USA > Virginia > Washington County > Washington County > History of southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County, 1777-1870 > Part 32
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Cornwallis, with his army, remained on the battleground from Thursday until Sunday, and on the evening of that day began a re- treat to the south.
The loss of General Greene in this battle was 320 men killed and wounded, while the British killed and wounded exceeded 600.
General Greene, on the 19th day of March, addressed the fol- lowing letter to Colonel Campbell :
"HEADQUARTERS, March 19, 1781.
"Sir,-Your faithful services and the exertions which you made to second the efforts of the Southern army, on the 15th inst.,
*Schenck's North Carolina, 1780-1781
-
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claim my warmest thanks. It would be ungenerous not to ac- knowledge my entire approbation of your conduct, and the spirited and manly behavior of the officers and soldiers under you. Sensi- ble of your merit, I feel a pleasure in doing justice to it. Most of the riffemen having gone home, and not having it in my power to make up another command, you have my permission to return home to your friends, and should the emergency of the southern operations require your further exertions, I will advertise you.
"I am. sir, with great esteem, your most humble servant,
"NATH'L GREENE. "COLONEL CAMPBELL."
And Colonel Henry Lee, the officer who had so ingloriously de- serted Colonel Campbell during the battle, had the audacity to ad- dress the following letter to Colonel Campbell :
"March 17, 1781.
"I am very happy in informing you that the bravery of your bat- talion, displayed in the action of the 15th, is particularly noticed by the General. It is much to be lamented that a failure took place in the line which lost the day, separated us from the main body and exposed our retreat. I hope your men are safe and that the scattered will collect again. Be pleased to favor me with a return of your loss, and prepare your men for a second battle.
"I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
"IIENRY LEE, JUN. "COLONEL CAMPBELL."
But, notwithstanding the kind words spoken and many urgent requests made, General Campbell, on the 20th of the month, re- signed his commission and returned to his home, declaring he could not longer serve his country in the army with honor ; and he would not serve in the army longer where Colonel Lee held a com- mission.
Cornwallis, while he succeeded in forcing General Greene to ro- treat. was really the loser in this battle, and on the Sunday fol- lowing. for the preservation of himself and army, he began an in- glorious retreat that terminated at Yorktown, where he was com- pelled, on the 19th day of October, 1:81, to surrender his sword and army to the American forces.
Colonel William Campbell, immediately upon his return to his
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- home, announced himself a candidate for the House of Delegates, to which position he was elected in the spring of the year 1781. The General Assembly met in Richmond in May of that year, but. were forced to adjourn their proceedings first to Charlottesville and afterwards to Staunton to prevent capture by Colonel Tarleton. On the 14th day of June the House of Delegates appointed Colo- nel Campbell a brigadier-general of militia, to serve under Mar- quis de Lafayette, who was then in command of the Continental forces in Virginia.
General Campbell immediately obtained a leave of absence and repaired to the army, where General Lafayette assigned him to the command of the Light Infantry and Riflemen.
General Campbell became a great favorite with Lafayette, who placed a great deal of confidence in his judgment and ability. Gen- eral Campbell was in command of a brigade marching in the di- rection of Yorktown through Cumberland county, Virginia.
*One night he encamped his men near the residence of an old English parson by the name of MeRea, who had been drawing his 16,000 pounds of tobacco for many years, and was quite wealthy. When the regiment pitched their tents General Campbell went a few miles to spend the night with a friend. The next morning when he returned, his officers informed him that old McRae had been down, and said all he could to discourage the soldiers. He had told them that they had not the most distant idea of the dangers they were about to encounter ; that Cornwallis had a very large army, composed of the finest troops that had ever left England, and it was perfect folly to think of encountering them. He wound up by saying that they were going to a slaughter-pen, and his Lord Corn- wallis would slaughter them like a parcel of becves. As soon as Campbell heard this he sent three of his soldiers up to the house of McRea, with directions to tell him that he wished to see him, and if he refused to come they must bring him by force. McRea soon arrived at the camp. Campbell informed him that he had during his absence said all that could have been said to discourage his men, that he deserved corporal punishment, but on account of his old age he would not inflict that.on him, but when his men started he would show him how his men and the rest of the patriots would serve his Lord Cornwallis. When the regiment was ready to start
*Col. John Redd MSS.
