- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter], 1813 Oct. 30, Highwassee [i.e., Hiwassee] Garrison to the Secretary of War, [John Armstrong, Jr. ?] / [Return J. Meigs ?]
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the Special Collections Library, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Penelope Johnson Allen, document pa0032.
- Date of Original:
- 1813-10-30
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Warfare
Cherokee Indians--Warfare - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
United States, Tennessee, 35.75035, -86.25027 - Medium:
- official reports
military records - Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- Letter dated October 30, 1813 from (Return J. Meigs, United States Agent to the Cherokee Nation ?), to the Secretary of War, (John Armstrong, Jr. ?) concerning the formation of Cherokee troops to fight with the Americans against the British and Red Stick Creeks. The author informs the Secretary of War that the young chiefs have already begun preparation for war since they fear an attack by the Red Stick Creeks. (Meigs ?) talked to the governors of Georgia and Tennessee about his plan to arm the Cherokees and received approval and direction from Governor Blount of Tennessee. The Cherokee troops were furnished some supplies, and (Meigs ?) is concerned about how they will be compensated for their loyalty and service. A lengthy discussion of the Cherokee's political autonomy follows.
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:
- pa0032
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_pa0032
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_pa0032#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_pa0032/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Penelope Johnson Allen, Special Collections Library, The University of Tennessee Knoxville, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Special Collections
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Highwassee Garrison
30th October 1813.
Sir,
On receiving your letter of the
26th August on the subject of a co-operation [cooperation] of the Cherokees with the U. S. troops against the hostile Creeks, a number of Chiefs came to me to inform me that they were taking measures, unknown to me, in anticipation of the object expecting every day that the hostile Creeks would make an attack on the friendly Creeks who had found an asylum within the Cherokee boundary line at Turkeystown to whom the Cherokees had promised protection.
As advised by your letter I addressed the Governors of Georgia & Tennessee on the subject of a co-operation [cooperation] of the Cherokees in the expeditions against the enemy. I received a letter from the Governor of Tennessee approbating the measure & requesting me to correspond with the Generals Jackson, Cocke, & White commanding the Tennessee troops; in the mean time the the [the] leading young Cherokee Chiefs were enrolling their young men for the expedition and applied to me for Blankets & some other articles of Cloathing [Clothing] to enable those who were destitute to march with them in cooperation with our Troops: there was no time to consult the war Department. There was no time to hesitate; the frontiers were menaced with a formidable savage force, become so only by their desperation we have nothing to fear while we estimate the utmost they can do in this kind of war it was considered that the service of the Cherokees would be of great value & I furnished the most needy whose names were enrolled at that time with articles of Cloathing [Clothing] to the amount of ten dollars each: not as a gift, or present; but
Page: [2]
to be accounted for at the end of the Campaign, presuming that the Government will consider them entitled to some compensation. And as I may expect repeated applications for Blankets & other articles to enable them to do their duty as the cold weather advances. I respectfully ask for advice & directions. Whatever they receive in this way can be deducted from their pay if they shall be allowed pay -- they will expect pay or compensation in some shape. I never have had an idea that they will be considered as allies having always rejected an idea of their sovereignty, for there is no way to save them or to make them of use to the Government : but to keep them dependent -- They cannot stand alone and by paying them for their service they will feel themselves under control: besides it will flatter their pride to be considered in some degree on a footing with our troops. If the war should be protracted they may be made of great service, especially in combatting Indians. There is no way to save these people from annihilation as a nation but to employ them -- They have some enemies who observe with regret their coming to act with our troops: these illiberal people wish for an opportunity to divide [unclear text: out ] their pleasant Country amongst them.
I have frequently compared the [added text: condition of the ] Cherokees to that of a Foundling laid at the door of Charity: if spurned from the door it will perish; if taken in it may one day help to defend the house. -- Keep them dependant. It will not be understood that I would deprive them of their natural rights as human beings, my mind would revolt at such a sentiment. Their state in their relation to the United States is that
Page: [3]
of minority, to this State they conceded after the English were driven from our Coasts; it was the price of their preservation & by this concession their existence as a distinct tribe has been secured to the present time. By convention we owe them protection & in return they [added text: owe ] us fidelity. -- It would be a cruel act [added text: to ] make them politically independent; the effect would be their extinction within a short period. -- I conceive that the Indian tribes within the limits of the U.S. can never be considered as distinctly independent communities. They are by their local & moral condition appendages only, not necessary to us, but absolutely necessary for them & the mild constituent principle of our Government has reached the Indian tribes everywhere within our limits, & it is not one of its least estimable traits that it has expended since the revolution millions for the amelioration of the condition of the Indian tribes: notwithstanding which, the never ceasing envy & malice of the English having deceived & corrupted them, they have turned their arms against us. & we are now suffering from their recent barbarity & yet we receive their acknowledgements of their errors; we bring them back & compel them to be happy; it may almost be said against their will. -- The magnanimity of our Government rises above the passions of revenge and looks down on Treason, fraud, & barbarity of the Indians in the "calm light of mild philosophy" considering justly that, the English, the savages of Europe, are the cause of the defection of Indians & that what we have suffered from them ought principally to be attributed to the present British ministry.
Page: [4]
Out lines [Outlines] of a letter to the Secretary of war
30th October 1813
arming Cherokee warriors &c. [et cetera]