Long Cane Massacre -- Newspaper Reports

The Long Cane Massacre -- Newspaper Reports


The following items were printed in the South Carolina Gazette:

From Issue February 2-9, 1760:

The Long Cane Massacre

Yesterday night the whole of the Long Cane settlers, to the number of 150 moved off with most of their effects in wagons to go towards Augusta in Georgia and in a few hours after their setting off, were surprised and attacked by about 100 Cherokees on horseback, while they were getting their wagons out of a boggy place.

They had amongst them 40 gunmen, who might have made a very good defense, but unfortunately their guns were in the wagons; the few that recovered theirs fought the Indians half an hour, and were at last obliged to fly. In the action they lost 7 wagons and 40 of their people killed or taken -- including women and children the rest got safe to Augusta whence an express arrived here with the same account on Tues. morning.

 

From Issue February 9-16, 1760:

Many children have been found wandering in the woods, of the party that were attacked removing from the Long Canes settlement; one man brought no less than 9 of them to Augusta, which he picked up in two different parties, some of them terribly cut with tomahawks and left for dead, and other scalp'd, yet alive.

 

From Issue February 16-23, 1760:

PATRICK CALHOUN, one of the settlers of Long Canes attacked by Cherokees on the 11th informs that of 250 settlers their loss amounted to about "50 persons, chiefly Women and Children, with 13 loaded waggons and carts; that he had since been at the place where the action happened, in order to bury the dead, and found only 20 of their bodies, most inhumanly butchered; that the Indians had burnt the woods all around, but had left the waggons and carts there empty and unhurt; and that he believes all the fighting men would return to and fortify the Long Cane Settlement, were part of the Rangers so stationed as to give them some assistance and protection."

 

From Issue No. 1334, March 1-8, 1760:

MISSING CHILD

MARGARET CLARK whose husband was killed with the Long Canes settlers, seeks her daughter, JANE CLARK, 6 yrs. who was not found dead among the dead.


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Last revised 16 October 1998