.
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Campbell commanded MeRea to lie down and stretch himself out full length across the road. As soon as the parson was stretched out full length every man stepped over him. Campbell informed him that was the way he intended to serve his Lord Cornwallis. The parson left our gallant general in such an ill humor that I am afraid his prayers did not accompany the gallant commander of the regi- ment .**
While Lord Cornwallis was encamped at Williamsburg and La- fayette was six miles distant towards Richmond, General Camp- bell, who was in command of a brigade of light troops connected with Lafayette's army, posted a picket guard at the Three Burnt Chimneys, about midway between the hostile camps. Upon several occasions the enemy sent out a superior body of horsemen and drove in the American pickets. Colonel Campbell saw in this an oppor- tunity to strike the enemy a severe blow, and on the following morning he posted a large body of mounted riflemen with himself at their head in a grove by the roadside, a short distance in the rear of the Burnt Chimneys, and, as usual, the pickets were posted at the Chimneys, with instructions to retire on the approach of the British cavalry. As usual, a large force of British cavalry was sent to drive in the pickets, and in doing so they pursued them under whip and spur, but when they reached the grove they met with an unexpected reception. Campbell's riflemen welcomed them with a volley of rifle balls, which killed more than twenty of their cavalry and forty of their horses. It is useless to say that the American pickets were not again disturbed.
Soon thereafter General Campbell was afflicted with a pain in his breast, which disabled him, when he was conveyed to the residence of Colonel John Syme at Rocky Mills. Hanover county, where. after a few days' illness, he expired on August 22, 1781, in his thirty-sixth year. When General Lafayette received the intelligence of the death of General Campbell he issued the following order :
"The general has no doubt that the army will unite with him in regretting General Campbell's death, an officer whose services must have endeared him to every citizen, and in particular to every American soldier. The glory which General Campbell acquired in the affairs of King's mountain and Guilford Courthouse does his
*John Redd MSS.
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memory everlasting honor and insures him a high rank among the defenders of liberty in the American cause.
"The general wishes it had been possible for himself and the officers of the army to pay him those honors to which his rank, but particularly his merit, so highly entitled him, but his great distance from the army and our present situation render it impossible.
"The lieutenant of the county will assemble a corps to pay mili- tary honors to the deceased general. General Stephens is re- quested to name a deputation of four field officers, and will im- mediately repair to Rocky Mills, and, in the name of the army, pay General Campbell their last respects."
General Campbell was buried in Hanover county, but his body was afterwards removed to Aspinvale, his home, near Seven-Mile Ford.
The settlements on the Holston were now being constantly as- sailed by the Indians. Captain Moses Loony was captured and car- ried into captivity, where he remained with the Indians until Au- gust of this year, when he was sent by them to inform the authori- ties that they had collected all the prisoners they had taken, about fifty in number, at Chote, and were ready to deliver them to Colo- nel Martin; also that the Indian chiefs were ready to attend any- where, and the whole nation was ready to make peace.
In March of this year Colonels John Sevier and Isaac Shelby undertook an expedition against the Chickamogga Indians, and to assist in this undertaking 200 of the militia of Washington county joined Colonel Isaac Shelby and marched to the Big Island in the French Broad river, where the troops were rendezvoused, from which point they marched for the sources of the Mobile river, and after the third day they crossed the Tennessee river at Scitico, at which point they held a council with the friendly Indians. On the 6th day they encamped on the Hiwassee river, and on the 7th day they crossed the river and passed into the territory of the hostile Indians. Colonel Sevier, with his forces, marched immediately against Vann's Towns, which he reduced to ashes, and thence to Bull Town, at the head of Chickamogga creek. After the destruc- tion of this town they marched to the Coosa river, where they killed a white man by the name of Clements, upon whose person was found papers from which it was ascertained that he was a ser- geant in the British army, and it was believed that he instigated
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the Indians in their depredations against the frontiers. The army then proceeded to Spring Frog Town, thence up the Coosa river to Estanola, an Indian town, which they destroyed. After thus de- stroying the Indian towns and killing all the Indian warriors they could find, the troops returned to Chote, where a council was held with the friendly Indians, at the conclusion of which the troops were disbanded and returned to their homes.
