USA > Tennessee > The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century: Comprising Its Settlement, as the. > Part 59
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603
MAJOR BEARD'S ROUTE.
hundred and twenty men from South-West Point, under the command of Major Hugh Beard, to assist the people of Mero District against the Creek invasion. In going to and return- ing from Nashville, on this expedition, that officer passed by the head of the southern confluents of the Cumberland, and altogether south of the settlements formed on that stream. In that route, he would pass through the midst of the main Creek camps, from which their small parties so repeatedly issued in their murderous excursions against the frontiers. He hoped thus to intercept or to intimidate them. He found many of their camps abandoned, and was able to ' meet only three small parties ; of these, he killed only a few and wounded several. His troops escaped unhurt, except in an attack on Smith's River, where Mr. Alexander received a slight flesh wound. Beard returned to Knoxville in June. The enemy had escaped him. The main body of them having eluded his search, had re-crossed the Tennessee, on their return from Cumberland and Kentucky, with numerous scalps and horses, the trophies of their successful invasion. One good result, it was believed, would follow Beard's cam- paign. The new practice of searching for the Indians in the thickets and at their camping places, would, when it became known to them, inspire no small apprehension of danger in crossing the Tennessee, or making an invasion so distant from their homes.
Notwithstanding this expedition of Major Beard, and the. vigilance of the people on Cumberland, the Indians suc- ceeded occasionally in their attacks. At Johnson's Station, near Nashville, a party of them, on the 9th of May, fired upon and wounded three boys, one of whom they scalped. A fourth they caught by the jacket, but he stripped it off, and escaped unhurt.
Early in May, Nathaniel Teal, the carrier of the mail, had arrived in Nashville from Natchez. After delivering the mail, he went out in the evening and spent the night with General Robertson, five miles from town. Next morning, within a mile of the General's house, the Indians fired upon and killed him. Two companies of horsemen were instantly paraded-one, commanded by old Captain John Rains ; the
604
CAPTAINS GORDON AND RAING
.
other, by Captain John Gordon, the same who afterwards, in 1813, commanded the spy company in the Creek war. To the latter, Joseph Brown attached himself. He was still suffering from the wound he had received in the ambuscade on Laurel River, in March, but he had made the heroic re- solve, to obtain redress for the injuries inflicted on his family, and was among the first to volunteer on this occasion. The force of the two companies united, was one hundred. They were instructed by General Robertson, to scour the woods, and paths and crossing places, of creeks and rivers, and to discover the trails of the enemy coming against Cumberland. They set out on the 12th of May. Teal was killed by a party of Indians who had made a hunt on Cathey's Creek, about twenty miles west of where Columbia now stands. Needing horses to carry the results of their hunt home, they had come into the settlements and stole a number, and killed Teal. The horsemen soon found their trail, and on the fifth day overtook them, on the second creek that runs into Ten- nessee, below the mouth of Elk. The Indians had stopped to noon, and twenty men were sent forward to fire upon them. The hills were open woods, but the creek bottom was a close cane-brake. Rains' men advanced on the right of the Indians, while Gordon's went to their left. When the ad- vance of twenty fired, the two companies dashed forward with all speed. Gordon's company came to a high bluff . of the creek, which horses could not descend, when the Cap- tain and Joseph Brown dismounted, and took down the pre- cipice, and each of them killed an Indian. The horsemen had to ride around the bluff, and the most of the Indians es- caped into the cane-brake before they were seen. Six of them were killed and a boy captured. The companies then returned home.
But the Indians continued to prowl around and infest the settlements, and, as early as the 20th of May, killed John Hacker, on Drake's Creek, and on the 4th of June, Adam Fleener. Richard Robertson and William Bartlett, were also killed, and Abraham Young and John Mayfield were wound- ed. On the 20th, James Steele and his daughter were killed and his son wounded. July Ist, the Indians attacked Hay's
605
OVERTAKE AND DEFEAT THE INDIANS.
Station and killed Jacob and Joseph Castleman, and wound- ed Hans Castleman. On the 18th, William Campbell was wounded, near Nashville. On the 15th, Mr. Joslin was wounded at his own house, and on the 19th, Mr. Smith was killed at Johnson's Lick.
