received from you when you came before as a messenger to our Nation."]
When the news of Hamilton's capture was brought it wrought a momentary
discouragement; but the efforts of the British agents were unceasing,
and by the end of the year most of the southwestern Indians were again
ready to take up the hatchet. The rapid successes of the royal armies in
the southern States had turned the Creeks into open antagonists of the
Americans, and their war parties were sent out in quick succession, the
British agents keeping alive the alliance by a continued series of
gifts--for the Creeks were a venal, fickle race whose friendship could
not otherwise be permanently kept. [Footnote: State Department MSS.
Papers Continental Congress. Intercepted Letters, No. 51. Vol. II.
Letter of British Agents Messrs. Rainsford, Mitchell, and Macullagh, of
July 12, 1779. "The present unanimity of the Creek Nation is no doubt
greatly owing to the rapid successes of His Majesty's forces in the
Southern provinces, as they have now no cause to apprehend the least
danger from the Rebels ... we have found by experience that without
presents the Indians are not to be depended on."]

As for the Cherokees, they had not confined themselves to sending the
war belt to the northwestern tribes, while professing friendship for the
Americans; they had continued in close communication with the British
Indian agents, assuring them that their peace negotiations were only
shams, intended to blind the settlers, and that they would be soon ready
to take up the hatchet. [Footnote: _Do_., No. 71, Vol. II., p. 189.
Letter of David Tait to Oconostota. "I believe what you say about
telling lies to the Virginians to be very right."] This time Cameron
himself marched into the Cherokee country with his company of fifty
tories, brutal outlaws, accustomed to savage warfare, and ready to take
part in the worst Indian outrages. [Footnote: _Do_., No. 51, Vol. II.
Letter of the three agents. "The Cherokees are now exceedingly well
disposed. Mr. Cameron is now among them ... Captain Cameron has his
company of Loyal Refugees with him, who are well qualified for the
service they are engaged in.... He carried up with him a considerable
quantity of presents and ammunition which are absolutely necessary to
engage the Indians to go upon service."] The ensuing Cherokee war was
due not to the misdeeds of the settlers--though doubtless a few lawless
whites occasionally did wrong to their