The New Hampshire Gazette

N E W Y O R K. June 30.

Last Tuesday Afternoon a Schooner arrived here Express from South Carolina, by whom we have the following agreeable Advices, viz.

CHARLES-TOWN, (in South Carolina) June 10.

[By Authority]

The following Letter to His Honour the Lieutenant Governor, containing a particular Account of the Success of His Majesty's Arms under the Command of the Hon. Colonel Montgomery, is published for the Information and Satisfaction of the Public.

S I R,

I INFORMED you in my Letter by Price, that we should march the 28th from Ninety Six, which we did, and arrived the 1st of this month at Twelve Mile river, having had that pass sufficiently reconnoitred the night before; and that morning we passed it without opposition, and drew up about 11 o'clock, upon a rising ground near the river. About 4 in the afternoon our carriages got to the camp, having been brought up those steep and rocky banks by the force of men: the horses could not do it, being fatigued and wore out, with a march of 84 miles without a halting day. As we met with no opposition at Twelve-Mile river, and at the same time our scouts finding no Indian tracks near us, both Col. Montgomery and I were convinced, that they knew nothing of our march, and were resolved to take advantage of their negligence, by a forced march that night, tho' the troops were a little fatigued with a march of 20 miles that morning, from Beaver Dams to the river: We therefore encamped in a square upon very advantageous ground, and leaving our tents standing, with 120 of the king's troops, a few provincials, and about 70 rangers, as a guard to our camp, waggons, cattle, &c. we marched at eight at night, through the woods, in order to surprize Estatoe, which by that road was about 25 miles from our camp upon the river. After we had marched about 16 miles, a dog was heard barking at some distance in our front, and the guides informed us, that there were a few houses about a quarter of a mile from the road, called Little Keowee, of which indeed they had not informed us before: To prevent any inconveniences from those houses, the light infantry company of the Royal, was detached to surround the houses, and put the Indians to death with their bayonets. By an accident, a scout which had been at Fort Prince George that very day, were encamped near the houses, and upon discovering our men, they fired at them; a few of ours returned the fire, but immediately rushed in upon them, and most of those who were without the houses, and all who were in them, were put to death with bayonets, except the women and children, according to the orders which had been given. We proceeded directly on our march to Estatoe, and found a few houses on the road just deserted; the beds were warm, and every thing was left in the houses, which you may believe did not escape. We arrived early in the morning at Estatoe, which was abandoned about half an hour before; ten or a dozen of them, who had not time to escape, were killed: The town consisting of above 200 houses, well provided with ammunition, corn, and in short all the necessaries of life, was plundered and laid in ashes; many of the inhabitants who had endeavoured to conceal themselves, I have reason to believe perished in the flames, some of them I know of for certain: In order to continue the blow, and to shew those savages that it was possible to punish their insolence, we proceeded on our march, took all their towns in our way, and every house and town in the Lower Nation shared the same fate with Estatoe. I could not help pitying them a little: Their villages were agreeably situated; their houses neatly built, and well provided, for they were in the greatest abundance of every thing: They must be pretty numerous. Estatoe and Sugar Town consisted at least of 200 houses, and every other village at least 100 houses. After killing all we could find, and burning every house in the nation, we marched to Keowee, and arrived the second of June (after a march of above 60 miles without sleeping) at four in the evening at Fort Prince George. There must have been from 60 to 80 Cherokees killed, with about 40 Prisoners; I mean men, women and children. Those who escape must be in a miserable condition, and can possibly have no resource but flying over the mountains, in case their friends there will receive them; they can have saved nothing; some of them had just time to run out of their beds; others left their suppawn warm upon the table and in their kettles. The surprize in every town was almost equal, as the whole affair was the work of a few hours. They had, both at Estatoe and Sugar Town, plenty of ammunition, which was
destroyed; and every where astonishing magazines of corn, which were all consumed in the flames: they had not even time to save their most valuable effects: The soldiers found money in many houses; three or four watches were got; their wampum, their cloaths, skins, and in short every thing. Many loaded guns went off when the houses were burning. I had almost forgot to tell you that we intended to save Sugar-Town, as the place nearest the fort (where they even had a stockade fort): Centries were placed for the security of the town, but we found the body of a dead man, whom they had put to the torture that very morning, it was then no longer possible to think of Mercy.

Our loss is very inconsiderable, 3 or 4 men killed, and lieutenants Marshall and Hamilton of the Royal, wounded: 'Tis hoped both will recover; tho Mr. Marshall is not out of danger.

The correction you'll allow has been pretty severe. I dare say, the whole nation will readily come into terms, and will not be very fond of breaking them; and I think peace with them is a very desirable event for this province. We shall make use of Fistowe and the old warrior of Estatoe, by setting them at liberty, to inform their nation, that tho' they are in our power, we are ready to give them peace, as they were formerly friends and allies to the white people: And we shall send off an express this evening to Capt. Demere, to inform him of what has happened; and to desire him to acquaint the Little Carpenter with it, and to tell him, that he may come down with some other headmen to treat, but it must be done in a few days, or he may expect to see all the towns in the Upper Nation in ashes; but that we are willing to give his people terms, on this account. Captain Stuart will be directed to come with them; and we shall insist upon the Little Carpenter's procuring some corn for the fort, 'till supplies can be sent them. We shall only continue here until we have settled with the Cherokees. It will be necessary that you should write a letter, to encourage some of the rangers to carry our and cattle to Fort Loudoun. & thank them for their behaviour here. They have acted with spirit, have done whatsoever they were ordered, and have been of great use to the detachment. Capt. Grayson has distinguished himself, by his readiness to do every thing he was desired: And in short, I am extremely pleased with the whole.

I have been a good deal out of order since we returned to Fort Prince George: I am a little better to-day, but am a good deal fatigued in writing several letters: I shall be glad to hear from you as soon as possible. Col. Montgomery desires his respects to you: He does not trouble you with a letter, as I have wrote so fully; but he begs that you may forward one of the inclosed letters to General Amherst, by an express schooner, if no other opportunity offers. I have the honour to be, Sir,

Camp near Fort Prince George, June 4th, 1760.

Your most obedient and most humble servant,

JAMES GRANT.

The Original of the foregoing Letter from Lieut. Col. Grant, sent us Yesterday by his Honour the Governor, for Publication, was brought to Town on Monday Evening.