Mary Ann Moreland to Mirabeau Lamar, May 30, 1836

Macon May the 30^th 1836.

            Having just heard that Mr Patton will leave
This place for Texas in the morning, I could not
think of letting him depart without writing to my
dear absent brother, when the oportunity [sic] so seldom
presents itself. For well do I know from my own feelings
that any thing like news from home will be joyfully
received by you. I will first give you the welcome
intelligence of the good health of all the family.
Our dear Mother not excepted. She is at this time on
a visit to sister Sarah. Sister Louisa and Amelia
are in Eatonton, and myself here, having all been
frightened from our homes, by the manifestations
of Indian hostilities in all of the Frontier Counties.
They have taken and burnt Roanoke, and several
farms of the Georgia side of the river, and almost every
person between the river and Lumpkin, have
left their homes and given up their crops. Mr Moreland,
Randle, and McAhee [?] remained in Stewert, for the purpose
of having their crops tended so long as it is at all
practicable; Brother Jefferson is there also, and will
remain until the Indian difficulties are all settled,
which I hope will be the case before very long, as
troops are going from almost every section of the state
to aid in guarding the frontier, and exterminating
the hostile tribes. The whole of the new part of Alabama,
is in their possession, and almost entirely devastated,
except a few crops, kept for their own benefit.
A week ago there were more than two thousand persons,