Creek Indian Letters Talks and Treaties 1705-1839 In Four Parts. Index in Part I. Compiled Copied and Bound with Authority of John B Wilson, Secretary of State, Under Direction of Mrs. J. E. Hays, State Historian 1939. Part 4-1830-1839 Inclusive. Pages 1152-1500 Inclusive. Original Manuscripts in Department of Archives & History of Georgia. W. P. A. Project O. P. 665-34-3-224. p. 1216 Fort Gaines 7th Decor. 1835 To his excellency William Schley Dear Sir As the commanding officer of Early County I feel it a duty incumbent on me to apprise you of the relation in which we stand to our neighbours the Creek Indians Depredations have been & are still daily committed on the rights & property of my Fellow Citizens in the interior & Eastern part of my county by several parties of indians some belonging to the Uchee & some to the Creek Tribe Since the first Monday in Oct. 27 Horses have been stolen from different individuals residing in this & Baker Counties- and more particularly that part of the counties which lies on the Pochitla and Echewanotcheway Creeks—some thirty miles east of this—In addition to this the indians have manifested a hostile disposition towards the White inhabitants not only stalking into the very homes of the defenceless whites and plundering them of their Furniture Provisions &c. but even killing them or attempting to kill if any residtence is offered to their barefaced incursions Still farther I have now in my hands (& could transmit to your Excellency) a number of affadavits sworn and deposed to by respectable gentlemen of this county— showing that they have been attacked assaulted and even shot at by indians and sometimes clandestiously while piacably traveling the roads and highways—They had recently become so anoying to some of my fellow citizens that complaint was made to us of this place and relief from their attacks &c most importunately urged. Obsequious to their call I raised a volunteer company of about one hundred men the best part of whom joined me from Baker We marched in pursuit of them but item no doubt was given them of our approach & they fled before I could make up with them I however discovered their camps--- I could apprise you of a good deal more did I conceive it necessary—I have thus Sir respectfully transmitted to you a statement of our affairs and beg you would have the kindness to advise me as soon as possible of the plan I had best pursue--- The statement is a plain narration of facts without exggreation I dare not usggest the course proper to be pursued but e leave it to your good sense prudince & judgement in Military affairs—to point out the plan Yourself— I am De. Sir very humbly yours &c. A. McGinty, Col. Commdg 88th Regmt. G. M. [On Reverse] Letter from Col A. McGinty 7 Decr. 1835 (Creek Indians) To His Excellency Wm Schley Milledgeville Geo. Mail Ft. Gaines Ga. 8 Decr. 183/4 p.1235-p1237 Fort Gaines 19th January 1836 Sir: I am directed by the board of commissioners of this town, to request your excellency to commission certain officers elected to day, by a company calling themselves the Fort Gaines Volunteer Guards; This company consistes of almost every man in this place subject to military duty & is formed for the express purpose of its protection. The circumstances which gave rise to the formation of this company occurred on Saturday last:- about twenty miles above here on that day, a company of (I presume) volunteers from Randolph went to the plantation of Col. William Hardin & killed an Indian in the employ of his owner, (the Indian, with several others were picking out cotton) we who have for years resided in this section know, by fatal experience, the retatiatory disposition of the Indian character, & in as much as the Simonoles are now in open war, we can not tell wh at course they may pursue in avenging such cruel brutality (for so I must call it) of the whites; one thing we will know, that will avenge his death by the death of at least one white man, as was the case recently of Brown's death near McClound's Ferry in Stewart, an other incident occurred on Sunday night last which excited our alarm, our church is situated about 300 yards from the densest part of town, & no person living immediately at it, this was done shortly after divine service had ended in it, whether by an incendiary white man or some skulking Indians, we can form satisfactory idea, if by the Indians the object is evident, to wit, to draw the attention of the people to the scene, while they plundered the stores for arms &c. As I presume your excellency, as well as your predecessor, is entirely unacquainted with the character of our Indian distrubances. I take the liberty of suggesting my opinion, which is confirmed by the best information I can derive from others. It