- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1782 Feb. 25, Savannah, Georgia [to] Thomas Graham / Peter Swanson
- Creator:
- Swanson, Peter, fl. 1782
- Date of Original:
- 1782-02-25
- Subject:
- Chickasaw Indians
Fur trade - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This document is a letter from Peter Swanson in Savannah to Thomas Graham. Swanson informs Graham of the impracticability of approaching Savannah by land from the Altamaha River region, partially because of the probability of having his horses stolen or starved. Swanson charges Graham with the responsibility of devising a plan to organize the collection of deer skins in a central location so that they might be expediently accounted for and shipped. He asks Graham to send an express into the Chickasaw Nation for the collection of their skins as well. In addition, Swanson requests the account book of James McGillivray detailing former trade with the Chickasaws.
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:
- krc161
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc161
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc161#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc161/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:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Keith Read, box 27, folder 09, document 01.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Savannah in Georgia
25th. Feby. [February] 1782
Dear Sir,
I wrote you fully by Mr. James Frazer since then Mr. James McGillivray is arrived here safe. The Accounts you must receive of the situation of this Country, Will no doubt prevent your thinking of setting off with your Horses 'till more favorable news arrive -- It is certain there is no such thing as getting in here by land from the Altamaha, but there is an easier and better method by coming by water, and indeed were the Country open this is by far the most Eligiable [Eligible] way of doing it, for one half of the Horses wou'd [would] be stole and the other starved by driving them in here - Whereas on the Altamaha they can have good food to recruite [recruit] them for their return, and without running a Risk of being Stole,- There is a man at new-hope that has a large boat that can carry [unclear text: 60 ] Horses load at a time and from there they can come here in the course of 3 or 4 days - but shou'd [should] not his boat he had, a man in a Canoe cou'd [could] get in here or by Land to give us notice, when we wou'd [would] send Boats from hence -- All this difficulty is occasion'd [occasioned] only by - handful of the Enemy in comparison to what we have here in
Page: [2]
Garrison~ As drest [dressed] Skins only can be shipt [shipped] in the Summer Season, Let all that come down be drest [dressed], as I wish to get them shipt [shipped] before the month of
August to save the Insurance, Mr. McGillivray sent up last Fall, a number of Horses and his negroe [negro] fellow Paul with kings Goods to the Creeks, and were to bring down Skins for us, indeed the most of them belong to ourselves, the Horses he bought for Joel Walkers wench & child, being turn'd [turned] over on our hands -- Youll therefore be pleas'd [pleased] to get these Horses and to have them pack'd [packed] down with our Skins -- without your kind assistance it will be impossible for us to get our Skins down in time- Therefore any Plan you may adopt for this purpose, we will cheerfully accede to, and pay you for your own trouble as well as for your Horses, or any other Horses or persons you may employ -- It will be necessary, if you possibly could come down yourself to the Altamaha along with the Horses that in case it were not possible to manage matters here to sett [set] out for East - Florida, and a person should come 3 or 4 days a head [ahead] to the Altamaha to see that all was clear there, and to contrive to send a messenger in here -- I wrote by Mr. Frazer to all our
Page: [3]
people in the Chickesaws to come down immediately with their Skins, but am afraid the accounts he brings with him will prevent their setting off in time,
I wish you wou'd [would] send an Express to the Chickesaws [illegible text] Frazer may be gone before you receive this to tell them to start with their Skins and the plan we propose to bring them is from the Altamaha by water -- I hope you'll lose no time in sitting [setting] off & using every means to get as many down as you possibly can, -- Mr. James McGillivray return'd [returned] by Mr. Frazer all his papers which contain all his Transactions in the Chickesaws, which is a loss to us, as we want to enter these things in our Books -- I beg you'll bring them with you or send them by first safe opportunity.
A vessel (the Roman Emperor) is expected here every day with Goods from England, - these for James McGillivaray are expected in here -- Be assured that I am not unmindful of my friends, and that something soon will take place, which I hope will be to your satisfaction.
Mr. McGillivray will return in a month or so and Mr. Walter Turnbull
Page: [4]
sooner, -- In the meantime I hope you'll set off as soon as there is Grass for the Horses
Excuse haste having just heard of this Express --
I am always
Dear Sir
Your Obedient Sert. [Servant]
[Signed] Peter Swanson Mr. Thomas Graham