Col. Thomas Edward Blackshear
Col. Thomas Edward Blackshear made an official report to Governor Schley about the engagement between whites and Indians that took place on Brushy Creek on July 14, 1836 in what is now Cook County, GA but at that time in Lowndes County. Image source: http://thomascountyhistory.org/antebellum-1825-1860/
Historian Folks Huxford said the Battle of Brushy Creek was, “An engagement between the whites and Indians took place on Brushy Creek in what is now Cook County but at that time (1836) in Lowndes County. This battleground is well known locally in Cook and Berrien counties and the whites consisted of the settlers who were serving in the militia, most of them living within 20 of 25 miles of where the battle took place.”
The Battle of Brushy Creek, GA in the summer of 1836 was part of the larger conflict between the Creek Indians and pioneer settlers of the Georgia frontier. Lasa Adams, who joined the Thomas county Militia in 1836 the week after the engagement at Brushy Creek, gave this synopsis of the escalation:
Mr. Adams gave a different origin of the War of 1836 than that generally understood, and wrote thus: “The Government was to send the Indians west; between three and five hundred of them were dissatisfied with the treaty and withdrew and though they would go and unite with the Seminoles in Florida near Tampa Bay; so they started and crossed over the Chattahoochee River and burned up a town called Roanoke, Georgia. The whites formed companies and went in pursuit and had a fight with them in Chickasawhatchee Swamp near Albany. The Indians were scattered and between 100 and 300 were in the gang in the Brushy Creek battle. Several more small squads went through the country, from fifteen to twenty in the squad, each in a different direction.”
A more immediate and local prelude to the Brushy Creek battle was the Skirmish at William Parker’s place on the Alapaha River, where Levi J. Knight’s company of militia fought with Indians on July 13, 1836. Knight’s company then marched toward Brushy Creek to join with militia companies there under the leadership of Major Michael Young (Thomas County), Capt. James A. Newman (Thomas County), Capt. John Pike (Lowndes County), Capt. Hamilton Sharpe (Lowndes County), and Capt. Henry Crawford Tucker. By the time Knight’s Company arrived at Brushy Creek, the fighting there had concluded and the burial of the dead (Pennywell Folsom) was in progress. Levi J. Knight’s official letter informing Governor Schley about the Skirmish at William Parker’s place was transcribed in a previous post; Levi J. Knight Reports Indian Fight of July 13, 1836.
The official report of the Battle of Brushy Creek was written by Col. Thomas E. Blackshear in a letter (transcribed below) to Governor William Schley on July 19, 1836, just days after the engagement was fought.
Col. Thomas E. Blackshear’s letter to Governor Schley reporting the Battle of Brushy Creek.
Milledgeville Federal Union
July 26, 1836INDIANS IN THOMAS COUNTY
The following is a copy of a letter received by the Governor, on the 24th instant.
“His Excellency, Governor Schley,
“I have to inform your Excellency that on the night of the 11th inst., authentic information reached Thomasville that a party of Indians about fifteen in number were seen in the upperpart of Thomas County marching in the direction of Florida. By seven o’clock A. M. the next day, a company of men, forty-six in number, under the command of captain James A. Newman, was dispatched in pursuit of them. On Thursday thereafter, this company was joined by a company of about forty men from Lowndes County under the command of captain [John] Pike, when the companies elected Michael Young to take command of the battalion.
“Scouting parties being dispatched, the Indians, fifteen in number, were discovered in the fork of the Big Warrior creek and Little River. The Battalion immediately proceeded across the River and scoured a very thick, muddy swamp about two miles wide and three long without making any discovery. A company of thirty-one men from Thomas County under the command of Captain Luckee and of thirty-one men, from Lowndes, commanded by Captain [Hamilton W] Sharpe then joined the battalion. The next morning Captain Sharpe was sent up the east side of the river to ascertain whether or not the Indians had crossed the river and left the swamp. Having found their trail he dispatched a messenger to the Battalion and proceeded to follow after the Indians. After pursuing them about three miles he came up with them, about sixty warriors and their families, a battle ensued in which he lost one killed (Mr. P. Folsom) and one wounded when he was forced to retreat.
“The Battalion hastened to his assistance, and in about three miles came up with them again, posted in a very advantageous position on a pine ridge, their rear protected by a cypress pond and in their front a wide, open, boggy meadow. A general engagement commenced about 9 o’clock A. M., and after a severe fight for about two hours, the Indians were completely routed, with a loss of twenty-two Indians and two negroes killed, that were seen, many wounded and eighteen of the women and children were taken prisoners.–
“The battle was fought over a distance of three miles, through several cypress ponds and bays and a very thick hurricane. The loss on the part of the whites were two killed (Barton Ferrell of Thomas county and Edmund Shanks of Lowndes,) and nine wounded. Several horses were killed, several ran off during the engagement and have not since been heard of. The prisoners have been confined in the county jail under a guard for their safety. Your Excellency will please direct what disposition to make of them. The expenses of the detachment will be furnished you as soon as the Quartermaster can make out his account.”
Your’s Respectfully,
THOMAS E. BLACKSHEAR
Colonel commanding 69th R.G.M.
Lasa Adams, who joined the Thomas county Militia the week after the engagement at Brushy Creek listed among the wounded “Daniel McLean of Thomasville, William Drew of Lowndes (now Brooks), James Blackshear of Thomas County, Capt. Charles Screven Gaulden of Lowndes (now Brooks), and Robert N. Parrish of Lowndes (now Cook) County. Mr. Adams could not recall the others who were wounded, saying they were from Lowndes County and he did not know them personally. Mr. Adams said the Indians who were captured were kept in jail at Thomasville about a month and then sent west. He said there were eight or ten women and children.”
Related Posts:
- Lasa Adams’ Account of the Battle of Brushy Creek
and Actions on Warrior Creek - Martha Guthrie: Babe of the Indian Wars
- Short-Arm Bill Parker and the Last Indian Fight In Berrien County
- Bryan J. Robert’s Account of the Last Indian Fight in Berrien County
- Berrien Skirmishes, the Battle of Brushy Creek, and the Indian Maiden
- Historical Marker ~ Last Indian Fight in Berrien County
- Pennywell Folsom Fell at Brushy Creek
- Interview With an Indian Fighter
- Norman Campbell Collected Taxes, Fought Indians
- Etheldred Dryden Newbern ~ Pioneer Settler
- An Antebellum Trial at Troupville
- Morz Swain was Innkeeper, Blacksmith, Sheriff & Jailor of old Troupville, GA
- Knights Come to Lowndes County, GA
- More About Troupville, GA and the Withlacoochee River
- Levi J. Knight’s 4th of July Address at Franklinville, GA 1835
- Young Johnson and the Florida Indian Wars
