The Dark And Bloody Years

The following paragraphs were taken from my book "A Question Of Loyalty" "A Trouble Within" The wording is vertually the same as in the original letters photocopied to microfilm. I own this microfilm, which remains in my personal library.
No editing has been done to make these paragraphs run on.
No cites are intered here.

Hopia (Far Off), nor the town of Fish Pond is mentioned in any of the 30 reels of microfilm in my possesion.
Effa Haujo (Mad Dog of Tuckabatchee) is not mentioned as ever having led a war party into Georgia.
Hannah Hale could have been taken in any one of the raids into Georgia from 1773-1779.
The three most probable years are 1777,1778, and 1779.

We will begin in the year 1773

The Creek and Cherokee Nations ceded land to England in 1773. This land was open to the public, and white people came to take it. They did not know that to take this land would put them in one of the most controversial periods of American History. Many would be killed by Indians. What became worse, they would murder one another.
After much deliberation and confusion over the cession, a congress was agreed to be held at Augusta in May of 1773. The land was ceded on June 1st. All land from Phenholeway Creek on the Altamaha River, up the said river to Barber Creek, and from there across to the Ogeechee River opposite to where the road intersects the said river about four miles above Buckhead Creek where the Canoe Ferry was once kept. Also, from a line to begin where the lower trading path crosses the Ogeechee River, to run north along its main branch to the head of the south fork of the said river, and from that, along the ridge that separates the waters of the Broad and Oconee Rivers up to the Buffalo Lick. From there on a straight line to a tree marked by the Cherokee near the head of a branch falling into the Oconee River. From there along the said ridge twenty miles to the line already ran by the Cherokee, and from there across to Savannah River. A tract of 2,100,000 acres was ceded, which was the area most of the trouble between the Indians and whites had occurred. Although the debts were erased, much ill feeling ran in the Creek Nation. This cession had taken their best hunting ground.
The congress began on the 25 of May. The first days' discussions were the demands by Georgia for the land along Tugaloo River, which both tribes claimed. In May of 1772, the Cherokee had secretly conveyed these lands, and the whites considered the matter settled. The Creeks ask by what foundation they built their claim. When the circumstances where brought out the Creek headmen and warriors became furious. At this point a chief arose, fixed his eyes on the Cherokee, and delivered a most humiliating and degrading speech that could ever have been said. He called them old women, and said they long ago put on their petticoats. Not only were the Creek and Cherokee present, but the Chickasaw principle headmen, the Georgians, Carolinians, Virginians, Marylands, and Pennsylvanians heard the accusation. To add insult their old enemy, the Virginians laughed and jeered at them publicly. Through all the humiliation, the Cherokee sat passively and did not reply.
The arrogant Creeks threatened to dissolve the Congress unless the secret treaty was annulled, and their right to alienate given them. After agreeing the Savannah River and its waters had always been the dividing line between them and the Cherokee, the Creeks finely conceded, but not without a great deal of confusion.
There were several men in South Carolina and Georgia that had financed the traders to buy goods from England. They had also loaned money to families settling the new lands. Thomas Waters, James Bullock, and William Manson were three of them. When the lands were ceded, these men received large tracts for the Indian debts owed them. The area along the Ogeechee and Little Rivers were excellent for the farming of Corn, Wheat, Peas, Indigo, and Livestock. The incoming settlers were not to receive land to exceed one thousand acres per any one family, nor more than fifty acres per any one person. Above three hundred of the settlers came in from the Colonies, of which ninety percent were from North and South Carolina. The rest came directly from England. In 1775 Thomas Brown and William Manson brought in near two hundred indentured servants, many of them being children.
For fear of Indian attacks, the Provincial Rangers was reorganized. Edward Barnard and Thomas Waters, who had formerly been in charge of the rangers that were disbanded in 1767, were put in charge of the new organization. These rangers were not only to protect the settlers from the Indians, but were to enforce the laws against vagrants, horse thieves, and disorderly persons. The Court of Land Commissioners appointed to issue the lands drew up a Bill. One hundred acres was be laid out for the town of Dartmouth in the forks of the Savannah and Broad Rivers, and a fort be erected at the said point. This fort was called Fort James, in honor of Governor James Wright. Also, that two hundred acres be reserved for public use on a high ridge, at a small run, on the north side of the north fork of Ogeechee River, one and a half miles above the falls. A stockade fort was to be erected there for the rendezvous of an officer and twenty men. This fort was to be built by the inhabitants of Wrightsborough, and the land holders surrounding it.
