Letter from Georgia Governor Telfair to Secretary of War Henry Knox on the Creek barbarities and additional troops
Document 1793From the State House in Augusta Georgia, Governor Telfair notes horrid barbarities and carnage on the frontier caused by the Creeks. As such is adding troops and establishing camp at Shoulderbone to be commanded by General Officer. Says that no idea of peace should divert from preparations for war; people of Georgia must be protected. Acknowledges receipt of supplies.
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at or near the skull shoals of Oconee in Greene County on monday last about 10 Oclock in the morning.
Taken from the files of the Executive this
29th April, 1793.
Attest
W Urquhart, S E D
State House, Augusta 8th May 1793
Sir
Such is the havock and carnage making by the Savage, in every direction on our frontier, that retaliation by open War, becomes the only result, the horrid barbarities committed (some recitals of which the enclosures contain) have impelled me to cause the additional aid of six troops of horse to be drawn into service to range on the frontier; and also to establish a Camp at Shoulderbon to consist of three battalions companies, and I have directed a General Officer to repair to the said Camp, to be repair to the said Camp to be reinforced, as circumstances may require; the late respite is only to be attributed to the heighth of the waters, and so soon as they subside, I have nothing to expect but an immediate renewal of the like barbarities, every measure in my power to repel and annoy shall be taken, and as far as means will extend shall be carried into effect. Let no idea of peace so far amuse as to divert the necessary and immediate preparations for War, every information you may receive tending thereto, must proceed from ignorance or design; the field is now taken — the people must be protected, and a failure
failure in this juncture will affect the operations of Government in a serious degree. The Agent for supplies has afforded much relief, by furnishing the men called into service; and on a continuation of such supplies, will depend the fate of Georgia.
I have the honor to be,
Sir your most obedient humble
servant
Edw.d Telfair
The Secretary of War.
Extract from the depositions of Michael Cupps and Nancy Smith, taken Elihu Lyman Esquire, one of the Justices of the peace for the County of Greene, dated 23d. April 1793.
"Michael Cupps, was near the Oconee river on Monday the 22d instant, and heard a Gun fired, and saw about thirty Indians firing upon and Massacreing Richard Thresher, two children and a negro Wench; at the same time the wife of the deceased with an infant, ran and leaped into the river, the Indians firing upon her as she fled — the woman was found alive, scalped, wounded in both her thighs, her right breast with balls, and stabbed in her left breast with a knife, her left arm cut nearly off, as is supposed with a Tomohawk, of which wounds she died in about twenty four hours, the Infant was found drowned, without any marks of violence upon it. Nancy Smith deposed, the number of Indians was in her opinion nearly one
hundred
Type
Author's Letterbook Copy
Description
From the State House in Augusta Georgia, Governor Telfair notes horrid barbarities and carnage on the frontier caused by the Creeks. As such is adding troops and establishing camp at Shoulderbone to be commanded by General Officer. Says that no idea of peace should divert from preparations for war; people of Georgia must be protected. Acknowledges receipt of supplies.
Date
05/08/1793
Author
Recipient
Sent from
State House, Augusta Georgia
Document number
1793050840050
Notable persons
Georgia Governor Telfair
General Officer
Creek Nation
troops of horse
battalions
companies
Georgia Militia
Henry Knox
Secretary of War
Notable locations
Shoulderbone
State House Augusta Georgia
Creek Nation
Notable items
supplies

