying act of 1780. Governor Wright was in many respects an excellent chief-magistrate, devoted to the public weal. But he was an officer of the Crown; and Georgia need not blush for the English noblemen who, in every phase of fortune, whether good or ill, remained uncompromisingly steadfast in his allegiance to George the Third.

The Adventures of Robert Sallatte

There lived in St. John's Parish, during the Revo- lution, a man greatly distinguished for his opposition to the Tories, by the name of Robert Sallette. It is not known with certainty to what particular command he was attached, for he appears to have been a sort of rov- ing character of the district, and a law unto himself, do- ing things in his own way. The Tories stood very much in awe of Sallette ; and well they might for they possessed no deadlier foe among the patriots of Georgia; and they sought by every means possible to shorten his days.

On one occasion, a Tory who possessed large means, offered a reward of one hundred guineas to any person

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THE ADVENTURES OF ROBERT SALLETTE

who would bring him Sallette's head. Among the very first to learn of the offer was Sallette himself, and he resolved to claim the reward. So, casting about for a bag, in which he placed a pumpkin, he proceeded at once to the house of the Tory to deliver the prize. At the door- way, he informed his enemy that, having learned of the offer of one hundred guineas for Sallette's head, he was there to claim the amount in question, and pointed tri- umphantly to the bag, in which the pumpkin was con- cealed. The Tory clutched for the precious treasure, which bulked like a sack of pirate's gold. He was com- pletely deceived by the clever ruse. His eyes fairly sparkled. But Sallette held him off, until the guineas were counted; and then, as the last glittering coin rang in his fingers, he put his hand to his head, and, raising his hat, exclaimed : "Here is Sallette's head !"

The answer so terrified the Tory that he immediately took to his heels, but a well-directed shot from Sallette brought him to the ground.

At another time, with Andrew Walthour, for whom Walthourville in Georgia is named, Sallette was in the advance guard of the American army, and coming upon the advance guard of the British army, a smart skirmish took place, in which the British were driven back. Among the enemy killed was a very large man. Noticing a pair of boots on the feet of the dead soldier, Bob resolved to possess them. He was pulling the boots off, when his comrades, alarmed at his peril, called to him to leave; but he answered with rare good humor :

"I must have the boots. I want them for little John Way."

Sallette was frequently known to leave the American army, in the midst of the battle, get in the enemy's rear, and kill many of them before he was discovered.

On one occasion, he dressed himself in British uni- form, dined with a party of the enemy, and whilst the

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

toasting and drinking were going on, suddenly drew his sword, killed his right and left hand man, sprung upon his horse, without having time to throw the bridal over his neck, and rode off amidst the fire of his pursuers. Sallette's motto was never to forgive a tory; and, if one was liberated, he was apt to follow close behind, with deadly intent.

But the time came when he spared the lives of two Tories, for a time at least. With Andrew Walthour and another companion, he was riding along a narrow trail late one afternoon, when they met three other horsemen, near Fraser's old mill, whom they suspected to be Tories bent on mischief. Hastily devising a plan of capture, it was agreed that Walthour, who was riding in front, should pass the first and second horsemen, and that Sal- lette should pass the first; then as Walthour came to the third man and Sallette to the second, leaving their com- panion to the first, it was decided to seize the guns of the three men simultaneously; and in this way the Tories were disarmed.

"Dismount, gentlemen !" said Sallette. Then addres- sing the leader he inquired :

"What is your name?"

The man replied by giving some fictitious answer.

"Where is your camp?" asked Sallette.

"We are from over the river," replied the man, pointing toward the Altamaha.

"Where did you cross ?" was the next searching ques- tion.

"At Beard's Ferry," returned the leader, indicating a point on the river where Whigs were most numerous. "That's a lie!" came the answer from Sallette.

He then catechized the second man in the same man- ner, with like results, and finally turned to the third.

"If you do not tell me the truth," said Sallette, ad- dressing himself to the last man, "off comes your head."

