Gwinnett COUNTY, GA - Creek War - 1836 Shepherd's Plantation ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: bj berrykeeper Record of Events - May 15th, 1836 - Dawn - After a series of land treaties with the Creek were broken, the people of the town of Roanoke, Georgia was attacked by Creek Renegade Leader, Jim Henry and approximately 250 Creek warriors. The Creek set the town on fire, burning plantations, homes and businesses and destroying livestock. Fifteen residents were killed before a milita arrived. Jim Henry and his warriors then attacked steamers on the Chattahoochee River, sinking one, and killing and wounding the crew and passengers on another. It is estimated that 2400 people fled their homes for the safety of Columbus. It was discovered that the Creek were planning a similar attack on Hog Mountain, Georgia. A militia was organized to avert the battle to a safer location, farther from the town of Hog Mountain. On May 24, 1836, Captain Hammond Garmany and First Lieutenant John N. Reeves formed Captain Garmany's Mounted Volunteers to protect their homes and families. It was decided to send Captain Hammond Garmany's Mounted Volunteers to Shepard's Plantation in Stewart County. Late in the afternoon of June 9, 1836, Garmany's soldiers were preparing their evening meal, when they heard two shots in the distance and went to investigate. They easily found Jim Henry's Creek, in a wooded field and began to fire on them. The Creeks kept falling back, allowing Garmany's unit to proceed farther. Finally, the Creek had manuvered Garmany's unit into a box trap so they were surrounded by around 250 warriors. Captain Garmany ordered a retreat and most of his men fell back to a local farm and were able to stave off the Creek until Major Jernigan's unit arrived from Fort Jones. Seventeen of Garmany's had become seperated from the battle and later arrived from nearby Fort McCreary. These men had been chased through the woods by the Creek for hours, fearing for their lives. James Martin, Issac Lacy, James Allen, James Holland, Robert Holland, Henry Paden, William Sims and James Tate were killed that day. 1837 - Georgia - A meeting was held in Lawrenceville to decide ! to have the bodies of the eight young men who had died at Shepherd's Plantation brought back to Gwinnett County. They were buried with military honors in a common grave on Friday, February 17th, 1837, in the northwest corner of the courthouse yard . Henry Fitzsimmons was hired to make a marble monument dedicated to these men.