Our own losses were not light, being some two hundred killed and three times that many wounded, as well as being nearly out of powder. General Jackson lies on what may be his deathbed, but we hope that fear of his memory will keep the Red Sticks at a distance until we are fit to fight them.
Of the Red Coats, however, we need have no more fear.
With affectionate respects, your sons
Thomas
Joshua (his mark)
Amendment
You may be altogether proud of your sons, Mrs. Parker, and be assured that they take less than the honor due them for their part in the battle. Joshua was at my side under the heaviest fire, never flinching, never failing to repeat an order accurately or write down an event the moment it happened. Thomas was not under my eye as much, but he helped carry General Jackson from the field, then led his Rangers through the rain to stand between the British and a disgraceful massacre.
Your servant,
Stephen Decatur
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Thomas Parker to Sarah Madsen Parker, Savannah, November 11, 1814
I write with an equal burden of sad and joyful news.
General Jackson has died of his wounds. With almost his last breath, he urged Commodore Decatur to lead an invasion of the Floridas, to be sure that we will not have the Dons and Seminoles at our backs when we march west again. I can hardly write of the grief of all those he led to victory.
Also, Joshua's wounded arm had to be amputated. The amputation was done in plenty of time, by a skilled naval surgeon, who says that Joshua should recover completely. He has already tried to write with his left hand, and may succeed in writing something you can read before long.
Commodore Decatur has no plan to invade anybody or anything at the moment, although we have gravely hurt the British blockade off Georgia and South Carolina. They sent in a cutting-out party for the merchant vessels anchored at the river's mouth, while we were fighting in the city. But our men were alert and drove the British off, with more than a hundred men lost.
Then the British decided to bring a frigate and a ship of the line close in shore and try to bombard the anchorage. Well, the frigate ran aground, and then who should appear as the ship of the line was trying to tow her off but Commodore Rodgers with United States, President, and the new Hull. Commodore Rodgers proved what Commodore Decatur thought, that two of our big frigates could take a British 74. Cornwallis now flies the American flag, although we had to burn Lydia because we could not get her off before the British brought up the rest of the squadron.
We still have British ships roaming like stray cattle off the mouth of the Savannah, so news is slow reaching us and this letter will no doubt be slow reaching you. But it is not every day of the week that a British squadron has to look in all directions at once, like a cat in a kennel!
Your obedient son,
Thomas
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Joshua Parker to Sarah Madsen Parker, Savannah, December 1, 1814
Dear Mother,
As you can see, I am now writing with my left hand. At the moment it is somewhat of a burden, so this letter will be short.
I do assure you that I am out of all danger. The weather has turned moderate, reducing the danger of fevers. The British have sent a ship with provisions and medical supplies for those of their prisoners we still hold, and are negotiating with Commodore Decatur for a cartel to return them. We are also sending a ship north under a flag of truce and this letter will be aboard her.
With affection,
Joshua
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Thomas Parker to Sarah Madsen Parker. Savannah, January 1, 1815
Esteemed Mother,
It can now be said of me as it was said of Benedict, "Here may you see Thomas Parker, the married man."
Yesterday I and Caroline Bearkiller were married. I said the principal oaths in the Cherokee tongue, Joshua was my witness, her brother was hers, and we also had Commodore Decatur standing up with us. The marriage is legal and binding under both Cherokee and Georgia law, and we also feel that God has joined us and we may therefore not be put asunder.
Joshua looked very fine in his new uniform, even with the empty sleeve. He will be staying in Savannah for some time, where Commodore Decatur intends to leave a squadron of light vessels to guard the river. The British are still blockading but they aren't raiding, so the only enemy we have to worry about for now is whatever Seminoles decided to stay behind in the hope of picking up some loot. The Cherokees are giving them a very short shrift, let me tell you.
Joshua says that the British victory off Cape Cod may not quite balance the Battle of Savannah. The British can't afford to lose that many ships while the Bonaparte dynasty still keeps a fair-sized navy. However, even if we take five of their ships for every one we lose, they will still have enough ships to fight the French, the day that we don't have a navy at all. By Joshua's reckoning, after losing Constitution, Plymouth, and Columbus, we have one ship of the line, three frigates, and five sloops and brigs ready for sea, with more ready by spring if the British don't burn them on the stocks.
So Joshua and I both advise you not to invest any more money in privateers. The British may capture them, the French will probably close their ports to them, and anyway we may have a peace soon. Pray that it be so. We can't win much more out of this war. Maybe the next one will be luckier.
Obediently,
Thomas
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Joshua Parker to Sarah Madsen Parker, Savannah, February 12, 1815
Honored Mother,
You really did not need to call Thomas a hypocrite for subscribing his last letter «Obediently» when you disapprove of his "outrageous marriage." There is nothing outrageous about my sister in law, Caroline, and not that much that is outrageous about most of the other Cherokees I have met.
I cannot help noting, however, that you have taken to heart our advice about investments in privateers. This is as well, as we understand that peace negotiations have begun in New Orleans. I suspect that the British wish to hold them there, so as not to be under the eyes of spies from half of Europe.
The British seem willing to return that city and any portion of the Mississippi they hold, as well as making no claims in the Northwest. But rumors run, that they wish either part of northern Massachusetts given up to Canada, or the Louisiana Territory returned to Spain. They might also expect the Dons to make an independent Indian territory beyond the Mississippi, and of course they would keep Florida.
It is not every day of the week that we are put so neatly on the horns of a dilemma, by having the choice of either going on with the war or seeing New England set against the West. all over again, as one of them will have to face a hostile neighbor close at hand. I suppose we should not be surprised, seeing how this came to be a much larger war than anyone had expected when we declared it, but I hope we can show enough wisdom to make an end to it before the British become totally implacable…
Tom and Caroline left for Tennessee before your letter arrived, so I will post it after them. He will not be returning to Georgia, I suspect, as he has been promised the command of a Tennessee militia regiment and his war is not over. It will take some while to reduce the Muskogee Nation to order, even with the help of the Cherokees and the leadership of General Harrison.