250 years ago, on 4 July 1776, the colonists signed the Declaration of Independence. They separated from Great Britain. This started the Revolutionary War.

The Cherokee people sided with the British. This alliance would lead to the destruction of Cherokee towns. Some of the first were the lower towns on the Keowee River.

Chief Little Turkey’s hometown was Seneca. The American Revolution destroyed his hometown. He would move north away from the fighting. He would find himself part of the Chickamaugan group with Dragging Canoe. Then he established his New Seneca after 1782.

Battle at Seneca 250 Years Ago

Col. Andrew Williamson (c. 1730-1786) was the commanding officer of the South Carolina backcountry militia. ² On 22 July 1776 Williamson moved towards the lower Cherokee towns. ³ His search was for Alexander Cameron. Cameron was the agent to the Cherokee for Great Britain. He had refused to change allegiance as offered by Williamson. ⁴ On the 31st of July 1776, Williamson sent out spies to search for Cameron. They returned with two white men. At 6 pm that day, Williamson forced the prisoners to show him where Cameron was hiding out. (250 years ago, 31 July 2026.)

Col. Williamson had a detachment of 330 mounted men. They rode several hours, arriving about two miles from Cameron’s camp. They were to surround the camp by daybreak. It is now 1st August 1776. They would cross the Keowee River at Seneca. The Cherokee with the British had set an ambush for them. When Williamson’s advance group broke into the town of Seneca, the signal guns sounded. Williamson’s was staggered but pressed on. They drove the Cherokee from their guarded positions. Col. Williamson’s horse was killed. He then mounted Lt. Farar’s horse. They found Frances Salvador, a friend of Williamson’s. Salvador was scalped, severely wounded, and dying. Salvador would die by the next morning. Williamson lost two others to death. There were six wounded, and they were sent to the settlements for care. Williamson thought his opposition to be considerable in size. They left behind several blankets, shirts, tomahawks, and bloody tracks.⁵

At daybreak on the 1st of August, Williamson ordered his men to burn the Cherokee house on both sides of the river at Seneca. They destroyed an estimated 6,000 bushels of corn and other food stores. He left two white flags standing as a sign of peace at Seneca. Williamson retreated to Eighteen Mile Creek to take refuge and regroup. It is here that a rider came into camp with a dispatch and a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Williamson had it read to the entire group. It was the first news that the Colonies had separated from Britain. It was after this news that Williamson and his forces moved into the Cherokee lands. They would destroy and burn the towns of Estateo, Qualhatchee, Toxaway, and Sugar Town. The last town on the Keowee River he burned was Keowee Town. ⁶

Fort Rutledge

On 24th August 1776 Williamson and his troops were back at Seneca. They had turned the place into their camp. Provisions arrived escorted by Captain Frances Logan. En route were ammunition, gunpowder, and lead. This camp and provisions were for invading the middle settlements. Captain Robert Anderson was put in charge of building a “stockade” for the storage of the supplies. It was to be 180 square feet. The men of the Seneca Camp built the fort. It was placed on a ridge near Seneca. It was named Fort Rutledge.⁷ It is named after John Rutledge, the first President of South Carolina. The location of this Fort today, 2026 is on the property of Clemson University. ⁸

Conculsion

250 years ago, men engaged in chasing down a leader of Great Britain with the Cherokee to find themselves in the war for independence. It was unknown to them until after their first engagement with the Cherokee, who had sided with the British. This led to the destruction of the town of Seneca. The home of Chief Little Turkey. He would settle in Northeast Alabama at a place he called New Seneca.

1. The 1771 map above shows Seneca, spelled Sennekaw. A portion of
   “Mouzon’s Map 1771; Mouzon, H. and Robert Sayer and John Bennett,
   (1775) An Accurate map of North and South Carolina with their Indian
   frontiers, shewing in a district manner all the mountains, rivers, swamps,
   bays, creeks, harbours, sandbanks, and soundings on the coast; with the
   roads and Indians paths as well as the boundaries, or provincial lines, the
   several towns and other divisions of lands in both provinces, London, printed
   for Robt. Sayer and J. Bennett” from the Library of Congress.
   hpps://www.loc.gov/item/74692510/ ↩︎
2. The American Revolution in South Carolina, https://www.carolana.com/SC/Revolution/patriot_leaders_sc_andrew_williamson.html ↩︎
3. A Demand of Blood: The Cherokee War of 1776, Nadia Dean, Chapter 13, page 143. ↩︎
4. Ibid, Chapter 5, pg 52 ↩︎
5. Ibid, Chapter 13, pages 144-145 ↩︎
6. Ibid, pages 145-147 ↩︎
7. Ibid, pages 152-153 ↩︎
8. 250 years after a battle here, Clemson is recreating a part of Fort Rutledge, https://news.clemson.edu/250-years-after-a-battle-here-clemson-is-recreating-a-part-of-fort-rutledge/ ↩︎

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6 CSV