Additional information about this story
Description Date Location Attached to· Col. John Trader Watts Sr (1726 - 1771)Other trees this object is saved to· o Winkler-Thomas Family Tree o by jeannethomas1961 on 26 Oct 2009 · o roberson Family Tree o by arrelr on 25 Oct 2009 Friday, January 23, 2015
COLONEL JOHN adopted son WATTS
tdinopoweradded this on 8 Oct 2009COLONEL
JOHN WATTS The Dragging Canoe died in the midst of his effort to
induce the Southern tribes to unite with the Shawnees in a general war
upon the American frontiers. Immediately after his death the
Chickamaugas dispatched runners to Chota, for the purpose of inducing
John Watts, and then reckoned a reliable friend of the United States, to
come to Running Water and take Dragging Canoe’s place as their
principal chief. After some hesitation on account of their hostility to
the United States, he accepted the invitation, and set out for the
Chickamauga town son the 13th of March, 1792;' a circumstance which gave
great satisfaction to Governor Blount, as Watts had recently spent
several days with him at Knoxville, had been the recipient of several
valuable presents, and expressed the strongest friendship for the United
States, as well as great personal attachment for the Governor. He
believed, therefore, that Watts' influence would soften, if not
altogether change the conduct of the Chickamauga towns. Nor was he
mistaken in this opinion. Before two moons had passed the Chickamaugas,
for the first time in their history, agreed to take the United States by
the hand, and promised to meet Governor Blount at Coyateeon the 21st of
May, when the first annuals distribution of goods was to Te made under
the treaty of Holston. Watts determined to make the Coyatee conference a
memorable event in the Cherokee annals. He prepared a house for the
reception of Governor Blount, and high above it hoisted the flag of the
United States. The Breath, of Nickajack; Richard Justice, of Lookout
Mountain; Charley, of Running Water, and the other chiefs and warriors
of the Chickamauga towns reached Coyatee on Saturday, the 19th; they
marched in, painted black and sprinkled over with flour, to denote that
they bad been at war, but were now for peace. They were conducted to the
standard of the United States by General Eskaqua, who had just lately
returned from Philadelphia and whom I shall hereafter call by his old
name of Bloody Fellow, John Watts, Kittageska, and other chiefs; Capt.
John Chisholm and Leonard Shaw walked side by side with Bloody Fellow
and Watts, tithe great delight of all. Volleys were fired by the
Chickamaugas in honor of the flag, and were returned by the warriors of
the Upper towns. Governor Blount was to arrive on Sunday. At the
request of the Indians he notified them of his approach, and when he had
come within half a mile of the grounds, he was met by a well dressed
young warrior on horseback, who requested him to halt until he should be
notified of their readiness to receive him. In a short time be was
invited to preeeed. The Indians, some two thousand in number, were
arranged in two lines, about three hundred yards in length. When the
governor entered between the lines, they commenced firing a salute in
the manner of a few dejoie, and kept it up until he was received by
Watts, Bloody Fellow, and other chiefs, under the national flag, amid
shouts of gladness from the whole assemblage. Monday should have been
devoted to business, but on that day there was a great ball play, which
was the national sport of the Cherokees. The game is played with a
small ball of dressed deerskin, stuffed with punk, hair, moss, or soft
dry roots, and two rackets, similar to those used in tennis. Two goals
are set up at a distance of several hundred yards from each other, and
the object of the players is to drive the ball through the goal of their
opponents by means of the rackets without touching it with the
hand. The distribution of the goods was made by the Indians themselves.
The Chickamaugas received the greater part on the ground that they had
not shared in those distributed at the treaty of Hoiston, which they did
not attend. Hanging Maw gave notice that the national council would
meet at Estanaula on June 23rd, to hear the report of Bloody Fellow, and
would then give an answer to Governor Blount's talk. The great council
met at Estanaula June 23rd-30th, but neither Bloody Fellow nor Watts
attended; the former claimed the sickness of some distant relative as an
excuse, while the latter pleaded mercantile business in Pensacola.
