James Seagrove to M^r Payne, Head Chief of the Simanola tribe of the Creek Indians at Atchaway St. Mary's, Georgia 14^th April 1793 Sir, Although I have not the pleasure of being personally acquainted with you yet I am no stranger to your very respectable character and connexions in the Creek Land. Ever since the United States honored me with my present appointment, I have been very desirous of seeing you and of being in close friendship with a man of your character. I am really sorry that it has so happened that we have not as I have reason to think it would have been mutually agreeable as well as serviceable to our respective countrys. But hope it is not yet too late and that you will favor me with a visit at this place where nothing shall be wanting to make your jaunt agreeable and in return I shall call and spend some time with you and in your country. I was just on the point of setting off into the nation where I had agreed to meet the chiefs on the first of May in the English lob Town in order to arrange and settle all matters still depending between your and my Country which there was no difficulty or doubt of accomplishing as I had nothing to ask from them and much to give and adorn solely for the good of the nation. But an unexpected and unfortunate affair which took place in the upper part of this river on the eleventh of last month has for a time delayed my going. It is more than probably you have heard of the affair alluded to but lest you should not have had a true state of it I shall relate it to you which is as follows. On the evening of the eleventh of last month a party of Creek Indians chiefly from the Town where Burges lives in number from twenty five to thirty entered the store of my Brother Robert Seagrove at Tradershill on this river and then and there killed M^r John Fleming the Storekeeper and M^r Daniel Moffit, scalped and mangled their bodies in a brutal manner, beat and abused a woman who lived there and left her laying supposed to be dead. A Man of the name of upton who was there is missing and must be killed or carried off prisoner by the same party who also robbed the said store of good the first cost of which was ten thousand dollars which they took off with them to the towns. also a number of Horses &c &c. Two days after a party of the same killed three men and a Girl that were travelling about Ten miles from said store and plundered their Waggons and took off horses and all they could find and fled towards the nation. This is a true state of the outrage which you may rely was committed without the shadow of offence of any kind whatever being given by our people. On the contrary I was at that instant feeding and giving presents from the public stores on this river to a great many families of Indians from the different parts of the nation with whom all our people were on the most friendly terms not suspecting harm when this unprovoked horrid murder and robbery was committed. I have since sent a talk to the Chiefs of the whole nation and doubt not they will see the necessity there is of doing justice to my country in this instance has been very ill treated— I am happy in finding by letters which I have received from the Nation that they knew nothing of this affair until it had taken place, and that it appears to have been done through the advice of some white villians to serve private purposes. The insult and injuries is great on the Creek Nation as well as the United States, and the consequence may be of a most serious and alarming nature to the whole of the Creek land unless their regard for justice and a wish to live in peace and friendship with this country shall direct your wise men to make examples of those bad men who have dared to disturb the peace of two Nations whose mutual interest it is to be friends. My principal reason for writing to you at this time is that not having heretofore seen you and that probably you may not have heard my different talks to the Creek people. I do it to assure you that it is the wish and desire of the President and United States to live in the most friendly and brotherly terms with every part of the Creek Nation and that the whole of my talks to the Chiefs of your nation has uniformly been to that effect as well as that the Creek people should on no account involve themselves in a war or dispute with any people either white or red— these are truths which cannot be denied. Happy will it be for your nation if my advice is preferred to that of a designing malignant set of wretches who from motives of personal interest or revenge advise contrary measures in order to involve you in a war— such people are regardless of what may befall your land— they have nothing to lose by your misfortunes, but unquestionably will take advantage of them. As a friend to your country I hope you will attend to what I now tell you and use your influence to direct your people to peace and what is for their good and will keep them in a state of prosperity. It will always give me pleasure to be of service to you or your country and convince how much I am your friend. I have just sent my interpreter Jaughy Bryant with this to inform you that it is our desire to be in peace and friendship with you and request you will let me hear from you. I should have sent you a handsome present by him, but as the path does not seem quite clear at present. I am afraid he might lose them. If you will do me the pleasure of coming here you shall receive a present equal to the first Chief of your land. In the mean time I send you from the President of the United States a handsome pair of Arm bands which please accept and wear as a token of his friendship for you. Notwithstanding the late murders by the Creeks no injury has been offered any of them although Several