Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-01-31


AMI was afterwards in possession Of the In.
dians, without being moestet and without
suspicion of danger. have always regard
cd this as an evidence that although the IN
dians were informed on the exposed condl-
ton of the several corps around Fort Dranc,
vet, so long as they could hope to be sent
for to meet in council, they abstaincd from
annoying those troops, in compliance with
their engagement upon thcsOulthlacoochcc.
Indeed know Of nothing which has occur
red TO shake my confidence in the sincerity
of the Indians al that interview.
Gen. Gaines again addressed the Court:
Mr.. President and gentlemen oflhc Court.
Before Offering another question to the Wit
ness, will take occasion 10 s:atc, that have
been severely ccnsared for not firing upon
the Indians when they appeared on the morn
ine of the 9th OF March. The President
of this Court and myself entered the army
together on the 10Th January, 1893, and
am sure he will do me tlle justice 10 ackuowl.
edge that | have never yet been gully OF
so deep and base crime, as that which
some of nv enemies would have me to com
NIT. Sooner than have fred upon those
Indians whilc holding a achite flag end teg-
eiug for peace, my right arm snoud be
severed; | would not fire upon body OF
English, French or Russians who should
present white flag and sue Iorpeacc; why
then have fired upon miserable and wretch
ed posse Of subducd Indians who came to
BEG for quarter? should have dlsgraced
myself in my own eyes what would the
civilized nations ofEurope say to such Il
deed, and committed too, by Americans =
he would not be an American, loving the
honor of his county, TO propose, much
less to commit, so foul an act ! | will now
ask witness,
What reasons had Gen. Gaines for sus-
pending his operations against the Indians
on and after the 9th Of March, 1886
Answer-Thc fact that the enemy had
! raised white flag and asked for peace
had been told the conditions and had prom
iscd to abide by them, by which they were
to have had council with view TO settle
the terms of that peace.
By the Cour:-Were the Indians in coun-
Gil informed that large body oftroops were
coming against them?
Answeg-I stated in the body Of my tes-
timony that told the Indians that General
G.. was but one of several chiefs sent by the
President Of the United States to enforce q
peace upon them. | was not myself INFORM
ed, and of course could not communicate
to the Indians, the time at which these for.
ccs would arrive-that information was
conveyed by the reports of the signal guns
which were directed to be fired by the save.
raj divisions of Gen. SCOTS army while ap.
proaching the Wiihlacoochce. The Indians
occupied a central position, and were much
more likeIyt to hear these guns than the army
divisions themselves The Indians arc
perhaps the best scouts Or spies in the world
and it would have been next to Impossible
for large force to have approached their
strong hold in that stage Of the war without
their knowledge.
By Gca. Gaines-"Wasi it, or was not
afcrlhe Indians had sued rpeace that they
were informed that the large body troops
were coming against them p
Answcr-Il was alicr they had sued for
peace.