Under these repeated sufferings, it is not strange that the people cried aloud for revenge, and demanded permission to retaliate, upon the savages, the injuries and cruel treatment they had received from them. But the cautious policy of Government still inculcated lessons of resignation and for- bearance. The state of the negotiation with Spain was plead as an excuse for repressing, for the time being, the pent-up indignation of the Western people under the wan- ton provocations and murders they daily endured. But law- abiding as they were, and loyal to the authority of Congress as they afterwards proved themselves to be, the spirit to avenge their wrongs and redress themselves could no longer be suppressed.
" About the first of August, 1793, Abraham Castleman raised a company of volunteers to assist him in retaliating upon the Indians a great number of injuries which he had received from them, particularly those of killing several of his near relations. On arriving near the Tennessee, ten of his company turned back, because General Robertson's orders prohibited all scouting parties from crossing that river. But Castleman, whom the Indians called the Fool Warrior, with Zachariah Maclin, John Camp, Eli Hammond, Ezekiel Caruthers and Frederick Stull, all dressed like Indians, and painted in the same manner, so as not to be distinguished, crossed the river, as is generally believed, below Nickajack, and took the trace towards the Indian nation, which led, as they supposed, to Will's Town. After travelling about ten miles on the south side of the river, they came in view of a camp of forty or fifty Creeks, who were on their way to kill and plunder the whites in the Cumberland settlements. They were eating two and two, and betrayed no alarm at the approach of their supposed friends, but continued eat- ing until the small squad of white men came within a few paces of them, and suddenly raised their guns and fired on them ; Castleman killed two Indians, and cach of the others one. The shock being so sudden and unexpected, dismayed and confounded the Indians, and before they could recover from it and resume the possession of them- selves, the whites had retreated so far as to render pursuit unavailing ; this happened on the 15th of August, 1793. On the 21st they all got back safe to Nashville.
" About the 5th of August, Captains Rains and Gordon pursued a party of Indians who had killed one Samuel Miller, near Joslin's Sta-
606
ROBERTSON CONCEIVES THE DESIGN OF
tion ; after crossing Dnek River their signs were very fresh ; on pursu- ing them seven miles further, they were overtaken ; the pursuers killed some of them on the ground, and took prisoner a boy of twelve years of age. One of them called out that he was a Chickasaw, and by that finesse made his escape. On examining the prisoner, they proved to be all of them Creeks from the Upper Uphalie towns.
"Some short time before the 9th of November, 1793, some horses having been stolen, and Indians seen near Croft's mill, in Sumner coun- ty, Colonel James Winchester ordered out Lieutenant Snoddy with thirty men, to scour the woods about the Cany Fork, and, if possible, to discover the main encampment. On the 4th of November he met two Indians, who fled, and he pursued them to a large camp near the Rock Island ford of the Cany Fork, where he took much spoils. Eve- ning coming on, he withdrew from the camp, about a mile, to an emi- nence, where he halted his men, and they lay on their arms all night About the dawn of day they appeared advancing with trailed arms, and at the distance of about thirty yards a firing commenced and Fas kept up from three to four rounds, when the Indians retreated, leaving one fellow on the ground, and were seen to bear off several wounded. Lieutenant Snoddy had two men killed and three wounded. He de- served and received much commendation for his gallantry.
" In this year, 1793, the Indians fired on Thomas Sharpe Spencer, near where Major David Wilson since lived, in Sumner county ; Mra. A. Bledsoe, in company, was thrown from her horse, but Spencer bravely rescued her from the hands of the Indians, and conducted her to a place of safety. About this time several persons were killed in the county of Sumner, whose names are not recollected. In this year James McCune was killed, by the Indians, at Hays's Station, on Stone's River; one of the Castleman's was also killed and another wounded. About the 1st of December, 1793, James Randal Robertson, son of General Robertson, and John Grimes, were killed by the Cherokees of the Low- er towns, on the waters of the Cany Fork, where they had gone to trap for beavers.
" At this time, many of our people were in slavery with the Creek Indians, and were treated by them, in all respects, as slaves. In the Cayelegies, Mrs. Williams and child, Alice Thompson, of Nashville, Mrs. Caffrey and child, of Nashville. In the Hog villages, Mr. Brown, of the District of Mero. In the Clewatly town, Miss Scarlet. In the White Grounds, Miss Wilson, of the District of Mero, and a boy and girl. In the Colummies, a boy five years of age. At the Big Tallas- see, a boy, eight or ten years of age, and a girl, seven or eight years of age. In the l'ocontala-hassee, a boy, twelve or thirteen years of age. In the Oakfuskee, a lad fifteen years of age. In the Red Ground, & man called John. In Casauders, a boy whose age and name were not known.
