The War in the Northwest 293 



Yet all the while they were planning further at- 

 tacks; at the same time that they sent peace talks 

 to Shelby they sent war talks to the Northwestern 

 Indians, inviting them to join in a great combined 

 movement against the Americans. 25 When the 

 news of Hamilton's capture was brought it wrought 

 a momentary discouragement; but the efforts of 

 the British agents were unceasing, and by the end 

 of the year most of the Southwestern Indians were 

 again ready to take up the hatchet. The rapid suc- 

 cesses of the royal armies in the Southern States 

 had turned the Creeks into open antagonists of 

 the Americans, and their war parties were sent out 

 in quick succession, the British agents keeping alive 

 the alliance by a continued series of gifts for the 

 Creeks were a venal, fickle race whose friendship 

 could not otherwise be permanently kept. 26 



25 Haldimand MSS. Series B, Vol. 117, p. 157. A talk 

 from the Cherokees to the envoy from the Wabash and other 

 Indians, July 12, 1779. One paragraph is interesting: "We 

 can not forget the talk you brought us some years ago into 

 this Nation, which was to take up the hatchet against the 

 Virginians. We heard and listened to it with great atten- 

 tion, and before the time that was appointed to lift it we 

 took it up and struck the Virginians. Our Nation was alone 

 and surrounded by them. They were numerous and their 

 hatchets were sharp; and after we had lost some of our best 

 warriors, we were forced to leave our towns and corn to be 

 burnt by them, and now we live in the grass as you see us. 

 But we are not yet conquered, and to convince you that we 

 have not thrown away your talk here are 4 strands of wham- 

 pums we received from you when you came before as a mes- 

 senger to our Nation." 



28 State Department MSS. Papers Continental Congress. 

 Intercepted Letters, No. 51, Vol. II. Letter of British 



