h the marauders
at the Muscle Shell Shoals, inasmuch as the Creeks had repeatedly
assured him that these marauders were refractory people who would pay no
heed to their laws and commands. Robertson knew this to be good point,
for as a matter of fact the Creeks, though pretending to be peaceful,
had made no effort to suppress these banditti, and had resented by force
of arms the destruction of their stronghold. [Footnote: Robertson MSS.
Robertson to McGillivray. Letters already cited.]

Robertson's Letters to the Creek Chief McGillivray

Robertson then came to his personal wrongs. His quaintly worded letter
runs in part: "I had the mortification to see one of my children Killed
and uncommonly Massacred ... from my earliest youth I have endeavored to
arm myself with a sufficient share of Fortitude to meet anything that
Nature might have intended, but to see an innocent child so Uncommonly
Massacred by people who ought to have both sense and bravery has in a
measure unmanned me.... I have always striven to do justice to the red
people; last fall, trusting in Cherokee friendship, I with utmost
difficulty prevented a great army from marching against them. The return
is very inadequate to the services I have rendered them as last summer
they killed an affectionate brother and three days ago an innocent
child." The letter concludes with an emphatic warning that the Indians
must expect heavy chastisement if they do not stop their depredations.

His Letter to Martin.

Robertson looked on his own woes and losses with much of the stoicism
for which his Indian foes were famed. He accepted the fate of his son
with a kind of grim stolidity; and did not let it interfere with his
efforts to bring about a peace. Writing to his friend General Martin, he
said: "On my return home [from the North Carolina Legislature to which
he was a delegate] I found distressing times in the country. A number of
persons have been killed since; among those unfortunate persons were my
third son.... We sent Captains Hackett and Ewing to the Creeks who have
brought very favorable accounts, and we do not doubt but a lasting peace
will be shortly concluded between us and that nation. The Cherokees we
shall flog, if they do not behave well." [Footnote: State Department
MSS., No. 71, vol. ii. Robertson to Martin, Pleasant Grove, May 7,
1788.] He wished to make peace if he could; but if that was impossible,
he was ready to make war with the same stern a