USA > Tennessee > Early history of Middle Tennessee > Part 13
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Rains and Kennedy took one route, while Clayton and Gee went by another. When near the present site of Lavergne Clay- ton and his companion encountered an approaching force of about seven hundred Cherokees, Creeks, Chickamaugas and Shawnees, all under command of Watts.
The scouts were killed. It is said that on the march thither Watts kept ahead of his army Indian spies dressed as white men. In this way the unfortunate scouts were decoyed within his lines where they were surrounded and slain.
Rains and Kennedy not having discovered the fate of Clayton and Gee returned on the third day and reported no signs of dan- ger. This information created great satisfaction among most of the settlers. Some of these now complained loudly because of the alarm which had, as they now declared, been uselessly occa- sioned.
Doubtless Findleston, the half-breed, who furnished the infor- mation, now trembled for his head.
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However, despite the failure of the scouts to discover signs of danger, the more experienced of the settlers viewed the situation with alarm. That veteran woodsman and Indian fighter, Abra- ham Castleman, moulded a new supply of bullets, filled afresh his powder horn, cleaned and repolished his faithful rifle. "Betsey." picked his flint and ambled off down the trail. When questioned as to his destination he replied that he was "going over to Buch- anan's to see the enemy." It was supposed that Buchanan's Sta- tion would be the first point of attack.
After killing the scouts, Clayton and Gee, the main body of the Indian force lay concealed in the woods for several days, while spies were sent forward to reconnoiter.
On the morning of September 30, the march was resumed to a point about a mile below Buchanan's fort. Here the horses were left in charge of some of the men. At dusk the main body moved noiselessly up to within site of the station. George Fields. a half-breed Cherokee, and a member of the party, afterwards related that they saw the lights in the hands of the settlers as they moved about the stockade, and could hear the neighing of the horses and the lowing of the cows.
While the invaders were thus halted, a dispute arose between Watts and Tom Tunbridge, who was in command of one wing of the army. The latter wanted to attack the fort at once. Watts insisted on going first to the Bluff and there make an assault on that station. He argued that if Buchanan's be attacked now the occupants of the Bluff would thus be put on their guard. whereas. with the latter out of the way, the smaller fort could be easily taken on the return journey.
It is evident that their success in capturing Zigler's Station had made the Indians bold to the belief that on this expedition they would be able to destroy the entire settlement.
The controversy between the chiefs lasted for several hours.
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Finally it was ended by Watts, who told Tunbridge to go ahead and take the fort himself, and that he. Watts, would stand aside and look on. However, it is a matter of history that the whole force was in action before the engagement which followed was well under way.
Within the last few days, in anticipation of trouble. Major Buchanan had repaired the stockade and otherwise greatly strengthened his fortifications. On the night of the attack he had within the enclosure twenty of as brave men as any of whom record is made in the annals of early history. Their names are as follows: James Bryant. Thomas Wilcox. Jacob and Abraham Castleman, James O'Connor, James Mulherrin, Thomas McCrory, Morris Shane, William and Robin Kennedy, George Findleston, Samuel Blair, Charles Herd. Sampson Williams, Samuel McMur- ry. Robin Turnbull, Robin Hood, Thomas Latimer. Robin Thomp- son and Joe DuRat. The last named was a half-breed but a friend of the whites.
As on previous occasions of Indian attack a full moon shone that night from a clear sky. At the lonely hour of midnight two faithful sentinels in the watch tower over the gate discovered the approach of the enemy. When they came within easy range two rifle shots rang out and two Indian warriors bit the dust. The occupants of the fort were now aroused and both sides opened fire. For an hour the battle raged more furiously than in atty engagement yet known to the settlement. With whoops and yells and a fusillade of shots the savages stormed the stockade on every side, making repeated efforts to break down the gate and thus enter the enclosure. Through one port- hole alone they directed thirty shots to the inside. all of which lodged under the roof in a place the size of a hatbrim.
