- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- Talk to the Handsome Man [and other Creek leaders] 1777 Aug. 13 / S[amuel] [?] Elbert. [Letter] 1777 Aug. 14, Augusta, [Georgia] to Capt[ain] Porter / S[amuel] [?] Elbert. [Letter and orders] 1777 Aug. 13 / S[amuel] [?] Elbert
- Creator:
- Elbert, Samuel
- Date of Original:
- 1777-08-13/1777-08-14
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Government relations--to 1789
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Participation, Indian - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- speeches
letters (correspondence)
orders (military records) - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This document consists of a talk from Samuel(?) Elbert to the Handsome Man and sundry Creek officials, including the Hollowing King, dated August 13, 1777, a letter from Elbert to Captain Porter directing the transportation and protection of the Handsome Man and his party dated August 14, 1777, and an incomplete document containing military orders and pertaining to the death of Captain Dooly (Thomas Dooley ?) dated August 13, 1777. In the talk, Elbert encourages the Creeks to remain friendly toward the Americans during the Revolutionary War. He promises to supply the Creeks with goods and threatens to "crush" them if, like the Cherokees, they listen to the British agents or allow them to come amongst them. Warning the Creeks against committing further "mischief", Elbert explains that he was sent to protect the settlers residing on the ceded lands, and he will kill Indians if necessary.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- krc080
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc080
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc080#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc080/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Keith Read, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 6 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Keith Read, box 07, folder 42, document 01.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: 1.
The following Talk was given out to the Handsome Man the Head Tallasee Warior [Warrior], the Handsome Mans Son & Nephew, the Oakchee Warior [Warrior], the Cussatau Second man, the Hollowing King, Singee & his Son & the Palachacola Second Man being Present. --
Friend & Brother
You must remember some time ago when you was in Savannah, that I delivered a talk to you, in the Name of a Number of the Head-Men of this State who were then Assembled -- I have no doubt but that Experience has taught you, that what was then said, was Just -- The people of this State, hold the same Friendship for the good men of your Nation, which they then Professed, and Particularly for you, who they know to be, a wise, Just, & good man, not fond of spilling the Blood of Innocent Women & Children -- We told you at that time we had a quarrell [quarrel] with the King of Great Britain & his people the otherside [other side] the Broad-Water, and that we did not want the Red-people to interfere, and that, tho [though] we were then scarce of Goods, what we had we woud [would] readily share with [deleted text: you ] our Friends, and that we would Continue to do so; since that time we have got from the French & Spaniards, a good many Articles and are daily geting [getting] more, so that now we can begin to carry trade to your Towns
Page: 2
as we used to do -- I dare say you have been told a great deal by the Kings people, which since you have been with us, you are Convinced were Lies, and you may depend upon it that they will continue to tell many, in order to get you Innocent Men to fight Battles, which they dare not shew [show] their faces in - you must be sure [unclear text: tis ] no regard they have for you, that they are Striving all they can, to bring you into a War with the people of this Vast United Continent, who are as numerous as the Trees and bound togather [together] like a bunch of Twigs and who are able to crush you and them, and any body else who dare to make war with them, to Atoms - I dont speak like a madman, I tell you that I know what I say, and I know further, that the day will come when some of your young men will be convinced it is true -- I can tell you with truth, that our Great General Washington at the Head of our grand Army to the NorthWard, had drove all the King of Great Britains Soldiers out of our Land and that they are now on an Island, surrounded by their Men of War to save their Throats from being Cut -- I can tell you with great truth, that the
Page: 3
French, Spaniards & dutch are our friends, that they supply us with every thing [deleted text: they ] [added text: we ] want, that all of our seaport Towns are full of their Vessells [Vessels], that we have more Guns, powder & bullets than we want - that the French have sent us many of their great Generals who are now fighting in our Army. [unclear text: have not ] the Spaniards taken all the British Vessells [Vessels] in the Mississipy? -- enquire, and you will find it is so -- and mind what I tell you! that if you follow the talks of the Kings people, you will be deceived as the Cherokees were for if they had men enough to fight for you, they would not be under the necessity of hiring you to fight for them - In a word- I see no method for you to save your Country from ruin, than to Kill those men, who the King sends amongst you, to make you War against your Brothers, who are born on the same Land and suck the same milk with yourselves -- In consequence of the late mischief on the Ceded Lands I am sent up here wh. [with] a large Number of Men to protect the People and I should be Sorry to spill the blood of an Indian, but I fear the day is not far off when I shall be obliged to do it -- And in the Name of the United States, I now demand in
Page: 4
compliance with what was agreed on at the late Treaty, Satisfaction for the Murder of Capt. Dooly and others, not as usual, an Indian for a white-man /as by that means some who are our Friends may suffer and further reason we did not take satisfaction ourselves/ but I demand the Lives of those white-men in the Nation who set them on and who of course are the sole cause of what had been done -- Many of our people begin to be very angry and for fear of some mischief happening to you and our Brothers here, who we know to be wise men & our Friends, you have been brought to this place of security and a Guard kept [unclear text: near ] you, in order that you may return in peace to your Nation and there tell the Truths which you Know - I have now to wish you well and Safe Home, and am in hopes that you will be able and in time, to save your Country from Ruin & may the Great-Master of the Breath assist you --
[Signed] [unclear text: S: [Samuel] ] Elbert
13th August 1777.
Page: [5]
Augusta
14th August 1777 --
Dear Sir
You are to march with the detachment under your Command, as soon as the Handsome Man is ready, and Guard [deleted text: him ] & protect him & his party from any Insults & [deleted text: [unclear text: Att ] ] Outrages, through our Settlements as far as Colo. [Colonel] McMurphys plantation on Ogeechie where he will remain there with a party of militia you are to go to the Road having past Mr. Galphins plantation at which place tis probable you may be detained two days -- when you are freed from your charge you are to proceed the nearest road to the Quaker Settlement, called Wrightsborough - when our Regiment is to Rendezvous and when [deleted text: [unclear text: t ] ] it is possible they will be before you -- be always when your Guard as the Savages come as a Thief in the Night
I am Dr. [Dear] Sir -- [unclear text: &c [et cetera] ]
[Signed] [unclear text: S [Samuel] ] Elbert
To Capt. Porter. --
1785 Saml [Samuel] Elbert [unclear text: MOC ] Brig Genl [Brigadier General]
Page: [6]
[page(s) missing] direct that he Immediately Releaves [Relieves] Lieut. Cunningham who is Ordered to come to this Place, without loss of time and to bring with him two or three of the Men who were with him in the Action when Captain Dooly was killed, in order that, that, matter may be inquired into -- I desire that you will procure two other Affidavits seting [setting] forth the time Capt. Samuel Scott of the Light Horse was at his post, when he left it, and by whose Authority as far as they know --
yours [unclear text: &c [et cetera] ]
[Signed] [unclear text: S [Samuel] ] Elbert
[unclear text: Regimental ] Orders 2d [2nd] [unclear text: Batt: [Battalion] ] Augusta
13th Augt: [August] 1777
a Capt. two subalterns, three [unclear text: Sergts: [Sergeants] ] a drum & forty five rank & file to march tomorrow evening and Cross the ferry where they are to encamp on full moon Bluff, the Capt. [unclear text: Porter ] is to wait on the Commanding Officer for orders the men are to be [unclear text: picked ] & to have 50 rounds Ammunition each and a Spare flint, they carry no other luggage than their Blankets as Provisions will be furnished them after the first night --