Newberry Library - Timothy Pickering letters, 1795-1798

Timothy Pickering letters, 1795-1798

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Open book Timothy Pickering letters, 1795-1798

Title Timothy Pickering letters, 1795-1798

Creator United States. War Department

Date 1795-1795

Place Tennessee, Texas, United States--Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio

Language English

Subjects Cherokee Indians, Chickasaw Indians, Creek Indians, Indian agents, Indian traders, Indians of North America, Tennessee, United States

Description formerly known as Ayer MS 927 and 930.

Summary Correspondence, dating mainly from 1795, of the secretary of war, Timothy Pickering, primarily with David Henley, War Dept. agent in the Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio, but also with David Campbell, William Blount, and John McNairy, regarding Indian and militia affairs in what is now Tennessee. Much of the 1795 correspondence, including an extract of a letter to Gov. Blount and an Aug. 28, 1795, letter to Judge David Campbell, concerns the U.S. refusal to support the Chickasaws in a war with the Creeks, Pickering's rebuke of Blount for inciting the conflict, and his attempts to mollify the Chickasaw chief, William Colbert. Other matters include the shipment of goods for the Chickasaws, the appointment of an Indian factor, James Byers, for the Tellico Blockhouse, and frauds committed by contractors supplying the Indians. Two of the letters are written together with Oliver Wolcott, the secretary of the treasury.

Extent 0.1 linear feet (23 folders)

Format Correspondence, Manuscripts, Records

User-Contributed Transcription War Office August 28, 1795.
Sir
I delivered to Col. Hays a few hasty lines acknowledging the receipt of your letter of June 15th & a preceding one dated May 10th 1795; intending to answer more at large when I could find time. My object is to exhibit some facts and observations which may vindicate the General Government from reproaches which appear to me the offspring of prejudice and misinformation.
You assume it as a fact, that the Chickasaws' taking up arms and joining our troops against the Northern Indians rendered them obnoxious to the Creeks and has produced the present war between those two nations. Sir, I can discover nothing to give even a colour to such a conclusion. It is now four years since Piamingo with a few Chickasaw warriors joined General St Clair. It is as long since the Creeks have been murdering and committing depredations on Cumberland. It is three years since the Conference at Nashville when Genl. Pickens uttered the sentiment to which you refer - "We will always look upon it that your enemies are our enemies, and ours yours."
Now, Sir, if the trifling aid given to Genl. St Clair in 1791, was cause of war against the Chickasaws, why did the Creeks so long forbear to strike them? Are Indians so slow to take revenge

Transcription Status Completed

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Edward E. Ayer Collection, Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number VAULT box Ayer MS 926

BibID 991480798805867

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 2387px × 3686px 25.19 MB

File Created 06/14/2024

Filename 991480798805867_Ayer_MS_926_fol_002_00001.tif

Unique Identifier NL12CKWI

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