1759, March 26, Fort Loudoun

The following data is extracted from Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760.

Sir

I Send the Bearer of this James Holme’s as an Exprefs to Acquaint Your Excellency that a few days ago, the chief Warriour of the Oakjoyes (called the Mortar) came into Tellico with a Gang of Twenty three Men & Women and two day’s after Came to Chotta & were verry Kindly received by all the Warriours there, (About four Months ago Mr. Atkins wrote a letter to Old Hopp Acquainting him that this verry man wou’d be here in the Spring & desired him to beware of his bad Talk’s the Reason that he Gives for his Coming here is that he has Seen Amongst the French, & Spaniards & that they both report they have Great friendship for the Cherokee’s & that he has heard the Commanding Officers of both Nations Were he has been Say that they had Seen Letters from the Great King George, To the Governour of South Caroline & Commander of theis fort & likewife Letters from them to the French & Spaniards desiring there Afsistance to Cut this Nation off but out of the Great Regard the French has for them they have Sent him on purpose to Acquaint them of it. & that he with the head men of five Town’s of the Upper Creek’s are come to a place Called Cusawatchie (on the Mouth of the Cusa River) where they have built a large Corn house but I am of Opinion it’s a fort for the French, for these people do not Intend to Settle there themselves but are come on purpose to Get liberty from the Cherokees to Settle at a place Called Night-afsay old, within Twenty Mile of Tellico, They are to have alpeat meeting on that Account & Runner’s are Sent through all the Nation to tell all the head men, I hope it will not be Granted as a Great many Well wishers to the English afshure me they never will Conseseend to it, I could sincerely wish that the Little Carpenter had never Gone to the Northward, but as I hear that he has Arrived from Virginia to Keowee, & has Given a Verry Good talk, & that he was gone from thence to Charles Town, where I hope Your Excellency will be pleased to See him, for he realy is the head of this Nation & What ever he Say’s is a Law.

Old Hopp & the Standing Turkey makes verry much of these people & believes every thing they say to be truth, About three day’s ago, the Little Carpenter Sent a Runner here from Keowee with a letter from Virginia & the head men sent down here desiring I would Send Some of the Warriours down to hear it Read, on Which I sent Lieut. Anderson & Ensign, Bell whear it Read, & when it was done they gave it to them, & desired them to bring it to the Warriour of the fort, for it Contained Nothing but lye’s /Likewife Says that all the Letters that comes here Either from your Excellency or me Agin are Nothing But the Same.

I have this day Sent for One Maximillian Moore who lives at Highwafsie, & who I am Informed, are verry well Acquainted with all the parts of the Cusa River. & I intend to Send him with Some More White Men to see if there is a Fort ___at Cusawatchee or Not.

Soon after my last letter to Your Excellency. Thickleggs a Warriour, of Chattuga, set out to Warr with a Gang of Twenty three & three White men along with him & Promised me they wou’d do there best Endeavour to Get a Prisoner, I do not know what to do When they Return for I have nothing to Give them, Except a few Blanketts For the head men of Oakjoyes had Asked them why they Suffer there People to go to war for the White people at the Return gives them Nothing, & that they desired Nothing more that there destruction, Witnefs there being Called to Virginia & on their Return home knocke’d in the head.

A few days before these people came in, Willinawa, Judge Friend, Round O & the Shott Mouth Warriour of the valley came here & delivered me a String of Wampum, Afsuring me of there friendship to the English, but I am of Opinion it was only to Cloak there Villiany thinking that I wou’d not Enquire the reason of these people’s coming, or What they were about & old Capt. Casar who Understands there Langueage verry well, Afshures me they have Given verry bad talks, & would not suffer him to be Linguister because he was to Great a friend to the English.

J am with the greatest Regard

Sir

Your Excellency’s Most obedient and most humble Servant

Paul Demere

Source: Letterbooks of William Henry Lyttleton 1756-1760

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