Virginia Bounty for scalps invites cheaters
Just the scalp invite is bad enough. But both Cherokee and White chose to cheat to win those bounties in many ways. Cut a scalp in quarters and present it for 4 bounties is one way. Take a scalp of whites and present it as an enemy Indian's is another way. Take a scalp of friendly Indians and present it as an enemy Indian.
In December 1758, on Edisto River, well within South Carolina, four Estatoe tribesmen had been killed and scalped.
That there was no immediate major retribution might be that " the victims were Natchez Indians which Estatoe had adopted."
Lyttelton, Gov of SC, thought enemy Indians did this to the Estatoe Cherokees. But most thought the killing were by some white men, who also stole the victims' deerskins, a lucrative robbery contributing to a 50,000 Deerskin trade a year alone in Charleston SC.
Still, retribution was used as an excuse by some of the Estatoes. Was this in 1759?
"Furtively, Virginia-bound Estatoes killed two isolated white hunters in North Carolina and cut their scalps into four on which they intended to collect Virginia scalp bounty." Other Estatoes found this deceit dangerous to their future and went home.
That last quote was not footnoted to show its source.
We could not find the date of that retribution.
That quote was written as if the event followed the December 1758 event above.
Nor did we find that those Estato Cherokees ever presented a petition to the Execuitve Council of VA or to the House of Burgesses to get paid for those four deceitful scalps coming off two white hunter victims.
But if they did, then if it was after Oct 1758, they would not have gotten paid.
Virginia repealed the pernicious bounty by then in Oct 1758.
Source :
page 142-143, The Cherokee Frontier, Conflict and Survival 1740-1762, by David H Corkran, published by the University of Oklahoma Press 1962).
50,000 deerskin trade annually
Page 6, The Cherokee Frontier, Conflict and Survival 1740-1762, by David H Corkran, published by University of Oklahoma Press 1962, paperback published 2016
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Compiled by Jim Moyer 10/14/23, 10/15/23
This story is backdated to 12/15/22 when were covering 1758 in the year 2022
Table of Contents
Scalp petitions for events before bounty law was repealed
Context of this House of Burgesses session is during the Forbes Expedition.
This is after Grants Defeat on the hill overlooking Fort Duquesne 12 Sept 1758.
Thursday, the 28th of September, 32 Geo II. 1758.
#54 (p. 28)- 1 matching term- 1 matching term
This references Robert Wade's company, which came out of Fort Mayo, near the southern border of VA to NC.
...That on the feventh Instant they had a Skirmifh with a Party of Enemy Indians, in which one of them was killed and fcalped by the Petitioners, but that upon Application for the Reward given by Law for an Enemj^'s Scalp;, they were informed there was no Money in the Treafury, and praying the Confideration of this Houfe, was prefented to the Houfe and read.
Ordered,
That the faid Petition be referred to M"- Randolph, W Wilfon, and M-- Jones; That they do examine into the Allegations thereof, and report the fame, with their Opinions thereupon, to the Houfe....
Friday, the 29th of September, 32 Geo II. 1758.
#56 (p. 30)- 1 matching term
...M"' Randolph reported, that the Committee to whom the Petition of Captain James Nevil and others was referred, had had the fame under their Confideration, and found the Allegations thereof to be true, and had come to a Refolution thereupon, which he read in his Place, and then delivered in at the Table, where the fame was again twice read, and agreed to by the Houfe, as follows :
Refolved,
That the Petitioners are entitled to the Rewards allowed by Law for the Indian's Scalp; mentioned in the faid Petition. i A Meffage from the Governor was delivered by M' Walthoe. M' Speaker, The Governor has commanded me to lay before your Houfe a Letter from James Aber- cromby, Efq; inclofing an Account of Monies difburfed by him, and for Bufinefs by him done as Agent for Virginia....
This references Robert Wade's company, which came out of Fort Mayo, near the southern border of VA to NC.
#57 (p. 31)- 1 matching term
...A Petition of M"' Robert Wade, letting forth, that in Auguft laft, he, with his Com- pany of Rangers, killed and fcalped; four Shawnefe Indians in Augufia, but upon apply- ing for the Reward allowed by Law for fuch Scalps, was informed there was no Money in the Treafury, and praying the Confideration of this Houfe, was prefented to the Hovife and read....
Tuesday, the 3rd of October, 32 Geo II. 1758.
#61 (p. 35)- 2 matching terms
...Ordered,
That the faid Claim be referred to the Confideration of the next Seffion of Affembly. M'' Bland reported, That the Committee to whom the Petition of Robert Wade;, in Behalf of himfelf and the Company of Rangers imder his Command was referred, had had the fame under their Confideration, and foimd the Allegations thereof to be true, had come to a Refolution thereupon which he read in his Place, and then delivered in at the Table, where the fame was again twice read, and agreed to by the Houfe, as follows:
Refolved, That the faid Robert Wade; and his Company ought to be paid by the Public the Reward allowed by Law for killing the four Indians mentioned therein....
Indians mentioned therein....
#84 (p. 58)- 1 matching term
...M' Bland, M"" Harwaod, M' Wilfon, W Cave, M"' Richard Booker, W Walker, M"" William Thornton, M"' Richard Lee, M"' Thomas Johnfton, W Ruffin, M-- Howard, M^ Waring, M^ Upfhaw, M"' Wade [See if this is the same Wade as Militia Captain Robert Wade out of Fort Mayo And apparent the House of Burgess representing Halifax Co is of the same name - Robert Wade ] ;, M'' Simmons, and M'' Hartwell Cocke. And they are to meet and adjourn from Day to Day, and to take into their Confid- eration all public Claims which fhall be prefented to the Houfe during this Seffion, and to report their Proceedings, with their Opinions thereupon to the Houfe, when they have gone through the faid Claims ; And all Perfons who have any Claims are to deliver them to the Clerk, and he is to deliver them to the faid Committee of Courfe ; and they are to have Power to fend for Perfons, Papers, and Records for their Information....