Governor Blount, as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the South, had
his agents in the Cherokee nation, and received prompt information of
hostile demonstrations by the Chickamaugas. By September 12th he knew
that the Chickamauga towns had declared war against the United States
and were about to march against the frontiers; he thereupon ordered
General Robertson, the ranking officer on the Cumberland, to put his
brigade in condition to repel the invasion, should it be intended
against the district of Mero. Moreover, he despatched Captain Samuel
Handly, of Blount County, a brave and experienced officer, with
forty-two men of his company, across the mountain into Mero District,
for the defense of the frontiers of Cumberland. Watts anticipated
these measures on the part of Governor Blount, and, notwithstanding the
wild and chaotic character of the Indian council, opposed them with a
well-matured plan of campaign, as successful as it was cunning. He
induced Bloody Fellow and The Glass, chiefs who opposed the war, to
write Governor Blount such letters as were calculated to throw him off
his guard. They alleged that General Robertson had said to Coteatoy,
during the conference with the Chickasaws and Choctaws, at Nashville,
that the first blood that should be spilt in his settlement, he would
come and sweep it clean with their blood. This, they said, had caused
their young warriors to assemble together, and resolve to meet him, or
go to the settlement and do mischief, but that, with the aid of Watts
and some other head men, they had sent them to their different homes and
to mind their hunting. Having forwarded these letters, which they
hoped would prevent Governor Blount from sending any troops to the
relief of the Cumberland, the Indians hastened to take possession of the
main roads leading to Mero District, for the purpose of intercepting
any force that might, nevertheless, be ordered across the mountain.
Watts' cousin, Talotiskoe, was dispatched with a considerable party, to
waylay the Kentucky and Cumberland Roads: and the Middle Striker of
Willstown, with fifty-six warriors, was sent to watch the Walton Road...
Talotiskee's party accomplished nothing of importance. After having
intercepted a party of travelers on the Kentucky Road and killing one of
their numbers, he crossed over to the Cumberland Road, where he
learned, with bitter tears of disappointment and rage, the result of
Watts' assault on Buchanan's Station." The expedition under Middle
Striker, on tile other hand, achieved a most important victory. He
marched rapidly northward along the Cumberland Mountains until he
reached the Walton Road, in the neighborhood of Crab Orchard, where he
concealed his party in a favorable position to command the road. In the
meantime Captain Handly and his troops had entered the Wilderness at
Southwest Point, and following the Walton Road west. reached Crab
Orchard November 23,1792, seven days before the assault on Buchanan's
Station. As they marched carelessly along the ivy bordered way near the
foot of Spencer's Hill, they were startled by an unexpected volley from
Middle Striker's warriors, who were concealed in the bushes by the
roadside. A panic seized them, and they fled without striking a blow.
