Today in Chickamauga History - March 31
There are not specific events today in Chickamauga History.
MARCH MATCHES
1792, March: CHICKAMAUGA CHIEF DRAGGING CANOE dies. John WATTS becomes Principal Chief.
1809, March: Memorandum from Thomas Jefferson March 1809 - From the lands of the Chickasaws all should be removed except those who settled on Doublehead's reserve under titles from him; & they should be notified that those lands having been claimed by the Chickasaws as well as the Cherokees, we purchased the Cherokee right with an exception of Doublehead’s reserve, which we did not guarantee to him, but left it as it stood under the claims of both nations; that consequently they are not under our protection. That whenever we purchase the Chickasaw right, all their titles under Doublehead will become void; as our laws do not permit individuals to purchase lands from the Indians: that they should therefore look out for themselves in time. - https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/03-01-02-0001
1809, March: Memorandum from Thomas Jefferson - On the Cherokee lands, Wafford’s settlement should not be disturbed as the Indians themselves expect to arrange that with us, & the exchange for lands beyond the Misipi will furnish a good opportunity.1 From the lands of the Chickasaws all should be removed except those who settled on Doublehead’s reserve2 under titles from him; & they should be notified that those lands having been claimed by the Chickasaws as well as the Cherokees, we purchased the Cherokee right with an exception of Doublehead’s reserve, which we did not guarantee to him, but left it as it stood under the claims of both nations; that consequently they are not under our protection. That whenever we purchase the Chickasaw right, all their titles under Doublehead will become void; as our laws do not permit individuals to purchase lands from the Indians: that they should therefore look out for themselves in time.
1. For a highly critical view of Jefferson’s role in the treaties with the Cherokee tribe, signed by Return J. Meigs and Daniel Smith, see Grace S. Woodward, The Cherokees (Norman, Okla., 1963), pp. 127–31. For a more charitable treatment of Jefferson’s policy of Indian removal, see Dumas Malone, Jefferson and His Time (6 vols.; Boston, 1948–81), 4:273–76. The treaty ceding Wafford’s Settlement was signed 24 Oct. 1804 (Charles J. Kappler, Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties [5 vols.; Washington, 1904], 2:73–74).
2. Meigs “secretly promised” two tracts of land on the Clinch and Hiwassee rivers to Doublehead in return for the chief’s aid in negotiating treaties with reluctant tribesmen (Woodward, The Cherokees, p. 129).
1819, March: After the treating in Washington City this year, mostly reaffirming earlier treaties but also guaranteeing individual reservations to certain prominent Cherokee, John WALKER, Jr., storms into a room of John ROSS, protégé of Major RIDGE (known as THE RIDGE since the Creek War) and attempts to knife him.