Saluda Old Town
Documenting the Early Trading Settlements
By Carol Hardy Bryan
Part Two of a Series Begun in the Jan/Feb 2003 Issue
In 1746, pleas from the settlers to the government authorities for protection in the back country were finally successful and money was appropriated for two troops of rangers to patrol the frontier between forts and trails to look for hostile war parties and runaway slaves. James Francis was one of the ranger captains. ((Maness 73).
One of the most historic events to occur at Saluda Old Town was the signing of a treaty with the Cherokee Indians by Royal Governor James Glen. Glen traveled up the Cherokee Path from Charles Towne with about 500 soldiers and militia to meet with about 500 Cherokee Indians. Old Hop and other chiefs of the Cherokee nation signed the Saluda Old Town Treaty July 2, 1755. This treaty ceded territory that embraced the present counties of Spartanburg, Cherokee west of the Broad River, Union, Newberry, Laurens, Greenwood, Abbeville, McCormick, Edgefield, Saluda and a part of Aiken.
A letter written by John Elliott to Governor James Glen provides important insight into Indian relations with the white man. Chote, Sept. 25th, 1755, May It please your Excellency, The Indians was all well pleased with the good Care that you took of them at Saludy and the Present that you made Old Hop. He is often speaking of it with Pleasure and says you are his Brother indeed for he was naked and you cloathed him. The Carpenter speaks with great Pleasure of your Excellency and says he hopes you will not forget what Talk you had together in Private for he will not forget it but will love all Englishmen. All the Head Men are pleased with what was done at Saludy but they seem to be very uneasy and doth not know what to think of the French for in the first of August the Men of Haheo came in from Warr and brought in five Men that surrendered themselves to them in the Woods and told them that they were run away from the French. Likewise, the Warrior Oucanostola on the fifteenth of this Month brought in five more that told the same Story that they were run away from the same Port. The Indians used them kindly but look on them as Slaves and thinks that they are Spies sent by the French to see how the Rivers lye and are very uneasie on the Account. I hope your Excellency will take into Consideration for there is now twelve Frenchmen (in all) in their Towns and I am very apprehensive it will be of bad Consequence both to the English and the Indians to let them stay there. I would have brought some of them to send down but the Indians does not know what to think of it so would not part with them. They are afraid the French hath a Design against them and would be glad to have a Fort settled amongst them. The Carpenter desires to hear of the Warriors to the Northward for there is no In account here and he desires your Excellency will remember the Presents you promised to the Head Men and to himself. He did not get the Rum you ordered at Ninety Six so hopes you will not forget him now. He is the Head Man here for what he says there is none to gainsay.
There is about twenty Men of the Savannahs came here about the 15th August with their Women and Children and is to dwell here; they have two White Children with them which they say they got from these Indians that did that Murder at Broad River. I would have had them from them but could not get them so hopes your Excellency will take some Course not to let White Men’s Children be kept among Indians. This I thought my Duty to acquaint your Excellency with as I am in all respects, Your most humble Servant, John Elliott. (McDowell 79).
Governor James Glen wrote to Chugnonata, called The Little Carpenter, from Charles-Town, October 14, 1755 addressing the fact that Governor Glen had promised to build a fort over the Hills, but had not set a definite date for such endeavor. Glen had planned a trip to England and was going to place the request of the Indians for a fort before the "great King George." Apparently the Indians thought the Governor had reneged on a promise to build a fort to help protect them from enemy Indians. Governor Glen mentions in the letter that Richard Smith, Chugnonata, and Governor Glen were the only ones present at the meeting. Glen also mentioned that This Express has not a spare Horse" and Glen "cannot send what I promised to you and the other Head Man who took no Part of what I gave at Saluda, but shall the first Opportunity. Smith was here a few Days ago, and says that Gowdy not having the two Caggs of Rum that I gave you an Order for, he had given you two at Keeowie, he says he also gave the Great Warriour the Horse I promised him, for both which I paid him; I have sent you four fine enambled Boxes, you may give one to Canacaughte and another to any other you thank fitt. I have also sent you a silver Box for your Tobacco and I have a very fine Pipe that I intend for the Townhouse of Chottee [another mention of Chota and a substantiation that there was an Indian chief by that name], but I cannot entrust it with this Messenger least it be broke. I have sent a silver Bracelet for Ouslenaria which I desire you may deliver to him and two silver wrist bands which you may either keep for yourself or give away. I have sent a Seal to Canacaughte to seal his Letters with. The Impression is an Eagle flying and another Seal to seal your Letters with. The Impression is a Boy with a Bow in his Hand; he has shot his Arrow through a Heart upon the Top of a Post. I remember when you spoke last for your Nation you had a Bow in your Hand and what you said gained you the Hearts of all that heard you.
