[141]. Adair was in active service as captain of the Eastern Chickasaws—but he modestly and barely refers to the fact. See the editor’s Introduction to this volume.
[142]. Edmund Atkins, formerly a Charles Town merchant, in partnership with John Atkins. S. C. Gazette, Oct. 4, 1746. He was, also, member of the Council of State in 1748.
[143]. Hamilton says that the true Indian name was Yaha Tasky Stonake, called by the English The Mortar and by the French Le Loup. Colonial Mobile, 229. He was under French influence, and gave the British and colonials much trouble because of his power among his people, the Creeks, and his influence with one element of the Overhill Cherokees in the fateful year 1760. See N. C. Col. Rec., VI, 259 et seq.; 313, as to his aiding in the downfall of Ft. Loudoun. After the surrender of the garrison, The Mortar was taken over the fort by the Cherokees and shown the “great guns”—the cannon. Before setting off to his own country The Mortar and his gang of Creeks broke into the Little Carpenter’s house and plundered it, evidently to punish the Cherokee chief for the part he had taken in behalf of the English. The Mortar was accompanied home by a group of the Cherokees. That he was influential, at the incitement of Lantagnac, in the downfall of Ft. Loudoun, is manifest.
[144]. This savage attack on Atkins occurred among the Creeks in the Alabama Country (Cussatah Town) Sept. 28, 1759. He was struck by a Cherokee on the head with a tomahawk but escaped without fatal injury. The intrigues of the French soon brought the Overhill Cherokees to flagrant outbreak against the English.
[145]. It has been suggested that The Mortar began the settlement to which resorted the disaffected of the Creeks and Cherokees—later known as Chickamaugas, always a lawless band, rather than a tribe.
[146]. The best authorities on the Creeks are Hawkins and Swanton, in the books cited ante and post.
[147]. A doctrine preached later by Thomas Jefferson when President.
[148]. Perhaps Galphin. The account is corroborated by Swanton, Early History of Creeks, 421, 437.
[149]. Ft. Toulouse, near the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers.
[150]. Probably “John Ross, Indian Trader,” mentioned as grantee of land at Augusta, in Ga. Col. Recs., VI, 229.