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Title: [Letter to] the Chiefs of the Creek Nation / the inhabitants residing on the Shawnee River: a machine-readable transcription of an image
Availability:

This work is the property of the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching, and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.

Date: ca. 1800
Extent: 2 p
Summary:The following document is an undated letter addressed to the chiefs of the Creek Nation, which appears to have been written on behalf of the white settlers living along the Shawnee River. In this letter, the settlers appear to have been making an offer of peace with the Creeks. The letter states that the Chickasaws, who were in good relations with the whites, had informed the settlers that the majority of the Creek people wished to be at peace with them. However, the letter refers to several instances that were looked at as being acts of aggression by the Creeks, including the theft of some horses and the loss of white lives. The letter also mentions an instance in which the settlers stumbled upon a deserted Indian camp and retained the horses and other articles from that camp, securing them until it was known to what tribe they belonged. The settlers contend they moved to the West with the intention of being at peace with all the tribes there, nor, they state, do they wish to encroach upon Indian lands or molest Indian peoples.
Collection: Tennessee Historical Society
Box:11
Folder:n/a
Document:tl025
Keywords:



Page [1]  view page image

Brothers if We may so Tirm [Term] you We have had accounts from our Brothers the Chicasaws [Chickasaws] that the majority of your Nation are desierous [desirous] to be at peace [added: Brotherhood] With us

To the Chiefs of the Creek Nation , The Inhabitants Residing on the Shawnee River
Sends Greetting [Greetings]—

We Have Been Informed by our Brothers The Chickasaws that if [added: a] Majority of your Nation are Desirous to be at Peace and Brotherhood and of Which [unclear: (several words faded) ] Shawnee River ; And Although we have all along Last fall And this Winter have Been Lossing [Losing] of Horses; And sometimes some of Hunters have Been killed; by some that have been Enemies to us, And have Never Molested Any Indians; Untill [Until] Lately [unclear: y ! ] some of our Young Men was Occasionally over any Waters of Tennsee [Tennessee] And happened to Come on Several Camps Deserted by [unclear: unclear symbol ] Indians, Whom we Would fondly have Spoken With, but could not find any, And we then Judging by there [their] Leaving of there [their] Camps that they had perhaps Come in to [unclear: De(?) ] our Settlement [And And] finding some horses [added: & other Articles] we Carried them off with us; But Upon a Council held by our Chiefs, the Horses was Order to be secured, Untill [Until] it Could be known to What Indians they Belonged unto; in Order To be Returned And If they Belong to Any Who are at peace [unclear: with ] us or would be Willing to be At peace With us; Upon Condition that If Any Horses from us should be Carried into the Creek Nation the Chiefs Would secure them so as that we May have them Again, And We on our Parts shall Always be Ready to do the Same by you, these Terms our Brothers [unclear: unclear symbol ] Chickasaws have Agreed to With us And as they are Young the More Among us As Well as Amongst you Who Are not to be [unclear: Revealed ] Any Other ways then by [unclear: Signing ] of Such horses As they Shall Either Carry into You or us — And Delivering of [unclear: Us and (the) ] Again ―

And Whereas We Came here & settled here in hopes of having been at Peace With all [unclear: unclear symbol ] Nations of the Indians As we had Purchased the Lands on this River from [unclear: unclear symbol ] Cherokee Indians in a Publick [Public] treaty [unclear: unclear symbols ] At [unclear: Walange ] And As We have Drawn a line Lately very near to us Which [gap] Not settle over nor Molest [unclear: unclear symbol ] Hunting Ground, in Case [gap] to these our Terms, Otherwise we Cannot Engage for our Young men [gap]



Page [2]  view page image

Coppy [Copy] of a Lettr [Letter] to [unclear: unclear symbol ] Creek Nation of Indians

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