Indians Commenced Hostilities, Chambers, Alabama

************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Roger Thornton thorntonr@mindspring.com Feb 2001

This article was taken from the Macon Georgia Telegraph dated June 9, 1836

Lafayette, Chambers Co., Ala. May 28, 1836
  The first sign that Indian hostilities had commenced this side of the Federal 
road, of which we heard, was the horrible massacre of Davis’ family already 
noticed by you.  This occurred about the 9th or 10th inst. A day or two 
afterwards, Capt. Setles gathered a company and went down to bury them. The 
father and mother, together with 6 lovely children, were found to have shared 
the same untimely end. The throats of several of the children were cut from ear 
to ear, some of them with only a little strip of skin left on the back of the 
neck, to connect the body with the head. The company gave them all as decent an 
interment as time and circumstances would admit, and left the home of the dead, 
for the yet cheerful hearths of the living. Immediately after this occurrence, 
Catlon became uneasy and concluded to remove his goods, from what was called his 
lower store. Accordingly, he hired waggons for that purpose, which were suffered 
to load without interruption by the Indians but not suffered to proceed. There 
were three waggons in company, two of which started, and when they got behind a 
hill by which they were hid from the store, they were fired on, and both 
waggoners killed, a negro belonging to Lesley and a white man by the name of 
Frank Cogin. Catlon was in the act of locking up the store and two waggoners 
left with the waggon behind, hearing the firing, were not slow to take the hint 
and secured their own safety by flight. The waggons were plundered, the horses 
left cabbaged and the store burned. Capt. Setles and Major Sanders, raised a 
company of about 30 men in a day or two, to proceed to the scene of devastation. 
When they arrived in about one mile and a half of the place, they came across a 
considerable party of Indians laden with plunder, who upon sight of the whites, 
dropped their loads and fled for safety to the swamps and bushes.One of them 
being hotly pursued, squatted in a thicket, and finding that he was about to be 
discovered, fired upon old man Biggerstaff and killed him. Instantly several 
guns were presented at the savage foe who rose and shook himself, as if proud of 
what he had done, and now courted death. James Harris’ gun snapped, and 
Humphrey’s taking fire first , the Indian fell to the ground, with seven buck 
shot in his back, and immediately his throat was cut from ear to ear. Several 
squaws were taken prisoners and the little Indians were seen squatting and 
hiding like young partridges, after a shower of rain. All however, were set at 
liberty again except one, from whom some important information was obtained. 

She is now lodged in this jail. She stated that only a few hours before, a 
murder had been committed upon a white family, which proved to be Harper’s; that 
they had killed the woman and one child in the field, near the white man’s 
house, leaving the youngest child with it’s little head bruised to a jelly, 
lying by the jam of the chimney, against which it had been flailed in the house. 
The white man, she further stated, was killed down at the creek. It so happened, 
that another scouting party of whites at the same time, fell in with Harper’s 
house and picked up the innocent lifeless infant, while as yet , the blood had 
not congealed in its veins, but such was their hurry, under the apprehension of 
danger, that they did not perceive the mother and child which lay dead in the 
field, in full view of the door. The next morning, another party went to 
Harper’s, and found him in his bed. It appeared that he had been out and was 
coming home when he was attacked by two Indians with guns and missed. He then 
took to his heels and was pursued by them for two hours. They finally shot two 
balls through him, and he fell by the creek as reported by the squaw for dead. 
Afterwards he came to and scrambled home to his bed, where he lay until he was 
taken away by our fellow citizens and brought to this place, wondering all the 
time, that his wife came not to administer to his wants, and to give him water 
which he greatly needed. He lingered out a painful existence of two weeks after 
he was shot, and died last Friday morning. Five of his children were missing, 
who having witnessed what was done to the mother and youngest, fled for their 
lives. The three next youngest ran over to Ray’s, living close by and gave them 
warning, by whom they were brought off. The two oldest, a girl and a boy, were 
pursued, the boy ran and jumped into the creek and having a straw hat on which 
would be likely to expose him to view, he thrust it under his feet and just held 
his nose out behind a log to get breath. When the Indians were gone he and his 
sister ran nine miles alone to an Aunts, wading creeks up to their arm pits. 

Upon the occurrence of these events, Col. McLemore, who has been very prompt and 
energetic in endeavoring to quell these disturbances and to restore peace and 
safety to out distracted and much injured country, ordered out the militia who 
met at this place on the 14th inst. & dividing themselves into a horse and foot 
company, repaired the same day to the scene of devastation and death and being 
joined by volunteers from Troup in a day or two scoured the country, burnt the 
town house of Luchapoga and other houses belonging to hostile Indians; destroyed 
their provisions and gave chase frequently to parties of Indians but killed 
none. Our brave men at length having split themselves up into scouting parties 
which dashed every where into danger, but not being able to get a fight or to 
find a foe that would wait to receive them, have returned home to contend with 
Gen. Green viz; To kill the grass and to save their crops. No one has been 
murdered within the limits of this county, though the occurrence noticed 
transpired near the borders of it. The Injury however which the county has 
sustained from the excitement which the affair has created, is immense on 
account of the homes which have been deserted and the plantations neglected. In 
the upper part of Russell and Macon we hear of seven stores which have been 
completely plundered viz: Catlin’s, Garret’s, King’s, Wilson’s, Fulton’s, 
White’s, and Bailey’s. Our people when down found the trails strewed with 
plunder of every kind. They say it was melancholy to look upon the destruction 
they witnessed --- flourishing farms given up, houses plundered and the whole 
country laid waste. A letter was received here yesterday from Haggerty stating 
that a company from Tallassee had taken 16 prisoners, said to be the murderers 
of Harper’s family and the plunderers of Catlin’s goods. They found goods with 
them, $49 in money and 3 of the waggon horses left at Catlin’s store. All this 
is well authenticated. And on last Friday one Indian was killed 22 miles below 
here. He was found at his camp where he with his squaw had plundered in 
abundance. With a little zeal and perseverance the whole of the offenders may be 
brought to Justice. Old Noah Micco is said to be friendly and is now ready with 
400 warriors to fight the battles of the whites. We only hope it is true but 
have reason to doubt it. Had it not been for the number of friendly Indians in 
this county ours would have been a case before now. S. J. McMORRIS 

Ona Broad is just put in this jail, charged with assisting those Indians in 
taking the stages.