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Colo. [Colonel] Duncan G. Campbell and Major James Meriwether United States Commissioners Post office Watkinsville Clarke Cty. [County] Ga
Madison Geo [Georgia]
12th May 1825





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Fayett County
3rd May 1825
Colo. [Colonel] Campbell and Major Meriwether
My dear friends, I send you this paper which will not tell you a lie, but if it had ten tongues, it coud [could] not tell you all the truth. -- On the Morning of the
30th of April, at break of day, my fathers House was surrounded by a party of Hostile Indians to the number of several hundred who instantly fired his dwelling, and murdered him, and Thomas Tustunnuggee, by shooting more than One hundred ball [unclear text: into ] them, and took away the whole of Fathers money and property which they Coud [Could] Carry off, and destroyed the [unclear text: rest ] leaving the family no Cloths (some not one rag) nor provision, Brother Chilly was at Fathers and made his escape through a Window under Cover of a Travelling white man who obtained leave for them to come out that way, it being not yet light, he was not discovered.
While those hostiles were murdering my beloved Father, they were tying my husband (Colo Saml. [Colonel Samuel] Hawkins) with cords, to await the arrival of Intockchunga, [unclear text: Thloccocoscomicco ] and [unclear text: Munnanwwa ] who were the Commanders at Fathers, to give orders for the Colos [Colonels] execution Also which took place about 3 o clock the same day, and these barbarous men Not Content with Spilling the blood of both my husband and Father, to attone [atone] for their Constant friendship, to both your Nation and our own, refused my hands the painful previledge [privilege] of Covering his body up in the very ground which he lately defended against those hostile Murderers, and drove me from my home, stript [stripped] of my two best friends in one day, stript [stripped] of all my property, my provision and my Clothing, with a more painfull [painful] reflection than all these, that the body of my poor murdered husband, shoud [should] remain unburied to be devoured by the birds, and the beasts. (was ever poor woman worse off than I) -- I have this moment arrived among our white friends, who altho [although] they are very kind, have but little to bestow on me and my poor helpless infant who must suffer befor [before] any Aid can reach us from you


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but I can live a great while on very little, besides the confidence I have on you and your Government, for I know from your promise you will aid and defend us, as soon as you hear from our situation, these Murderers are the very same Hostiles who treated the Whites 10 years ago as they have now treated my husband an [and] Father: who say they are determined to kill all who had any hand in selling the Land, and when they have completed the work of Murdering, burning, plundering and distruction [destruction], they will send the President word that they have saved their Land and taken it back, and that he and the white people never shall have it again, Which is the order of the heads of the Nation, by the Advice of the Agent. We expect that many of our best friends are already killed but have not heard by reason of the Waters being too high for word to go quick, which is the only reason Colo [Colonel] Miller and others on his side of the River are not Killed. We are in a dreadful Condition, and I don't think there will be one ear of Corn made in this part of the Nation, for the whole of the friendly party have fled to Dekalb & Fayett Counties, too much alarmed to return to their Homes to get a little grain of what [deleted text: of what ] corn they left for themselves [added text: and their families ] to subsist on, much more to stay at home to make more, and we fear every day that what little provision we left will be destroyed. I am afraid you will think I make it worse, but how can that be, for it is worse of itself than any pen can write, My Condition admits of no equals, and mocks me when I try to speak of it. After I was stript [stripped] of my last Frock but one humanity and duty Called on me to pull it off, and spread it over the body of my dead husband (which was Allowed no other Covering) which I did as a farewell witness of my affection. I was 25 Miles from any friend (but sister Catharine who was with me) And had to stay all night in the woods surrounded by a thousand hostile Indians who were Constantly insulting and Affrighting us, And now I am here with Only one Old coat to my back, and not a morsel of bread to save us from perishing, or a rag of a Blanket to cover my poor little Boy from the sun at Noon or the [unclear text: due [dew] ] at Night, & I am a poor dis-


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tracted orphan and Widow

[Signed] Jane Hawkins
Colo. [Colonel] Duncan G. Campbell and [unclear text: Majr. [Major] ] James Meriwether United [unclear text: Commisrs [Commissioners] ]



Letter
Jane Hawkins

3d [3rd] May 1825

Murder of Genl. [General] McIntosh. Col [Colonel] Sam Hawkins & Thos [Thomas] Tustunnuggee by Indians