Memoir or A cursory glance at my different travels & my sojourn in the Creek Nation

By Louis Milfort

Jean-Antoine Le Clerc, also known as Louis Milfort, also spelled as Milford (February 2, 1752 - 1817/1820) was a French military officer and adventurer who led Creek Indian warriors during the American Revolutionary War as allies of the British. He emigrated to the British Colonies in North America in 1775. Beginning in 1776, he lived with the Creek Indians of the Upper Towns for about 20 years in frontier territory of present-day Alabama. He became a member of the Creek Confederacy, and eventually rose to Grand War Chief, commander of all Creek forces.

Milford's Memoirs "has provided us with a tale that reflects an intimate knowledge of the Indians, their way of life and their manner of carrying on warfare as well as their relations with the English, American, French and Spaniards who were competing for the trade with the natives over whose territory they were trying to gain control,"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Braunfell Books
• Release date: Mar 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781805231530

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Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE 6

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION — The Career of General Le Clerc Milfort 7

Milfort’s Book 12

MÉMOIRE ou COUP-D’ŒIL RAPIDE 14

Memoirs or A quick Glace at my various Travels and my Sojourn in the Creek Nation. 15

PREFACE — Which it is essential to read. 17

To Bonaparte — General-Consul 18

First Part 19

Departure from France, and my Arrival among the Creeks 19

Departure from France 19

Arrival in the United States 19

Departure from the United States 21

Arrival among the Creeks 22

Departure from Coëtas (Coweta) 24

I Settle in the Creek Nation 24

I serve as a Soldier. 25

I am appointed Little War Chief. 26

I am appointed Great War Chief, or Tastanégy. 27

I travel in the Nation. 29

The Spanish Governors’ manner of Administering 32

Administration of the baron de Carondellet (Carondelet) 32

Description of the Mississippi 36

Continuation of my Journey in the Creek Nations 39

Arrival among the Atakapas (Atakapa) 40

Arrival among the Nakitoches (Natchitoches) and the Akancas (Arkansas or Quapaw) 41

Arrival at the Red River 41

Arrival at the Caves 42

Departure from the Caves to return to the Nation 42

What General Bowls (Bowles) is. 47

McGillivray is made Commissary for the King of Spain 50

Bad Faith of the Georgians 50

General Confederation of the Savages of North America 52

Departure of McGillivray for New York; he is made General in the Service of the United States  53

Treachery of the Anglo-Americans 54

Organization of the Yazau (Yazoo) or Sciotot (Scioto) Company 56

Various Journeys I made in the Nation 56

My Arrival in Philadelphia and my Departure for France 59

My Arrival in France 59

Second Part 62

Arrival at New London 62

Note on the American Arnel (Arnauld), and death of Major André. 63

I travel through the different States of the United States 64

Cause of the rapid Growth of the Population of Georgia 65

Note on the Americans called Crakeurs (Crackers) Gaugeurs (Gougers) 65

Dishonesty of the Americans 67

My Arrival in the Lands of the Creeks 68

I am admitted into the Grand Assembly 70

Description of the Assembly Place of the Nation 70

Description of the Grand Assembly. 71

Detailed Account of the Character and Customs of the Creeks. 73

The Creeks give up the Practice of burning their Prisoners at the Stake. 74

Ceremony of my Reception as Grand War Chief. 74

History of the Moskoguis (Muskogee), today called Creeks. 76

War Medicine 80

The Chikachas (Chickasaw) give up the Custom of burying alive the Wife of a Warrior, when he dies. 89

Disgusting Manners and Habits of the Tchactas (Choctaw). 90

Ceremonies that the Tchactas (Choctaw) use with the Dead. 91

Manner of Divorce, in case of Adultery on the part of a Tchactas (Choctaw) Woman. 94

Remorse of a Savage. 95

Wit of a Creek and Dishonesty of the Americans. 97

Ceremony which takes place on the Return from a Campaign. 98

How McGillivray is made Estechacko. 98

How my Marriage with McGillivray’s Sister happened to come about. 99

BIBLIOGRAPHY 101

MEMOIRS — GEN. MILFORT — 1775-1802

BEN C. McCARY

Memoirs

or

A quick Glance at my various Travels and my Sojourn in the Creek Nation.

By

General Milfort

Tastanegy or great War Chief of the Creek Nation, and Brigadier-General in the Service of the French Republic

Translated and Edited

with Introduction, Notes and Index by

Ben C. McCary

Williamsburg, Virginia

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE

This book of which a complete translation is given here for the first time has become generally inaccessible and expensive. Swanton found the second part of it very useful in the preparation of his Social Organization and Social Usages of the Indians of the Creek Confederacy (1924-1925), and Pickett used it as a source for his History of Alabama (1851). Most of the historians of the southeast, however, seem to have been unfamiliar with this document or to have ignored it. Therefore, it has seemed appropriate that a translation of this book should be made available to American students.

