Little Carpenter's Frequent Flyer Miles
What is Attakullakulla (Little Carpenter) doing now, as we cover 1759 in this year of 2023 ? He was in Winchester VA until January 9, 1759. He and his group were stripped of their muskets. General Forbes ordered that he and his group be stripped, incensed that the man and his group weren't helping on the cause of reducing Fort DuQuesne. And so now, defenseless, Attakullakulla and his group are in White Land. He's got to travel to a more populated white area. He leaves Winchester VA on 9 Jan 1759, three days after our now retired and resigned Colonel George Washington marries Martha in New Kent County on 6 Jan 1759, very near Williamsburg where Attakullakulla is heading. And that's what he and his band and an escort, interpreter Abraham Smith, are doing in February 1759. They are on their way to Williamsburg.
They arrive in Williamsburg 19 Jan 1759. They have an audience with the Governor Fauquier and his Executive Council (a sort of combo upper chamber to the House of Burgesses and a state Supreme Court).
Take a look at how this man travelled a good portion of the globe.
He went across the Atlantic Ocean to London in 1730, on a ship called the man of war, The HMS Fox (formerly The HMS Nightingale), no SST that was. He and the other Cherokee had an audience there with King George II.
He went out to the Mississippi near today's Memphis TN near Fort L'Assumption, gaining two French scalps. He went to the Ohio, near today's Pittsburgh.
He went to Charles Town several times, today's Charleston SC. He wanted to trade his French prisoners there for black slaves. South Carolina law forbid selling black slaves to Indians, while no law outlawed selling an Indian as a slave
But before all that, his son says his father was orginally born near the Great Lakes. Attakullakulla may have been around 1700. His son says his father, Attakullakulla, was captured when an infant and carried all the way down to Overhill Cherokee country and raised as a Cherokee.
Around 1740 he was captured by the Ottawa, allies of the French. They held him captive in Quebec until 1748.
He saw a lot of territory. He also saw quite a querulous lot of people. He managed all insults. He managed all trials. Like avoiding his own targeted death. He kept his cool. Kept pushing for the peace with the English. There was just no good alternative. And not all his people understood fully the juggernaut coming at them. Just getting through the day was enough. All this from a man whose home was in the Smokies.
Imagine if he had had Netflix or HBO or Paramount streaming and hung out on the couch to watch a marathon of Yellowstone? You can bing watch the first 5 seasons on Peacock btw. Yeah. But Attakullakullah? We're reading about a time and a generation not pacified by such pacifiers, although full disclosure requires me to say I am current on Yellowstone and waiting for the 2nd half of the 6th season. I wonder we have any stones to judge anyone, if ever we are prone to do so.
But back to this man and who he was. This small man was big. When he was younger and smaller, he caught the eye of his elders enough to want to take him with them to London in 1730. By April 1759 he's telling the Governor of SC that he, Attakullakulla, is the only one left living who went on that trip to London to see King George II.
That's it.
That's our lead story.
There's always more.
Skip around.
Read bits and pieces.
Compiled and authored by Jim Moyer 2/4/2023, updated last 1013am, 1143am 2/5/2023
Table of Contents
What's in a Name?
Run down the links in these footnotes is a good starting point to verify the claims made here:
Early in his life, he was first known as Onkanacleah.[6] According to anthropologist James Mooney, Attakullakulla's Cherokee name could be translated as "leaning wood", from ada meaning "wood", and gulkalu, a verb that implies something long, leaning against some other object. His name "Little Carpenter" was related both to the English meaning of his Cherokee name and a reference to his physical stature. Naturalist William Bartram described the chief as "a man of remarkable small stature, slender, and delicate frame."[7] "His ears were cut and banded with silver, hanging nearly down to his shoulders." He was mild-mannered, brilliant, and witty.[8]
Contemporary Felix Walker also described Attakullakulla by the following: just “as a white carpenter could make every notch and joint fit in wood, so he could bring all his views to fill and fit their places in the political machinery of his nation”.[9] He also was known to excel at building houses.[10]
At Williamsburgh 19 Jan 1759
Meet with Gov and Executive Council
The Governor acquainted the Council , that the Little Carpenter accompanied by Fourteen of the Cherokees , and [Abraham] Smith , the Interpreter ,was come here ,and desired a Conference , which he thought it necessary to summon them to attend and assist at ; and communicated a Letter from Mr. Christopher Gist , Deputy Agent for Indian Affairs , dated Winchester Decemr . 27th signifying he could
End of page
#143 (p.125) Executive Journals , Council of Colonial Virginia 125
not put off the said Indians from going by Williamsburg , the Little Carpenter being unwilling to return Home , till he had settled all the Differences between his Nation and this Colony — that tho ' he had not behaved well , and according to his Promise to the General [Forbes], yet he is allowed by every Body to be a Man of Power in his own Nation — was of Opinion he should wait on his Honor , and had therefore sent [Abraham] Smith the Interpreter with him — that he should have come down himself , but had the General's Orders to meet him at Carlisle in Pensylvania , as soon as he had sent all the Indians from that Place , to receive his Directions respecting Indian Service for the ensuing Year .
