USA > Tennessee > The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century: Comprising Its Settlement, as the. > Part 46
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During the summer, the Indians came to Drake's Creek, where William Montgomery lived, shot down and scalped his son, and wounded John Allen. In the same neighbour- hood they killed Mr. Morgan, Sen., and were pursued by a party of white men under the command of George Winches- ter, who followed on their trail. Another party, commanded by Captain William Martin, also followed them by a nearer route, and not having found their trail, encamped near it. The other party, on the same night, came on the trail, and seeing the camp of Martin, fired into it and killed William Ridley, the son of George Ridley, late of Davidson county.
Considerable delay occurred before Evans's battalion could be recruited, equipped, provided with supplies, and sent for- ·ward to Cumberland, as provided for by the Assembly of North-Carolina. Impatient of this delay, Colonel Bledsoe asks permission of Governor Caswell to carry an expedition against the Chickamaugas. His letter is dated from Ken- tucky, whither he and Colonel Robertson had gone, to pro- cure additional forces, with which to chastise the enemy.
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COLS. BLEDSOE AND ROBERTSON TO GOVERNOR CASWELL. 465
KENTUCKY, June 1st, 1787.
Dear Sir :- At this place I received accounts from Cumberland, that since I last did myself the pleasure of addressing you, three persons have been killed at that place, within about seven miles of Nashville; and there is scarcely a day, that the Indians do not steal horses in either Sumner or Davidson counties ; and I am informed, the people are exceed- ingly dispirited, having had accounts that several northern tribes, in. conjunction with the Creek nation, have determined the destruction of that defenceless country, this summer ; and their hopes seem blasted, as to Major Evans's assistance. Colonel Robertson has lately been to this country to get some assistance to carry on a campaign against the Chickamauga towns, and got some assurance from the several officers. The time appointed for the rendezvous, was fixed to the 15th instant, but, finding the men cannot be drawn out at that season of the year, I have thought it my duty to ask your advice in the matter : whether, or not, we shall have leave of government to carry on such a campaign, if we can make ourselves able, with the assistance of our friends, the Vir- gianians, as they promised us, immediately after harvest.
Soon after the date of Colonel Bledsoe's letter, that officer and Colonel Robertson addressed Governor Caswell, jointly, under date :
CUMBERLAND, June 12th, 1787.
Dear Sir :- Nothing but the distress of a bleeding country could in- duce us to trouble you on so disagreeable a subject. We enclose you & list of the killed in this quarter, since our departure from this country to the Assembly ; this, with the numbers wounded, the vast numbers of horses stolen from the inhabitants, has, in a.degree, flagged the spirits of the people. A report is now here, and has prevailed throughout this country, and we are induced to believe it is true, that the Spaniards are doing all they can to encourage the several savage tribes to war against the Americans. It is certain, the Chickasaws inform us, that Spanish traders offer a reward for scalps of the Americans. A disorderly set of French and Spanish traders are continually on the Tennessee, that, we actually fear, aro a great means of encouraging the Indians to do us much mischief. We should wish to take some measures to remove these disorderly traders from the Tennessee, and wish your Excellency's advice in the matter.
At length, the Indian atrocities becoming so bold and fre- quent, it appeared necessary, for the protection and defence of the settlements, that offensive operations should be carried on against the Indians in their own towns. One hundred and thirty men, from the different settlements on Cumber- land, volunteered for that purpose, and assembled at the house of Colonel Robertson. Of this force he took the com- mand, assisted by Colonel Robert Hays and Colonel James
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466
ROBERTSON'S MARCH TO TANNMORE RIVAR,
Ford, and marched for the Indian village, Coldwater, with two Chickasaws as pilots. They crossed at the mouth of South Harper ; thence they went a direct course to the mouth of Turnbull's Creek, and up that stream to its head; thence to Lick Creek, of Duck River; thence down that creek seven or eight miles, leaving the creek to the right hand ; thence to an old and very large Lick ; thence to Duck River, where the old Chickasaw trace crossed it; thence, leaving the trace to the right hand, they went to the head of Swan Creek; thence to a creek then called Blue Water, running into the Tennessee River, about a mile and a half above the lower end of the Muscle Shoals. When within ten miles of these rapids, they heard the roaring of the falls. One of the Indian guides, with several of the most active soldiers, was ordered to go to the river. These, about mid- night, returned, saying the river was too distant for them to reach that night and return to camp. In the morning, they pursued the same course they had done the day before. At 18 o'clock, they struck the river at the lower end of the Mus- cle Shoals, where it is said the road now crosses, and con- cealed themselves in the woods till night. On the north side of the river they discovered, on a bluff, a plain path leading along the river, which seemed to be much travelled; and on the south side, opposite to them, were seen several Indian cabins or lodges. Several of the soldiers went down secretly, took their station under the bank, and concealed themselves under the cane, to observe what could be seen on the other side. They had not long remained in their place of concealment, when they saw some Indians reconnoitering and evidently looking out for the troops of Col. Robertson. In doing this, they passed into an island near the south bank of the river, where they entered a canoe, and came half way over the stream. Not being able to see any of the inva- dera, the Indians returned to the island where they had started from, and fastened the canoe. When they left the river, Captain Rains was sent with fifteen men up the path, along the north bank, with orders from Col. Robertson to cap- ture an Indian, if possible, alive. He executed the order, but did not see an Indian. He went nearly to the mouth of
467
AND ATTACK ON COLDWATER.
