USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 2
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From the time when Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492 and took possession in the name of the King and the Queen of Spain, the Indian was forced to count on the paleface as a po- tential foe who needed his hunt- ing grounds and his towns for col- onization purposes. The Spanish are regarded as the pioneer ex- plorers of America through their expeditions to Florida, the Land of Flowers, which embraced vastly more territory than the State of Florida of the present day. Juan Ponce DeLeon explored the coast of the Florida Peninsula in 1513, penetrated into the interior in search of the Fountain of Perpet- ual Youth, engaged the savages and was killed with a poisoned ar- row. Followed the cruel Narvaez to the west coast of the peninsula,
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
where he set an example for the savages by loosing bloodhounds on the aged mother of an Indian chief, which tore her to pieces; then he cut off the chief's nose and sent him to Cuba as a slave. The In- dians avenged this atrocity by driv- ing Narvaez to his ships ; a storm hit the vessels and Narvaez and all but four of his men were lost.
Next in importance was Hernan- do (Ferdinand) DeSoto, who in his search of the Chiahan Eldorado in the hope of filling the treasure chest of the King of Spain is sup- posed to have spent nearly 30 days on the present site of Rome.
DeSoto had fought successfully in the Spanish wars of conquest in Central America and Peru, when called by the king to cut a path through Florida, to work the gold mines and the pearl fisheries which earlier explorers had assured the king existed. Having recently mar- ried Dona Isabel de Bobadilla, member of the Spanish royal fam- ily and his social equal, whose father was his superior in wealth if not in manhood, DeSoto set sail from Spain on April 8, 1538, tak- ing with him his wife, 600 soldiers, 200 horses and a herd of swine for food. DeSoto's "noble Six Hun- dred" carried arquebuses, match- locks, one cannon and a falconet (small cannon in general use at that time). They had plenty of ammunition, and led by tethers a pack of fierce bloodhounds. Plen- ty of iron chains, collars and wrist- lets were carried to put upon In- dian prisoners. Swine and cattle furnished a large part of the food, while pack mules bore the provis- ions. The personnel was made up of mechanics, builders and smiths monks, laymen and Catholic priests in robes. Quite a number of the fighters wore light armor which readily shed the sharp darts of the red-skins. They landed at Havana, Cuba, but after a short stay pro-
ceeded up Florida's west coast, leaving Dona Isabel behind as gov- erness of the island. On Friday, May 30, 1539, DeSoto landed at the present Tampa Bay, where he took possession of Florida as Ade- lantado (governor), and where he wrote the city fathers of Santiago de Cuba what was supposed to have been the only letter he sent back on his long and heart-break- ing journey.
DeSoto immediately asked the Indians where gold and precious stones could be found ; they point- ed northward. He fought and dip- lomatized his way to the present Georgia-Florida line, encountering numerous physical difficulties ; thence he proceeded northwest- ward when told by a captured scout* of a province ruled over by a beautiful Indian princess, called Cutifachiqui, where his beasts might break their backs under the load of pearls and gold. The home of the princess is supposed to have been at Silver Bluff, Barnwell Co., S. C., 25 miles southeast of Au- gusta, Ga., on the Savannah river, where George Golphin later lived. Here DeSoto was presented with a handsome string of large pearls by the Princess Cutifachiqui ; he dug heaps of pearls and relics out of Indian mounds, which the In- dians did not like, but they main- tained an appearance of acquiesc- ence. On leaving, he forced his gra- cious hostess to accompany the ex- pedition as a guide and protection against any possible attacks by her tribesmen. The Indian maid's knowledge of trails and woodcraft enabled her to escape in a few days and return to her settlement. DeSoto pressed northward in forced marches to relieve his weary and starving horses and men, and to seize or unearth gold for the king.
*Juan Ortiz, who had been left by Narvaez and had since lived among the Indians.
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THE SPANISH CAVALIERS AND THEIR QUEST FOR GOLD
While accounts differ as to the route DeSoto took through North Georgia, the authorities generally agree that after leaving Cutifachi- qui, DeSoto went to the site of Yonah Mountain, in Nachoochee Valley, White County, where he mined a while and the Indians gave his troops many dogs to eat ; also that he crossed the North Georgia mountains to the Connasauga Riv- er, thence followed the Oostanaula River to the junction of the Etowah River, where the Coosa forms, to Chiaha province and town, the modern site of Rome; also that he followed the Coosa southwestward into Alabama, whence in time he pushed on across West Tennesssee and discovered the Mississippi Riv- er, in which he was buried after dying of fever in 1541.
