Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-07-01
HAYWOOD'S
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
lcoNTSurp FROM LAST WEEK.

lhruS nhu Deen CaTeful 10 INFORM the
Creeks that three hundred Americans
had lately taken up their residence
among the Chickasaws with q view to
erect n fort at the bluff, for the pur.
pose of protecting boats coming down
the river with arms and other supplies
for the Chickasaws their enemies. Or
this the Greeks complained to the Gov.
ernor, and he assured them that the
people of the United States, or any de.
tachment of them, had not, as the
Spaniards represented, taken up their
residence in the Chickasaw country
with view to erect fort at the
Chickasaw bluff, for the purpose of
protecting the boats which should go
down the Mississippi with corn and
other supplies for the Chickasaws. lie
acknowledged that some white people
in the spring went from Cum berland
to the Chickasaws, but had returned.
They had not gone by the authority OF
government or for the purpose of as
sisting the Chickasaws, but happened
to be there when the Creeks came, and
belonged 70 the eastern States, and had
long since gone home. That Governor
Gayoso had taken possession of the
bluff himself. The Creeks, however,
resented the aid sent to the Cbickasaws
in the spring, and mediated blow
both upon them and the people of
Nero district. The Creeks about the
time of Colbert's application to the
Governor were making great prepara
tioDs in their own nation TO prosecute
the war against the Chickasaws. They
had resolved to raise five thousand
troops and expected to have an aug
mentaton of their numbers by acces.
sion of corps of Cherokees of from
five hundred to thousand men. But
they agreed to desist from their opera.
tions in consequence of letters from
Mr.. Seagrove, from the Choctgws and
Chickasaws, and in compliance with
the wishes Of Gov. Blouut expressed
by Col. Ellsworth, who had gone to
the nation to recover his daughter who
was there in captivity.
The Creeks deceitfully professed a
desire for peace, and the Governor be.
lieved them He directed Gen. Robert
son to go to the Chickasaws and to as.
sure them of the desire which the
Creeks had for peace, and to request
them as an introductory step to. the
commencement of a negotiation for
that purpose to deliver to him the
Greeks who were prisoners in their pos
session, that be might, in their behalf
deliver them to the Creeks at the en-
suing conferences which were to be
held with them at Tellico, on the 10th
of October, 1895. Gen, Robertson " as
directed to detain the howitzers, pow.
der and ball destined for the Chicka-
saws, the Creeks being no longer in a
state Of warfare. And moreover, the
General was instructed explicitly to
declare to Piomingo and his nation.
that if they persisted in war against
the Creeks, they were not to expect
supplies from the United States, during
the continuance of it. He was further
instructed to inform the Chickasaws.
should they make enquiries of him
upon the subject, that the President
would not long suffer the fort to re
main at the Chickasaw bluffs which
the Spaniards had lately erected there,
and to explain to- them the nature of
of the sale Of lands which the State of
Georgia had lately made, and to assure
them that their rights were in no
shape affected by these sales. To the
Greeks themselves he wrote in very
conciliating terms, appointed the 10th
of October as the day on which he
would meet them at Tellico, promised
to obtain their countrymen. who were
in captivity with the Chickasaws,
stated to them that he had sent Gen.
Robertson on that business as being
the one who could most probably effect
it, and han directed him to say to the
Chickasaws that the Creeks would be
at peace with them, upon their giving
up the prisoners and ceasing from all
further hostility.
The Governor was soon awakened
out of the security into which he had
been lulled by Creek dissim ulatio He
was informed by confidential agent
in the Creek nation upon whom he
could rely, that the Creeks were pre-.
pairing another expedition against the
Chickasaws with all possible secrecy
and activity, and that the peace talks
10 the whlte people and Chlcka5a4s
were designed to draw the latter from
their strongholds, and to disarm the
former Of their vigilance. The Creeks
had deceptively called for the medi-
alton of the United States, and Gen.
Robertson had been sent to give assur.
ance of their pacific disposition. 1t
was now not concealed from the Creeks,
that if they still persevered in hostili.
ties, the United States would interfere
and would march an army into their
country. This communication was
made by Gov. Blount to Cornell, n
chief of the Creeks, with request that
1t should be laid before the Creek
council. The Governor, who never
before departed from that smoothness