USA > Tennessee > The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century: Comprising Its Settlement, as the. > Part 55
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KNOXVILLE, August 31, 1792.
On the 10th instant, the conference with the Chickasaws and Choc- taws ended; there was a very full representation of the former, but not of the latter, owing, there is reason to believe, to the Spanish influence.
During the conference, General Pickens and myself received the strongest assurances of peace and friendship for the United States, from both nations, and I believe they were made with great sincerity.
June 26 .- Zeigler's Station, about two miles from Bled- soe's Lick, was attacked by a large party of Creek Indians- first in the afternoon, and then at night. This station was picketed and was defended by thirteen men, including the son of Mr. Joseph Wilson, a lad not fully grown. Four were killed, four wounded, who escaped, three escaped unhurt, and eighteen were made prisoners. Of the prison- ers, nine were regained by purchase, made by their parents and friends. One, Miss Wilson, and four negroes, were carried into captivity.
July 15 .- Isaac Pennington and Milligen were killed, and McFarland was wounded, on the Kentucky Road.
July 31 .- At Greenfield's, near Bledsoe's Lick, John Berk- ley, Jun., was killed and scalped, and John Berkley, Sen., was wounded. He killed the Indian while scalping the son.
Mr. Cochrane lived on the farm afterwards occupied by Doctor M'Gee. His son, returning from Pistol Creek, was met by a white man, a stranger, who detained him a minute in conversation ; Indians lying in ambush, fired on him, their bullets passing through his hat and clothes without inflicting a wound. He, with his father's family, escaped down the creek, and alarmed the neighbourhood, who began to build a fort. A few days after, Gillespie and two boys went home after some corn. The Indians killed Gillespie and the eldest boy, but the youngest they took prisoner. A white man
* The full proceedings of this conference, are in American State Papers, pp. 284-6-6.
564
MILITIA CALLED OUT ..
in the company of. the Indians, excused the murder of the oldest brother, by stating that they had fired at and missed & pale-face, (Cochrane,) and killed his brother for satisfaction for their lost powder.
The forts in what is now Blount county, wore reinforced and guarded by men from Knox county. Captain John Crawford took troops from Tuckahoe, and other places, and left some of them at Henry's, Craig's and Ish's Stations, and afterwards at Tellico Block-house. This was a strong work, of considerable size, with a projection on each square, fur- nished with port-holes, and calculated to stand a siege by an enemy provided with small arms only. Colonel James Scott commanded the troops of this frontler in the absence of Sevier.
Governor Blount, by express, informed the Secretary of War, that the five Lower Cherokee towns on the Tennessee, headed by John Watts, had formally declared war against the United States, and that the warriors had set out on some expedition against the frontiers, probably against the Cum- berland settlements. Their number was variously estima- ted at from three to six hundred, including one hundred ban- ditti Creeks. The Governor ordered out one regiment of the militia of Washington District, and sent orders to General Robertson of Mero District, to put his brigade in the best possible state of defence. The military strength of the coun- try was immediately called out. The colonel of Knox county at once issued orders to his captains, bearing date-
KNOXVILLE, September 11, 1792. Sir :- You are hereby commanded to repair with your company to Knoxville, equipped, to protect the frontiers; there is imminent danger. Bring with you two day's provision, if possible ; but you are not to de- lay an hour on that head.
I am, sir, yours,
JAMES WHITE.
Captain Thomas Gillespie.
The militia paraded at the points designated, and were distributed to the most exposed stations on the frontiers. It was, in the meantime, ascertained that the expedition of the hostile confederates was directed against the settlements.on the other side of the mountain, and Governor Blount dis-
565
INADEQUATE FORCE IN THE STATIONS.
banded most of the troops. One of the captains, with his company, was retained in service.
The execution of this order by Captain Gillespie, restrained further annoyance for some time on the frontier. This was most inadequately protected, as appears from a list of the stations and strength of the frontiers of Knox county, Dec. 22, 1792 :
Gambel's Station .- William Reagan, Lieutenant ; men, thirteen ; on furlough, five ; at station, on duty, eight.
Black's Station .- Joel Wallice, Ensign ; men, four. Henry's Station .- George Huffacre, Corporal ; men, six. Wells's Station .- Richard Dearmond, Corporal ; men, six. Iah's Station .- Matthew Karr, Sergeant ; men, eight.