It is possible to mention these differences of opinion only in brief here. James Mooney, a careful stu- dent of the subject, held that De- Soto followed the Chattahoochee River headwaters down the val- leys of Habersham County, sight- ed Kennesaw (Kensagi) Moun- tain in Cobb County, instead of the Connasauga River, (passing near the site of modern Atlanta), and instead of visiting Chiaha, visited Chehaw, a Creek town in Alabama below Columbus. It may be signifi- cant that Atlantans do not claim that DeSoto passed near their land.
An understanding of the topog- raphy of the country, the aims and necessities of the expedition and the reasonable probabilities are prerequisites to a reconciliation of the viewpoints. Some aid may be found in the reflection that DeSoto often divided his force ; undoubt- edly he let the main body follow the rivers in the valleys, while prospecting parties penetrated through the mountains. Thus it is possible that his main force, with the heavy equipment and pigs, started down the headwaters of
the Chattahoochee in Habersham County, bore to the northwest, crossed the headwaters of the Eto- wah and followed the Etowah to Rome, discovering and exploring the huge Indian mound on the Tumlin place three miles south of Cartersville ; also that the mining group, after exploring the moun- tains nearly to the Tennessee line, came to the Connasauga River and followed the Oostanaula River down to Rome, where he joined the other unit. Chiaha Town was described by the early chroniclers of the expedition as an island. That impression might easily be made on an explorer crossing the creeks north of Rome whose headwaters nearly touch, and passing on down the peninsula to the water on all sides.
It is quite possible, moreover, that 382 years ago a canal con- nected the Oostanaula and Eto- wah rivers, passing through North Rome and making an island of the narrow neck of land between
FERDINAND DeSOTO, Spanish cavalier who it is generally accepted visited the site of Rome in 1540, searching for gold for his king.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
the streams at their junction. An- other theory is that the DeSoto district (now better known as the Fourth ward), which is supposed to have been where the Spanish camp- ed, was once an island, having been cut off by a break in the Oosta- naula near the mouth of Little Dry Creek, which found its way through the lowlands and entered the Coosa above Horseleg Creek, forming a body of land of not less than 250 acres.
Both of these suppositions find encouragement in freaks of nature which are observable in the life- time of the average man. Less than a decade ago Perkins Island, in the Etowah River, near the foot of Fifth Avenue, was yielding sand to a concern which for many years had sold to contractors who were erecting the most substantialbuild- ings in Rome. In 1920 suit was filed in the Superior Court of Floyd county by the Perkins heirs against Mrs. J. Lindsay Johnson to prevent her from removing the sand. Mrs. Johnson's answer recited that the island had stood opposite her East Rome farm, separated from the mainland by a narrow body of wa- ter. Accretions of sand and silt had filled up this channel and made the island part of the mainland ; there- fore, as she claimed, the former island belonged to her.
Another island which has be- come part of the mainland in like manner was at Nixon's sand bar, Coosa River, just below and across from the mouth of Horseleg Creek. There are no examples as con- spicuous as these in which new islands have been formed, but ex- amples are common elsewhere, notably in the Mississippi Valley.
Certain historians who do not believe DeSoto camped at the pres- ent site of Rome locate the island down the Coosa in Alabama, near the Georgia line. However, Pick- ett, Jones, Knight and others hold
that Chiaha settlement and the present site of Rome are identical, and that the route proceeded down the Coosa. It is worthy of note that DeSoto resisted the suppli- cations of his men to turn back toward his ships and first landing place, and insisted on striking re- peatedly northward in search of gold. Although he followed a zig- zag course, his trail was generally northwestward, allowing for a con- siderable zag toward Mobile, where he won a great battle with the Indians. At Chiaha he dispatched two cavaliers on a ten-day journey northward. There appears to have been no point in his going below Columbus, where in July it is much hotter than the North Georgia mountains.