The young warriors were always a threat to the settlers. They were not about to be governed by a group of small chiefs, who were not recognized as having authority to sign away their land. They continued to hunt on the ceded lands. The nation, as a whole, was not in agreement to the cession, and therefore looked upon the settlers as encroaching.
There were many settlers who had lost loved ones to the Indians, and had a deep hatred for them. Not only were the Indians at fault, but the white people themselves committed many crimes against the Indians.
The first blow came at the end of June during the expedition to mark the boundary line in Georgia. A family named Collins had settled high up Broad River at the edge of the line. The survey party had camped across the river in site of the house. Two young Cherokee lads of eighteen and twenty years old, who were near relations of Eccuy the Good Warrior and Big Swanny, decided to go unarmed over to pay a visit, and ask for a drink of milk. At that time the owner John Collins, and his son Hezekia, were away. The two lads went to the house. Mrs. Collins gave them milk, and also a well portion of victuals for each. While they were in the yard sitting and eating, the son Hezekia returned. He leveled his rifle with the intent to kill both. He fired and killed one, and struck the other on the neck with the stock of the rifle, which shattered it to pieces. The Indian began thrashing about on the ground, and the wicked Hezekia finished him off with an Ax. About this time the father returned, and seeing what had happened, they threw the bodies into the river.
When the story went out of the possible murders, the white people began a search to find the bodies as proof. After nine days they were found. Knowing of the consequences, Hezekia left the country. John was arrested in South Carolina, but made an escape. A circular was distributed throughout the other colonies, with a large reward for the apprehension and arrest of Hezekia.
Another atrocious incident happened when Ochtalky of Oakfuskee, a kinsman of Escouchabee, killed one of his own people. To avoid the wrath of the murdered mans kin, he left a trail to the house of William White in the Ceded Land. White's place was at the head of the most southerly branch of Long Creek. Upon the report that the Indian was dead, the murdered man's kin attacked the White home December 25, 1773, and killed him, his wife, and four children.
A Cherokee named Tagashiskee, out hunting with the Creeks, said while they were near the Buffalo Lick they stole some horses from White. White and another man named Sherrell followed them, and shot one of the two. The uninjured one returned to their camp, and reported what had happened. The group went to the spot, and followed the horse tracks to the White home.
The true story was, that four Creeks who lived among the Cherokee were out looking for an Indian to kill for being a witch. They found his camp, and stole his horses to draw him away from the others. However, he thought something suspicious, and did not follow. The next morning he went out to look for the horses, and soon after a shot was heard. When he did not return to camp his brother went to look for him, and discovered his body with the sign of four horses near him. He took his skins to Puckananwheatly town, and told Houmachta what had happened. They returned to the spot, and followed the tracks to the house and committed the murders. They then returned to Puckananwheatly, and told an Indian trader of Mr. Galphin and the others what they had done. They said "they now had spoilt it with the white people, and would contin In July of 1767 the white people had burned a village of Houmachta called Buzzards Roost, on the upper Chattahoochee River. This was done to rid the place of illegal traders, whiskey peddlers, and horse thieves. In 1770 Houmachta's bunch of renegades had gone into the settlements between Little River and Augusta, and stole some horses. The white men followed them to get their horses back, and two whites were killed. The Indians were much afraid of Houmachta, as they said "he is a very great Witch."ue," but the others would not agree.

1774
When the settlers did not retaliate after the White murders, Houmachta and his gang struck again on January 14, 1774 at the house of William Sherrell. This home was on Sherrell Creek which flows south off the south fork of Little River. It is four miles to the north of the north branch of Ogeechee. They killed him, his wife, two of his nine slaves, and four other settlers. The Creeks suffered five casualties. One was shot through the eye by one of the Negroes. The skirmish lasted from 9 o'clock in the morning, until 3 in the afternoon.
