Long Cane Massacre of 1760

Long Canes Massacre of 1760
near Troy, South Carolina

Long Cane Creek
Long Cane Creek from Patterson Bridge -- photo courtesy of Nancy Lindroth , 2007

Long Canes separated British South Carolina from the Cherokee Nation. Since this was right on the edge of civilization it was a risky place to live. Forts were established to serve as protection for the region. The Cherokee had been useful to the British in resting the lands from the French control. After the French were driven out the British started moving in. The Cherokee Indians were probably incensed by the continued increase in the number of settlers in the region. In 1760 they attacked settlers as part of what has become known as the Cherokee War of 1759-61. It was front page headlines and a devastating event for the settlers. The story as it was told in the newspaper as well as from survivor retelling has been pretty well developed. It seems that the Indians were striking at isolated farms, stealing, and slaying anyone in the way. The settlers decided to band together and leave the region by wagon train. They were waylaid by about a hundred Cherokee on their way to Augusta. Of the hundred and fifty settlers there may have been fewer than seventy-five adults and perhaps forty male defenders based on newspaper records and the sizes of typical families. They were probably slowed down by the wagons and oventaken by surprise at a river fording. Its remarkable to me that only twenty-three settlers were slain. Several children were slain and scalped and a few were taken as prisoner. One very famous case was Ann Calhoun who was taken at age five and returned after twelve years of living with the Indians. She later married and had a normal life as the wife of a settler. One of my own families, Benj. Jones Esq., was here with his family. His daughter (unknown name) who had married a Mr. Rosemond was killed in the mailaee. Apparently about twenty-one Cherokee were also killed or wounded in the attack. One may have been a chief of the tribe.

I am attempting to put together a complete list of the families and individuals that were were involved in this event. I've divided the list into those that had been here survived and another list of those that were slain. If anyone has further information on the massacre or folks who were here please contact me.

A South Carolina Historical Plaque to the Long Cane Massacre is three miles outside of Troy, South Carolina.
[photo courtesy of Nancy Lindroth 2007]

"Three miles west is the site of an attack by Cherokee Indians upon settlers of Long Canes in the Cherokee War of 1759-1761. There on February 1, 1760, about 150 settlers, refugeeing to Augusta were overtaken by 100 Cherokee. Twenty-three victims left on the scene of action were buried in a mass grave."

This path leads to the burial place of Calhoun and Norris family members whose white markers can be seen just to the right of the large center tree. photo courtesy of Nancy Lindroth , 2007

Folks who had been at Long Cane (should have been 150 people)
Andrew Pickens , age 17, Hugenot
Patrick Calhoun, leader of Long Cane
Ezekiel Calhoun, the father of Rebecca
Rebecca Calhoun, dau. of Ezekiel, later wife of Andrew Pickens
William Calhoun, brother of Patrick (b 1723)
Agnes Long Calhoun, wife of William Calhoun (b1733)
Rebecca Calhoun,
Ann Calhoun, age almost 5, daughter of William Calhoun, taken captive, returned after 12 years)
Mary Calhoun, age almost 3, daughter of William Calhoun, later scalped
Joseph Calhoun, son of William Calhoun, made it to safety with mother.
Richard Clark
Margaret Clark (husband killed )
Jane Clark, 6 yrs, daughter of Margaret Clark (husband killed ) missing
Mary (sister of Catherine M. Calhoun) taken prisoner and never seen again
Mary Wilfred Patrick Norris (cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site, wife of John Norris, erected by son Robert Norris)
Eliza Werntz Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site)
Ezekiel Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site,)
William Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site)
Sarah Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site)
(perhaps Robert Norris)
Benjamin Jones ESQ.
Daughter of Ben Jones, wife of Rosemonds.
One child carried off and never returned. (unidentified)
Anne Calhoun ( later at age 30 married Isaac Matthews), taken captive as young injured child of age 6, raised by Indians, and later returned after 12 years captivity

