Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches, Part 28

Author: Guild, Jo. C. (Josephus Conn), 1802-1883
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Nashville, Tavel, Eastman & Howell
Number of Pages: 1012


USA > Tennessee > Old times in Tennessee, with historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches > Part 28


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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line toward the French Lick, passing by the fort on the bluff. Seeing this, a number of Indians in the line, eager to get posses- sion of the horses, left their ranks and went in pursuit of them. At this instant the dogs in the fort, seeing the confusion and hearing the firing, ran toward the branch, and came to that part of the Indian line that remained yet unbroken, and having been trained to hostilities against the Indians, made a most furious onset upon them, and disabled them from doing anything more than defending themselves. Whilst thus engaged the whites passed near them, through the interval in the Indian line made by those who had gone in pursuit of the horses. Had it not been for these fortunate circumstances, the white men could never have succeeded in reaching the fort through the Indian line which had taken post between it and them." The Indians finally retired, and although their loss could never be ascertained, it must have been considerable.


Shortly after this incident, Maj. Buchanan went out hunting on Richland creek, several miles West of Nashville. Having the luck to kill a young doe, after skinning and selecting the choice pieces to take home with him, he converted the hide into a knap-sack in which he placed his venison. Throwing this knap-sack over his neck and shoulders, he commenced to retrace his steps toward home. The country was covered with a heavy growth of cane and pea-vine, through which the buffalo' had beaten a track from Richland creek to the French Lick, now . called the Sulphur Spring. Maj. Buchanan was returning by this path, and at a point some distance out, he came to where a tree had fallen across the path, and the buffalo had made a path around the top as well as the root of this tree. As he approached the spot, he turned to the left, and just at that moment he heard the voices of Indians coming around by the right. To his aston- ishment there were seven Indian warriors within twenty feet of him, who had that day stolen two boys from the fort, and had these boys with them. Before the Indians discovered him, Maj. Buchanan shot the leader dead, which so frightened the others that they took to their heels in a wild scamper through the brush, cane, and pea-vines, the two boys running with their Indian cap- tors, fearing that they would be killed if they attempted to escape. The Major retreated in a different direction. On his arrival at


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home the next morning, a company of men started out in pursuit of the Indians to recover the boys if possible. They found Maj. Buchanan's venison where he had thrown it off at the fallen tree, the camp where the Indians had spent the night, and a new-made grave where they had buried their companion who had been killed by Maj. Buchanan, but they did not succeed in recovering the boys. Several years afterward the younger of the boys came home and reported that the night after Buchanan had killed the Indian, his brother made his escape and ran down Richland creek. One of the Indians followed him, and returned about daybreak bringing his brother's scalp with him, which he showed to the younger brother, and told him that if he attempted to run off, he would kill and scalp him. The boy remained with the Indians a long time before he succeeded in getting away. They treated him very kindly, but made him stay with the squaws and children and work. These boys were named Clayton.


Atter his return from captivity, young Clayton and another young man, named Gee, were out on a scouting tour in the direc- tion of the Big Black Fox camp, a noted Indian camping ground, near where Murfreesboro now stands, and as they were riding through a dense cedar forest about two miles East of the present site of Lavergne, they were fired on by a party of Indians and killed. They were not found until several days afterward, and then by attention having been attracted by the hovering of buz- zards about the spot where their bodies were lying.


Maj. Buchanan was married twice-first, in 1786, to Miss Mar- garet Kennedy, who bore him one son; and the second time in 1791, to Miss Sally Ridley, daughter of Capt. George Ridley, who bore him nine sons and four daughters. After remaining four years in Nashville, he located on Mill Creek, where the Tennessee and Pacific Railroad crosses that stream, four miles from the city. The place is known in tradition and history as Buchanan's Station, and is memorable on account of having been attacked about midnight on the 30th of September, 1792, by about nine hundred Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw warriors, who were held at bay and finally repulsed by twenty-one in the fort. This repulse has been pronounced "a feat of bravery which has scarcely been surpassed in all the annals of border warfare." The following are the names of the men who were in the fort,


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and who acted with such conspicuous bravery on that occasion : Maj. John Buchanan, James Bryant, Thomas Wilcox, James O'Connor, Robin Castleman, James Mulherrin, Thos. MeCrory, Morris Shane, William Kennedy, Robin Kennedy, Samuel Blair, Jo. Du Rat, George Finalson, Charles Herd, Sampson Williams, John Castleman, Samuel McMurry, Robin Turnbull, Thomas Latimore, Robin Hood, and Robin Thompson.