Campbell's Station .- None.
Lowe's Station .- None.
Manifee's Station .- Capt. Sampels ; men, fourteen.
Raccoon Valley Station .- Sergeant Finley and one man. Total at stations, forty-seven.
. For the protection of Cumberland against the threatened invasion, Governor Blount issued this order to Major Sharpe :
" Major Sharpe, of Sumner county, who commands all the troops in service, for the protection of the frontiers, is to be considered as subject to the orders of no superior militia officer, not in actual service. But in case of any militia being turned out from either of the counties, by the commanding officer, to chastise Indians for recent depredations, he will cordially co-operate with such part of his command as may be in that particular county. No pursuit to be continued beyond the ridge di- viding the waters of Cumberland and Duck Rivers. Patrols and recon- noitring parties to be kept out from the stations, in search of, and to prevent any further depredations by the Indians; and in case any Indians should be found skulking or lurking about to the northward of the ridge afore- said, in the woods, off any path, or fleeing, to be considered and treated as enemies, save only, Chickasaws and Choctaws, women and children.
" Annexed are the names of the stations, and the number of men at each ; but in case Major Sharpe should conceive it essential for the bet- ter protection of the frontiers, he will increase the number at any or either, and lessen them at any other, either the cavalry or infantry, or both, but erect no new ones, until his command shall receive an augmen- tation of troops; and on that event, he will either augment the numbers at the present stations, or erect new ones, so as best to effect the object of protection. Such men of Tennessee county on duty, as are draughts, to be discharged on the arrival of the men under the command of Captain Lusk, and their places to be supplied by a part of his men. Major Sharpe will call militia officers, not in actual service, into court martial for the trial of offenders, in cases where he cannot collect a sufficient number who are in actual service.
566
BLOUNT'S REPORT OF ATTACK ON
Stations and Numbers on Cumberland.
No. 1. Cavalry-a Sergeant and 13 Infantry-an Ensign and 15, -
2. Cavalry-Sergeant and 13,
Infantry-Lieutenant, Ensign, and 15,
3. Cavalry-Lieutenant and 13, Infantry-Sergeant and 15, 0
4. Cavalry and infantry, officers inclusive,
5. Cavalry and infantry, officers inclusive,
6. Cavalry and infantry, officers inclusive,
7. Cavalry and infantry, officers inclusive,
8. Infantry, officers inclusive, 18 Near the - of Sycamore.
9. Infantry, officers inclusive, 12
-
14 ) Taylor's Spring.
16 | bear Bledsoe's.
14 Spencer's
17 Lick.
14 Seoner's
16 Lick,
15 Brown's Spring.
21 Kilpatrick's.
13 Gower's Cabin.
20 Edmondson's.
Cave Spring. near the
mouth of Red River.
Total, 190
" On the 30th September, about midnight, John Buchanan's Station, four miles south of Nashville, (at which sundry families had collected, and fifteen gun-men,) was attacked by a party of Creeks and Lower Cherokees, supposed to consist of three or four hundred. Their ap- proach was suspected by the running 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 discovered them (John McRory). 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 attack, the Indians were not more distant than ten yards from the block-house, and often in large numbers round 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 attempts to fire the bottom logs, and was killed. The Indians fired thirty balls through a port-hole of the overjutting, which lodged in the roof in the circumference of a hat, and those sticking in the walls, on the outside, were very numerous.
" Upon viewing the ground next morning, it appeared that the fellow who was shot from the roof, was a Cherokee half-breed of the Running Water, known by the whites by the name of Tom Tunbridge's step-son, the son of a French woman by an Indian, 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. Near the block-house were found several swords, hatchets, pipes, kettles, and budgets of different Indian articles ; one of the swords was a fine Spanish blade, and richly mounted in the Spanish fashion. In the morning previous to the attack, Jonathan Gee and -- Clayton were sent out as spies, and on the ground, among other articles left by the Indians, were found a handkerchief and a moc- casin, known one to belong to Gee, and the other to Clayton, hence it is supposed they are killed."*
The repulse of so large a body of warriors by the small * Blount's Correspondence.