The translation is rather literal and tries to retain the letter and spirit of the original. Milfort’s spelling of names and places he had never seen written has been reproduced in most cases.

The introduction and notes have been prepared primarily for those readers who have not had the opportunity to become familiar with the history of the period concerned or of the Indians of the southeast. My notes are indicated by asterisks in the introduction and by numerals in the text, and those of Milfort by asterisks.

It is a pleasure to thank here Dr. Richard Morfit, a former member of the Modern Language Department of the College of William and Mary for his help and advice in preparing the translation. I am indebted also to Dr. E. G. Swem, Librarian Emeritus of the College of William and Mary, who read the manuscript and made helpful suggestions. I am grateful to Mr. Herbert Ganter, Archivist of the College of William and Mary, for the valuable guidance he gave me on bibliographical and cartographical sources. I wish further to express my appreciation to Mr. Walton O. Folk of Marietta, Georgia, for his friendly encouragement in this undertaking, and for making available to me his fine copy of Milfort’s Memoirs.

Ben C. McCary

Associate Professor of Modern Languages

College of William and Mary

Williamsburg, Virginia

June 4, 1956

TRANSLATOR’S INTRODUCTION — The Career of General Le Clerc Milfort

American sources reveal very little information on Le Clerc Milfort.{1} A search in the archives of France and Spain might bring to light official documents and personal papers which would add considerably to the incomplete picture of the man. However, from the available sources and from his memoirs, certain reliable facts can be obtained.

Milfort’s memoirs tend to make it apparent that he had received the education of a gentleman and that he belonged to the French middle class. He was handsome, daring, and had an iron constitution.{2} An overwhelming desire for travel and adventure induced the very young man to leave his native land and sail across the Atlantic to America in the spring of 1775.

After an uneventful trip, Milfort disembarked at New London in Connecticut. He went from this town to Boston and after a few days left for New York. From there he made his way overland to Philadelphia, Baltimore, by water to Yorktown, and overland again through the Carolinas to Georgia. His extreme dislike of the character of the people in the remote regions of this state determined him to go among the savage nations where he felt sure he would find more noble characters and better manners. After a trip that almost ended in disaster, Milfort arrived at the Creek town of Coweta, on the Chattahoochee River, in May 1776.

At the same time, Alexander McGillivray, who was to have considerable influence on the life of Milfort for the next seventeen years, arrived from Charleston among the Creeks and was attending a grand council in session at Coweta.

Alexander McGillivray was the son of Lachlan McGillivray, a Scotchman who had become a wealthy trader, and who was very influential among the Indians of the southeast. Lachlan married Sehoy, the beautiful daughter of a Frenchman, Captain Marchand, and of a full-blooded Creek woman of the exalted Wind clan. Lachlan established a trading house about 1745 at Little Tallassie (Tallesy or Little Tulsa) on the east bank of the Coosa, and it was there that Alexander was born.

In 1773 when Alexander was about fourteen years of age, his father, with the consent of the mother, placed him in a school in Charleston. After the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1776, the Georgia patriots wrote Lachlan’s name at the head of the proscription list. Whereupon Lachlan, an ardent loyalist, returned to Scotland, and his son returned to his home on the Coosa. The Creeks welcomed him and made him a lesser chief. From this time until about 1787, Alexander McGillivray gradually increased his rule over the Creeks. From 1787 until his death in 1793, he ruled with almost dictatorial powers. His diplomatic skill in playing the British, Spaniards, and Americans against each other, enabled him to obtain their protection and trade, and to preserve the territory of his people during his lifetime. He well deserves a prominent place in North American history of great men of Indian blood.{3}

Milfort and McGillivray were immediately attracted to each other. Both men were young, enthusiastic, and ambitious, and both had an ardent hatred of the Whigs. The friendship of McGillivray, the hospitality of the Indians, the beauty of their country, and their problems won Milfort completely and determined him to remain among the Creeks, where for the next nineteen years he was to witness the great struggle for the Old Southwest and to assist McGillivray in his efforts to hold back the land hungry Anglo-Americans.

Milfort became permanently attached to McGillivray and resided with him on his plantation which was situated at Little Tallassie. McGillivray was agreeably pleased to find in Milfort a man who had knowledge of military tactics and who could fight. During the years that followed Milfort led the Creeks into battles against the Whigs of Georgia, and was sent on many important missions while McGillivray, who disliked the hardships of war, remained at home and waged successful diplomatic battles.