Colonel Joseph Brown excuses them on the ground that it had been
raining, and their guns would not fire. Not one of them reached Mero
District. Three were left dead on the field, and the remainder, except
their captain, found their way back to Southwest Point. Captain Handly
made a hero, but futile effort to rally his men. In the confusion
Leiper was unhorsed a short distance from the enemy. Captain Handly,
seeing his perilous situation, attempted to rescue him. In doing so, his
own horse was shot from under him, and being quickly surrounded by a
crowd of warriors, he fought them hand to hand with his sword. Finally,
he jumped behind a tree, and there encountered Archer Coody, a
half-breed who had acted as interpreter and could speak English, to whom
he surrendered. Coody protected him with the greatest difficulty; he
received numerous strokes from the side of the tomahawk, escaped a
dangerous thrust from his own sword in the hands of an enemy and was
barely saved from the shot of an Indian gun, before he could be brought
to the presence of Middle Striker. He afterwards gave Coody credit for
having saved his life. Captain Handly was carried in rigid captivity
to Wills town, where he was made to run the gauntlet, and was otherwise
roughly treated until the sixth day of December. In the meantime a
council was assembled to determine his fate, which hung in the balance
for three days, but on the third day of its sitting the council
determined that his life should be spared, after which he ceased to be
treated as a prisoner and received the consideration of a brother. This
happy conclusion was probably the result of Colonel Watts' desire for
peace, as he at once employed Captain Handly to write for him a peace
talk to Governor Blount. On the 24th of January he was escorted back to
Knoxville with great ceremony by Middle Striker, Coody, and ten other
warriors, and delivered up without price. Governor Blount received
the letters of Bloody Fellow and The Glass on September 13th. Hews
completely deceived, and on the 14th again wrote General Robertson,
declaring he had suffered dreadful apprehension for him; congratulating
him on the happy change of affairs; and ordering him to discharge his
brigade. But the crafty talks of Bloody Fellow and The Glass did not
deceive General Robertson; the pretended spies, Findleston and Deratte,
had already informed him that such letters were to be written, for the
double purpose of enabling Watts to surprise the Cumberland settlements,
and at the same time insure the tranquility of his country during his
absence. He advised Governor Blount of the information he had received,
and decided to keep his. Troops in service, ready to march at a moment's
warning, until the 2d of October. He sent out spies to range the
headwaters of Stone's and Harpeth rivers, and concentrated his troops
within the settlements. On the25th his spies returned without having
made any important discoveries. Then other spies were dispatched;
Clayton and Gee being ordered to reconnoiter the country in the
neighborhood of the present town of Murfreesboro. Watts also sent
out his spies. In this service he employed John Walker and George
Fields, two young half-breeds who had been reared among the white
people, and spoke the English language. They had been present at the
treaty of Holston; everybody knew them and had the utmost confidence in
them. Walker was quite a stripling, and apparently the most innocent and
good natured fellow in the world. Fields afterwards served with
Jackson in the Creek war, and was desperatdy wounded at the battle of
Talladega. The spies of the two belligerents met in some fallen timber
at Taylor's Trace, on the ridge between Duck River and Mill Creek, when
theIndians decoyed Clayton and Gee into a trap, killed and scalped
them. A little after dark on the evening of September 30th, the
Indian army approached Buchanan's Station. It now consisted of two
hundred and eighty warriors, one hundred and ninety-seven Cherokees and
eighty-three Creeks. The Shawnees, who lived at Running Water, were
numbered with the Cherokees. The whole was under the command of Colonel
John Watts; the Creek division was commanded by Talotiskee, of the
Broken Arrow, the great friend of Bowles. He is not to be confounded
with Talotiskee, the cousin of Watts, who was not with the invading
army. The Shawnees contingent was led by the Shawnees Warrior; and the
cavalry was in charge of John Taylor. When the Indians had reached a
point from which they could hear the lowing of the cows at Buchanan’s
Station, they halted for consultation. A warm altercation followed,
between Colonel Watts and the Creek chief, Talotiskee, as to the point
of attack. Watts desired to fall at once upon Nashville, the most
important point in the settlement; but Talotiskee insisted on destroying
Buchanan's Station, four miles south of Nashvflle, on their way. They
lost much time in this controversy. Such division of counsel is a rock
on which large parties of Indians have generally split, especially when
consisting of more than one nation. Still I cannot help believing that,
while Watts had the address to raise an army, he lacked the force of
character necessary to command obedience at the crucial moment. He
showed the same weakness in his campaign against Knoxville, in 1793.
