Archaeological Investigations at Yourhaney Plantation (38GE18)

18The Commissioners hired agents to travel the colony and hear complaints from Indians and traders.Despite their efforts, the misconduct and atrocities committed against the Native Americans werenumerous and due to a lack of manpower and other deficiencies, little could be done to alleviatethe problems. The Yemasees took matters into their own hands and attacked the agents andtraders in April 1715 killing many. Other tribes joined in the fight and the effects were farreaching. Hundreds of settlers died.The Yemasee War of 1715 resulted in the creation of a new system of trade regulation and theestablishment of three trade centers located in the colony’s interior. The first was sited on theSavannah River near Augusta; the second was south of present day Columbia near the CongareeRiver; and the third was intended to serve the Winneau, Pedea, Waccamaw and Cheraw Indiansand was set on the Black River near Georgetown (McDowell 1955: 110, 132).In September of 1716 William Waties, the factor of this proposed Black River post, argued for adifferent location at “Uauenee (or the Great Bluff)” (Yauhannah) because it was closer to Englishsettlements, a greater distance from the Sara tribe, and near the Waccamaws who were of agreater consequence than the Pedeas. The Commissioners of Indian Trade agreed and orderedgoods to be delivered to the trading post. A log storehouse was constructed by Samuel Teed, acarpenter and servant indentured to Capt. Mathew Porter, at the new post by mid-November1716. The building measured 12’ x 10’ (McDowell 1955: 110, 132).Trade at Yauhannah appears to have been successful with 546 deerskins taken to Charles Town inthe first shipment. In August 1717, 1,087 skins were shipped to Charles Town aboard aperiauger, or large boat. The same vessel returned with provisions and trade items such as guns,blankets, agricultural implements, knives, cloth, and beads (Michie n.d.).In 1717 the new factor, Meredith Hughes, notified the Commissioners that the Indians in the areawere growing restless and were beginning to move around. In that year, the Sara, Santee, Pedea,and Waccamaw had apparently forced Hughes to leave the factory at Yauhannah (McDowell1955: 202). In September a group of Pedea, Winyah, and Waccamaw Indians appeared beforethe Commission. The Winyah and Waccamaw Indians wanted to have Hughes stay in the area ofthe English settlements (on the Black River) while the Pedea wanted him to stay at Yauhannah(McDowell 1955: 208). Knowing that the trade potential with the Waccamaw was greater thanthat of the Pedea, the Commission decided that Hughes should stay in the Black River area, onAndrew Collins’ Plantation (McDowell 1955:210, 232). When the deer skin trade began to wanethere, the post was resumed again at Yauhannah in the spring of 1718 and trade continued to bebrisk with factor Meredith Hughes, shipping 704 skins to Charles Town on July 28, 1718. Hereported an increase in illegal trade and was ordered to arrest the guilty individuals (Michie1993:11).The Board of Commissioners records end here and little else is known about the Indian trade afterthis point. It can be assumed that trade continued at Yauhannah until 1720 when war eruptedbetween the Waccamaws and the colonists. Little is written about the war except in a single letterin the British Public Records office, which states that the tribe apparently numbered around 100,and 60 were taken and killed. They then petitioned for peace. Many who survived were sold intoslavery in the West Indies while the others probably joined other tribes. (Michie 1993: 13).