Instructions Regarding Willet's Mission to the Creek Nation
Item
Type
Letter Signed
Title
Instructions Regarding Willet's Mission to the Creek Nation
Description
Knox informs Colonel Marinus Willet of his instructions for meeting with the Creek Nation of Indians and their leader, Alexander McGillivray. His primary mission is to prevent a war and to encourage McGillivray and other Creek chiefs to travel to New York for treaty talks.
year created
1790
month created
03
day created
12
author
sent from location
War Office
recipient
in collection
in image
notable person/group
Marinus Willet
Henry Knox
Creek Nation of Indians
Alexander McGillivray
southern Indians
Benjamin Hawkins
incursive parties of the Creeks
Upper Creeks
Major Doughty
legislature of Georgia
Cowetas and Cusitahs of the lower Creeks
notable location
War Office
Georgia
New York
South Carolina
Charleston
West Point
frontiers
Muscle Shoals on the Tennesse River
country of the Chickasaws
notable item/thing
peace with Great Britain
war with said Creeks
[Treaty of New York]
solemn embassy
civility
friendship
principles of justice and humanity
knowledge of the human character
strong predjudices
hostility against the frontiers
passport of the President of the United States [Washington]
by land instead of water
your compensation for this service
mortality
resonable expenses of the Indians
travelling expenses
McMurray's maps of the United States
embarkation for Georgia
peace
temper of the Chickasaws and Choctaws
notable phrase
...to prevent a war is the main object of your business with the Creeks
...[McGillivray] has established a strong, if not a universal influence over the conduct of the Creeks
your principlal effort will be to persuade [McGillivray] to repair to New York with such other chiefs as he shall think proper to accompany him
the letter of Mr. Hawkins to Mr. McGillivray will be your introduction to him
the troops are placed at their respective stations with the intention of preserving the peace and punishing those who shall violate the same, whether whites or Indians
this post [at Muscle Shoals] from its vicinity and position will operate as a strong curb on the conduct of the upper Creeks
the conduct of the troops will be dictated by the conduct of the Creeks
...late conduct of the Legislature of Georgia in selling the lands of the Chickasaws and Choctaws to certain companies of men
your object will be to conciliate the Upper Creeks
document number
1790031200001
page start
1
number of pages
15
Item sets
Transcribe this document
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (15 pages) | EAA03 (15 pages) | Collection: Henry Knox Papers | F: 1750-1806 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Henry Knox | War Office | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Marinus Willett | [unknown] | [n/a] |