Some three or four months before this battle, George Finalson, a Frenchman, and Jo. DuRat, a half-breed, who were on terms of intimacy with the Indians as well as the white settlers, and en- tertaining the warmest sympathies for Maj. Buchanan, deter- mined to communicate to him the purpose of the Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw Indians to unite their forces, attack and destroy his fort, and after murdering those who had taken refuge in that place, march on to Nashville and capture the town, and then di- vide the plunder they might secure. On learning the purpose of the Indians, Maj. Buchanan set about repairing and strengthen- ing his feeble fortification. About five hundred State troops had been ordered to Buchanan's Fort to meet and repel the Indians. The time at which the Indians were to have attacked the fort having passed, and no sign of their coming, the matter was looked upon as a ruse on the part of Finalson and DeRat to get up a little excitement, or that they were them-elves unduly excited, if not frightened, the troops were disbanded the Friday previous to the attack on Sunday night. Maj. Buchanan, however, pre- vailed on a number of his friends to remain with him, having the fullest confidence in the information given him by Finalson and DuRat touching the purpose of the Indians, which was fully verified within three days.


The moon was full the night of September 30, and the sky was unobsenred by even the smallest clond. As the clock struck the hour of twelve, two faithful sentinels at the entrance gate des- "ried in the distance the approach of the Indians. The sentinels awaited their coming until they were within easy range, when the sharp report of two rifles rang out upon the still air of that bright moonlight night, the one killing the Cherokee chief and the other severely wounding the celebrated Cheetaw chief John Watts, who was shot through one thigh while the ball lodged in the other. The Indians returned the fire, and continued a con-


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stant and very heavy fire upon the fort for an hour. A few yards from the fort a cellar had been dug out over which a house was soon to be built. The Indians took refuge in this as a safe re- treat, from which they hoped to be able to pick off the men in the fort as opportunity should present. The block-houses were so constructed as to give the whites a decided advantage, which was improved with telling effect by some expert riflemen from the upper port-holes. Whenever an Indian raised his head above the ground sufficiently high to be seen, he was sure to be picked off by one of the expert shots in the fort. Many were the bloody traces made by hurriedly dragging the bodies of dead Indians down the rough, rocky declivity from that fatal spot. The prin- cipal burying ground of the Indians was at the lower extremity of Todd's Knob, near the mouth of Stone's river, on the farm now owned by Maj. David H. MeGavock, and numerous are the graves yet to be seen containing the bones of red men who fell in the sanguinary attempt to take the fort on that memorable night of Sept. 30, 1792. Prior to this attack, Maj. Buchanan's sagacity and apprehension of the purpose of overriding and de- stroying him, put him actively on his guard against surprise, and he was at all times fully prepared to meet any emergency. The fort was repaired and strengthened, block-houses built, guns cleaned up and placed in position for use at a moment's warning, powder-horns filled, bullets moulded and stored in convenient places; and although the spring was but a few yards distant from the fort, to guard against a siege, all vessels for holding water were carefully filled and conveniently arranged for use should necessity require. So that when the Indians came he was fully prepared for them. The attack being made at midnight, the in- mates were all in bed and asleep, except the two sentinels on guard at the outer gate, and when these faithful sentinels dis- charged their guns at the advancing Indians, every man and woman in the fort was soon at the post of duty. The attock wa- so sudden and the emergency so great that no time was lost by the inmates of the fort in dressing. and they commenced the fight with only the clothes on-many in only their under gar- ments-in which they had retired for the night. One lady fear- ing capture, and believing the women and children would not be killed but carried off, dressed herself and children so as to be


