The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-03-13 00:00:00, page 4

bruary 17, 1781.
" Our proposition to the Cherokee chiefs to visit
'Congrefs, for the purpose of preventing or delaying a
rupture withtnat nation, was too late. The florin had
gathered to a head when major Martin got back. It
was determined therefore to carry the war into their
country, rather than wait it in ours ; and I have it in
any power to inform you that, thus diftgreeably cir
cumhance I, the issue has been fuccefsful. I inclofe
the particulars as reported to me."
Colonel Campbell's report of the expedition against
the Cherokees, dated Walhiugton county, Janu
ary 15, 17^1.
S I R,
ated on the fouiu fid? of the river: Although he was
attacked by a superior force, he made good his re
treat.
The 26th, major Tipton, of the Carolina corps,
was coached with 150 mounted infantry, with orders
to cross the river, dislodge the enemy on that fide, and
destroy the town of Telaffee. At the fame time major
Gdbert Cbriftrin, with 150 foot, were to patrole the
hills on tee south-side of Chilhowee, and burn the
remaining part of that town. .This party did their
duty well, killed three Indians, and took nine prison
ers. The officer of the horse, by an unmilitary be
haviour, failed in crossing the river. This trip took
two days. In the mean time the famous Indian wo
man Nancy Ward came to camp. She gave us vari
ous intelligence, and made an overture in behalf of
some of the chiefs for peace : to which I then evaded
giving an explicit answer, as L wished firft to visit the
vindictive part of the nation, mofily fettled at Hi
waffee and Chiftowee, and to distress the whole as much
as possible by destroying their habitations and provisi
ons. The 2^th we let fire to C'hote, Sietogo and Lit
tle Tufkeego, and moved our whole force to a town on
Telico river, called Kai-a-tee, where I intended a
pod, to fecurel retreat and to lay up provisions in.
This evening major Martin, on returning from a pa
trole, attacked a party of Indians, killed two, and
drove several into the river. The fame evening, in
another ska-milk, we loft captain James Elliot, a gal
lant young officer, being the firtt and only man the
enemy had power to hurt on the expedition: the In
dians loft three men on the occ Ton.
The 29th I fit out for Hiwaffee, distant about 40
miles, leaving at Kai-a tee, under major Chriflian, a
garrison of 15,0 men. The 30th we arrived at the Hi
waffee, and found the town of the fame name abandon
ed. In patrolling the environs we took a sensible young
tyarrior, who informed us, teat a body of Indians,
Extract of a letter from his excellency Thomas Jeffer
ton, governor of Virginia, elated Richmond, Fe-
The militia of this and the two weflern North-
Car lina counties have been fortunate enough to fruf
trate the designs of the Cherokees. On my reaching
the frontier, i found the Indians meant to annoy us
by small parties, and carry off horses. To resin th m
eftc&ually, the apparently bell measure was to tranf
fer the war without delay into their own borders. To
raise a force fufficient, and provide them with provi
sions and other neceffarits, seemed to be a work of
time that would be accompanied with uncommon dif
ficulties, especially in the winter season. Our situati
on was critical, and nothing but an extraordinary ef
fort could save us and disappoint the views of the ene
my. All the miseries of 1776 came frefh in remem
brance, and to avoid a like feene men flew to their
arms, and went to the field. The Wattagb men, un
der lieutenant colonel Seveir, firft marened, to the
amount of about 300 ; the militia of this, with that
of Sullivan, made 400 more. The place of rendez
vous was to be on this fide the French river. Colonel
Seveir with hrs men got on the path before the others,
and by means of some difeoveries made by his scouts,
he was induced, to cross the river, in pursuit of a par
ty of Indians that were coming towards our settle
ments. On the 16th of December he fell in with the
party, since found to consist of 70 Indians, mofily
from the town of Chote, killed 13 and took all their
b ggage, ^C' i n which were some of Clinton's pro
clamations, and other documents expressive of their
hostile difigns againti us.
After this action the Wattago corps thought proper
to retreat to an island in the river. The 22T1 crossed
the French river, and found the Wattago men in
great want of provisions. We gave them a supply
from our small hock, and the next day made a forced
march towar .s the Tenaffe. The success of ihe enter
prize seemed to rest on our fafely reaching the further
bank of that river, as we had information that the
Indians had obtruded the common fording places,
and had a force ready there to oppose our crossing.
The morning of the 24th I made a feint towards the
island town, and with the main body passed the river
at Tipiothee. We were now difeovered; the Indians
we saw seemed to be flying in consternation. Here 1
divided my force, fending a part to attack the towns
below, and with the other I proceeded towards their
principal town Chote. Just as I passed the defile above
Toque, I observed the Indians in force, firetching a
long the hills below Chote, with an apparent design to at
tack our van, then within their view ; but the main bo
dy too soon came in fight for me to succeed. in decoy
ing them off the hills, so they quietly let us pass on in
order, without firing a gun, except a few Mattering
fliot at our rear at % great distance from th^ cliffs. We
soon were in poffeffiou of their beloved town, in which
we found a welcome* supply of provisions. The 25th
major Martin went' with a detachment to difeover the
route the enemy were Hying off by. He surprised a
party of Indians, took one scalp, and 17 horses load
ed with cloathing, ficins and houfhould furniture He
difeovered that most of the fugitives were making to
wards lelico and the Hiwaffee. The fame day cap
tain Crabtree, of the Virginia regiment, was detached,
with 60 men to burn the town of Chilhowee. He suc
ceeded in setting tire to that part of it whih is situ.
