Letter from Abram Martin to Col. E. Shacklford, Creek Nation - Montgomery Co.,AL ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. ALGenWeb File Manager - Lygia Dawkins Cutts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Contributed By Mary Ann Nichols JAN 1999 Letter from Abram Martin to Col. E. Shacklford, Creek Nation - Montgomery Co.,AL This was copied by myself, at the AL Archives Manuscript room from the original letter, which also included an envelope addressed to Col. Edmund Shackleford, Creek Nation. Tuskegee, 18th May 1836 Col Shackleford. A little before ten o'clcok we proceeded down the road by Gen'l? Woodwards, intending to go in the direction of Collins. As we pased Woodward's house a man motioned to us to come in that direction who proved to be Alfred Williams, a stage driver, who was so exausted that he could not reach the house. It appears from his relation thus on Monday about 1 o'clock the ? Co Stages were coming on from Columbus when at the house just beyond Thorn's they discovered a party of Indians firing the houses - they came on to Thorns and were attacked by Indians from both sides of the road at the same time two balls were at the first fire shot through the coach. The drivers & passengers aft the stage immediately - some indians bured to get the horses, & some attempted to escape in any manner possibly. Mr Williams says he jumped from the stage & run off into to reed brake just by Thorn in which he concealed himself - & has been from Monday 1 o'clock until to day just before Eleven getting to Woodwards. He says a short time after he left the state he head a voice cry out "O Lord, O Lord," and immediately succeding he heard the war hoofs of the Indians - repeated several times - He supposed there were between 25 or 30 Indians all painted. He has not seen any of the company that was with him nor can he tell any thing about them He fully believes some if not all of them have been murdered - and no doubt such has been the case or they would have got in by this time. Mr Williams also informs us that another state which had preceded them with which he was coming had been taken before & burnt before they got to this place so that now there are three states captured by the Indians I wrote a letter this morning to John Martin in which I stated that there were rumor here that the stages .....(Tore) & forgot to mention at that time that the information had been derived through the friendly Indians. There was in the stage Alfred Williams (our informant), Harper Barton, William Adams, Mr Mupy & Kingberry State agents William Green, Robert Davis & others - There were no females - the whole county is aghast -houses burnt & many destroyed - We have this from Williams himself & may be implicitly relied on. Abram Martin