is this, the Indians who are employed by the whites to pick out their cotton, are perfectly harmless, at least in nine cases in ten I am confident they are, but the pridatory villians who have for years been pilleging in our interior are a set of Siminotes or Hitchetah's who reside nerar the mouth of the Cowagu Creek makes into the Chattahouchie on the west side about 30 or 35 miles above this place, this tribe, (whose numbers I dont know, but I presume not more than 200 or 300 warriors,) are under the control or at least influenced, of that daring savage Enehemathla, who was a distinguished leader of the Seminoles in the war of 1817 & 18 some of the chiefs have informed the whites that if that set are broken up, t;hey will have no more Indian troubles. I undrestand that this tribe of Indians, a few days since came in with a considerable drove of horses, which they swim across the river near their town, - I will suggest another hint to your excellency, which tho' seemingly astonising is never the less true, there are white men concerned with those Indians, who receive a part of their spoils, they therefore give the Indians immediate notice of every movement made by the whites, by which means they will be dificult to entrap, the most efficacious method I can percieve to get at the root of the evil, would be to send a special & trusty agent in that section, who by cautious prudence could learn all the particulars from some friendly Indian (chief) who could learn the depth of their turpitude, their numbers & other circumstances, after which your excellency would know what course to pursue.--- If the officers of this volunteer company are commissioned by your excellency, it is particularly desirable that they shall under no emergency be sent off from this place, as it would leave it entirely distitute of defence, not only from the Indians but perhaps from a much more dreaded foe, daily in our sight I have the honor to be Your excellency's most obt. & humble servt. Samuel Gaines His Excellency Intendant of the Town of Gov. Schley Fort Gaines [On Reverse] Letter Ft. Gaines Samuel Gaines 13 Jan. 37 ½ 19th January 1836 His Excellency Gov. Schley Volunteer Companies Milledgeville Ga Creek In. distrubances Mail Samul. Gaines. Fort Gaines p1247-1248 Fort Gaines To his Excellency Jany. 29, 1836 William Schley Sir. We feel constraind by the situation of our country to address you upon a subject in which the people of the southwestern part of the state of Georgia feel a deep and timly interest. Former communications have apprised you of the imminent danger in which we are placed, and which we have daily reason to apprehend, from the attacks of wandering bands of Creek Indinas which infest our frontier countries and which have therefore baffled the pursuit of every armed force we have sent aginast them. Rumors daily reach us of parties of these Indians, sometimes as high as seventy or eight [eighty] in company, having murdered in different parts of the country east of the Chatahoochee; and from various indications we have but too much reason to apprehend that the issues recently witnessed in East Florida, will be reanackted here. Our object in writing this letter is to apprise your Excellency that we are almost entirely destitute of arms, for our defence, having to depend exclusivly upon such as individuals may happen to possess, and which would be by no means effective in an Indian war. The Captain of the County guard has reported to the Colonel of the county, (and of the undersigned) that of the county stand of arms sent to the county of Early, there is but one solitary musket that would bear inspection. By some strange mistake or oversight, the arms sent us are refuse, worthless, and entirely out of repair, some have lost the cock, some the pan, some the triggers; some will not stand cocked, and others when cocked will not fire- and out of the seventy, there are but thirty that has flints. We therefore beg your Excellency to repair the error thus detailed, as early as practicable, and send us seventy five or a hundred effective arms- If it is practicable we would greatly prefer that number of Rangers in good order, with a sufficient supply of ammunition- but if not we hope that you will at once send us that number of good effective muskets. We remain, Your obt. Servants Josiah I. Patterson [Josiah J.Patterson ?] Abednego McGinty John Dill [On reverse] Letter Fort Gaines Ga. Free Patterson, McGinty 30th Jany and Dill His Excellency 29 Jany 1836 William Schley Millegeville Mail Geo. Josiah Patterson- Col. Dill & Col McGinty Creek Ind. Disturbances p1320-1322 Fort Gaines 26th May, 1836 His Excellency Gov. Schley: Dear Sir. Your very esteemed letter under date of 10th Inst. Came to this post office last