This may be said to be the last expedition against the Indians in which the militia of Washington county in any numbers parti- cipated. Washington county was not much longer to be considered a portion of the frontiers, and her citizens soldiery was soon to be deprived of an occupation which they always followed with avidity-that of waging war against the Indians and Torios.
In April of this year a party of Northward Indians came into the settlement on Clinch and killed and scalped two daughters of Cap- tain John Maxwell's and took nine prisoners. On the same occa- sion they visited the home of Captain Robert. Moffett near the Clinch river. Two sons of Captain Moffett's being at a sugar camp near their home, were killed and scalped by the Indians.
Thomas Inglis, who was reared at Draper's Meadows, had. with his family, some time previous to this time, settled in Burk's Gar- den on a piece of land that had been patented by his father. William Inglis, about thirty years previously. His nearest and only neigh- bor at this time was Joseph Hix, who lived about two miles from his home. A large party of Indians under the command of "Black Wolf." a noted Indian warrior, in April of this year visited Burk's Garden, and while Inglis was out on his farm surrounded his house and took his wife and three children and a negro man and woman prisoners, and, after loading the negroes with as much property as they could carry, they burned the house. Inglis, observing the size of the party, decided to make his way to the nearest settle- ment and obtain help. He, with a colored man, crossed the moun- tains to the settlement in the Rich Valley (now Smyth county). and arrived at that point at a very opportune time, the day being the muster day for the militia of the community. As soon as Inglis gave information of what had occurred, about twenty men volunteered to go in pursuit of the Indians, and immediately be- gan the march for Inglis' home, which they reached the next morn- ing about daybreak, to find nothing but a heap of ashes where In-
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glis' house had formerly stood. Joseph Hix, Inglis' neighbor, dis- covering the presence of the Indians in the community, immedi- ately made his way to a small settlement, about six miles away, where he obtained about six volunteers and returned to Burk's Garden and joined the forces from Rich Valley. The company thus composed immediately began the pursuit of the Indians. Captain James Maxwell, who had during the same month lost two of his daughters at the hands of the Indians, was placed in command of the pursuers, and, after five days' cautious marching, the Indians were discovered in camp in a gap of Tug mountain. The pursuers were at once divided into two companies. Captain Maxwell, with about one-half the number, undertook to get in front of the In- dians, while Thomas Inglis, with another party, was to attack them in the rear. Captain Maxwell failed to get in a position to attack the Indians by daylight, and Inglis and his party attacked them alone. As soon as a shot was fired the Indians began to tomahawk the prisoners. Thomas Inglis rushed into the Indian camp and reached the side of his wife. At that moment she received a terri- ble blow on the head with a tomahawk from an Indian, and in fall- ing she protected the infant she held in her arms by covering it. In addition to Mrs. Inglis' injuries, Mary Inglis and William Inglis, children of Thomas Inglis, were scalped. The Indians, in making their escape, passed near Captain Maxwell and his men, upon whom they fired, one ball striking Captain Maxwell and killing him in- stantly. He wore a white hunting shirt, and was a good target for the Indian fire. The pursuers encamped upon the ground for the night, and proceeded to bury Captain Maxwell and William Inglis, the young boy who died from his wounds. The number of Indians killed at this time is not known.
Maxwell's Gap, in the Tug Ridge, is the locality of this occur- rence. Mary Inglis, the little girl, died a few days after the skir- mish, but Mrs. Inglis entirely recovered from her injuries.
In the same month the Indians killed a man on Bluestone and a woman at Culberson's Bottom, on New river. It is a remarkable fact that of the five houses visited by the Indians in this month four belonged to militia officers, and some of them were a con- siderable distance within the frontier settlements; from which fact it is reasonable to suppose that the Indians were prompted and led by Tory sympathizers in their assaults upon the frontiers.