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ready for the fate that awaited them. James O'Conner, who was one of the inmates of the fort, was a gallant son of the Emerald Isle, as his Irish brogue clearly indicated, but was much addicted to strong drink. He had that day been to Nashville, and had imbibed just enough to make him quite lively. He had returned to the fort only about an hour before the attack by the Indians. While the battle was at its hottest, Jimmy O'Conner appeared before Maj. Buchanan and asked permission to use an old long pistol owned by the mother of the Major, and usually kept loaded and laid away under the old lady's pillow. His request was granted and Jimmy was soon at an upper port-hole, which was reached by means of a ladder, and thrusting his blunderbuss, which was known as "My Grandmammy's Pocket Piece," through the port-hole, pulled trigger, and supposing that he had fired, and that at least one Indian had been made to " bite the dust," returned to the Major for another load. This "pocket piece" required just four times the quantity of powder that an ordinary rifle did. Jimmy repeated his visit to the Major for "another load" for the fourth time, thinking he had fired each time. At the fifth trial his blunderbuss went off, with a report akin to that made by a six-pounder, and sending poor Jimmy backward from the top of the ladder to the floor, a distance of eight feet, and inflicting a severe bruise on his shoulder. No sooner had he reached the floor than he was up and on his feet again, and going to the Major, he exclaimed with all the enthu- siasm of his nature, "Be jabbers, I give it to 'em; but she give me a tremendous pounce !"


The night was quite cool, especially to those who were dressed only in their night-clothes. Mrs. Sally Buchanan was kept busy in furnishing the men with powder and bullets, and occasionally she warmed up their spirits with a "dhrop" of Jimmy O'Con- ner's favorite beverage. Mrs. Buchanan was large, active, cheer- ful, brave, and daring, knowing no fear and shunning no respon- sibility ; with a strong mind, generous impulses, and sensitive to the wants of the suffering. She was well calculated to encourage the little band then defending the fort to deeds of great bravery. During the fight Mrs. Buchanan observed one man shirking duty. She approached him and asked resolutely, " What are you doing there, Tom ? Why are you not fighting ?" And then she


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added, with emphasis, "I would rather be killed fighting like a man, than be crouching in a corner like a coward. Go to your gun this instant, for your own credit's sake." Of course such 2 speech had its desired effect.


The lady who had dressed herself and children, was so com- pletely the victim of fear that she left her room and advanced toward the gate of the fort. Mrs. Buchanan seeing her leading her children along, hastened to her side and inquired, " What in the world are you going to do, Phoebe ?" "To surrender," was her reply. "Never!" exclaimed Mrs. Buchanan, "as long as there is life in this body ! Go back to your room and keep out of the way; we will whip the Indians!" And back Phoebe went with her children.


Mrs. Buchanan was frequently by the Major's side during the engagement, to see that his orders were promptly executed, while she occasionally visited every part of the fort to encourage the brave men upon whose coolness and intrepidity so much depended. Never were husband and wife better suited to each other, or pos- sessed in a greater degree the traits which lead to heroic daring- even in those days when these traits were so conspicuously de- veloped in men and women-than were John and Sally Buchanan. It is a memorable incident that eleven days after this engage- ment Mrs. Buchanan gave birth to her first child.


In an account of the attack on Buchanan's Station in a letter to the Secretary of War, Gov. Blount says: "Their (the In- dians') approach was suspected by the running in of cattle that had taken fright at them, and upon examination, they were found rapidly advancing within ten yards of the gate; from this place and distance they received the first fire from the man who dis- covered them (John MeRoy). They immediately returned the fire, and continued a very heavy and constant firing upon the station (block-houses surrounded with a stockade) for an hour, and were repulsed with considerable loss, without injuring man, woman, or child in the station. During the whole time of the attack the Indians were not more distant than ten yards from the block-house, and often in large numbers around the lower walls, attempting to put fire to it. One ascended the roof with a torch, where he was shot, and falling to the ground renewed his at- tempts to fire the bottom logs, and was killed. The Indians


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fired thirty balls through a port-hole of the overjutting, which lodged in the roof in the circumference of a hat, and those stick- ing in the walls on the side were very numerous. Upon view- ing the ground next morning, it appeared that the fellow who was shot from the roof was a Cherokee half-breed, and there was much blood, and signs that many dead had been dragged off, and litters having been made to carry their wounded to their horses, which they had left a mile from the station."


The loud report of "My Grandmammy's Pocket Piece," in the hands of Jimmy O'Conner, impressed the Indians with the belief that the whites had a cannon in the fort, and caused them to retreat sooner perhaps than they otherwise would have done. So much for the part the "Pocket Piece" played in this mem- orable engagement.