The Indians all along the route had told DeSoto of the rich prov- ince of Chiaha, the Eldorado of his dreams. To the principal towns of this province De- Soto had sent scouts to de- mand of the chiefs a two months' supply of maize (Indian corn). On June 4, 1540, DeSoto entered Chia- ha Town via the valleys of the west bank of the Oostanaula Riv- er, camped his cohorts along what has for many years been known as the DeSoto Road of the DeSoto District of Floyd County, and crossed the Oostanaula River (probably in canoes) with his ad- vance guard. Here he was warmly received by the young chief, who spake substantially as follows as he handed DeSoto a long string of perfect pearls :*
Mighty Chief : Into this beautiful and beloved country which our fathers have hunted for the beasts and birds of the forest and handed down to us a long time ago, and in which we wor- ship the Spirit of the Sun with all the strength of our natures, we welcome you as friends and brothers. Stay
*This speech is supposed to be more nearly typ- ical of Indian nature and disposition than the polished versions of the chroniclers, which are unmistakably Spanish.
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THE SPANISH CAVALIERS AND THEIR QUEST FOR GOLD
with us as long as you desire; live in our houses, fish and hunt with us in our choice places, and accept our gifts offered you from our hearts. Tell us at once your mission, that we may serve you with the fidelity of the stars. You have asked of my good people supply of maize to sustain your power- ful tribe two months. Here you will find 20 barbacoas (barns) bursting with our best grain. Welcome! May your people and my people enjoy a peaceful friendship that will be as strong as the mountains and last as long as the sun shines warm and the rivers of Chiaha run cold.
Through an interpreter DeSoto thanked the chief cordially, then gave to him some trinkets and coins.
"Chocklestee !- Sit down!" in- vited the chief, and turning to a group of copper-colored warriors,
he said : "Talahi-chetawga-chis- qua !" The men ran to a picketed enclosure and brought many fowls and dogs for the hungry Spaniards to eat, after which the young chief announced that DeSoto would stop at "akwenasa" (my home).
DeSoto is supposed to have spent 26-30 days in Chiaha, after which he went through Alabama and Western Tennessee and discovered the Mississippi River at Chicka- saw Bluff, below Memphis. He died shortly after and was buried in the Mississippi to prevent the In- dians from destroying his corpse. His wife died in Cuba of a broken heart, following her husband short- ly. She had had no word from him since his departure.
CHAPTER II. John Sevier, John Floyd and the Indians
I N SEPTEMBER, 1793, an event was catalogued in which the site of Rome was brought to the attention of the country. Gen. John Sevier* de- scended upon Cherokee Georgia from Tennessee, chasing with his 800 men 1,000 Indians who had scalped and killed thirteen people at Cavett's Station, near Knox- ville, and had retreated southward. Gen. Sevier swept out of his path such resistance as was offered, and burned a number of Indian towns. Presently he arrived at Oostanau- la, near the forks of the Coosa- wattee and Connasauga rivers, and after burning this village, divided his force. With half he proceeded down the Oostanaula, while Col- onel Kelly and Major Evans were detailed to take the other half down the Etowah river, and to de- stroy such towns as they found. On Oct. 17, 1793, the Battle of Eto- wah was fought.
The Kelly-Evans force discov- ered the main body of the fleeing Indians at a rocky bluff across the Etowah. Some say this was where the Southern Railway now crosses the river, about a mile above Rome, while others hold it was quite a distance farther down the stream. The Indians had felled numerous trees and behind these had sought protection, while a few hid in the rocky fissures of the bluff. Many others had been strung out down the river bank to protect a ford. A clever ruse dislodged the In- dians and brought about their de- feat. The two officers took their force below the crossing point. Col- onel Kelly and several others plunged their horses in and swam across. Thinking the whole force was coming into the water and hoping to shoot them with ar-
rows and guns before they could get out, part of the Indians left their protection and bore down upon the Colonel and his squad, who quickly dashed back into the Etowah. In the meantime, Capt. Evans had back-tracked his force to the ford, and there crossing, fell heavily upon the surprised foe, and put them to flight with a heavy loss. For many years later Indian bones and relics could be found in the crevasses of the hill.
