The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-24
nY Ep. 10. HAMMrR.

BY ED. D. HAMMER. | Attalla, Ala, Jan 17--In my letter ef | a few days ago, which The Advertiser did mes the honor to publish, though the letter was not prepared with that care and accuracy, 1t would have been, had 1t been intended for publication, I note some mistakes made either by me or by the linotype, am not sure which. but which in either event should
 be corrected.
 The line of march of Desoto was on the east side of the Coosa river, and 1t is evident that he followed the meanderInEs of that stream from the present site of Rome Georgia to the point where the Coosa and Taliapoosa rivers come together and form the Alabama. This at least is the con- eluslon of some of our best historians, and agrees. I think, with the account of the "Gentleman of Elvas, wDo believe Is considered the most conser- yatlve and possibly the most accurate of these pretending to give the story of that memorable march from per- sonal knowledge. Attalla is located on the west side of the. Coosa river Tn what was Cherokee country. at the time when the Alabama Territory was created and which might have been Cherokee country. at the time when
  side of the Coosa was Creek Country and was probably so at that time. There was then estimated to be about IAO0O of the Cherokees, compara-
 lively small number, and they occupied
 a section of country extending northeast from the present site of Attalla. the territory broadening out so as to in- clnde about 10 GOO square miles of land 1 two thirds of which lay within the present limits of the state of Georgia, | one flfth in Alabama. one tenth In Ten- I uesseee and the remainder In the Car oIinas. giving them broad expanse Of sparseiy settled country for hunting ground.
 Another mistake in my letter. as published, was in regard to Col Dick" Brown, who was Cherokee and not a Creek, The Cherokees aided Gen
 Jackson In the Creek war, and that part of Jack sons army that was com
 posed of Cherokee warriors was com
 manded by Col. "Dick" Brown, son of Capt. John Brown. who had pre-
 viously acquired his title as Captain
 through his military services with me
 whites. Capt. John Browns Indian
 name of "Tsu.sau-ya-sahn or"Tsu-
 which meant "the drownedsb sby -a-bear"
 and h!s home, located about two miles from Creek Path. was known by the name of u-sau-ya-sah" or rus saw-ya-wo-sah" as written by Rev.
 David Brown and which was said 70 | mean "The-rufhs- s-of-a-great-ctty capt John Brown was also the father or Rev. David Brown, one among the first if not the first, native Cherokee preachers, and also of Catherine Brown,
 the first Christian convert of the Chic- kamaugah mission, and the nrst ha- five teacher from the ChtckamauEah
 mission school. the first permanent
 mission school established among the
 Cherokees. the Moravian mission at
 Snring Place Ga, alone excepted. The ChIckamaugah mission was established in the spring of 1871, and Catherine Brown became pupil in the schooI shortly after its establishment, and continued a pupil most of the time un- til the latter part of May, lS2O' when she returned to her home to take charge Of a girls schools, In connection wfth pr. D. $. Buttrick, at Greek Path, an Indian village located two miles from her home" her home in turn being located 100 miles from Chickamaugah mission in Wills valley between Sac ceen and Lookout mountain. ThIs would certainly put Creek Path. at
 or very near to the present site or the city of Attalla.
 Attalla is located in the forks of the two wills creeks, (Big and Little WillsI both of which streams were undoubted- lv named for the noted Cherokee half breed known as Red d-Headed-W1ll. as was also the Indian village known as Willstown which was located, as
 nearly as I have been able to deter mine at or near Duck Springs (Seaborn Post Ofice) some twelve or fourteen miles from the present site'of Attallla. It was at or near Willstown that Seque- yah the originator of the Cherokee alphabet. lived. Seque-yah 1t Is said had never been friendly to the whites. and while he stayed in Alabama, 1t seems he never learned to speak the English language. It was urged to him by his countrymen, who were friendly to the white settlers. that the white man was, more intelligent. that the white man could make certain marks. that he and his fellow white men could interprets later. Seque-yah 1t is said not to be oatdone. assured them that he could do the same thlng' and to prove his words. made some marks for them and told them their meaning. They preserved the strange characters and presented them to him later and he, remembering what he had told them, gave them the same meaning of them as before.
 It was from this insignificant be- ginnng that the Cherokee alphabet is said to have developed. SeQue-yah was also known by the name George Guest. Historians give the name Nariously as Glst and Guess. but the Guests still live in that neighborhOod and are a.
 mong the most prominent people there, and if is no diflcuit task to learn the correct spelling of the name.
 .seque-yah was a half-breed chero- kee and it was in the spring of 1920
 that he produced his famous Cherokee alphabet. In thIs connection 1t is significant to note however as shown
 by historical data or records now In
 nv Possession that as early as Novem-
 her1Sls. pr. D. s. Buttrick assisted
 by two Cherokee Indians John A. Arsh
 and David Brown Afterwards known
 as Rev David Brown.) was engaged
 in the preparation of a Cherokee spell
 ing at the chickamaugah mission
 school. and this spelling-book it Is said waH nfterwarda publiahed and used