GLC00782.11.01
Andrew Jackson to William Rabun
Fort Gadsden, Florida, 7 May 1818.
Autograph letter signed, 2 pages.
the march lining Pensacola, 7 miles outside of Fort Gadsden
May 7
th
1818
Sir,
I have this moment received by express the letter of Genl. Glascock, a copy of which is
enclosed, detailing the base, cowardly and inhuman attack on the old women and men of the
Chehaw Villages, whilst the women of that village with and fighting the battles of our country
against the common enemy, and at a time too when undoubted testimony had been obtained and
was in my possession and also in the possession of General Glascock, of their innocence of the
charge of killing Leigh & the other Georgian at Cedar Creek.
That a governor of a state should assume the rights to make war against an Indian tribe in
perfect peace with and under the protection of the United States; is assuming a responsibility,
that I trust you will be able to excuse to the government of the United States, to which you will
have to answer and through which I have so recently passed promising the aged that remained at
home my protection and taking the warriers with me as the campaign is as unaccountable as
strange. But it is still more strange that this could exist within the Free States a cowardly monster
in human shape, that could violate the Sanctity of a flag when worn by any person, but more
particularly when in the hands of a supernatural Indian chief worn down with age. Such lease
cowardice and murderous conduct as this mans action affords have not its paralel in history, and
shall meet with its merited punishment.
You Sir as Governor of a State within my Military Division have no right to give a
military order whilst I am in the field, and this being an open and violent infringement of the
treaty with the creek Indians Capt. Wright must be prosecuted and punished for this outrageous
murder, & I have ordered him to be arrested and confined in [2] irons until the pleasure of the
President of the Reunited States is known upon the subject. If he has left Hartford before my
order reaches him, I call upon you as Governor of Georgia to aid in carrying into effect my order
for his arrest and confinement, which I trust will be afforded, and Capt. Wright brought no
condign punishment for this unprecedented murder- It is strange that this hero had not followed
