University of Virginia Library

1. Inola, Indian Territory - August 29, 1898

August 29, 1898

Doctor Emmett Starr

Cherokee Historian

Claremore, Cherokee Nation

Indian Territory

Sir:

I am informed by Doctor W. R. Harper of Inola that you are engaged in writing A History of the Cherokee Tribe. I was employed by Chief Isparhechar of this Nation (Creek) to translate from the Muskogee Language to English for the purpose of giving an account of the first treaty of peace between the Cherokees and Muskogees, which is contained in the tradition of "The Small Circle of Beads or (Ko-nau-wau) and the Northern Cloud." Chief Isparhechar had this translation made, as I understood, to present to Daniel Red Bird, and David Muskrat, of the "Ketowah" Society for the Cherokee Indians who had forgotten the tradition but still held the emblems. It is a graphic picture of the ancient customs and modes, yet it is so enshrined with the old Indian superstitions as to prevent me from attempting an outline sketch of same for the Old Chief was strict in having every word to correspond exactly to the original story as he claimed any omissions or additions would portent an evil omen. It is full of old history including Customs and modes of Council, Honor of Official rank, etc. peculiar to the ancient Cherokee. You can obtain this story, I think, from Honorable Daniel Red Bird of the Cherokee Council.

The Cherokees were members of the Great International Councils by the Great Lakes with the Mingoes, Miamies, Wyandottes, Shawnees , Ottowas, etc. And it was on the occasion of meeting a delegation of Cherokees proceeding to one of these Grand Councils that Logan, the Mingoe Orator of History, was killed. He was intoxicated and rushed at the Cherokee Band of Councilors with uplifted tomahawk. When he refused to be restrained, He was shot by his own nephew and killed. He was aroused by the memory of a Great War that had been fought between the Huron Iroquois aided by their Algonquin allies. And the Cherokees who had the assist once of the Creeks as allies. The Creeks also aided the Cherokees in their wars with the white settlers of East Tennessee when they fought Col. Sevier and his mountaineer, wild, white hunters.

An Indian Union existed once a long time ago. Some kind of Intertribal Union under the prestige of the Yamasees of South Carolina which included the Cherokees, Catawbas, and the Creeks, who assisted the Carolina Colonists to defeat and expel the Tuscororas. And after this occurrence by object lessons therefrom, the Yamasees organized a war upon the Colonists with a great war party of Yamasees, Cherokees, Catawbas, and Creeks. Upon their defeat on account of lacking firearms and ammunition, occurred the greatest suicide of all the world's History. Unknown to the white-people, the Yamasee Nation claiming to foresee the final extinction of the American Indians, they deliberately committed suicide, at a Great Dance dressed in their best personal ornaments, and singing their happiest songs. Men, women, and children danced out into the deep waters with weights attached to their bodies and were all drowned by their own will. (I will refer you to Chief Isparhechar, Ya-teh-Kah-Hacho, and other old Creeks for this tradition.). With the exception of a few families of the Clan of the Beaver, who were not responsible for the war. These went to the Applachees of Florida, who in turn were afterwards defeated in a war with the Seminoles with Great Slaughter. And if any Yamasees (or Yo-mau-sou) escaped this slaughter they are in the Seminole nation with the small remnant of Appalachees that were adopted by the Seminoles as prisoners of war. With the death of the Yamasees, ended this Union of tribes which included the Cherokees at one time.

A Remarkable Cherokee by the name of Jess Chisholm lived on the Canadian River near an old Cherokee town where Captain Dutch lived before the Cherokee Nation occupied their present country. Jess Chisholm roamed the great plains among the Hostile wild tribes then inhabiting that region during the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's of the present century. He was well known to the frontier traders from the Rocky Mountains to St. Louis . He spoke all the Indian languages of this region and was the only man on the plains that did not fear to meet a Comanchee war party alone for he knew all their secret signals and they never molested him.

He was instrumental in liberating many Mexican captives held by the Comanchees. The Chisholm Cattle Trail was named for him, for it followed one of his old trading trails from the Southwest to Kansas City .

During the War of 1812-14, a band of 800 Creeks and 32 Cherokees commenced hostilities against the Americans by capturing Fort Mims which held seven murderers of Wetherford's wife and four children. Who Major Beasley commandant refused to surrender to Civil Law. This being right on the heels of Tecumsehs visit to the Creeks but which Major Hawkins, Creek Agent, reported as being quieted down. Started a war which failed to draw out the entire Nation into hostilities.

The Cherokee Nation and the Creek Nation furnished a Battalion of Brave warriors each, who done effective service for the American troops. Timpochee Barnett, Cowacochee-Matha, and Chowe-matha, of the Creek portion of the Battalions were awarded Medals of Honor by Congress on recommendations of General Andy Jackson for Great Bravery in Battle and read "The Bravest of the Brave." Those of the Cherokees were also awarded. I do not remember the names. The Red Stick Hostilities were finally very near exterminated before they would surrender. My mother's uncles (Creeks) were with Jackson for which Mother, during the 50's drew two land warrants as bounty pay to her uncles.

If you desire I can tell you more. For History must corroborate the facts.

Respectfully,

J. R. Gregory

Document found in J. R. Gregory's, personal file, Creek Archives, Oklahoma Historical Society Library, Oklahoma City . Transcribed by Barbara Cox.