USA > Tennessee > The civil and political history of the state of Tennessee from its earliest settlement up to the year 1796 : including the boundaries of the state > Part 19
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Upon the return of the members of the Assembly from Tar- borough in the early part of February, 17SS, it was soon under- stood that North Carolina would not come into the views of those who favored the establishment of the Frankland govern- ment, and a storm was blown up. A fieri facias had been issued in the latter part of the year 1787, and had been placed in the hands of the sheriff to be executed against the estate of Gov. Sevier in the early part of 1788. The sheriff, acting under the authority of North Carolina, by virtue thereof, seized all or the greater part of Gov. Sevier's negroes to satisfy it, and removed them for safe-keeping from his farm on the Nolichucky River to the house of Col. Tipton. Sevier was at this time on the frontier of Greene County devising means for defending the in- habitants against the incursion of the Indians, whose conduct of late had given room for the apprehension of a formal renewal of hostilities. Having heard of the seizure of his negroes by virtue of an unlawful precept, as he deemed it, and by an officer not legally constituted, he resolved immediately to suppress all opposition to the new government of Frankland, and to punish the actors for their audacity. He raised one hundred and fifty men, principally in Greene County, but partly in Sevier and what is now called Blount, and marched directly to Tipton's house, near to which he arrived in the afternoon. Not more than fifteen men of Tipton's party were then with him. Sevier halted his troops two or three hundred yards from the house, on
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a sunken piece of ground, where they were covered from annoy- ance by those in the house. Sevier was also incited to action by another incident. Tipton, it was said, in order to get posses- sion of his person, had collected a party of his adherents some time before, and had sent them off with orders to make Sevier a prisoner. The latter happened to be on the frontier, and Tip- ton's emissaries missed their aim. When Sevier came home and was informed of this attempt, he burned with indignation at the ingratitude of it, and at the unrelenting temper which he considered to have prompted it. Hence he received an addi- tional motive to action, and resolved in turn to look for the Saul who searched for him in all the dens and hiding-places of the country. Tipton had gained some intimation of Sevier's de- signs, and had but just time to call for the aid of fifteen of his friends, who were with him at the time of Sevier's arrival. With them he kept possession of his house, and barricaded it against the expected assault as well as he could; and, with undismayed steadiness, waited the arrival of the Governor. The house of Col. Tipton was on Sinking Creek of the Watauga River, eight or ten miles east of Jonesborough. The Governor was not dil- atory in making his appearance. He presented himself and his troops, with a small piece of ordnance, and took post in front of the house. He demanded the unconditional surrender of Tip- ton and of all who were with him in the house. Tipton, with the earnest language which he sometimes employed on emer- gent occasions, sent word to him to "fire and be damned." He sent to Tipton a written summons. This, with a letter calling for assistance, Tipton immediately sent to Col. Maxwell, of Sul- livan, who was commandant of militia in that county, and a Representative of the county in the General Assembly of North Carolina. For some time Tipton would not permit any commu- nication with Sevier. Early the next day, however, he consent- ed that Robert Love, Esq., one of the fifteen who had come to his assistance, might correspond with him. Mr. Love wrote to him through the medium of his own flag, and directed his letter to Col. Sevier. In reply, it was said that Col. Sevier was not in camp, alluding to Valentine Sevier, a brother of the Governor, who bore the title of colonel. Mr. Love answered them, and strongly recommended to the troops to withdraw and disband themselves, which he said would enable those who supported
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the government of North Carolina to countermand the orders for levying troops in Sullivan County and other places. The reply made to this recommendation was that Gov. Sevier could countermand the orders for their march. Here the correspond- ence ended. A few of the most influential persons then with Tipton were sent out to collect re-enforcements from the neigh- borhood, and from the settlements above. Two or three were also sent to Sullivan County for the same purpose. On the next day a few men joined Tipton; and in the course of the day a woman coming to the house on some occasion, in company with another woman, was shot in the shoulder. Some of Se- vier's troops occupied an eminence of limestone rocks within shooting distance of the house, and from that quarter the wom- an was wounded. On the next night Mr. Robert Love went out with one man for the purpose of getting aid from the quarter of the country where he resided. On his way home he met his brother, Thomas (now Gen. Love), with ten or twelve men go- ing to join Tipton, whom he informed of the guard at the emi- nence of rocks, which lay near the road that led to the house. Mr. Thomas Love, before it was light, approached to the rocks on a prancing horse, himself hemming and coughing. Not being hailed, he went to the rocks at which the guard had been stationed, and found that the whole guard was absent. . The weather being excessively cold, they had retired to the main body to warm themselves by their fires. Mr. Thomas Love re- turned to his companions, and informed them of the absence of the guard from their post, whereupon, raising a whoop, they went in full gallop to Tipton's house, and by their junction with the besieged infused fresh vigor into their resolutions.
