Author's Letterbook Copy

Copy of a talk from the Big Warrior of the Cussetahs

Undated, but probably around May 1793. Timothy Barnard delivered a talk from Big Warrior of Cussetahs, and two chiefs of same town. Upper Creeks profess continued friendship. Cowetas, Chehaws, Oswitches, Broken Arrow, vow to continue hostilities and refuse to collect and return stolen property. Big Warriors says he has done all he can, and now believes the white man must subdue them; provides recommended routes. Asks that he be informed, should such action be taken against the perpetrators. Reminds Twiggs that his people did not support the British during Revolutionary War. Says that those who did support the British all have negroes working for them, but not in his town, whose people work for themselves. Will do what he can to prevent his people from going out and causing mischief. William Panton is causing the lower towns to be obstinate. He told the Cowetas and Cheehaws not to give up any property and not to give any satisfaction for murders at Traders Hill on St Mary's River. Since Panton has so much economic power, many of the mutinous towns will listen to him. Closes by professing friendship. Hopes these talks will be sent to President of United States General George Washington, who will not treat his red children rashly.

1793

The year of this document was assumed by the placement in the collection.

General Twiggs

Big Warrior

Timothy Barnard

Big Warrior of Cussetahs

Upper Creeks

Cowetas

Chehaws

Oswitches

Broken Arrow

white man

James Seagrove

Creek Indian Agent

Creek Nation

Upper Towns

Lower Towns

William Panton

British

negroes

President of United States General George Washington

Spaniards

British

Upper Creeks

Lower Creeks

Upper Towns

Lower Towns

Cussetahs

Cowetas

Chehaws

Oswitches

Broken Arrow

Creek Nation

Georgia

United States

Philadelphia

Britain

Spain

Florida

Revolutionary War

robbery and murder at Trader's Hill on St Mary's River

Spain influence on Creeks against United States

Panton influence

1793999990000

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Copy of a talk from the Big Warrior of the Cussetahs and two the Chiefs from the same Town in answer to General Twigg's letter delivered by him to Mr. Barnard to be sent to General Twiggs
Friends and Brothers.
I came out to Mr Barnards with a determination to send my friends in that quarter a talk where I had the good fortune to meet your talk the day it arrived, the Big Warrior says he had just arrived from a meeting in the Upper Creeks where they had a full meeting of the heads of all the upper Towns and likewise the lower of all the upper Creeks agreed to continue in friendship with the United States, which he believes they will stand to, the lower Creeks consented to the same but since he got home he has heard the Cowetas and Broken Arrow which is one town as they live nearly on one spot. The Chehaws and Oswitches which are as one town, they likewise living on one spot. He wishes to inform you that they still mean to continue hostilities, and have refused to collect the property that belong to the States, therefore as he found they were so inclined and as they were the towns that had done all the mischief he thought it his duty to acquaint his friends the white people of it. The Big Warrior says that himself and all the Chiefs of his town have done all in their power to pacify them but he now finds it is out of his power to get them to agree to give up any property or give any satis-faction for the murders they have committed, therefore he sees no other step can be taken to bring them to their sences but for you to come amongst them, and subdue them, and then matters may be settled as usual, the Warrior
Warrior says that he and the other towns are still determined to listen
to the talks from time to time from their friends the whites which
they agreed for their friends the Americans to drink water out of our
side of the Oconee and for the red people to drink out of the other in
friendship and they hope it will remain so. He says as those bad
towns have already refused to give up any property tho they had agreed
to it at the general meeting and from what he has heard since he
is certainly convinced that they mean continuing hostilities therefore
it is his wish that you and all his friends the white people should
know it that they may take such steps as may prevent their going
to [undecipherable] great lengths. The Big Warrior wishes to inform you that the
path you took when you crossed the Oakmulgee led to the Buzzard
Roost where some of your friends the Cassetas reside, and as they your
friends are all near starving and are all settled along that path
if you had continued still along that path you would have drove
them from their crops and perhaps as your men were angry might
have killed some of them which are your friends, he therefore hopes
if you should come again that you will take the Oakfaskie path
and follow that till you come near the Chatacan river and turn to
a village where an Indian lives called short neck which is thirty
miles above the Cowetas and from there all the Indians you find
on either side of the river are Cowetas as they are settled on both
sides of the river as low as the Cowetas and Chehaws and Oswitches
are settled about 12 miles below them on the same side of the river
that the Cowetas lies on which is westerly. He hopes before you