Such of the Indians as escaped swam the river at Myrtle Hill cemetery, and made a stand at the western foot of it. Gen. Sevier hav- ing come up with his force, the frontiersmen inflicted terrible slaughter upon the red-skins, and drove them in confusion down the Coosa Valley. Sevier is also said to have destroyed Coosa Old Town at this time. This was a village which has been located by certain people on the Nixon farm and by others below it on the Coosa River.
It so happened that most of these Tennessee "squirrel hunters" were volunteers who had had a friend or relative killed at Cavett's Station, and among them we find a youth of tender years named Hugh Law- son White .** Historians relate that in this engagement the young pale- face shot a minie ball into the breast of Chief King Fisher, one of the leaders of the Indian horde, killing him instantly and causing the Indian ranks to break in con-
*Gen. Sevier was a Tennesseean and the an- cestor of the Underwoods, the Rowells, the Nevins, the Pattons, the O'Neills, the Wylys and others of Rome. The Cherokees called him "Nollichucky Jack." A monument glorifying his exploit at the site of Rome was erected at the western base of Myrtle Hill cemetery by the Xavier Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
** A kinsman of Dr. James Park, of Knox- ville, and his descendants, including Mrs. B. I. Hughes and Mrs. T. F. Howel, of Rome.
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JOHN SEVIER, JOHN FLOYD AND THE INDIANS
fusion. Forty-two years later Hugh Lawson White became a noted man in Tennessee-a judge, Senator and friend and supporter of Presi- dent Andrew Jackson, with many of the Jacksonian attributes. In 1835 he was nominated for presi- dent by the Whigs, and carried his own state over Martin Van Buren, the Democratic nominee, by 10,000 majority. It was said that Jack- son's support would have won for Judge White, but it was captured by Van Buren.
A more complete account of the Battle of Etowah is found in the Tennessee Historical Magazine (Nashville), 1918, Vol. IV, pages 207-9-10:
Finding the authorities powerless, the patience of the Cherokees gave way, and the latter part of August, 1793, provided unmistakable evidence of Indian hostility. The settlements were put in a posture of defense. Gen. Sevier was posted at Ish's station, across the river from Knoxville, with 400 mounted infantry. On the evening of Sept. 24, John Watts, at the head of a large body of Indians, estimated at 1,000 men or more, com- posed of Cherokees and Creeks, cross- ed the Tennessee river below the mouth of Holston and marched all night in the direction of Knoxville. They avoid- ed Campbell's station, passed within three miles of Ish's, and daylight found them in sight of Cavett's sta- tion, eight miles west of Knoxville . . .
Col. Watts had with him some of the most intractable chiefs of the na- tion . . . The chiefs disputed whether they should kill everybody in Knoxville or only the men. Doublehead insisted on the former. An altercation be- tween Doublehead and Vann was long and heated. Vann had a little boy, a captive, riding behind him. Double- head became so infuriated that he killed the little boy.
In sight of Cavett's station there was a block house in which Alexander Cavett and family of thirteen people resided, only three of whom were gun men. The three made a brave resist- ance. Alexander Cavett, the father, died with bullets in his mouth, which he had placed there to facilitate load- ing. Five Indians fell dead or wound- ed before their rifles. This checked
the assaults and brought on a parley. The Bench, Watts' nephew, who spoke English, agreed with the besieged that if they surrendered, their lives should be spared, and they should be exchanged for a like number of In- dian prisoners. These terms were ac- cepted and the little garrison sur- rendered.
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 Col. Watts, though he was afterwards killed in the Creek towns .
Gen. Sevier being reinforced until his army numbered about 700, he marched rapidly southward until Oct. 14, 1793, when he reached the beloved town of Estaunaula. The town was deserted, but since it contained abund- ant provisions, Sevier halted and rest- ed his men. The Indians undertook to disperse his camp at night, but the attack was unsuccessful. From some Cherokee prisoners taken at Estau- naula it was learned that the main body of the enemy, composed of Cher- okees and Creeks, had passed the place a few days previously, and were mak-
GEN. JOHN SEVIER, early governor of Ten- nessee, who in 1793 routed a band of Indians on Rome's site and slew Chief Kingfisher.