567
BUCHANAN'S STATION.
party of fifteen gun-men at Buchanan's, is a feat of bravery 1792 which has scarcely been surpassed in all the annals of ( border warfare. The number of the assailants, Creeks, Cherokees and Shawnees, was afterwards ascertained to be above seven hundred, some of them well mounted, and all well armed, and led by distinguished Braves of their several tribes. According to the Indian version of the affair, the as- sault was led by Kiachatalee, a daring half-breed warrior of Running Water Town. When it was found impracticable to carry the fort by other means, he " attempted to fire the block- house, and was actually blowing it into a flame, when he was mortally wounded. He continued, after receiving his mortal wound, to blow the fire and to cheer his followers to the assault, calling upon them to fight like brave men, and never give up till they had taken the fort."* Amongst the numerous wounded, was the Cherokee chief, John Watts.
Communicating with the Secretary of War, Governor Blount says :
" That you may perfectly understand the situation of Mero District, I will give you a description of it.
" The settlements of Mero District extend up and down the Cumber- land River, from east to west, about eighty-five miles, and the extreme width, from north to south, does not exceed twenty-five miles, and its general width does not exceed half that distance, and, not only the country surrounding the extreme frontier, but the interior part (which is to be found only by comparison with the more exposed part) is covered generally with thick and high cane, and a heavy growth of large tim- ber, and where there happens to be no cane, with thick underwood, which afford the Indians an opportunity of laying days and weeks in any and every part of the district, in wait near the houses, and of doing injuries to the inhabitants, when they themselves are so hid or secured that they have no apprehensions of injuries being done in re- turn, and they escape from pursuit, even though it is immediato. This district has an extreme frontier of at least two hundred miles."
By the Governor of the Territory, an ordinance was passed, at Knoxville, the 11th of June, circumscribing the counties of Greene and Hawkins, and laying off two new counties, Knox and Jefferson.
Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, were ordained to be held in the two counties thus laid off ;- for the county of
. M. A. H., in Whig Review, of March, 1852.
568
KNOX COUNTY. RECORDS.
Knox, at Knoxville, and for the county of Jefferson, at the house of Jeremiah Matthews.
Kwox COUNTY COURT.
1792, JUNE 16. - James White , John Sawyers, Hugh Board, John Adair, George'MeNutt, Jeremiah Jack, John Kearns,' James Cosby, Joka. Evans, Samuel Newell, William Wallace, Thomas McCulloch, -Williams Hamilton, David Craig and William. Lowry, presented a Commislop from Governor Blount, appointing them Justices of the Peace for Knox county, and appeared before the Honourable David' Campbell, Ed. who, in the presence of Governor Blount, administered to each of theme. an oath to support the Constitution of. the United States, and algo ma oath of office.
Charles McClung also produced a Commission from the Governor, appointing him Clerk of Knox county, and he was in like mantine qualified.
Thomas Chapman, also, as Register.
June 25 .- Robert Houston, in like manner, was commissioned and qualified as Sheriff.
It was ordered by the Court, that the Sheriff make proclamative fot: the opening of a County Court, at the house of John Stone, in the coin of Knoxville, and that Charles McClung be admitted Clerk to record the same.
Whereupon, the said Robert Houston, having solemnly proclaimed for that purpose, it is ordered, that the said Court be considered open for the purpose of dispatching public business, and be ordered of record accordingly.
The first Court held, was on the 16th of July, 1792. Present-James White, Samuel Newell, David Craig and Jeremiah Jack. James White was appointed chairman.
June 16 .- Luke Bowyer, Alexander Outlaw, Joseph Hamilton, Ar- chibald Roane, Hopkins Lacy, John Rhea and James Reese, Requires, were qualified and admitted to practice law in this Court.
Wm. Henry obtained leave to build a mill on Rosebury's Creek.
Ordered, that Alexander Cunningham have leave to keep a publio ferry at his landing opposite Knoxville.
Roads were also ordered to be laid out, from Knoxville to Col. Alex- ander Kelley's Mill, and to David Craig's, on Nine Mile Creek.
June 17 .- John Rhea was commissioned by the Governor, Solicitor for Knox county.
A public road was ordered to be laid off from Knoxville to the Ford on Clinch, and from Knoxville to Campbell's Station.
Oct. 23 .- A public road was ordered to be laid out from Knoxville. to the mouth of French Broad.