Some few of our People to the Northward went to attack a Fort that the French have built on our Lands but the French expecting them had laid an Ambuscade for them in the Woods so they were forced to return with the Loss of some of our People but we have since gained a compleat Victory over them in another Place. Many Hundreds of their People were killed, in short they were totally routed. This News you may rely upon for it comes from Your friend and Brother, James Glen. (McDowell 75-77).
Moses Thomson wrote to Governor Glen January 16th, 1756 expressing his appreciation. To his Excellency, I cannot forget my Senceableness of your paternal Care of the Province of South Carolina since you came amongst us. First, your Journey to 96 to settle a Peace with the Cherockees, and from that to Savannah, to settle with the Creek Nation. Second, your long Journey to the Cherockee Nation to build a Fort. Third, your Journey to Saludy in the Heat of Summer to settle a second Peace with the said Cherokees in troublesome Times: which said Journey crowns all the rest for I verily believe there was never such a firm Peace made with any Indians before and all advanceing the Manufactory of our Indigo and likewise your great Care of our back Inhabitants for when I was Major under your Excellency I cannot forget your Care by your Instructions to me several Times; besides your private Letters to me to let your Excellency know when any thing happened that proper Means might be taken for our Safety.
I think your Successor has nothing to do but follow your Footsteps for your have paved the Plainest Road than can be taken which I think will keep your Memory in Remembrance when your are dead and gone. This is but a faint Resemblance of what your Excellenc really deserves from one of Your most obedient and humble Servants. Moses Thomson (McDowell, Documents, 115).
At some point in time there must have been some kind of factory and fort at Saluda Old Town. Captain Raymond Demere wrote to Governor Lyttleton from Fort Prince George, June 24th 1756 and in his letter mentioned some armament that was delivered to the fort, Twenty Swivells [small cannon] are come, and two Cohorns so that four of them may be spared to this Fort, to satisfy the Indians. They have acquainted me that two Swivels have been, for a long Time past, at Saludy. Three of those that are now come would have been left on the Road betwixt 96 and this Place, had it not been for me, for I made the Waggoner go back for them when I met him (McDowell 126-127).
Some Indian traders kept problems stirred up among the Indians with dishonest transactions or stealing from them outright. An incident is related by Captain Raymond Demere in a letter to Governor Lyttelton written from the English camp one mile and a half from the town of Tomatley October 13, 1756. Old Hop has desired me to acquaint your Excellency that when he went last to Saludy to see Governor Glen that he had one of his Horses taken from him by some body from Savannah Town which the Man claimed as his Property, which Horse he says he had from one Lantaniack, former a Trader here, who is a crackbrained Fellow and has been the Occasion of a great deal of Disturbances by setting on the Upper Creeks and Savannah against us and this Nation. He is now a Lieut. At the Halbamer’s Fort. Old Hopp gave him a French Prisoner for the Horse aforesaid. He expects to be paid by the Province as he was promised (McDowell 219).
