AUGUST 4:

1757 Fort William Henry New York Louis-Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm 1712-1759 starts to surround Fort William Henry on Lake George with 6,200 troops, who set camps in the woods round the fort, while his 1,800 Indians start shooting from the cover of tree stumps in the open areas on all sides of the fort; defended by 2,500 British under Col. George Munro. At 3 pm Montcalm asks Monro to surrender before the French Cannon are brought to bear on the fort. Munro refuses. Montcalm directs main thrust of siege on north side of the fort, with two artillery batteries, one directly against the north bastion, the other to cross fire at the same time, to deliver ricochets onto the defenses.

1701 Montreal Quebec New France signs general treaty of peace with Iroquois.

1637 Ontario Huron council blames smallpox epidemic on the sorcery of the black robes (Jesuits).

August 4, 1813:  Today 500 warriors of the White Stick faction of the Creeks gather in Coweta, across the river in Alabama from modern-day Columbus, Georgia.  With 200 Cherokee warriors, they make plans to atack a band of Red Stick Creeks, followers of Tecumseh, over 2500 strong.
 

BACKGROUND:
 
 

Repeated attacks by the Red Sticks and Whites lead to open warfare on the frontier of the Creek Nation. With emotions aroused by the Shawnee warrior Tecumseh, the Red Sticks sought to avenge an surprise attack on a village with an attack on Fort Mims near the mouth of the Alabama River in August, 1813. While the numbers engaged are estimates, and the estimates vary widely, according to Benjamin W. Griffith in McIntosh and Weatherford, the Creek number 700 men against 340 mostly irregular soldiers. The Creek quickly breached the exterior wall, quickly disposed of the soldiers and began to murder civilians. Lurid details of the battle reached Georgia and Tennessee quickly.

A group of about 5,000 volunteers (mostly farmers and miners from Tennessee) led by General Andrew Jackson were joined by both Creek and Cherokee forces in an attempt to defeat the Red Sticks. Troops under Jackson's command avenge the deaths at Fort Mims on a number of occasions, killing the women and children of the Creek faction. After defeating the Red Sticks, Jackson, a notorious land speculator, forced the entire Creek Nation to cede one-third of its land to the United States on very favorable terms.

>From http://www.ngeorgia.com/history/creekhistory.html
 

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Historical Letter Written by Georgia Indian Agent, Benjamin Hawkins (Original in Hawkins' handwriting in the Georgia Department of Archives and History)

Creek agency, 6 Sept. 1813 Govr. Mitchell, Milledgeville, Ga.

I have a runner from Cowetau. Our chiefs are still under the influence of fear. Four towns have fortified; Talahafsee, Cowetau, Tookaubatchee and Cufsetau. The Chiefs are apprehensive that the people of Fowltown / Kinnards settlement/ are preparing to join the "red club men". The Chiefs meet today at Ooseoochee to ascertain the fact; as well as whether any of the settlements low down on Flint and Chattahoochee will join the prophets. Peter McQueen's people have joined the aultosus(?) they are dancing "the dance of the Indians of the Lakes".- The Chiefs are in great need of powder, flints, lead and guns; and very desirous some troops would march for Chattahoochee to build some blockhouses there to "keep the ground and have all clear in front and behind them." To the first of this month they have taken for the war party 200 cattle and some horses, and several parties were still out.

Mr. Barnard informs me he has communitcated to you an outrage commited by some people of Hartford on two sons of Perrimans. I wish it could be examined into that justice may be done. I am informed some scout parties on horse, said to be from Jones, have been out above me and reported their orders were to kill every Indian they saw who had not something white about their heads. I do not know who could have given such an order. The Chiefs have stated the mark by which the prophets party may be known. The Chiefs among the hostile party are exerting themselves to get the government of the prophets; but hitherto with but little success. I hope by this you have something definitive from Government. I have nothing. 
I am respectfully Dear Sir yours
Benjamin Hawkings

From:  http://members.surfsouth.com/~nifa/benhawk.html

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For those interested in reading something about Creek villages and life therein, some excellent information can be found at
http://members.surfsouth.com/~nifa/index2.html