Bluewater Creek, when about sunset he was recalled, having made no discoveries. It was determined to cross the river . that night, and the soldiers, who had watched the move -. ments of the Indians, swam over the river and went up to the cabins, but they found not a single living being in the village. They then untied the canoe and returned in it to the north bank. It was found to be a very large one, but old and having a hole in its bottom. This the men contrived to stop with their shirts. Into this frail and leaky barque, forty men, with their fire-arms, entered. They started from the shore, and the canoe sprang aleak and began to sink. Jumping into the water, the men swam back with the canoe to the northern bank. In these operations, some noise was neces- sarily made, and considerable time consumed, and the em- barkation of the troops was delayed till daylight. With a piece of linn bark, the hole in the canoe was at length cov- ered, and forty or fifty men crossed over in it, and took pos- session of the bank on the south side. The remainder of the troops swam over with the horses. Having all crossed the river in safety, attention was paid to drying their clothes and equipments. A rain came on and forced the men into the cabins. After the clouds cleared away, the troops mounted, and seeing a well beaten path, leading from the river out into the barrens, in a western direction, they dashed into it and followed it briskly. At the distance of five or six miles they came to corn fields, and a mile or two further they came to Coldwater Creek. This most of the troops crossed by a path so narrow that a single horse could only pass it up the bank. On the other side of the creek was a number of cabins, built upon the low grounds, which extended to the river about three hundred yards below. The people of the town were surprised by its sudden and unexpected invasion, and fled precipitately to their boats at the river, and were closely pursued by such of the men as had crossed the creek. Captain Rains had remained on its other side, with Benjamin Castleman, William Loggins, William Steele and Martin Duncan, and seeing the retreat and flight of the enemy, went down the east side of the creek to intercept them. The retreating Indians, as they ran down on the
468
INDIANS AND FRENCH TRADERS ROUTED.
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other side, and had their attention drawn to those who pur- sued them on the same side of the creek, crossed over and came to the spot where Captain Rains and his men were, and were fired upon, while looking back at their pursuers, and not perceiving the snare into which they had fallen. Three of them dropped down dead. Three French traders and a white woman, who had got.into a boat and would not surrender, but mixed with the Indians and seemed determined to partake of their fate, whatever it might be, were killed by the troops. They wounded and took prisoner the principal tra- der and owner of the goods, and five or six other Frenchmen, who lived there as traders. These had in the town, stores of taffia, sugar, coffee, cloths, blankets, Indian wares of all sorts, salt, shot, Indian paints, knives, powder, tomahawks, tobacco and other articles, suitable for Indian commerce. The troops killed many of the Indians after they had got into the boats, and gave them so hot and deadly a fire from the bank of the river, that they were forced to jump into the water, and were shot whilst in it, until, as the Chickasaws afterwards informed them, twenty-six of the Creek warriors were killed in the river. The troops immediately afterwards collected all the boats that were upon the river, and brought them up the creek, opposite to the town, and placed a guard over them. Each of the Indian guides was, next morning, presented with a horse, a gun, and as many blankets and clothes as the horses could carry, as their portion of the spoils, and despatched to their homes. The name of one of them was Toka, a chief.
