Peace and War on the Anglo-Cherokee Frontier 1756-63

In the winter of 1760 Cherokee warriors attacked the South Carolina frontier, driving the settlements back over a hundred miles. Intrusive settlers, the failing deerskin trade, and the treachery of a British governor all contributed to the collapse of trust. In this original study, John Oliphant emphasizes the central role of individuals in shaping the course of relations between colonists and Indians during the Anglo-Cherokee War of 1759-61. He argues that in a world where four colonial governments, an overburdened Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and the increasingly important military commanders all competed for a share of southern Indian relations, determined individuals could -- and did -- have an immense influence over Anglo-Amerindian relations in general and over Anglo-Cherokee relations in particular.

For example, South Carolina governor William Henry Littleton -- determined to sustain his colony's leadership in southern Indian concerns -- plunged his colony into a bloody and needless war, and imperial commanders-in-chief and arrogant garrison officers on the frontier added fuel to the flames of conflict. However, individual action also worked in the opposite direction. During two campaigns in 1760-61, James Grant deliberately ignored specific orders to crush Cherokees and instead sought a compromise peace. As Oliphant explains, Grant was only one of a number of middle-ranking officers, junior officers, and civilian officials who believed that conciliation was the only safe road to good Indian relations. On the Cherokee side, various leaders steered their people in different directions according to their perceptions of what was best for the nation, their own political position, and the prestige and pride of their tribe.

As Oliphant shows, thanks to an imperial policy of protection and to dogged individuals such as James Grant, John Stuart, and Cherokee leader Attakullakulla, a firmly defined South Carolina frontier boundary was finally attained in 1766. An important addition to the history of American Indians and British agents, this study will be of interest to all scholars and students of colonial America.