The Sheriff appeared and protested against the Jail of Knox county.
1793, JANUARY 26 .- Commissioners were appointed to contract for the building of a Jail. Its dimensions were, sixteen feet square ; the logs to be one foot square, the lower floor to be laid of logs of that size, to be laid double and crosswise ; the loft to be laid also with logs, and
569
SCOUTS ON FRENCH BROAD.
covered crosswise with oak plank, one and a half inches thick, and well spiked down.
The same Commissioners were also authorized to contract for build- ing a Court House.
1793, May 6 .- John Sevier produced a license from Governor Blount to practice law, and was admitted.
By the Governor and Judges of the Territory, an act was passed, authorizing the courts of the several counties to levy a tax for repairing and building court houses, prisons and stocks, to pay jurors of the Superior Courts, and defray the contingent charges of the counties. This act provided, that the poll tax, for any one year, should not exceed fifty cents, nor the tax on land more than seventeen cents on each hundred acres.
On the 30th November, Sevier informed Gov. Blount that the Block-house, at South-West Point, near the present Kingston, was finished, and advises the erection of a post between that place and Campbell's Station, and that a strong detachment should be sent forward, to a point near which Captain Handley was defeated-assigning, as reasons for this policy, that a large body of Indians were in that vicinity, and that the greater part of all the Lower Cherokee families is on the north side of Tennessee River, about and near the Cumberland Mountains.
Gov. Blount, having received authentic information of the hostile disposition of the Creeks and Lower Cherokees, issued orders to the colonels of the several counties of Washington District, to raise two regiments of troops to operate against them, on the defensive. On the 27th of September, he ordered General Sevier to repair to Knoxville to take the command of the brigade. The colonels were Carter and Christian ; lieutenant-colonels, Blair and McNabb; majors, Sawyers. McFarland, Conway and Rutledge.
Indians were seen at the Warm Springs, and at the plan- tation of Charles Robertson, on Meadow Creek, probably watching the motions of the guards who were stationed for the protection of the frontier on French Broad. These guards were stationed in four block-houses-at Hough's, at the Burnt Cane-brake, at the Painted Rock and at the Warm Springs, and scouted, regularly, between these block-houses,
-
570
BLOUNT'S LETTERS TO WAR DEPARTMENT.
and up to Big Laurel, where they met the Buncombe scout. Six was the number usually stationed at one post.
The official letters of Gov. Blount to the War Department, and letters addressed to him by his subordinates, contain the best, and certainly the most authentic, account of the trans- actions in the Territory. They are voluminous, and being well preserved in the archives at Washington, need not be transferred to these pages. A few extracts, however, are considered essential to these Annals, and are here given.
.The Governor, writing to the Secretary of War, Nov. 8, says :
" The Creeks having never had the colour of claim to land on the north side of Tennessee, it is not necessary to say anything to show that their conduct must have been occasioned by other motives than a claim relating to boundaries. And if the Cherokees ever had a claim, it has been extinguished by two public treaties-that of Hopewell and Holston; at the last of which, a valuable consideration was paid in hand, and since, the first annual payment has been made, and principally re- ceived by the inhabitants of the five Lower towns, who have declared war against the United States. Thus, if the Cherokees ever had s claim, it has been twice extinguished, and by two public treaties. But, by the best information I can collect, the claim of the Cherokees to the lands lying on Cumberland, is a recent thing ; there are many very respectable people now living who were present at the time. Richard Henderson and Company purchased from them their claim to the lands lying on Cumberland, as well as nearly all those included within what is now the limits of Kentucky.
" General Sevier, with the troops mentioned in my letter of the 27th September, as ordered into service, is in the field, advanced about thirty- five miles southwest of Knoxville, that is, at the mouth of Clinch, with his main force ; the other parts of his brigade are detached to different parts of the frontiers of Washington District, for the protection thereof, with my orders to act on the defensive, under the limitations mentioned in your letter of the 9th of October.
"The advantages of the troops at the mouth of Clinch are, they will cut off all communication, by water, between the Upper and Lower Cherokees ; they will deter, in a greater degree, and can more easily intercept, incursive parties from it, than in any other situation ; they will impress the Lower towns with apprehensions of sudden attacks by wa- ter, as well as by horsemen. The distance by water can be passed in from forty to forty-eight hours.
