Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-05-06
Ascend pocehontes,

At the last session Of Congress the following
interesting communication wns received from
the War Department and referred 10 the ap.
propriato Committee who reported bill, which
was passed, granting pension of eight dol.
)arsa month to Milly, the Indian woman meu.
toned in the letter.
WAsnIxoroS, April l3, ls43.
SrR; | have the honor to report that, in my
recpn, visit to the Creek nation Of Indians,
found a Greek woman named Milly, daugh.
ter of the celebrated Prophc, Francis, the Creek
chief who was executed by order of General
Jackson in the Seminole war oflSl7-lS; and,
believing that the circumstances other history
presented case Of very peculiar interest,
made it point to obtain from herselfa state
ment of her conduct in 1918, when as public
history has already recorded she saved the
life Of an American citizen who was prison.
er in the power Of fsome Other tribe. Being in
the vicinity Of the Indian girl, near The mouth
ofthe Verdgris river, and being acquainted
with portion of her history, ! rode several
miles to hear her story from herself,
She began by saying that an elder sister and
herself were playing on the bank of the river
Apalachicola, when they heard a war cry, which
they understood to signify that prisoner had
been taken. They Immediately went in the
direction of the cry, and found white man, en-
trely naked, tied to a tree, and two young IN.
dian warriors, with their rides. dancing around
him, preparatory to putting him to death, as
was their right, according to CUSTOM they hav-
ing taken him prisoner. She explained to
me that in such cases the life ofa prisoner is in
the hands Of the captors-that even the chiefs
have no authority in the case.-Mlly was then
but fifteen or sixteen years Of age.
THE prisoner was young man," said Mil
ly, "and seemed very much frightened, and
looked wildly around to see if any body would
help him." al thought it was pity" she said,
"that young man like him should be put to
death; and l spoke to my father. and told him
it was pity to kill him-that he had no head
togo to war WITH" (meaning that the young
man must have acted upon the advice of others
and not upon his own suggestion in going tc
war; "Nly father told me-" continued Mllly
"that he could not save him, and advised me tt
speak to the Indians, and did so but one O
them was very much enraged, saying he hh,
lost two sisters in the war and would put tn,
prisoner to death. l told him." said Milly
"that it would not bring his sisters back to xii
the youngman, and so, talking to him for SOM
time, finally persuaded him; and he said tina
if the young man would agree to have his hea
shaved, and dress like an Indian, and live a
mong them, they would save his life"
She then proposed the conditions to the whit
man, which were joyfuly accepted and tn
Indians changed the contemplated death seen
into frolic. They shaved the young man
head, excepting the scalp lock, which was OIL
nnmented with feathers and, after pantin
him, and providing him an Indian dress he wa
set at liberty, and adopted as one of the tribe.
Some time aiterward the young man propo
ed marriage 4; but Mily said she did not say
his life for that, and declined his proposals.
asked Milly how she now lived. She to'
me that she was very poor and had 10 wor
very hard that her father was put to deaf
in the war, and her mother and sister wei
dead. Her husband was also dead OF eigl
children she had but three living, two ofwho
were young girls, and one boy, too young y
to help her. But she said that if she cou
recover her property from the Seminolcs 81
could live very well.
She is now about forty years Of age; al
after having seen her, and being entire
satisfied of the truth of her story, am
duced to recommend that her case be laid b
fore Congress. Mllly has now no husband
brother, or any near connection, to provide
her, and is in need-with fine promsiI
son indeed, but too young TO be of service
his mother; and, owing to pledges made
the Seminoies, it is probable she will not
able to recover possession of some negro pr
perty, now held by the Seminoles, belongir
10 her. Your obedcnt servant.
f. A. HITCHCOCK,
Lieutenant Colonel Sd Infantry &
Hon. J. c. SPENCER, Secretary OF War.
A GREAT DisoovERy IN MEsMERIsa-l
4