Sunday s mail, upon its arrival here, I was abstent as a volunteer; with my Knap sack Musket &c upon my back, with about 200 others from this County; on our way to Roanoke in Stewart county, to drive the Hostile Creek Indians from that place. The particulars of its destruction by fire and burning of Men alive together with a number killed both White & Black. I presume have reached you ere this. Some of the dead bodies of Negroes was in there houses; lying on there backs, th ere Throats cut from year to year and stinking so very badly that we has to set the House onfire and burn up the Carcasses, that we might eat our bread & meat with Comfort- Such a state of Consternation & ruin (unless speedily remidied, I have never seen. For the first 3 or 4 days after the first panick I presume the like of movins was scarcely known before, from tis River to Flint. Almost onehalf the Inhabitants ran away & left all their plunder behind – Some is mustering up Courage enough to Sneak back & See what is the matter and, lo Genl Greene have taken full & entire possession of there Cotton Crops. Many Cotton Crops this side of the river. is entirely abandonded, Some plowing up and planting in Corn. We understand the Indians. are Consentrating there forces, in large numbers at Two or three points I have Challenged the whites to meet them. & try there Spunk. This part of the State is more exposed, to the depredations of the Hostile Indians, than, any other part. from the fact of this being the through way, from the Seminotes to the Creek's and I do think, when the Creeks are Ousted from there Strong holds; they will fly to Florida. Would it not, be advisable my dear sir. to send out such a strong force, to guard the River as to prevent there escape, to Florida, If that Communicationis cut of, it will be an easy matter to capture the vagabonds,. You no doubt, will receive in a few days orders from the War department, to raise a considerble force to march into the heart of the enemys. Country to join Alabama. & oust the enemy In anticipation of the Government orders. I hope you have already issued your orders. for raising the Cota from Georgia. If the Indinas are tolerably united in hostilities, you ;may take my word for it it will require 8,000 to 10,000 Men to drive them off. &c. You may think this Idical, but it is my honest opinion.- We have built us a temporary Fort here, in doing which, we had to press all the Scantling & plank, Sills, & house framings, for it was built in a hurry, hearing the Indians was on the way down from Roanoke., about ¼ of this Lumber is spoilt in Sawing, Short, & Cutting port holes, - We expect to be paid for the same, through the state from the Genl. Gopvernment. please give me you – views upon this matter. When Col. McGinty had his men summoned here for 10 days. To go to Roanoke. they came without, provisions or Cooking utensils, we had to press, Bacon, Flour, Corn, Fodder, & things to Cook with. Will not the Government be bound to pay for these things. please write me freely and soon. This is the first mail leaving this place, Since my return from Roanoke. I therefore imbrace this opportunity of Declining the Honor You was pleased to tender me of Commanding the Battallion intended to be stationed on this river., In the first place, it is impossible to Keep up a Military System when the men are in such detached parcels, & far between, 2nd It would be very onerous. on me at this season of the Year. to be traveling up & down the river, I mean from the 10th June to 10th Sept.- 3rd and by far not the least Excuse, that my private – business will not Justify my leaving home, so long. – Thus you will perceive that it will not be in my power to accept the appointment. – Allow me sir to return you my thanks for the Confidence you entertained toward me. &c. I am yr. obt. Sevt. Wm P. Ford. [On reverse] Letter Ft. Gaines E. D. 1833/6 Gen. Wm. P. Ford 28 May 31 May 1836 His Excellency William Schley Millegeville Geo. Creek War. p1325-1326 Fort Gaines 27th of May 1836 To His Excellency the Governor. Sir Having seen your general orders directed to Colonel McGinty of Earley County Requiring the drafted men to Rendezvous at Fort Twiggs. I deem it my duty as one of your Aids as well as a private Individual by the request of this entire section of the Country. To State to you what is the True Situation of the Counties of Randolph Earley and Baker and that when you Learn Our situation you will not Require us To furnish men only To be stationed near. for our protection for in fact if any needs protection it is us. the point of the Creek Nation is only about four miles distant from Fort Gaines – and The white inhabitants of the nation has fled from the nation entire except Irwinton. which is not yet