Native American Archives – Page 98 of 341

The Creoles’ City

Scarcely had the low, clay chimneys of a few woodsmen’s cabins sent up, through a single change of seasons, their lonely smoke-wreaths among the silent willow jungles of the Mississippi, when Bienville began boldly to advocate the removal of the capital to this so-called ” New Orleans.” But, even while lie spoke, the place suffered a total inundation. Yet lie continued to hold it as a trading post of the Mississippi Company, and, by the close of 1720, began again, in colonial council, to urge it as the proper place for the seat of government; and though out-voted, lie sent … Read more

African Slaves and Indian Wars

The problem of civilization in Louisiana was early complicated by the presence and mutual contact of three races of men. The Mississippi Company’s agricultural colonial scheme was based on the West Indian idea of African slave labor. Already the total number of blacks had risen to equal that of the whites, and within the Delta, outside of New Orleans, they must have largely preponderated. In 1727 this idea began to be put into effect just without the town’s upper boundary, where the Jesuit fathers accommodated themselves to it in model form, and between 1726 and 1745 gradually acquired and put … Read more

1758, February 20, Letter to His Excellency

Sir Your Dispatches of the 18th and 30th tell I received the 18th Just –f. James Holmes, The lak Affair of Sam Binn is Intirely forgot, and the Indians all satisfy’d, As to the Tellico People Jean Denture to Afsure you Excellency that they are Entirely Reformed, and behave Ex treamly well, and (Thank God) we at present live in Great Harmony, and Friendship with all the Nation. On the 15th selt arrived at this Fort the Little Carpenter, and the Great Warriour of Chotta, with their Party, they brought with them, two French men, and the Twighvee Indian woman … Read more

1758, November 27, Fort Loudoun

Sir this is to acquaint, your Excellency that the 25 jnstant two Runners came to latt me know that the great Warriour and judge Friend, (who had been to war Some time ago towards the French Fort) were at a Day’s Journey from the Fort; Accordingly yesterday, judge Friend with his Gang Came, and told me that the great Warrior and him, with the rest would wait on me, which they did, j recived them with the Honour that they expect on Such Occasion, j gave them an Entertainment, and the two warriors dined with me, they brought three Scalps, … Read more

1759, January 1, Fort Loudoun

Sir J have recived your Excellency’s Dispatche of the 15 December Sic Days before j recived from Lieut. Outerbriege a Copy of Mr. Duvalt’s Letters, and in the Same time, two of your Letters, one Octr. 27th, the other Novr. 18th immediately j sent to Old Hop to acquaint him that j had Letters to Communicate to him the next Day. Accordingly j went, and found him in the Town House, with many jndians. J thanck’d him in your Name for all the goods Talks that he had given from timt to time and hoped he would percerer in his … Read more

1758, March 2, Fort Loudoun

Sir Your Dispatch I received the 28th ultimate and immediately ordered Willm. Woodwareth to get himSelf ready. I am very Glad that the Earl of Loudoun has granted us Provisions, and would to God, it had be so before I come to this Place, it would have saved me great deal of trouble & uneaSiness. You acquaint me, Sir, that Mr. Stead is to Supply the Fort with ProviSions, I wiSh he may Send Send Some Body as soom as possible to Settle with with my store Keeper, and Send Some Meat Kind, for there is none to be got … Read more

1757, August 4, Letter to Cherokee Nation

Edmon Pittkins Esq. His Britainioh Majesty King George’s Agent for and Superintendent of the Affairs of his faithfull Allies the Severall Nations of Indians fr_habiting the frontiers of his colonife of Original, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and Georgia and their Confererates To Conicoughly Governour of the whole Nation of Cherokee Indians. Brother, King George the father of all the white people L____ on thir Side the Great Water, hath talen it into Consideration that the Governour’s of his severall Colonies have Enough to do to mind wile the Affairs of the White people; and cannot go to Visit the … Read more

1757, October 11, Letter #2

Sir On the 13th September arrived at his House Judge Friend very Sick from Virginia, he has brought some Horses Loaded with presents, and a White Man to wait on him, the next Day at his own Request I went to see him, as he Lives but Little Distance from the Fort. he told me he was very glad to see me, and if he had been well, he would have sav’d me the Trouble, but as soon as he should find himself better, he would come to have a talk with me, and would Inquire of the Conduct of … Read more

1757, October 8, Willanawa’s Talk

Wee the Cherokees have always received good Talks from our Brother the Governor of South Carolina, till this Last, which is Concerning the Spilling of Blood, Wee hope Neverthelefs, that we shall ever for the future, have Contrary Talks, Wee hope our Ears will always be Open, to hear what Our Father King George, and our Brother in Carolina says to us. The Governor of Chotee is present, and hears my Talk, He Loves his People, As his Father King George Order’d him, to Love and Regard all the English & Cherokees, who are Brothers and all his Children, The … Read more

1758, October 15, Fort Loudoun

Sir two Days ago j recived you Excellency’s Letter of the 28th of August, with another for Old Hop. Accordingly yesterday j went to Chotee and delivered it to him he told me, he was very glad to hear from you, and desired me to acquaint your Excellency that you Might depend on him, and that he would do always his best Endeavours, to keep Peace & Harmony between the English, & his People, that he was very Sorry, for what had happened but he could not help it. As Mr. Beamer’s Son was with me, he gave him a … Read more