Elholm, second in command to the Governor, in order to make short work and to escape from the danger of delay, proposed the erection of a light, movable battery, under the cover of which the troops might safely advance to the walls of the house. In the meantime, those coming in and going out of the house of Tipton were fired upon, and one whose name was Webb was killed; another, whose name was Vaun, was wounded in the arm. Maxwell with all possible expedition raised one hundred and eighty men, and, marching with them, he had halted at Dungan's Mill, and had staid there in the forepart of the night, till he could have just time to reach the camp of Sevier by morning. While
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they were lying there Sevier's scouts came within a mile of them, and, not discovering any advancing enemy, returned to their main body. The night was cloudy and dark, and on the morn- ing of the 3d of February, just after day-break, which was the time of the attack made by Sevier, the snow poured down as fast as it could fall from the clouds. Sevier had placed in the road leading from Sullivan County by the place of his encampment sentinels to watch the approach of the re-enforcements to Tip- ton which were expected from Sullivan. The cold weather was so extreme that it had forced them into camp to warm them- selves for a few minutes. Maxwell and Pemberton advanced cautiously, with their men well formed in a line, within gunshot of Sevier's camp, having passed the spot where the sentinels were stationed unobserved. Here they awaited the approach of day-light. As soon as objects had become visible, the snow fall- ing and Sevier's men advancing to the attack of the house, the troops under Maxwell fired a volley and raised a shout which seemed to reach the heavens, and communicated to Tipton and his men in thehouse that deliverance was at hand. From the house they re-echoed the shout, and instantly sallied out upon the be- siegers. In the midst of these loud rejoicings a tremor seized the dismayed troops of Sevier, and they fled in all directions through every avenue that promised escape from the victors. Tipton and Maxwell did not follow them more than two hundred yards. Within one hour afterward Sevier sent in Robert Young with a flag, proposing terms of accommodation. They left in their flight, to be taken by the victors, the small piece of ordnance which Sevier had caused to be planted upon a battery. Pugh, the high sheriff of Washington County, was mortally wounded. Divers persons were made prisoners who belonged to Sevier's corps, and among them two sons of Sevier-James and John. Tipton forthwith determined to hang both of them. Apprised. of the rash step which he intended to take, the young men sent for Mr. Thomas Love and others of Tipton's party, with whom they had a good understanding, and solicited their intercession with Tipton. These persons went directly to him, and repre- sented in strong terms the rashness, illegality, and impolicy of the intended execution. They urged their arguments so effect- ually that with tears flowing down his cheeks at the mention of his own sons, supposing them to be in the possession of Sevier,
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about to be executed by him for offenses imputed to the father, he pronounced himself too womanish for any manly office, and desisted from his purpose. Shortly afterward he restored them to their liberty and they returned home, Mr. Robert Love be- coming surety for their appearance when called for, and for their future good behavior. Had the father been a prisoner, it was believed that no entreaty from any quarter could have saved him from destruction. With this battle the government of Frankland came to an end. Ever since the latter part of the year 1785 it had experienced those shocks which a disputed le- gitimacy of power never fails to beget. A sudden calm took place, and the remains of the late disorders became in a short time forgotten and imperceptible. Sevier withdrew from the pursuit of those who sought for him into the frontiers, and there opened a campaign against the Indians, in the midst of a people who adhered to him with devoted affection, and where he was inaccessible.