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Major John Taylor, who was in command of the militia on the upper waters of the Clinch, pursued the different parties of invading Indians, but did not succeed in overtaking them, and Colonel Pres- ton was compelled, for the protection of the settlements, to direct Colonel Joseph Cloyd to call out the militia and to station them at "David Doak's Mill" to protect the settlements. The consternation produced along the frontiers from Powell's Valley to the head of the Clinch was so great that the Governor directed Colonel William Preston to assemble the field officers of Montgomery and Wash- ington counties at the Lead Mines at once to devise ways and means to protect the frontiers. This meeting of the field officers took place on July 6, 1782, on which day the following proceedings were had :
At a meeting of the field officers of the militia of Montgomery and Washington counties, in conformity to instructions received from His Excellency, the Governor, etc., to concert and settle some proper plan for the defence of both counties. Present :
Field Officers for Montgomery County.
William Preston, Daniel Trigg,
Walter Crockett, John Taylor,
Joseph Cloyd, Abraham Trigg.
Field Officers for Washington County.
Arthur Campbell, Aaron Lewis,
William Edmiston, James Dysart, and
Major Patrick Lockhart, District Commissioner.
It is the unanimous opinion of the Board of Officers that the 200 men permitted to be drawn out by His Excellency, the Governor, for the defence of the frontiers be disposed of into the following districts, namely. on New river, in the neighborhood of Captain Pearis, 30 men ; Sugar Run, 20; Captain Moore's, head of Blue- stone, 25 ; head of Clinch, 25 men.
In Washington, at Richland, 20; Castle's Woods, 30: Rve Cove. 20; Powell's Valley, 30 men. The extent of the different districts. from Captain Pearis's to Sugar Run. 10 miles ; to Captain Moore's head of Bluestone, 30; to Captain Maxwell's, head of Clinch. 16 miles, which is nearest the Washington line: to Richland's. 24: 10 Castle's Woods, 30; to Rye Cove, 28; to Powell's Valley Fort. 26 miles, in all 164 miles.
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We find the greatest difficulty in making any provision for the support of these men while on duty, as there is no specific tax brought into the place appointed for that purpose in either of the counties ; the officers have therefore recommended Major Lockhart, the District Commissioners, to purchase 200 bushels of corn in Mont- gomery county, at the most convenient places where the militia are to do duty, at three shillings a bushel, being the current price, and an equal quantity in the county of Washington, for the use of the troops, etc., which we are convinced will be a great saving to the State, as the transporting from Botetourt, where there is some belonging to the public on hand, to the several districts where the militia are to do duty, will be attended with very great expense, the distance being from 60 to 160 miles, &c.
As objections have been made to that part of the Governor's instructions ordering the direction of the militia of both counties while on duty, under that of the county-lieutenant of Montgomery. who lives upward of one hundred and eighty miles from Powell's Valley and not less than ninety miles from Richland District, in Washington, which renders it impossible and useless for him to have these men under his directions, for which reason he declined that part of the command : Let it therefore be humbly recommended to His Excellency the Governor, to alter that part of his orders, by giving the superintendence of the troops in each county to the com- manding officer of the same, as it will save the expense of a field officer being on duty, which otherwise would be necessary, and the defense of the frontier will in all probability be better conducted.
The Board of Officers are unanimously of opinion that the coun- ties of Montgomery and Washington will provide the number of men ordered for their defense, without calling on any of the neighboring counties for assistance, unless there is a real reason for doing so in some emergency or on the approach of a large body of the enemy.
They also beg leave to suggest that the usual manner the Indians conduct their attacks on our settlements makes it necessary that a proper number of scouts be employed in each district to discover their approaches, for which reason it had induced the officers to direct that two be employed in each district for the immediate safety of the inhabitants.
Pursuant to the recommendation thus made by the field officers of the two counties, the number of militia recommended were sta-
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tioned at the places designated, and all placed under the command of Colonel Arthur Campbell, of Washington county.