Finally, near midnight, Colonel Watts consented to make the attack on
Buchanan’s Station. This fort contained sundry families who had gone
there for protection, and was defended by fifteen gun-men. The approach
of the Indians was disclosed by the running of the cattle, and they
were discovered and fired upon by John McRory, when within ten yards of
the gate. They returned the fire, and kept up a constant and heavy
discharge for an hour. Thirty balls passed through a single porthole of
the ''over jutting,'' and lodged in the roof, within the circumference
of a hat. The women in the fort, under the leadership of Mrs. Sally
Buchanan, rendered valuable aid to its defenders; they molded bullets,
distributed ammunition, loaded guns, and on pressing occasions, fired
them upon the enemy. The Indians were never more than ten yards from
the blockhouse and large numbers gathered around the lower walls in an
attempt to fire it. Finally, Kiachatalee, of Nickajack, a daring young
chief whose talents and courage were much admired by Colonel Joseph
Brown, who was once a captive in his town, ascended the roof with a
torch, but was shot down; falling to the ground he attempted to fire the
bottom logs; literally blowing the flames with his lastbreath.21 The
Creek chief Talotiskee, of the Broken Arrow, and the redoubtable
Shawnees Warrior, of Running Water, were also killed; Colonel Watts
fell, pierced through both thighs with a rifle ball, arid was carried
off on a horse stretcher. Unacata, or the White-Man Killer, was
dangerously, and Dragging Canoe's brother, called the White Owl's Son,
mortally wounded. Besides these, four other warriors were wounded, two
or three of whom afterwards died. Towards morning the report of the
swivel at Nashville, signaled that General Robertson was starting for
the relief of the distressed garrison, and 'the Indians withdrew. There
were no casualties on the side of the besieged. COLONEL WATTS' LAST
CAMPAIGN Governor Blount wrote General Robertson, October 17, 1792,
''Buchanan's Station has made a glorious beginning to the war"; but as
the event proved it had put a sudden end to the open and avowed war.
There were some fiery spirits among the Chickamaugas as well as the
Creeks, who, burning for revenge, still haunted the Cumberland, but
their principal chiefs disavowed their acts, and expressed their
unwillingness to renew the straggle. As for Watts, the bland and
playful view he took of the matter was absolutely childlike. He was calm
and good-natured as usual; talked jocularly of hits campaign, and his
wound; told how the people of Niekajack had sent a runner to him, to
know whether his wound did not still hurt him and when answered in the
negative, replied tauntingly that they did not expect it would be well
so soon. When Governor Blount's dispatches reached Philadelphia the
Federal Government at once took steps to restore peace. On February 8,
1793, the secretary of war wrote him that the President was highly
desirous that John Watts, the Little Turkey, and as many others of the
real chiefs of the Cherokees as he might deem proper to form a true
representation of the tribe, should visit Philadelphia, promising them
abundant supplies of such articles as they might desire, both for
themselves and for their nation. On the same day this order was
issued, but, of course, before its receipt, Governor Blount dispatched
John McKee, a particular friend of Watts, to the Chickamauga towns, in
order that he might be with Watts, and exert his influence in the
interest of peace. When he arrived at Chattooga; about
twenty miles from Wills town, he halted, under the advice of friends,
and sent for Watts. Watts met him with manifestations of the warmest
friendship, inquired about the welfare of Governor Blount, and spoke
pleasantly of the war, and the unsuccessful efforts that had been made
to induce him to renew it. McKee had provided himself with a few
gallons forum, and plied him with it, hoping by that means to acquire
information from him, but all he got for his pains was the conviction
that neither war nor the solicitations of his enemies had lessened
Watts' friendship for him. On leaving he accepted McKee's invitation to
meet him at Spring Hill on March 8th. Watts did not appear at the
time appointed, nor did he ever appear, though McKee waited until the
16th, and then sent a messenger to him. He told the messenger that is
could not come on account of a great ball play, though McKee was
afterwards informed that the ball play was not to have taken place
before the 26th. Some days later John Walker, the innocent looking spy
of the Buchanan's Station expedition, informed him that it was not the
ball play that detained Watts, but a quarrel between him and Talotiskee
on account of Watts' visit to him at Chattooga. Watts was so insulted
that he determined to leave Wilistown, and actually packed up and had
gone fourteen miles, when the young warriors sent and persuaded him
back. Though McKee got nothing definite or satisfactory from
his mission, he had hardly returned when Watts himself appeared on the
border, and sent word to Governor Blount that he was at the Hanging
Maw's, and wished to visit him at Knoxville, if lie could do so with
safety; but if he could not, he would be glad to meet him elsewhere.