In May, 1788, courts were held at Greeneville without inter- ruption under the authority of North Carolina, at which were admitted as attorneys, who were licensed by North Carolina, Judges Andrew Jackson, John McNairy, David Allison, Archi- bald Roane, and Joseph Hamilton.
The Cherokees began in the first months of the year 1788 to burn with a desire for war. It seemed, indeed, as if nothing could insure peace but their total extinction. The knowledge of their hostile designs was made public by their massacre of Kirk's family. In the month of May, 1788, Kirk lived with his family on the south-west side of Little River, twelve miles south of Knoxville. While he was absent from home an Indian by the name of Slim Tom, known to the family, came to them and requested to be supplied with provisions, which they gave him. He withdrew, having seen who were there and the situation they were in with regard to defense. He soon afterward re- turned from the woods with a party of Indians, fell upon the family, massacred the whole of them-eleven in number-and left them dead in the yard. Not long afterward, Kirk, coming home, saw his dead family lying on the ground. He gave the alarm to the neighborhood, and the militia assembled under the command of Col. Sevier to the number of several hundred. They met at Hunter's Station, on Nine Mile Creek, which runs into the
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Holston on the south side. Thence they marched under com- mand of Col. Sevier to the Hiwassee River, and early in the morn- ing came upon a town which had been burned in 1779. The In- dians who were in it fled and took to the river. Many were killed in the town, some were made prisoners, and many were fired upon and killed in the river. They burned the town, and returned to Hunter's Station. On the next day they went up the Tennessee to the towns on that river, killed several Indians, burned the towns, and returned to the station. Tallassee, on the upper part of the Tennessee, was one of these towns. The Indians fled from their different towns into the mountains, but were pursued by the troops and many of them killed. Abraham, a friendly Indian, with his son, who lived on the north side of the Tennessee, had declared publicly that if the Indians went to war he would remain at his own house, and would never quit it. When the troops came to the south side, Hubbard sent for Abraham and his son to come over the river to the troops. They came ac- cordingly. He directed them to return, and bring with them "The Tassel" and another Indian, that he might hold a talk with them. They also held up a flag, inviting those Indians to come to them. They did so, and were put into a house. Sevier was absent for some time on the business of his command. Dur- ing his absence those who were left behind permitted young Kirk, the son of him whose family was killed, to go with a tom- ahawk into the house where the Indians were inclosed, Hubbard being with him. There Kirk stuck his tomahawk into the head of one of them, who fell dead at his feet, the white people on the outside of the house looking in upon them. The other In- dians, five or six in number, seeing this, immediately understood the fate intended for them. Each man cast his countenance and eyes to the ground, and one after the other received from the hands of Kirk upon the upper part of the head the fatal stroke of the tomahawk, and were all killed. Sevier, returning, saw the tragical effects of this rash act, and, on remonstrating against it, was answered by Kirk, who was supported by some of the troops, that if he had suffered from the murderous hands of the Indians as he ( Kirk) had, that he (Sevier) would have acted in the same way. Sevier, unable to punish him, was obliged to overlook the flagitious deed and acquiesce in the reply.
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1
It is much to be regretted that history, in the pursuit of truth, is obliged to record, to the shame and confusion of ourselves, a deed of such superlative atrocity, perfidy, cowardice, and inhu- manity. Surely something is due to wounded feelings, and some allowance is to be made for the conduct of men acting un- der the smart of great and recent suffering. But never should it be forgotten by an American soldier that his honor must be unspotted; that a noble generosity must be the regulator of his actions; that inviolable fidelity in all that is promised an enemy is a duty of sacred obligation; and that a beneficent and delicate behavior to his captive is the brightest ornament of his char- acter.
