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Naucoochee valley Habersham Co [County] -- Ga --
16th. Sept. 1837
To His Excellency Wm [William] Schley
Dr [Dear] Sir
I avail myself of the present method of informing your Excellency of an unfortunate and fatal occurence [occurrence] that transpired on Thursday last in the afternoon a man by the name of Patterson a citizen of Union County was riding along the main road Leading from Clarksville to E Tennessee and near the foot of the [unclear text: Alyeny ] or Blue ridge as it is Generally called, was fired on by a rifle Gun and the ball Intered [Entered] his back about two Inches [deleted text: inches ] above the left hip bone and passed through his body to the skin on the front on his abdomen which was Extracted he [unclear text: died ] last night of the wound, I went to see the [unclear text: decst [deceased] ] yesterday at which time I had sum fiant [some faint] hopes of his recovery he at that time was perfectly in his [unclear text: senses ] and gave me a mi


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nute detail of the circumstances he says from the report of the gun it could not Exceed two or three [unclear text: Roads ] and he was sattisfied [satisfied] that it was an Indian as he had no private Enemy that the knows of, on yesterday some twenty or thirty citizens went to the place where he stated that he recd [received] the wound and they sent back word that they had uncovered Indian sign and was then on the Trail to where they had Entered the [illegible text] of the Mountain where I had no doubt they will try to corral themselves for a few days untill [until] the matter is quieted and they can [unclear text: palm ] it on some white person and one other strong evidence of its being Indians is that a young man of this neighbourhood [neigborhood] was riding alone near the same place late in the Evening a few weeks past and was fired on so near that he was inveloped [enveloped] by the smoke of the gun but being apprehensive that persons might think that he was affrighted [frighted] and that the firing was not as near as he stated he said but little of the matter. it is a verry [very] [unclear text: dreary ] part of the road and much grown


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up in thick undergroth [undergrowth] and remote from the settlements on Either side of the mountain Tis from circumstance and my own knowledge of the Indian character I have no hesitation in stateing [stating] that it was an Indian that committed the unfortunate murder the prevailing opinion of the citizens are the same -- I have conversed with citizens of this and Union County they all are of the opinion that it [added text: would ] be adviseable [advisable] to have a company of mounted men posted at sum [some] suitable position on the line between the two Counties so that they might reconoiter [reconnoiter] the mountain, and have hope it might stop further blood shed on both sides as the friends of the [illegible text] says that they will have sattisfaction [satisfaction] the first opportunity that offers. the two counties is divided by the mountain for near forty miles and it is from Eight to twelve miles across and the setters [settlers] sparse at the foot on each side. which give the Indians a complete sulking [skulking] place to perpetrate their savage warfare and iscape [escape] unhurt or [unclear text: unpersieved [unperceived] ]


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Sir these informations to your Excellency is deemed proper by mysel [myself] and the citizens of the two Counties who reside adjacent to where the murder has been committed you are not in possession of the facts and can be the better able to query what now should be pursued to protect the lives of our citizens foran [from] the savage murders of our internal Enemies, yes I say without hesitation the worst of Enemies and such as must be kept in awe and subjection untill [until] they shall be sent off or Exterminated

I Remain your Excellencys verry [very] Obedt [Obedient] and Hbl Servt &c [Humble Servant et cetera]
[Signed] Benjn [Benjamin] Cleveland NB Dr [Nota Bene Dear] Sir if it is deemed advisable by your Excellency to order out a Company. I have the honour [honor] to command a volunteer Comp [Company] of [unclear text: mounty ] Infantry ready organized and ready to [illegible text] the


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field at three days warning with such armes [arms] as we can provide ourselves untill [until] suitable armes [arms] can be furnished by the [unclear text: state say ] holsters and pistols and light [illegible text] or Rifles that can be carried conveniently, sir precaution is the first steps of safety our country has been invaded we should remember our sister state Alabama and Florida -- Sir you will please drop me an answer as Early as practicable as the citi [document damaged: zens ] wish to hear from your Excellency on the subject yrs. &c [yours et cetera]
[Signed] B.C. [Benjamin Cleveland] NB [Nota Bene] since writing the above I have saw one of the gentlemen that went in pursuit of the murderer he states that there is no reason [unclear text: of ] doubts but it was Indians at they followed the trail sum [some] distance from where the man was shot and that their [there] was one bear foot [barefoot] trail and one mockison [moccasin] the trail was lost near the summit of the mountain
yrs &c [yours et cetera]
[Signed] B Cleveland





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To His Excellency Wm. [William] Schley Executive Office Milledgeville -- Ga --
[unclear text: Fared in Hast [Haste] Per ] Mr. T.J. Monroe }

Gen B. Cleveland

16th Septr [September] 1837-
(Mis.)

Genl [General] Cleveland
Ansd. [Answered]

21st. Septr [September] 1837