For sixteen years after his settlement on Mill creek, Maj. Buchanan was compelled to keep a guard constantly on watch for the protection of those who cultivated his farm. His brother Samuel was cut off from the guard whilst plowing, and wounded. His old father was shot down in his own house by a band of In- dians while the men were out at work. Mrs. Sally Buchanan died Nov. 23, 1831, and Maj. John Buchanan, Nov. 7, 1832, and both were buried in the family graveyard near the site of the old fort.


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XIV.


TIMOTHY DEMONBREUN-FIRST WHITE MAN TO VISIT NASHVILLE.


TIMOTE DEMONBREUN was a native of France, and was born in 1731. After attaining his majority, he joined the army of bis native country, and participated in the great battle of Quebec, between the British and French, in 1759. His term of service having expired, he remained in Canada until 1760, when he left there and settled in Kaskaskia, in Illinois. Here his given name was Anglicised to that of Timothy. He was of an adventurous and roving disposition, and determined to penetrate the wild hunting grounds of the red men in what is now known as Middle Tennessee, and build up a trade with the Indians. In the autumn of 1760 a small boat might have been seen creeping along with noiseless motion beneath the banks of the river then known by the Indians as the Warioto, and by the French as the Shauvanou, but now as the Cumberland. There was that in the shape of the boat and the appearance of the three men who com- posed its crew, that attracted the attention of the son of the forest, who regarded it with great curiosity. "Ugh!" he ejaculated in the deep sonorous tone of his native tongue, " that is a war-boat from the Great Spirit's lake." So closely was his attention riv- ited to the boat, that three deer descended the path near him un- observed to the water's edge to drink. The boat was of an en- tirely different model from the upturned birch canoe moored near where he stood. It was long and lay low in the water, with a high stern and had a short mast, across which hung a yard with a small sail furled closely to it. It had two oarsmen whose long sweep dipping into the water in regular strokes attracted the ad- miration of the Indian. In the stern stood DeMonbreun, who guided the little boat in its slow ascent under the shadow of the banks. A small stream emptied into the Cumberland just above where the boat was discovered, and the Indian saw it enter the mouth of the inlet and soon disappear behind the trees and thick


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growth of cane. The Indian shook his head with mingled rev- erence and fear. He had never before seen such a boat nor the faces of white men. Heedless of the noble stags that passed in close proximity to him, he gathered his buffalo robe about him, and with the speed of the deer, hastened to his cabin to report what he had seen. As the boat ascended this litle stream, the men on board being thirsty, and the water looking cool and re- freshing, dipped up and drank, when it was found to be strongly impregnated with salt and sulphur. It was remarked by one of the menthat there was a "lick" where this water came from, and another said, " Where there is buffalo there is red Injuns, by jingo!" . They again tasted the water. "Sulphur as Limbo down below!" exclaimed one; "Salt as Lot's wife !" chimed in another. "Give me the flask to wash my mouth with, Franco," and the flask went the round of the party. They ran up what is now called Lick Branch, at present embraced within the bounds of Nashville, and tied up their boat, which was a French Cana- dian trading boat. The branches of the trees on the banks lapped over and formed a complete archway above the stream. DeMon- brenn wore a blue cotton hunting shirt, leggins of deer-hide, a red waistcoat that had once been in the French army, and a fox- skin cap, with the tail hanging down his back. He was a tall, athletic, dark-skinned man, with a large head, broad shoulders and chest, small legs, a high, short foot, an eagle eye, and an ex- pression of daring about his mouth. His followers addressed him as Jacques. They concluded to trace the stream in which their boat was then lying to its source, and as they followed its meanderings, they noticed a movement among the bushes at one point. One of the men lowered his gun, but DeMonbreun or- dered him not to shoot, as their object was to trade and not make war. At length they arrived at a level basin, encircled by low hills, covered with a thick forest. Here they found a bubbling spring running into the stream that they had ascended. They look- ed around and found many signs of buffalo, deer, and bear. Using every precaution against a surprise, they encamped for the night, cooked their victuals, and slept upon their arms. It is confidently believed that this is the first white party that had ever trod the soil where Nashville now stands. The next morning they hung out their trinckets, beads, blankets, and other articles calculated to