start that you will send a private express to him and his town to
let
let them know that they may just be surprized at your coming, which
will convince them that you don't mean to molest them. Those [undecipherable]
towns he says shall not know of it, he says that his business out here
was to bring out some horses that he had collected that belonged to Georgia
to be sent down to the Rock landing to their owners and to return back from
here, and as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] out unprepared for a journey even without his gun or
any provisions he begs you will excuse his proceeding any further to see
you altho he has a great desire to see you, therefore as it is out of his power
for the present he hopes you will be satisfied with his talk he has sent
you, and as he this day sets out for his town he will collect the heads of
his town and acquaint them with what he has heard and with what
you say in respect of seeing some of them which he hopes will be agreed
upon and if it is you will hear from him as soon as opportunity will
admit but whether or not he hopes you will consider this as a sincere talk
and from your old friends those you know even when the British were
your enemy and got all the others to join them against you and paid
them well for it, we [undecipherable] then refused to take up arms against you and
likewise refused their goods and endevoured to keep as many of the other
towns back as we could and were always back and forward amongst you
giving you all the information we cold thus I hope my friends the Ame-
ricans will not forget and always listen to what I say and not distress us
who never intended to take up arms against them without they should
put us upon a footing with their [undecipherable] in that case it cannot be consi-
dered our fault. He says that those towns that took the British talks
have all got negros more or less in them to work for them, but as it is not
the case with this town they have none but are poor and obliged to work
themselves
354
themselves, therefore he hopes their friends will not increase their poverty
by driving them from their towns, tho they are so near the Cowetas
that are enemies tho on the other side of the river, which as you are
at a loss for pilots can be informed of and you will likewise see your
Colours in the town. He further hopes no town may suffer but those
that are guilty as if so you may raise up more enemies, for he says
he is convinced no other towns are for mischief but those mentioned,
neither is there any of your property amongst them. The Warrior
further says on his return to his town he and the rest of the heads
of the Cussetahs will do every thing in their power to prevent those
towns from going out to do any more mischief, therefore if they should
go out he hopes it will not be considered their faults. The Warrior
wishes his friends the white people to know that they the red people
have not laws to restrain their people from doing mischief neither is it
in their power to command each other to take up arms to suppress such
conduct. Mr W. Panton's talks he says is the cause of those town standing
out so obstinately as he told the Cowetas and Chehaws not many days
ago not to give up any property. These people in particular were called
down among the Spaniards he supposes for that purpose. He likewise
told them not to give any satisfaction for the murders committed till
they would move off from the Oconee land, this the Warrior says
Mr Panton dares to keep up a disturbance in Georgia, that no deer
skins may go that way, he further says that he and Mr McGillivray
in his lifetime were always giving out such talks to keep the trade in
their own hands, as for the Spaniards they say but little, but Mr Panton
whether by the order of the Spaniards or not has said a great deal and
had
355
had it not been for what he said, satisfaction would have been given before
this time but as he is master of so many goods those [undecipherable] will
listen to his talks. The Warrior says this talk he has sent is the voice of his
whole town and he he hopes the white people will look upon this as a talk
from their best friends as they have always found the Cussetahs. It is all
he can say at this time and he hopes it will be sent to the great beloved
man General Washington, their father as he knows he will make good
use of it and not treat his red children rash that do not wish to offend
him or hurt his people, but still wish to eat and drink and remain in
friendship with all white people.
──────────
Lower Creek nation
Flint River
Personally appeared before me Timothy Barnard
deputy superintendent to the United States of America William Stranger
a native of Georgia and now a resident in Pensacola West Florida who
being duly sworn maketh oath he was present and saw the Spaniards
public stores opened at Pensacola where there was arms and ammunition
both delivered to the Creek Indians and the deponent saith that he
heard Governor O'Neal say that he had told the Indians that these arms
and ammunition was given them to kill the Americans and that he would
give them more if they stood in need of it, the deponent further saith that
Mr William Panton buys the horses that are stolen from the State of Georgia
and has now several of the Horses in his possession in Pensacola town further this deponent saith not.
Wm Stranger
Sworn the 2d May 1793
before me
Timothy Barnard