Franklin Township (part 15 of 19)

^' The Creeks haviqg never had the colour of claim to land <m tbe north side of TenDessec, it is not necessary to say anything to show that their conduct must have been occasioned by other motives than a claim relating to boundaries. And if the Cherokees ever had a claim, it has been extinguished by two public treaties - that of Hopewell and Holston; at the last of which, a valuable consideration was paid inhandt and since, the first annual payment has been made, and principally received by the inhabitants of the ^ve Lower towns, who have declared war against the United States. Thus, if the Cherokees ever had a claim, it has been twice extinguished, and by two public treaties. But, by the best information I can collect, the claim of the Cherokees to the lands lying on Cumberland, is a recent thing ; there are many veiy respectable people now living who were present at the time. Kichard Henderson and Company purchased from them ilieir claim to the lands lying on Cumberland, as well as nearly all those included witliin what is now the limits of Kentucky.

" General Sevier, with the troops mentioned in my letter of the 27th September, as ordered into service, is in the field, advanced about thirtyfive miles southwest of Knoxville, that is, at the mouth of Clinch, with his main force ; tlie other parts of bis brigade are detached to different parts of the frontiers of Washington District, for the protection thereof, with my orders to act on the defensive, under the limitations mentioned in your letter of the 9th of October.

"The advantages of the troops at the mouth of Clinch are, they will cut off all communication, by water, between the Upper and Lower Cherokees ; they will deter, in a greater degree, and can more easily intercept, incursive parties from it, than in any other situation ; ihey will impress the Lower towns with apprehensions of sudden attacks by water, as well as by horsemen. The distance by water can be passed in from forty to forty-eight hours.

" On Monday night last, five Creeks, headed by young Lashley, the son of a Scotchman in the Creek nation, the same that headed the party that killed and captured Gillespie's son, on the 13th September, came in upon the waters of Little River, about tw^enty miles from this place, and stole and carried off eight horses ; they were traced towards Chil- howee, the nearest Cherokee town. This gave reason to suspect the Ohilhowee Indians of the theft, whereupon, as many as fifly-two of the neighbouring people, including the sufferers, assembled together in anna, and determined to go and destroy Ohilhowee and Tallassee too, a little adjacent town, and actually did march ; but General Sevier received information of their intentions, and despatched orders to them to diaperae and return home, which they obeyed, and thus the matter hapjnly ended."

Captain Handley, when marching with his company of forty-two men, ^wo hundred miles, for the protection of the stations on Cumberland, was attacked near the Crab-Orchard by a party of Indians, fifty-six in number, commanded by the Middle Striker. The party consisted of Cherokees^ Creeks and Shawnees. When the attack was made upon his company, a panic seized most of them, and they fell back. Handley laboured in vain to rally them. He believed that if this could have been done, the Indians would have been rofeated. He saw one of his men, named Leiper, in a most liazardous position, at a little distance from the Indians, and unhorsed. Handley conceived the design of rescuing him instantly, by seizing the horse's bridle and running him to the place where he was, to give the soldier an opportunity to re-mount. In doing this, he ran too near the enemy, and his own horse fell under him, pierccfl with wounds. Handley was immediately surrounded by Indians, furiously brandishing their uplifted tomahawks, the signal of death or submissioQ. He jumped behind a tree, aitd was met by a warrior, who held over him a tomahawk, in the act of striking. He arrested the stroke, by seizing the weapon, with the cry -* Canawlla" - friendship. '* CanawUa" was responded by the Indian, who instantly began to seek his rescue. This he at length effected, by hurrying the captain around, till he brought him to the principal chief, where, for a short time, he was free from danger. While the Indian was thus drawing him off, Handley received numerous licks from other Indians, some of which seemed to be inoffensive, being made with the flat side of the hatchet. One was made by his own sword, from which he narrowly escaped. In another instance, a gun was fired at him, the muzzle not ten feet distant, which was only escaped, by some other Indians

Striking the gun upwards at the moment of its discbarge. The efforts of Handley to rally his men, and in labouring for the escape of Leiper, seem to have drawn off the attention of the enemy from his men, and to have concentrated it nearly on himself. Only three of them were killed. The rest all escaped. Poor Leiper was seen by Handley lying scalped and lacerated with wounds. He exclaimed, " dear captain," to one who could no longer command nor protect, who was hurried away by his Indian captor, and never saw him more. Captain McClelland was, at this time, at South- West Point, and, with his company of light horse, was despatched to the scene of the discomfiture, to bury the dead, and to rescue the survivors, if possible, from their captivity, and cut off the enemies' retreat. The first report was, that Captain Handley was killed, as the last time he was seen by his men, he was fighting hand to hand, surrounded by a crowd of warriors. But the light horse, in pursuing the Indian trail, found that wherever they had encamped, there were left the fixtures used by the Indians in securing a prisoner. Along the trail, too, at different places, they found slips of torn paper, which, on being put together, were found to be parts of Handley's muster-roll, which he had considerately torn and dropped along the path, hoping thereby to furnish those who might attempt his rescue the means of ascertaining the route his captors had taken. The pursuit was, however, unsuccessful, and the light horse returned to South-West Point. Captain Handley was taken to Wills Town. On his way, he was confined carefully at night, and watched closely by his captors through the day. Arriving at the end of their journey, the Indians debated three days whether he should be killed or permitted to live. At length, he was adopted into the Wolf Tribe of the Cherokees, and treated like one of them, from November till March. Before his adoption into the tribe, he received repeated insults and injuries. He was made to run the gauntlet. Another mode of torture, was that of tying his hands and feet fast, and then hurling him over their heads, at the imminent hazard of dashing his nose and face against the ground. During his captivity, the Cherokees became tired of war, and requested their prisoner to write a letter for them to Governor Blount, at Kuoxville, proposing conditions or preliminaries of peace. He obtained liberty, at the same time, to write a letter in his own behalf, to his brother-in-law. Colonel James Scott, which is preserved and is here given :

Dear Sir : - I am a captive in this town, in great distress, and the bearer hereof is a runner from the Upper Towns, from the Hanging Maw, and is now going up with a Talk from Col. John Watts, with the Oovemor, on terms of peace. These people are much for peace, and if Governor Blount sends a good answer back to the Talk they hare sent up by the runner, I am confident their Talk is true and sincere ; and, upon the whole, we are not ripe for war with these people, for they are properly fixed for war ; but Watts is entirely for peace, at this time, mnd wishes for a good answer to their Talks. Dear Sir, I have been much abused, and am in great distress. I beg .that you and John Cowan, and every good friend, would go to the Grovemor, and try all you can to get him to send a good answer, so that I can get away - for if an army comes before, I am sure to die. Send word to my wife, and send me m horse down by the Hanging Maw's runner, for I am not able to come without. Dear friends, do what you can, for I am in a distressed way. TSo more, but -

N. B. - John Watts sends to the Hanging Maw to send Calaka, the Hanging Maw's nephew, and another young fellow, down with the Qovemor's Talk and the horse for me, for he is a safe fellow, and if they eome I am sure to get home, but if not, I expect never to get home ; and I once more beg you tcr do your possibles for me, and do them soon as you can.

The letter was favourably received by Gov. Blount, and though the Cherokees did not come to an adjustment till after another bloody struggle and ruinous defeat at Etowah, they commissioned eight of their Braves to escort Captain Handley in safety to his friends, in Blount county, with no other ransom than a keg of whiskey given them as a present.

Capt. H. resided some time after near Tellico Block-house, where the Indians frequently came for the purpose of traffic. When any of his Indian acquaintances from Wills Town came there, they crossed over to see him, share his hospitality, and repose upon his premises, as with a genuine brother of their own order. He afterwards moved to Winchester, Tenn., where he died.

The Cherokees were understood to be embodied in sach ^i^^3 ( force as to threaten an attack upon South- West Point, ( and other places upon the frontier, where the several corps under the command of Sevier had been stationed But acting under the orders of the Secretary of War, Gov. Blount gave orders, Nov. 20th, that all the troops of Sevier's brigade, except two companies, should be marched to Knoxville, and mustered out of service. This was accordingly done early in January of 1793.

On the 29th, the Cherokees stole three of William Davidson's horses from Gamble's Station, on Little River ; and, on the 26th of February, they stole ten horses from Cozby's Creek. These aggressions prompted the spontaneous assemblage of the militia at Gamble's Station, for the purpose of marching to the nearest Indjan towns, and retaliating upon them the injuries they were suffering.

The Governor immediately ordered Col. Kelly to go to the dissatisfied and incensed citizens on the frontier, and endeavour to restrain them from going with arms across the Tennessee River, or entering any of the Indian towns. The Governor found it necessary also to issue his proclamation, requiring the citizens to desist from an invasion of the Indian territory, which was now contemplated by a party of eighty men, who had assembled at Gamble's for that purpose. He attended there himself in person, to aid, by his personal and official influence, in the preservation of peace. In this he was assisted by Col. White and others. To contribute still more in allaying the impending storm of retaliation, a company of cavalry was ordered to range from Holston to Little River. Quiet was restored, and the people were tranquillized.

While these measures were being adopted to restrain the just indignation of the settlers, new causes of offence were of constant occurrence.

In March, Joseph Brown, whose capture, in 1788, has already been mentioned, accompanied Thomas Ross, the mail carrier, and Col. Caleb Friley, from the Holston settlements, by the way of Kentucky, to Cumberland. They were fired upon the third evening after they started, on the east side of Little Laurel, but sustained no damage. They went in full speed, crossed the river, and in about a quarter of a mile ran into a large body of Indians ; Ross was killed, Brown and Friley escaped, severely woqpded.