On January 23 Lieutenant Colonel James Grierson sent a detachment of twenty-five militia and ten rangers from their camp on Williams Creek to collect what effects remained of the Sherrells. Little did they no, that fourteen Creek, and three Cherokee lay in ambush about two miles from the house. They killed Lieutenant Daniel Grant, Weatherford, Hammond, and Ayers. The ones who escaped reported to Grierson that Lieutenant Grant was stunned by a ball that creased his temple, causing him to fall into the Indians hands. He was found tied to a tree with his scalp and ears cut off, a gun barrel thrust through his body, thirteen arrows shot into his heart, a painted hatchet stuck in his head, and a war club lying on his chest.
The true story from the Indians was, that Lieutenant Grant was not struck by a ball. His horse stepped into a lightwood hole causing him to be pitched over the horse's head, and was stunned when he fell to the ground. Thinking he was dead, the rest of the men ran off. Before the Indians got to him he regained his senses, drew his pistol, and shot one Indian through the heart. The Indians seized him, tied him up, and whipped him. They kept him in torture all that afternoon until he expired. The murderers carried the story into Coweta sporting the false hair taken from Grant as a prize which drew many laughs upon them.
This action forced most of the settlers into South Carolina, with some of them concentrated inside the forts on the south side of Little River. All but twelve or fourteen of the militia deserted the company of Captain William Goodgion, and five or six from another.
When the warriors returned to Coweta sporting the scalps the head men deeply scorned their action' and considered administering punishment. Ochtalky was of the powerful Tyger clan, which in the past had suffered much from the demands of Wright to have murderers put to death.
Fearing this clan, the lower towns' headmen sent a message to Wright saying they had nothing to do with the killings. On the insistence of Tait, Emistesequo sent a message to have Ochtalky put to death. The Coweta headmen said, if the upper towns made an attempt to assassinate Ochtalky they would cut off the trading path. Emistesequo warned Sempoyaffee that civil war would be had. He and Captain Alleck of Cussita went down to Savannah to negotiate.
On May 23rd twenty-six towns of the Upper Creeks met and decided the murderers must be put to death. On June 23rd the head men in the lower towns of Ocmulgee, Oconee, Hitchetee, and Appalachacola met. They also agreed that Ochtalky, Sophia and Houmachta, the ringleaders of the White-Sherrell-Grant massacres, would die. The Cussita assassinated Ochtalky and two others, but Sophia and Houmachta escaped into the Cherokee. Ochtalky lived four days after receiving the bullet. He told his Tyger Clan kinsmen to revenge his death upon the Virginians (as they called all the settlers), and not give out until they should all fall. The Tyger Clan alienated themselves farther away from Stuart and Wright, and the Creeks who had defected into the Cherokee plotted to kill Cameron. Little did this Tyger clan know, that when they adapted these feelings they would help the Americans win the coming Revolution.
As always the Treaty was difficult to administer. Samuel Thomas was at Flint River on the 10th of December. He sent a letter to Stuart telling him Timothy Barnard had broken the regulation that no Indians should be employed as factors to trade. He had let the White Boy, Boson, and Escott have goods and ammunition which caused the Coweta Indians to become as bad as ever. Escouchabee had gone off in a canoe to get ammunition from the Spaniards, and Houmachta had gotten three more to join him. Houmachta sent word that this Moon he was coming to the upper trading path to kill white people. The Tyger clansmen of Coweta threatened the life of James McQueen and almost killed him, but he managed to get away.

1777
When Alexander McGillivray arrived from the lower towns he had a message from Sempoyaffee and the Chiefs of Coweta. They ask Mad Dog to collect the warriors from Tuckabatchee, Savannah (Souvanugee), Coosada and Oakchoy, and immediately send them to assist in the attacks on the settlements of Georgia. Next morning Mad Dog set out to the mentioned towns where the chiefs agreed. They determined to go out in a large body, and then separate into small parties along the frontier to shut the Rebels in. McGillivray stated, that although they made that determination, he could not swear they would do it.
The neutralist party at Cussita were kinsman to Handsome Fellows Tyger Clan at Oakfuskee, and had strong ties. The Cowetas, who had in the past lent an ear to the neutralist party, were once again hostile. A head warrior of the Coweta Tyger Clan, a nephew of Sempoyaffee, was killed on a horse steeling raid into the Ogeechee country. They were now out for revenge.