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attract the fancy of the Indians, giving assurance of their friendly intentions and a desire to exchange their goods for furs. The effort proved successful, and a profitable trade was inaugurated, while. at the same time the nucleus of the first white settlement was formed, one hundred and eighteen years ago. One of De Mon- breun's party was a Spaniard who understood the Indian dialect, and through him friendly relations were brought about with the Indians hunting in this section. Every year thereafter for a considerable period, DeMonbreun would return to Kaskaskia, taking with him furs and buffalo robes purchased from the In- dians, and bringing back a new supply of goods. He lived dur- ing the winter in a cave situated between Stone's river and Mill creek, fronting upon the Cumberland river. He reached the mouth of this cave by means of a ladder, which he drew after him upon entering. He carried on a profitable trade with the Indians until the year 1789. After 1780, the whites began to come in and settle around Nashville, then called the French Lick, and in Sumner county, at Bledsoe's Lick, and the growing of the settlements stimulated hostility on the part of the Indians, who held Tennessee as their great hunting ground. Neither the Creeks, the Choctaws, nor the Cherokees, dwelt within the limits of this fine hunting ground, but held it as the common property of those tribes, in which to hunt and gather furs and hides and carry on trade. DeMonbreun had a fleet of trading boats, which were manned by seventeen men. During their first raid, the In- dians killed all of his men except two, who made their escape with him to Kaskaskia. DeMonbreun would not give up his trade, but returned, and built a store-house of cedar logs on the bluff near the Northeast corner of the Public Square, where he carried on a large business for the times and place. DeMon- breun's second wife lived with him in the cave, and here his first child was born. This was Wm. DeMonbreun, who afterwards settled in Williamson county, where he lived. He was a most worthy and respectable citizen, and died four or five years ago, leaving a large family and a fine estate.


Timothy DeMonbreun built his first cabin, of cedar logs, near the junction of Broad and College streets. He built another on the ground now occupied by the Nashville Female Academy. He afterwards built a farm-house on Broad street, near High,


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where the residence of George C. Allen now stands. He lived and died in that house. His pre-emption of six hundred and forty acres of land was located near Goodlettsville. He had four children, all of whom are now dead. Our townsman, Wm. R. DeMonbreun, is a grandson of the old pioneer, and is a most esti- mable citizen. He has in his possession a shot-gun, with flint lock, which his grandfather brought with him when he came to this region in 1760; he also has the watch his grandfather wore in the battle upon the plains of Abraham. Timothy DeMon- breun was a generous and an honest man, active, energetic, and bold. He adhered through life to the customs of his fathers; al- ways wore short breeches with knee-buckles, and stockings cov- ering the smallest legs that ever bore so large a head and heart. He died in Nashville in 1826, being ninety-six years of age. He possessed to the day of his death a vigorous intellect, and every tooth in his head was sound, though worn short by time. In re- ligion, he was a devout' Roman Catholic. Nashville has honored the memory of this noble old pioneer by naming one of its streets "Demonbreun."


I have extended this sketch to some length because I have thought it due to the memory of Mr. DeMonbreun, who belonged to that noble band of patriotic adventurers who encountered the hazards of a wild country and hostile Indians, to lay deep and broad the foundations of civilization, in which praiseworthy effort so many of our fathers and? mothers fell the victims of savage warfare. It is due to these pioneers that their memory should be embalmed in the hearts of a grateful people who have received and enjoyed the rich heritage secured to us through the hardships and dangers they encountered.


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XV.


"OLD CHATTANOOGA "-DEVELOPMENT OF THE IDEA OF A RAILROAD FROM NASHVILLE TO CHATTANOOGA.


THIRTY-THREE YEARS ago, it was a bold idea that a railroad could be laid across the Cumberland mountains. The very few thoroughfares of that kind on the Atlantic seaboard were laid on an air line, without any curves whatever, passing over hills on the route by inclined planes; and it was thought to be almost madness to advocate a road from Nashville to Chattanooga. The Nashville and Knoxville papers had discussed it, and many of our shrewdest meu had ridiculed it. Yet light was constantly breaking forth on railroad matters, and the State of Georgia was rapidly constructing her road from the ocean over her plains to- wards Chattanooga, where it was very desirable Tennessee should meet. her with the road from Nashville.




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