Governor Blount met Watts, the Hanging Maw, Doublehead, and other
ehiefs, 6 at Henry's Station, on April 5th, and spent the day in eating,
drinking and jocular conversation, of which Watts was very fond. He was
friendly and good-natured, and impressed the governor as unquestionably
the most leading character of his nation."The next day Governor Blount
made known to Watts the wish of the President that he and the other
chiefs visit Philadelphia. He replied that in twenty-one nights (April
27th) they would have a full council at Running Water, and would then
let him know what conclusion they had reached. The council did not meet
at Running Water as expected but on the 24th of May, Bob MeLemorea
warrior of Watts' party, arrived at the Hanging Maw's with a message
from Watts, that the council at Willstown, with the Shawnee ambassadors,
had broken up, and that all was straight; he would be up in five
nights, with Talotiskee, Bloody Fellow, and other chiefs, and would give
the particulars. He neither wrote nor sent the particulars of the
proceedings at Willstown, for fear of same mistake. June 3rd
following, McKee informed Governor Blount that Doublehead, the Otter
Lifter, and tenor twelve other chiefs from the Chickamauga towns had
arrived at the Hanging Maw's, and that Watts was expected that day. They
had come at the request of Governor Blount, and, having expressed the
most pacific disposition, were expected to proceed to Philadelphia in
company with McKee, whom Governor Blount had employed for that purpose,
and authorized to provide for their wants by the way. Having
everything arranged to his satisfaction, Governor Blount himself
departed for Philadelphia June 7th, leaving Secretary Daniel Smith in
charge as acting governor of the Territory. Hanging Maw, or Scollacutta,
the head chief of the Cherokee Nation, at whose house the envoys from
the Chickamauga towns were assembling, was one of their old chiefs; he
was already a great man when John Watts was a child. He knew Washington
when they were both young men and warriors; and got to be known as the
Great Warrior of his nation. But he had long been a friend of peace. As
far back as 1780, when his towns joined the Chickamauga sin an invasion
of the frontiers, he threatened to leave them and take up his residence
with the whites; and in turn, the victorious Americans protected his
house and property from plunder, even when Chota, the white city, was
not spared. When the Old Tassel became principal chief of the Cherokees,
Hanging Maw was his associate, and assisted him to preserve peace
during the stormy days of the Franklin government. When The Tassel fell
the Hanging Maw became his suecessor. At one time the Creeks fomented so
much trouble on the frontiers that he removed to Wills town, but there
they called him Virginian, and stole his horse, so he returned to Chota,
determined to stand his ground. Governor Blount declares, at this
time, that "If there is a friendly Indian in the Cherokee Nation, to the
United States, it is The Maw, and he is a very great, beloved
man."During the month of May there were several small parties of Indians
committing depredations in the settlements around Knoxville On the
25th one of these parties killed Thomas Gillum and his son James, in the
Raccoon Valley, near Clinch River. Governor Blount ordered Capt. John
Beard, with fifty mounted infantry, to give immediate pursuit, his
purpose being to punish the offenders to deter like parties of Indians
in the settlement from committing depredations, and to pacify the white
people on the frontiers. Excitement in the neighborhood was at such a
tension that only a favorable opportunity was necessary to cause it to
burst out in the most terrible retaliation against the Indians. This
opportunity was found in the order given to Captain
Beard. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In following the party of Indians who had killed the Gillums Captain
Beard claimed that the trailed to the town of Hanging Maw, where the
envoys from the Chickamauga towns were gathered, at the invitation of
Governor Blount. Though he had been ordered not to cross the Tennessee
River, about daylight on the morning of June 12th, 1793, he crossed over
to the south bank of that stream, and made an assault on Hanging Maw's
town. He killed Scantee, Fool Charley, or Captain Charley and eight or
ten others, among whom was William Rosebury, a white man who had an
Indian wife and a small family, and Betty, the daughter of Kittigeskee.
