- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- Letter, 1797 Jan. 12, Knoxville, [Tennessee to the] warriors and chiefs of the Cherokee Nation / J[ohn] Sevier of an image
- Creator:
- Tennessee. Governor (1796-1801 : Sevier)
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, Governor Sevier, box 1, folder 3, document tl027.
- Date of Original:
- 1797-01-12
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Cherokee Indians--Claims against
Cherokee Indians--Violence against - Location:
- United States, Tennessee, 35.75035, -86.25027
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
military records - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This letter, addressed to the warriors and chiefs of the Cherokee Nation, is written by Governor John Sevier of Tennessee (1796-1801) and dated January 12, 1797. The letter was given to Cherokee agent Silas Dinsmoor to be delivered to the Cherokees (see gs026 of the Southeastern Native American Documents database). Sevier accuses the "foolish young people" of the Cherokee Nation of stealing horses and plundering wagons on the Cumberland road, and he urges the chiefs to display their friendliness toward the whites by inquiring after and securing the stolen goods. Sevier also expresses sympathy for the murder of an Indian but doubts that any of his people are responsible. The letter was initially ended on a note of warning to the Cherokees with Sevier insinuating that continued hostilities would result in war. However, this section of the text has been struck through as if deleted.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- gs027
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs027
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs027#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs027/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Governor Sevier, 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]
Knoxville
12th January 1797
Brothers.
I have just now arrived at this place, and am Sorry to be informed that some of your foolish young people have been taking horses and plundering waggons [wagons] on the Cumberland road; such conduct will soon darken the bright chain of friendship that now so happily is joined to each nation. I hope you that are Warriors and chiefs, do not encourage such proceedings, and I have a better opinion of you, than to Suppose you would any longer Suffer it to be done. -- You have no reason to think I wish any ill, neither does the great majority of the white people, in case your nation will be friendly. You know I have always advised you, not to let foolish young fellows destroy the good understanding between us. I request you will proceed to make inquiry after the
Page: [2]
horses and other property that have lately been taken by your people [deleted text: and if you can find any ] [added text: and ] send the same into this place, in order that the owners may have it again, by which means our friendship will continue to be firm and Strong. I have wrote to Mr Dinsmore on this Subject, and hope you will pursue such measures as will enable you and him to recover the Stolen property.
[added text: Your friend brother (Signed) J [John] Sevier ]
[deleted text: Brothers I am Sorry to hear one of our red friends has lately been killed, and if I can find out that any of our people has been guilty of such a dark and unfriendly action I will have them punished, but I have great reason to hope and believe that it was not any of our people, altho [although] there is bad men in every nation, yet I am Sure it was not done by a person belonging to our State. ]
I have always told you, that I wished your nation to do well, and I hope they may always live in
Page: [3]
peace, and raise their Children in friendship with their neighbours [neighbors] and brothers the white people. -- My brothers you know if stealing of horses is Suffered to be done, peace wont last long, and you must be sensible your Situation will be dangerous; you are but few in numbers and war will ruin you if ever you engage in it again.
[deleted text: Our people lives very near you, and reason will teach you that they dont wish to have any disturbances or quarrel with you. ]
Your friend and brother
Warriors and Chiefs of the Cherokee Nation
Page: [4]
Letter to the Cherokees
12th January 1797
No [Number] 14
Recorded