The Coweta had gone to the head of Little River near the Buffalo Lick where three Rebel Forts were. They went to the middle fort about 12 o'clock, and waited some time consulting whether to attack. The Cherokee with them advised against it saying it would serve no good purpose, and only tire away their powder and bullets for nothing. The older men of the Coweta agreed, but the young men wanted to attack. The Cherokee separated from them to go further into the settlements. They had not gone far when they heard the guns firing, and thinking the Rebels had discovered them, returned. The young fellows saw two men approaching the fort and began firing. The men ran for a house near the fort where one fell, but the other got inside. Upon a return fire from the fort, Sempoyaffee's nephew and the Twin's son were killed, with another headman wounded. The nephew was shot below the breast and out his backbone, and the Twin's son slightly under the arm. The next day they shot another white man going into the fort. They burned the house over the wounded man, and brought off the hair of the one that fell on the outside. Tait said that this may well be the means of forcing the disaffected ones to join them.
Stuart sent the Upper and Lower Creek a considerable amount of ammunition, but for want of provisions it was impossible to call a meeting with them at Pensacola. He put pressure on the chiefs to send large bodies of warriors to the frontiers. They told him they were willing to assist, but it would have to be in their own way, for if not, they would have to act with white men. If they were given provisions and necessaries they would go out in small parties to the settlements. Stuart reported to Provost that they had done this, for a party of Coweta had just returned from the forks of Ogeechee where they attacked Wells Fort. The Rebels abandoned the fort, and the party burned it down. Stuart again stressed the point, that a large body of Indians could not be prevailed upon to march four or five hundred miles, and the Seminole were the only tribe that could be counted on for the defense of St. Augustine. He stated, that the Rebels had emissaries in all the towns due to the trade agreement of 1763, which allowed any person who could give security to obtain a license to trade. This allowed the Rebel traders, pack horsemen, and servants to go freely and not be detected. He had enlisted twenty five refugees in the Light Horse, and sent them to the Upper Creeks. Tait and Cameron had proposed going with the Indians on their expedition, and were to take one hundred white men.
Another party of Coweta struck lower down the Ogeechee, and killed the Dilks family. In the past Dilks had treated the Indians bad. He had employed some of them, and one was fond of his daughter. When he asks for her Dilks seized him, and beat him severely. This was the reason they gave for killing unarmed inhabitants. On the night of July 31st the party crossed Ogeechee River and knocked on Dilks door. They rushed in, killed his wife and four of the children, and took captive the oldest girl. (The Dilks family lived to the south of Fulsams Fort) In Tait's letter to Tonyn on the 15 of August, he said the party that killed the Dilks family brought in a young girl, and she was now with him. Between the Oconee and Ogeechee they attack the Continental Rangers, killed five men, lost one of their own, and had three wounded.

1778
On the 25th of August some Cherokee attacked Nails Fort on Broad River in Georgia, but were beat off. They stole all the horses, wounded Sampson Bunn, killed nine milk cows and cut out their tongues. These Cherokee attacked the fort again on the 4th of November, and wounded Thomas Moffit. This time they took prisoner a little boy named Claiborne Bellamy.
The Upper Creeks, that went to the frontiers along the upper Ogeechee and Little rivers, burned and destroyed several forts and settlers houses. They brought several prisoners back to Little Tallissee. They told McGillivray that most all the inhabitants had gone into Carolina, and the ones that went to East Florida had returned to protect their property.
The 9th of November Timothy Barnard wrote Stuart advising him of the state of things in the lower towns. He said he found, through Captain Alleck, that the Tallissee King's Son and the Smoke King were the ones responsible for the attack on the settlements in West Florida. There were horses and cattle to be had, and they were set on going again. The whole town of Cussita was to set off in a few days to the congress, and a few of them had already left guarding the two Rebels that had came up. Most of the Pallachocola, Halfway House, and Tallissee were on the way then, and the Alligator was to set off in a few days for Savannah to talk to the Spanish. Fool Harry had went out with a party to the Oconee to watch until spring. A few days since a large party of Tuckabatchee had gone by, in which fifteen Coweta joined them to go to the settlements of Georgia. Weatherford had told him the Rebel Army was making preparations as fast as possible to be there in the spring, and were building a fort on the Oconee at the upper path. Weatherford was to be in Pensacola in a few days, and Jack Kinnard and his uncle, a principle man, had just returned from war over at Sunbury and was to be down in a few days also. The Rebel towns had sent down a list of seven towns that had joined them. Kialegee, Oakfuskee, and Tallissee were three, but he did not know the rest. The Tallissee King's Son had declared publicly, if he was told to kill the white people who were out to war with the Indians he would do so. McIntosh had not yet returned, but some of the warriors had just came in and said he was on his way. His life was in danger, and if he did not come soon he would send a message to him. The ones that came up to Cussita had declared openly to take his life. Young Forester came up and said Galphin had plenty of goods in his store house, and if this was so they could expect more of the villains to join. Barnard said, as soon as word came in from the congress he would advise him of any thing he learned, that it was dangerous enough to stay there as their lives could be taken any minute.

