488 RABUN COUNTY. 



braced every opportunity of improving his mind. At the age 

 of seventeen he became a member of the Baptist church, and 

 continued a zealous and exemplary Christian to the end of his 

 life. In all the benevolent operations of the day, he took a 

 leading part ; indeed, to promote the interests of his fellow- 

 men, appeared to give him real enjoyment. In Hancock he 

 w^as very popular, for although he never urged any claims that 

 he might have to the consideration of the people, he was for 

 many years their representative and Senator in the Legisla- 

 ture, and was never defeated for any office for which he was 

 a candidate. He became President of the Senate, and upon 

 the resignation of Gov. Mitchell, acted as Governor of Geor- 

 gia from March, 1817, to November of the same year, 

 when he was elected Governor by the Legislature. During 

 his administration^ a correspondence took place between 

 Gen. Andrew Jackson and himself, relative to an attack upon 

 an Indian village, called Chehaw. It appears that a Captain 

 Wright had destroyed the village just named, being a violation 

 of the orders which he had received from Gov. Rabun. This 

 was done after Gen. Jackson's assurance to the people of that 

 village that they should be protected, and whilst their warriors 

 were fighting with Jackson against the common enemy. 

 This provoked the General's ii'e, and accordingly he addressed 

 the Governor of Georgia the following letter : 



On march towards Pensacola, 

 7 miles advance of Fort Gadsden, May 7, 1818. 



Sir, — 1 have this moment received by express the letter of 

 Gen. Glascock (a copy of which is enclosed), detailing the 

 base, cowardly, and inhuman attack on the old women and 

 men of the Chehaw village, whilst the warriors of that village 

 were with me fighting the battles of our country against- the 

 common enemy, and at a time too when undoubted testimony 

 had been obtained and was in my possession, and also in the 

 possession of General Glascock, of their innocence of the 

 charge of killing Leigh and the other Georgian at Cedar creek. 

 That a Governor of a State should assume the right to make 

 war against an Indian tribe in perfect peace with, and under 

 the protection of the United States, is assuming a responsi- 