P HTL A DE P H I A.
Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by DAKID C. CLAPP 00 LE.
with M'Donald, the Eritiffi ^n', and some forces,
were at Chifiowee, 12 miles distant, waiting to re
ceive us I had reason to believe the enemy had view
ed us from the hills above Hiwaffee : for which reason
I ordered our camp to be laid off, fires kindled, and
other Shews made, as if we intended to flay all bight.
At dark we set out with about 300 men (tub Wattago
men refuting to go farther) crossed the riverat an un
expected ford, and that night got near the town.
Early in the morning of the gift, we found that the
enemy had fled in hade the evening before, leaving
behind them, as they had done at the other towns,
almost all their corn and other provisions, together
with many of their utensils for agficuTure, and all
their h^avy houfhold furniture, with part of their
flocks of horses, catde and hogs. These towns lex
peHed would have been contended for with obstinacy,
as mod of the Chickamogga people had removed hit
her after their visitation in 1779. Our troops becom
ing impatient, and no other object of importance be
ing in view, it was resolved to return homewards. Ma
jor Martin, with a detachment was ordered to pass
by Sattoga, and the other towns on Telico river. In
his route he took four prisoners from whom he learnt
that frveral of the chiefs had met a few days before,
to confu.lt on means of procuring peace. As I found
the enemy were humbled, I took the liberty to fend
the chiefs a message, of which I fend your excellency
a copy.
Our whole toss on this expedition was, one man kil
led by the Indians, and two wounded by accident. It
would have been very pleasing to the troops to have
met with the whole force of the nation at once on e
qual ground, but so great was the panic that seized
them after feeing us in order over the Tenaffee, that
they never ventured themselves in fight of the army
but on rocky cliffs, or other ground inaccessible to our
mounted infantry. By the return of the officers of
different detachments, we killed. 29 men, and took 17
prisoners, mofily women and children ; the number
of wounded is uncertain. Besides these we brought in
the family of Nancy Ward, whom for their good offi
ces we do not consider as prisoners. The whole are in
major Martin's care at the Great Island, until the sense
of government is known how they are.tobe disposed
of. We have destroyed the towns of Chote, Seitego,
Tufkeego, Chilhowee, Toque, Micliqua, Kai-a-tee,
Sattoga, Telico, Hiwaffee and Chiftowee, all principal
towns, besides some small ones, and several flattering
settlements, in which were upward of 1000 houses, and
not less than 50,000 bulhels of corn, and large quan
tities of other kinds of provisions, all of which, after
taking fufficient fubfiftance for the army whilst in the
country and on its return, were committed to the
Fames, or otherwise destroyed. No place in the Over-
Hill country remained unvisited, except the fmalltown
of Telaffee, a scattering Settlement in the neighbour
hood of Chickamogga, and the town of Calogee, si
tuated on the sources of the Mobile. We found' in
Okanaftot-a's baggage, which he left behind in his
fright, various manuferipts, copies of treaties, com
missions, letters, and other archives of the nation,
some of which friew the double game that people have
been carrying on during the present war. There
seemed to be not a man of honour among the chiefs,
except him of Kai-a-tee,. whom I would willingly
have discriminated, had it been in my power. Never
did a people so happily situated ad more foolifhly, in
losing their livings and their country at a time an ad
vantageous neutrality was held out to them ; but such
are the conseq uences of British feduaion. The ene
my in myabfence did some mifehief in Powell's Valley
and on the Kentucky path, .near Cumberland Gap,
besides three children that they, scalped on Holstein;
one of the perpetrators of which we killed on our re
turn, and retook a number of horses. The Botetourt
and Montgomery militia were too flow in their move
ments to do any service.
Your excellency will pfeafe to excuse the length of
this narr tion. I: thought it my duty to give a cir
cumfiantial detail of faas, as the undertaking had
femething singular in it, and may lead to important
consequences.
I am, fir,.
your most obedient and ' very humble servant,
ARTHUR CAMPBELL.
Thomas Jefferfon, esquire.
Message to the Indian. Chiefs
Chiefs and^ Warriors,.
W E came into your country to fight your young
men ; we have killed not a few of them, and deft'roy
ed your towns. You know you began the war, by
likening to the bad Councils of the king of England,
and the falfhoods told- you by ' his agents. We are
now fatisfied- with what is 'done, as it may convince
your nation that we can difirefs them much at any
time they are so foolish as to engage in a war against us.
