The Love Train to Charlestown SC
Oconostota and Osteneco on 2 Oct 1759 joined Wawhatchee, Serowah of Estatoe and a crowd of Lower Towns people to head towards Charleston.
Three days later on 5 Oct 1759, Tistoe and the Wolf with a few others went down the path to Charlestown too.
Also on Oct 5, Round O of Stecoe, on his way with trader Aaron Price to buy hunting ammunition at Ninety-Six, stopped at Fort Prince George and was persuaded to follow the mission to Charlestown.
The train of peace was heading towards Charlestown SC, after a lot of terror by both sides.
Thus in mid-October many important Cherokees were accepting the risk of entering deep into English territory to make a peace, and it is not an unreasonable assumption that Stuart and Coytmore were fullly aware while these men were in Carolina, the nation would not make war on the English.
Stuart and Coytmore (he succeeded Ensign McIntosh) at Fort Prince George were still enforcing Lyttelton's 14 Aug 1759 embargo on blackpower trade to the Cherokees. Prior to that on 2 July 1759 Coytmore offered Wawhatchee the choice to surrender the Estatoe warriors who had killed white settlers or suffer the promised blackpowder embargo. (Source: Page 172 The Cherokee Frontier, Conflict and Survival 1740-1762, by David H Corkran, published by the University of Oklahoma Press 1962).
1730 Peace Treaty
All the peacemakers knew that they must try to nullify that provision of the Treaty of 1730 which required the surrender of Indians who had killed whites. To prevent embargo and war all they could offer was some solution such as Glen had been forced to accept for the Oconees murderers in 1751: "That every murderer should be sent out in quest of a French scalp or prisoner for every white man they had killed.
[To see who killed who, see below, causing the cycle of revenge.]
That "was a sane and honorable resolution of a difficult situation; for it would prevent division in the nation by protecting the vengeance takers, and it would use their energies to destroy the French alliance they had sought to achieve. But Charlestown, intent on punishment, saw only evasion."
Blue italics above are quotes from page 178-179
The Cherokee Frontier, Conflict and Survival 1740-1762, by David H Corkran, published by the University of Oklahoma Press 1962).
That's it.
That's our lead story.
There's always more.
Skip around.
Read bits and pieces.
Compiled by Jim Moyer orginally posted10/8/2023, 10/9/23, 10/10/23 ,postdated to 10/20/23 to keep this story near the other Cherokee stories for October 1759
When the cycle of revenge began.
We believe it really started in 1757 when Cherokee allies came to Winchester VA. They had gone to Lunesburg at Read's place terrorizing him and his family although Dinwiddie believed Richard Pearis egged the Cherokee on with bad behavior. The Cherokee then split up, some going to Williamsburg, some to Winchester. At neither place did the Cherokee see much in way of promised presents.
The Cherokee called it presents. It was an analogy of how a father treats his children kindly and expansively. They said the French father treated them as if they were his children.
In reality, the need was far more serious. Here the Cherokee were offering their lives in battle for what? Nothing? They also needed to show their people back home that this campaign was worth it. They also needed this remuneration. They needed muskets, blackpowder for hunting to supply the white traders deerskins in order to trade for hatchets and tomahawks made in England. They needed clothers. They needed the knives, cooking implements. In the 70s we talked of everything made in Japan. Now for the last 20 years from 2000 we talk of everything made in China. So too were the Cherokee needing everything made in England.
The Cherokees decided at Fort Loudoun Winchester VA during 3 days of debates. One warrior called the Great Men of Virginia Liars. Others urged to give Virginia a chance to make up its promises. The speeches had the character of the ancient Greek and Romans debating.
This situation is repeated in 1758 for the Forbes Expedition.
This Cherokees mentioned that if not compensated they would take what they need. And they did. They took horses. The White Settlers in Virginia folllowed them and killed them.
White Kills
In Virginia the whites killed over 30 Cherokees on their way home from the Forbes Expedition in 1758.
The Cherokee then sought revenge, killing the same number of whites in North and South Carolina.
So, South Carolina wanted all the scalps the Cherokees took from their kills.
Cherokee Kills
Near the Yadkin, 22 April 1759, Setticoes killed 4.