On the 20th of March, a party of Indians killed and scalped William Massey and Adam Greene, at the gap of Powell's Mountain, on Clinch, about twenty miles from Rogersville. A party of Creeks, led by young Lashley, burned, on the 8th of April, the house of Mr. Gallaher, on the south side of Holston, and within twenty miles of Knoxville. A detachment of mounted infantry pursued, but did not overtake them. The same party hovered about the settlements till die 15th, when a party of Lieutenant Tedford's rangers fired npon and killed one of the Indians, who proved to be a Cherokee - Noon-Day of Toquo.

A report was received from James Carey, one the interpreters of the United States in the Cherokee nation, in which he confirms the intelligence Governor Blount had received of Indian hostilities - " of large parties of Creeks and Cherokees, meditating invasion of Mero and Washington Districts, and of the impression generally prevalent with the Indians, that the reason why the Americans did not retaliate, but patiently bore the iiyuries they had received from them, was the posture of their negotiation with foreign Powers, and their fear of offending them. And that if it was not for this, the Americans, certainly, would not be offering and begging peace in return for murders, robberies and bloodshed, daily oommitted on their citizens." Other intelligence of the

April 12. - Tbe people on tUe frontier seoerally collected in At Cr&ie*>, there were two boodred and eigfatj men, women aod childreo, living id great dbcooilort iniuaall buu.

At this moment, Governor Blount was informed, that Genoral Logan wtix raising a party of Kentucky' Volunteers, for the purpose of making war upon Ibe Lower Cberokee towns.

On the 13th of April, Gov. Blount wrote to Gov. Shelby, iugffcsting to him the propriety of restraining Logan from the expttdition ho contemplMtbil against the enemy.

The Governor ordained that Knox and Jefferson coooUea should conHtitutfi a J ucliciul District, to be known by the name of the Difiirlct of Hamilton, in which two Superior Courts bo held, at Knoxville, in April and October of each year. Of this court. Col. F. A. Ramsey waa, by the Governor, appointed clerk.

March ^t. - It wiis ordained by the Governor, that oonrts should b(i in future held for Jefferson county, on tbo north side of French Broad, on the lands of Francis Dean, near the Rev. Mr. Henderson's Lower Meeting House.

June 11. - The followiog gentlemen appeared and took fltttrMiti, via: Alexander Outlaw, Oetu^ Doberty, Jaibes Boddys, Jobs Bl«kbvm, James Lea, Josiui Wilson, Josi^ jBckaoQ,.AadnF SmdotspB, Amos Baich and Wm. Cox.

John Morris, a Chickasaw wurior, Jteiag »t .KaoKyUa, and a guest of the Governor, was shot and killed by- nne aae unknown. To soothe the feelings of the Indiana, lioimwae buried with the military honours due . to a wanior at a ^flriendly nation. In the prooessioa, to the aanal hma\ (round of the white people. Governor Blount aadtka ti»lhwr

May 25. - Thomas Gillam and bis son James, were killed and scalped by the Indians, in the Raccoon Valley, eighteen miles from Knoxvillcr Captain Beard, with fifty mounted infantry, made immediate pursuit.

June 13. - General Sevier was at this time at JonesboroV and Captain Chisholm, by letter of this date, forwarded by express from Knoxville, informs him, ''That on yesterday morning, Capt. John Beard, with a party of forty men, attacked the Indians at the Hanging Maw's, and killed twelve or fifteen on the spot, among whom were a number of the principal chiefs, called there by the express order of the President. Major Robert King, Daniel Carmichael, Josepb Sevier and James Ore, were acting for the United States. This will bring on inevitable war ; the Indians are making vigorous preparation for an assault on us. The frontier is in a most lamentable situation. Pray, sir, let us have your immediate presence, for our all depends upon your exertion.

** The Hanging Maw is wounded, his wife is killed, also Scantee, a Chickasaw chief, that was at the Maw's, Kittigeskie's daughter and other principal Indians. Two hundred Indians were in arms in thirty minutes. Beard and his party have fled, leaving the frontier unprotected. My dear sir, much depends on you - ^for your presence . itself will be a balm to the suffering frontier." "

Governor Blount, was at this moment absent, and the secretary, General Smith, on whom that duty now devolved, wrote immediately to the Hanging Maw and other chiefs, in explanation of the atrocious conduct of Beard's party, and begged them not to retaliate the outrage. ** Be not rash and inconsiderate," said he ; ** hear what your and our Great Father, the President, will say. Go and see him as he has requested. I assure you, I believe he will give you satisfaction, if you forbear to take it yourselves."

The Secretary, communicating the state of things to the War Department, adds, ** to my great pain, I find, to punish Beard by law, just now, is out of the question."

The forbearance, as hoped for, from the Chcrokees, bj General Smith, did not continue long. At daylight, August 29, a large party of Indians attacked Henry's Station. Lieutenant Tedford was taken prisoner, and horribly butchered.

Andrew Creswell was living in the neighbourhood of Mc- Gaughey's Station ; two other men constituted the force in bis house. William Cunningham, passing near, was waylaid by the Indians and shot. He escaped to CresweU'B house. One of tbn men proposed to Creswell, to break up and go to the station. The latter replied that, from his knowledge of the Indian character, he believed they would not strike a second blow in the same place. Mr. Creswell then enquired from his wife, whether she would rather go to the station than to stay at home 1 She replied, it seemed like death at either place, and she would rather risk her life there, than any place else. " That's my sort," said Creswell ; "I will keep this house till the Indians take me out of it." The house was a new log cabin, with a single door, fiistened by a shutter of hewed puncheons, too thick to be penetrated by a bullet. His stable was so placed, immediately iu rear of his house, that Mr. Creswell himself could not open the door of it, without first entering his dwelling-house, and going to the head of bis bed, and raising a large bolt, with a long lever. Near this lever, was a porthole, through which he defended his stable ; and on each side of his house, were others through which he defended his family. Indians came in sight, but never attacked him. Mr. Cunningham recovered ; he died afewyears, since in Monroe county.

August 80, - This day, two Indians came to the house of Philip Hutter, in Washington county, about eleven o*clocl^ and tomahawked and scalped his wife, and left her for dead ; cut the head off his daughter, and carried it away with them, and plundered the house.

Colonel Doherty and Colonel McFarland, in direct disregard of the orders of the Territorial authorities, raised one hundred nd eighty mounted riflemen,, with whom they invaded the

Dohbktt Invadbb The Chebokkes

Indian country. Crossing the Tennessee, they penetrated the mountains at a place called the Unaca Pass. It was afterwards ascertained, that three hundr^Indians lay here in ambuscade, awaiting their return. Fortunately, they deflected eastwardly, south of Tennessee and Pigeon Rivers. In this march, they destroyed six Indian towns, and killed fifteen Indians, whom they scalped. They also took sixteen women and children prisoners. Two or three times, our men were attacked by night. On such occasions, they would retire a few paces from the lights of their camp-fires, into the nearest thicket, and stand with their rifles at a present, ready to flre at the flash of the enemies' guns. By the sudden cesiiation of the Indian arms, it was believed that the aim of the whites, although in the dark, was eflectual. In these night attacks, four of the riflemen were wounded, one of whom died soon after their return. They were out on this campaign four weeks, and reached the white settlements, twelve miles above the War Ford on French Broad, now New-Port.

Captain Nathaniel Evans, from Boyd's Creek, took forward a large detachment of troops for the protection of Cumberland. One hundred and eighty men rendezvoused at Knoxville. Being mounted, they carried their own provisions - passed South-west Point, Post Oak Springs and the Crab-Orchard, James Capshaw, Samuel Martin and George Telford, acted as spies through the wilderness. On Obey's River the signs of Indians multiplied. They, however, came upon none - passing the Rolling Fork and the head of Stone's River, they reached Nashville without molestation from the enemy. Here they remained fifteen days, and returned nearly the same route. It was in their absence, that the Indians invaded the country, and took Cavet's Station.

Captain Michael Harrison, with his company of eighty { light-horse from Washington county, was in service ( early in September, and visited the several stations on Pigeon, before coming to Sevier's head-quarters at Ish's Station, south of Uoiston. From this point, scouts were sent out to guard the approaches to Knoxville, which it was apprehended would be the object of Indian attack, on ac count of the public stores that were known to be there. On the 24th September, Captain Harrison's light-horse had scoured the country in every direction, but made no discovery of the enemy. But the same evening, a body of a thousand warriors, under the lead of John Watts and Double Head, crossed the Tennessee River, below the mouth of Holfiton, and marched all night in the direction of Knoxville. Of this large force, seven hundred were Creeks - the rest were Cherokees. Of the former, were one hundred well mounted horsemen. The Indians had expecled to reach Knoxville before day, on the morning of the t\^enty-fifth, but some detention at the river had prevented. The horsemen had out-marched the main body, and some altercation between the leaders occurred, and produced confusion. Knoxville being the principal object of attack and plunder, (wders were given by some of the Creeks to press forward at once, and not delay their march, by stopping to disturb and plunder the smaller settlements. Double Head advised a different policy, and insisted on taking every cabin as they passed. A further cause of delay was the rivalry between this chief and Van. each of whom aspired to the leadership qf the expedition. Upon the question, "shall we massacre all the inhabitants of Knoxville, or the men only ?" these .aarage warriors differed in opinion; Van advising lenity to the women and children. Before the plan of procedure was Adjusted, the night was so far spent as not to allow the invaders time to reach Knoxville before daylight. That town was, however, in the opinion of all, the primary object of attack, and, with that purpose in view, Campbell's Stattoit - one of the chief forts of the country, and in which, at this time, twenty families were there stationed for mutual protection - was carefully passed, undisturbed. At daylight ibej had reached the bead of Sinking Greek, in the Grassy Valley, and were in a rapid march for Knoxville. The United States troops at that place, as usual, fired off a cannon at .Aanrise, which the Indians heard, and understood to be an evidence that their attack was expected. This dis- their plans, and led to the abandonment of their meditated assault The Indian force was halted immedi- ately. In sight of them, was the house or station of Alexander Cavet, in which were only three gun-men and his family, thirteen in number. This house stood on the plantation now owned by Mr. Walker, about eight miles west of Knoxville, and about six hundred yards north of the present stage-road, where its foundation can yet be seen.