Suspicion, ever alive toward the conduct of military com- manders, attributed to Col. Sevier a voluntary absence, while many of those who were present acquitted him of all presenti- ment of the horrid act. Col. Sevier never acted with cruelty, before or since. He often commanded, but he was never accused of inhumanity; and he could not have given his consent on this occasion. Considering existing circumstances, he could not have maintained as much authority then as at other times. He was routed, proscribed, and driven from his home; he took shelter among the frontier inhabitants, who now composed his little army; he relied upon them for safety. They consulted only the exasperated feelings of the moment, and had never been in- structed in the rules of refined warfare.
Capt. Gillespie, on arriving at the river, had also gone off with his company in search of the enemy, by order of the command- ing office He went up the river on the south side, and crossed to where the Indians were on the north. He pursued them several miles, and took some pack-horses. On his return the In- dians were everywhere in motion. He recrossed the river to the south side at the place where he had just before crossed. As he ascended the bank on the south side he saw an Indian named Alexander Mayberry, and hailed him. He stopped and gave up his gun, and surrendered himself a prisoner. Capt. Gillespie then went toward the army which he had left, and as he pro- ceeded was met by a company of soldiers who insisted upon kill- ing his prisoner. Capt. Gillespie told them that he had taken the Indian a prisoner, and that he should not be killed while in his possession. They still persisting, and manifesting a deter-
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mined purpose to put the prisoner to death, Gillespie dismount- ed from his horse, and, placing himself between them and the Indian, cocked his gun, and gave them the most positive assur- ances that he would instantly pour the contents of it into the heart of that man who dared to fire upon the Indian. The res- olute air of his countenance convinced them that he intended what he said, and they desisted and went off. He led his pris- oner into camp and delivered him to Col. Sevier, who removed him to Hunter's Station, whence he was sent home in safety.
The massacre of Kirk's family was followed in quick succes- sion by that of many others. A man by the name of English was killed near Bean's Station, and James Kirkpatrick between Bean's Station and Holston. Some were killed in the neigh- borhood of Bull run, and others at places north of Knoxville, and many others on the roads to West Tennessee and Kentucky. The people were compelled to live in forts. They built Hous- ton's Station, sixteen miles south of Knoxville, not far from the place where Maryville now stands. Gen. Martin sent a party to protect the inhabitants of the station under the command of Maj. Thomas Stewart, which went to the station and garri- soned it.
Capt. John Fayne, with some enlisted men who composed a part of the guard under the command of Capt. Stewart, and some of the settlers who turned out with them, were sent out as 'scouts to reconnoiter the adjacent country. They crossed the Tennessee River and entered into an apple-orchard where care- lessly they began to gather the fruit. The Indians were lying in wait, and had suffered them to march into the orchard with- out molestation. Whilst in the act of gathering fruit the In- dians surrounded them, drove them into the river, killed sixteen of the whites dead on the ground, took one prisoner, and wound- ed four, who with difficulty effected their escape. The scene of this tragedy was at a town called Sitico. Capt. Evans raised thirty meu, who with himself lived a considerable distance from the place, and was at it in the evening of the third day. That night, being on the north bank of the Tennessee, they buried the dead whom they found on that side of the river, marched back about one mile, and encamped for the night on high ground. Maj. Thomas Stewart came in also with the enlisted men of the sta- tion. These were under his command, but the volunteer company
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was exclusively under that of Capt. Evans. Next morning they crossed the river at the upper end of Chota, and thence to Sitico, where the massacre took place. There they found one white man lying on his back, with his belly ripped open; four men lying on a sand bar with their bellies also ripped up and their bowels floating on the water. The head of one man was cut off, and his heart and bowels were torn out and strewed about on the ground. After burying the dead, they returned home.