A few yards from the fort a cellar had been dug over which an outhouse was soon to be built. In this some of the Indians took
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refuge, hoping to pick off the men in the fort as occasion should be presented. Some sought safety by crouching in the out- side corners of the stockade, while others hurled burning brands onto the roofs of the cabins and into the enclosure, hoping there- by to fire the fort. During all this time they were being met by volley after volley from twenty trusty rifles within. When- ever an Indian came within reach or raised his head he thus constituted himself a backstop for a bullet from a neighboring porthole. However, there were more portholes than gunners to man them, and the Major's wife, Mrs. Sallie Buchanan, to- gether with other women of the fort, displayed in this emergency great bravery. Seizing each a man's hat they dodged about hold- ing them from time to time in front of the vacant openings. This was calle:l a "showing of hats." It was intended to fool the In- dians as to the size of the garrison. At length, impatient at the seeming failure of the attack. Tom Tunbridge seized a firebrand and mounted the roof of a cabin. No sooner on top than he received a fatal shot that sent him tumbling to the ground. In his dying moments he crawled up to the wall and tried to set fire to the logs, blowing the flames with his last breath in a des- perate effort to burn the stockade. His dead body, scorched by the fire he had kindled, was found next morning beside the fort.
The Indians were finally repulsed and withvlrew in great confusion.
The body of Tunbridge, who is believed to have led the cap- ture of Zigler's, and many of those of his followers were left on the field.
Watts, desperately wounded, was carried away on a litter. Trails of blood leading down the rocky declivity from the fort and along the paths through the woods made evident the fact that many of the dead and wounded were carried away.
Around the stockade by the light of the morning were found
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swords, tomahawks, rifles, pipes, kettles and numerous other arti- cles of Indian usage. One of the swords was a handsome Spanish blade, richly ornamented after the Spanish custom. This had doubtless been presented by the Dons to some Indian brave in return for a specified number of hapless paleface scalps.
None of the occupants of the fort were killed or wounded.
Jimmie O'Connor, one of the defending party in the Buch- anan fort, and a gallant son of the Emerald Isle, was somewhat addicted to the use of strong drink. It is related that he had re- turned from Nashville about an hour before the attack above mentioned in a state of rather hilarious jubilation. In the midst of the battle Jimmie came up to Major Buchanan and asked permission to use an old pistol, the property of the Major's mother. This particular implement of warfare, which was usually kept loaded and laid away under the old lady's pillow, was a funnel-shaped species of the blunderbuss family and was known about the fort as "My Grandmammy's Pocket Piece."
The request was granted and Jimmie, mounting a ladder to an upper porthole, pulled the trigger. Supposing that it had fired, he descended from his station and asked that the weapon be reloaded. This request was four times repeated and granted. All of this was quite a drain on the supply of ammunition, as it required several times as much powder as an ordinary rifle.
On the fifth ascent to the porthole the blunderbuss, which had only snapped before, went off in dead earnest, with a report which rivaled that of a six-pounder, and with a kick which hurled poor Jinmmie to the ground. No sooner landed, however. than he was on his feet, and running over to Major Buchanan, ex- claimed : "Be jabbers, but they got one alright, didn't they?"
Next day a company of a hundred and fifty men, under com- mand of General Robertson and Captain Rains, began a pursuit of the Indians, who, it was discovered, had retreated in two
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parties. When the whites reached Stewart's Creek they found that the fleeing savages were gaining ground, and therefore aban- doned the chase. After this attack there was comparative peace in the settlement for a period of several months.
CHAPTER XXXVI. Events of 1793.
MAJOR EVANS AND PARTY ATTACKED .- TRAGIC DEATH OF COL. ISAAC BLEDSOE .- MONUMENT TO THE BLEDSOES .- SPENCER'S ADVENTURE .- ASSAULT ON GREENFIELD STATION .- OLD ABRAHAM KILLS "MADDOG,"THE CHEROKEE CHIEF.
DEATH OF MISS STEEL .- RAID BEYOND THE RIVER .-- WHITE PRISONERS.
Throughout its course the year 1793 was to the settlement one of stirring events.
The number of killed or wounded is variously estimated at from fifty to seventy-five.
Almost daily during the summer months marauding parties of the enemy recrossed the Tennessee River with scalps and horses which had been taken from the Tennessee and Kentucky settle- ments. One stands aghast at the awful carnage which was wrought. Early in January, on White's Creek, a man by the name of Gower was mortally wounded. Before death overtook him he succeeded in making his escape to Hickman's Station.
On the same day a party of Indians were pursued from Bled- soe's Station, where they had stolen the horses on which they escaped. In their flight they lost several guns and a quantity of plunder. all of which was captured by the whites.
Hugh Tenin had built a cabin on Red River, west of Clarks-
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ville. On January 16, while he was building a fence around his clearing, the savages shot him from ambush, captured his horse and fled.
Indians now thronged the banks of the Cumberland on the lookout for boat parties, which they usually attacked while ascend- ing the river. The reason for this was twofold: First, because the crews were preoccupied with rowing and therefore less vigi- lant, and second, because the returning boats were always ladened with goods and provisions.
About the first of January, Major Evan Shelby, in company with others, had gone to Louisville, then known as the Falls of the Ohio, for a boat load of supplies. On January 18, while re- turning with a cargo of salt and other necessities, the boat was fired upon from the river bank by a party of Creeks. This was in Stewart County at a point opposite the present site of Dover. Major Shelby, James Harney and a negro man belonging to Moses Shelby were killed. The savages plundered the boat and scattered and destroyed what they could not carry away. Then, dressed in the clothes of the dead and armed with the captured swords and rifles, they marched off in great state.
Some of this paraphernalia was found among them by Colonel Titsworth while searching for his daughter in 1795. Major Shelby was a brother of Gov. Isaac Shelby, of Kentucky, and a son of Gen. Evan Shelby, of North Carolina.
Having settled in the Cumberland some years previous, he had already filled many positions of honor and trust. His death was mourned as a public calamity.
Two days after the capture of the Shelby party, three boats belonging to French traders were fired upon while ascending the river. David Crow and a man named Gaskins were killed out- right. Wells, Milliken and Priest were wounded. The latter died from the effects of a shot in the knee. Milliken recovered,
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but, as a result of the encounter, carried through life five bullets in various parts of his body.
Overall and Burnett were returning from Kentucky, having in charge nine packhorses loaded with "goods, salt and whisky." On January 22, at a lonely place in the road, they were pounced upon by the enemy and slain. Overall had been a scout. Pre- sumingly on this account the savages chopped him with their tomahawks. cutting the flesh from his bones. The horses with their burdens were captured.
An event of unusual importance this year was the death of Col. Isaac Bledsoe on the morning of April I. Together with several negro men he was going from his station to a neighboring clearing for the purpose of mending some burning log-heaps. The Indians, who were in waiting by the path, directed a deadly fire at Colonel Bledsoe, inflicting wounds from which he died almost instantly. They then deliberately scalped him and went on their way. The settlement was long in mourning on account of Colonel Bledsoe's tragic death. As previously recorded, his body was buried beside that of his brother, Anthony, on the hill south of his station at Bledsoe's Lick.
In 1908 a fitting monument to the memory of the Bledsoes was erected over their graves at Castalian Springs, Summer Coun- ty. It was provided by contributions from descendents of the two brothers. Those chief in promoting this enterprise were Col. Oscar F. Bledsoe, of Grenada, Miss., and Col. J. G. Cisco. of Nashville.
Capt. Sam Hays was killed near the home of John Donelson. Jr., west of the Hermitage.
Thomas Sharp Spencer and Robert Jones, in company with Mrs. Nathaniel Parker, formerly Mrs. Anthony Bledsoe, were passing on horseback from the Walnutfield Station to Greenfield. When about two miles from Gallatin, and near the corner of the
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MONUMENT TO COLS. ANTHONY AND MAC BLEDNOF. CASTALIAN SPRINGS, SUMNER COUNTY
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farm now owned by Harris Brown, they came face to face with a party of Indians. The latter opened fire, and Jones fell dead from his horse. With raised tomahawks they rushed toward his companions, but recognizing Spencer, of whom they stood in mortal dread, called a halt. Ordering Mrs. Parker to turn her horse and run toward Gallatin, Spencer covered her retreat by dashing back and forth in front of the savages, pointing his gun as though he intended to shoot. This was kept up until she was beyond their reach. Then wheeling his own horse about Spencer followed his companion to a place of safety.
Because of disasters to them usually attended on such occa- sions, the Indians had now grown wary of attacking the stations. They explained this fear by saying, "White man keep heap big guns and much dogs." However, an attempt to capture Greci- field is yet to be recorded.
This fort recently equipped with lookout station and heavy stockade was regarded as one of the strongest in the settlement. but just at this time was poorly manned. It was situated on a lofty eminence, from which site one may look to-day over a land- scape of surpassing beauty. There was about the fort a spacious clearing and surrounding this on every side was a cane brake from twelve to fifteen feet high.