1779
On March 10th, 1779, one hundred light horse of Singleton's Regiment, and two hundred more commanded by Colonel Leroy Hammond crossed over Horse Creek. They went to Captain Burrins on Beach Island below Fort Moore where they crossed the Savannah River into Georgia. After a sweep down as far as Norman Ignotums, they returned to headquarters on the 14th with three Tory prisoners. On the 16th three Creek Indians that was in camp left. They had came in to warn General Williamson of David Tait and his band of warriors on their way to attack the frontier. Major Henry Sharp of the Tories crossed the river on the 20th, and attack Colonel Marbury. They killed one, and wounded four. On Sharp's side, one killed, and a number wounded. In the evening of the 25th, Colonel Leroy Hammond recrossed the river into Georgia with five hundred light horse. The next day Colonel Winn joined Williamson, and on the 27th some of Hammond's Light Horse returned. They reported that Colonels Hammond and Pickens expected a battle with the Indians in a few days.
On February 2nd David Tait had received orders from Stuart to assemble the Creek Warriors and march against the frontiers of Georgia. At that time Tait was in Pensacola giving assistance to Stuart who was bedridden with sickness since early December. Tait immediately set out for the nation, and sent runners ahead to gather all the warriors who were out hunting to meet at Little Tallissee. Tait arrived there on the 10th, and on the 24th met with the chiefs that were at home. They assured him they would be ready to leave on the 4th of March. Assuming that Colonel Campbell was at Savannah, Tait sent an express requesting troops to meet him on the frontiers. He also sent for Walter Scott, the commissary to Alexander Cameron, to meet them with his Cherokee on the Peachtree, an upper branch of Rocky Comfort Creek in Georgia.
Tait set out with seventy Indians on the 4th of March. On the 7th, and again on the 18th, he wrote to Colonel Campbell stating the necessity of troops meeting him on the frontiers. He reported the number of Indians now with him, and that more were joining daily. On the 23rd, between the Oconee and Ogeechee rivers, Tait received a letter from General Provost that had been sent on the 14th. He gave Tait orders to divert from his intentions. He was now to concentrate below Augusta and down to Savannah. The back country settlers had all retreated into South Carolina. He told him to induce the Indians not to return home, and if necessary let them act in their own way on the frontiers. They were not to commit depredations on any one not bearing arms. After crossing the Ogeechee on the 25th Tait halted at Fulsoms Fort to await a party of about one hundred twenty to catch up.
On the morning of the 26th Tait sent a trader named James Kuff, and twenty three other white men to investigate Rogers Fort. This fort was about twelve miles up from Fulsoms Fort at the forks of the Ogeechee. The Lawyer of Coloomee and his gang followed them. Upon finding the fort abandoned the Indians destroyed it, and all but what they could carry off. They took prisoner Orderly Sergeant Samuel Jordan, some women and Negroes, and proceeded back to the camp where Tait released Jordan.
Click to read transcript of James Kuff letter
Click to read Pention Statement of James Swoards
Click to read Pention Statement of Samuel Jordan
The party waited for came up, and Tait explained the Generals orders to the whole group. The Rogers Fort party returned next morning, and found the camp in an uproar. They had been discovered by Rebel spies, and refused to move. Tait proposed proceeding to Paris's Bridge on Briar Creek, but the Indians refused to cooperate. They said the medicine they had conjured up before leaving home would be spoilt. Tait knew he could not control them now. He also knew they were not about to listen to a group of traders, who were the lowest class of white men, which the Indians looked upon in a mean light. He told them to break up into small parties, cross the Savannah higher up, and attack the frontiers of South Carolina. Alexander McGillivray, with ten white men and seventy Indians, set off to join the British troops under Lieutenant Colonel Maitland below Augusta. Emistesequo and his bunch set off toward Savannah.