The man repeated his answer, whereupon Sallette took deliberate aim and fired. Realizing the uselessness

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THE TORIES : GEORGIA'S REIGN OF TERROR

of further parley, his companions confessed to the truth, begged for mercy, and offered to conduct Sallette to the enemy's camp. On this condition, he agreed to spare them; and, aided by his prisoners, he succeeded in cap- turing quite a number of Tories.1

Curious as we may be to know something of the per- sonal history of Robert Sallette, it is not to be found chronicled in the books. The French twist to his name makes it probable that he was a descendant of those un- fortunate Acadians who years before had been stripped of lands and possessions in Nova Scotia by the British, and they themselves transported. They were scattered at various points along the American coast. Some were landed at Philadelphia, and some were carried to Louisi- ana. Four hundred were sent to Georgia. The British had to answer for many acts of cruelty in those days, but none more infamous than this treatment of the gentle and helpless Acadians. It stands in history to-day a stain upon the British name.

Another fact that leads to the belief that Robert Sal- lette was a descendant of the unfortunate Acadians was the ferocity with which he pursued the British and the Tories. The little that is told about him makes it certain that he never gave quarter to the enemies of his country.2

V The Tories: Georgia's Reign of Terror3

In proportion to the population there were more Tories in Georgia than in any other State* Some of

1 Reproduced, with minor variations, from White's Historical Collections of Georgia.

2 Joel Chandler Harris, in "Stories of Georgia."

3 This chapter on the Tories was written by Dr. J. Harris Chappell, of Milledgeville, Ga., and substantially the same discussion will be found in his "Georgia History Stories."

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them were no doubt honest people, who really believed that the Americans were wrong in rebelling against the English Government; but many of them were mean and selfish men, who only wished to be on the strong or winning side. By the British subjugation of Georgia nearly all of the patriots of fighting age were driven out of the State, leaving their property and their helpless families behind, while the Tories remained unmolested at home. James Wright, the royal governor, came back from England and was once more placed at the head of the Georgia Government.

By the 1st of February, 1779, the British were in al- most complete possession of the State. The commander, Colonel Campbell, issued a proclamation calling on the people to take the oath of allegiance to the King and Government of England. He promised that those who would take the oath should not be molested but declared that those who refused would be driven from the colony and what property they left would be confiscated. Frightened by this threat, a great many people took the oath and became British subjects; these people were called Tories. But many refused to take the oath be- cause they would rather suffer banishment, or even death, than give up the heroic struggle for independence; these were called Patriots. So the people of Georgia were divided into these two parties, Tories and Patriots, and they hated each other with a bitter hatred.

Soon after the fall of Savannah, a reign of terror was inaugurated. Between the British and the Tories, there was no end to the suffering inflicted upon the State; but the Tories were far worse than the British. They formed themselves into military companies, which were nothing more than bands of ruffians. They roved over

*Georgia was the youngest of the original thirteen colonies. She was named for George II, whose family was still upon the throne. She was also fortunate to have an excellent royal governor in Sir James Wright, who was sincerely attached to the welfare of the province; and moreover, being harrassed by the Indians, she was in need of British protection.

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THE TORIES: GEORGIA'S REIGN OF TERROR

the country on horseback and on foot, committing all sorts of outrages, robbing the people, burning houses, throwing old men into prison, insulting women, hang- ing every patriot soldier they could lay hands upon, sometimes even murdering children, and showing no mercy to any one who favored the American cause. In no other State were the Tories so wicked and cruel as in Georgia. They were even worse than the savage Indians, whom they employed to help them.

The worst of these Georgia Tories was a man by the name of Thomas Brown. He had always been a Tory; and in the early days of the Revolution, he had made him- self so obnoxious to the patriotic people of Augusta, where he lived, that one day a crowd of men dragged him out of his office, and, stripping him to the waist, poured over his naked body a pot of soft tar, and then over the tar emptied a pillow case full of feathers, which stuck to the tar and made poor Brown look like a big, ugly, frizzled chicken. Thus tarred and feathered, they seated him in an open wagon drawn by three mules and hauled him about the streets of Augusta, while a great crowd followed with hoots and jeers. After parading him for an hour or two they turned him loose with the warning that if he did not leave town within twenty-four hours they would kill him. For quite a while Brown kept his negro servant busy washing the tar and feathers from his body; then he put on his clothes, and, raising his right hand toward heaven, he took a solemn oath that he would be avenged for this great shame and outrage. He left; but many months afterwards he came back, and how well he kept his oath is a story written in blood !

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Georgia's landmarks, memorials and legends, Volume II, Part 35

Author: Knight, Lucian Lamar, 1868-1933 Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga. : Byrd Printing Co. Number of Pages: 1274

Author: Knight, Lucian Lamar, 1868-1933
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga. : Byrd Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1274