Aug & Sept 1759 before Lyttleton Expedition of Oct 1759
There used to be a style of crime movies in the 1970s where different scenes of activity were shown simultaneously on the screen. So too is the case here in 1759. Up in the north French forts are falling. In the middle states, Pa and Va are consolidating their hold In "Pittsburg," building an immense fort not yet finished until almost winter's end of 1759. Down south, the Cherokees are struggling under a black powder embargo, the vicious irony of which is to stop further aggression but which is really creating a bigger reason for all out war.
We've been tracking the genesis of this all out war coming in 1760.
Looking back it has an inevitability to it.
We don't understand those who are different from us today. Certainly our society today seems to have an intense dislike of each other. How can we expect differently of the past? Each era has its own blindspots.
We believe the first signs of this problem showed up in Winchester VA in 1757.
The Cherokee were told "presents" were to be found at Williamsburg. Then they were told those presents were waiting at Winchester. Both lies, as the great warriors accused. They held 3 days of debates outside Fort Loudoun Winchester. As translated, the debates had the sound and nobility of speeches of Ancient Greece and Rome. The Cherokee held forth as our Captain George Mercer looked on in dismay that something worse was about to unfold.
But it didn't.
Yet the threats and promises to steal horses and supplies did materialize later.
The Cherokees felt this due them. And for good reason. They were much better at reconnaisance and being the point of spear than the white man. White Men were like land lubbers at sea. Goofy, loud, unaware. Most of them. Except for some of the officers and scouts.
So when they decided at Fort Loudoun after 3 days of debates to help the Virginia Regiment, and after returning from raids conducted with the Virginia Regiment, they again found they weren't recompensed for their sacrifice for ignoring early hunting season, and for the shame of bringing nothing home back to their people.
So, on the way back home, they found some horses and supplies to take.
This caused a revolt by the whites. The back and forth of this revenge cycle culminated in war.
This cycle of de ja vue all over again happened in late 1758 too.
And the paybacks continued into 1759.
By 1760, Francis Marion (later known as the Swamp Fox in the Rev War) makes his first appearance signing up for the Lyttleton Expediton Oct 1759. And that expedition is a chaotic mess.
It is followed by 2 expeditions. Montgomery Expedition doesn't finish the job, but Grant's Expediton gets the job done. It is a wonder the Cherokee Nation survived after that in 1762.
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By early August, four war parties from the Lower Towns led attacks on white settlements
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The Lower Townsmen agreed to go into war if the Creeks would join them (according to South Carolina Gazette 22 Sept 1759). On August 3 two Lower Towns deputies left for Coweta town with Nehalatchco. Their intent was to trigger a Creek-Cherokee uprising to kill the English among them on August 24 (according to Maryland Gazette 20 Sept 1759). War parties from Toxaway, Consatchee and Estatoe began to steal into the woods toward the North Carolina frontier.
Attacks
The Cherokee parties took scalps on the Broad and Pacolet rivers; but the Creek uprising failed to materialize.
Atkin instrumental in stopping Creek-Cherokee alliance
Warned by Lyttleton, who had Coytmore's report of the plot, Atkin and neutral Creek headmen stifled the effort to stampede the Cowetas (according to South Carolina Gazette 1 Sept 1759).
Going around SC by working with GA Gov
With the collapse of Creek support, Wawhatchee sought peace with the English. He sent to Georgia Governor Ellis urging him to come into the wood to talk over Cherokee grievances.
The Indian's move appears to be an effort to circumvent Coytmore, who controlled communications with Charlestown.
The Lower Towns had developed a great dislike for the Lieutenant Coytmore, who in July had taken a firm line with them. They accused him of rumming up and painting himself in the warrior's fashion and coming to Keowee to stomp and boast and to play with the Indian women (according to South Carolina Journals 19 Oct 1759).
Embargo 14 Aug 1759
Actually Wawhatchee had no quarrel with Lyttleton at the time he entered into the conspiracy with the Creeks; for Lyttleton had taken no action to emargo the Cherokee trade. Not until 14 Aug 1759 did the Governor order ammunition cut off from the nation and reinforcement prepared for Coytmore and Demere. It was Coytmore, carrying out his duty, who was forcing the situation. He held out for the surrender of the Estatoe murderers, and, prying into Wawhatchee''s councils with informants, occasioned distrust.
In the nation hostility heightened by report of the ammunition embargo coincided with the unceasing efforts of the conspiracy to precipitate war.
Another Attack
Near Great Tellico, young Setticoes under the warrior Tuscoloso ambushed a convoy carrying flour to Fort Loudoun and killed a straggling pack-horse man. Near Fort Prince George was shot at.
Sounds like the arguments about Japan in the 1980s and China in the 2020s:
Round O wonders where his fellow Cherokee will get their clothes, hatchets, knives, and blackpowder if they war against England who supplies them these needs?
In the new tension Round O Stecoe, hearing of the bad behavior in the Lower Towns, went down to the Keowee and gave the headmen a stiff dressing out. Asserting his friendship for the English, he asked the Keowee what they thought they were about.
"had they found a mountain of powder? Had their women learned to make clothes and their men to make knives? Hatches? .. . where was their store? He would like to come and deal with them if perhaps the southern Indians [the Mortar's gang, some of whom were present] can supply you."
Round O warned the Lower Towns to mend their ways or he would start a Creek war by killing all their Creek visitors. Returning to Stecoe, he caused two of his young men, who had joined with Conasatchees in raiding the whites, to be scratched from head to foot.
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Still under construction as of 9/13/2023
More to follow, and upate
Lots of great maps and links
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