Disappointed in their hopes of plunder, and too cowardly to run the risk of obtaining it by attacking Knoxville, the Indians determined to wreak their vengeance upon a defenceless family, and marched at once to and invested Cavet's house. It was put in the best state of defence which three men could do against a thousand savage assailants. The fire from the house killed one Creek, one Cherokee, and wounded three more. This' held back the Indians for a time, and they sent in Bob Benge, a half Creek, who spoke English, proposing that if the station were surrendered, the lives of the besieged should be spared, and that they should be exchanged for a like number of Indian prisoners. These terms were accepted, and the house surrendered. Its unfornate inmates had scarcely left the door, when Double Head and his party fell upon the prisoners and put them to death, mutilating and abusing the bodies of the women and chil- -dren especially, in the most barbarous and indelicate manner possible. Cavet himself was found in the garden barbarously murdered, and having seven bullets in his mouth, put there by himself, for the greater convenience of speedily loading his rifle. John Watts interposed, and saved the life of Alexander Cavet, Jun., a lad. Benge also interceded for the prisoners, who had capitulated with him, but Double Head was inexorable, and all efforts were unavailing to «ave the poor victims. The house and stables were plundered and burnt, and the Indians went off, carrying with them into captivity the only survivor of a large family. He was afterwards killed in the Indian towns.

The firing at Cavet^s Station was heard, and notice of the invasion of the country was communicated, at once, to Gen. Sevier, then lying, with some troops, across the river, at Ish^s, and to the people at Knoxville.

"This intelligence gave to the minds of its citjzen« that impulse which is only to be looked for on great occasionB, when the dignitj of a simple heroic conception is enough to consecrate danger and death. ITio number of fighting men in Knoxvillt was forly. But it wa, thotrgbt preferable to comhine ihia force, and to risk every life in a well C(»cert«d efibrt to strike a dtradly and terrific blow on the advancing enemy, at the outskirts of Ihe town, rather than stand to be hewed down, in its centre, by the Indian tomahawk,

"Col. James White was then advanced a little beyond the prime of manhood, of a muscular body, a vigorous conHlJtutian, and of that cool and dctermioHte courage which ariacB from a principle of original bra- Terj, confirmed and ennobled by the faith of the Bible. He was ibe projector nnd leader of the enterprise, Eobert Houston, Esq., from whose verbal statement the substance of mnch of this narrative is copied, was of the age of twenty-eight, and was a personal actor in the Bcene.

" It was viewed to bo manifest, by ttiose who lirero acquainted with Indian movements, that the par^ would come up the back way, near tile present planti\tiona of Mrs. Lultrell and Henry Lonas, rather than the straight«r way, now travelled by the singe. The company from Knoxvillo accordingly repaired to a ridge on that road, which now may be inspected, about a mila nnd a quarter fiom Knoxville.

" On the side of this ridge next to Knoxville, our eorapony was stationed, at the distance of twenty steps from each other, with orders toreserre their fire till the most forward of the Indian parly was advanced &r enough to present a mark for the most eastern man of out own party. Ho was then to fire. Thi.i fire was to be the signal for every man of our own to t,ike aim with precision. This would be favoured bj the halt thus occasioned in the ranks of the Indians. And these utter, it was hoped, astonished at the sudden and fotal discharge of rifles, extended over so long a line, would apprehend a most formiaabia ambuscade, would quit all thoughts of further aggression, and betake themselves to the readiest and safest retreat.

"But to provide for the worst, it was settled beforehand, that each nan, on dischai^ng his piece, without stopping to watch the flight of the Indians, should make the best of his way to Knoxville, lodge him- Belf in the block-house, where three hundred muskets had been deponted by the United States, and where the two oldest citjzens of the forty, John McFarlaud and Kobert Williams, were left behind to run bullets and load.

" Here it was proposed to make a last and desperate stru^le ; that, by possessing every port-hole in the building, and hy dealing lead and powder through it to the best advantage, they might extort from an enemy of nearly forty times their number, a high price for the hazard of all they had on earth that was dear and precious. There were then two stores in Knoxville, Nathaniel Cowan's and James Miller's. Though the practical heroism of the we 1 1 -concerted, and thus far, ably conducted Btratagem, in consequence of the sudden retreat of the enemy, wiks not put to the test of actual esperiroent, yet an incident fraught with so much magnanimity in the earlj fortunes of Enoxville, should not be blotted from the records of her fame. It is an incident on which the memory of her sons will linger without tiring, when the din of party shall be hushed and it? strife forgotten. These men of a former day, were 'made of sterner stuff' than to shrink from danger at the call of duty. And it will be left to the pen of a future historian to do justice to that little band of thirty-eight citizens, who flinched not from the deliberate exposure of their persons in the open field, within the calculated gunshot of fifteen hundred of the fleetest running and boldest tavages.'' - Foster'a Essay before E. T. Historical and Antiquarian Society,

At Ish's, preparations were made for an immediate pur* suit, and an invasion of the Indian country. The troops in the less remote settlements were ordered into service. Not knowing the number of the invaders, the extent of the mischief they had done, nor the point of the next artack, General Sevier detached Captain Harrison, to cross the Holston and make discoveries ; and, if necessary, give pursuit. That officer, with his company of light-horse, set out for the trail of the Indians, and, from the smoking ruins of the station, he traced it to a place where they had stopped to feed, in the direction of Clinch River. Finding that the enemy had abandoned the attack on Knoxville, the light-horse returned to Sevier's oamp, and expresses were dispatched to Washington District for reinforcements, to intercept and pursue the enemy. Another company of light-horse, commanded by Captain James Richardson, joined the camp at Ish's ; and, in a short time, Sevier's command was augmented by the arrival of troops under Colonel Kelly and others, in numbers sufficient to authorize him to invade the enemy's country.

The daring inroad of almost the entire available force of the Creeks and Cherokees under John Watts, one of the most resolute and enterprising of their - chiefs, though abortive, and, in its main object, entirely unsuccessful, went far to cdnvince the authorities of the Territory, and the Executive of the Federal Government, that it was no longer wise or safe to insist upon and continue their past policy of limiting the action of the country to defensive warfare only, against the Indians. Of this, the people on the frontier had, long since, been fully satisfied ; and against it, had frequently uttered their earnest remonstrance. A sudden and destructive blow against the heart of the Indiaa nation, was loudly called Ck^ and was immediately authorized by Secretary Smith* diat acting as Giovernor, in the absence of Bloant The army already at Ish's» under General Sevier, was reinforced by a^ ditional troops from Washington District, commaaded bj Colonel John Blair, and from Hamilton District, under GoL Christian. Miyor Elholm acted as A^jatant on this campaign. Thus reinforced, the army under Sevier amounted to six or seven hundred mounted men. They crossed Littk Tennessee River at a ford above Lowry^s Ferry, and continued a rapid march across Hiwassee and Amoyah, till they reached Estinaula, an Indian village. Here they found abundant supplies of grain and meat, and remained there two or three days* Having burned the town, which they found deserted, their encampment was formed in its immediate vicinity, and upon the banks of Estinaula River, in two parallel lines - Christian's regiment nearest to the river, and Blair's a little south of it, with sentries around it in aU directions. The flower of the enemies' warriors were around the camp, and would, doubtless, make a night attacL Noises were heard at the approach of evening, from the 8U^ rounding woods, which indicated that mischief was meditsp ted. The horses were tethered at a point where they were least likely to be stolen ; sentinels were doubled, and the whole army laid upon their arms Late at night, the Indians were heard by the sentries, some hundred yards distant, approaching in a stealthy, slow, uniform movement, creeping abreast over the high sedge grass. They were allow^ to come so near, that the sentries heard the Indians cock their guns. At that instant, their own guns were fired, and they then retired, in a sidewise direction, to the camp. The Indians discharged their guns, and, at once, set up the warwhoop and yells of defiance. The sidewise movement of the retiring sentries saved most of them from the aim of the Indians. Gaut, by pursuing a straight course, was dangerously, but not mortally, wounded.

The Indian fire produced some confusion in the camp, during which, some captive squaws and children escaped. But Uie warriors kept at such a distance, that the fire from the camp could not reach them ; and the darkness prevented an outward movement against them. The Indians, soon after, withdrew - having iniSicted not a single wound, with the exception of that received by Gaut.

The next night, the camp-fires were kept burning at the same place, but the army decamped to the west The Indians, during the night, made another attack,; but, firing only at the vacated camp and finding their mistake, suddenly withdrew^

Finding no Indians to attack at Estinaula, Sevier took up the line of march in the direction of Etowah, with the Coosa on the right Near the confluence of these streams, and immediately below, was the Indian town, Etowah. The river of the same name had to be crossed before the town could be attacked. Firing was heard in the direction of the town, and apprehending a general attack, Sevier judiciously ordered a halt, and sent forward a detachment from the main body against the town. By mistake of Carey and Findleston, the guides, the party was led to a ferry half a mile below the fording place, and immediately opposite the town. A few of the foremost plunged into the stream and were soon in swimming water, and pushing their way to the opposite bank. The main body, however, discovering the mistake, wheeled to the left and rode rapidly up the river to the ford, wl^ere they crossed with the design of riding down to the town, and attacking3it without delay.