Among the wounded were Hanging Maw, his wife and daughter, and Betty,
the daughter of Nancy Ward, who, it will be remembered, was the Indian
wife of Gen. Joseph
Martin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maj.
Robert King, an agent of the government, who had formed a connection
with Hanging Maw’s daughter, was in the house when it was attacked, and
only saved his life by jumping out of the window; an incident that shows
some degree of advancement in their dwelling houses. James Orr and
Daniel Carmichael, also government agents, were fired upon as they made
their escape. By hard pleading the white men induced Captain
Beard to spare the rest of Hanging Maw’s family, and not to burn his
house. It was reported at the time that Doublehead and Hanging Maw’s
wife were both killed, the latter while pleading for forbearance and
professing her invariable friendship for the white people. But it turned
out that neither of them was killed; Hanging Maw's wife received a
wound from which she recovered; and four years afterward, her husband
having died in the meantime, she applied to the government for a pension
as his widow, alleging this affair as a ground for her claim. It
was felt that this shocking assault would inevitably bring on a general
war, and Secretary Smith immediately wrote to Hanging Maw, Doublehead;
and Watts, pleading with them not tube rash, but to go on and see their
great father, the President, as he had requested, and assuring them that
he would give them satisfaction if they forbore to take it
themselves. The Indians demanded that they be given immediate
satisfaction by the arrest and punishment of Captain Beard's party.
Doublehead was furious. ''I am still among my people, living in gores of
blood,'' he wrote. ''We have lost nine of our people that we must have
satisfaction for. This is the third time we have been served so. I shall
not go from this place until I get a full answer from you." Hanging Maw
answered sarcastically that, while Governor Blount was in place nothing
happened. "Surely they are making fun of you.'' ''If you are left in
the place of the governor, you ought to take satisfaction
yourself." ’’I think you are afraid of these bad men.'' And to
President Washington he wrote that he need not look for them to go to
Philadelphia at that time. John Watts answered not a
word. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Secretary Smith caused Captain Beard to be arrested and tried before a
.court martial, but public sentiment was too strong to be resisted, and
he was acquitted; and Secretary Smith confessed, to his great pain, that
he found it out of the question to punish Beard by law at that
time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Finding
the authorities thus powerless to punish the offenders, the patience of
the Cherokees gave way, and the latter part of August brought
unmistakable evidence of Indian hostility. The settlements were put in a
posture of defense... General Sevier was posted at Ish's Station,
across the river from Knoxville, with 400 mounted infantry. There were
forty men at Knoxville, and a respectable farce at Campbell's Station,
about fifteen miles west of Knoxville; which was one of the strongest
forts on the border. On the evening of September 24, 1793, John
Watts, at the head of a large body of Indians, estimated at a thousand
warriors or more, composed of Cherokees and Creeks, crossed the
Tennessee River below the mouth of Holston, and marched all night in the
direction of Knoxville. They avoided Campbell's Station, passed within
three miles of Ish's, and daylight found them in sight of Cavett’s
Station, eight miles west of Knoxville. When intelligence of the
approaching Indians reached Knoxville, its men, under the leadership of
Cal. James White, determined to meet them on the ridge, a mile and a
quarter west of the town, rather than await them in the blockhouse.