abandoned by the inhabitants and which is dailey expected To for the same fate of Roanoake if so Fort Gaines next. perhaps before. for we are in a defenceless Situation at the present even the County of Randolph on the River, and the Pataula Creek has been abandoned by the Citizens of said County who have fled To the outer Counties for safety so that the effective force in said County is not at this Time more than 250 or 300 men at the fartherest and Earley not more than 200. or 250. and the County of Baker not near that number. now if your excellency does exact men from those Counties this section will I may say be entirely abandoned I would entreat you in behalf of the Citizens of this Country and for their protection To order the Commanding officers of each County to Raise one Company of men say 50 each and Let those Companies be stationed as follows To wit the Company from Earley at Fort Gaines as it is the Refuge for the women and children of this section with directions To scout the Country every day and Return at night up to Pataula Bridge and Olivers Hill opposite Irwinton- Alabama and The Companies of Randolph and Baker. To be statined at Olivers Hill and scout the Country from There to Roanoak which is a dangerous section and should be guarded Strictly for if ever the Indians are driven by the Troops from Alabama. There will be their ivasion in Georgia That is their direct Route To the Floridas and in their Retreat they will no doubt attempt To sweep all south with the besom of destruction – by Complying with the above you will save the people from the destruction of the savages also from famine for after those three Companies are Taken as above stated the balance will barely be sufficient to Raise provisions for the support of the Country an other year. whose families generally of the people of this county are dependent upon their daily labour for a support for the wealth of this County generally, is owned by men living in the upper Country. This Country will Certainly suffer. severely unless you adopt This course. for I may say that from 15 miles above the plantations are abandoned up as far as Columbus, as well as I Can learn and nothing like a support Can possibly be made – if you can Comply with the above Requistions you will be hailed by the people of these Counties as a protector and they in their Turn will not Treat you with ingratitude. I remain your humble servant. John Dill [On Reverse] Letter Col. John Dill 27 May 1836 Col. Dill His Excellency William Schley Answered 1st June 1836 Columbus Georgia Creek War p1332-1334 Fort Gaines 30th May 1836 Dear Sir. By Last mail I answered yours under date of 10th Inst. Tendering me the Command of the Battalllion of Mounted Infantry, to supply Majr. Howards when there time is out Say 10th next Month, to be rendervvoused at Fort Twig near Colunbus. and supply the different depoes. erected on the River. by Majr. Howard Corpes My principal reason for not accepting the Command, that it is very difficult to Keep soldiers in due bounds. even when under the immediate Eye of there Commander; and would be more difficulted to Keep subbordination with the men, when detached in Small parcels. I had not seen your general orders; for rendervousing the Various Companies you have ordered into Service, at Fort Twigs., West Point, & Columbus. prior to writing you to Milledgevilel by last Mail. If I understand you Correctly, I infer you intend to strenthen the various united points on the River. to deter the Ememy from Crossing over into Georgia. untill a sufficient force Consentrates from Ala. & Geo. as will drive the Indians from there strong holds & oust them in toto. From some cause best Known to yourself. there is a space of 56 miles below Fort McCrary 26 miles below Columbus. down to this place entirely unprovided for. and it is the most exposed to the Enemy. for it is a notorious fact. that the ground unprotected is the great throughway for the Seminoles & Creeks; they pass through this County & Baker, near the Line of the Two Counties, thence up through Randolph, into Stewart & cross – Now would it not be good policy to have the River below. From Roanoke to this place, well guarded & provid for. I assigned to you my reasons fully in my last letter. Why it was not Conveinant. for me to accept the proffered Command, My letter was directed to Milledgeville. Not knowing at that time you intended to take up your head Quarters at Columbus. I presume this will reach you at Columbus. as soon as my former letter; and I will say that if you can Consistenly with what you esteem to be your duty, allow the Battallion you desired me to Command to the Rendervouse at any point from Roanoke to this place. (the Indian Line Comes within 3 miles of this place.) & guard