Who was Elijah Hicks referring to when he said “our enemies are numerous”?

The Georgia Military.

Explanation:

The Cherokee Phoenix's last issue was posted on May 31, 1834, shortly before the Georgia militia seized the press.  In 1838−39, the Cherokees were forcibly removed to Oklahoma along what became known as the Trail of Tears; an estimated 4,000 members of the tribe died on the forced march. Therefore the enemies he was reffering to was the Georgia Military.

answer; the period of time known as the middle ages;