James Seagrove to Edward Telfair Governor of Georgia Fort Fidius on the Oconee, 3^d October 1793 Sir, The duty I owe my country, and regard for my reputation obliges me once more to address your Excellency on a subject which to me is truly unpleasant. By my communications to you of the 3^d of August last, from Savannah and the 6^th of last month from Augusta and 22^d from this place, as well as by a copy of my instructions which your Excellency received from the Secretary of the department of War, you have been fully informed of my intended journey into the Creek nation, as well as the nature and extent of my business — I therefore could not doubt but I should have received every aid from the government of Georgia in accomplishing an object so much desired by the President of the United States, and which tended so conspicuously to promote the true interest and happiness of the people of this State. How far my expectation on this head have been answered the following statement of facts will explain. After having had the honor of an interview with your Excellency at Augusta on the 5^th ultimo, and of writing you a letter next day, I set of for this place on the 7^th in order to meet the friendly chiefs on the Oakmulgee, and with them proceed to the Creek nation. I was not a little astonished when on the morning of the 9^th being then about thirty two miles from this place, I was met by Cap^t Dickenson with a party of federal troops whom it appeared had been dispatched in consequence of a council of all the Officers at this garrison held from the repeated alarming accounts to them, and that parties of people were out on the roads in order to intercept and destroy me; those misguided people having heard that I was going to the Indian nation in order to make peace for this country. On my arrival there I received satisfactory information that the people on this frontier were assembling in bodies with design intention of expeditions in different directions to the Creek towns. I could not for some time allow myself to suppose it possible after the remonstrance that I made to your Excellency to restrain all armed parties from crossing the boundary lines whilst I was on the business of peace with the Indians without my being apprized thereof from you. But all doubts on this head were soon removed by the expedition which was sent out from this frontier under the command of the Colonels Lamar, Alexander, and Holton, who crossed the Oconee on or about the 15^th ulto and on the 21^st surprized a small Indian town on the Chatahochee river called the little Oakfuskee, which town was under the direction of the White Lieutenant who it is well known to have ever been friendly to this country! I am informed by one of the Captains that was of the expedition, that the party aforementioned killed and scalped six Indian men and brought off eight female prisoners, plundered and burnt the town which consisted of upwards of ten houses, and on the 26^th of the same month the party returned to Greensborough with the prisoners and plunder. On the 26^th ulto a party of Horsemen in the public service under command of a Captain Barson crossed the river Oconee three miles above this place with intention as he declared to prevent my meeting the Indians and to destroy all or any of the friendly Indians he came across — this party went as far as the Oakmulgee but did not meet any Indians. At same time I had received undoubted information of two other parties of horse being out on the Indian territory from this frontier, all of them with avowed intention of opposing my meeting the Indians and effecting a peace. To these things I am sorry to add, that a torrent of unmerited calumny and insolent threats are denounced against me by many of the people of this country; and no pains taken by the Executive of Georgia to support a federal Officer in the faithful discharge of his duty. In mine of the 22^d ulto I informed your Excellency of the very favorable prospect I had of settling matters with the Creeks on terms of equal justice and to the satisfaction of our country; and that I should leave this the next day in order to meet the chiefs on the Oakmulgee. But on receiving advice of the attack made on the Oakfuskee and the alarming accounts of so many parties from Georgia being out and of their views, I concluded it would be best to delay my journey for some days in order to give your Excellency time to take further measures for discountenancing such doings. But to my astonishment I have since discovered, that those frontiers who have engaged in offensive operations against the Creeks, are authorized by your Excellency for what they have done, and are doing in that way. This being confirmed to me beyond a doubt, I conceived it would have been very improper in me, to go into the Creek nation to treat of peace whilst your Excellency was actually carrying on a War against them. Whilst in this situation I received your Excellency's [underline: notice] of the 26^th ulto with the "conditions required by the State of Georgia on the establishing of peace between the United States and the Creek Indians." Whether it is proper or improper in the Executive of Georgia to come forward at this time and in this manner with such [underline: conditions] is not with me to say — that is a matter which I suppose will be determined by the General government. On the 29^th ulto I sent my deputy Timothy Barnard and three trusty white persons into the Creek nation with instructions to use all possible address in keeping the Indians from taking revenge on this country for the late injuries done them. Barnard writes me from the Oakmulgee on the 1^st instant "that he had talked with all the Indians there who seemed to be disposed still to preserve peace with this country; that he had dispatched a principal chief to the White Lieutenant with a peace talk from me." Upon the whole I am yet in hope our country may enjoy the blessings of peace if we choose it in preference to War, provided you will restrain the people of this State from acting offensively against the Creek Indians. I continue here by order to receive advice from the nation and to act eventually. In the mean time I have to request that your Excellency will give orders that the eight female Indian prisoners taken on the 21^st ulto from the little Oakfuskee town be sent to me at this place, where they shall be taken care of and returned in exchange for any prisoners of the United States in the Creek nation. You will please to excuse my intruding so long on your time and believe me to be Your Excellency's Obedient very humble Servant James Seagrove Agent of Indian affairs, S.D. U.S. His Excellency Edward Telfair, Governor and Commander in Chief of the State of Georgia