From
Catawba Nation, Treasures in History by Thomas J Blumer
The
Spanish Years
The Catawba are barely known in
Native American history due to the fact that they alone stayed behind
in the Carolinas following the notorious “Trail of Tears”. The
Catawba were almost forgotten to history. (1) In 1884, Anthropologist
Dr. E Palmer visit4ed their nation and wrote notes on the. His notes
are however now forgotten. In 1908 Dr. M. R. Harrington made a visit
from Washington D. C. to the catawba Nation. He published a small
book “The Catawba Indians” in 1909. Dr. Blumer's recent studies
on these people has helped rediscover a people nearly forgotten.
Catawba-Spanish Contact
The Yuchi wre neighbors of the
Catawba. They were living on the coast, near modern day Savannah,
Georgia. They lived on the Muskogeean/Siouan border region. There
language has said to look a little like the Muskogeean and a little
like the Catawba. The English language looks like it also has dual
origins, part Germanic and part Latin. Their language might tell us
more about those who once conquered them than about they themselves.
These Yuchi have a legend telling of viewing ships on the horizon,
that landed on the coast. They returned a second time and took
samples of the soil. They returned a third time, this time wanting
land on which to grow crops. This is the Yuchi story.
Returning to recorded history,
we have another tale to tell. The Catawba first saw Spanish ships in
1521. These ships were owned by Vasquez de Ayllon, and they were on a
slave gathering mission. At a place called Chicora, the Spanish
tricked some of the Catawba on board, then took off with them They
went back to the Caribbean where they were sold as slaves. One of the
slave ships sank, and many on the other ship later died.
The Spaniards traained one of
the Indian slaves to speak Spanish, and renamed him Francisco de
Chicora. Ayllon in 1621, returned to Chicora with Francisco, hoping
to colonize the land. This time when Ayllon arrives, the Indians who
saw his ships arrive fled into the woods. Francisco did the same,
when he got the chance. The Spaniards never saw him again. This
attempt to plant a colony on the Carolina coast failed. (2)
Sometime between Ayllon's
expedition and De Soto's, they started calling this land
“Cofitachique”. Cofitachique is a name of Muscogeean origin. Now
the Muscogeean and Catawba peples were mortal enemies. The
Creek/Muscogeean people started telling the Spaniards of a fabled
land called Cofitachique which was a wealthy land full of wealth. He
heard of a place called Yup-aha. Perhaps this was what became
Yas-eh/Esaw/Waxhaw? We will never know. On De Soto's route to
discover Cofitachqui, he came across the Creek/Muscogeean village of
Cofaque. When they knew what De Soto wanted to do, they were eager to
join the expedition. The Cofaque brought a great supply of food with
them. They were eager to obtain vengeance on Cofitachique, but the
Spaniards were ignorant of their ambitions. (3)
Interestingly, Blumer mentions
a great buffer between the Creek and Siouan speakers. There was a
rgeat region where no people lived. This is something many
researchers ignore, but has to be understood and explained in any
research of American Indian Peoples. ALL tribes had a great parcel of
land they called “the hunting grounds” that remained uninhabited.
That is where the tribal animal herds were kept. It is a lie that the
Indians didn't own animals, they just owned them communally, not
individually. They considered the deer, turkey, and smaller game as
theirs, and if a neighboring tribe was caught in their hunting
grounds, a war often was the result. Since more than one tribe used
the same hunting grounds, inter-tribal warfare as common.
Finally De Soto and his Cofaque
allies reached a village loyal to Cofitachique. Immediately the
Cofitaque started massacreing the villagers, and the took many
scapls. When De Soto realized their deception, he gave Cofaque war
captain Patofa many gifts, and sent them back home. He conontinued on
to Cofitachique.
On May 1, 1540, De Soto's men
came to a large river. De Soto remained there until 13 may, 1540.
Cofitachique was ruled by a woman. Despite being treated with great
respect, the Spanish too her as a hostage. Blumer continues to say
“Today we know the site of Cofitachique as modern Camden, [South
Carolina]. The Catawba did not abandon its ceremonial center until
after the treaty of Augusta in 1763.” (4)
The map below is the route of the eastern half of De Soto's Expedition.
