| Lieutenants Report August 14 1856 Fort Greencreek, Georgia The enemy were localized and under heavy guard as our troops expected dissidence and discordance with the rebel forces. Their leader known to all as hostile and warmonger strongly rejected our proposal for peace. ensuing rivalry incurred during the peace process and was quelled by alert intelligence on the part of my escorts. A skirmish broke out and our only recourse was to defend ourselves in the midst of armed savages. Under orders to fire only if fired upon my commanding officers reluctantly returned fire killing all in the retaliation. Our command drew no injuries and escaped unscathed without the loss of a single soldier. Leaving the camp in disgust at a people so unwilling to live in harmony with the white faction only asking to share a place in this land of freedom. The senseless deaths of so many rejecting our pleas for understanding and tranquillity tears at my very soul. Perhaps in time we can convince the savages to at least hear our prayers of brotherhood and see we mean no harm. Signed this fourteenth day of the eighth month of eighteen hundred and fifty six by the hand of acting post commander Lieutenant 1st Class Mabary Johnston, Commander of the fifth Cavalry unit and witnessed by all but three in my command as these men were rightfully distraught and unable to bear witness to these truths set forth on this document. Vision Quest <o.o> <O.O> � 2002 T Lovett |
| Continued |
Deer pa. I am so sick I can barely breathe. I have been releaved of duty and will possibly be discharged if I don�t agree to a lie ther tellin here. We went out on manewvers this morning and came on a camp of native indians who welcomed us to sit with them and even gave us food and filled our canteens. Our commander Lewtenent Johnston sat with the chief and offered him his pipe of peace which the Lewtenent finely took. The chief took his personal nife and was giving it to the Lewtenent when one of the soldjers grabed him and beet him while others held back the rest of the indian camp. Then the Lewtenent ordired the soljers to take all ther wepons and disarm all of them. They even went in the tents and confiscated bows and arows and speers they found ther. Then I was jus standin ther and sumhow some bullets fell in the fire and our men started killing the indians, all of them. Women and kids runnin and fallin down while the men shot them in the back. Sum wer drug out of the bushes with ropes tyed on horses and sumbody would shoot them. We left after ever body was ded. Now the Lewtenent wants all of us to say the indians started it and was shootin at us. I am afraid I�ll get kilt here if I stay and kilt if I run.one of the others is missin now that said it never hapened that way. I luv yu pa an tell ma I may be home soon. Ezera Vision Quest <,-.-> <_ _> � 2002 T Lovett |