" As early as the 13th of November, 1793, General Robertson had conceived, and secretly harboured, the design of destroying the five Lower towns of the Cherokees ; he expressed a decided disapprobation of all negotiation with them, as it would but lull the people of the Territory into security, and make them the surer victims of Cherokee
607
INVADING THE LOWER TOWNS.
perfidy. He, by way of introducing the subject to notice, asked, of General Sevier, in a familiar way, when the Lower towns would get their deserts ? It was hinted by the Governor, said he, that it will be in the spring ; I suspect before that time. But it may be immaterial to us, considering our exposed situation and the little protection we have. He pressed General Sevier to carry an expedition of fifteen hundred men into the Cherokee country before the ensuing spring. We shall see that the former idea, with whomsoever it may have originated, came to ma- turity in the following year; though at this time, no one, for fear of the displeasure of Government, would either be the author, advocate, pro- moter or even connive at the design.
"On the 20th of February, 1794, numerous small divisions of In- dians appeared in all parts of the frontiers of Mero District, marking every path and plantation with the fatal signs of their visitation. They stole nearly all the horses that belonged to the district, and butchered a number of the citizens. In many instances they left the divided limbs of the slain scattered over the ground. Jonathan Robertson, from whom upon all occasions the Indians had received as good as they sent, was, about this time, with three lads of the name of Cowan, fired upon by five Indians ; one of the lads was slightly wounded, and a ball passed through Robertson's hat; he and the lads returned the fire and drove off the Indians, having wounded two of them mortally, as was supposed. On the death of Helen, Captain Murray followed the Indians, and at the distance of one hundred and twenty miles came up with them on the banks of the Tennessee, and destroyed the whole party to the num- ber of eleven; two women of the party were captured and treated with humanity.
"On the 20th of March, 1794, James Bryan was fired upon by the Indians from an ambuscade near a path, within four miles of Nashville ; and, on the same day, Charles Bratton was killed and scalped near the house of Major White, in Sumner county.
" On the 21st of April, 1794, Anthony Bledsoe, son of Colonel An- thony Bledsoe, and Anthony Bledsoe, son of Colonel Isaac Bledsoe, were killed and scalped by Indians near a stone quarry, near the house of Searcy Smith, in Sumner county ; at the same time, two horses and a negro fellow were taken from Mr. Smith's wagon.
"On the 29th of May, 1794, in the absence of General Robertson, Colonel Winchester was ordered to keep up the allowed number of troops on the frontiers. On the 11th of June, they killed Mrs. Gear within four miles of Nashville. Captain Gordon followed the Indians on their retreat upwards of ninety miles, killed one of them and lost one of his party, Robert McRory. He overtook them at the foot of Cumberland Mountain, near the place where Caldwell's bridge now is. Captain Gordon was a brave and active officer, distinguished through lifo for a never failing presence of mind, as well as for the purest integ- rity and independence of principle; he had much energy both of mind and body, and was in all, or nearly all the expeditions from Tennessee, which were carried on against the Indians or other enemies of the coun- try, and in all of them was conspicuous for these qualities. He now
608
ROUTE TO NICKAJACK DISCOVERED.
sleeps with the men of other times, but his repose is guarded by the affectionate recollections of all who knew him.
" On the 6th of July, 1794, Isaac Mayfield was killed by Indians within five miles of Nashville. He was standing sentinel for his son-in- law while he hoed his corn, and got the first fire at the Indians; but there being from twelve to fifteen of them, and very near to him, ho could not escape. Eight balls penetrated his body ; he was scalped, a new English bayonet was thrust through his face, and two bloody toma- hawks left near his mangled body. He was the sixth person of his name who had been killed or captured by the Creeks and Cherokees. Major George Winchester was killed and scalped by the Indians, near Major Wilson's, in the District of Mero, on the public road leading from his own house to Sumner Court House; he was a Justice of the Peace, and was on his way to Court; he was a valuable citizen, and a good civil and military officer."