After the departure of the Chickasaw guides, the troops buried the white men and the woman killed in the engage- ment of the day before, set fire to and burned up the town, and destroyed the domestic animals that were found in and around it. The goods of the traders had been removed from the stores, and with the prisoners, were now put into three or four boats, under the charge of Jonathan Denton, Benjamin Drake, and John and Moses Eskridge, to navigate them. They were directed to descend the Tennessee to some con- venient point on its southern shore, where they were to meet , the mounted troops, and assist them in crossing. At the time
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469
ARMY RECROSSED AT COLBERT'A.
the boats started down the river, the horsemen began their march by land, but being without pilots, and entirely unac- quainted with the windings of the stream, they took a course that led them further from it than they intended, into the piny woods, where they encamped. The next day they went to the river, where they saw several persons at a dis- tance on the islands, who proved to be their own boatmen. Neither knew the other till some of the boatmen, nearing the shore, made the agreeable discovery, that the horsemen on the land were their friends. The troops then moved down the river a few miles, and came to a place just above the point of an island, where the descent to the river was easy and convenient for embarkation, and where the bank on the opposite side afforded a safe landing. Here, with the as- sistance of the boats, they crossed over. The whole com- mand encamped together on the north shore, and found they had not lost a single man, and that not one was wounded. The place at which the crossing was made, is near what has since been known as Colbert's Ferry.
The horsemen, after leaving camp on the Tennessee, march- ed nearly a north course, till they struck the path leading to the Chickasaw Old Crossing, on Duck River, where they had crossed going out, and pursuing their own trace, returned unmolested to the Bluff.
At the encampment on the Tennessee, the French prisoners were allowed to take all their trunks and wearing apparel, and an equal division was made of the sugar and coffee amongst the troops and prisoners. To the latter was also given a canoe, in which, after bidding farewell, they ascend- ed the river.
The dry goods were ordered, under the care of the same boatmen, to Nashville. Sailing down the river some days, they met other French boats laden with goods, and having on board French traders, who, being greatly rejoiced at see- ing their countrymen, as they supposed the Cumberland boatmen to be, returning home, saluted them by firing their gans. The latter, descen ling the river with their guns charged, came alongside of the French boats, boarded them and captured the boats and crews, and conducted them to a
470
CAPTURE OF THE FRENCH TRADERS.
place a few miles below Nashville. There the captors gave the Frenchmen a canoe, and dismissed them with permission to go down the river, which they did.
The spoils taken at Coldwater, were brought to Eaton's Station and sold, and the proceeds divided amongst the troops. They returned to Col. Robertson's on the nineteenth day after the commencement of the expedition at his house. From this place, Col. Robertson wrote Gov. Caswell under date-
" NASHVILLE, July 2d, 1787.
Sir :- I had tho pleasure of receiving your Excellency's letter to Col. Bledsoe and myself, in which you were so obliging as to mention you would render every aid in your power to our country. Never was there a time in which your Excellency's assistance and attention were more necessary than the present. The war being exceedingly hot in the spring, I marched some men near the Chickamaugas; but wishing to avoid an open war, returned without doing them any mischief, leav- ing a'letter containing every offer of peace that could be made on hon- ourable terms; in consequence of which, they sent a flag to treat, though I have every reason to doubt their sincerity, as several persons were killed during their stay, and one man at my house, in their sight. They impute the mischief we suffer to the Creeks. A few days after their departure. my brother, Mark Robertson, being killed near my house, I, by the advice of the officers, civil and military, raised about one hun- dred and thirty men, and followed their tracks, near the lower end of the Muscle Shoals, where some Indians discovered us, fired on our back
which scalps, we were afterwards informed, were carried into said town crossed Tennessee, pictures of two scalps, made a few days before ; picket, and alarmed a small town of Cherokees. We found, where we
by seven Cherokees, who were there when we attacked them. Though they constantly kept out spies, we had the good fortune to cross Ten- nessee, and go eighteen miles down the river, till in sight of the town, before the Indians discovered us. We made a rapid charge and entirely
in boats or swam the river. About twenty were killed, and several forced them into the creek and river, and what escaped, either got off defeated them. The attack began at the mouth of a large creek ; we
wounded. The whole town, as we were afterwards informed by a Frenchman, whom we found there, had been councilling three days, at the instigation of a principal Creek chief, and had unanimously agreed to fight us, if we crossed Tennessee. From what passed at this con-
sultation, I have every reason to believe the Creeks totally averse to
peace, notwithstanding they have had no cause of offence. We have
been exceedingly particular in giving them no reason to complain.