The map below is the route of the eastern half of De Soto's Expedition.
The Spanish began an effort to
colonize the vast holdings of the Cofitachique , also called Canos or
Canosi until after the founding of St. Augustine in 1565. Pedro
Memendez de Aviles was the man behind this adventure, and he had the
backing of the Spanish crown. Prt on of this adventue was the defeat
of the french in the area. Part two was the founding of Santa Elena
on the Sout Carolina coastline. The third part of his plan was to
gather about 120 men under the command of Captain Juan Pardo, and
have them march inland. Menendez hoped they'd find an inland road to
what is now Mexico. Pardo was also asked to pacify the Indians, and
evangelize them so that they would become Christians, and bring them
under the authority of the Spanish Crown. Pardo's progress was
recorded by Juan de la Bandera, Pardo's archivist. Father Sebastian
Montero went along, with the job of converting the Indians. They
travelled through the heart of the Catawba regions. According to
Blumer, the names of many of the locations Pardo visited still had
similar names as the names recorded by De Soto's men earlier, an
those names were of Catawban origin. Father Montero spent several
years amongst the Wateree (called by the Spaniards Guateri) and he
had some success in converting them to Catholocism. A report exists
where some Indians learned Spanish, and even several catholic
prayers. (5)
Please note they were never
LOST. Also note they were NOT Portuguese, but rather Spanish. Would a
19th century Cauasian of Scottish ancestor report that his
ancestry in the 17th century were English? .NO! He'd
report they were Scots! And the Spanish were no different. They were
as proud of their heritage as any of us would be. And as we will see
later, there were trade routes, paths and roads that went to and from
all the Catawban and Eastern Siouan towns. There is no was a group of
Pardo's men could have gotten lost. They knew the roads back to
Spanish settlements very well. Here (below) is a map of Pardo's route. Some of Pardo's men remained in the interior and these are the men some say were the unfortunate ones, those left behind, under the command of Moyano. But notice the movements of Moyano's men in the interior IS KNOWN! How could hi sovements have been known if he disappeared? It makes no sense.
I bring this up because some
claim the Melungeons descend from a group of “Portuguese
Adventurers.” Others claim some of Pardo's men got lost. Some
claim they were descended from runaway slaves, or even shipwrecked
Turkish sailors, some other band of lost souls. Odd though, that they
have English surnames, then, isn't it? More on this later.
By March 1568 Pardo's work was
finished. In 1572 father Montero left the Wateree/Guateri. His
mission was abandoned. (5). The Spanish failed in their attempt to
make the Catawba and the bands of Indians associated with them into
Spanish Colony. They were still a strong Indian Nation in the
1570's. By the 1720s they were a rag-tag remnant of a great nation.
What changed in the 150 years between 1570-1720? Blumer's book just
cuts to the Tuscarora wars of 1711-1713. That and the Yamasee wars of
the following year saw a great decline in fortunes of these Eastern
Siouans. Before we delve into those wars, we need to know what
happened to the Indians between the Spanish years, the 1570s, and the
Tuscarora and Yamassee Wars. What happened between 1572 and 1711?
1572-1711
There is very little to go on about
the eastern Siouan peoples from 1572 to 1670, and there is nothing
from 1572 to 1711 (or very little) in Dr. Blumer's book. Other
writers have a little and I hope it will fill in a few of the gaps.
The
Tuscarora and Yamassee Wars and Repercussions, 1711-1717
Per Blumer, the Tuscarora Wars has several causes. He
says I.] “The Indians objected the settlement of New Bern, North
Carolina in 1710. ii.] The Indian traders also cheated the Tuscarora
Indians regularly. The last straw was iii.] The ill treatment of
intoxicated Tuscarora by a settler. towards a major confrontation
with North Carolina. I.] Seneca agitation also pushed the Tuscarora
towards a major agitation with North Carolina.
The
Tuscarora attack wa carefully planned. At dawn, September 22nd,
1711, over 130 settlers were killed by noon. Survivors fled to Bath
and New Bern. For the next four months, the Tuscarora pillaged at
will. Captives were tortured, and executed.
