PATRIOTS OF THE INDIAN WARS
The native American Indians were defending their
land; European settlers were the intruders. Nevertheless, history recalls
the wars against the Indians. There were many Indian Wars, dating back to
1637 when the New England colonists feared the Pequot Indians. Later came
disagreements with Wampanoag, Pueblo, Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and
numerous others. The reason for these wars were always the same; the white
man was trying to take over the rich lands which had been occupied by
Indians for years.
Initially, in the early 1600's, as the white, "pale faces"
established settlements along the Atlantic Coast, there were short
preludes of peace. As they moved southward and westwardly, more and more
disagreements occurred, and a greater and greater number of quarrels
developed between the Indians and the white man; most often resulting
into death of one or the other.
INDIAN WARS IN THE SOUTH (1813-1842): In the southeastern
part of the new world, the Indian battles were with the Creek and
Seminole tribes. The Creek were aroused by Chief Tecumsch and they
attacked villages throughout Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. When Andrew
Jackson rallied a force of militiamen and broke the power of
the Creek in 1814 at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on the Tallapoosa
River in east-central Alabama, the Creek relinquished a large track of
land. The Seminole, a southern branch of the Creek in Florida,
became angry because the Creek gave up the land, and rose up against the
whites in the First Seminole War (1816-1818). Jackson marched into
Florida with 3,000 men. His action forced Spain to give up that
territory, but did not completely subdue the Seminole, who began
fighting again in 1835. In the Second Seminole War they retreated
into the Everglades and struggled desperately for seven years.
Their Chief, Osceola, vowed to fight "till the last drop of Seminole
blood has moistened the dust of his hunting ground." The whites
captured Osceola in 1837, but the Seminole fought on until they were
nearly wiped out. The descendants of the surviving Seminole did
not make formal peace with the government until 1934.
The following men served in the Indian Wars with Capt.
James Walker from June 9, 1838 until August 19, 1838, and all are buried
in Brantley County. Legend: * = Served in both wars, Indian War and CSA.
| NAME OF VETERAN |
CEMETERY |
| DOWLING, DAVID |
HIGH BLUFF |
| * DOWLING, JAMES |
DOWLING |
| * GRIFFIN, DEMPSEY |
HIGH BLUFF |
| HARRIS, JIMPSEY |
NEW HOPE |
| HIGHSMITH, ALLEN |
NEW HOPE |
| KNOX, REDDICK |
KNOX |
| STOKES, RICHARD |
HIGH BLUFF |
| WAINRIGHT, WILEY |
TRADER'S HILL |
