Chickamauga Granted Mexican Citizenship On November 8, 1822
I am happy to announce we have discovered and authenticated a November 8, 1822 Treaty of agreement between Captain Richard Fields, the Chickamauga Chief who superseded Chickamauga Chief Duwali Bowles and the Governor Trespalacious of the province of Texas.
For those needing a little help historically, there were NO Cherokee west of the Mississippi River prior to 1838. First, the Chickamauga had begun migrating West in the 1780s and had land trade agreements with Jefferson in 1809 and Treaties in 1817 and 1819. None of the signatories were identified as Cherokee, only Lower Town Chickamauga. The only United States Citizens identifying the Chickamauga as Cherokee during that time frame was the Indian Agents. Others respected the Chickamauga and continued using their rightful name, unlike the United States government. The Chickamauga were not ethnically, culturally, historically, or religiously Cherokee. The Chickamauga began speaking the Cherokee trade language in the late 1670s and 1680s. Prior to that, the Chickamauga spoke the Mobilian trade language and prior to that there is no recorded history of the languages of the Southeast woodlands.
The second, reason there were NO Cherokee west of the Mississippi River prior to 1838 is the Cherokee National Law specifically forbid a Cherokee citizen from leaving the lands of the Cherokee Nation. This law made it almost impossible for Cherokee to even consider going west of the Mississippi. This means if a person left the Cherokee Nation they would be immediately stripped of the citizenship. Even if the Chickamauga were Cherokee (and they are not), they were no longer citizens once they left the Cherokee Nation. Legally, every “Cherokee” west of the Mississippi prior to 1839 could not be Cherokee, they were therefore de-facto Chickamauga by definition since they joined the towns and villages of the Chickamauga Chiefs.
This begins the story of one of the most colorful Chiefs of the Chickamauga, Chief, Duwali Bowles. Duwali had a special relationship with the Spanish Crown where the Crown would protect him before 1803 in Missouri and Arkansas then in Texas in the early 1800s. He is a Chickamauga Chief in the Lower Towns, immigrates to modern Missouri and Arkansas in the late 1700s, experiences the New Madrid earthquake and begins traveling with his merry band of Chickamauga. He first heads to modern Conway, Arkansas where he stays for a short while, then travels south down the Petit Jean River, navigates southward by way of the Cossatot River to the Red River. He hangs out in the Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma border for a short time before heading further south to Nacogdoches, Texas when Spain again protected the Chief and his people.
Captain Richard Fields is a Chickamauga Chief with Chief Bowles. Below is the Treaty of Agreement:
The TRANSLATION of the TREATY of AGREEMENT
The agreement referred to by Governor Trespalacios in the foregoing letter reads thus: "Articles of agreement made and entered into between Captain Richard, of the Cherokee nation, and the Governor of the Province of Texas.
"Article 1st. That the said chief Richard with five2 others of his tribe, accompanied by Mr. Antonio Mexia and Antonio Wallk,3 who act as Interpreters, may proceed to Mexico, to treat with his Imperial Majesty, relative to the settlement which said chief wishes to make for those of his tribe who are already in the territory of Texas, and also for those who are still in the United States.
NOTE:
3[Antonio Wolfe (?)] James Dill, judge of Nacogdoches, on October 6, 1822, introduces a man by this name to Governor Trespalacios: "I will interduce the Sittozen Antoney Wollf to your Exeloncey as an gust and honest Sittozen who has been Born and Raised a Spanish Subject." Bexar Archives. The name is also spelled "Gulfo" and "Bulfo."
"Article 2d. That the other Indians in the city, and who do not accompany the before mentioned, will return to their village in the vicinity of Nacogdoches, and communicate to those who are at said village, the terms of this agreement.
"Article 3d. That a party of the warriors of said village must be constantly kept on the road leading from this province to the United States, to prevent stolen animals from being carried thither, and to apprehend and punish those evil disposed foreigners, who form assemblages, and abound on the banks of the river Sabine within the Territory of Texas.
"Article 4th. That the Indians who return to their Town, will appoint as their chief the Indian Captain called Kunetand, alias Tong Turqui, to whom a copy of this agreement will be given, for the satisfaction of those of his tribe, and in order that they may fulfill its stipulations.1
NOTE:
1The appointment of this Indian Kunetand appears to have been a suggestion of Fields's; he was commissioned by Governor Trespalacios, Nov. 9, 1822. A copy of the commission is preserved in the Bexar Archives.
"Article 5th. That meanwhile, and until the approval of the Supreme Government is obtained, they may cultivate their lands and sow their crops, in free and peaceful possession.
"Article 6th. That the said Cherokee Indians, will become immediately subject to the laws of the Empire, as well as all others who may tread her soil, and they will also take up arms in defense of the nation if called upon so to do.
"Article 7th. That they shall be considered Hispano-Americans, and entitled to ail the rights and privileges granted to such; and to the same protection should it become necessary.
"Article 8th. That they can immediately commence trade with the other inhabitants of the Province, and with the exception of arms and munitions of war, with the tribes of Savages who may not be friendly to us.
"Which Agreement comprising the eight preceding articles, has been executed in the presence of twenty-two Cherokee Indians, of the Baron de Bastrop, who has been pleased to act as Interpreter, of two members of the Ayuntamiento, and two officers of this Garrison. Bexar, 8th November, 1822.
[Signed.] Jose Felix Trespalacios, Jose Flores,