James Colbert (trader)
James Colbert | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Counterattack! by Sidney E. King shows Colbert (centre) at the battle of Arkansas Post. | |
| Born | c. 1720 |
| Died | 7 January 1784 (aged 63) |
| Occupations | |
| Children | 8, including George and Levi |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Great Britain |
| Branch | British Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 16th Regiment of Foot |
| Battles |
|
James Logan Colbert (c. 1720 – 7 January 1784) was a British trader who lived much of his life among the Chickasaw. He also served as an officer of the British Army who commanded an independent company in the Western Theater of the American Revolutionary War. In 1783, Colbert led an unsuccessful raid on the Franco-Spanish village of Arkansas Post, Louisiana (present-day U.S. state of Arkansas) in an attempt to capture Fort Carlos III.
Early life and career
[edit]Colbert was born about 1720 in Scotland. He immigrated to Georgia in January 1736.[1] He was married to three Chickasaw women: Nahettaly, sophia, and Mary (all sisters) and among them had nine children; including George, Levi, and William, who became notable 19th-century tribal leaders. Fluent in Chickasaw, he served as an interpreter at the 1763 Augusta and the 1765 and 1771 Mobile Indian conferences.[2] He fought with the British during the American Revolutionary War; most notably at Fort Jefferson, where he was wounded in action,[3] and Arkansas Post.[4] He died on 7 January 1784 in West Florida en route from St. Augustine, East Florida.[5]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ Bearss 1974, pp. 18–19.
- ^ Pate 2017, p. 264.
- ^ Bearss 1974, p. 29.
- ^ Bearss 1974, pp. 51–56.
- ^ Bearss 1974, p. 60.
Bibliography
[edit]- Bearss, Edwin C. (November 1974). Special History Report: The Colbert Raid, Arkansas Post National Memorial, Arkansas (PDF) (Report). Denver, Colorado: National Park Service. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
- Pate, James P. (2017). "Colbert, William (Chooshemataha), Colbert, Levi (Itawamba Mingo), Colbert, George (Tootemastubbe)". In Ownby, Ted; Wilson, Charles Reagan (eds.). The Mississippi Encyclopedia. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781628466928. LCCN 2016043630. OCLC 959373243. OL 28626076M.
Further reading
[edit]"America's Black Indians, a hidden heritage". Diaspora. New African. London: IC Publications. 13 June 2013. ISSN 0142-9345. OCLC 863048524. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