The Indians, having previously obtained information of Sevier's approach, had made excavations in the bank of the river nearest their town, each of them large enough for one man to lie with his gun poised, and with a leisurely aim to shoot our men as soon as they came in sight. In these, the warriors were safely entrenched. But perceiving the movement of horsemen down the river, and suspecting some other project was devised against their town, they quitted, precipitatelys their places of ambush, crossed the river, and hurried down on its other side to defend it. «

A fortunate mistake of the pilots, thus drew this formidable party out of its entrenchments, exposed it in the open field, and left to the invaders a safe passage through that bank of the river so recently lined with armed men. But for thk mistake, the horsemen could not have escaped a most deadly fire, and, in all probability, a saramary jdefeat. Bat the method offighting was now entirely changed. The crossing by the horsemen was too quickly done, to allow the Indians to regain their hiding places ; their ranks were scattered, and the main body of them, hemmed in between the assailants and the river. This done, the men dismounted, betook themselves to trees, and poured in a*deadly fire upon the enemy. They resisted bravely, under the lead of the Ring Fisher, one of their most distinguished Braves. He made a daring sally^ within a few yards of where one of the party, Hugh L. White, was standing, and the action was becoming sharp and spirited, when White and a few comrades near him, levelling their rifles, this formidable champion fell, and his warriors immediately fled. Three brave men lost their lives in this etigagoment. Pruett and Weir died on the spot- Wallace, the next day.

The town was set on fire late in the evening, and the troops encamped near it. During the night they were attacked by the Indians. Benjamin McNutt, Esq., and William Gaot, were standing as sentinels in an exposed point of the encampment. The Indians approached stealthily upon them, and each of them fired. Gaut was shot through the body, was carried several days' march on a litter, but ultimately recovered.

After the engagement, the Indians made good their escape into the secret passes of the adjoining country. The army, after the town was burned, rescued from the places in which they were obliged to conceal themselves, Col. Kelly and the five horsemen, who had swam their horses at the lower crossing.

Sevier having accomplished thus much of the object of the expedition, desired to extend his conquests to Indian towns still lower down the country. The guides informed him that there was but one accessible path by which the army could reach these distant villages, and that it could be passed only under disadvantageous circumstances.* Little hope remained of meeting the enemy in such numbers as to inflict upon the perpetrators of the mischief at Cavet's, suitable punishment for their atrocities. They had been expelled from the frontier - the heart of their country had been penetrated - their warriors defeated and baffled, and their towns and crops burned up and destroyed. Orders for the return march were given, and the army soon after reached their homes in safety.* Sevier took comrftand again at Ish's, from which place he made to Gov. Blount his official report :

Srsuit of the large body of Indians, who, on the 25th of last month, 1 the mischief in Knox county, near the Grassy Valley. For the safety and security of our army, I crossed at one of the upper fords, on the Tennessee River, below the mountains. We then bent our course for Hiwassee, with expectations of striking the trail, and before we reached thitt river, we discovered four large ones, making directly into the mountains. We proceeded across the Hiwassee, and directed our march for Estanaula, on the Coosa River, at which place we arrived on the -14th instant, discovering on our way further trails leading to the aforesaid place. We there made some Cherokee prisoners, who informed hb that John Watts headed the army lately out on our frontiers ; that the same was composed of Indians, more or less, from every town in ftiB Cherokee nation ; that from the Turkey's town, Sallyqucxfth, Coosawaytah, and several other principal ones, almost to a man was out^ joined by a large number of the Upper Creeks, who had passed that place on their return, only a few days since, and had made for a town at the mouth of Hightower River. We, after refreshing the troops, marched for that place, taking the path that leads to that town, along which the Creeks had marched, in ^ve large trails. On the 17th insL, in the afternoon, we arrived at the forks of Coosa and Hightower Rivers. Colonel Kelly was ordered, with a part of the Knox regiment, to endeavour to cross the Hightower. The Creeks, and a number of Cherokees, had entrenched themselves to obstruct the passage. Colonel Kelly and bis party passed down the river, half a mile below the ford, and began to cross at a private place, where there was no ford. Himself and a few others swam over the river; the Indians discovering this movement, immediately left their entrenchments, and ran down the river to oppose their passage, expecting, as I suppose, the whole intended crossing at the lower place. Capt Evans, immediately, with his company of mounted

* Narratives of the late James Rogers aad of Benjamia M*Nutt, Esq., of Kooz eooDty, each of whom was on this expedition, and participated largely in military and civil services during the infancy of the country. Squire McNutt still survives, and has fomiahed other details of early times in Tennessee.

infaotry, strained tbeir hofies back to tLe upper ford, &nd began to cron the river. Very few bad got to the south bank, before the lodiana, who had discovered tlieir mistake, returned and received them furioualy at the rising of the bank. An engagement instantly took place, and became very warm, and, notwithstanding the enemy were at least four to one in Dumt>ers, besides the advantage of situation, Captain Evana, with his heroic company, put them in a short time entirely to flight. TbCT left several dead on the ground, and were seen to carry olhere off boti on foot and borse. Bark and trails of blood from the wounded, were to be seen in every quarter. Tbeir encampment full into our hands, with annmberof their guna, many of which were of the Spanish sort, with their budgets, blankets and match coats, together with some horae*. We lost three men in this engagement, which is all that have fell during the time of our route, altiiough this last attack was the fourth the enemy had made upon us, but in the others, repulsed without loss. After the last engagement, we crossed the main Coosa, where they bad thrown np some works and evacuated; tliey suffei'ed ua to pass unmolested. W« then proceeded on our nay down tlio main river, near the Turnip Mountain, destroying, in our way, several t'reek and Cherokee towns, which they had settled together on each side of the river, and from which they have all tied, with apparent precipitation, leaving almost every thing 'behind them. Neither did they, after the last engagement, attempt to annoy or interrupt us on our march, in any manner whatever. I ban great reason to believer their ardour and spirit were well checked. The party flogged at Hightower, were those which hod been out with Watts. There are three of our men slightly wounded, and two or three horaes killed ; but the Indians did not, as I have heard of, get a single bone from us the time we wereout. We took and destroyed near three haodred beeves, many of which were of the best and largest kind. Of couTfe, their losing so mocb provision must distreaa them very mn^ Many women and children might have been taken ; but, from inativa of humanity, I did Dot encourage it to be done, and several taken Mtn Bufiered to make their escape. Your Excellency knows the dispoaitioa of many that were out on this expedition, and can readily accoont At this conduct

The Etowah campaign wan the last military service rendered by Sevier, and the only one for which he ever received compensation from the Government. For nearly twenty years he had been constantly engaged in incessant atid unremitted service. He was in thirty-five battleii, soma of them hardly contested and decisive. He was never wounded, and in all his campaigns and battles, was successfnl and the victor. He was careful of the lives of his soldiery, and, although he always led them to the victory, he lost, in all his engagements with the enemy, but fifty-six men. The secret of his invariable success, was the impetuosity and

Tigoar of his charge. Himself an accomplished horseman, a graceful rider, passionately fond of a spirited charger, always well mounted at the head of his dragoons, he was at once in the midst of the fight. His rapid movement, always unexpected and sudden, disconcerted the enemy, and at the firstonset decided the victory. He was the first to introduce the Indian war-whoop in his battles with the savages, the tories, or the British. More harmless than the leaden missile, it was not less efficient, and was always the precursor and attendant of victory. The prisoners at King^s Mountain said, '' We could stand your fighting, but your cursed hallooing confused us ; we thoug*ht the mountains had regiments instead of companies.^' Sevier's enthusiasm was contagious ; he imparted it to his men. He was the idol of the soldiery, and his orders were obeyed cheerfully and executed with precision. In a military service of twenty years, one instance is not known of insubordination on the part of the soldier or of discipline by the commander.

Sevier's troops were generally his neighbours, and the . members of his own family. Oflen no public provision was made for their pay, equipments or subsistence. These were ftirnished by himself, being at once Commander, Commis- Mriat and Paymaster. The soldiery rendezvoused at his hoase, which often became a cantonment - ^his fields, ripe or Unripe, were given up to his horsemen ; powder and lead, provisions, clothing, even all he had, belonged to his men.

The Etowah campaign terminated the military services of General Sevier. Hereafler, we will have to record his not less important agency in the civil a&airs of Tennessee.

The notice of the Paymaster, as published in the Gazette, (of the payment of the troops in the service of the ( Territory, furnishes the only list that can now be procnred, of the captains who served in 1702 and 1793. They are here given : Captains Hugh Beard, Lusk, Brown, Rains, Doherty, Briant, Henley, Tate, Christian, Gillespie, Samples, Crawford, Cooper, Grier, Milliken, Childers, White, Gregg, AUispn, King, Marshall, Bunch, Chisum, Richardson, Evans, Copeland, Cantrell, Murray, Shannon, Corder)% Nash, Parker, Edmonson, Frazier, Wm. Blackmore, Johnston, Hoggat, G.

D. BlacUmore, Walker; Lieutenant G. L. Davidson; Cornet Miliig^n. For services in 1793, Captain Cox, Lieutenants Birds, Hubbard and Henderson, Sergeant McClellan.