South Carolinian Captain John Barnwell left Charles
Town with only 30 men, but travelled inland to recruit an Indian and
then pouncing on the Tuscarora from the west. Blumer says that it is
thought the Tuscarora had only recently moved south into North
Carolina, onto Catawban lands. I do not know the evidence for this.
But we do know the Tuscarora and the Catawba were traditional
enemies, and had been for some time. They needed no convincing to go
to war with the Tuscarora. The Yamassee were also recruited. The
Tuscarora were no match for their combined forces. Blumer says
Barnwell recruited 500 Indians, 350 of which were Catawba and their
allies. Blumer mentioned Congaree, Waxhaw, Wateree, Cheraw and others
allied to these Catawban peoples.
Blumer gives an impressive view of what a catawba
warrior looked like in the old days. I feel I need to report what he
says of their appearance. He says:
The Catawba and their allies went to war in the
traditional way. The women combed their men's hair with bear grease
and red root. The men's ears were decked out with feathers, copper,
wampum, and even entire birds wings. The men painted their faces with
vermillion. Often one eye was circled in black paint, and the other
in white.
War
dances were performed, and the men set out looking as fierce as
possible.
Blucher goes on to say some had guns and others had bows and arrows.
He says; In
full traditional battle attire, the Catawba must have been an
impressive site. The name of the Catawba War Captain who led the
nation on this expedition has been lost to history. None of the
Indians would enter a war party without the urging of a powerful war
captain who had won the right to carry snake images on his person in
paint or tattoo.
Now
Indian warfare was not as Barnwell had expected. The first battle was
at the Tuscarora village of Narhantes. The Catawba took as many
captives as they could get their hands on, and headed for the slave
markets of Charleston, and sold them. By the end of February 1712,
Barnwell's army consisted of about 90 Whites, and 148 Indians, mostly
Yamassees. On March 1st,
Barnwell's army entered Tuscarora King Hancock's town, which was
deserted. On March 5th,
King Hancock's fort was surrounded. He threatened to torture his
captives in frout of Barnwell's men. Both sides agreed to hold a
conference on March 19th
at Bachelor's Creek. The Tuscarora did not show up.
Barnwells
reputation began to slide. He was forced to return to the Catawba
towns, and get them to return to the battle. On April 7th,
Barnwell's reinforced army returned to Hancock's Fort. These attacks
lasted 10 days. Again, his Catawba allies gathered as many captives
as possible, and headed to the slave markets of Charleston.
Blumer
adds; Disappointed
but determined to turn a profit, Barnwell lured Indians into Forn
Barnwell on the pretext of a meeting. Once inside the fort, these
unfortunate souls were held captive and shipped off to Charleston.
Barnwell would have his profit in Indian flesh.
As a result of Barnwell's short but bloody Tuscarora
incursions, all the Indians lost their confidence in the Christian
Whites. The Tuscarora began their exodus to Canada, to be with their
Iroquoian relatives. The Five Nations were going to become the Six
Nations. They ever after wards held a great grudge against the
Catawba and their allies. And because of Barnswell's actions in
obtaining his own slaves, the Catawba quit trusting the Whites. (6)
This would lead us to the next war with the Tuscarora.
The
Second Tuscarora War
As Blumer states, The Tuscarora continued to ravage the
countryside, just before their exodus to the north, in the same way
the Israelites spoiled the Egyptians before fleeing Egypt. Settlers
remained behind palisades and fortresses, afraid to venture out, but
doing little to hep themselves, depending mostly of South
Carolinians. Some fled the colony. In June 1712, a delegation of
North Carolinians again asked South Carolina to come to their rescue.
Colonel
James Moore set off form Charleston in October, 1712, to gather an
Indian army. Barnwell then says somehting odd. He says; After
Barnwell's deception, Moore's recruiting was rather slow. Rather than
halt at Waxhaw Town
(as did Barnwell), he
marched further to the catawba towns, presumably to coax the Catawba
directly. His fist task was to convince the Catawba War captians that
a war against the Tuscarora was to their advantage . . .once the war
captains agreed, they began the war ritual. He took up a pot drum and
danced counterclockwise around his house, performing a call to war
song. When a crowd of men gathered, the war captian recited the
crimes of the Tuscarora against the Catawba. Then the war captain and
their men fasted for three days. They purged their bodies of
impurities with the powerful emetic button snakeroot.
