An Angry Drum Echoed: Mary Musgrove, Queen of the Creeks - Hardcover

Bauer Mueller, Pamela

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0968509770 ISBN 13: 9780968509777

Publisher: Piñata Publishing, 2006

Synopsis

As Pocahontas was to Jamestown and Sacajawea was to the Lewis and Clark expedition, so was Mary Musgrove to General James Oglethorpe and the burgeoning Georgia colony. Not much has been written about one of the leading characters in the founding of Georgia, but now Pamela Bauer Mueller, author of five books for young people, introduces AN ANGRY DRUM ECHOED: Mary Musgrove, Queen of the Creeks. This historical novel, due out in September, tells a fascinating story that’s sure to capture readers’ attention.

Born “Coosaponakeesa” to a Creek mother and an English father about 1700, Mary Musgrove successfully lived in two very different worlds: the Indian and the English. Through her influence with the Indian tribes, Mary encouraged the chiefs to meet with Oglethorpe in Savannah, leading to the peaceful establishment of an English colony in Indian Territory.

Although she won the esteem of the English settlers, she eventually became a thorn in the side of the newly formed colonial government. After ten years without pay for her diplomatic and interpretive services, she led her Creek tribesmen in a relentless march through the streets of Savannah to demand justice.

Mary Musgrove triumphed over savage discrimination, unimaginable personal adversity and an unrequited love for the founder of Georgia. As General Oglethorpe’s interpreter and emissary to the Indians, she smoothed the path to cooperation between the Creeks and the colonists, perhaps single-handedly insuring the survival of the colony of Georgia. Arguably the most important woman in the history of Georgia, Mary Musgrove guided the Creek nation through the treacherous waters of international intrigue during the dramatic conquest of a hemisphere.

About this title

From the Author

Mary Musgrove's life was as dramatic and colorful as any fictional character, yet she was a real flesh-and-blood woman. I couldn't have invented for her a life this dynamic and unforeseen. Yet these qualities are only part of what makes her the most interesting and courageous woman in early Georgia history.

Despite her important historical status and larger-than-life accomplishments, she remains virtually unknown to most Georgians outside a small group of scholars. Her life was filled with contradictions: born into a Creek society built on pagan customs, she later associated with British luminaries and Oxford graduates, including the famous Christian missionaries Charles and John Wesley. Mary Musgrove's story is scattered through voluminous letters, diaries and journals: official documents of the Colonial period. But very little is known about her childhood and parentage. Searching deeper for her story, I was pleasantly surprised to find pieces of her inside my own heart. Mary's story became so intriguing that I decided to write it in the first person.

All the central characters in this story are real; most events in the book are factual, including the births, deaths, battles and journeys. Most research information came from university dissertations, historical documents, and fellow authors who held Mary in high esteem and recognized her importance. Stepping out of the crowd gathered on Yamacraw Bluff to meet General Oglethorpe, she grasped her strange destiny's star. I felt privileged to ride with her as that star illuminated her two worlds, touching so many with its splendor. When the star exploded I crashed along with Mary, mourning her tremendous losses and grieving at the injustices she was forced to endure. Her story is a legend that has left a vivid imprint on colonial Georgia history. May you appreciate her as much as I do.

From the Back Cover

The compelling story of this brave, resourceful and tireless Queen of the Creeks will inspire and intrigue you.  Mary Musgrove triumphed over savage discrimination, unimaginable personal adversity and an unrequited love for the founder of Georgia.  As General Oglethorpe’s interpreter and emissary to the Indians, she smoothed the path to cooperation between the Creeks and the colonists, perhaps single-handedly insuring the survival of the colony of Georgia. 

Arguably the most important woman in the history of Georgia, Mary Musgrove guided the Creek nation through the treacherous waters of international intrigue during the dramatic conquest of a hemisphere.

Join master storyteller Pamela Bauer Mueller (Neptune’s Honor, Hello, Goodbye, I Love You, The Kiska Trilogy) as she recounts an unforgettable period in Georgia colonial history through the eyes of one of its key players.

(Pamela Bauer Mueller)

About this edition

• Publisher: Piñata Publishing
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0968509770
• ISBN 13: 9780968509777
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 296