Sunday, August 17, 2014

Other characters: Seekaboo, Josiah Francis, Chief Red Eagle, Sam Moniac, Peter McQueen, Chief Head High Jim, etc


   Seekaboo was a Shawnee prophet subordinate to Tecumseh's brother Taskwatawa, and most definitely under the latter's spell. He was extremely influential at fomenting the often wealthy and plantation owning mixed-bloods, who had previously been Tory sympathizers against the Americans, and converting them to the new religion of the prophet Taskwatawa.

   Seekaboo was responsible for the conversion of such important mixed-blood Creeks as Josiah Francis, the Red Stick prophet also called Hillis Hadjo (i.e. "Medicine Crazy" or "Crazy Medicine"), who was formerly hostile towards his experience with John Forbes & co. John Forbes & co. was a venture sourced in Scotland and Josiah Francis and his father Peter who were "traders", owed the Forbes company a lot of money. Josiah Francis blamed the Forbes company for bilking the Creeks and manipulating them into selling their lands. Yet Seekaboo was able to steer his (and many others) anger towards the Americans.

   Seekaboo was directly responsible for the conversion of: High Head Jim or Jim Boy, Paddy Welch, Peter McQueen who were substituted for the former pro-American leaders. But the primary influence of Seekaboo and Tecumseh was in the Upper Creek youth. This faction stirred to anger by Seekaboo became to be called the "Red Stick Creeks" as they painted their clubs red. The majority and far more traditional Creeks supported the USA and were called "White Stick Creeks".

   Initially neutral were Sam Moniac (who may have remained neutral but testified against Tecumseh and the Prophet), and William Weatherford i.e. "Chief Red Eagle", however, this would change (although Weatherford may have been improperly maligned for the Fort Mims massacre). Big Warrior, the major Creek leader was pro-American and was the target of much propaganda from the new converts of Seekaboo, Josiah Francis, and the other Red Sticks.

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