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Talks from Headmen of Chehaws and Telluina: Militea, Stinnpoe, Stophia Chopes, Chehaw Tustanmocca, Tustanochogn, and Cochorona Tustanmocca to James Seagrove Creek Indian Agent on their participation in the murder and robbery at Traders Hill St Marys

Undated document, probably generated during late spring 1793. The headmen explain that they thought there was a general war when they came upon the dead Captain Fleming at Robert Seagrove's store, Traders Hill St Marys. Thinking it was war, they killed others, but not involved in the initial killing at the store. Ask Seagrove for a talk via Mr Kinnard's negro boy. They have a great deal of property, including horses and negroes. Since it is not a war, they want to return it.
Militea then says he hopes recent talks will not be spoiled by recent event by his people. He does not want to jeopardize receiving provisions from Seagrove and hopes the Georgia inhabitants will not leave their houses and land; did not mean to disturb them.
Seagrove comments skeptically that all of the authors of this talk, except Militea, were perpetrators of murder near Colerain and the robberies on the Alalamaha. Militea attended boundary lines as commissioner. The Chehaw and Tellehuanas are one people, the latter being a small village of the former.

1793

This document is enclosed in a statement relative to the South Western frontiers, as connected with the state of Georgia and Creek Indians, the south Western territory of the United States and the Cherokees submitted to the House of Representatives on December 4, 1793. This document is an integral part of [Public Reports] and other communications of the Secretary of War, 12/99/1793.

Headmen of the Chehaws and Telluana.

James Seagrove

Headmen of Chehaws

Militea

Stinnpoe

Stophia Chopes

Chehaw Tustanmocca

Tustanochogn

Cochorona Tustanmocca

James Seagrove

Creek Indian Agent

Traders Hill St Marys

Colerain

Georgia

Alalamaha

Chehaw

Creek

Tellehuanas

Chehaw participation in the murder and robbery at Traders Hill St Marys

1793999990455

256

Talks from Headmen of Chehaws and Telluina
Major Seagrove,

My friend it is not long since we were down to see you and heard your talks but when we got home we heard a talk from the Upper towns from the Savanocas (Shawnee) and thought it was a general War, and our people went off in a hurry and have done mischief and since we have returned home we found that talk was sent to us to bring us into trouble but he had no intent to do any such thing of ourselves, but thought that all the rest of the people were gone out, and we thought it was a War [page break] indeed and that our people turned when we went out we did not intend to have killed any body but on going down and finding Captain Fleming dead and another man at your brother’s store we were sure that it was a war and we then killed some men but it was not us that begun to kill. We are sorry that any such thing has happened as it was our intent to try and keep a peace, but we were deceived by a bad talk sent to us my friend this is all that we can say in the business ‘till we hear from you which I hope will be soon and hope you will send us a talk by Mr. Kennard’s negro boy. We have brought a great deal of property such as horses Cattle and negroes, as we find that it is not a War we don’t think they belong to us, and we shall keep them safe ‘till we hear from you in order to return them.
Mitten desires to talk to you which is as follows.
My friend we have had a talk with you which I hope will not be spoiled on account of the mischief done by our people we have been very well served by you and have had provisions whenever we asked for it and I hope that the Inhabitants will not run off and leave their houses and land and we do not mean to disturb them, and as you are sent for we hope to see you here and settle all the talks with you when I come home with the letter you sent by me the people had yours and so that I did not see them ‘till this mischief was done, this comes from your friends as follows

Militea, Chehaw Tustanmocca,
Stinnpoe, Tastanochogn,
Stophia Chopes , Cochorona Tustanmocca,
Chiefs of Chehaw and Tellehana Towns

James Seagrove Superintendent

Note – All them who sent this talk (except Militen) were perpetrators of the Murders near Colerain and also the robberies on the Altamaha. Militea is one of the Commissioners who attended running of the boundary lines.
The Chehaw and Tillehuanas are one people the later is only a village detached a few miles from the former.
Signed J. Seagrove.