"On Monday night last, five Creeks, headed by young Lashley, the son of a Scotchman in the Creek nation, the same that headed the party that killed and captured Gillespie's son, on the 13th September, came in upon the waters of Little River, about twenty miles from this place, and stole and carried off eight horses ; they were traced towards Chil-
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571
CAPTAIN HANDLEY'S DEFEAT.
howee, the nearest Cherokee town. This gave reason to suspect the Chilhowee Indians of the theft, whereupon, as many as fifty-two of the neighbouring people, including the sufferers, assembled together in arms, and determined to go and destroy Chilhowee and Tallassee too, a little adjacent town, and actually did march ; but General Sevier re- ceived information of their intentions, and despatched orders to them to disperse and return home, which they obeyed, and thus the matter happily ended."
Captain Handley, when marching with his company of forty-two men, two hundred miles, for the protection of the stations on Cumberland, was attacked near the Crab-Orchard by a party of Indians, fifty-six in number, commanded by the Middle Striker. The party consisted of Cherokees, Creeks and Shawnees. When the attack was made upon his com- pany, a panic seized most of them, and they fell back. Handley laboured in vain to rally them. He believed that if this could have been done, the Indians would have been defeated. He saw one of his men, named Leiper, in a most hazardous position, at a little distance from the Indians, and unhorsed. Handley conceived the design of rescuing him instantly, by seizing the horse's bridle and running him to the place where he was, to give the soldier an opportunity to re-mount. In doing this, he ran too near the enemy, and his own horse fell under him, pierced with wounds. Handley was immediately surrounded by Indians, furiously brandish- ing their uplifted tomahawks, the signal of death or submis- sion. He jumped behind a tree, and was met by a warrior, who held over him a tomahawk, in the act of striking. He arrested the stroke, by seizing the weapon, with the cry " Canawlla"-friendship. "Canawlla" was responded by the Indian, who instantly began to seek his rescue. This he at length effected, by hurrying the captain around, till he brought him to the principal chief, where, for a short time, he was free from danger. While the Indian was thus draw- ing him off, Handley received numerous licks from other Indians, some of which seemed to be inoffensive, being made with the flat side of the hatchet. One was made by his own sword, from which he narrowly escaped. In another in- stance, a gun was fired at him, the muzzle not ten feet distant, which was only escaped, by some other Indians
572
HANDLEY'S CAPTIVITY AT WILLS TOWN,
striking the gun upwards at the moment of its discharge. The efforts of Handley to rally his men, and in labouring for the escape of Leiper, seem to have drawn off the atten- tion of the enemy from his men, and to have concentrated it nearly on himself. Only three of them were killed. The rest all escaped. Poor Leiper was seen by Handley lying scalped and lacerated with wounds. He exclaimed, " dear captain," to one who could no longer command nor protect, who was hurried away by his Indian captor, and never saw him more. Captain McClelland was, at this time, at South- West Point, and, with his company of light horse, was de- spatched to the scene of the discomfiture, to bury the dead, and to rescue the survivors, if possible, from their captivity, and cut off the enemies' retreat. The first report was, that Captain Handley was killed, as the last time he was seen by his men, he was fighting hand to hand, surrounded by a crowd of warriors. But the light horse, in pursuing the Indian trail, found that wherever they had encamped, there were left the fixtures used by the Indians in securing a pri- soner. Along the trail, too, at different places, they found slips of torn paper, which, on being put together, were found to be parts of Handley's muster-roll, which he had considerately torn and dropped along the path, hoping there- by to furnish those who might attempt his rescue the means of ascertaining the route his captors had taken. The pur- suit was, however, unsuccessful, and the light horse returned to South-West Point. Captain Handley was taken to Wills Town. On his way, he was confined carefully at night, and watched closely by his captors through the day. Arriving at the end of their journey, the Indians debated three days whether he should be killed or permitted to live. At length, he was adopted into the Wolf Tribe of the Cherokees, and treated like one of them, from November till March. Before his adoption into the tribe, he received repeated insults and injuries. He was made to run the gauntlet. Another mode of torture, was that of tying his hands and feet fast, and then hurling him over their heads, at the imminent hazard of dashing his nose and face against the ground. During his captivity, the Cherokees became tired of war, and requested
573
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