April 25-26, Setticoes killed 11 more on the Broad and Catawba rivers.
3 May 1759 Moytoy and his 25 warriors boasted 19 scalps.
(Page 168 The Cherokee Frontier, Conflict and Survival 1740-1762, by David H Corkran, published by the University of Oklahoma Press 1962).
This count is incomplete. We will document all the kills later.
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March 1757
See Clement Read's observations from his home in Lunenburg.
April 1757
At Fort Loudoun Winchester VA
May 1757
Losing a great warrior
May 24, 1757
MERCER LEAVES WITH LT COL ADAM STEPHEN TO CHARLESTON SC
We know Mercer left Fort Loudoun at least by this date because GW is at Fort Loudoun writing to Dinwiddie that the Cherokee are now suspicious Mercer has left the fort in order to avoid making good on his promise he made to the Cherokee:
. . . a party of Cherokees under Warhatchie is come in with 4 scalps and 2 Prisoners. They are much dissatisfied that the presents are not here—Look upon Captain Mercers going off as a trick to evade the performance of the promise that has been made to them—will not believe that Mr Atkin is coming: and in short, they are the most insolent, most avaricious, and most dissatisfied wretches I have ever had to deal with. If any thing shou’d detain Mr Atkin’s arrival, it will not be in my power to convince them that it is not a mere hum! All the rhetoric I can muster is not likely to detain them more than two or three days to wait this event.7
June 1757
July 1757
August 1757
20 September 1757
This letter is about Alarm near the fort Stephen near Stephens City
Oct 1757
Nov 1757
A report from Annapolis dated 20 Oct. about these Cherokee was printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette (Philadelphia), 3 Nov. 1757:
“We hear from Fort-Cumberland, that the Week before last, upwards of Twenty Cherokees marched from thence, and about Eight Miles above the said Fort, upon George’s-Creek, fell in with a Party of Shawanese and Delawares, and some French, with whom they had a Skirmish, which lasted about a Quarter of an Hour; the Cherokees kept the Field, and brought into Fort-Cumberland a French Ensign’s Scalp, and his Instructions, and several Match-Coats and Mockaseens.”
After their return to Winchester from Fort Cumberland where they were “Week before last” and before they left for home “several days ago,”
GW delivered to the party of Cherokee an address
that he wrote on the verso of the letter to him from Lewis Stephens, 20 Sept. 1757.
He endorsed it: “A Rough Schetch of a Speech made to the Indns Octr 1757,”
and docketed it, in his later hand,
“To The Cherokee Indns Octr 1757.”
The text of the speech is as follows:
“Brothers— “His Majesty’s agent for Indian Affairs is not here,
nor is there at present any of His assistants to Act in behalf—
It is necessary that some person should talk to you;
and the vast Love & Brotherly Affection
I always had and ever will retain for yr Nations
induces me under these Circumstances
to take that Task upon me
tho’ not properly authoris’d
it being my proper Bussiness to Fight & not to make Speaches.
“My Fond Heart overflows with Joy to see you
(who are doubly my Brothers as Cherrokees & Warriours)
returned in honr & safety from War
after acquiring the great Glory of
Vanquishg a Superour Number
of our perfidious false & cruel Enemies the French & Shawnese—
Tho’ that we had reason to beleive
you wou’d remain
three moons wt. us
in wch time Capn Gist
His Majestys Depy agent for Indians affairs
would have procur’d a very handsome reward
for yr Services &
had an Interpretor to Speake to you
But as I have no Body that can make you understand this,
and you seem Determined to leave us immediatly
I get these few goods for you
wch is all I could get
and begs you’ll accept of them
more as token of my strong Love &
unalterably Regard for you my Dear Friends
than as an adequate Reward for Great Services
of wch I & all your Brothers,
the English have the highest Sense of Gratitude
I hope your Success agt
our mutual & Barbarous Enemies the French & Shawnese
will be a fresh encitement to our Brors the Cherokees &
that we shall have the great pleasure
of seeing more of you here soon
and we will better provided wt. goods agt the arrival of yr next Parties[.]
I wish you safe to yr Nation and am wt. the greatest Sincerity.”
Source:
the dunkards favoring the French?
Feb 1758
March 1758
Warn the Cherokee at Fort Loudoun, Don't attack.