While Sevier was absent with so many men, on the Etowah campaign, the Indians canio in suddenly and killed, on the south of the river, above Dandridgc, a lad and a woman. They were found, stuck in the throat like hogs, the skin taken entirely 00" their heads, and the bodies left naked. A party of friends accompanied their remains to a buryingground three miles olT. Two of these, Cunningham and Jacob Jenkins, incautiously went on some distance before the test. A body of fifty Indians fired upon them. The former was killed, scalped, and bruised with war-clubs. He was found, directly after, by the company, carried to the burial place, and interred with the other two in the same grave- Jenkins received several bullets shot through his clothes, and a blow ft'om a war-club ; but his horae being struck with a ball, dashed down a precipice, and brought oS the rider in safety.

Hearing of this massacre o( his friends, W. H. Cunning-, bam went from his home on Boyd's Creek, for the purpose of advising them to remove to the stronger station at Me- Gaugbey's ; and to bring home with him his son Jesse, (then a. little boy,) who was staying at the Buffalo Lick. He car ried his little son before him, the distance of tbiKy miles; leaving the main road, and pursuing by-paths, he escaped the attack of the Indians till he got within about half a mile of the fort, when he passed through a party of them, thirty in number. It was now night, and he escaped unhurt.* The Indians pvowled around the station, but finding it too well defended to justify an assault, they broke open the stable doors, stole the horses of the besieged, and withdrew. The condition of the country did not allow of pursuit.

Two weeks after, Mr. Cunningham was going out from the fort alone. At the distance of two hundred yards from the fort gate, be was fired upon by a party of ten Indians, lying io ambush fifteen steps from him. He escaped every ball, but the Indians having intercepted his return to the gate, chased him in the opposite direction. The fire from one of their guns proved efiectual, and wounded him. lie turned the corner of a fence, and would have been soon overtaken, but that the men in the fort sallied out and made pursuit of the Indians ; upon discovering which, the Indians withdrew to their retreats in the mountains.

Information reached Knoxville that, since the expedition i carried on against the Gherokees by General Sevier, ( and which terminated with the battle of Etowah, the Indians had, in a great measure, ceased their hostilities against the Cumberland settlements ; and some of the people there solicited, through Col. Ford, one of the members of the Territorial Legislature, that General Sevier would undertake a future campaign in the &ame direction, as the most effectual means of procuring a permanent peace.

From the same source the information was communicated, that ** a campaign was going against the Spanish possessions by French troops, now at the mouth of Cumberland, and garrisoned at that place. Gen. George Rogers Clarke has the command of this expedition, and they are to embark at the mouth of Cumberland."

It may be here remarked, that the disposition to engage in the projected campaign never became general in the Territory, and, meeting with little sympathy from the masses, was soon after abandoned.

1794, April 1. - A party of Indians, thirty or forty in number, ambuscaded a path near Calvin's Block-house, on Crooked Creek, and fired upon Samuel Wear, his two sons and William McM urray. They escaped unhurt.

A more tragical issue attended an attack made the same day by a party of forty Indians, near the Crab-Orchard, upon a companv of travellers. Thomas Sharp Spencer was killed, and James Walker was wounded. The rest of the party escaped to the Point Block-house. The hill down \^hich the whites were descending, and on which Spencer was killed, U still known as Spencer's Hill.

night, near the Block-house, at the mouth of Town Greek, and, next morning, fired upon and killed William Green. * Attempting to storm the block-house, the Indians were repulsed, and several of their warriors wounded.

Amongst other acts of Indian hostility perpetrated in Knox county, was one which occurred on the 22d A|mi1, 1704. William Casteel lived south of French Broad, about nine miles above Knoxville, and two miles from the then residence of Doctor Cozby. The latter had been an old Indian fighter, from the first settlement of the country, and was, of course, held in deadly hatred by the Indians, and had often been selected as the victim of their vengeance. He had his house always well prepared for defence, and never allowed himself to be taken by surprise. At evening, of the 22d, his domestic animals gave the usual tokens of the presence of Indians, when, observing from his house, he could discern, obscurely, the stealthy march, in Indian file, of twenty warriors passing across the end of a short lane, and concealing themselves in the fence corners and the adjoining woods. The door was at once barricaded, the fire extinguished, two guns primed afresh, and with these he prepared to defend his castle and his family, consisting of his wife and several children, one of whom only could shoot. A space of more than one hundred yards had been cleared around his building, and there was light enough to see the approach of an assailant within that distance. From the port-holes, in eaoh angle of the house, a constant watch was kept, and orders were given by Cozby, in a loud voice, to the members of his family, as if commanding a platoon of soldiers. The stratagem succeeded. An hour before day the Indians withdrew, and went off in the direction of Casteel's cabin. Early next morning Anthony Kagan came to Casteel's, and found him dead, from a lick received on his head from a war club ; he was scalped, and lying near the fire, dressed, and with leggins on, having arose early for the purpose, as was supposed, of accompanying Reagan to a hant, which had been agreed on the preceding day. Mrs. Casteel was found on the floor, scalped in two places - a proof that it required two warriors to conquer her - her nightcap with several holes cut through it,> a butcher knife stuck into her side^ one arm broken, and a part of the hand of the other arm cut oS*. She seemed to have made resistance with an axe, found near her, stained with blood. One of the daughters received a stab, which, piercing through the body, went into the bed-clothes. She and two brothers were scalped. The youngest child, two years old, having the cranium entirely denuded of the scalp, was thrown into the chimney corner. Elizabeth, the oldest daughter, ten years old, now Mrs. Dunlap, still living near the scene of the horrid massacre of her father's whole family, was found weltering in her blood, flowing from six wounds inflicted with a tomahawk. Besides these, she was also scalped. Reagan gave the alarm to the settlement ; urgent pursuit was immediately made, but the savages escaped. While preparations were made for the interment of the massacred family, Elizabeth showed signs of life, moaning when an attempt was made, by Col. Ramsey, who was present, to close one of the gashes upon her head. She was taken to Mr. Slfook's, who then owned Major Swan's mills, where Doptor Cozby dressed her wounds. She did not recover (q\ two years. The rest of the family, six in number, were- buried in one grave, under a black-oak tree, still standing. Mr. Casteel was a soldier of the Revolution, from Green Brier county, Va., and had never received any thing for his services. Of the heroic wife and mother, nothing more is known. An effort has been made to procure a pension for the surviving daughter. Thus far it has been fruitless.

Governor Blount found it almosit impossible to restrain the inhabitants south of French Broad, where this massacre took place, from an immediate invasion of the Indian territory. His efllbrts in this would not have succeeded, but for the timely assistance and advice of the civil officers of Knox county, south of the river. These met in committee, June 20, at the house of James Beard : Present - James White,

William Lowry, David Craig and Thomas McCuUoch. An address to their fellow citizens was agreed upon, printed and circulated. It is an ably written document, and had great influence in tranquillizing the people and pursuadingthemto acquiesce in the design of the Government, to obtain peace by negotiation, rather than by arms.

May 8. - Post-ofl[ices were not, at this date, extended so far in the interior as Knoxville. It was expected by Mr. Muhlenberg, Postmaster General, that against October, this facility would be afl!brded to the people of the Territory.

" 111 June, Scott's boat left KDOxville for Natchez, on board of whidi were William Scott, John Pettegrew, William Pettegrew, Mr. Tate, Mr. Young, John Harkins, three women, four children, and twenty negroei As this boat passed down the Tennessee, it was fired upon by the Lower Chcrokees of the Running Water, and at the Long Island village, without receiving any injury. On the otlier band, the fire was returned, and two Indians were wounded. A largo party of a hundred and ihj Indians then collected, headed by Unacala, the same who was wounded at the attack upon Buchanan's Station, in September, 1702, and they pursued the boat to the Muscle Shoals, where they overtook it. Thej killed all the white people who were in it, made prisoners of the negroes, and plundered the boat of its lading. The white people, in making resistance, killed tliree Indians and wounded a fourth.

'*0n the 24th of July, a party of Indians killed John Ish at his plough, in his field, within one hundred and eighty yards of his own block-house, and scalped him. Ish lived eighteen miles below Knoxville. He left a wife and eleven children, the eldest not more than eleven years of age. Major King and Lieutenant Cunningham, with John Boggs and ton other Cherokees, sent by the Hanging Maw in pursuit of the offenders, returned a few days afterwards with a Creek fellow, whom the Hanging Maw wished to scalp, but was dissuaded from his j)urpo.so, and took only the war-lock, with which they danced the scalp dance all night. But the Cherokees apprehended for this act the rosentmeut of tlio Crock nation. Major King, in the pursuit, came upon the trail of the murderers, leading into the path that was travelled from Coyateo to Iliwassee, which he koj>t to a iM)int within two miles of Iliwassee. Ho there rcc-ivod inform/!tion that those he was in pursuit of, pas!<ed with a fresh scalp about the middle of the afternoon, and would, it was supposed, tarry all night at Wococee, eight miles ahead. The pursuers went to Wococee, and, finding the murderers still ahead, tlioy continued the ]>ursuit till they were overtiiken by a runner from Hiwassee, with information that one of Ish's murderers was behind, stopped at a little village two miles from Hiwa^see. Despairing to overtake the main body, they turned back and found the Creek, as the runner had reported, in the house of a Cherokee. Aft^r some consaltation whether the Cherokees or white people should kill or take him, the Maw's son, Willioe, with three others, seized and tied him. Having tied him, four warriors took him in charge, who were particularly care- - fill that he should not escape until he was delivered, confined in cords, to the agent of the United States, Mr. McKee, at the Tellico Blockhouse, on the evening of the 28th of July. The Governor issued a commission of Oyer and Terminer for the trial of this Indian, pursuant to the stipulations contained in the treaty of New- York. A court was held by Judge Anderson, and an indictment was found by the grand juiy against Obongpohego,* of Toocaucaugee, on Oakfuskee. When chaiged, he confessed the fact But the court permitted him to withdraw his plea and to plead not guilty ; which being done, the trial prooeeded, and the petit jury found him guilty of the murder of John Ish, as charged in the bill of indictment

