Today in Chickamauga History - November 28
1785, November 28: Public notification of legal boundary with Cherokee Nation - https://wardepartmentpapers.org/s/home/item/39507
1785, November 28: Letter from William Blount to Benjamin Hawkins and the Commissioners Appointed to Trat with the Southern Indians and Cherokees - The State of North Carolina have at this time a Law in force and use, allotting the lands contained within the following Bounds to the Cherokee Indians. “Beginning on the Tennessee river where the Southern Boundary of the State (of North Carolina) intersects the same nearest the Chickamoga Towns, thence up the middle of the Tennessee and Holstein Rivers to the Middle of French Broad river, thence up the Middle of the said French Broad river thence up the Middle of the said French Broad river (which lines are not to include any Island) to the Mouth of Big Pigeon river, then up the same to the Head thereof, then along the dividing ridge between the waters of Pigeon River and Tuckasegee River to the said Southern Boundary, thence West with the said Boundary to the beginning.”
1785, November 28: Treaty of Hopewell with the United States and Treaty of Dumplin Creek with the Free Republic of Franklin. On November 28, 1785, the first Treaty of Hopewell was signed between the U.S. representative Benjamin HAWKINS and to all of the Cherokees, inclusive of the CHICKAMAUGA and all Indians south which included Choctaw and the Creek, and Seminole, and all small tribes in the area. This treaty enabled all tribes associated with this treaty to be able to speak to the Congress of the United States. Currently, the Bureau of Indian Affairs believes the right to address the Congress of the United States, applies only to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, not the CHICKAMAUGA who are covered under the Treaty of Hopewell. In addition to circumscribing a large part of the northern and eastern boundary of the Cherokee Nation not already defined by previous treaties and land cessions, the treaty ceded a wedge of land south of the Cumberland River in north central Tennessee around Nashville. A description of the boundary is found in Article 4 of the accord:
“The boundary allotted to the Cherokees for their hunting grounds, between the said Indians and the citizens of the United States, within the limits of the United States of America, is, and shall be the following, viz. Beginning at the mouth of Duck river, on Tennessee; thence running north-east to the ridge dividing the waters running into Cumberland from those running into Tennessee; thence eastward along the said ridge to a north-east line to be run, which shall strike the river Cumberland forty miles above Nashville; thence along the said line to the river; thence up the said river to the ford where the Kentucky road crosses the river; thence to Campbell's line, near Cumberland gap; thence to the mouth of Claud's creek on Holstein; thence to the Chimney-top mountain; thence to Camp-creek, near the mouth of Big Limestone, on Nolichucky; thence a southerly course six miles to a mountain; thence south to the North-Carolina line; thence to the South-Carolina Indian boundary, and along the same south-west over the top of the Oconee mountain till it shall strike Tugaloo river; thence a direct line to the top of the Cur Rohee mountain; thence to the head of the south fork of Oconee river.”
Included in the signatures of the Cherokee delegation were several from leaders of the CHICKAMAUGA (Lower Cherokee), including two from the town of CHICKAMAUGA itself and one from Lookout Mountain Town. The Cherokee complained at the treaty that some 3,000 white settlers of the de facto State of Franklin were already squatting on the Cherokee side of the agreed line, between the Holston and French Broad Rivers, and they continued to dispute that region until a new border was defined by the 1791 Treaty of Holston.
The Cherokee also signed two extra-legal treaties with the State of Franklin: Treaty of Dumplin Creek, 1785, and Treaty of Coytoy in 1786 ceding lands in east Tennessee occupied by the State of Franklin. See above. Neither treaty was recognized by the United States.
1792, November 28: George Washington’s Letter to the Senate and House of Representatives concerning the Chickamauga.
1792, November 28: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 24, 1 June–31 December 1792 - I now lay before you, for your further information, some additional advices lately received, on the subject of the hostilities committed by the Chuckamogga towns, or under their name and guidance.
The importance of preventing this hostile spirit from spreading to other tribes, or other parts of the same tribe of Indians, a considerable military force actually embodied in their neighborhood, and the advanced state of the season, are circumstances which render it interesting that this subject should obtain your earliest attention.
The Question of War, being placed by the Constitution with the legislature alone, respect to that made it my duty to restrain the operations of our militia to those merely defensive: and considerations involving the public satisfaction, and peculiarly my own, require that the decision of that Question, whichever way it be, should be pronounced definitively by the legislature themselves.
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-24-02-0658