- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- Letter [and copy], 1813 Aug. 8, Nashville, Tennessee [to David B.] Mitchell, Governor [of] Georgia, Milledgeville, Georgia / Willie Blount
- Creator:
- Blount, Willie, 1768-1835
- Date of Original:
- 1813-08-08
- Subject:
- Creek Indians--Warfare
Cherokee Indians - Location:
- United States, Southern States, 33.346678, -84.119434
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- Letter dated August 8, 1813 from Willie Blount, Governor of Tennessee, Nashville to Georgia Governor D. B. Mitchell, Milledgeville, Georgia pertaining to communications with the Secretary of War about a military offensive against the Creek Nation. Blount outlines his opinions about strategy, including the necessity for more state troops since the "hostile" Creeks outnumber the peaceful faction. He discusses Turkey Town in the Cherokee Nation and Hickory Ground, or the Falls of Coosa, in the Creek Nation as potential rendezvous points. A copy of this letter is contained within.
Digital image of original manuscript, scanned by the University of Georgia Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- tcc137
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc137
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc137#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_tcc137/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Telamon Cuyler, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 8 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Telamon Cuyler, box 77, folder 30, document 08.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Letter from His Excellency Wyllie Blount Governor of Tennessee, dated "Nashville
8th August 1813."
Indian War
Page: [2]
Nashville, Tenn.
Augt. [August] 8th 1813
Sir,
I have recd [received] a letter of the
13th July from the Secy [Secretary] War on the subject of a contemplated expedition to be ordered by Government against a part of the Creek nation, a copy of which he informs me he had forwarded to you that we might advise with each other -- I have marked the arrival of one mail since the receipt to hear from you on the subject before writing you, and in the mean time have written to the Secy. [Secretary] War substantially what will appear below to be expressed as my ideas in relation to the proper force to be employed, and as to the propriety or impropriety of the Georgia & Tennessee forces acting in concert or separately, and have promised him to communicate your ideas on the subject when I may have the honor to have recd [received] them from you --
The Secy [Secretary] War's idea of a competent force seems to have been predicated upon his belief that the Creek Nation is pretty equally marshalled against itself which is as I think an incorrect one, for I am confident that the War party in that Nation is stronger than the Peace Party by two or three to one, and from the Peace Party we could not further expect aid than such as their neutrality would afford, which would be nothing
Page: [3]
against an active force --
My answer to the Secy [Secretary] War was that if the Georgia and Tennessee Militia were to act in concert on that expedition that Turkey Town would be the most eligible place for them to rendezvous at in the Cherokee Country, and that the Hickory Ground, or falls of Coosa, in the Creek Nation would be a much more eligible place than Turkey Town; but that my belief was that it would not be best for them to act in concert in the first instance, preferring that the 3d. regt. [3rd regiment] U. S. Infantry should penetrate the Nation at St. Stephens on Tombigby, that the forces from East and West Tennessee, & those from Georgia should enter the Nation in different quarters of it, as circumstances might dictate the propriety of all directing their march (chastising the Indians as they progressed) towards the Hickory Ground or falls of Coosa as a place of general rendezvous, there to build a strong Garrison, and make therefrom occasional sallies until the object of the campaign should be accomplished -- and my further opinion was it would be advisable that we should order five thousand troops from this state instead of the fifteen hundred as contemplated, believing and so stating to him that that number could be as readily and in as short a time raised here as the fifteen hundred could be, and that they could and would rendezvous at Turkey Town, or at Hickory Ground within twenty days from the receipt of his orders to raise them, after being furnished with arms & the necessary supplies for the march --
Your Excellency's ideas on the subject of the Secy [Secretary] War's letter of the
13 July, and when the Georgia Troops can rendezvous at Turkey Town, or at the Hickory Ground will be acceptable -- and I should
Page: [4]
also be gratified to have your opinion on the ideas which I have expressed to him on the subject of additional force and of the propriety or impropriety of their acting separately in different quarters of the Nation until they could form a junction, with the other Troops relied on for the expedition, at the Hickory Ground, or falls of Coosa --
After hearing from the Secy [Secretary] War & receiving his order to raise the force in this State I will apprise you of his opinion whether they are to act in concert & with the other forces relied on or not, and of the time of march was best to effect the objects of the campaign, and to accord with the views of Government --
I have the honor to be very respectfully, your Obt. [Obedient] Servant
[Signed] Willie Blount
Governor Mitchell
Page: [5]
Nashville [illegible text] 25
Governor Mitchell Milledgeville Georgia
Page: [6]
[ Note: This is a handwritten copy of the above letter. ]
Page: [7]
[ Note: Continuation of handwritten copy. ]
Page: [8]
[ Note: Continuation of handwritten copy. ]