s.
It was possible of course that occasionally an innocent hunter suffered
with the guilty marauders, but this was because he was off his own
hunting grounds; and the treaty explicitly showed that the Creeks had no
claim to the Cumberland region, while there was not a particle of truth
in their assertion that since the treaty had been entered into there had
been intrusion on their hunting grounds. Seagrove, in response, wrote
that he believed the Creeks and Cherokees sincerely desired peace. This
was followed forthwith by new outrages, and Blount wrote to Robertson:
"It does really seem as if assurances from Mr. Seagrove of the peaceful
disposition of the Creeks was the prelude to their murdering and
plundering the inhabitants of your district." [Footnote: Robertson MSS.,
Blount to Robertson, Feb. 13, 1793; Blount to James Seagrove, Jan. 9,
1794; Seagrove to Blount, Feb. 10, 1794; Blount to Robertson, March 8,
1794.] The _Knoxville Gazette_ called attention to the fact that
Seagrove had written a letter to the effect that the Creeks were well
disposed, just four days before the attack on Buchanan Station. On
September 22d Seagrove wrote stating that the Creeks were peaceable,
that all their chief men ardently wished for the cessation of
hostilities, and that they had refused the request of the Cherokees to
go to war with the United States; and his deputy agent, Barnard,
reiterated the assertions and stated that the Upper Creeks had remained
quiet, although six of their people had been killed at the mouth of the
Tennessee. The _Gazette_ thereupon published a list of twenty-one men,
women, and children who at that very time were held in slavery in the
Creek towns, and enumerated scores of murders which had been committed
by the Creeks during precisely the period when Seagrove and Barnard
described them as so desirous of peace. [Footnote: _Knoxville Gazette_,
Dec. 29, 1792; Dec. 19, 1793.]

Increasing Indignation of the Settlers.

Under such circumstances the settlers naturally grew indignant with the
United States because they were not protected, and were not even allowed
to defend themselves by punishing their foes. The Creeks and Cherokees
were receiving their annuities regularly, and many presents in addition,
while their outrages continued unceasingly. The Nashville people
complained that the Creeks were "as busy in killing and scalping as if
they had been paid three thousand dollars for so doing, in the room of