Among the brave men who shouldered their rifles and marched out to. meet
the enemy was the Rev. Samuel Carrick, whose wife lay dead in his
house, and her body was left to be committed to the grave by female
hands. Colonel White skilfully planned his defense, carefully placed
his men in ambush, and patiently awaited the enemy, but they never
came. Colonel Watts had with him some of the most intractable chiefs
of the nation, particularly Doublehead. I have already mentioned the
difficulty of controlling large bodies of Indians, and expressed the
opinion that Watts did not have the force of character to compel
obedience to his win. On this occasion the chiefs disputed the question,
whether they should press on to Knoxville at once, or stop and destroy
every cabin on their way. Doublehead favored the latter. Then the
question arose whether they should massacre all the inhabitants of
Knoxville, or only the men. Doublehead insisted on the former. The
altercation between Doublehead and Vaun was long and heated. Vann had a
little boy, a captive, riding behind him. Doublehead became so
infuriated that he killed Vann's little boy. The result was that, after a
march, which. for celerity and silence was quite remarkable, they found
themselves eight miles from Knoxville at daylight, the hour at which
their attack on that town was to have been made. But they were in
sight of Cavett's Station, a blockhouse in which Alexander Cavett and
his family of thirteen people resided, only three of whom were gunmen.
They abandoned Knoxville and assaulted Cavetti’s. The three men made a
brave resistance. Alexander Cavett, the father, died with bullets in his
mouth, which he had placed there to facilitate loading. Five Indians
fell, dead or wounded, before their rifles. This checked the assailants
and brought on a parley. The Bench, Watts' nephew, who spoke English,
agreed with the besieged that if they would surrender, their lives
should be spared, and that they should be exchanged for a like number of
Indian prisoners. These terms were accepted and the little garrison
surrendered. As soon as they left the blockhouse Doublehead and his
party fell upon them and put them all to death in the most barbarous
manner, except Alexander Cavett, Jr., who was saved by the interposition
of Colonel Watts, though he was afterwards killed in the Creek towns.
It is but just to add that TheBench, who arranged the terms of
capitulation, pleaded, though in vain, for the lives of the
captives. The house was then plundered and burned, and the Indians
disappeared. General Sevier, who then lay at Ish's with 400 men, was
ordered out by Secretary Smith, to pursue the Indians. Being reinforced
until his whole army numbered about seven hundred men, General Sevier
took the field and marched rapidly southward until October 14, 1793,
when he reached the beloved town of Oostanaula. The town was deserted,
but as it contained abundant provisions, General Sevier halted here and
rested his men. The Indians undertook to surprise his camp at night, but
their attack was unsuccessful. From some Cherokee prisoners taken at
Estanaula it was learned that the main body of the enemy, composed of
Cherokees and Creeks, had passed that place a few days previously, and
were making for a town at the mouth of the Etowah River. After
retreshing his troops, General Sevier followed the enemy, reaching the
confluence of the Oostanaula and Etowah rivers on the evening of
the17th. The Creeks and a number of the Cherokees had entrenched
themselves on the opposite bank of the Etowah, to obstruct its passage. A
happy mistake on the part of the guides, Carey and Findleston, saved
the day for the whites. They carried Colonel Kelly's forces half a mile
below the ford, where he and a few others immediately swam the river.
The Indians, discovering this movement, abandoned their entrancements
and rushed down the river to oppose Colonel Kelly. Captain Evans,
discovering the error, wheeled, and, turning his horsemen back to the
ford, dashed into the river. The Indians at the ford, who were under
the command of the King Fisherman Cherokee chief of the first
consequence, saw their mistake, and returning received Captain Evans'
company furiously at the rising of the bank. The engagement was hot and
spirited. The King Fisher made a daring sally within a few yards of Hugh
Lawson White, afterwards the distinguished jurist and statesman. He and
some of his comrades discharged their rifles, the King Fisher fell, and
his warriors abandoned the field. The whites lost three men in this
engagement. This campaign ended the war, and closed the
military careers of both Colonel Watts and General Sevier. Tennessee,
the Volunteer State Moore and Foster, the S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
1923
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment