USA > Tennessee > Williamson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Tennessee > Maury County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Tennessee > Rutherford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Tennessee > Wilson County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Tennessee > Bedford County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Tennessee > Marshall County > History of Tennessee, from the earliest time to the present; together with an historical and a biographical sketch of Maury, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, Bedford and Marshall counties, besides a valuable fund of notes, reminiscences, observations, etc., etc. Vol. 1 > Part 10
USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present , together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, besides a valuable fund of notes, original observations, reminiscences, etc., etc. V. 1 > Part 10
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State. An attempt will now be made to relate as succinctly as may be, and yet with a sufficiency of detail, similar events that had been for some years simultaneously occurring upon the Cumberland. The proximity of the Chickasaws to the settlements on the Cumberland had been cause for serious apprehension; yet, notwithstanding this, the first attack upon them was made by the Creeks and Cherokees. This was in the year 1780, and was made, not by a large force of Indians in battle array, but by small parties upon individuals or small parties of white men. In April of that year the Indians killed an elder and younger Milliken, Jo- seph Bernard, Jonathan Jennings, Ned Carver and William Neely, all in the vicinity of Nashville: at Eaton's Station, James Mayfield; at Mansker's Lick, Jesse Ballentine, John Shockley. David Goin and Risby Kennedy; at Bledsoe's Lick, William Johnson; at Freeland's Station, D. Larimer, and near Nashville, Isaac Lefevre, Solomon Phillips, Samuel Murray and Bartlett Renfroe. About this time occurred the massacre at Battle Creek, in Robertson County, recited in detail in the history of that county. The Indians engaged in this massacre were Chickasaws. and the reason given by them for its commission was that Gen. George Rogers Clarke had that year built Fort Jefferson, eighteen miles below the mouth of the Ohio, on the east side of the Mississippi. All the ter- ritory west of the Tennessee River they claimed, and they were especially offended at Gen. Clarke's intrusion, upon which they became the allies of the English. Isolated cases of murder were numerous for years in these settlements, the names of the killed being generally reserved for insertion in the histories of the counties in which the murders occurred, in order to avoid unnecessary repetition. In April, 1781. a determined attack was made by a numerous body of Cherokees on the fort at the Bluff, and nineteen horsemen, who sallied forth to drive them off, were defeated with a loss of seven killed, four wounded and some of their horses stolen. At this battle occurred the famous onset of the dogs upon the Indians, an anomaly in warfare, and which enabled nearly all of those not killed to regain the fort in safety. Mrs. Robertson, who directed the guard to let slip the dogs, pertinently remarked that the Indians' fear of dogs and love of horses proved the salvation of the whites on this occasion. In 1782 John Tucker, Joseph Hendricks and David Hood were fired upon at the French Lick. The first two, though wounded, escaped through the assistance of their friends. David Hood was shot down, scalped, stamped upon and Jeft by the Indians for dead, in their chase after Tucker and Hendricks. Hood, supposing the Indians had gone, slowly picked himself up and began to walk toward the fort, but to his disap- pointment and dismay he saw the same Indians just before him making
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sport of his misfortunes and mistake. They then made a second attack. upon him, inflicting other apparently mortal wounds, and again left him for dead. He fell in a brush heap in the snow, where he lay all night. The next morning being found by his blood he was taken home and placed in an outhouse for dead, but to the surprise of all he revived and lived for many years.
The continuance, frequency and savageness of these depredations led many of the people on the Cumberland to seriously consider the propri- ety of breaking up the settlements and going away to Kentucky, or to some place where it was hoped they might live in peace. Gen. Robert- son earnestly opposed the plan, as it was impossible to get to Kentucky. and equally so to reach the settlements on the Holston. The only plan which contained an element of practicability was to go down the river to Illinois, and even to the execution of this plan there seemed insuperable- obstacles, the principal one being to build the boats. This could not be done without timber; the timber was standing in the woods, and the woods were full of Indians.
In 1783, after further ravages by the Chickasaws, Gen. Robertson ob- tained a cession from them by which they relinquished to North Carolina a region of country extending nearly forty miles south of the Cumber- land to the ridge dividing the tributaries of that stream from those of the Duck and Elk Rivers. This cession, however, did not cause inva- sions and murders to cease. Instigated by the Spaniards at a conference held at Walnut Hills, they returned to the settlements evidently with the renewed determination to kill as many of the settlers as possible. In order to neutralize the influence of the Spaniards Gen. Robertson opened a correspondence with one of the Spanish agents, a Mr. Portell, in which a mutual desire to live at peace was expressed; but the letters which passed between Gen. Robertson and Mr. Portell had apparently but little if any effect upon the minds of the Indians, whose depredations were continued through the year 1785. In 1786 was made the treaty of Hopewell with the Chickasaws, as mentioned and inserted above, by which immigration to the Cumberland was greatly encouraged and increased.
In 1787 Indian atrocities continued as numerous as before, and it became necessary for Gen. Robertson to imitate the tactics of Gen. Sevier, viz .: To carry offensive operations into the heart of the enemy's country. For this purpose a force of 130 men volunteered, of whom Gen. Robertson took command, assisted by Col. Robert Hays and Col. James Ford. At the head of this force he marched against the Indian village of Coldwater, with two Chickasaw Indians as guides. Arriving within ten miles of the Muscle Shoals he sent forward some of his most active
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soldiers with one of the Chickasaw guides to reconnoiter. At 12 next day they struck the river at the lower end of the Muscle Shoals, and concealed themselves until night. After a futile attempt to capture some Indians it was determined to cross the Tennessee River that night. The soldiers who had been sent forward with the guide swam the river and. went up on the opposite bank to the cabins of an Indian village, which they found empty, and securing a canoe returned to the main body on the north side of the river. On account of the leaky condition of the canoe it was impossible to get across the river before daylight next morn- ing. A heavy rain coming on forced the men into the cabins until it was over, and when the clouds cleared away they followed a well beaten path leading toward the west. At the distance of about six miles they . came to Coldwater Creek, upon the opposite side of which was a number of cabins built upon low ground. The people of this village were sur- prised by this sudden invasion and fled precipitately to their boats pur- sued by such of the men as had crossed the creek. This town was occupied by the Creeks, some French traders and a white woman. In the attack upon the Indians twenty-six of the Creek warriors were killed, as were also the three Frenchmen and the white woman. A large quantity of stores was secured in the town, and afterward the town itself was burned down and the domestic animals destroyed. Each of the Chickasaw Indian guides was presented with a horse, a gun and as many blankets and clothes as his horse could carry, and sent home. After dis- posing of the prisoners and goods, most of the latter being taken to Eaton's Station, sold, and the proceeds distributed among the soldiers, the soldiers were disbanded on the nineteenth day after setting out on the expedition. This invasion of the Creek country was of great benefit to the Cumberland settlement, as it gave them peace and quiet for a con- siderable time, and discovered to them the sources whence the Indians were obtaining their supplies. But it was not entirely without disastrous, or at least threateningly disastrous, consequences. David Hay, of Nashs ville, attempted to carry on simultaneously, a campaign by water against the same Indians, with the view of assisting Gen. Robertson's men, both in their warfare and in respect to supplying them with provisions in case they should be detained longer away from home than was anticipated, but unfortunately his company was led into an ambush, was attacked by the Indians and was obliged to return. Gen. Robertson's campaign came
very near involving him in difficulties with the French, who were carrying on trade with the Indians from the Wabash up the Tennessee.
The cessation of hostilities procured by Gen. Robertson's Coldwater campaign was of but temporary duration. Capt. John Rains, a vigilant
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and intrepid Indian fighter, made three successful campaigns against the Indians, and similar expeditions were made by others in every direction throughout the country. In 17SS the hostilities which still continued were committed by the Creek warriors, still under the malign influence of the Spaniards. As no settlements had been made on territory claimed by that nation, and as no acts of offensive war had been committed against Span- ish colonies, it was determined to inquire into the reason for their insti- gation of these incursions upon the settlers. Gen. Robertson and Col. Anthony Bledsoe, therefore, addressed a joint letter to the celebrated agent of the Creeks, McGilvery. To this communication the agent re- plied that the Creeks, in common with other southern Indians had adhered to the British interests during the late war, that after peace was declared he had accepted proposals for friendship by the settlers, and that while these negotiations were pending, six of his nation were killed at Coldwater and their death had given rise to a violent clamor for revenge, and that the late expeditions by the Creeks had been undertaken for that purpose. But now as the affair at Coldwater had been amply retaliated he would use his best endeavors for peace. Immediately afterward, however, hos- tilities were renewed and Col. Anthony Bledsoe killed at the fort of his brother Isaac at Bledsoe's Liek. At this time North Carolina was unable to assist her western settlements even had she been so disposed, and in their extremity it became absolutely necessary for Gen. Robertson to forget the murder of his friend Anthony Bledsoe, and to bring into play all the arts of diplomacy of which he was possessed in order to soothe the savage breast and to beget in him a peaceful, or at least a less warlike disposition. Dissembling the resentment which the cruel murder of his friend must have caused him to feel, he wrote to McGilvery acknowl- edging the satisfaction caused by the receipt of his letter, seemed to exten- uate the recent aggressions of the Creeks upon the settlers, and stated that he had caused a deed for a lot in Nashville to be recorded in his ifame. To another letter from the Creek chief he replied that the Cum- berland settlers were not the people who had made encroachments upon Creek territory, and stated that the people of the Cumberland only claimed the land which the Cherokees had sold to Col. Hudson in 1775, etc. The right to the lands of the Lower Cumberland was claimed by the Chickasaws rather than by the Cherokees at the time of the Revolu- tionary war. Prior to that time the former tribe lived north of the Tennessee and about fifty miles lower down that stream than the Lower (Cherokee) Towns. They ceded the Cumberland lands in 17S2 or 1783 at the treaty held by Donelson and Martin.
In 1786 commissioners were appointed by Congress to treat with the
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EAST TENNESSEE ASYLUM FOR THE INSANE.
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Cherokees and other southern tribes. These commissioners say in their report to Richard Henry Lee, president of Congress, "that there are some few people settled on the Indian lands whom we are to remove, and those in the fork of French Broad and Holston being numerous, the Indians agree to refer their particular situation to Congress and abide by their decision." Although these persons had settled contrary to treaty stipulations entered into by Virginia and North Carolina in 1777, yet they were too numerous to order off, hence the necessity of obtaining the consent of the Cherokees to refer the matter to Congress. The same re- port furnishes an estimate of the number of warriors of the nations of Indians living south of the Tennessee and in reach of the advanced set- tlements which was as follows: Cherokees, 2,000; Creeks, 5,400; Chicka- saws, 800; Choctaws, 6,000-total number, 14,200, besides remnants of the Shawanees, Uchees and other tribes. That this number of warriors was not able with the assistance of northern tribes to crush out the settle- ments in what is now Tennessee in that early day is very remarkable, but is doubtless due in part to determination and courage of the whites.
The year 1788 was distinguished by the unfortunate attempt of Col. James Brown to reach Nashville by the Tennessee, Ohio and Cumberland Rivers, related at such length in the chapter on settlements as to only need brief mention here in chronological order. The same year was distin- guished by the campaign against the Cherokees, by the attack on Sher- rell's and Gillespie's Stations.
During the administration of Gov. Blount the policy of conciliation was persistently followed in obedience to instructions and proclamations from the President of the United States, Gen. Washington. An earnest attempt was made by both the authorities of the United States, and of the "Territory of the United States south of the river Ohio," to enforce treaty stipulations, but notwithstanding all that was or could be done by both Governments, both Indians and whites disregarded and violated all the treaties they should have observed. And while it was thus demon- strated and had been from the signing of the first treaty, that treaties were only a temporary make-shift, or subterfuge, yet both Nation and State kept on making treaty after treaty with the various tribes of Indians.
In obedience to this treaty-making spirit another treaty was con- cluded July 2, 1791, at the treaty ground on the bank of Holston River, near the mouth of the French Broad, between the Cherokees of the one part and William Blount, governor in and for the "Territory of the United States of America south of the river Ohio," and superintendent of Indian affairs for the southern district, of the other part, whereby the following boundary between the lands of the two parties was established:
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ARTICLE 4. The boundary between the citizens of the United States and the Cherokee- nation is and shall be as follows: Beginning at the top of the Currahee Mountain where the Creek line passes it; thence a direct line to Tugelo River; thence northwest to the Occunna Mountain, and over the same along the South Carolina Indian bound- ary to the North Carolina boundary; thence north to a point from which a line is to be extended to the river Clinch that shall pass the Holston at the ridge which divides the waters running into Little River from those running into the Tennessec; thence up the river Clinch to Campbell's line, and along the same to the top of the Cum- berland Mountain; thence a direct line to the Cumberland River where the Kentucky road crosses it; thence down the Cumberland River to a point from which a southwest line will strike the ridge which divides the waters of Cumberland from those of Duck River, forty miles above Nashville; thence down the said ridge to a point from whence a southwest line will strike the mouth of Duck River.
It was agreed that all land lying to the right of this boundary, be- ginning at Currahee Mountain, should belong to the United States; and as a further consideration the Government stipulated to pay the Chero- kees an annuity of $1,000, which was increased later by an additional ar- ticle to $1,500. All prisoners were to be surrendered, criminals pun- ished, whites settling on Indian lands to be denied the protection of the Government, whites to be granted the navigation of the Tennessee and to be permitted to use a road between Washington and Mero Districts, the Indians to be furnished with implements of husbandry, etc., etc. The witnesses signing this treaty were Daniel Smith, secretary of the Terri- tory of the United States south of the river Ohio; Thomas Kennedy, of Kentucky; James Robertson, of Mero District; Claiborne Watkins, of Vir- ginia; John Mc Whitney, of Georgia; Fauche, of Georgia; Titus Ogden, of North Carolina; John Chisholm, of Washington District; Robert King and Thomas Gregg. The official and sworn interpreters were John Thompson and James Ceery. Forty-one chiefs of the Cherokee nation were the contracting party for the Indians. The additional article of the treaty, which provided that $1,500 instead of $1,000 should be annually paid to the Cherokees, was agreed to between Henry Knox, Secretary of War, and seven chiefs, February 17, 1792.
In 1793 a force of 1,000 Indians, 700 of them Creeks, the rest Chero- kees, under the lead of John Watts and Double Head, 100 of the Creeks being well mounted horsemen, invaded the settlements with the view of attacking Knoxville, but failing to surprise the citizens they abandoned their contemplated attack upon the town. Falling back they found it impossible to leave the country without carrying out in some degree their revengeful purposes, and so made an attack on Cavett's Station. Here after suffering a temporary repulse they proposed that if the station would surrender they would spare the lives of the inmates and exchange them for an equal number of Indian prisoners. Relying upon these promises the inmates of the station surrendered, but no sooner had they passed
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the door than Double Head and his party fell upon them and put them to death, and most horribly, barbarously and indelicately mutilated their bodies, especially those of the women and children.
This daring invasion by the Creeks and Cherokees, under the cele- brated chief John Watts, convinced the Federal and also the Territorial authorities that defensive warfare was of but little if any use in prevent- ing Indian invasions. The people themselves had long been convinced of this fact, and earnestly desired a return to the tactics of Gen. Sevier. A sudden and decisive blow was loudly called for as the only means of punishment for the Indians and of defense for the settlements. Gen. Sevier was once more the man to lead in a campaign of this kind. His little army then at Ish's was re-enforced by troops under Col. John Blair for . Washington District and Col. Christian for Hamilton Dis- trict, and with these forces Gen. Sevier made his last campaign against the Indians. Crossing Little Tennessee, near Lowry's Ferry he came to an Indian town named Estinaula, and suffered a night attack from the Indians with the loss of one man wounded. Breaking camp in the night he went on toward Etowah, which place he succeeded in capturing after overcoming a determined resistance by the Indians under the com- mand of King Fisher, who, however, fell in the engagement. After be- ing defeated the Indians escaped into the secret recesses of the surround- ing country, and Gen. Sevier having burned the town and becoming satisfied that further pursuit would not meet with results commensurate with the exertion demanded, countermarched and the troops returned safely to their homes. Thus terminated the last campaign of Sevier, and the first for which he received compensation from the Government. In this campaign he lost three brave men, Pruett and Weir killed in the battle, and Wallace mortally wounded.
A treaty was concluded at Philadelphia between Henry Knox, Secre- tary of War, and thirteen chiefs of the Cherokees, on the 26th of June, 1794, to set at rest certain misunderstandings concerning the provisions of the treaty of Holston of July 2, 1791. It was declared that the treaty of Holston should in all particulars be vali l and binding, and that the boundary line then established should be accurately defined and marked. In lieu of the annuity of $1,000 granted by the treaty of Holston in 1791, or the annuity of $1,500 granted by the treaty of Philadelphia in 1792, the Government at this treaty of 1794 agreed to pay the annual sum of $5,000 to the Cherokees. This treaty was attended by thirteen Cherokee chiefs. John Thompson and Arthur Coody were the official in- terpreters. The boundary provided in these treaties was not ascertained and marked until the latter part of 1797, by reason of which delay sev-
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eral settlements of white people were established upon the Indian domain. These settlers were removed by authority of the Government, and two commissioners, George Walton, of Georgia, and Lieut .- Col. Thomas Butler, commander of the troops of the United States in the State of Tennessee, were appointed to adjust the mutual claims and rights of the white settlers and the Indians. These commissioners met thirty-nine authorized Cherokee chiefs, representing the "whole Cherokee nation," in the council house of the Indians near Tellico, October 2, 1798, and the following provisions, in substance, were mutually agreed to: The former boundaries were to remain the same with the following exception: The Cherokees ceded to the United States all the lands "from a point on the Tennessee River below Tellico Block-house, called the White Cat Rock, in a direct line to the Militia Spring near the Maryville road leading from Tellico; from the said spring to the Chilhowee Mountain by a line so to be run as will leave all the farms on Nine Mile Creek to the north- ward and eastward of it, and to be continued along Chilhowee Mountain until it strikes Hawkins' line; thence along the said line to the Great Iron Mountain, and from the top of which a line to be continued in a southeastwardly course to where the most southwardly branch of Little River crosses the divisional line to Tugalo River. From the place of be- ginning, the Wild Cat Rock, down the northeast margin of the Tennes- see River (not including islands) to a point or place one mile above the junction of that river with the Clinch; and from thence by a line to be drawn in a right angle until it intersects Hawkins' line leading from Clinch; thence down the said line to the river Clinch; thence up the said river to its junction with Emery River; thence up Emery River to the foot of Cumberland Mountains; from thence a line to be drawn northeast- wardly along the foot of the mountain until it intersects with Campbell's line." It was further understood that two commissioners, one to be ap- pointed by each the Government and the Cherokee nation, were to run and mark the boundary line; that the annuity should be increased from $5,000 to $6,000 in goods; that the Kentucky road running between the Cumberland Mountains and the Cumberland River should be open and free to the white citizens as was the road from Southwest Point to Cum- berland River; that Indians might hunt upon the lands thus ceded until settlements should make it improper; that stolen horses should be either returned or paid for, and that the agent of the Government living among the Indians should have a piece of land reserved for his use. . Elisha I. Hall was secretary of the commission; Silas Dinsmore, agent to the Cherokees; Edward Butler, captain commanding at Tellico, and Charles Hicks and James Casey were interpreters.
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The year 1794 was distinguished for the Nickajack expedition. The banditti Indians of the five Lower Towns on the Tennessee River contin- ued to make attacks on the frontier settlements, and the frontiers de- termined to invade the towns as the only effectual means of self-defense, and of inflicting punishment upon the Indians for the injuries they had received. But as the Cumberland settlers were not of themselves strong enough to successfully undertake an expedition, they appealed to the mar- tial spirit of Kentucky to aid them in punishing an enemy from whom they had also been frequent sufferers. Col. Whitley of Kentucky entered into the scheme. Col. James Ford, of Montgomery, raised a company from near Clarksville: Col. John Montgomery brought a company from Clarksville, and Gen. Robertson raised a company of volunteers from Nashville and vicinity.
Maj. Ore, who had been detached by Gov. Blount to protect the fron- tiers of Mero District, opportunely arrived at Nashville as the troops were concentrating for the Nickajack expedition, as it has ever since been known, and entered heartily into the project; Maj. Ore temporarily as- sumed command, and the expedition has sometimes been called " Ore's expedition." Upon the arrival of the Kentucky troops, Col. Whitley was given command of the entire force, and Col. Montgomery of the volun- teers raised within the Territory
Notwithstanding Col. Whitley having command of the little army, Gen. Robertson issued instructions to Maj. Ore, on the 6th of September, and on the next day, Sunday, the army set out upon its march. It crossed the Barren Fork of Duck River near the Stone Fort, and arrived at the Tennessee on the night of the 8th. Of the individuals present at this expedition were Joseph Brown, son of Col. James Brown, whose mel- ancholy fate is elsewhere recorded in this work; William Trousdale, afterward governor of Tennessee, and Andrew Jackson. The troops having the next morning crossed the river, penetrated to the center of the town of Nickajack, a village inhabited by about 250 families. In this village the troops killed quite a number of warriors, and many oth- ers, while they were attempting to escape in canoes or swimming in the river. Eighteen were taken prisoners and about seventy in all were killed; but this number includes those killed in the town of Running Water as well as those killed in Nickajack. When an attack was made on two isolated houses, one of the squaws remained outside to listen. She attempted to escape by flight, but after a hard chase was taken pris- oner, and carried up to the town and placed among the other prisoners, in canoes. As these were being taken down the river the squaw loosed her clothes, sprang head foremost into the river, artfully disengaged her-
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