Colonels Dooly and Pickens crossed the Savannah into Georgia, and made camp on Little River near Wrightsborough. There they were joined by a part of Colonel Few's Regiment. Colonel Leroy Hammond and his Light Horse were camped just west of Augusta. The Whig settlers had gave warning to the militia of Tait's Indians. On the 26th Colonel Dooly had sent Lieutenants Williams and Alexander to scout Tait's position, and determine their number. At night they crept close to the camp at Fulsoms Fort, and counted the fires and Indians around each. They reported back there were at least eight hundred.
On Monday morning, March 29th, 1779, McGillivray and his bunch were camped about four or five miles east of Rocky Comfort Creek at a place called Dancing Hill. Colonel Hammond's Light Horse attack them at 10 o'clock. They killed six Indians, the trader of Kialegee James Andrews, the trader of Puckantallahassee Levy Taylor, and one more. They took captive three Indians, and two white men named Dilts and Branum. Hammond's only loss was Major Ross of South Carolina, who was shot through the stomach and later died. (This is the battle where Louis Milfort says Alexander McGillivray ran and hid in the bushes)
On the 30th of March Colonels Pickens and Dooly attack a party on Little River. A son of the Chief of Little Tallissee was taken prisoner, with several Indians killed and more whites taken prisoner. Colonel Hammond recrossed the Savannah River with the scalps of the Indians tied to a pole, and waving in the air.
Near Fort Charlotte a troop of militia had a skirmish with a band of Indians, which were beaten off. On the Indians retreat they stopped at John Tyner's house on Boyds Creek. They killed him and his wife, and killed the baby by bashing its head against a tree. The son Noah hid in a hollowed out tree, and escaped the massacre. They took the two girls, Mary and Tamer, and brought them to Coweta. After the war the trader John Moniac bought Mary and married her. They would not sell Tamer, and fearing she was trying to escape decided to burn her. An old Indian woman helped her escape down the Chattahoochee River to Appalachacola. There she found passage aboard a vessel and made her way back to her home on Boyds Creek.
After the skirmishes the Indians and whites began a retreat. Jacob Moniac the interpreter, McGillivray, and a few more made their escape from the grasp of Hammond. Moniac went back across the Oconee and Ocmulgee Rivers to Towelegee Creek. There he met up with McIntosh and his band of forty Indians and ten whites.
On the 28th of March Tait had left Fulsoms Fort to go back to Oconee and wait for McIntosh. There he met with John Pigg who was to lead him safely to the British forces. On April 2nd they met McGillivray and twelve Indians on their return home. Most of Tait's Indians had already turned toward home saying they now believed what the Rebel emissaries had said about the British only wanted them to be drawn off so their nation could be destroyed. About two hundred promised to stay, but next day more of them left. Tait and McGillivray, with what few Indians remained, went on to join Colonel Maitland near Savannah.
During all the disruption and confusion John Stuart died on the 22nd of March. Andrew Rainsford, David Holmes, Alexander Cameron, John Mitchell, Robert Tait, and Alexander McCullagh were appointed Commissioners of the Indian Department by Governor Chester until the favor of his Lordship George Germain could be known.
Jacob Moniac reported they had just received news that the son of the headman of Little Tallissee, and two more had been taken prisoner. Two more were killed on the borders of Seneca, and the Indians had killed some people and took two prisoners. While they were returning the Rebels overtook them, killed two more Indians, and took back the captives.
One of the captives was a twelve year old girl. A gunsmith named William Suttle, with some others, went in pursuit. They came on the Indians at their camp in the night. Suttle picked out the one who seemed to claim her, and shot him. On hearing the shot she jumped up and ran in the direction it came from. Suttle seized her by the hand, and put her on a fast horse toward home.
Moniac said the Hillabee, Alabama, and some other towns were preparing to go to war, and the Tuskegee and Coosada had already left. Opai Haujo Phiamingo, and some of the Oakchoy were on the road to Pensacola. He had tried to stop them by saying there was small pox in town, but they insisted on going anyway.

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