The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-08-24
GEORGIA AND THE cHERoKEEs.
ATHENS, (E. Tenn july l6, 1881.

ATHENS, (E. Tenn July l6, 1881
Dear Brother Tho present state of affairs
in the bounds of the Cherokee mission makes II
necessary to hasten on this my third quarterly
report. Receiving the painful intelligence, while
on visit in East Tennessee, of the arrest OF
the Rev. J. i. Troit. the assistant preacher on
Conasauga circuit Il FASTENED 10 the nation, in
order if possible, to make some efforts for his .
release from prison, and to adopt such meas /
lures were in my power Tor ',o slipper: a.;siS ,
mission in these perilous times. When | got
into the nation brother Trott had given bail, !
and returned home 10 attend TO the duties OF
his charge. | then hurried on to Creek Path, !
to attend my quarterly meeting there, which
was held on the Cd and Sd inst.
On the 9Th inst myself and the Rev Martin
Webs, from the Chatteoga station, reached the
residence Of brother Trott, when we were IN
formed that lie was again arrested by detach-
'ment of the guards the preceding day for
the same offence, and had left word Tor me to
come and see him. Early in the morning of
the 9Th, and brother Wells started in quest Of
our captured brother, and about len o'clock we
met the guard, with the prisoner. on line of
march for head quarters, having in company
with brother Trottthe Rev. Mr.. Worcester,
a Presbyterian missionary, arrested also for re-
siding within the charter of the State and
dragged off from a sick family These two
brethren and an Indian, chained by the neck to
the baggage wagon. were driven on foot before
! the mounted horsemen, as part of the punish
ment inflicted on them for what the guard call
their obsinacy. l rode up to Col. Nelson, sub
commander of the Georgia guard, and politely
asked permission to speak to the prisoners. He
told me could do as they advanced, provid-
ed i talked loud enough to bc heard by the
guard.
In our conversation asked brother Trott if
he had been chained the preceding night. He
they any law to chain prisoner when they
have sufficient reason to believe that he would
not run away" He said, "I suppose they
have no law for it: but such are their orders .
adding that the guard were more inclined to
lenity than even their orders would allow them
told him had no doubt ofthat, but remarked
g 1t seems they act more frem orders than
from lao, or that when they want law they
can make one" quoting in the last expression
what am informed was the language used by
Col SANFORD, the chief commander Some of
the guard then began to threaten me with an ar
rest, if did not mind how talked told them
had simply expressed my opinion as n freeman
without any design to reflect on the present
guard who were executing their orders but
; that IT l had said any thing criminal was in
their power--thcy could arrest me. Col Nell
son and Sergeant Brooks, hearing the guards
talking largely, galloped up from the rear with
d
I the matter. On being inloI med what / had
! said, Col. Nelson bitterly cursed me, and order
cd me oil Immediately; | told him that had
SAID nothing but what believed to be true, but
had not designed to insult the guard He, in
more angry tone, ordered me "to flank of
quickly, and backed his order with severe
threat 4 thenturned off, and told the colonel
at his command would go but observed, as
rode OIL, (perIaps rather hastily that he would
" hear from me aUatn moaning that la
public should have statement of facts in 'rela.
: ton to'his conduct. Col Nelson and Brooks
l. then followed me up with much abusive Ian.
guage, and ordered me to stop. Nelson asked
f me where lived told him :" in West Ten.
r nessee" was then made to dsmount-brotlI
=, err Wells ordered of-Noson and Brooks
t swearing that | wax " the very fellow thew had
d been wanting to get hold of" After going q
G few steps, my horse was taken from me anG
d sent back to brother Wells, while | was made
n TO run on foot to get up with the other prison
n ers' furious storm of human vengeance wa.
. beating upon me in all the violence of infurja
i ted oaths and horrid imprecations was tolt
d II opened my mouth, should be run through
: with the bayonet and Brooks urged that
t should receive n hundred lashes! was driven
t through mud holes and branches for some dis
n lance; but when their anger cooled little,
> was suffered to have equal privileges with the
v other prisoners
e Brother Wells met the Rev. Mr.. Thompson
9 n Presbyterian missionary, and turned bach
: with him, leading my horse along When Col
S Nelson saw them following, he ordered Well.
i to keep out Of sight. He then fell back seven
o ty or one hundred yards, but still keep movine
o on slowly. Nelson then got down, cut a largs
9 club, remounted, rode up to Wells, and asked
d nm why he did not obey his orders, giving
:. hlm asevere stroke on the head with the stick
Q Brother Wells then told him he was TRAVELLING
on public road as freeman, which he should
!, commune to do, and went on after the guard un
d III lie got as far as he designed to go that day
). Inc Colonel was armed with sword, pistols
K and club, and thus displayed his bravery in
d striking deienceess and unoffending man
C merely because he showed signs of friendship
TO me-
On the preceding day, DR.. Butlsr anoth.
er Presbyterian missionary, was arrested
v ny the guards, chained around the neck,
ana made to walk by the side of mounted
soldier until 1T became so dark his life was
= IN imminent danger every moment. He
was then placed behind the soldier, the
n CHAIN fastened around his neck with a pad
lock, and the other end locked to rome
S around the horses neck. In this situation
y the morse fell backwards on both his riders
: into gully, which came very near killing
: them both. Two or three of the soldiers
, ribs were brok en-.
On Friday night, the 5th, Dr.. Butler
joined us at Hightower; and he, Mr.. Wor.
> cester' and were chained together FOR the
; night, and brother Trott was chained to the
Indian Indian prisoner. On Sunday evening, the
lota' after much abuse from Brooks. hard
marching on foot until and brother Trott
5 ooth entirely failed, we were marched into
mead quarters with drum and fife, in quite
martial style' and Immediately shut up in
prison. AS we were entering the misera-
bic and filthy prison, Brooks followed us
with his curses saying "lnto that place and
INTO O., nell all the enemies of Georgia shall
go| On that holy evening we Joined and
neiu prayer meeting in the prison, and
ieit that the God of Paul and Silas was
on tuesday, the 12th 1 was called 10 an.
p ";I before the naughty Colonel, when he