Lyttelton's Expedition mid to end of Nov 1759
South Carolina Governor Lyttelton was appointed on 14 Nov 1759 to be Governor of the empire's most profitable colony Jamaica. He was appointed this post by London's Board of Trade.
He doesn't know this. It's going to take almost 3 months for him to get this message. He doesn't assume the Jamaica governorship until 1760.
Meanwhile, his motley, torn up, diseased army is slowly approaching the Cherokee Nation. And Francis Marion, the future's Swamp Fox is in it.
As it does approach, more desert, because of diseases, such as measles and small pox.
And his human shields, two groups of Cherokee hostages see this.
Virginia has only decided to send some troops [some of them who garrisoned Fort Loudoun] to its own border. And it stopped the supply train of gifts to the Cherokees currently sitting in Salisbury, NC.
Hostage situation
Along with Lyttelton's army are two Cherokee hostage groups under armed guard.
One is under Round O's group of 45 men, women and children.
The other of Oconostota's group of 55 men, women and children.
But there's a 3rd group of hostages at Fort Prince George.
The Cherokee don't want to push the whites into killing any hostages. That possibilty is preventing any Cherokee attack to free them all. So now there are 3 sets of hostages held by South Carolina; two with Lyttelton's army ; and one of 29 warriors at Fort Prince George.
The Scene at Keowee
Keowee is the Cherokee town right next to Fort Prince George.
This Keowee town sat on cliffs high above Fort Prince George.
Nowadays the Fort's site sits below the water in a Reservoir created in 1971, thus somewhat disguising those heights for visitors today.
"Lyttelton left the sick soldiers at [Fort] Ninety Six and set out for Fort Prince George on Nov 29 [1759].
The terrified hostages looked on as the army practiced deploying into lines of battle on both sides of the rugged, narrow road approaching Twelve-Mile Creek. . . .
Two Days later [1 Dec 1759] "many" Cherokees gathered on the high hills of Keowee that overlooked Fort Prince George.
They watched in dismay as Lyttelton's army approached.
The fort and the incoming army saluted each other in a symbolic welcome.
"Above 200 Indians," a soldier observe,
"appeared on the Hills and gave two running Fires after their Manner."
Some soldiers "looked upon [it] as a Salute."
But others saw it
"as bidding Defiance, and to shew that they had Ammunition to spare."
Lyttelton's army camped in the windswept plain below Keowee and outside the fort.
Map and blue text from
Page 77 The scene at Keowee
Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American .Southeast 1756-1763 By Daniel J. Tortora, published by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 2015.
That's it.
That's our lead story.
There's always more.
Skip around.
Read bits and pieces.
Compiled by Jim Moyer 11/5/23, update 11/10/23, 11/12/2023, 11/19/23
Table of Contents
What does Lyttelton want?
He wants the 26 or so Cherokees who murdered white settlements over the previous 3 months. The Cherokee were offering a different solution. Let them attack the French and their Indians and bring back 26 or so of those enemy scalps in lieu of giving up their own accused Cherokees. That alternative solution had precedent. Former SC Gov James Glen in 1740 took that offer. But Lyttelton rejected that alternative solution. He wanted those Cherokee murderers who burned down white settlements and killed whites over the last 3 months. This solution follows what the Treaty of 1730 in England stated. That treaty specifically stated that any attackers on the Crown and its subjects must be surrendered to the authorities. Attakullakulla was the last living Cherokee who went to England for that treaty.
But Attakullakula (aka Little Carpenter) was pursuing the alternative solution of going after enemy French and their indian allies and offer their scalps instead. He was doing this in Oct 1759 on the Mississippi.
In 1730, North Carolina sent Sir Alexander Cumming to make a treaty with the Cherokees in which delegates of the Cherokee Tribes acknowledged King George as their Sovereign. This was followed by six Cherokees being taken to England to give homage to the Crown.
Sources:
South Carolina Governor Lyttelton was appointed on 14 Nov 1759 to be Governor of the empire's most profitable colony Jamaica. He was appointed this post by the Board of Trade.
page 79 Tortora
Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American .Southeast 1756-1763 By Daniel J. Tortora, published by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 2015.
