Back in November, my cousin Chip Billups and I were examining an old glass medallion with a cameo sulfide bust of George Washington. The medallion was one that had been made at a famous glass house in Paris for Marquis de la Lafayette. Lafayette was said to have presented one to each of the general staff officers who served with him during the American Revolution.
My research on the medallion has uncovered an interesting link between our area and Lafayette.
In looking at early 1800s Choctaw Indian house sites in the Columbus area, I had found a popular china pattern among the Choctaws was James Clews’ circa 1825 pattern “The Landing of Gen. Lafayette at Castle Garden, New York.” By the early 1800s, the Choctaws and Chickasaws were using English transfer printed Staffordshire dinnerware. I have found broken pieces of the Clews’ Lafayette pattern china on both the Hotana and Yokatubbee Choctaw circa 1830 farmsteads near Artesia.
That the Choctaws seemed interested in Lafayette’s visit to America was a curious matter.
In looking for any possible newspaper account of Lafayette presenting medallions to his former staff, I got side-tracked by a number of articles titled “Lafayette and the Sons of the Forest” or “Interview of Gen’l Lafayette and the Indian Chiefs at Washington.”
What I discovered were articles quoting Choctaw chiefs Moshulitubbee’s and Pushmataha’s remarks upon meeting Lafayette as translated by John Pitchlynn, who had previously been introduced to him. Pitchlynn lived across the river from Columbus. Moshulitubbee had two houses in what is now Noxubee County, one near Brooksville and the other at Mashulaville. Pushmataha was the greatest of Choctaw chiefs.
In late 1824, Choctaw and Chickasaw chiefs traveled to Washington for negotiations with the U.S. government. That trip coincided with Gen. Lafayette’s trip to America. The Chickasaws had first encountered and spoken with the general when they stopped to visit at Monticello, the residence of Thomas Jefferson. Later, both the Choctaw and Chickasaw chiefs were received by Lafayette in Washington. The remarks of the Choctaw chiefs to Lafayette were published in the press of the day. It was a rare occasion when the actual remarks of the chiefs at a social occasion were recorded.
Moshulitubbee spoke first: “You are one of our fathers that fought in the War with General Washington. We take you here by the hand as a friend and a father. We have always walked in the white paths of peace and in those paths we have traveled to visit you. We offer you pure hands, which have never been stained with the blood of Americans. We live in the South, where the sun shines hot upon us. We have been neighbors to the French, neighbors to the Spaniards, and neighbors to the English: but now our only neighbors are the Americans, in the midst of whom we live as friends and brothers.”
Pushmataha, a superior chief next addressed Gen. Lafayette: “About 50 years ago you drew your sword, the companion of General Washington. With him you traveled and warred against the enemies of America. In spilling the blood of your foes, you generously shed your own, thereby consecrating your devotion to the cause in which you were engaged. After the termination of that war, you returned to your country; and now you revisit this land. … We have come. We take you by the hand, and are satisfied. It is the first and last time. We shall see you no more. We part on earth, forever. That is all I have to say.”
Pushmataha’s words could not have been more prophetic for he was reported to have met Lafayette on Nov. 24, 1824, and a month later on Dec. 24, the chief died in Washington.
Rufus Ward is a local historian. Email your questions about local history to him at [email protected].
Rufus Ward is a Columbus native a local historian. E-mail your questions about local history to Rufus at [email protected].
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