During the afternoon of April 26, three negro men were plow- ing in a field near the fort. One of these was Abraham, formerly body-servant to Col. Anthony Bledsoe. They were guarded the while by an Irish sentry whose name was Jarvis.
About two hours before sundown. General William Hall. then a young man, went down from the fort to see how the work was progressing. While he stood talking to Abraham, the dogs which had been lying near where Jarvis was stationed, suddenly became excited and rushed toward the canebrake. Feeling sure that the Indians were close by, General Hall ordered the men to unhitch their horses, and they all returned to the house.
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Shortly after daylight next morning while Mrs. Clendening and several of the women were out milking the cows, a drove of half-wild cattle came rushing from the woods down the lane toward the fort. About the same time Jarvis came by with the negro men on their way to the field. Mrs. Clendening begged them not to go, saying that she believed the Indians would be upon them in a short time, but Jarvis insisted that there was no danger. He said they had lost two hours of the previous afternoon, and must now go and finish their plowing. While Mrs. Clendening went in to arouse the men who were yet asleep in the fort, the firing of guns was heard. Jarvis and the negroes, their horses abandoned, came running with all speed toward the station pursued by several bands of the enemy. General Hall sprang out of bed and partially dressing himself, seized his rifle and shot pouch and rushed bareheaded from his cabin. Outside he was joined by Mr. Wilson, a trusted soldier, who happened to be passing, and together they started to the aid of Jarvis and his men. Just then another party of about twenty Indians who were ambushed along the lane arose and fired a volley at Hall and Wilson. The latter jumped the fence and ran toward the savages, who, their guns empty, now turned and fled.
In the meantime Neely and James Hays had come out of the fort and were going to the aid of their comrades. Another squad of Indians came running through a wheat field and tried to inter- cept them. In doing so they came close to Hall and Wilson, but when they discovered the latter they fell flat in the wheat. Direct- ly one of them wishing to see the lay of the land, poked his head above the tall grain. He received a bullet from General Hall's riffe, which caused his moccasined heels to describe a semi-circle in the air, after which he landed face downward, dead.
The four white men now ran forward and gave battle to the force in pursuit of the field hands, and a fierce conflict ensued.
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Jarvis and one of the negroes called Prince were killed. A shot passed through General Hall's hair clipping out a lock, which Neely said was thrown a foot into the air. The fire from the Indians finally ceased, and the settlers started to the fort .- Look- ing back they saw Old Abraham, who had killed one antagonist. coming on a run for his life with a strapping big Indian after him. Seeing that he was loosing ground the Indian stopped and began in a deliberate manner to reload his rifle. Hays fired and shot him in the arm pit through and through, killing him in- stantly. The Indian force numbered about two hundred and sixty. In retreating they left four dead on the field, but carried away the wounded. The horses belonging to the field hands were captured.
Soon after they had departed a company of fifty men under Major George Winchester, having heard the firing, arrived at the fort. A council was held, but it was decided that pursuit should not be made, as it was thought probable that the savages would lie in wait and entrap them.
A few days later Old Abraham, who was a good soldier and marksman. was passing at nightfall from Bledsoe's Lick to Green- field. When in the midst of a dense thicket about half way be- tween, he came face to face with two well known Cherokee chiefs, "Maddog" and "John Taylor," the latter a half-breed and a noted plunderer.
Old Abe leveled his gun and fired, killing "Maddog." He then turned about and ran toward the Lick. Taylor carried away and buried the body of his comrade. This done he returned to his nation, and was never seen again in the settlement.
About the middle of June, James Steel and his daughter. Betsy, a beautiful girl seventeen years old, were killed and scalped near Greenfield. In company with Mr. Steel's son, and his brother, Robert, they were on their way to Morgan's fort at the mouth of Dry Fork.
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When they left Greenfield, General Hall and several other members of the Light Horse Scouts, a local organization, offered to guard them over, but the elder Steel declined, saying that he feared no danger. When scarcely out of sight of the fort the firing of guns told of their peril. General Hall and his men mounted their horses and galloped down the road to the rescue. but the red hand of the Indian had done its bloody work. Steel had fallen under the first fire. The daughter, who was riding be- hind her father, was knocked off the horse, stabbed and scalped. She was yet alive when the scouts came up, but died while being carried back to the station. Robert Steel and his nephew made their escape.