Joseph Brown, during the summer of this year, accompa- 1794 § nied a detachment that went on a scout to the head of Elk. While there, Col. Roberts expressed a wish to cross the mountain, to ascertain whether a road could be found by which to reach the Tennessee at Nickajack. Brown believed it possible ; and he, Joshua Thomas, and Big Elisha Green, volunteered to go with Roberts on the hazardous en- terprise. They found no difficulty in crossing the mountain, and went on down Battle Creek to the river bottom, and up by Lowry's Island, and nearly opposite to Nickajack, and re- turned ; after walking nearly all night, they were ascending the mountain by sunrise next morning, and crossed it that evening on their homeward march .*
This discovery of a practicable route to Nickajack for horsemen, had its influence, a short time afterwards, when the romantic expedition to that place was undertaken.
By the renewed attacks from the banditti Indians, in the five Lower Towns on the Tennessee, upon both extremes of the Territory, the minds of the people became ulcerated in the highest degree against the Government. They com- plained to Governor Blount, who, although sympathizing in their sufferings, felt himself restricted by the orders of the Secretary of War, from authorizing an invasion of the In- dian villages from which the mischief proceeded. One of these orders, considered as prohibitory of any offensive mea-
* Brown's Letters.
609
VOLUNTEERS RENDEZVOUS NEAR NASHVILLE.
sures, was in these words :- "With respect to destroying the Lower Towns, however vigorous such a measure might be, or whatever good consequences might result from it, I am instructed specially, by the President, to say that he does not consider himself authorized to direct any such measure, more especially as the whole subject was before the last session of Congress, who did not think proper to authorize or direct offensive operations." This order, dated the 29th of July, 1794, reached the Governor, and its contents were commu- nicated to the people in the midst of the frequent attacks made upon their lives and property in August. Patience, under such provocations, had ceased to be a virtue, and long- er forbearance was considered only as a license for re- newed outrage and cruelty. The people determined to pro- tect themselves, and to adopt the only measures which would render their protection permanent and effectual. They re- solved to invade the towns, and retaliate upon their savage · inhabitants the injuries they had so long suffered from them.
Some concert was necessary to bring to the proposed expe- dition a sufficient force to make it atonce short and success- ful. An appeal was, therefore, made to the martial spirit of Kentucky, to aid the people of the Territory in punishing an enemy, from whom, they too, had been common sufferers. Colonel Whitley, of that state, was prevailed upon, through Sampson Williams, to enter into the scheme. He agreed to bring to the Cumberland settlements, against a day designa- ted, such troops as he could raise. Colonel Ford levied troops in that part of the country between Nashville and Clarkesville. These constituted a company, which was commanded by Captain Miles, and marched to the ap- pointed rendezvous at the block-house, two miles east of Buchanan's. Colonel John Montgomery brought a compa- ny from Clarkesville to the place of meeting, and General Robertson, who had long before advised the expedition, raised volunteers for it from Nashville and its neighbourhood.
In the meantime, Major Ore, of Hamilton District, had been detached, by Governor Blount, with a command of men for the protection of the frontiers of Mero District, and op- portunely came with them to Nashville, at the moment the 39
610
.
GENERAL ROBERTSON'S ORDER TO MAJOR ORE.
other troops were concentrating there. Learning the object of the meditated expedition, he entered beartily into the pro- ject, and marched his command to the rendezvous. His troops, alone, had been levied by public authority, and to give pretext for the expedition, and a colour of a claim for .pay of the men, and the outfit and equipments furnished from the public stores of the General Government, Major Ore as- sumed the command, and it was generally called "Ore's Ex- pedition." Colonel Whitley, soon after, arrived at the ren- dervous, when it was agreed that he should have the chief command of the whole. Colonel Montgomery was elected commander of the troops raised in the Territory. The order for the march was, however, given to Major Ore, as com- mander of the expedition, to whom General Robertson gave the following :
NASHVILLE, September 6th, 1794.
Major Ore :- The object of your command is, to defend the District of Mero against the Creeks and Cherokees of the Lower Towns, which I have received information, is about to invade it, as also to punish such Indians as have committed recent depredations.
For these objects, you will march, with the men under your command, from Brown's Block-house, on the eighth instant, and proceed along Tay- lor's Race, towards the Tennessee ; and if you do not meet this party be- fore you arrive at the Tennessee, you will pass it, and destroy the Lower Cherokee Towns, which must serve as a check to the expected invaders ; taking care to spare women and children, and to treat all prisoners who may fall into your hands, with humanity, and thereby teach those sava- ges to spare the citizens of the United States, under similar circum- stances.