^ On the Idth, Lieutenant McClelland, who had with him thirty-seven of Captain £vans's company, was attacked on the Cumberland path, near the Crab-Orchard, eighteen miles from South- West Point, by a body of Creeks, consisting of upwards of one hundred warriors ; he made a brave and soldierly defence, twice repelling the Creeks, but was finally compelled to retreat, with the loss of four men killed, one ironnded, four missing, thirty-one horses, thirty-eight saddles and bridles, blankets, great-coats and provisions. On the side of the Creeks the lo6B was not ascertained, but from the obstinacy and bravery of the defence, and the report of Lieutenant McClelland and others, there was reason to beUeve they lost from twelve to sixteen ; the Creek commander was conspicuously bold, and was numbered amongst the slain. The white men who were killed, were Paul Cunningham, Daniel Hitchcock, William Flennegan, Stephen Renfroe ; Abraham Byrd was wounded ; the four men who were missing from the detachment aiter the action, afterwards reached South- West Point William Lea, one of that number, arrived on the 18th, and reported that he had been made prisoner by the Indians, and had escaped from them.

"On the 20th of December, a party of Indians, about two hours after dark, secreted themselves within twenty feet of the door of Thomas Cowan, and fired upon his wife and son as they stepped into the yard, and pierced the clothes of the latter with eight balls, but he escaped, under cover of the night, into the woods, and Mrs. Cowan returned into the house unhurt The firing alarmed the neighbourhood, and Captain Baird was at Cowan's with twenty men, within an hpur and a half, and patroled the woods the whole night in search of the Indians, hoping they would strike up a fire by which he could discover them ; on the next day, by order of Governor Blount, he went in pursuit of them."

Hanging Maw declared that his nation would no longer listen to Spanish emissaries and agents, and that the Upper and Lower Towns were now disposed for peace. His overtares had scarcely reached the Governor, when a party of

Indians - principally Creeks - nearly one thousand strongi marched through the country towards the white settlements. Governor Blount ordered out Colonel White, with half of the military force of Knox county, to oppose them. The Cherokee women and children were brought to the north side of the Tennessee, and placed under the protection of the blockhouses, and the warriors of the Upper Towns agreed to cooperate with Colonel White in resisting the advancing Creek army. That formidable party advanced no further than Wills Town, and there dispersed in various directions. Intelligence of the victories of Wayne over the North- Western Indians had reached the Cherokces, who, apprehensive that the arms of the conquerors of their northern allies would be turned against themselves, sued for peace through Tucalatague or Double Head, a principal chief. Governor Blount assented to a conference, to be held at Tellico, and there accepted the proposed friendship with the Cherokees, and arranged a general exchange of prisoners and of all the property taken during the war.

We have already mentioned, as given in Governor Blount's official report to the War Department, the names of some who fell victims to Indian massacre. To these are here added others, as detailed by Haywood, or furnished from other sources.

1791, June 2. - "The Indians killed John Thompson in his own com field, within five miles of Nashville ; on the 14th of June they killed John Gibson and wounded McMoon, in Gibson's field, within eight miles of Nashville ; they killed lienjamin Kirkendall in his own house, within two miles of Colonel Winchester's, in Sumner county, and plundered his house of everything the Indians could use. In June, three travellers from Natchez to Nashville, were found dead on the trace near the mouth of Duck River ; there were eight in company and only two come in ; on the 3d of July, Thomas Fletcher and two other men, were killed on the north side of Cumberland, near the mouth of Red River - their heads were entirely skinned ; and in the same month, a man was killed within a hundred and fifty yards of Major Wilson's, on the public road, as he was riding up to the house; on the 12th, Thomas White was killed on the Cumberland Mountain and on the Cumberland trace.

" On Monday, the 19th of January, IV 92, the Indians killed Robert Sevier and William Sevier, sons of Valentine Sevier, who lived at the mouth of Red River, near the present site of Clarkesville ; they had gone to the relief of the distressed families on the Cumberland River, who had sent an express for assistance ; the officers of Tennessee countr toold give D0D6. A part of the crew was on shore getting provisions to be carried in boats to the sufferers ; the boats were ahead oi them when these yoang men discovered the enemy, whom they mistook for their own party, the Indians having been seen late in tlie evening at A considerable distance from that place. Robert Sevier hailed them, who answered they were friends, with which answer being satisfied, he saiied on, and the Indians carelessly began to chop with their hatchetSy till the young men in the boats got very near them. Robert said to the man who was with him in the boats, ^ these are not our friends, -teer off.' The Indians then fired upon them ; the man leaped out of the boat, and leil them in it about three rods distant from the shore. .Before the 25th, William was found and buried, but Robert met a party of twelve white men, pursued, but did not overtake the Indians. On the 16th of the same month, Valentine, a third son of this unfortunate parent, abo fell by the hands of the savages ; he was in a boat ascending the river, and was fired upon and kil.ed dead in it ; two others were wounded, one of them, John Rice, died, and both he and Valentine were buried about sixty miles below the mouth of Red River. Until Valentine fell, he and two others kept up so brisk a fire, that they intimidated the Indians and saved the crew. Deprived of all his sons who had come with him to Cumberland in so short a time, the afflicted parent wrote to his brother. General Sevier, to send to him his son John to come and see him ; as, said he, in the moving language of suffering innocence, I have no other sons but small ones. On the 28th of January, 1792, Oliver Williams and Jason Thompson, nt night encamped on the road leading from Bledsoe's Station to the ford on Cumberland Biver, on the north side of the river, where they were fired upon by Indians and both wounded, and their horses and other articles were taken from them. About the beginning of March, 1702, the Indians attacked the house of Mr. Thompson, within seven miles of Nashville, killed and scalped the old man, his wife, his son and a daughter, and made prisoners Mrs. Cafilrey, her son, a small boy, and Miss Thompson. On the 5th of March, 1702, twenty-five Indians attacked Brown's Station, eight miles from Nashville, and killed four boys ; on the Gth they burnt Dnnham's Station ; on the 12th they killed McMurray on his own plantation, at the mouth of Stone's River ; on the 5th of April, they killed Mrs. Radcliff and three children ; on the 8th they killed Benjamin Williams and party, consisting of eight men, in the heart of the Cumberland settlements ; on Station-Camp Creek a boy was wounded in three places ; at the same place two boys, sons of Robert Desha, were killed in the field in the oaytime, near their father's house, and also Kirkendall, on the 16th of May, 1702, and a man on the 17th. On the 24th of May, 1702, General Ilobcrtson and his son Jonathan Robertson, were at or near Robertson's Lick, half a mile from his statioUi where they were fired upon by a party of Indians ; the General was wounded in the arm, and thrown by his horse amongst the Indians; his son was wounded through the hip, but seeing the dangerous situation in which his father was, he dismounted, though so badly wounded, and fired on them as they rushed towards his father ; this checked them for a moment, and gave time to the General to get off, and both got 9Mj into the station. On the 25th, a boy was wounded near the General'i, and died of his wounds on the 6tn of June ; on Sunday, the 18th of May, a man and two girls wore fired on by the Indians within four milei of Nashville ; the roan and one girl escaped, the other was tomahawked by the Indians. On the 26th of June, 1702, Zigler's Station, withm two miles of Bledsoe's Lick, was attacked by a party of Indians, first m the afternoon and again by night ; they killed live persons, burnt one in the station and wounded four others ; three escaped unhurt

^'On the 31st of August, an attack was made on John Birkley and his son, in his peach orchard near Bledsoe's Lick ; the former was wounded, but bravely returned the fire and killed an Indian in the act of scalping his son. Oti the night of the 27th of August, a party of fifteen Creeks put fire to Captain Morgan's house near the same place; the fire was extinguished and the party repulsed by the ud of Captain Lusk's company, stationed for the protection of the frontiers. On the preceding night, the same party opened the stables of James Douglass, and took his horses ; the next day Samuel Wilson fell in with toem, wounded one, put the party to flight and regmned the horses, a gnu - and a bloody blanket. Shortly before the 11th of August, 1792, tht Indians killed a boy and wounded a man near Bledsoe's Lick.

^ On Monday, the 8th of October, William Stuart was killed about six miles from Nashville, on the nortii side of Cumberland. On the night of the same day, the Indian's burnt Stump's distillery, on White's Creek, on the north side of Cumberland; On the 0th of October, a party of Indians went to Sycamore Creek, eighteen miles from Nashville, and burnt the house of James Frazicr, Mr. Riley and of Major Coffield, a large quantity of corn, and shot down a number of hogs. They tlien proceeded to Bushy Creek of Ked River, where they burnt the house of Obadiali Roberts, and took off a number of horses : they were followed by a party of whites, who killed one of the Indians and regained the horses.

" On the 7th of December, 1792, a party of cavalry, in service for the protection of the District of Mero, about eight miles from Nashville, was fired upon by about twenty Indians, who put them to flight, killed John Ilankins, who was scalped and his body much mangled. The Indians stole horses in this district without intennission, through all the month of December, 1792.