Their force consisted of ten Creeks and thirty-five Cherokee warriors,
together with nine Frenchmen, chiefly from Detroit, who had joined
the Indians against us. Among the dead was the Creek chief before
mentioned, a mischievous Cherokee chief, three Frenchmen and a
471
COLONEL ROBERTSON'S OFFICIAL REPORT.
Frenchwoman, who was killed by accident, in one of the boats. In this action we lost not a single man ; but a party of fifty men, who was sent to the mouth of Duck River, was there attacked by a largo number of Indians, and we had one man killed and eight wounded. We were piloted by two Chickasaws, in this expedition ; their nation seem, on every occasion, our friends, and if it were possible to supply them with trade, at the Chickasaw Bluff, there is no doubt but they and the Choctaws would find full employment for our enemies.
From the constant incursions of the Indians, I have been obliged to keep the militia very much in service on scouts, guards, &c., and have been under the necessity of promising them pay, without which, I am persuaded, the army would have totally broken up, as many have already done. I hope you will approve the promise I have made to the inhabi- tants. Sumner county seems to be in peace, compared with this, being more out of the range of the Indians. I have not an opportunity of seeing Col. Bledsoe, or I make no doubt he would join me in informing your Excellency that our situation, at present, is deplorable- deprived of raising subsistence, and constantly harassed with perform- ing military duty, our only hope is in the troops promised us by the General Assembly ; but, as yet, we have no news of them. I earnestly beg your Excellency to forward them with all possible expedition. I hope that your Excellency will, by express or otherwise, favour me with an answer.
This spirited invasion of the heart of the Indian country, and the success that had attended the assault against Cold- water, were followed by a short respite from savage aggres- sion. Heretofore, there had not been an hour of safety to any settler on the waters of Cumberland, and offensive mea- sures were adopted and energetically executed. The ven- geance so long delayed, had, at length, fallen with most fatal effect upon those who had so frequently provoked it. At Coldwater, Colonel Robertson discovered the sources from which the Indians were supplied with the materials which enabled them to make inroads upon the new settlements ; the means by which, and the channels through which, they received them ; and the practicable modes of cutting them off, as well as the facility of seizing upon the stores, when deposited in villages near the place of disembarkation. The advantages acquired by his expedition were various and im- portant, and by putting the Indians in danger at home, and making it necessary for them to act on the defensive, near their own villages, had greatly diminished the vigour of their enterprises against the feeble settlements.
472
DISASTER TO THE BOATMEN. OF CAPTAIN BAY.
These advantages, however, were somewhat counteracted by the unfortunate issue of another expedition, connected, in part, with that so gallantly carried on by Colonel Robertson, and undertaken about the same time, with the view of se- onring its success.
When the troops started on the campaign to Coldwater, David Hay, of Nashville, had the command of a company there, and determined to carry them, simultaneously, against the enemy, by water ; not only to assist their countrymen in the assault upon the Indian villages, but to carry to thom provisions and supplies, which, it was apprehended, they might need on their arrival at the Tennessee River, and. par- ticularly, in case of the detention of the horsemen in that neighbourhood, for a longer time than was anticipated. Captain Hay and his men descended the river in three boats, and passing around into the Tennessee, had proceeded unmo- lested up that stream to the mouth of Duck River. When they had reached that stream, the boat commanded by Moses Shelby, entered into it a small distance, for the purpose of examining a canoe, which he observed there, fastened to the bank. A party of Indians had concealed themselves in the cane and behind the trees, not more than ten or twelve feet from the canoe, and from the boat itself, and poured in a most unexpected fire into the boat. John Top and Hugh Roquering were shot through the body ; Edward Hogan, through the arm, the ball fracturing the bone ; Jo- siah Renfroe was shot through the head, and killed on the spot. The survivors made great haste to get the boat off, but, having the prow up the small river, and several of the crew being wholly disabled, and some of them greatly dis- mayed by the sudden fire and destruction which had come upon them, acted in disorder, and with great difficulty got the boat again into the Tennessee, beyond the reach of the Indian guns, before they could reload and fire a second time. Had this movement been executed with less alacrity and despatch, the rash and unadvised act of going to the canoe, would have caused the whole crew to become victims to the strata- gem of the Indians. As it was, their artful plot had too well succeeded, and the expedition, which promised so much, and
473
ROBERTSON'S EXPLANATION.
thus far had been prosecuted without interruption, was abandoned. Captain Hay returned, with his wounded men, to Nashville, where, alone, surgical and medical assistance could be procured.