Colonel Moore crossed the Cape Fear River with 500
Catawba and their Catawban allies, 300 Cherokee and 50 Yamassee; 33
Whites led the force. They joined 140 members of the North carolina
militia. (7)
Menawhile,
not all the Tuscarora were part of the rebellion. King Blound
delivered King Hancock, leader of the rebellion, to the North
Carolinians, who was then executed. Moore, rather than attack the
Tuscarora, stayed in the North Carolina communities of New Bern, and
Bath, and Albemerle. Without provisions, the Indian army gathered
provisions amongst the settlers, eating their cattle and other
rations. While Moore waited, the Tuscarora strengthened their
fortress at Neoheroka. Their fortress consisted of 1.5 acres of man
made caves, palisaded walls, and strong buildings with a source of
water inside. After a bloody battle, Fort Neoheroka fell on March
20ieth, 1713. 475 Tuscarora were killed and another 415 were sold
into slavery. This was the end of the Tuscarora resistance. A band of
the Tuscarora remained in North Carolina with King Blount, and others
not sold into slavery fled north to join their Tuscaroran relatives
who had already fled to live with the Six Nations. (8)
From this time forth the Six Nations and the Catawba
would be at war until the Catawba and their allies were completely
and utterly ruined.
Also notice the mention of how Moore went beyond the
Waxhaw. Later a claim is made that the Catawba destroyed the Waxhaw,
but that claim was by South Carolinians. We know it was said there
were only 50 Yamassee with Moore, whereas there were hundreds
earlier. We also know Barnwell took friendly Indians as slaves to the
slave market in Charleston. It might be argued that the Waxhaw
village and some of the Yamassee were those so enslaved.
We shall also see the small pox killed off many of the
Indians, including the Catawba. They proved unable to battle all
these foes at one time. Their numbers dwindled to a pitiful few that
forgot much of their heritage. I hope to write these things to
resemble a coal of a fire or a lamp in the darkness of the history of
the people. There was only one more great war where the Catawba
fought for themselves.
The
Yamassee War 1715-1716
Although
the next conflict of the era is called “The Yamassee War” of
1715-1716, the Catawba were the largest Indian component, with 570
warriors. The Yamassee by comparrison, supplied only 400 warriors.
According to Blumer, “All
the Catawban speaking groups in both of the Carolinas joined this
effort to expel the Europeans from the Southeast.”
Per
Blumer; The
Indians had many grievances against the settlers. They included
abuses of a cruel and obscene nature committed by the white traders
who worked among the Indians. i.] Abuses such as murder and rape were
common. ii.] If needed, they would help themselves to the Indians
crops and not pay for the food.. iii.] In addition, the traders
fomented Indian wars to foster the Indian slave trade. iv.] Other
grievances included white settlements that encroached on Indian
lands.
Blumer
says the war was instigated by the Creek Indians, but the settlers
thought it must have been instigated by the French at Mobile Bay, or
the Spaniards at Saint Augustine. Blumer also speaks of the sale of
free Indians into slavery by unscrupulous traders in the Indian
towns. These are many of the causes and sentiments for the origins of
the Yamassee
War of 1715-1716. Virtually every Indian community took part in the
rebellion.
On
April 15th,
1715, ninety percent of the traders working in the Indian towns were
killed. In the process, 40 colonists were killed. South carolina
mustered an army under General George Chicken. Per Blumer, The
Indians suffered a defeated at Goose Creek, and the Catawba and their
allies had second thoughts about the war. On July 19th,
1715, the Catawba sued for peace. . . on October 18th,
1715, a delegation [of
Catawba] went
to Williamsburg, Virginia. A
second conference was called on Feburary 4th,
1716. Virginia Governor Spotswood wanted the Catawba headmen to
deliver their sons of their headmen to Fort Christanna. This exchange
occurred by April of 1717. The end of the war occurred when the last
of the Yamassee fled to Fort Augustine, Florida. Those not lucky
enough to flee were sold into slavery. It is thought some of the
Yamassee took shelter with the Catawba, and some with the Creek. But
their tribe is now considered extinct as a nation. (9)
King
Haigler
KingHaigler (also known as Nopkehee) was born about
1700. King Whitmannetaugehehee was king during the time of the
Yamassee War. As a result of the Catawban participation in the
Yamassee War, the Catawba were to deliver young men to Fort
Christanna as ransom, also to be educated. Dr. Blumer suspects
Nopkehee might have been one of these eleven based upon his age. King
Haigler is the most famous of the Catawba rulers.