April 1758
Cherokee attacks on Massanutten and Short Mountain?
https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/no-silver-arm-bands-for-attakullakulla-s-men
May 1758
June 1758
July 1758
Aug 1758
Does it matter who stole first? Yeah. Big time. Especially if it happens to you. And then whoever stole first, guess what they say?...
Bosomworth writes about their observations of Fort Duquesne: "The two Parties of Cherokees which were out at the French Fort are returned Ensn Chew was with them they had a very fair & full view of it there are about 200 or 300 Indians there & as many White men no New Works at all abt 18 pieces of Cannon I dare say no Reinforcement is yet arrived from the Northward."
sept
Grants's hill
Oct 1758
As we scour the events of 1758 i
October 12, 1758 was an interesting day. The French and "their" Indians attacked Loyalhannon.
Andrew Lewis is hostage in Montreal Canada, 31 October 1758. He's allowed to write a letter. He was captured from the battle of Grant's
Nov 1758
Friendly Fire
Dec 1758
Move over Daniel Boone. Here's one who didn't have the Star Making Machinery behind the
Sick. Dying. Cold. Shivering. No warm clothing. No pay. They all want to go home. Who is going
Feb 1759
What is Attakullakulla (Little Carpenter) doing now, as we cover 1759 in this year of 2023 ? He was in Winchester VA until January 9,...
march 1759
As we cover 1759 in this year of 2023 we run into a plea on 1 March 1759 for compensation of land, houses, supplies commandeered to make..
As we cover 1759 in this year of 2023, we run into a Ranger of Captain Ashby's Company who was captured and was exchanged back. He...
As we cover 1759 in this year of 2023, we run into Captain Tom Step, a Nottoway. He was here many
In March 1759 we come across a letter by French prisoner, LaForce (Michel Pépin) writing to the now
This is an article written by Bill Hunt, pictured below. Charles Bonin was born in the vicinity of
April 1759
Little Carpenter is indefatiguable. He does not weaken under insult. This man keeps his head
French prisoner, LaForce (Michel Pépin) pops up again April 21, 1759. He's in New York City now.
May 1759
What is Lt Colonel Adam Stephen doing in June 1759? He was retained as a Lt Colonel. Although
There they were. Right there. They see each other. All froze, registering. Boom. Then all is a blur. Flying high with his hawk Swallow...
June 1759
There's two stories here to wrap up June of 1759. One is about the gifts the Virginia Executive
Fort Loudoun in Winchester VA exists only because of the French presence on the Forks of
Here it is June 1759 and Dinwiddie is long gone. Lt Gov Robert Dinwiddie finally left 12 Jan 1758. He was wanting to leave for health...
July 1759
. Frustrated by Atkin and spurred by the desperate French, the Mortar and his faction strove harder to impel the Cherokees into further...
During the summer of 1759, Gist contracted smallpox
The claim is made by inference: "As all three men were aware, Christopher Gist had died of smallpox in July (on 25 July 1759) while returning to Winchester from Williamsburg
Aug 1759
"And all the beads we made by hand are nowadays made in Japan." That's a lyric written in the 70s (to a 1959 song) when Japan's econom
So war threatened shutting down a trade of 50,000 deerskins a year just in Charleston SC alone. And
Just read this excerpt about the Catawba population cut down in 1759. Then, see the
News of the burning of “Venango, LeBeuff & Priscile” reached Pittsburgh by 12 Aug. [1759] . (Hugh Mercer to Stanwix, 15 Aug. 1759, in...
On 29 August 1759, Ben Franklin has been in London going on 2 years, presents a petition to the
On 20 July 1759, Alexander Finnie arrived at Fort Cumberland. He had a mission. But he needed approval and help. He went to Fort...
sept 1759
Wouldn't that be an awesome artifact from 28 Sept 1759? A Creek Indian came up behind Atkin and
There used to be a style of crime movies in the 1970s where different scenes of activity were
Here is Robert Stewarts's report of 28 Sept 1759 on the Indians to retired Colonel George
oct 1759
Oconostota and Osteneco on 2 Oct 1759 joined Wawhatchee, Serowah of Estatoe and a crowd of Lower Towns people to head towards
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