" On the 29th of December, John Haggard was killed and scalped, about six miles from Nashville ; twelve balls were shot into him. Hii wife was killed by the Indians in the summer, and he left five small children in poverty and wretchedness."

t of the principal chiefs and warriors of the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. Thp conference with them began on the 7th, and continued to the 10th of August. By Governor Blount and General Pickens, valuable goods were presented to the ladians, as evidences of the friendship of the United States. To each of the chie s, a rifle was also given, and the thanks of the Government were tendered to such of them as had assisted Wayne's operations against the northern Indians. It was also promised, that a trading post should be established, for the benefit of the Indians, at the mouth of Bear Creek.

A few Cherokees were present during the conference at Nashville, and, it was afterwards believed, were secretly trying to discover the strength and situation of the country# with a view to the expedition they were then plotting against Cumberland.

" General Robertson immediately raised the militia, leaving a few to keep up the different stations ; he collected five hundred men and placed them under the command of Gol. Elijah Robertson, Col. Mansco and Col. Winchester, and Captain John Rains, two miles from Nashville. A troop of horse, commanded by Colonel Hays, was ordered to discover, if possible, at what point the Indians intended to make the meditated attack.

" Abraham Castleman, one of the militia soldiers, had withdrawn him* self from the army for some days, and at length returned and stated, that he had been as far as the Black Fox's camp, where he had seen the signs of a numerous army of Indians, and that they might shortly be expected in the neighbourhood of Nashville. The General sent off Captain Rains to ascertain the reality of the facts detailed by Castleman ; Rains took with him a young man, Abraham Kennedy, and -went to the place where Murfreesborough now stands, and halted in th« woods, and remainingon the ground all night, he next day made a cirouit around the spring where the Black Fox's camp was. The Black Fox was an Indian chief, who formerly hunted and encamped at the spring not far from the spot where now is the site of Murfreesborough. In this circuit, he examined all the paths which led to the camp from the direction of the Cherokee country ; finding no traces of Indians, he ventured to the spring ; he then returned home by way of Buchanan's Station, and informed the people that the traces of an Indian army were nowhere to be scon. Soon after the return of Captain Rains, the troops were marched back to Nashville.

"Two other men, however, were sent off to reconnoitre the country through which the Indians were necessarily to pass in coming to Kashville. These were Jonathan Gee and Seward Clayton, who went on the Indian trace leading through the place where Murfreesborough now stands, to Nashville, eight or ten miles from Buchanan's Station ; as they travelled along the path talking loudly, they saw meeting them the advance of the Indian army, who called to tliem in English to know who they were, to which question, without disguise, they answered. Upon being asked in return, who they were, they said they were spies from

General Robertson's Station, and were returning Lome ; both parties advanced till they cnine witLin a few steps of each other, when the Indians fired and killed Gee dead in the road. They broke the arm of the other, who ran into the woods, but being pursued by a great number of them, they overtook and killed him also. Thence they inarched rank and file, in three lines abreast, with quick step till they arrived at Buchanan's Station, where the People were wholly unapprised of their coming, and did not expect it This was on Sunday next afler the discharge of the troops, being the 30th of September."

In addition to the account, as given in Governor Blount's letter to the Secretary of War, of the attack on Buchanan's Station, we extract further details of that invasion, and of the remarkable and successful defence by the brave men within the fort.

'' McRory rose and looked towards the place whence they ran, and saw sixty Indians not more than a few feet from the gate of the fort ; be instantly fired through the port-hole, and killed the chief leader of the Indians, who on receiving the wound, immediately expired. He was a Shawnee, and had quarrelled with WatU, who insisted upon deferring the attack uutil day, and until after the garrison had dispersed to their various avocations. The whole garrison, consisting of nineteen men, few to arms, and fired upon the Indians through the port-boles ; the Indians, in turn, fired upon the fort Captain Rains was sent for ; he and ^ve other men went off in full gallop to Buchanan's Station, and arrived just in time to see the Indians leaving the plantation at the fort ; they had lost some of their men ; some were found on the ground near the outside wall of the fort; others were carried oft' and buried in difleront places, an4 were afterwards found by the white people. Of the wounded, were John Watts, with a ball through one thigh, which lodged in the other, supposed to be dangerou"* ; the White Man Killer, the Dragging Canoe's brother, the OwTs son, a young man i.f the Lookout Mountain, a Creek war^ rior, who died, and a young warrior of the. Running Water, who died.

" There were also sundry young Cherokee warriors with Watts, besides those who lived in the five Lower Towns, i)articularly John Walker and George Fields, two young half-breeds who had been raised amongst the white people, and in whom, every one who knew them, had the utmost confidence. The former was quite a stripling, and, apparently, the most good-natured youth the Governor ever saw ; for so he thought him. They acted as the advanced s])ies of W^atts's party, and decoyed and killed Gee and Clayton. The Cherokees said that many of the Creeks kept at such a distance from the station, that they could hardly shoot a bullet to it. With WatU», there were sixteen Cherokees from Iliwassee ; one from Keuka ; five from Connasauga, and one from Strington's.

** When the Indians retired, General Robertson hastily collected what troops he could, and j)ursued them to Hart's big spring, near Stewart's Creek. It was discovered that they marched out as well as in, in three columns. The general's force, not being more than a hundred and eighty men, and that of the enemy being greatly superior, and they having got fiir ahead, he deemed it moet advisable to return home, which he did.'*

Indian aggressions were repeated almost daily, and evi- ^ { denced that a numerous body of Indians was in the ( neighbourhood, as a small party would not have been so daring as to continue their repeated attacks, and still remain near the scenes of their atrocious cruelties, ready to renew and extend them. An opportunity was soon found by the Indians to attack the station near Greenfield. This was a position of some strength, and guarded by a few men. A number of negroes had left the station early in the morning of April 27, to work in the adjoining fields. As was the general custom, a sentinel, John Jarvis, accompanied them. About two hundred and sixty Indians had, the previous night, formed an ambuscade, not (ar from the field, and when the horses were attached to the ploughs by the negroes, and their attention was directed to their work, they were suddenly fired upon by the Indians, who formed a line between them and the fort across a field, so as to cut off their retreat, and intercept them, should they attempt it in the direction of the station. As soon as the firing and the war whoop reached the men in the fort, four of them - William Ilall, William Neely, William Wilson and another - snatched up their guns mod ran to the gate of the station, from which point they conld see over the entire field, where the enemy was pursuing the sentinel and the negroes. It was evident that without a bold and iqomediate rescue, their comrades would all be killed. Hall and the other soldiers dashed impetuously forward, and met the advancing Indian column at a cross fence in the field, received their fire, took the fence from themi killing three or four of the warriors, and keeping the whole of them in check, until all but one of the unarmed negroes reached the fort. This one was shot on his retreat, and afler he had got fifty yards within the fence, from which the whites were firing. Poor Jarvis was unfortunately killed. It is remarkable, that though nearly a hundred guns were fired at the gallant men who were bravely repulsing the Indians, distant not more than thirty yards, not one of them was seriously hurt. Mr. Hall was without his hat - a ball passed through his hair, cutting it off close to the skio, and abrading it about three or four inches long, but doing slight damage. The little party gained the fort, under a heavy fire from the Indians. This they kept up for a considerable time, but at such a distance that the guns from the station could not reach the enemy. During their firing, the Indiana caught all the horses and took them off, carrying upon them a number of their dead and wounded, raising the war whoop as they marched off.

This repulse, at Greenfield, of two hundred and sixty war* riors, well armed and flushed with late successes, made by four men, exposed to the constant fire of the Indians during the whole attack, is almost without a parallel. One of the brave men who participated in it. General William Hall, of Sumner county, still survives, venerated and esteemed by hit countrymen for his gallantry, his patriotism and private worth. He has since occupied the highest stations in the civil and military service of his state, and presents a proud specimen of the heroic age and of the early times of Tennessee. The three comrades of Hall exhibited also signal bravery, which, in the case of Neely and Hall, was stimulated by the spirit of revenge each of them felt for the loss, by the savages, of a father and two brothers, on previous occasions. Such intrepidity awed the assailants from further attempts upon the station, and they withdrew from that place. But, upon the next day, Francis Ransom was killed on the Kentucky Trace, near the Dripping Spring.

In the spring of this year, more than six hundred Creek { warriors crossed the Tennessee, at the Lower Chero- ( kee Towns, on a war excursion against the Cumberland settlements. Small detachments of this body scattered themselves in every direction, and perpetrated mischief whereever it could be effected with safety, or wherever the stations were defenceless. The people were incensed that the Government left them thus without protection, and was so tardy in making provision for their defence. Their complaints, on account of this neglect, induced Governor Blount to do something for their relief. On the 29th of April, he sent one kandred and twenty men from South- West Point, under the command of Major Hugh Beard, to assist the people of Mero District against the Greek invasion. In going to and returning from Nashville, on this expedition, that officer passed by the head of the southern confluents of the Cumberland, and altogether south of the settlements formed on that stream. In that route, he would pass through the midst of the main Greek camps, from which their small parties so repeatedly issued in their murderous excursions against the frontiers. He hoped thus to intercept or to intimidate them. He found many of their camps abandoned, and was able to ' meet only three small parties ; of these, he killed only a few and wounded several. His troops escaped unhurt, except in an attack on Smith's River, where Mr. Alexander received a slight flesh wound. Beard returned to Knoxville in June. The enemy had escaped him. The main body of them having eluded his search, had re-crossed the Tennessee, on their return from Cumberland and Kentucky, with numerous scalps and horses, the trophies of their ^ccessful invasion. One good result, it was believed, would follow Beard's campaign. The new practice of searching for the Indians in the thickejts and at their camping places, would, when it becafne known to them, inspire no small apprehension of danger in crossing the Tennessee, or making an invasion so distant from their homes.