About this time the frontier settlement in Powell's Valley was much harassed by small parties of Cherokee Indians from the Chickamogga towns, who, in the spring of this year, killed two men, and had almost ruined the inhabitants by destroying or car- rying off their stock. Captain Samuel Newell, who was in com- mand of the militia in that locality, pursued the Indians on severa! occasions, and at one time had the good luck to overtake two of their parties, one about forty-five miles above the Cuttawa or Cum- berland Gap, and firing upon them in camp, wounded some and retook everything. The other party was overtaken when asleep ; when one was killed and another wounded, and the rest of the party were forced to make their way home naked.
About this time, as two friendly Indians were coming up the Hols- ton river, with a canoe loaded with skins for Colonel Joseph Mar- tin at Long Island, they were killed by two of the settlers, who, in attempting to dispose of their skins, were detected. but the inhabitants in the community of Long Island would not permit the criminals to be brought to justice, alleging against the Indians in general the late depredations on the frontiers.
In the year 1:81, a company of eleven Indians visited the home of a Mr. Hamblin, on Clinch river, near Castle's Woods. Mrs. Ham- blin, who was at home, barred the doors to her house and defended it against the attack of the Indians with an old musket-gun that would not fire. But in the spring of the year 1782, the Indians returned to her home, at which time they succeeded in killing and scalping Mrs. Hamblin and all her children except one, a little boy, whom they carried a prisoner into Canada.
In July of this year, Oconostato, who was the principal chief of the Cherokee Indians, resigned his authority to his son, an Indian chief by the name of Tuckasee, and the frontier settlements had great hope of peace. On the 26th day of July, Ellis Harland, a noted Indian trader, returned from the Chickamogga Indians with the information that they desired peace, and that they were to set out for Chote with all their prisoners, the day he left them : and, in a few days thereafter, Springstone, an Indian trader, brought to the settlements two prisoners, one a woman taken from Green river in Kentucky, her name being Stanley, the other a boy about ten
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years old, a son of Thomas Steward, who was killed going down the river with Colonel Donaldson, when on his way to Cumberland.
But, notwithstanding these professions of peace, a party of north- ward Indians penetrated this county in the month of August and killed two men ; and on the 11th day of September, 1782, a party of northward Indians came as far as the settlement on the head of the Moccasin creek, within twelve miles of Abingdon, and attacked a family of fourteen persons, killing the husband on the spot, cap- turing the wife and six little children, three of whom were shortly afterward inhumanly murdered. One of the three, a young woman, survived the blows received from the Indians long enough to tell the tragic tale. Two, the wife and one child, made their escape the first day and night.
A considerable booty in horses was carried off by the Indians. When news of this invasion reached the settlement, the militia on duty, with perseverance in pursuing through a most rugged and difficult way, overtook the Indians and wounded several of them, on McClure, in Buchanan county, Virginia, and recovered unhurt the wife and child, with the Indian baggage and all the plunder they had taken.
In September of this year, the Chickamogga Indians met Colonel Joseph Martin, at che Indian town, Chote, and delivered to him all the white prisoners in their possession, except three, whom they could not possibly get to the Indian town by the time appointed ; and Colonel Martin, in addressing Colonel Campbell in regard to this subject, said: "I believe that never people were more desirous of peace than the Cherokees."
Notwithstanding the disposition of the Cherokees, and their efforts to bring about peace, their warriors were being constantly persuaded by the Tories, residing in their nations, to commit depredations upon the frontier settlements, and, during this year, in Kentucky county alone, eighty-five people were killed and scalped by the Indians. Colonel Campbell in the fall of this year, in a letter addressed to a Virginia official, said: "What if it should be the policy of the British ministry to drive from the other side of the Appalachian mountains all the settlers, before the signing of the pre- liminaries of peace?" and, in the same letter, he advised a strong expedition against the northward Indians, and declared that the
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state of our western affairs calls for the united wisdom and most serious attention of the Executive.'
While the Continental army, with the assistance of the regular quota of troops from the Tranalleghany settlements, were repelling the attacks of the British and winning the liberty of our country, the frontiersmen of Western Viriginia and North Carolina were winning the great West and were repelling the assaults of the Brit- ish and their Indian allies.
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