Demere alluded to swivels again in a P. S. note attached to a letter he wrote to Governor Lyttelton from Fort Loudoun January 31, 1757. Old Hop says that the late Governor [James Glen] made him a Present of the two Swivels that are left at Saludy, and he does expect them for his Town of Chottee of which he desired me to acquaint your Excellency that they may come up. These same two swivels were referred to in a letter from John Boggs to Governor Lyttelton from Fort Prince George, Keowee on February 21, 1757. I observed at Mrs. Burnets in Old Seluda two small swivell Guns and will be spoiled ere they lye long, they being thrown in the Road. They would be of infinite Service here. Would you agree with Henry Gallman for the Carriage; believe they would come to hand soon. (McDowell 343). Life in the Back County was very dangerous in the years before and during the Revolutionary War. Although Royal governmental authorities exerted all kinds of effort to keep the Indians pacified with gifts, trade, and protection from Indian foes, the Indians still raided white settlements. John Fairchild wrote to Governor Lyttelton from the Fork between the Broad and Saludy Rivers on January 1, 1757 that a Neighbourhood of People living on the southerning Branch of Broad River was drove from oft their several Settlements by the severe Threats of Indians and are stil obliged to keep from their Lands and Livings. Also some of the Inhabitants from the northernmost Branches of that Part of Santee called Great Saludy and after plundering the Houses, with other Mischiefs, sett some on Fire which gives the whole Inhabitants, this Way, unspeakable Uneasyness that almost the whole Place threatens to break up, declaring they cannot possibly stay much longer, for Fear worse should happen. Fairchild when on to say that I have begun to build (with my own People and Hands) a strong Fort for the Reception of the Inhabitants hereabouts in case of Emergency if your Excellency will be pleased to allow the same, and I shall chearfully do every Thing in my Power to compleat the said Fort and have it tenable and sufficiently able to hold 300 fighting Men having the timber Planks and Faseins ready waiting your Excellency’s Commands.
Trader greed and dishonesty resulted in continuing trouble with the Indians. Captain Raymond Demere wrote to Governor Lyttleton from Fort Loudon in February 1757. On the 4th Instant in the Morning I had a Message from Old Hop desiring me to be the next Day at Chottee that he was not well, therefore could not wait on me that the Warriours were ready to answer my Talk. I took all the Officers with me except one to keep the Fort and first waited on Old Hop at his own House and then with him we all proceeded to their Town House, where after their usual Ceremonies were over, Old Hopp said that he had given us Land to build a Fort on, and to walk upon. That there had been many Promises made him for the same, but that he had been waiting a long Time without seeing any Thing for it. That he did not know what to think about it, but that the Great Man above kew how every Thing would be. He then produced a Paper signed by James Glen, Esq. When at Saludy. The same was a Regulation of the Prices of several Articles sold them by the Traders. Old Hopp said that the Traders had no Regard to that Paper, and that notwithstanding what Governor Glen had promised them, the Traders continued to sell as formerly, and had no Manner of Regard to the Treaty made at Saludy. He added that they had the Promise of another Trader for the Town of Chotee by the late Governor, and as Nothing was performed they looked upon that Paper to be Nothing but Lies as they did on all the rest of the Papers that came from Carolina, and that Charles Town was a Place where Nothing but Lies came from. I examined Mr. Elliott before the Indians and it appeared that he had sold them several Things at a most exorbitant Price particularly Shirts, Linnings &c.
Demere prodded the governor to take substantial action. I do assure your Excellency if there is not some Measures taken to regulate the Trade of this Nation and Laws provided to oblige the Traders to act conformable thereto, there will be always a Discord amongst those People, and the Consequence will ever be prejudicial to the common Cause. The Traders are for the most Part a Sett of Villains who studdy Nothing but their own narrow Views and private Emoluments without having the least Regard to Justice or the public Weel. Old Hopp told me that Elliott had mixed the Paint he sold to them with red Lead, and that he and the other Traders imposed on them with their Stilliards &c. They produced some Paint they had bought of Elliott who being called confessed that he formerly used to mix it, but that he left of that Custom. Demere went on to say they could not go to War without some Thing to defend themselves, and that if I did expect them to go to War I must supply them with Guns, Powder and Bullets, Paint, Blankets, Boots, Hatchets, Cutlasses, Looking Glasses and Awls to mend their Mocasins with. That when they should see these Things they would think of my Talk, but as I had given them Nothing but a Belt of Wampum to go to War with, they should return it, which they accordingly did. (McDowell 333-335).
To be continued in the next issue.
Works Cited:
Maness, Harold S. Forgotten Outpost, Fort Moore and Savanna Town 1685-1765. Aiken, SC: Howell Printing, 1986.
McDowell, William L., Jr., Ed. Documents Relating to Indian Affairs,1754 - 1765. Columbia: South Carolina Department of Archives & History: 1992.
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