- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1802 Apr. 30, [to] Colo[nel Return J.] Meigs, Southwest Point, [Tennessee] / Archibald Roane
- Creator:
- Tennessee. Governor (1801-1803 : Roane)
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the The Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, State Library Cherokee Collection, box 1, folder 22, document ch018.
- Date of Original:
- 1802-04-30
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Crimes against
Creek Indians--Government relations - Location:
- United States, Tennessee, 35.75035, -86.25027
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
military records - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This document is a letter from Archibald Roane, Governor of Tennessee (1801-1803), to Colonel Return J. Meigs, U.S. agent to the Cherokees at Southwest Point in Tennessee, dated April 30, 1802. Roane reports that two white men killed a Creek Indian in Jackson County (Tennessee) and the nearby inhabitants fear reprisal from the Indians. He also advises Meigs to warn the Indians in his area not to hunt near Jackson County, as the local inhabitants are alarmed. Roane assures Meigs he will conduct an inquiry into the murder and seek punishment for the perpetrators. Another letter from Roane on this topic also appears in the Southeastern Native American Documents Database as ch017.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- ch018
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ch018
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ch018#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_ch018/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], State Library Cherokee Collection, The Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- Tennessee State Library and Archives
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
30th April 1802
Dear Sir,
I have lately heard the disagreeable news that on the
21st of this month a Creek Indian was killed in Jackson County not far from Mr. Blackburn's by two men of the names Richmond and Erwin. I have not been yet able to get the information, with sufficient accuracy to determine what steps it will be necessary to pursue to bring the offenders to punishment if the Act should on examination be deserving of punishment. My present impressions are that it was a very unwarrantable Act, perhaps such an one for which the offenders ought to atone with their lives.
Page: [2]
The Inhabitants near that place I understand are considerably alarmed and have collected, (a few families together), for greater safety apprehending that immediate retaliation is intended. My Information is further, that Major Russell has collected a party and gone to the mountain in search of some camps of Indians, If he should meet with them I dread the consequences.
I think it would be prudent for the Indians to avoid going near that place in their hunting excursions until the present alarm subsides, as any man under apprehension of danger may be induced to do an Act for which he would afterward have cause to repent. If you have received accurate information
Page: [3]
on this subject please for make a statement of it to me.
You may be assured I will do every thing in my power, consistent with Law to have an impartial enquiry into the nature of the transaction, and the punishment of the offenders if they should be found to merit it.
I am Dear Sir with the highest respect Your Mo Obdt Servt [Most Obedient Servant]
[Signed] Archibald Roane Col.o [Colonel] Meigs
Page: [4]
From Govr [Governor] Roane
April 30th 1802
Governor Roanes letter
30th Apl [April]
Col.o [Colonel] Meigs Agent for the War Depart. [Department]
South West Point