Before James’ Grant’s campaign against the Cherokees commenced, the Cherokees and settlers fought in a series of smaller battles throughout South Carolina. Most of these battles took place near forts. Fort Ninety-Six was a stronghold in present day region of Greenwood County, South Carolina. The following letter, written in 1760 by James Francis, a soldier at the fort, depicts the battles between the two sides and also serves as a record from Francis calling for additional aid from the governor of South Carolina, William Henry Lyttelton.
James Fort. Fort Ninety-Six would have resembled this.
Juxtaposing this letter with Gadsden’s arguments demonstrates the varying attitudes towards the war as well as the enemy Cherokee. It is also important to consider that Gadsden was writing for a local paper to voice his personal concerns, whereas Francis is writing to the governor of the colony and thus may not have voiced his true feelings as liberally as Gadsden did. Furthermore, Gadsden was writing to a wide audience and had to maintain his scholarly tone throughout. Francis had a single recipient, and was not shadowed by his literary reputation as Gadsden may have been.
Despite the governor as his audience, Francis does not hesitate to describe the joy he felt from brutalizing the enemy. Note the Francis’s passage, “we had the pleasure during the engagement to see several of our enemy drop, and we now have the pleasure sir, to fatten our dogs with their corpses.” Ironically Gadsden criticized Grant’s campaign for prolonging the troops’ subjection to engagement with Cherokee, yet here Francis finds pleasure
in destroying the Cherokee. Francis was obligated to relay the on goings of the battles to Lyttelton but didn’t hesitate to add the gory detail with clear delight. Furthermore, it is Gadsden who calls for further destruction of the Cherokee, yet restrains from the type of animalistic description Francis offers. Francis also never uses the word “Cherokee” or “Indian” throughout his letter. He only refers to them as “Enemy” or “the Evil.” Francis’s reference to evil also leads back to the Christian idea of the time that the Indian’s were less than human due to their faith and customes. It is also noteworthy that Francis appears to have no concerns for the greater logistics of the war. He mentions the additional need for troops but does not speculate on any further progression or politics of the war. Conversely Gadsden’s letters speak much more to the politics of the war.
James Francis to Governor Lyttelton
Fort 96, March 6th 1760
Letter from James Francis to his Excellency, William Henry Lyttelton, Esq.
May it please your excellency, sir, on Sunday last McCormick Boyle and Moses Sinclair arrived at this Fort from Fort Prince George, and gave us an Account of the Discovery they made of the Enemy coming down upon us to the Amount of perhaps 300 by the Number of their Fires. As we had no Reason to doubt their Veracity, we put ourselves in the best Order we were able for their Reception, and as we had good Reason to believe, they would collect their whole Force to get Satisfaction if they might for their last Defeat, and being very weakly manned we insisted [228] on those two Men, not to leave the Fort, at least for some two or three Days, to wait the Enemy’s coming; which Freedom hope your Excellency will please to excuse as we at that Juncture stood in such Need of Assistance.
The Event answered our Expectations, for on Monday just after Sunrise, two hundred and more of the Enemy began their Attack upon us, and that with no trifling Resolution, they scare made any Cessation, but kept almost a constant Fire all that Day and the following Night, and some smart Volleys the next Day. We had two of our Men wounded, but hope not mortal. However Sir, we beg Leave to acquaint your Excellency, that we had the Pleasure during the Engagement to see several of our Enemy drop, and we have now the Pleasure Sir, to fatten our Dogs with Carcases, and to display their Scalps, neatly ornamented on the Top of our Bastions. These Things Sir, we doubt not but your Excellency will allow may so far irritate them, as to collect their whole Force, and make a stronger Effort if they possibly can seek Revenge.
And I humbly beg Leave to assure your Excellency, that we had not twenty effective Men during the whole Time of our Engagement, but as Major Loyd arrived here the Juncture of Time that the Enemy left off their firing at us, within a Quarter of An Hour of their last Volley, with an Escort of ten Men from below, we have presumed to withstand his carrying the Whole back, but think to withhold them, until we have some better Reinforcement, which we doubt not your Excellency’s Generosity will forward to us, as we have Reason to fear with few effective Men we have, will be greedy to follow the Scout when they come this Way, by which Means the Fort will be left naked, and I know not by what Means to prevent that Evil. It certainly must appear necessary Sir, that this Fort should stand and be defended, as a Barrier to the Province, as well as for a safe Retreat in case of Need &c. Which we humbly submit to your Excelleny’s far superior Penetration. Humbly begging Pardon Sir, for thus far presuming, I remain in all dutifull Obedience Sir,
Your Excellency’s most dutiful and obedient humble Servant to command,
James Francis