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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
ing for a town at the mouth of the Etowah river. After refreshing his troops, Gen. Sevier followed the enemy, reaching the confluence of the Etowah and the Oostanaula rivers on the eve- ning of the 17th.
The Creeks and a number of Cher- okees had intrenched themselves on opposite banks of the Etowah, to ob- struct its passage. A happy mistake on the part of the guides, Carey and Findleston*, saved the day for the whites. They carried Col. Kelly's force half a mile below the ford, where he and a few others immediate- ly swam the river. The Indians, dis- covering this movement, abandoned their intrenchments and rushed down the river to oppose Col. Kelly. Capt. Evans, discovering the error, wheel- ed, and straining his horses back to the ford, dashed into the river. The Indians at the ford, under the com- mand of King Fisher, a Cherokee chief of the first consequence, saw their mistake, and, returning, received Capt. Evans' company furiously at the crossing of the bank.
The engagement was hot and spirit- ed. The King Fisher made a daring sally within a few yards of H. L. 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 the engagement. This campaign ended the war and closed the military careers of Col. Watts and Gen. Sevier.
Gen. Sevier's official report of the battle follows :**
Ish's Mills, Tenn., 25 Oct., 1793. Sir:
In obedience to an order from Sec- retary Smith, I marched in pursuit of the large body of Indians who on the 25th of last month did the mischief in Knox County, Grassy Valley. . .
We directed our march for Esta- naula *** on the Coosa **** river, at which place we arrived on the 14th instant. . . . We there made some Cherokee prisoners, who informed ns that John Watts headed the army late- ly out on our frontiers; that the same was composed of Indians more or less from every town in the Cherokee na- tion; that from the Turkey's Town, Sallyquoah, 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 five large trails.
On the 17th instant, in the after- noon, we arrived at the forks of Coosa and Hightower rivers. Col. Kelly was ordered with a part of the Knox reg- iment to endeavor to cross the High- tower. The Creeks and a number of Cherokees had intrenched themselves to obstruct the passage. Col. Kelly and his 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 intrenchments 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 infantry strained their horses back to the upper ford and began to cross the river. Very few had, got to the south bank before the Indians, who had discovered their mistake, returned and received them furiously at the rising of the bank. An engagement instantly took place and became very warm, and notwith- standing the enemy were at least four to one in numbers, besides the advan- tage of situation, Capt. Evans with his heroic company put them in a short time utterly to flight. They left sev- cral dead on the ground, and were seen to carry others off both on foot and on horse. Bark and trails of blood from the wounded were to be seen in every quarter.
The encampment fell into our hands, with a number of their guns, many of which were of the Spanish sort, with budgets, plankets and match coats, to- gether with some horses. We lost three men in this engagement, which is all that have fell during the time of our route, although this last attack was the fourth the enemy had made upon us, but in the others repulsed without loss.
*Richard Finnelson.
** Sevier's report was evidently made to Gov. Wm. Blount. It is here presented from Ramsey's Annals of Tennessee, ps. 587-8.
*** Several miles east of Resaca. **** Now Oostanaula. ***** Site of Rome.
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JOHN SEVIER, JOHN FLOYD AND THE INDIANS
After the last engagement we cross- ed the main Coosa, then proceeded on our way down the main river near the Turnip Mountain,* destroying in our way several Creek and Cherokee towns, which they had settled together on each side of the river, and from which they have all fled with appar- ent 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 have got reason to believe their ardor and spirit was well checked.
The party flogged at Hightower were those which had been out with Watts. There are three or four men slightly wounded and two or three horses killed, but the Indians did not, as I heard of, get a single horse from us the time we were out. We took and destroyed nearly 300 beeves, many of which were of the best and largest kind. Of course their losing so much provision must distress them very much.
Many women and children might have been taken, but from, motives of humanity I did not encourage it to be done, and several taken were suf- fered to make their escape. Your Ex- cellency knows the disposition of many that were out on this expedition, and can readily account for this conduct.
The National Encyclopedia of American Biography, Vol. II, page 395, gives Hugh Lawson White credit for the death of the Indian chief mentioned above: "A war with the Cherokees breaking out, he volunteered under Gen. Sevier. . . and at Etowah shot and mor- tally wounded the Cherokee chief, King Fisher, thus ending the bat- tle."
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