Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-05-06

on by Sewer and HIMSELF and urged Campbell
TO join them with his regiment. That gallant
officer, true to the general cause, but most loyal
to Virginia, replied, by the same messenger,
that he did not approve of the measures that
had been adopted, and that he should pursue
his original intention and march his men down
by way Of the Flower Gap, and get on the
southern borders of Virginia, ready to meet and
oppose Lord Cornwallis when he approached
that State. With this answer Shelby was much
disappointed. He was unwilling that the whole
military force Of Sullivan and Washington eoun-
ties should he taken upon the contemplated ex.
peditiOn, and thus leave the frontier exposed to
attacks from the Cherokees, from whom they
were threatened with, and had good reason to
expect, an immediate invasion. He therefore
wrote q second letter and sent it by The same
messenger, Immediately back % Cai. Campbell,
giving additional reasons in favor Of the proiec.
ted campaign. To this letter Campbell replied
that he would cooperate with his whole force.
Col. Campbell commanded four hundred men
from Virginia, Col Sewer two hundred and for.
ty from Washington, and Col. Shelby two hun
dred and forty from Sullivan county in North
| Carolina The refugee wings mustered under
/ Col. Mcdowell. All were well mounted, and
| nearly all armed with Deckard rifle
\ The camp on Watauga, on the 18th of Sep
III
! With the exception of the few colonists On the
distant Cumberland, the entire military force of
what is now Tennessee was assembled at the
| Sycamore Shoals. Scarce single gunman re-
manned, that day, at his own house. The young,
ardent and energetic had generally enrolled
themselves tor the campaign against Ferguson.
The less vigorous and more aged, were left, with
the inferior guns, III the settlements for their
Iprotection against the Indians; but all had at
Itended the rendezvous. The old men were
there to counsel, encourage and stimulate the
youthful soldier, and to receive, from the colo
hels instructions for the defence of the stations
| Furing their absence. Others were there to
bring in rich profuson, the produce of their
Farms, which were cheerfully furnished gratui.
tousy and without stint, to complete the outfit
Pf the expedition. Gold and silver they had
pot, but Subsistence and clothing, and equip
lhent and the fiery charger-anything the front
ifrman owned, in the cabin, in the field or the
range, offered, unostentatiouSly, upon the
dtar of his country. The wife and the sister
were there, and with suppressed sigh, witness
ell the departure of the husband and the broth.
eF. And there, too were the heroic mothers,
With a mournful but noble pride, to take a
f@nd farewell of their gallant sons.
The sparse settlements of this frontier had nev-
ct before seen assembled together a cOncourse
OF people SO immense and so evidently agitated
BY excitement. The large mass of the assem-
bly, were volunteer rifemen, clad in the home
sHun of their wives and sisters, and wearing
the hunting shirt so characteristic of the back
wbods sOdery and few of them the mocca-
sips of their own manufacture. A few of the
officers were better dressed, but all in citizens
ciPthihg. The mien of Campbell was stern,
authoritative and dignifed. Shelby was grave
taf1turn and determined Sewer, viyacious, ar
debt, lmpulsive and energetic Mcdowell.
mdvlng about with the ease and dignity of i
coPnial magistrate, inspiring veneration
for his virtues and indignant sympathy for the
wr4ngs of himself and his co-exiles. All were
completely wrapt in the absorbing subject of
the revolutionary struggle, then approaching its
aer4e, and threatening the homes and families
ot the mountaineerS themselves. Never did
mountain recess contain within it, a loftier or
MORE enlarged patriotism-never cooler or
more determined courage.
LIP the seclusion of their homes in the West,
! Sa4y of the volunteers had only heard of the
po3sdts a stance, and had been in undisputed
! AT tiantic cC-ntft independence for which their
| The near approach o.were now struggling
| them from their security;guson had awakened
viol lence and depreciation Of Indignant at the
wede now embodied to chastiSlOwerS they
the IN. This they had done at the | atenge
and upon the motion of their own leadesestion
outlanv reuuisition from the governmeKith.
America or the officers of the continental q
! mvl Indeed at this moment, the American
ARMY in the South was almost annihilated, and
the friends of the American cause were diss
coutaped and despondent. The British were
evetywhere triumphant, and the loyalists, under
the pretence of promoting the seviee of his
Britannia Majesty, were many, in sections perpe-
4 Il
the kvhigs The attitude of these volunteer de-
taeIJments was forlOrn as it was gallant. At
the lime of the embodiment, and for several
dayJ after thew had marched AGAINST the enemy,
flushed with recent victories and confident of
! further conquest, it was not known to them that
n single armed corps of Americans was mar
shaIed for their assistance or relief. The crisis
was Indeed dark and gloomy. But indomita-
bic patriots were present, prepared and will
| 1inqlto meet it. The personnel Of no army could
bavd been better There was strength, en-
terp4ise. courage and enthusiasm. The ardour
and Iimpetuosity and rashness of youth were.
tbera to project and execute, with the wisdom OF
mature age. to temper and direct them; the eau
ton pf the father and the irrepresslble OF the
without delay, early ON the morning Of the
nextld after its rendezvous at Natauga, the
/ Httle army was on tnc ThdTCH. bei"Le INC
troors left the camp, the officers requested that
they should assemble for the purpose Of COM
mcnding the army to Divine protection and
cuiddHec They promptly complied with the
reoudst. PRAYER solemn and appropriate, was
offerdd bv clergyman present, and the rife
men mounted their horses and started on the
dista It campaign.
AIter leaving the rendezvous at the Sycamore
Shoalf, the troops took up the line of march;
passir galong the valley of Gap Creek, they
1-oo encamped the first night at the mill Of
i''V Mr.. Mathew TolbOt They pursued
Bright's track across the Yellow Mountain
The staff was incomplete; rather, there was no
staff; no quarter-master, no commissary, no ser
geon, ho chaplain Asin all their Indian cam
paign9, being mounted and unencumbered with
baggaee, their n,otions were rapid. Each man,
each officer, set out with his trusy DecSharu
ON bissboulder. "a shot pouch tomahaWki
IA Knid. n knapsack and a blanket completed
the onlft. At night the earth offered him a
bod All the heavens a covering; the mountain
.,rea nj onencbed his thirst; while his provisions
was n1oeured from supplies acquired on the
march by his gun Some beeves were driv-
IN ,be rear. to furnish subsistence while in the
Settlements, but they impeded the rapidity of
fbe roafch. ard, after the first day, were aban-