The Board being inform'd that the Indians were attending , they were immediately admitted into the Council - Chamber , and the Governor and Council having taken them all by the Hand , his Honor by the Interpreter , told them he understood they had given themselves the Trouble of coming to visit him , having Something of Consequence to say , that they were now at Liberty to speak , he and his Council being ready to hear their Talk .
The Little Carpenter answer'd , he was sent in here by the Head - Man of Choto , to enquire into the Cause of the Quarrel between some of his People , and the Inhabitants of this Colony , and endeavour to heal all Wounds — was sensible Irregularities had been committed by those of his Nation in their Return Home , and that they had acted in an unjustifiable Manner — believed there had been Faults on both Sides , and hoped their falling out would be buried in Oblivion —that being come into the Country , he was desirous of seeing the General , and accordingly visited him , signifying at the same Time the Business that brought him into the Country , and that it was not in his power to go to War , being obliged to return Home as soon as he could .
That he came now to see the Governor to desire that all Animosities might be forgot ; that a Path might be kept open and clear ; that a Trade which had been promis'd them , and they had long expected , might be established ; and that their fort might be properly garrison'd ; and requested a satisfactory Answer to take with him . T
he Governor then directed the Interpreter to tell him , that what he had said , should be consider'd , and an Answer given him To - morrow Morning at Twelve o'clock in the Council
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#144 (p.126) 126 Executive Journals , Council of Colonial Virginia
Chamber . They then withdrew , expressing Joy in their Coun tenances at the favourable Reception they had met with .
Source:
20 Jan 1759
Governor's response to Attakullakulla and his 14 Cherokee.
23 Jan 1759
Little Carpenter's defense of accusations made against his not helping General Forbes or meeting him in Carlisle PA as requested:
the Little Carpenter ; who being ask'd if he had any Thing more to say , answer'd that he and his Company expected to receive some Presents for the Trouble they had under gone , and hoped they should not be dismiss'd without them . The Governor told him by the Mouth of the Interpreter , that all the Indians who accompanied the General to War , had proper Presents made to them ; that those who declin’d assisting us against the Enemy , had no Title to any . The Little Carpenter repeated , that
his Business here , was not to go to War ; adding that he had not withstanding given his Promise , at the Solicitations of the General , to attend him , which he should have perform’d , had he not been dissuaded by their Conjurer , who judged the Consequencies of their proceeding with the Army , would prove fatal to them .
Source:
Governor's response to Attakullakulla and his 14 Cherokee.
The Gover nor replied , that if such an Excuse was to be admitted as a Justification of their Conduct , we could never depend on any future Promise of Aid from them ; and that our Success , the Enemy not daring to face us , might convince them , what little Confidence they ought to put in the Predictions of their Conjurer ; that however he should be indulged with a Horse to carry him Home , and that his People might always depend upon being well rewarded , if here after they did us any real Service ; his Honor concluded with assuring them , the Goods promis’d , should be sent early in the Spring , and wishing them their Health , and a good Journey .
Source:
1730 Peace Treaty
He's there on the far right in picture below when he visited London in 1730.
But the North Caroline Encyclopedia claims he is the center man in the picture.
He was first known as Onkanacleah. (page 4 of link)
And then later as Attakullakulla. James Mooney thinks Attakullakulla could be translated as "leaning wood", from ada meaning "wood", and gulkalu, a verb that implies something long, leaning against some other object.
No one is left alive in that picture by the time Attakullakulla goes to Charles Town (now known as Charleston SC) in 1759.
On 18 April 1759, he tells Gov Lyttleton
that he, Attakullakulla (Little Carpenter),
is, "the only one alive of those who went to see the Great King." See source.
The 7 leaders were: Attakullakulla (alleged on the far right), Oukah-Ulah, Clogoittah, Kallannah, Tahtowe, Kittagusta, and Ounaconoa.
Different Cherokee visited London in 1761.
A New Year's parade in London celebrates that fact.
So Little Carpenter is the last band of Cherokee hanging in there with the Forbes Expedition. But he and his men won't be for long.
The ship on which the Cherokee travelled
Little Carpenter (Attakullakulla) travels
Attakullakulla's Origin Story
But before all that his son says his father was orginally born near Lake Superior of the Nipissing but was captured and carried all the way down to Overhill Cherokee country and raised as a Cherokee.
Page 40
You have to rent time on this archive.org link
The journal of Major John Norton, 1816 by Norton, John, b. ca. 1760 Benn, Carl, 1953-; Klinck, Carl F., 1908-1990; Talman, James J., 1904- Originally published: 1970
Attakullakulla's sons:
Turtle-at-Home, or Selukuki Wohelengh, was a Cherokee warrior and leader, brother and chief lieutenant of Dragging Canoe
Dragging Canoe
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