that portion of the River, I will with much pleasure accept the Command and discharge the duties required to the best of my abilities. I am ready at a moments warning to assume the Command, provided our part of the River receives that attention, that the daingers absolutely demands. With the number of men you have Called to Fort Twigs, of the drafted Men, I shuld think altogether sufficient. for the security of that section independent. of the Battalion of Mounted Infantry. Should be glad to hear from you soon. I am dear sir. Yr. obt. Servt. Wm P. Ford. P. S. 200 Hundred of our Early Boys. and our Company of Mounted men, from Baker, say 50 have been up to Roanoke determined to drive the enemy from there or die in the attempt. (Myself with my namsack andn Musket as a private soldier. one of the Volunteer) But Lo no enemy was there, Some men joined us from Randolph Co. The Scene at Roanoke was horrid; some of the negroes that was Killed by the Indinas. there throats Cut from Ear to Ear. & almost rotten all the principal houses are burned down. I Saw some of the Bones of persons burned up in Col. Gibsons house. Ford If you desire my services I can meet you in Columbus at any given day. Ford. [On reverse] Letter Fort Gaines Ga. 12 ½ Gen. Wm. P. Ford. May 30th 30 May 1836 Genl. Ford His Excellency William Shley Govr. of Georgia. at his Head Quarters Columbus, Geo. Creek War. p 1378-1381 Fort Gains Geo. 13th June 1836 Gov. Schley Dr Sir your favor of the 1st June by Doct Husan was read 9th Inst. I regret that I detained the 18 Drafted men from this County – But I am sure if you Could have witnessed the allarm that privaded This whole siction of Country that you would not blame me for what I have done we had more than a hundred woman and children from the town of Irwenton besides nearly all the surrounding County Collected at our village for protection. I therefore felt it my duty to Collect such a force as would allay the fears of our allarmd Citizens – which I have done by ordering in to service – The Ft. Gaines Guards and ordered Col. McGinty to raise two Companies more from Early – by Volunteers or draft which was done by Draft and have Stationd them also at this place and have had them Temporarily Mustered in to Service for three months if not sooner discharged. With this fource we have been able to Keep a guard out at night which is of Great relief to our Women and the Troops ready to march against the Indians Should they attempt to pass this way. I have had a man appointed to discharge the duty of Quartermaster to furnish such Camp acquippage and other necessaries in his line as Could not be done with out also a Comasary to furnish rations who is to receive the same pay for them as are allowed at Columbus for the same. as for arms we have what was sent to Early County last winter – with what Could be raised of different kinds by the Men drafted, Tho still a considerable dificintcy – the fixed amunition is nearly all Exausted from necessaryly firing off ther arms to Keep them in good order. Therefore I have Caused them to prepare more so as to Keep a good supply on hand. We have built a small Fort for our safety in Case this place should be attacked and from the vareous reports from above we have had good reasons to expect on the 10th Inst. an Express from Genl. Irwin from Irwinton passed this place on its way to the lower part of Georgia Informing the public that a large force of Indians from two to three thousand had crossed the river in to Georgia at the mouth of Hatchachohee Creek, and in less than a half hour after wards the Enclosed Express reached me Inducing us to believe that the news were true; - therefore under all those Exciting reports and the posibility of the Indians passing by this place on their way to Florida Which I have no doubt they will do. I hope you will allow our Small fource be accepted as part of theTroops raised for the protection of our frontiers to remain at this place Except the Indians Should Cross near a naugh to this place for those troops to render assistence in which Case they would assist readyly participate owing to the mawmourous Excuses rendered by men drafted for the two Companeys here, the Companeys are not full But I thought it was better for them to remain as they are than to order a full draft, the Fort Gaines Guards never was a full Compy- Capt. S. V. Wilson was Commissiond Capt. of the Guards But from disabillaties he could not serve and the Campy Elected James P. Holms to their Command. Enclosed you will please find a Brief sketch of this small Batallion which is still under the Command of Col. McGinty. for the want of tents we have substituted shelters made by the Troops of Clap boards to protect them from the Rain & sun while in Camp. – now