If you desire peace, as we have understood you do,--
vve, out of pity to your women and children, are dis
posed to treat with you on that fubjeft, and take
you into friendfllip once more. We therefore fend,
this by one of your young men, who is our priforier,
to tell you if you are also disposed to make peace, fix
of your head men muff come to our agent major Mar
tin, at the Great Island, within two moons. They
will .have a fafe passport, if they will notify their ap
proach by a runner with a flag, so as to give him time
to meet them with a guard on Halftein's river, at the
boundary line. The wives and children of those men
of your nation that protefied against the war, if they
are willing to take refuge at the Great-Inland until
peace is restored, we will give them a supply of pro
visions to keep them alive.
Warriors listen attentively,
If we receive no answer to this message until the time
already mentioned expires, we shall then conclude
you intend to continue to be our e emies, which will
compel us to fend another strong force.into your
country, who will come prepared to flay a long time,
TO BE SO £By
By John Barclay & Co.
At their Store in Witer-ftreet, between Spruce and
Pine-itreets,
Bohea Tea by the chest or quarter-chest.
Cannon 3rd Musket Peeler, .
Superfine 10 quarter Blankets,
Flanders Linen,
Sail Canvas,
White Lsad and Yellow Oker, ground in Oil,
Bed-fc^ews, Chest-locks, Wool-cards, and Coffin-fur^
niturn,
W-n India Ri'i by the hogshead,
A L S 0, Afmall pareel of DRY GOODS, arnngft
which are some very handsome Salks,, fine Muffin
Gauzes, &c° &c.
Wood-Cutters wanted
At BATSTO FURNACE, in New-Jersey, to whore'
good Wages will be given ;-the Wood to be cut i&
chiefly Pine.
For iale or barter, for flour, midrings,
pork, corn -or molaffcs, either at the said Furnace,
or at the store of CHARLES PETTIT, on Mr.
Aden's Whm;
CANNON SHOT of all fizs STOVES and other C&
ing, Rolled and Rod IRON.
N. B Guns, Howitz, or other particular Caflfegy
may be contr&d for by applying as above.
Twenty Shilling Specie Reward,
TERSER : ED on Saturday last, the 24th inftafU^
' THOMAS CONNELLY, a new lifted Recruiter
the Pennlyiv^ia L ne, horn in Ireland, 38 years ts
age, brown complexion, short black hair, grey ey%.
appeared to be b ud.do, fighting, 5 feet 6 inches high,.,
said to be a butcher, worked at Shippeofburg, in Cum
berland county, with Captain Reppy : had on when fre
defeated, a brown Bth coating iurtout, red short jac
ket and blue breeches.
Feb. 26. WILLIAM HENRY,
Lieutenant of the City Philadelphia and Diftrffir,
nnd take possession thereof as conquered % us ^ ^ch
out making any refutation to you for ^fi'; Q .
Signed at Kai a-tee the 4th day of January, 8„ by
Arthur Campbell, cob
J>hn SEVEIR#. Jieut. Gf&,<
Joseph MARKIN', a^ent and
.major of milibS/
Puffed ' by Order of Congress,
CT THOMSON, Secretary
^(K^T&^M^^W^^®
Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
Philadelphia county, Feb. 14, 1781.
Deferred this day, an enlisted
Recruit, belonging to the eighth class of Gwymitfa
townihip, in this county, named JOHN BEATH :te
is about 5 feet 5 inches high, appears to be at taft^a
years of age, is of a Tandy complexion, and has Ihors
sandy hair : Had on when he went away; an old felt
hat, an old blue coat, much worn, new shoes, witki
square copper buckles. He said, he came from Pe~
quez, in Lan a fier county. Whoever apprehends anti
tectites him in any goal, so that he may had a^i%
shall have the above reward, by applying to the Lteu
tenant of :he county, or of DANIEL BLOM, ^
the said county.
WAS LO S T,
On Friday Evening, the 23d of February, at the C&-
lege, during the Play,
A large cocked Beaver Flat,
aimefl new, large deep crown, lined with white lire&
Whoever has found the fame, and will deliver it to
ISAAC PARRISH, hatter, oppofee Christ-church, St
cond-ftreet (who mad> it) (halt receive TWO HUN
DRED DOLLARS Reward, or more ifrequireds
ALSO, was LOST or LEFT,
at some perfon'shoufe in this city, but whee f-rroQ
A brown Marten-Skin Muff,
lined with a changeable Taffita. Whoever has found
the fame, or got it in possession, and will deliver it to the
Printer of this paper, (ball be handsomely Rewarded^
and receive the Thanks of the Owner.
Just Imported into^this City, immediately
from Holland, A great Variety of
Roots of Flowers,
For the Pleasure Garden; of Bulbous Root#, undoubt
edly the greatest Variety ever imported in America,
such as
Tulips, Hyacinths, Narceffus, Daffadel
Lillies,
And all other the most admired Bulbous Flowers now
in efbr.m- in the belt Gardens in Europe. The Bulba
are fl >weri*g Ro: ts, and in excellent condition: Like
wise an excellent parcel of the Ranonculus, Anamonee,
&c. Also. a great variety, of the most admired FLOW
ER SEEDS, ^nd a complete affoitmnt of SEEDS for
K tchen Gardens, of pllforts: all vhlch was co'leacd
hit fall, out o' the most famous Ga-drnr in Holland,
Enquire next door to Gene al PHILIP DE HAAS,
in Third facet near Race street.