[Copy of a letter from Timothy Bernards] Flint River 19^th April 1793. Dear Sir, I wrote you a few days ago by Atkins, who went on by way of Newport, and acquainted you with every matter that occurred to me at that time. Your demand for satisfaction has been fully explained to the Indians. M^r Kennard before your express arrived sent me word that when expresses came up for that purpose to come to him as he knew it would endanger my life to interfere too much in that business, as I was a white man, which I was daily informed of by Indians and white people from the Chehaws. That notorious fellow Galphin has done all in his power to set those Chehaw villians on me; and M^r Ramond has by what I can learn has done the same, but I am in hopes those two villians race is nearly run — I am full convinced that had it not been for those two scoundrels, there would have been none of this mischief that has happened — I have great reason to believe before many days to hear of some of the offenders loosing their lives, at least as many as were murdered on St. Marys — but as to their giving up the whole of the offenders to be punished I fear that is totally out of their power. The Upper Creeks are determined by what I can learn to give full satisfaction which you will be fully informed of by M^r M^cDonald, who is the bearer of this with the express from Alexander Connell and the Mad Dog — Alexander Connell has been down to the Cussetahs, on the business of getting satisfaction, and they have settled it among themselves what is to be done. I should tho' at the risk of my life have went in myself to the Towns on the business but the day after I received your express, had information of the half way house King or Talk King and all his Towns round him setting off to War on the Upper parts of Georgia and a number of the Tuckpatches in the Upper Creeks, and the the Talk King — On hearing of this I sent off a runner to a village about thirty miles this side the Cussetahs and about forty miles from where I live, where the Warriors King and one of the Head Warriors of the Cussetahs resided, they immediately came, and I sent the Head Warrior off to the Towns next morning to dispatch off runners after those gangs of the Upper Creeks, that I heard were turned out — I at the same time made them both fully acquainted with your demand for satisfaction, which was immediately made known fully in the Cussetah square when they consulted, and were fully determined to give satisfaction, and it would have been done before this had not those Upper Town gangs turned out to War. The people that I sent out stopped the Tallapu King and his party and turned them back. I have not heard of the return of the other gang, but there are five runners after them therefore hope they will be stopped — I need not say much to you respecting the disposition of the Upper Creeks, as M^c Alexander Connells letter will inform you fully, by what I can learn the Chiefs of all the Upper Creeks are much inclined for peace — It's thought those two towns that went out were persuaded to it by that villian Gecarson, which if it is proved against him the Mad Dog and Alexander Connell says shall cast him his life. Almost all the Upper Creeks to a man turned out against the Chickasaws, near two thousand of them it seems have started. Charles Weatherford by what I can learn is doing all he can for the good of the United States, and I think was he sure of your protection would be a very useful man in that quarter against the Spanish Commissioners, as there is I hear one just arrived at the Upper Creeks, and that Havrel Melford is at the Tuckabatchies — Weatherford has great influence in that quarter and wants revenge from the [underline: Dons] for making a prisoner of him. I think if you were to give him instructions, and the same to Alexander Connell they would soon turn off the Spanish Commissioners as whole they are there, there will be no good talks from them towards us. M^r M^cDonald the bearer of this informs me that M^r Panton and Governor O'Neil both are called home to the Court of Madrid to answer to a complaint lodged there against them by the United States, and that a Colonel White is made Governor of Pensacola — the truth of this a little time will make appear. M^r Panton I find has sent very pressingly for the Head men of the Upper and Lower Creek Towns to come down to him, but I have done all I can to stop the Lower Towns, and wrote Alexander Connell to stop the Upper Towns and believe there is no danger of any of them going as the Chickasaws war will help to keep them back. The Chickasaws have already killed some of the Cussetahs near the Mobile and carried off some children. The Cussetahs are still as firm friends as ever and I believe will do every thing they can to give satisfaction for whats done. M^r Holmes has acquainted you fully with what has happened lately with the bowdas on the Upper frontier. I am almost afraid that such interruptions taking place will put matters past being settled, those villians the Chehaws when some of them gets killed for what they have done will perhaps be for doing more mischief to make matters general, they threaten Kennards life as well as mine, about satisfaction being demanded therefore I could do no more than what I have done. I expect I shall have to clear out from this somewhere soon, especially when some of the murderers gets killed, which I expect will be as soon as they find that those upper Creeks are turned back, without doing any mischief. I need not mention to you as you are able to judge what confusion there is at this time here — Every White man that is a friend to the United States is in danger, therefore cannot act as they would wish. I now expect Mordecai up every day from you, and if affairs do not take too bad a turn will set off to the Cussetahs and from that to the Upper Creeks and endeavour to do the best I can. I would have stayed at the Cussetahs, but if I had I must have starved as there is not a quart of Corn to be bought there at any price, nor within seventy miles round. Alexander Connell says he does not know how to act, respecting the Spanish Commissioners without you send him instructions how to act, which I think if you did between him and Charles Weatherford, they would soon route them — Yesterday Ted Chawus arrived here back from Kerrs bluff on the Oconee, where he had been to conduct Atkins that far into Georgia, as he found it not safe to stay any longer at the Chehaws, nor yet to go the path from there down — Chawus informs me that while he was there General Irwine, and the Brigadier General of the State, were laying out the ground for a fort at Kerrs bluff, and by a letter I find from there am informed the next day they were to proceed to Long bluff, and from that to the White bluff, for the purpose of laying the ground out for two more Forts, which I am glad to hear that there is some preparations making in that way as I am very much afraid there will be a call for Forts before this matter ends. I wish it may not be the case — While Chawus was at Kerrs bluff there came a man just from one John Fords who was shot at Fords house, the house plundered and Fords wife striped naked. Such things as these are enough to agitate the minds of the people on the frontier, not to spare one wherever they find them this is known to be a party of the Chehaws, who went off to steal horses, since the murders were committed, and came up just before Chehaws with six or seven head. The sooner you can dispatch M^cDonald back with the letters as Connell and the Mad Dog will be very uneasy till he returns, our friends Connell and Kennard both, by what I can learn has neither slept nor eat much since this mischief has happened — Kennard I am told keeps the American colors flying, and means to do so and remain at home if he hears of any army marching and the Cussetah Towns mean to follow the same step. My best wishes for your health &c J Barnard.