Letter from Major Henry Gaither to Secretary of War Henry Knox on the robbery and murder at Traders Hill St Marys
Document 1793Recounting murder and robbery at Traders Hill St Marys, Gaither notes that Indian Agent James Seagrove demands murderers and all involved. This demand is dividing the Creek nation. Timothy Bernard advises Gaither to stay on guard. Gaither has written to General Clark and other militia officers. Encloses Bernard's letter.
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Seagrove which before I had finished came the dreadful sum up to me from a town below me forty miles on that river, that two parties out of militia and from a few villains from a town an hundred miles below that had just arrived from St. Marys and Satilla, with from a few scalps from that quarter, and a great deal of plunder, then that have committed these violations are settlements near Jack Hammonds and the part of the nation that Major Seagrove has given Kennard instructions to endeavor to govern which I cannot say but Kennard has made use of every means in his power to keep them quiet but the talks they get from the villain Willbanks and from those northward Indians has put some of the Sinners Relieves nearly out of their heads. Willbanks at that very town reported a report as soon he got at that time went down to meet her, and alarmed the Indians all along as he went that she would arrive which Simm could have believed, that people would have been so mad, as to make goods on such uncertain plans, but to my great surprize and fully enformed that the vessel arrived on the coast with several Indians on board, that went to Providence to protect her from the assaults of the Spaniards but nevertheless she done acted as any other power in such a case would and ought to have done, took the infernal goods and all and conducted her to St. Marks garrison, and it some [undecipherable] some of the Indians fast for two or three days which I imagine was a little insolent, they have since sent them home a lucky circumstance for our frontiers. Whats happened, well I now hope put an end to that business, and destroyed all hopes of shipping landing on that question. Poor kept Flemming at Captain Robert Seagroves Store on St. Marys fell a sacrifice to Savage cruelty, and the Men plundered of every thing they could take off, one other young man
[*JB*]
Type
Copy of document
Description
Recounting murder and robbery at Traders Hill St Marys, Gaither notes that Indian Agent James Seagrove demands murderers and all involved. This demand is dividing the Creek nation. Timothy Bernard advises Gaither to stay on guard. Gaither has written to General Clark and other militia officers. Encloses Bernard's letter.
Date
04/17/1793
Author
Recipient
Sent from
Fort Fidius
Document number
1793041740055
Page start
441
Note
Cited in Knox to Gaither, 06/10/1793.This document is enclosed in a statement relative to the South Western frontiers, as connected with the state of Georgia and Creek Indians, the south Western territory of the United States and the Cherokees suybmitted to the House of Representatives on December 4, 1793. This document is an integral part of [Public Reports] and other communications of the Secretary of War, 12/99/1793.
Notable persons
Henry Knox
Henry Gaither
Georgia militia
General Clark
Timothy Bernard
James Seagrove
Notable locations
Fort Fidius
Traders Hill St Marys
Oconee River
Georgia
Philadelphia