Should you, in your march, discover the trails of Indians return- ing from the commission of recent depredations on the frontiers, which can generally be distinguished by the horses stolen being shod, you are to give pursuit to such parties, even to the towns from whence they come, and punish them for their aggressions in an exemplary manner, to the terror of others from the commission of similar offences, provided this can be consistent with the main object of your command, as above expressed, the defence of the District of Mero against the ex- pected party of Creeks and Cherokees.
I have the utmost confidence in your patriotism and bravery, and with my warmest wishes for your success, I am, sir, your obedient servant, JAMES ROBERTSON, B. G.
On the next day, Sunday, the 7th, the army marched to the Black Fox's camp, and there remained that night ; they then crossed the Barren Fork of Duck River, near the Stone Fort where Irwin's Store stood in 1823; thence to Fennison's
611
ARMY CROSSES THE TENNESSEE.
Spring ; thence, crossing Elk, at Caldwell's Bridge and Cumberland Mountain, they reached the Tennessee, about three miles below the mouth of Sequachee. It was night when the troops arrived at the river, and most of them re- mained upon its bank till daylight ; though, in their eager- ness for retaliation, a few went across before it was light. The river there is nearly three-quarters of a mile wide. The horses were left, with a part of the men, on the north side. Some troops formed rafts of dry cane and other light mate- rial, at hand, and went over dry, while others crossed over without any such assistance. Of these, were Joseph Brown and William Trousdale, since Governor of Tennessee, and a United States General in the Mexican War. The former was then a grown man, and had fulfilled, to the letter, the prediction of the old Indian woman, who had, five years be- fore, warned the confederates, "that if he was not killed then, he would soon be grown, and would get away and pilot an army there, and have them all cut off." He had been the pilot, and with Fendlestone, did conduct the troops along the route, unknown to any of them, and though disa- bled, from a wound through his shoulder, which was still dis- charging pieces of exfoliated bone, he, with one hand, swam across the river, and was among the first to reach its south- ern bank.
As soon as the troops had crossed, and were collected to- gether, they marched up the mountain, between the point of which and the river, stood the town of Nickajack. A mile higher up the river, after passing through a very narrow strait formed by the river on one side, and the mountain jutting into and projecting over it on the other, they came to a spacious plain of low lands, on which stood another town called Running Water. They penetrated into the heart of Nickajack before they were discovered, and first alarmed the Indians by the report of their guns.
Nickajack was a small town, inhabited by two or three hundred men and their families. The army killed in their town a considerable number of warriors. Some of the In- dians endeavoured to make their escape in canoes, to the other side of the river, but were fired upon, and men, women and children perished in the deathful havoc. Some were
613.
killed in the canoes, some jumped into the water and at- tempted to swim off ; but before they could get to a secure distance, were killed by the firing of the troops, who fol- lowed after them so closely, as to be at the river nearly as soon as the Indians themselves. Eighteen were taken prisoners-two boys, fifteen girls and one woman. A great number of the enemy were killed, amongst . whom were fifty-five warriors. Both towns were reduced to ashes.
When the Indians in the other town, called Running Wa- ter, heard the firing below, they repaired instantly to the place of action, and met their terrified brethren retreating to their town. From the place of meeting they began to return, bat made a stand at the narrow pass before described, placing themselves behind the rocks, and upon the sides of the mountain ; here they kept ap a running fire, when the Cattiberland troops came up.
! " The troops were landed a little before day. At daylight they fell into ranks, and were counted by Captain John Gor -. don, and the exact number who had crossed over was ascor- tained to be two hundred and sixty-five." At the back of Nickajack field, the men were formed into line of battle among the cane. Col. Whitley was on the right, and struck above the mouth of the creek that rose in the field. Col. Montgomery was on the right of the troops from the Ter- ritory. Orders were given for the two wings to march, so as to strike the river above and below the towns. On the march, two houses were found, standing out in the field, and about two hundred and fifty yards from the town. Expecting that from these houses their approach would be discovered by the In- dians, the troops were here directed to push with all speed to the town. The corn was growing close up to and around the houses. Near the house on the left the firing com- menced, and was returned by the Indians, one of whom was here killed. From one of the houses already mentioned, a plain path was seen, leading to the town. William Pillow got into it, and ran rapidly along it till he reached the com- mons. Perceiving that he had got in advance of such of the troops as had come through the corn field, Pillow halted till others had come up. The march or run was then continued
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