Long Cane Cemetary Site. markers are (l to r) for Mary Winifred Patrick Norris,
Catherine Calhoun and several unmarked graves.
[photo courtesy of Nancy Lindroth 2007]

Cathrine Calhoun's marker had been enhanced with felt marker by someone. [photos courtesy of Nancy Lindroth]

Folks killed at Long Cane. (twenty three total according to plaque but list is incomplete)
Catherine Montgomery Calhoun, mother of Patrick Calhoun (died among her children) age 76
James (maybe the son of Catherine Calhoun) killed
James' wife, killed
Kitty Calhoun, daughter of William Calhoun, tomahawked in the back of the head
Daughter of Ben Jones, wife of Rosemonds.
One child carried off and never returned.
Mary Wilfred Patrick Norris (cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site, wife of John Norris pictured in center above)
Eliza Werntz Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site)
Ezekiel Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site)
William Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canes site)
Sarah Norris(cemetary memorial marker at Long Canessite)
Richard Clark (buried in mass grave according to Clark relatives)

___________________________________________________________

The following items were printed in the South Carolina Gazette:

From Issue February 2-9, 1760:

The Long Cane Massacre

"Yesterday night the whole of the Long Cane settlers, to the number of 150 moved off with most of their effects in wagons to go towards Augusta in Georgia and in a few hours after their setting off, were surprised and attacked by about 100 Cherokees on horseback, while they were getting their wagons out of a boggy place.

They had amongst them 40 gunmen, who might have made a very good defense, but unfortunately their guns were in the wagons; the few that recovered theirs fought the Indians half an hour, and were at last obliged to fly. In the action they lost 7 wagons and 40 of their people killed or taken -- including women and children the rest got safe to Augusta whence an express arrived here with the same account on Tues. morning."

From Issue February 9-16, 1760:

Many children have been found wandering in the woods, of the party that were attacked removing from the Long Canes settlement; one man brought no less than 9 of them to Augusta, which he picked up in two different parties, some of them terribly cut with tomahawks and left for dead, and other scalp'd, yet alive.

From Issue February 16-23, 1760:

PATRICK CALHOUN, one of the settlers of Long Canes attacked by Cherokees on the 11th informs that of 250 settlers their loss amounted to about "50 persons, chiefly Women and Children, with 13 loaded waggons and carts; that he had since been at the place where the action happened, in order to bury the dead, and found only 20 of their bodies, most inhumanly butchered; that the Indians had burnt the woods all around, but had left the waggons and carts there empty and unhurt; and that he believes all the fighting men would return to and fortify the Long Cane Settlement, were part of the Rangers so stationed as to give them some assistance and protection."

From Issue No. 1334, March 1-8, 1760:

MISSING CHILD

MARGARET CLARK whose husband was killed with the Long Canes settlers, seeks her daughter, JANE CLARK, 6 yrs. who was not found dead among the dead.

Samuel Clarke <slclarke3131@earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2007
I have limited information on the
Richard Clark(e) family. My ancestor Richard Clarke was among those
massacred 2/1/1760 and buried in the mass grave near Troy, SC.
According to family records, Richard and his wife Margaret C.
(possibly a Calhoun or Colquin) immigrated with the Calhoun family to
Philadephia in 1733 and then moved south to Virginia and ultimately
South Carolina. Richard was survived by children John (12), Sarah
(10), Margaret (8), and possibly Jane (6). I believe that the three
older children settled at Beech Island, SC, near Augusta. I am
descended from John, who is buried in a family cemetery at Beech Island.

sources:

Clark, Samuel - records about Richard Clark. email of 25 Mar 2007
Lindroth, Nancy- photos of Long Cane Massacre site and cemetary. ndlind@knology.net
South Carolina Gazette, Feb., 1760
U. S. National Historical Plaque, Long Cane, Troy, South Carolina.

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web pages created by Elroy Christenson- echriste@sccd.ctc.edu - last updated 4/08/08