I have given you a brief account of our situation will you please have us Infomd whether you recognise us on them as a part of your army and who to report to and such other things as we aught to do &c. Your most obedient Servant John Dill [On reverse] Letter Ft. Gains Ga. Col. John Dill 13th June Frm. J. Dill P. M. 13 June 1836 To His Excellency William Schley Columbus, Ga. Creek War A true copy of an Express recd from Capt. H. Adain Commandin at Olivers Hill Randolph County Ga Col. Dill Dr. Sir. by Express from the Army above we recd. Information that the Indians have taken their march for Florida- they Crossd at the Hatchachaba Whipd. the Whites – Burnd Ft. McCrary & formd their line of march towards Lumpkin. Major Horn of Gwinnett that made his Excape saw them form the two after Battle and Estimates their forces at between 2 & 3 Thousand. – Twenty seven whites fell at the first attack. Signd. Hiram Adain in Command at Olivers Hill This report and the one attached to in my letter from Genl. Irwin has put our Country in a worse allarm than they had been at any preveous date Tho we now have learnd it is false. While I was writing off this Coppy two men came in to learn the news, Informs me that all the people in the lower part of the Country has left their homes and taken up their abode in the swamps- such false allarms is unpardonable. p1384 Ft. Gaines Geo. 27th June 1836 Gov. Schley Dr. Sir By express last night we learn that a Considerate Body of Indians are laying waist the citizens of Baker county the Express Mr. Hooks, a man of varasity saw eight of the killed—mostly weamon & children we send al lthe help we can from here and I have sent an express to Blakely and to burn bridges so they may be ready for them before they reach Florida the express still heard the guns firing in the neighborhood when he left and presume much damage would be done as the swamp they were at was passing through a thick settlement.-------------- This is the Way I have wrote you and be the last alternative of those Indians. Yours most Respectfully John Dill [On Reverse] Ft. Gaines From J. Dill Q. M. 27 June Col. John Dill His Excellency William Schley Columbus Letter Col. John Dill 27 June 1836 Creek War. p.1389 Fort Gaines 3rd July 1836 Dr. Sir I presume you will hear By Express that our Troops had a Battle yesterday in Baker County. If not this will inform you that our party killed fifteen Indians that was found and suppose from the appearance that many was caried off dead and crippled the Indians was put to flight but still in the swamp 7 whites wounded 2 mortal Our troops still in pursuit yours Respectfully and obedient servant John Dill [On Reverse] Ft. Gaines 4th July From Jno. Dill Q. M. His Excellency William Schly Columbus Letter Col. John Dill 2 July 1836 Creek War p1405-1406 Ft. Gaines Ga. 11th July 1836 Dr Governor I am well apprised that you are very tired of receiving Communications of but little Importance – And at the same time I Know you are apprised how hard it is to Keep Malitia troops in a good humaur And in Consequence of the troops at this place having not bin mustered by the proper Authority yet they are becoming dissatisfied And some are disposed to doubt the validity of their being cald in to service and are disposed to sinsure me for Calling them in to service without any authority &c. Now sir will you do me the favor to acKnoledge the validity of their being cald out in such a shape as will Extracate me from sinsure and give peace to the Troops in service at this place, from the Indians being in Baker County Caused a large portion of the Citizens of the East part of Early to flee to this place and to Blakely (our Court house) for protection and a large portion of women and children was collected at Blakely and very few men, I have ordred one of the Compys. here to March to that place for a few days as their families were many of them at that place which I hope will be satisfactory We have no news from Baker lately – Gen. White & others yesterday Morning for Baker. I believe there is no Troops statiand between here and Roanoke which gives the Indians a great opening to cross over into Georgia if they are disposed to do so being a distance of about forty miles. Sir I have the honour To be your Humle servt. John Dill P. S. Dr. Sir if you do not Sustain me in my Millatary Arrangements here I am Dmd for ever with a certain Class of our Country. Very Respectfully J. Dill His Excellency William Schley Columbus Geo. [On Reverse] Letter Fort Gains Colo John Dill 11th July Free J. Dill P. M. 13 July 1836 Answered 13th July 1836 His Excellency William Schley Columbus, Ga. The Indians have left Chickasawhecky and gone 10 miles to the East to Coolewakee swamp still in Baker Troops in pursuit.