First,
Haigler is noted for helping to negotiate a treaty of peace with the
Six Nations. These are the Iroquois of New York and neighboring
Canada. For mnay years, a war had been going on between the Iroquois
in New York and the Catawba and related bands in the Carolinas and
Virginia (10). These wars were intensified after the defeat of the
Tuscarora and their emigration to New York. In June 1751 King Haigler
and 5 other Catawba elders and a translated. They left Charleston,
South Carolina, aboard the HMS Scorpion, arriving in New York harbor
on June 7th,
1751, at Fort George. They arrived at Albany, New York, the site of
the conference, on June 30th.
According to Blumer, the Mohawk forced the Catawba to dance with
their feathers pointing down in humiliation. King Haigler and King
Hendrick of the Mohawk smoked a peace pipe. When the Six Nations
presented King Haigler with a wampum belt, the peace was final.
Per
Blumer a delegation of Iroquois visited the Catawba the next year,
1752. Blumer then adds that “During
this period, the Cherokee invited the Catawba to incorporate with
them and King Haigler refused.”
He
spoke against the evils of alcohol, and against dual justice, that
is, one set of laws for the White man and one for the Indians. He
defended women as vital for every nation. In 1756, he signed a treaty
with the Colony of Virginia. Blumer says “He
still maintained his residence at Pine tree Hill, the ancient
location of Cofitachique.” But
the world of the Catawba was in decline, their numbers shrinking. He
tried to get some of the former tributary tribes to move in with
them, and some did. Others were, however, slowly becoming
assimilated into White culture. Speaking of White Culture, settlers
ee encroaching onto his lands and he was powerless to stop them. A
great tragedy occurred in 1759, when half of the Catawba Nation died
of Small Pox (11).
Per
Blumer, “A
second high point in King Haigler's career came when he negotiated
the Treaty of Pine Tree Hill 70 miles to the north of the Waxhaw Old
Fields on the banks of the Catawba River. About 16 miles west of what
was soon to become the village of Lancaster.” In
1760, per the Treaty of Pine Tree Hill, he ceded most of the 55,000
square-mile land base of the Catawba. Settlers had already moved onto
most of it, anyway. He was able to keep two million aces near the
Waxhaw Old Fields.
On August 30, 1763, King Hagler was traveling from his
town to visit the Waxhaws. The story goes that he was attacked by
seven Shawnee, shot six times, and scalped. This crime occurred only
months before King Hagler was to attend a Treaty signing at Augusta,
Georgia. His death was convenient for both Carolinas. Also the terms
of the Pine Tree Hill Treaty were conveniently lost. Colonel Ayers,
inexperienced, represented the Catawba in Augusta. Instead of
keeping two milling acres, the Catawba lands dwindled down to 15
square miles (12).
Treaty
of Pine Tree Hill 1760
At the time of first contact between the Catawba and
Associated Bands and the Europeans in 1521, the Catawba and
Associated bands claimed a land base of 55,000 square miles. After
the 1570s, the Spanish interest in their nation waned. They made a
few attempts at establishing a colony on the Carolina coast, and a
few slave raiding expeditions came north from the Spanish Caribbean.
After Father Montero left in the 1570's, little effort was made to
convert the Indians to the Christian faith.
There was a hundred luff in contact with Europeans,
until about 1670, and the arrival of the English. Every emigrant who
landed at Charleston, South Carolina, took a parcel of Catawba land.
There were many thousands of settlers, some of whom took hundreds of
acres of land. After only 90 years, by 1760, most Catawba lands were
cone, and few Catawba remained, scattered in pockets, with the
ancient capital Cofitachique at a place now called Camden, still
their capital, although by 1760 it was called “Pine Tree Hill”.