#143 (p. 117)- 1 matching term
...Benjamin Brown, for two Days Attendance, coming and re- turning, John Hawkins, the fame, Samuel Ragland, the fame, John M'Cally, one Days Attendance, John Jouett, the fame, Waddy Thorn p fan, the fame, John Grainger, for carrying the Summons to Hanover, ten Shillings. William Wade;, for ferving the fame on the Witneffes in the Coimties of Hanover, Goochland, and Louifa, �1. 15. Ordered, That it be an Inftrucftion to the Committee of Claims to allow the feveral Quantities of Tobacco and Money above mentioned to the Persons thereto refpedlively entitled, and in the Counties wherein they feverally refide, in the Book of Claims; and that they levy the Tobacco due to the above named Brown, Hawkins, and Ragland, and twenty Shillings, Part of the Money Charges, on M"^ Johnfon, and the Refidue of the faid Tobacco and Money on M' Thomas Walker....
#264 (p. 238)- 1 matching term
...A Petition of Clement Reade, fetting forth that he was ordered by the late Govemour Dinwiddie and Council to eredt a Magazine in Lunenburg for the Reception of publick Stores, and alfo to purchafe and lay in Provifions; and that he was appointed Pay- mafter of the Militia of the frontier Counties, in which he was at great Trouble and Expenfe, and praying the Confideration of the Houfe. Alfo a Petition of Robert Wade;, praying to be reimburfed the Bounty Money by him paid, and the Expenfe he was at in maintaining, a Recruit he had enlifted for the publick Service, who was refufed by the Commanding Officer....
#270 (p. 244)- 1 matching term
...Refolved, That the Petition of Samuel Meredith, to be reimburfed the Money expen- ded by him in enlifting and maintaining two Recruits for the Cherokee Expedition, one of which was taken fick on the March, and afterwards joined the Forces and ferved on the Expedition; the other rejected by Major Andrew Lewis, the Commanding Officer, appointed to receive the Recruits at the Place of Rendezvous; and for Blankets and Firelocks fumifhed feveral of the Soldiers by him enlifted, and who afterwards ferved on that Expedition, is reafonable; and that he ought to be allowed the Sum of �ii. 5. 4. for the Bounty Money, Expenfe of enlifting and fubfifting the faid two Recruits, and for the Blankets and Firelocks fumifhed by him as aforefaid. Refolved, That the Petition of Robert Wade;, to be reimburfed the Bounty Money and Expenfe of enlifting a Recruit for the Cherokee Expedition, refuted by the Officer appointed to receive fuch Recruits at the Place of Rendezvous, is reafonable ; and that he ought to be allowed the Sum of �11. 10. o for the Boimty Money, and Expenfe of enlifting the faid Recruit....
No scalp petitions were present in these session after the bounty was repealed in Oct 1758:
3rd Session
page 55, February 22, 1759, to April 14, 1759
.
4th Session
page 133, November 1, 1759 to of November 21, 1759
Context of Forbes Expedition during this session of the House of Burgess
.
12 Sept 1758
12 Oct 1758
More about the Bounties
Virginia's Bounties for Scalps 1755, 1757, repealed 1758 Aug 15, 2022
Bounties for Scalps and (Yawn) Footnotes Aug 14, 2022 https://jimmoyer1.wixsite.com/fortloudounva/single-post/bounties-for-scalps-and-yawn-footnotes
When did the alliance with the Cherokee start to unwind?
Aug 1758
Who Stole the Horses first? posted Aug 21, 2022
Story posted of Capt Robert Wade (also Burgess of Halifax Co) took his company of Fort Mayo and went west for find Shawnee to attack but instead may have scalped and killed Cherokees coming back as allies to the Forbes Expedition:
April 1757
A Storm is coming - Mercer writes about it
April 1757
The Great Men of Virginia were Liars
March 1757
Cherokee allies - oh they're coming too
This letter is terrifying. You met the letter writer, Clement Read, in the previous story posted on the Catawba coming. That letter Clement Read wrote to Colonel George Washington 15 March 1757 is a lot more mild than the letter Clement Read writes to Lt Gov Dinwiddie on 5 April 1757. Wawhatchee, a Cherokee leader, goes on a rampage. After that, he and his band are coming to Fort Loudoun Winchester VA. Imagine you and your family are visited by a motorcycle gang. And this gang is quite colorful. They're painted. They look like Halloween. They hold you and your dear ones hostage until they're ready to move on. They eat as much food of yours as they want. And anyone who gives them trouble they just kill them right on your front lawn, ripping out his bowels and scalping him. And then they deign to allow you a little time off from serving them so you can bury the killed man. And then they ravage and rape a 12 year old girl. And still they continue to complain about not receiving any plunder for their visit. They make you write a letter to the leader of your country demanding more plunder. And then after terrorizing your neighbors they come back to you to terrorize you more. Imagine then that they feel you owe them because this land is not yours. You don't belong here. But they're here because you wanted them to fight your enemies. And they eventually do. Some of them do it with great honor and heroism, all the while being cheated by you and your leaders out of their expected due. Below is the letter we intersperse with explanations and short biographies of those involved and dates and time. Source:
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