1758, November 6, Fort Loudoun

Sir J recived your Letter of the 2 of Octr. And Since j had the Honour to write you Excellency last, Every Body has been very Quiet in these Parts. Few Days ago old Hop invited me to go to his Town, accordingly j went; as j was riding throw their Towns j was Sruprised to See all their House Shewt up, and no Man, When j camd to Chotee j asked the old Man what was become of all the Men, for j had seen but three of four, he answered they are all gone hunting but, said he, … Read more

1757, October 11, Fort Loudoun

Sir I am very Sorry that I had forgot to Mention to you Excellency, the Receit of the Letter of the 10th of August & that of the 21st of July, with a Pokett compass. It is impossible for me to describe how tormented I am Every Day with the Indians. Some bring their Guns to be mended & it must be done because the Carpenter told them it should be So, and you promised him; Some bring Hatchets to be mended other Padlocks to have keys made to them; others want Salt, others sometimes Meat, & great many other … Read more

1758, April 10, Fort Loudoun

Sir Lieut. Col. Honorth arrived here the 5th instant and deliver’d me a Letter from your Excellency. I am afraid he sha’nt carry but few Indians with him from these Towns, for great Many are gone Towards the Frence Fort, or to the North. On the 3rd instant a Gang of 21 Indians from Satico, (who went away from the Fort, the 9th ultimate) arrived here, they brought with them two Scalps, they did Stay Some time, and seeing no Presents, they went away dissatisfied. I have enquired since of a Man that has been with them at Satico if … Read more

1758, June 24, Fort Loudoun

Sir As Mr. Elliot is going to town j take this opportunity, to acquaint your Excellency, that on the 25th ultimate, john Brown and McClain, another Villian like him, j being afraid to be talen up Stold Horses & went away, a little Distance from the Fort, they met a Soldier Thos. Thompson of my Company who was looking after a Horse, they persuaded him to go with them to look after Beavers Traps, great Search was made after the Soldier, and jndian the night after said that Brown had hired him, to go with him down the River for … Read more

1758, September 30, Fort Loudoun

Sir A few Days after enfion Coytmore went from hence Richard Smith the Linguifter came here from Fort Cumberland with a letter to Old Hop from the late Governour Mr. Glen to invite the Cherokees to go to War with the General against the French. They debated on the Subject a few Days, at last the Little Carpenter said he would go; and fixed on the twentieth of August for his Journey. He beat up for Volunteers, and went away with thirty. I received a Letter from your Excellency the Difturbances between the People in Virginia and thefe People have … Read more

1759, December 12, Fort Loudoun

Sir I have Received a Letter from Lieut. Coytmore of the 6th Instant by John Arcy, by which he acquaints Me, that your Excellency’s Orders were: that Old Hop shou’d b informed that the Little Carpenter, of any other Head Man, shou’d be appointed, to come down to Keowee with Power to settle matters, as shou’d be found requisat to make things Straight, as He himself was present. Accordingly I sent for him to come to the Fort, and that I had a Letter to communicate to him; but the Old Fellow sent me severall excuses, saying that it was … Read more

8 May 1759, Fort Loudon

We have been to y French fort and no Succefs. Y reason of it wafs, while 42 of our brefkost Younge fellows was waiting about the fort, and y rest of us within Eight Mile of it with our canoes at camp, gooding Stole one of the cannos and wone of our people that wafs Lurking About y fort See the French Indians beat him, the outside of y fort, he stole away with him 2 of our jndians Bundles, y French and Indians purfued our People from y fort on the information Gooding Gave Them. We Left our Cannoes … Read more

16th Century French Exploration of North America

An AccessGenealogy Exclusive: Richard Thornton’s study of the Sixteenth Century French Exploration of North America – replete with maps and images – Much of the research in this report was drawn from two books by former Congressman Charles Bennett of Florida, which were interpolated with the author’s personal knowledge of Georgia coast – while fishing, canoeing, sailing and camping in the region between Darien, GA and Jacksonville, FL. The author was born in Waycross, GA, is a Creek Indian and is an expert on Muskogean culture. The first book by Bennett, Three Voyages, translated the memoirs of Captain René Goulaine de Laudonniére. The second book by Bennett, De Laudonniére and Fort Caroline, translated the memoirs and letters by other members of the French colonizing expeditions. These books are supplemented by the English translation of Jacques Le Moyne’s illustrated book, Brevis narratio eorum quae in Florida Americai provincia Gallis acciderunt,” Le Moyne was the official artist of the Fort Caroline Colony, and one of the few who survived its massacre by the Spanish.

1759, February 27, Fort Loudoun

Sir I received you Dispatches of the 2nd Inst. The 25th Last month I acquainted you Excellency that the Great Warriour had disappointed me in not going to Warr as he promised, Giving out in the town Houses that a Great many white people where coming up to destoy them from Charlestown, On which their Young people grew very Imertinent Threatening to kill the white people here, & then Stop the Communication between their & Keowee, the Same day the Exprefs left this I Send the Linguister to Chattuga, to see if Thickleggs, a warriour of that town wou’d go … Read more

1757, July 20, Fort Loudoun

Sir On the 15th Instant there was a great concorse of Indians of all the Towns at Chota Town houfe to hear the Talk that the two warriours Mefsengers from Old Hop, had brought from the Creeks, but it was nothing Like a Talk, it was only a friendly advise from the Creeks, to the Cherokees and Compliments from one to the other; when it was excepected other ways, the man killer of Tellico was present, if he has Said one word tending to the French I had peole enough there Ready to take his up & Shut his mouth, … Read more