In time of peace Milfort had the opportunity to travel extensively in the Creek country as well as in remote sections of North America. He enjoyed the life of the Indians, learned their language, acquired their habits, and spent his leisure hours gathering information pertaining to their early history. The Creek Nation soon recognized his military virtues and showed its appreciation of his services by creating him Tastanégy (Tȧstȧnȧgi) or Great War Chief. His marriage to McGillivray’s sister, about two years after his arrival won him the esteem and affection of the Creeks.

The relationship between the two men seems to have been for the most part harmonious throughout the years of their association. There is some evidence of jealousy and disagreement between them in 1792 and of Milfort’s intention of returning to France.{4} However, Milfort remained, and their differences were apparently reconciled.

Soon after McGillivray’s death in February 1793, several events conspired to determine Milfort to return to France. He was left without a powerful protector and there was no leader of sufficient ability to replace McGillivray. The Spanish Governor Carondelet saw the urgent need of a successor to McGillivray to protect the interests of his country, and prevailed on Milfort to go among the Upper Creeks to lead them until McGillivray’s son should come of age. However, Milfort proved to be incompetent for this task because he lacked the necessary astuteness and diplomatic finesse.{5} With no great man to lead them, the leadership of certain towns which prevailed among the Creeks before McGillivray’s day, reasserted itself and a loose confederacy now existed. With this situation prevailing, Milfort clearly understood that without a vigorous policy on the part of Spain, or some outside power, the restless Americans would take advantage of the growing internal weakness of the Creeks and become the masters of North America. He felt perhaps that it was proper and urgent for him to present this situation in person to the French Government, as well as his plan for the repossession of Louisiana by the French. There is evidence also that Milfort had taken miff at the Spaniards a short time before and after McGillivray’s death.{6} Furthermore, France and Spain were now locked in the War of the First Coalition, and Milfort felt that he was morally obligated to resign his position as commissary of the king of Spain, especially since there was the possibility of the war spreading to the colonies. In addition to these apparent reasons for Milfort’s departure, the desire to see his native land again may have motivated him also.

The Spanish governor kept Milfort waiting eighteen months for his passport, and finally sent it to him in January 1795. After informing the Creek Nation of the purpose of his mission to France, and assuring them of his return, Milfort set out for Philadelphia. On his arrival he acquainted Fauchet, the French minister, with the plan, the basis of which was that in the event that France could force Spain to agree to the retrocession of Louisiana, Milfort, as Great War Chief, could deliver the Creek army to the French side. France would have to provide only a few men and no money. Fauchet approved the plan and urged Milfort to go to France and present it to the French government.

Plans of this nature, however, were not novel to the French diplomats. One objective of the French foreign policy during the last quarter of the eighteenth century, and especially after 1795, was the repossession of Louisiana.{7} In April 1793, Edmond Charles Genet, first minister of the new French republic to the United States, arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, with instructions to attempt to recruit forces for the conquest of Florida and Louisiana and to persuade the western Americans to join the French standard. His efforts angered Washington and ended very shortly in his recall. Even though Fauchet, who succeeded Genet as minister to the United States, ostensibly vetoed such plans in order to conciliate the Federal government, yet he gave secret support to Milfort’s plans.{8}

Milfort arrived in Paris on July 27, 1795, and immediately contacted two important members of the government of the National Convention. He was politely informed that his plan could not be accepted because at that very time the French government was negotiating a peace treaty with Spain.{9} About six months later his plan was presented again and accepted this time by the new republican regime of the Directory which had come to power on October 26, 1795. Milfort claims that his plan induced the Directory to begin to concern itself with the means of obtaining the retrocession of Louisiana from the court of Spain. This claim is perhaps exaggerated, but the guarantee of obtaining the full support of the Creek army for France, given by the Tastanégy or Great War Chief of the Creek Nation, would certainly quicken the Directory’s interest in the repossession of Louisiana. Turner states that in 1798 Milfort even offered to the Directory a large portion of the Creek territory which would facilitate the defeat of the Americans and the acquisition of Louisiana, and that Talleyrand looked with favor upon the proposal.{10}

It is certain that at this time the French government held Milfort in high esteem. It evidently intended to use him in the execution of the plans for the repossession of Louisiana, because it did not grant his request to return immediately to the Creek Nation, and in order to enable him to remain in France, it conferred upon him (March 26, 1796) the rank of brigadier-general with full pay, but without active service.{11} He held this rank and enjoyed the benefits until September 1800.

After 1800 Milfort apparently no longer enjoyed the confidence of the French government. He speaks of the oblivion into which he had fallen. His enemies had perhaps succeeded in establishing the belief that he was a man of no importance among the savage nations in America, and that William Augustus Bowles now had authority over them. At any rate, Napoleon, now First Consul, did not seek Milfort’s advice or assistance in any of the plans he had for reviving the French colonial empire in America.

Napoleon had bullied Spain into ceding the province of Louisiana to France in 1800. The preliminary treaty was signed in October, 1800, but it was not until April, 1801 that