Westo

Their first appearance in the historical record is as a powerful tribe in colonial Virginia who had migrated from the mountains into the region around present-day Richmond.

On July 20, 1661, a Westo war party canoed down the Altamaha River and destroyed the Spanish mission of Santo Domingo de Talaje near present-day Darien, Georgia.

The peace became an alliance after the Westo escorted Woodward to their towns on the Savannah River, where they gave him many presents and encouraged friendship.

The Westo provided Carolina with slaves, captured from various Native American groups, including the Spanish-allied tribes in Guale and Mocama.

The Westo likely captured slaves from the upcountry Cherokee, Chickasaw to the south, and the various smaller tribes who later aligned as the Creek Confederacy.

Since the Westo were traditionally enemies with nearly every other tribe in the region, their alliance with Carolina effectively blocked the colony from establishing other tribal relationships.

A group of Shawnee Indians migrated to the Savannah River region and met with the Westo while Henry Woodward was among them.

After they destroyed the Westo in 1680, the Savannah moved into their lands and took over their role as the chief Indian trading partner with the Carolina colony.