Notwithstanding this expedition of Major Beard, and the« vigilance of the people on Cumberland, the Indians succeeded occasionally in their attacks. At Johnson's Station, near Nashville, a party of them, on the 0th of Ma}'-, flred upon and wounded three boys, one of whom they scalped. A fourth they caught by the jacket, but he stripped it off", and escaped unhurt.

Early in May, Nathaniel Teal, the carrier of the mail, had arrived in Nashville from Natchez. After delivering the mail, he went out in the evening and spent the night with General Robertson, five miles from town. Next morning? within a mile of the General's house, the Indians flred upon and killed him. Two companies of horsemen were instantly paraded - one, commanded by old Captain John Rains ; the

Other, by Captain John Gordon, the same who ailerwards, in 1813, commanded the spy company in the Creek war. To the latter, Joseph Brown attached himself. He was stiU Buffering from the wound he had received in the ambuscade on Laurel River, in March, but he had made the heroic resolve, to obtain redress for the injuries inflicted on his family, and was among the first to volunteer on this occasion. The force of the two companies united, was one hundred. They were instructed by General Robertson, to scour the woods, and paths and crossing places, of creeks and rivers, and to discover the trails of the enemy coming against Cumberland. They set out on the 12th of May. Teal was killed by a party of Indians who had made a hunt on Cathey's Creek, about twenty miles west of where Columbia now stands. Needing horses to carry the results of their hunt home, they had come into the settlements and stole a number, and killed Teal. The horsemen soon found their trail, and on the fifth day overtook them, on the second creek that runs into Tennessee, below the mouth of Elk. The Indians had stopped to noon, and twenty men were sent forward to fire upon them. The hills were open woods, but the creek bottom was a close cane-brake. Rains' men advanced on the right of the Indians, while Gordon's went to their left. When the advance of twenty fired, the two companies dashed forward with all speed. Gordon's company came to a high bluflf . of the creek, which horses could not descend, when the Captain and Joseph Brown dismounted, and took down the precipice, and each of them killed an Indian. The horsemen had to ride around the bluff, and the most of the Indians escaped into the cane-brake before they were seen. Six of them were killed and a boy captured. The companies then returned home.

But the Indians continued to prowl around and infest the settlements, and, as early as the 20th of May, killed John Hacker, on Drake's Creek, and on the 4th of June, Adam Fleener, Richard Robertson and William Bartlett, were also killed, and Abraham Young and John Mayfield were wounded. On the 20th, James Steele and his daughter were killed and his son wounded. July 1st, the Indians attacked Hay's

Station and killed Jacob and Joseph Castleman, and wounded Hans Gastleman. On the 18th, William Campbell was wounded, near Nashville. On the 15th» Mr. Joslin was wounded at his own house, and on the 19th, Mr. Smith was killed at Johnson's Lick.

Under these repeated sufferings, it is not strange that the people cried aloud for revenge, and demanded permission to retaliate, upon the savages, the injuries and cruel treatment they had received from them. But the cautious policy of Government still inculcated lessons of resignation and forbearance. The state of the negotiation with Spain was plead as an excuse ior repressing, for the time being, the pent-up indignation of the Western people under the wanton provocations and murders they daily endured. But lawabiding as they were, and loyal to the authority of Congress as they afterwards proved themselves to be, the spirit to avenge their wrongs and redress themselves could no longer be suppressed.

^^bont the first of Angust, 1703, Abraham Gastleman raised a eompanj of volunteers to a^ist him in retaliating upon the Indians a great number of injuries which he had received from them, particularly those of killing several of bis near relations. On arriving near the Tennessee, ten of bis company turned back, because General Robertson's Ofders prohibited all scouting parties from crossing that river. But Gastleman, whom the Indians called the Fool Warrior, with Zachariah UacUn, John Camp, Eli Hammond, Ezekiel Oaruthers and Frederick Stull, all dressed like Indians, and painted in the same manner, so as Dot to be distinu;uished, crossed the river, as is generally believed, below Nickaiack, and took the trace towards the Indian nation, which led, as they supposed, to Wills Jown. After travelling about ten miles on tho south siae of the river, Uiey came in view of a camp of forty or fifty Creeks, who were on their way to kill and plunder tho whites in the Cumberland settlements. They were eating two and two, and betrayed lk> alarm at the approach of their supposed friends, but continued eating until the smalt squad of white men came within a few paces of them, and suddenly raised their guns and fired on them ; Gastleman kilted two Indians, and each of the others one. Tho shock being so sudden and unexpected, dismayed and confounded tho Indians, and before they could recover from it and resume the possession of themselves, the whites had retreated so far as to render pursuit unavailing ; this happened on the 15th of August, 1793. On the 21st they all got back safe to Nash\-ille.

tion ; after crossing Dnck River their signs were very fresh ; on punning them seven miles further, they were overtaken ; the pursners killed some of them on the ground, ana took prisoner a boj of twelve yean of age. One of them called out that he was a Chickasaw, and by that fine$^e made his escape. On examining the prisoner, they proved to be all of them Creeks from the Upper Uphalie towns.

" Some short time before the 9th of November, 1793, some horses having been stolen, and Indians seen near Croft's mill, in Sumner county, Colonel James Winchester ordered out Lieutenant Snoddy with thirty men, to scour the woods about the Cany Fork, and, if posBibk, to discover the main encampment On the 4th of November he met two Indians, who fled, and he pursued them to a large camp near the Rock Island ford of the Cany Fork, where he took much spoils. Evening coming on, he withdrew from the camp, about a mile, to an eminence, where he halted his men, and they lay on their arms all night About the dawn of day they appeared advancing with trailed araiB, and at the distance of about thirty yards a firing commenced and was kept up from three to four rounds, when the Indians retreated, leaving one fellow on the ground, and were seen to bear off several wounde£ Lieutenant Snoddy had two men killed and three wounded. He deserved and received much commendation for his gallantry.

" In this year, 1793, the Indians fired on Thomas Sharpe Spenoer, near where Major David Wilson since lived, in Sumner county ; Ifra. A. Bledsoe, in company, was thrown from her horse, but Spenoer bravely rescued her from the hands of the Indians, and conducted her to a place of safety. About this time several persons were killed in the county of Sumner, whose names are not recollected. In this year James Mcdune was killed, by the Indians, at Hays's Station, on Stone's River; one of the Castleman's was also killed and another wounded. About the 1st of December, 1793, James Randal Robertson, son of General Robertson, and John Grimes, were killed by the Cherokees of the Lower towns, on the waters of the Cany Fork, where they had gone to trap for beavers.

" At this time, many of our people were in slavery with the Creek Indians, and were treated by them, in all respects, as slaves. In the Cayelegies, Mrs. "Williams and child, Ahce Thompson, of Nashville, Mi's. CafiVey and child, of Nashville. In the Hog villages, Mr. Brown, of the District of Mero. In the Clewatly town, Miss Scarlet In tlie AVhite Grounds, Miss "Wilson, of the District of Mero, and a boy and girl. In the Cohimniies, a boy five years of ago. At the Big Tallassee, a boy, eight or ten yeai-s of age, and a girl, seven or eight years of age. In the Pocontala-hassee, a boy, twelve or thirteen years of age. In the Oakfuskee, a lad fifteen years of age. In the Red Ground, a man called John. In Casaudcrs, a boy whose age and name were not known.

** As early as the 13th of November, 1793, General Robertson had conceived, and secretly harboure<l, the design of destroying the ^ve Lower town3 of the Cherokees ; he expressed a decided disap])robation of all negotiation with them, as it would but lull the people of the Territory into security, and make them the surer victims of Cherokee perfidy. He, by way of introducing the subject to notice, asked, of General Sevier, in a familiar way, when the Lower towns would get their deserts ? It was hinted by the Governor, said he, that it will be in the spring ; I suspect before that time. But it may be immaterial to us, eonsidering our exposed situation and the little protection we have. He pressed General Sevier to carry an expedition of fifteen hundred men into the Cherokee country before the ensuing spring. We shall see that the former idea, with whomsoever it may have originated, came to matarity in the following year ; though at this time, no one, for fear of the displeasure of Government, would either be the author, advocate, promoter or even connive at the design.

'^On the 20th of February, 1794, numerous small divisions of Indiana appeared in all parts of the frontiers of Mero District, marking «Tery path and plantation with the fatal signs of their visitation. They stole nearly all the horses that belonged to the district, and butchered a number of the citizens. In many instances they left the divided limbs of the slain scattered over the ground. Jonathan Robertson, from whom upon all occasions the Indians had received as good as they sent, was, about this time, with three lads of the name of Cowan, fired upon by five Indians ; one of the lads was slightly wounded, and a ball passed through Robertson's hat ; he and the lads returned the fire and drove off the Indians, having wounded two of them mortally, as was supposed. On the death of Helen, Captain Murray followed the Indians, and at the distance of one hundred and twenty miles came up with them on th« banks of the Tennessee, and destroyed the whole party to the number of eleven ; two women of the party were captured and treated with bumanity.

''On the 20th of March, 1794, James Bryan was fired upon by the Indians from an ambuscade near a path, within four miles of Nashville ; snd, on the same day, Charles Bratton was killed and scalped near the bouse of Major White, in Sumner county.