With the nation but a fragment of its former glory, King Haigler
realized a need for a new treaty in the hopes that it would prevent
more settlers from claiming his nation's lands
The Catawba agreed to abandon Pine Tree Hill and move
north to the Waxhaw Old Fields, near prsent day Lancaster, South
Carolina. The text of the treaty has been lost (some say
conveniently). By the terms of the treaty, the Catawba lost their
lands in Virginia and much of both Carolinas. King Haigler did keep
two million acres of land however, for the Catawba. Much ancestral
lands, were gone for ever, from central North Carolina to Danville,
Virginia(13).
Blumer's
only description of the lands the Catawba kept say “They
kept control of two million acres centered in a circle around the
Waxhaw Old Fields.” Blumer
goes on to say “Thinking
the Indian way, he kept Catawba hunting rights to all of South
Carolina” (14).
Although the treaty no longer exists. Somewhere there
must be a record of what it included, as Dr. Blumer continues to
describe what was in the treaty. He says that South Carolina Governor
Bull agreed to prevent White settlers from moving to within thirty
miles of any Catawba settlement, and to remove those who trespassed
within those limits.
The Catawba immediately moved to the region provided
for them, around the Waxhaw Old Fields. Blumer says it s thought both
North Carolina and Virginia went unmentioned in the treaty, however
much of the land ceded by the Catawba was in their realms. Both
states immediately siezed the lands permitting settlers access to it.
In reality, North Carolina settlers had already moved
onto some of the lands reserved to the Catawba, and since the treaty
wasn't signed by North Carolina's Governor Dobbs, he didn't feel
compelled to obey it. South Carolina had promised to build a fort to
protect the Indians, but didn't do so for many years. When Catawba
hunters fanned out about South Carolina for fur trading, mobs of
Whites bat them and stole their furs. So much for hunting rights.
With King Haigler's murder in 1763, the whole treaty came under
question. Apparently the Catawba lost even most of the two million
acres they were supposed to receive. In 1979 an an unsuccessful
attempt was made to find a copy of the treaty, unsuccessfully.
Blumer
states, “As
it stands, what little we know of the treaty is learned from
secondary sources” (15).
It is believed the circular dotted line from the map below was the
Catawba Naton per the Pine Tree Hill Treaty of 1760, nad it is known
the 1763 treaty reduced their lands to the diamond shaped lands on
the map below, where the letters CN are centered.
The circular dashed line on the NC/SC border is a approximation of the the two million acre region that King Haiglar negotiated in the 1760 Pine Tree Hill treaty that has been lost. The diamont shaped region insie the circle labeled "CN" is the fifteen square mile region renegotiated in 1763.
Augusta
Treaty, 1763
Please know in 1759 a Small Pox epidemic killed off
about half of the Catawba Nation. It was the year after this great
loss that King Haigler signed the Pine Tree Hill Treaty. During those
years they had also aligned themselves with the English during the
French and Indian War. Per Blumer, they were nervously watching
settlers move closer and closer. Just 3 years after the Pine Tree
Hill Treaty, the Catawba were back at the negotiating table, ready to
sign another treaty. All the Southern Indians were to participate in
the treaty negotiating.
In July of 1763 the King of England issued a
proclamation to the colonies that only the British Crown could
purchase Indian lands.
The Catawba arrived in Savannah on October13, 1763 with
a delegation of 60 men, women and children. By the end of October,
the Chickasaw, Creek, Choctaw, and lastly Cherokee arrived around
Savannah. King Haigler had just died 2 months earlier, and their
contingent was headed by Colonel Ayers. In three years the Catawba
had signed 2 treaties, one in which their land base went from 55,000
square miles down to 2,000,000 acres, and the second in which they
could claim only 15 square miles, or 144,000 acres. It is easy to
blame Col. Ayers, but he was not as experienced as King Haigler. I
suspect he did his best, and the English probably used his lack of
experience against him. Had Haigler lived, perhaps they might have
retained more land. We may never know (16).
Blumer
quotes part of the treaty transcripts: “The
Catawba's are all of one mind . . . His land was all spoiled. He had
lost a great deal both by scarcity of Buffalo and Deer. They have
spoiled him 100 miles every way and never paid him. His hunting lands
formerly extended to the Pedee River, but is driven right to the
Catawba Nation.
