The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-05-04

The Greek Indians History Of Themselves
A travelling correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial, now in the In
dian Nation, furnishes the following
traditional account of the origin of the
Creek Indians, with their subsequent
history, as given by the Indians them
selves:
The history of the NIuscogec or Creek
Nation is like an aboriginal romance.
There is !: consistency, directness and
air of history about their traditions
which is seldom found in savage histo-
ries. Their history begins many gene
rations before the coming of the whites.
They then occupied II region far west
thern Texas, they think-from which
they slowly moved eastward as a Ma
ton Of predatory warriors. After cross
ing the Arkansas they heard of a people
north of them leading the same life,
speaking the same language and using
the same medicines and war-WhoOp.-
ambassadors were sent, the two tribes
met, and, though their kinship could
be traced, they formally united, and,
ever since, the two divisions have been
known as theUpper and Lower Creeks.
The combined tribe moved eastward
and attacked a nation afterwards known
as the Alabamas, then living on the
western bank of the Mississippi. After
a long and bloody contest the Alaba-
mas were driven northward, and the
Muscogees took possession of their
towns. Many years after they heard of
the Alabamas, went after them and
again defeated them, the latter this
time crossing the Mississippi and sett-
ling somewhere between that and the
Ohio. The next generation of Greeks
renewed the war, crossed the Missis-
sippi and again drove the Alabamas,
who travelled whole season toward
the south, and settled in what is now
probably the State of Mississippi. The
Creeks also turned toward the south,
and in the next generation again came
upon the Alabamas, and destroyed all
but Il remnant, who fled eastward and
settled in a Valley in the present State
of Alabama. Learning that their he
reditary enemies were again upon the
move, they sent a deputation and sued
for peace. The Creeks had from time
pursued a policy of alb
sorption similar to that of the ancient
Romans. When they met q strange
people the first move was war. If the
attacked fought desperately and were
only conquered after q long struggle,
the victors pronounced them worthy to
be Muscogces, and adopted the remnant
into their tribe. They now adopted
the Alabamas, who maintain Il separate
race and language in the Creek Nation
to this day. They slowly moved east
ward, and there for the first time came
into conflict with the Cherokees, who
the entire hill country of
Southeast Tennessee, Western North
Carolina, and Northern Georgia and
Alabama. a long and bloody war fol-
lowed. The CherokeeS on their own
ground among the mountains invaria-
bly, defeated the N1uscogees, and were
defeated when they entered the latter's
country. The latter could neither con-
quer nor absorb the Cherokees so a
lasting peace was made, which has
never been broken; they agreed to be
sfriends and brothers fOrever,' and to
the Cherokee was granted the right of
"elder brother in cOuncil.' This semi
ority is acknowledged in general coun-
Gil now. The various tribes are consid-
cred as ranking in a peculiar order of
relationship. The Delaware is consid-
Chickasaws, and some other southern
tribes, as younger brother to the Cher
ollee, while the Choctaw is considered
sthc son of a younger brother" What
became of his father the old Creeks
were unable to inform me.
From this point the historical account
of the Creeks, as connected with the
whites, begins. Traders penetrating
their country from Pensacola named it,
from the number of streams, the Creek
Country, and gave the Muscogee Ma
ton the title Of Creek Confetleracy. In
the war Of 1912 a portion Joined the
British, most of whom were driven
from the tribe, into Florida. For many
years all the dissatisfied or turbulent
ran away and joined these exiles, to
whom the Creeks gave the name of
Seminole (Say-mee- no 1ay), meaning
"wild,' or "outcast.'' The whites,
meanwhile, crowded upon the Creeks,
who assigned most Of their land by the
treaty of 1882, and had the remainder
allotted in farms, one to each male
Indian Tho fra vl1S