Page 187 Tortora
". . . reading the provisions of the Treaty of 1730 which related to the punishment of murderers, he recalled that thhe Little Carpenter and five other Cherokees had put their hands to it in London.
Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American .Southeast 1756-1763 By Daniel J. Tortora, published by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 2015.
Page 77 The scene at Keowee
Carolina in Crisis: Cherokees, Colonists, and Slaves in the American .Southeast 1756-1763 By Daniel J. Tortora, published by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, 2015.
The Cherokee Frontier, Conflict and Survival 1740-1762, by David H Corkran, published by the University of Oklahoma Press 1962).
Cherokee Interaction and Treaties in the Carolinas 1693 to 1835
Status on Lyttelton's Expedition in Oct and early Nov
Under escort of the provincial regiment and the regulars of the Charlestown garrison the Cherokees left Charlestown on October 23. On the 26th of October they arrived at Moncks Corner to rendezvous with the Governor and the low-country militia. When Lyttelton visited them and detailed the satisfaction he intended to ask, the submissive headmen replied "they were content that their countrymen should be compelled to give satisfaction."
On October 30 the Governor and his cavalry, several days in advance of his captives who were required to travel with the wagon train. met Round O's party of forty-five Middle Settlements Indians. He greeted the unsuspecting red men cordially, but informed the lead of his intention to demand satisfaction. Round O could only express his approval and join the Carolina march. But at the Congarees he found himself forced to encamp under heavy guard next to the Governor's quarters/
After 5 days [4 Nov 1759] in Lyttelton's hands, four of Round O's men slipped away at night.
Lyttelton doubled the guard and explained to Round O that he feared "deserters" might go to the nation, misrepresent affairs, and make the people think that his and Oconostota's parties were ill-treated and in danger.
Round O blandly suggested sending two deputies to counter the bad effects the four runaways might create, and Lyttelton agreed.
He delegated Elliott, now withdrawn from Chota and established in trade near Keowee, to accompany Round O's deputies with dispatches to Coytmore, Stuart, and the Lower Town's headmen.
Late that afternoon [4 Nov 1759] Oconostota's party with the wagon trade overtook the Governor.
As they passed Round O's camp, they raised a shout of recognition to which the Middle Settlements men gave vigorous reply; but the they were not allowed to meet.
That night [still 4 Nov 1759] Elliott left the army with "the Raven" who carried Round O's reassurance to the Lower Towns that he was well treated and approached the nation "hand in hand."
Round O's 45 Middle Settlement Cherokees were travelling separately home. They weren't taken hostage yet.
The other group of 55 Cherokees under Oconostota were already taken hostage. They were taken hostage back in Charleston Town in Council chambers.
They are now travelling with the supply wagon train under armed guard.
Governor Lyttelton and his cavalry are running ahead of that hostage group of Oconostota's Cherokees and the wagon train.
In doing so Governor Lyttelton meets up with Round O and his 45 Cherokees. That's 30 Oct 1759.
He informs Round O he wants satisfaction of getting the Cherokee murderers. Round O answers what Lyttelton wants to hear. So both groups travel together. But at Congarees, on 31 Oct 1759, Round O finds himself camped under Lyttelton's armed guards.
Now Lyttelton has two groups of Cherokees held hostage.
Another part of Lyttelton's army has future fame of hall names likes Marion Francis, the Swamp Fox and Gadsden traveling with the Regulars along with a rag tag militia. They left Charles Town (Charleston) 23 Oct 1759. They reach Monck's Corner 26 Oct 1759.
After 5 days with Lyttelton [4 Nov 1759], four of Round O's men escape to tell the whole Cherokee nation of the danger coming at them.
On 8 Nov 1759, the Virginia Executive Council decide not to join this expedition. They decide to move some of the Virginia Regiment garrisoned at Pittsburg to move towards the southern border of Virginia to guard against any Cherokee incursions. Also they had agreed to stop their wagon train of previously promised gifts to the Cherokee. They stopped that wagon train in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Compiled by Jim Moyer 11/5/23, update 11/10/23, 11/12/2023, 11/19/23
Jamaica as the richest colony
Prodigious Riches’: The Wealth of Jamaica Before the American Revolution
First published: 22 January 2003
SETTLER JAMAICA IN THE 1750S
A Social Portrait
Jack P. Greene
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