The affair at Coldwater, and the capture of the French traders and their goods on the Tennessee, had involved Col. Robertson in a difficulty with a nation then at peace with the United States. That officer deemed it necessary, there- fore, to make a written exposition of the causes and motives which led to the campaign which he had conducted, and in which citizens of France had been made to suffer. This communication he addressed to a functionary at the Illinois. He stated in it,
"That for some years past a trade had been carried on by Frenchmen from the Wabash, with the Indians on Tennessee. The trade had been formerly managed by a Mr. Veiz, and while he carried it on the In- dians were peaceable towards us ; but for two or three years past, these Indians had been extremely inimical, at all seasons killing our men, wo- men and children, and stealing our horses. Ile had sufficient evidence of the fact also, that these Indians were excited to war against us by the suggestions of these traders, who both advised them to war, and gave them goods for carrying it on. The Chickasaws had told him that they had been offered goods by those traders if they would go to war against us. And one John Rogers declared, that he had seen a Creek fellow have on a pair of arm-bands, which he said were given to him by the French traders, for going to war against our people. Their incursions upon us this spring have been more severe than usual, and I determined to distress them. For this purpose, he stated that he had taken a part of the militia of Davidson county, followed the tracks of one of their scalping parties, who had just been doing murder here, and pursuing them to a town on Tennessee, at the mouth of Coldwater, had destroyed the town, and killed, as he supposed, about twenty of the Indians. The scalps of two of our people whom they had lately mur- dered, were found in the town. Some of the French imprudently put themselves in the action, and some of them fell. From that place he sent a party around to the River Cumberland by water. On the Ten- nessee they found five Frenchmen, with two boats, having on board goods to trade with those very Indians. The commander of the party captured the boats with the traders, and brought them round to the Cumberland, and gave them their choice, cither to come up to the set- tlement and stand their trial for what they had done, thereby to try and regain their goods, or else they might go home at once without their goods ; they chose the latter. The taking of these boats, said Col. Robertson, was without my knowledge or approbation. I am now en- deavouring to collect the property which was in them, and I desire the
474
ANOTHER CAMPAIGN BY CAPTAIN SHANNON.
owners to be notified, that if they could make it appear that they were not guilty of a breach of the laws, and did not intend to furnish our enemies with powder, lead and other goods, for our destruction, on ap- plying here at Nashville, they can have their property again. He de- clared that if those Indians would be peaceable, we should never attempt to deprive them of any trade they could procure. But whilst they con- tinue at war, said he, any traders who furnish them with arms and am- munition, will render themselves very insecure."
The fearless irruption of the troops under Robertson, was followed by a temporary relaxation of Indian hostility. But soon after their route and discomfiture at Coldwater, they collected in small bodies, crossed the Tennessee, and com- menced an undistinguishing carnage upon the settlers, of all ages and sexes. One of these was pursued by a small body of white men under Captain Shannon. The Indiana had reached the bank of Tennessee River ; some were in their camp, eating, others making preparations to cross to the op- posite shore. The former were discovered by Shannon's men, who fired and rushed impetuously upon them. Castle man killed one. Another, proving too strong, took Luke An- derson's gun from him, but before he could discharge her, William Pillow, since a colonel, of Maury county, and the uncle of Gen. Gideon J. Pillow, of the United States Army, shot the Indian and recovered the gun. The remaining In- dians, who were without the camp, were commanded by Big Foot, a leading warrior of determined bravery. Believing, from the report of the guns which had been fired, that the number of the assailants was inconsiderable, these resolved to attack the whites, and did so. A terrible conflict ensued. Victory, for some time wavering, at length declared against the Indians. Their leader and five of his followers were killed, the rest raised the yell and disappeared in the bushes. Late in July, of this year, two hundred Creek warriors, em- ( bodied for the purpose, as they said, of taking satisfac- 1787 ( tion for three Indians killed in an affair eighteen miles below Chota. Mr. Perrault met and delivered, and expounded to them a letter, written by Col. Robertson, and addressed to their nation. Perrault endeavoured to dissuade them from hostilities and to get them to turn back, but his mission was fruitless. They persevered in their march, adding to their
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