Captain Clarke’s men agreed on certain rendezvous points if they were lost or separated, and each man knew which others to notify if the word was given to assemble for a simulated drill or a military operation. They had simple signals for communicating with each other, mostly using cow horns, which could be heard for more than a mile if the wind was still. Their meeting places for training were changed almost every month, and Elijah had Aaron prepare simple maps of their operating areas, mostly along the western side of the Savannah River, all oriented around the tributary creeks and ancient Indian trails. The men knew that their knowledge of the terrain would be a crucial factor in almost any battle. They learned how to move rapidly, on foot, horseback, or canoe, and to converge at a meeting place.

One of the most difficult of Hart’s recommendations for Captain Clarke to accept was the advantage of retreating in the face of a superior force. He reminded the captain repeatedly that the militia numbers would almost always be small and their troops scattered over a wide area, and that it was no disgrace to leave the enemy in charge of a small plot of contested ground if the militiamen could survive to fight again. Their advantage would almost always lie in mobility, concealment, and flexible tactics. Eventually, even before these tenets were proven in battle, they became accepted among the men.

Seven of the assembled men failed to report back after Clarke’s comments about opposing the crown, but there were no defectors among the group who had moved with Clarke from Carolina into Georgia. It was interesting to Aaron that Clarke never mentioned the defectors, either in private or public discussions, but there was no doubt that their names were engraved in the captain’s mind as traitors.

CHAPTER 18

Peace in Georgia, Fighting in the North

Newota stood just inside the meetinghouse, not qualified to sit with the assembled chiefs but knowing that his presence was as necessary as any except that of Emistisiguo, their great leader. Since he would be the one who would interpret what was to be said if they decided to confront the white officials, it was important that he understand the nuances of the seemingly interminable discussions. Knowing the chief of the Upper Creeks well, he could already predict what decision would be made, but the talks had to complete their course because it was necessary for all the lesser chiefs to feel that they had been personally involved in shaping the consensus.