The noted scout and hunter, Jacob Castleman, together with his relatives, Joseph and Hans Castleman, were killed at their sta- tion near Nashville on July I. Abraham Castleman, who had long chafed under the restrictions thrown by the War Depart- ment around the local militia, could now no longer be restrained. General Robertson, who in this instance, was not hard to per- suade, granted him the desired permission to raise a company of volunteers for the purpose of retaliation.
Castleman promptly enlisted a band of fifteen, and started in swift pursuit toward the southeast. When they reached the Ten- nessee, beyond which, by order of Secretary Knox, all parties of like character were forbidden to go. they had killed no Indians, according to Castleman, "worth naming." Here ten of the com- pany turned back. The remainder, consisting of Castleman. Frederick Stull, Zackariah Maclin, Jack Camp, Eli Hammond. and Zeke Caruthers, determined to visit Cæsar in his own house. Painting and otherwise disguising themselves as Indians. they crossed the river near Nickajack. They had not gone far when they came in sight of a band of fifty Creeks at dinner. The lat- ter were seated on the ground, two and two, all painted black and evidently on their way to war.
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So well disguised were the settlers that they were allowed to come quite near, the Indians continuing their meal without the least alarm. Suddenly the invaders stopped, planted their feet, took deliberate aim, and fired. Each killed a man. "Betsy" was loaded with buckshot, and Castleman killed two. The In- dians surprised and thrown into a panic by so sudden an attack fled in all directions, leaving the dead behind. Castleman an l his dare-devil band crossed the river and returned to Nashville. well pleased with the results of their expedition.
In December, James Robertson, Jr., son of General Robertson. and John Grimes were trapping for beaver on Caney Fork. . \ party of Cherokees came by, shot and scalped them, and threw their bodies into the river.
The following Middle Tennessee settlers were now prisoners in the various In lian nations : Mrs. Caffrey and child, Mrs. Wil- liams and child, Mrs. Crockett and son, Mrs. Brown and Misses Thompson, Wilson, Titsworth and Scarlet, two boys and a little girl at Pocantala, a boy twelve years old at Big Tallassee, two boys and a girl at Oakfuskee. A lad fifteen years old, a man whom the Indians called John, a boy ten years old, and a young woman, age unknown: the latter at various villages among the southern tribes.
Some of these had been in captivity for years. Their only tidings of relatives and friends was their occasional recognition of bloody scalps and garments exhibited by the warriors on their return from murderous expeditions.
CHAPTER XXXVII. Events of 1794.
THE TERRITORIAL, ASSEMBLY MEETS .- CONGRESS PETITIONED .- IN- DIAN OUTRAGES .- ATTACK ON JONATHAN ROBERTSON'S PARTY.
On the first day of this year Governor Blount issued a proc-
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lamation calling the Territorial Assembly and Legislature to meet at Knoxville the fourth Monday in February following.
This body consisted of thirteen members. The three Middle Tennessee counties were represented as follows: General James White from Davidson, David Wilson from Sumner, and James Ford from Tennessee. Wilson of Sumner was elected Speaker of the Assembly, it being insisted by the western delegation that as the Governor had been selected from the eastern portion of the Territory. therefore their division was entitled to the presiding officer of the legislative body.
Thus was begun a sectional rotation in office, which has since become law, both written and unwritten, in the selection of Ten- nessee officials.
By provision of the Congressional Act creating the Territory. it became the Assembly's duty to nominate ten persons from whom the President of the United States should select five. the latter constituting a Legislative Council. From the names pre- sented the following were chosen : Col. John Sevier. Gen. James Winchester, Stockley Donelson, Griffith Rutherford and Par- menas Taylor.
'This first meeting of the Assembly was lengthy in session, the same being devoted largely to details of the territorial organiza- tion.
At its adjournment on September 24, a resolution was adopt- ed instructing James White, Esq., at that time territorial repre- sentative in Congress, to exhibit to the "President of Congress" a list of those who had this year fallen by the hands of the Creeks and Cherokees. He was also requested to assure his excellency that "if the people of this territory have borne with outrages which stretch human patience to its utmost, it has been through our veneration for the head of the Federal Government ( Wash- ington), and through the hopes we entertain that his influence
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