Battle of Shepherd’s Plantation with the Creek Indians
The Creek Indians occupied most of Gwinnett County until about 1826 when they were pushed across the Chattahoochee River.
In 1836, after they had burned a village in Stewart County called “Roanoke”, Governor William Schley called for volunteers. Three companies were organized into a Creek Indian War.
Captain Garmany and his mounted volunteers left Lawrenceville on May 26, 1836, and arrived in Columbus on June 3rd, then continued down the river to Shepherd’s Plantation. Twenty-five of the men were sent to guard a fort situated on the river.
Then, on June 9th when shots were heard, the men were dispatched. They discovered Indians preparing for battle. Captain Garman was seriously wounded. But Major Jernigan soon arrived with his men and charged the enemy from Fort Stewart. Eight soldiers were killed, viz: J. S. Lacy, Orderly-Sergeant James C. Martin, James H. Holland, Robert T. Holland, James M. Allen, William M. Sims, J. A. V. Tate, and Henry W. Paden.
The following year a meeting was held in Lawrenceville to decide to have the bodies of the eight young men who had died at Shepherd’s Plantation brought back to Gwinnett County and buried with military honors in a common grave. The burial occurred on February 17th, 1837 in the northwest corner of the courthouse.