If he could kill any deer he would carry the meat to
his family and the skiins to the White People . . .”
Little of the treaty actually concerns the Catawba:
i.]
We, the Catawba headmen and warriors . . . declare that we will
remain satisfied with the tract of land fifteen miles square. ii.]
The Catawbas shall not in any respect be molested by any of the
King's subjects. iii.]
Their lands are to be surveyed and iv.] they are allowed to hunt off
tribal lands (17)
The
American Revolution
The Revolutionary war puzzled the Catawba. They did not
understand the settlers fighting one another. The Catawba by this
time were ruled by King Frow. Preparations for war by neighboring
South Carolinians worried King Frow. He sent two runners to
Charleston to find out what was going on. South Carolina let them
know that they expected the Catawba to side with the state, and they
were also expected to send a delegation to secure the allegiance of
the Cherokee.
King
Frow soon abdicated, and was replaced by General New River. He was
said to have been a “war
hero of great merit.”
About this time the Catawba sent a delegation to
Charlotte, North Carolina, and were present at the Declaration of
Charlotte. At this moment, there was no turning back. Another warrior
is mentioned – Pine Tree Ceorge, a war captain. As in days and
years gone by, the men danced and fasted, and the women combed the
mens hair in bear grease. The men decorated their heads with deer
tails, which identified them as loyal to the Revoutionaries.In
October 1775, 25 Catawba enlisted under Samuel Boykin.I February 1776
Boykin commanded 34 Catawbas and was used in the Low-country to round
up run away slaves.In August 1776, 20 Catawba fought beside Colonel
AndrewWilliamson's men against the Cherokee. Per Blumer, many
Revolutionary War records are sketchy and are probably incomplete
(18).
One
major event during the American Revolution that involved the Catawba
was during the summer of 1780. At this time, the English took the
city of Charleston from the Colonists. They were aware of the
sentiment of the rebel's in the area of Charlotte, North Carolina. On
May 29th,
the English massacred a group of American soldiers at the Waxhaws,
where the Catawba lived. Later, camden fell to the British on August
16, 1780. As by now the English were aware of the Catawba
participation in the war. With the fall of Camden noting stood
between the Catawba towns nad the British Army. Having seen them
massacre American troops who had surrendered, the Catawba decided to
evacuate their homes. (19).
The
entire Catawba Nation fled to the north in August, 1780. Dr. Blumer
provides a map of their route. They fled north, through Charlottte
and Salisbury, North Carolina. Dr. Blumer thinks they then head for
Danville, Virginia. He says “The
land around Danville was still occupied by Catawban speakres, and was
once claimed by Cofitachique when the Catawban realm consisted of
55,000 square miles through the Carolinas and the mountains of
Southern Virginia. Today we know the Indians who inhabit this area as
the Monacans.”
We also know that there were others in the area, people known as
“Melungeons”. From Danville their route is unknown. It is thought
their final destination was somewhere between Danville and Roanoke,
Virginia. Some think they went to live near the Pamunkey as a
Pamunkey family is later found living with the Catawba. Blumer also
says “In
any case the Catawba women and children were far from harm, perhaps
in some unsettled hamlet such as the modern Catawba, Virginia, which
is only five miles west of Roanoke.” Dr.
Blumer goes on to tell us at that time, 1780, Roanoke had not been
settled yet. Blumer says they returned home in 1781 with the Army of
General Greene. He quotes David Hutchinson: “When General Greene
turned south, the Indians brought their women and children from
Virginia and dispatched some of their numbers to bring word as to the
situation of the property they had left. They received word from
Charlotte about thirty miles from their towns, that all was gone;
cattle, hogs, fowl, ect, all gone . . . (20).
All references from --
The Catawba Nation: Treasures
in History, Thomas Blumer,
(1) p.13
(2) p. 18
(3) p. 20-21.
(4) p.21-22
(5) p. 23-24
(6) p. 25-27
(7) p. 28
(8) p. 29-30
(9) p. 31-32
(10) p. 33
(11) p. 34
(12) p. 34-35
(13) p. 36
(14) p. 37
(15) p. 38
(16) p. 39-40
(17) p. 41
(18) p. 42-43
(19) p.44
(20) p. 47