Such of the company in the orchard as survived the massacre had fled toward Knoxville. These the Indians had pursued to within five miles of that place, and in the pursuit killed a great part of them. They then determined to attack Houston's Sta- tion, and with that view marched to it, but were beaten off by the garrison. Col. Sevier was at this time within twenty-five miles of the mouth of the Holston, and was marching diligently to the de- fense of Houston's Station, which he had been informed the In- dians had intended to reduce, but he had not yet heard of the attack which they had actually made upon it. He unexpectedly met one hundred of the retreating Indians, fired upon them, compelled them to give way, and continued his march to the station; thence he immediately went home, and without delay convened Capt. John Craig and his company, and one or two other companies, and at the special request of Col. Sevier he was joined also by Capt. Evans and his company, who was re- quested to do so by an express sent for the purpose. Capt. Evans took post in the rear of the front guard .. As the army passed through Sitico, Evans seeing an old Indian slip into a house between daylight and sunrise, took with him John Ish and rode up to the house, in which he saw sitting an old man, and upon dismounting and going into the house, saw in it two young Indian fellows, both of whom he and Ish killed, and re- joined the army. It marched constantly, and arrived at Chil- howee. At this place they found Indians, had a skirmish with them, killing thirteen dead on the ground. The whites receiving no damage on their side, they all returned home safely. A few weeks after this Evans raised a volunteer company, and other captains also raised companies to make an expedition into the Indian Nation. At their solicitation Col. Sevier took the com- mand of them. They crossed the Tennessee River and went
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through Big Tellico Town; thence crossing the Unaca Mount- ain, they entered the valley towns. Whilst the army marched on, Capt. Hubbard took ten men with him, and following a · small path they came to a house where were seven or eight In- dians, who ran out of the house, when the whites killed five of them, took one small prisoner, and returned to the army. When the army halted at noon, Capt. Evans discovered an In- dian coming down the ridge. He mounted his horse, and tak- ing two or three men with him, rode toward the Indian. He fired upon Evans and his men, the ball passing through the hunting-shirt of one of them, and then ran to the foot of the hill, and, charging his gun, gave them a second fire. One of the white men fired at him and shot off his fore-finger. The Indian again charged his piece, but when he attempted to prime, the blood ran so fast into the pan of the firelock that he could not effect it. The whites rode up to him and shot him down. Marching four miles farther, they encamped in hearing of the crowing of a cock, from a town that was six miles long, but per- ceiving that the enemy had left it at the approach of the army, Sevier, with the army, in the morning took a different route, which led them to the upper end of another town, where the corn was in the silk. The whole of this the army cut down be- fore them. The Indians kept up a constant fire, but the dis- tance was too great to do it with any effect. After encamping here all night, Evans, with ten men, was sent to reconnoiter the confines of the camp. On the top of a ridge he discovered the signs of Indians; a large body of them had been there, and had thrown off their old moccasins and put on new ones. He im- mediately gave intelligence of this to the colonel, and was or- dered by him to keep the ridge till the main body should be ready to march. About one hundred Indians had turned back, and others went on to form an ambuscade in a narrow passage. The army followed upon their trail till it came in view of the place where it was thought they lay concealed. The passage which the army had to go through was one where the path was on the bank of the river under a large cliff of rocks for one- quarter of a mile, which did not admit of more than one man abreast, followed by others in Indian file. They had placed two hundred men on the south side of the river ready to receive the whites had they attempted to cross; one hundred in the front,
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one hundred in the rear, and three hundred amongst the rocks and clifts. Of the whites the number was not more than one hundred and forty. The danger of marching through this pas- sage was judiciously considered by Col. Sevier as too great to be encountered for the advantage to be attained, and he marched for the foot of the mountain, where he crossed as he went out. The army drove before it three head of neat cattle, and proceed- ed with so much haste that one of the cattle tired out and would go no farther. At the foot of the mountain they killed their cattle, and in fifteen minutes had the whole of their beef cut up and put into their knapsacks and had begun their march up the mountain. Capt Evans marched in the rear, and having passed the summit of the mountain and proceeded about two hundred yards down the other side of it, one of his men said that he had left his knife just before he crossed the top of the mountain, and he ran back for it. When he got to the mountain-top he heard the Indians ascending on the side of the mountain up which the whites had just before come. Intelligence of their vicinity was immediately given to the colonel. It was now be- tween sunset and dark, and the army, before it could encamp safely, was obliged to travel ten miles to Big Tellico, where, on the plains, it encamped. Five hundred Indians followed until they came in view of the camp, and there, their courage failing, they retired. The next day the troops crossed Tennessee and returned home.
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