33 The Winning of the West 



successfully 9 followed the perfectly cold-blooded 

 though perhaps necessary policy of exciting the 

 tribes to war with one another, in order that they 

 might leave the whites at peace; but now, as they 

 officially reported to the British commander, Gen- 

 eral Gage, they deemed this course no longer wise, 

 and, instead of fomenting, they endeavored to allay, 

 the strife between the Chickasaws and Creeks, so 

 as to allow the latter to turn their full strength 

 against the Georgians. 10 At the same time every 

 effort was made to induce the Cherokees to rise, 11 

 and they were promised gunpowder, blankets, and 

 the like, 12 although some of the promised stores were 

 seized by the Americans while being forwarded to 

 the Indians. 13 



In short, the British were active and successful 

 in rousing the war spirit among Creeks, Cherokees, 

 Choctaws, and Chickasaws, having numerous agents 

 in all these tribes. 14 Their success, and the con- 

 sequent ravages of the Indians, maddened the 



9 "American Archives," 4th Series, Vol. I, p. 1094, for ex- 

 ample of fight between Choctaws and Creeks. 



10 Do., Vol. IV, p. 317. Letter of Agent John Stuart to 

 General Gage, St. Augustine, Oct. 3, 1775. 



11 State Department MSS. No. 71, Vol. II, p. 189. Letter 

 of David Taitt, Deputy Superintendent (of British) in Creek 

 Nation. 



12 "American Archives," Vol. Ill, p. 218, August 21, 1775. 



13 Do., p. 790, September 25, 1775. 



14 State Department MSS., No. 51, Vol. II, p. 17 (volume 

 of "Intercepted Letters"). Letters of Andrew Rainsford, 

 John Mitchell, and Alex. McCullough, to Rt. Hon. Lord 

 George Germain. 



