Battle of Taliwa facts for kids

The Battle of Taliwa was a major fight that happened in Ball Ground, Georgia in 1755. It was part of a bigger effort by the Cherokee people against the Muscogee Creek people. In this battle, about 500 Cherokee warriors, led by Chief Oconostota, defeated a larger Creek army. This victory pushed the Muscogee Creek people south from their lands in northern Georgia. It allowed the Cherokee to start settling in that area.

A Long Rivalry: Cherokee vs. Creek

Why They Fought

The Cherokee and Creek people had been rivals for a long time. They often had violent clashes in the area that is now Georgia. This fighting went on for decades, from 1715 to 1753. This period is known as the Creek-Cherokee War.

Before this battle, the Creek people lived in parts of Georgia and Alabama. The Cherokee lived in Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Tensions grew even more after an event in 1716. A group of Creek leaders was killed in the Cherokee town of Tugaloo. This event made the bad feelings between the two groups much worse.

The Yamasee War's Impact

The Yamasee War started in 1715. It began when some Yamasee people killed a group of delegates from South Carolina. This event is called the Pocotaligo Massacre. Many Native American nations, including the Creek, Cherokee, and others, then fought against the South Carolina settlers.

Both the Creek and Cherokee nations had different opinions about joining this war. Some Creek groups were hesitant, while others planned attacks. The Cherokee were also divided. Some Cherokee supported fighting South Carolina and the British. Others supported South Carolina and wanted to fight the Creek.

In 1715, some Cherokee made an alliance with South Carolina. This alliance helped stop Creek invasion plans. Small raids continued between 1715 and 1716. The Cherokee alliance with South Carolina made the Creek and Cherokee nations even more tense. The killing of Creek delegates in Tugaloo by the Cherokee made things much worse. This event directly led to a war between the two nations.

The End of the Yamasee War

The Yamasee War involved many different nations. Because of this, it didn't have a clear end date. The fighting continued for decades. The Yamasee people had to move because they lost many of their fighters. South Carolina tried to make peace with local Native tribes.

After some peace agreements between South Carolina and the Creek in 1716-1717, the conflict between the Cherokee and Creek continued. Raids and attacks happened until 1755, when the Battle of Taliwa finally took place. Many tribes involved in the earlier conflict never truly made peace.

The Battle of Taliwa

About 500 Cherokee warriors, led by War Chief Oconostota, faced a larger Creek force of around 1,000 warriors. Cherokee stories say the Creek attacked their lines five times. These attacks caused many injuries.

At first, the Cherokee were pushed back. But they regrouped and fought back hard. They went on the attack, forcing the Creek warriors out of their hiding spots and into the open. After losing many fighters, the Creek army finally retreated.

Where the Battle Happened

The battle took place in Ball Ground, Georgia. It was near the Long-Swamp Creek and the Etowah River. Today, Ball Ground is in Cherokee County.

What Happened After the Battle

The Creek People Move South

After their defeat, the Creek people left their northern lands in Georgia and parts of Alabama. They moved south. A town near the Nottely River, close to where Blairsville, Georgia is today, was left empty. Many Creek people started living in larger, more permanent settlements. The Cherokee were then able to expand their territory and settle in northern Georgia.

The only Creek settlement left in the region was near present-day Rome, Georgia. The Creek people had to move south of the Chattahoochee River. This river became their new northern border.

Peace Between Nations

The conflict between the Cherokee and Creek ended when they made peace in 1759. This happened before the Anglo-Cherokee War started, which was a war between the British in South Carolina and the Cherokee. The Creek even helped the Cherokee in that later conflict, providing fighters and supplies.

The Forced Removal of Native Americans

The Cherokee Nation's Story

By the early 1800s, the Cherokee Nation had to give up more and more land to the United States through agreements. The area around Ball Ground didn't see many settlers until about 1820. But by 1838, the Trail of Tears began. This was when the Cherokee Nation was forced to leave all of northern Georgia.

The Muscogee Creek Nation's Story

Decades after the Battle of Taliwa, the Creek people also lost much of their land and were eventually forced to move. After a series of agreements from the Creek War, the Creek lost 23 million acres of land to the United States in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814.

By 1825, another agreement signed by Chief William McIntosh and Georgia Governor Michael Troup meant the Creek lost all their land in Georgia. Even though President John Quincy Adams said this agreement was not legal, a new one was made. This led to the Treaty of Washington. By 1827, most of the Muscogee Creek Nation had been removed from Georgia.

Important People

Oconostota

Oconostota was a brave Cherokee War Chief. He lived in Chota. He was the leader of the Cherokee warriors during the Battle of Taliwa.

Nancy Ward "Nanyehi"

Nanyehi, also known as Nancy Ward, was a teenager during the battle. She went with her Cherokee warrior husband, Kingfisher, into the fight. She would chew on bullets to make them more jagged. When her husband was killed, she bravely picked up his weapons. She rallied the Cherokee fighters, leading a charge against the Creek, which made them run away.

Because of her amazing actions, Nanyehi was given a captured slave and the special title of Ghigau. This means "Beloved Woman" or "War Woman." It is one of the highest honors the Cherokee Nations gave to women. She was allowed to join council meetings and help make important decisions for her people. Later, she became a political leader for the Cherokee.

Historical Markers and Sites

Battle of Taliwa Highway Marker

Battle of Taliwa highway marker located in Ball Ground, Georgia.

This spot is a Georgia State Historical Landmark. Georgia State Highway 372 goes near it, close to Ball Ground's downtown railroad crossing.

A highway marker from 1953 says:

BATTLE OF TALIWA

Two and a half miles to the east, where Long-Swamp Creek and the Etowah River meet, is the traditional site of Taliwa. This was the fiercest and most important battle in the long war of the 1740s and 50s

between the Cherokee and Creek Indians.

There, around 1755, the great Cherokee war chief, Oconostota, led 500 of his warriors to victory over a larger group of Creeks. The Creeks were so completely defeated that they moved south of the Chattahoochee River. This left the region to their opponents, which later became the heart of the Cherokee Nation.

028-1 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1953.

Judaculla Rock

In Jackson County, North Carolina, there is a soapstone rock called the Judaculla Rock. It has special carvings called petroglyphs. It was found near the Caney Fork Creek. The Cherokee people believe the Judaculla Rock is connected to the Tsu'kalu or Judaculla legend.

Some historians think the carvings might be a map of the Battle of Taliwa. However, archaeologists and geologists believe the Judaculla Rock carvings were made by a very old tribe from the end of the Ice Age.

The site is still a very important historical landmark for the Cherokee people.

Images for kids

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  Image of the Judaculla Rock located in North Carolina.