The Van Buren press., 1861-09-25
SI;Egistellaup.
Extracts from q Manuscript Histo-
~ of the Cherokees, by J. p.
Evans, NJ D., of Tahlequah. for
merlv of farewell, Tennessee.


merly Of farewell, Tennessee.
9. On finding that the people Of the Mid
die settlements were not inclined to listen
favorably to peace rop"sitions. Col. Mont
gomery set out for that region. which r'qui-
red long march through dense thicke;s,
and over many deep. rongh ravines and high
ver-bankS. E tso-e was the nearest town
in the region for which he was aiming. AMI
on arriving within few miles Of it. on the
9th day Of june 1901 he was st.a-kei
by considerable Cherokee force. disposed
to great advantage. in deep. narrow val
lsy. with thickets SO dense. that. according
to one account, the soldiers could scarcely
see three yards before them and q deep.
muddy river. with steep clay banks. flowing
through it. by the margin OF which, the
army had to pass. rendered the spot one of
great danger. when guarded by such indom
table warriors as the Cherokee Nation then
possessed.) like Thermopyl@ in Greece,
where the immortal three hundred wi,hstood
the onset of the almost innumersble hosts
Of Xerxes. But, unfortunately for the ab-
original mountainers. although they poses
sed the requisite patriotism and courage.
they were destitute Of that kind of militia
ry discipline which was necessary to sue-
cess in u battle with regularly trained AMI
well-arme,l EUROPEANS. where large mum
bers were engaged.
Although the Cherokee leaders. (healel
by Au-con- -nos-tau-ta, surnamnl - Great
Warrior" ha.l chosen their groGni AMI
posted their forces with the mast consum-
mate miitay saytlly AMI skill, tns COM
man Ter oi taeir an,Lson .a- ,--Co. NJ 1nt-
gonery-by his forecast and pru lence. ncu
traiizel IN assure. .hclr aivantaS ,ous
arrauy ye'nrnts. Has p,act>ed All saga .Inus
eye II him to ju.gt tnat tine Cherokee.
! ciic;' aims. wa -. .:;n trained TO war.
! WI all is >tr,;as ':n,, wJutl not .Sie@t
an ,'pppr,unity u ''I. ~ position 81 fa-
vnra 'ie. pt.tl.uiariy :or tn,ir mole vi war
fac 1t accordingly tI>pt;chsI ronpl-
nv Oi IAN, .r>, IN - tn' c''inn'an nt Capt.
VI -ri>,i. in van. =, IL e.Uuhpi.ie. M
y M nj 80. 'p- it.'ei lie rivia.,
ma =. ,,-m,. w,f-wa''p. VITA las >;ir,il
AMI ia ling In.ol,iIph'. Teno All iet on all
81 l.. the wa ripr> seat iogtn .ieaiiy .o!-
lev mao its mll>t. an | cared Yi a >us phi
sing agility m:O another ga, cft iiou " I.n Z
they ag ,in dealt le>tru:.ipn 80 nu.i .,.,> m
their antagonists. whp e La leg, Cdp,. Nor
rson. was shot dnym at ne iir,i onset. 3at
supported by the in,an. y and Srenalicrs,
an We're Ia - enabled to >tant tier groi,ilI
Ii is nee less tn pa,thuiarize, la dcia,i.
the vaiI'ls maneuvges of the c'nten lin :;
parties. The Cherokee. seemed To re aware
@; the unwaveriny Character of disciplined
troops ani wisely hittel from one covert to
an other. ~ soon as the reports aud smoke of
their firearms reveale to tn. English their
l,,. - tI,, ~.
their warriors, and at the same time main
tanning the great a lvanta &c OF con -,alinant.
Yet, there Were Instances OF inlivi iual he
r"isn,. in which - Geek NEE, ti.eek,'
AMI the white AMI tn. rel man. brelst, 10
breast. with bluoly asni-. stcrn,y ssil
fierce y confronted tn. angel IF ie.,n.
Th.. battle was obstinate. an are told
that the Indians could not b. ,ii>io Il .itill
near an hour oi hari fsatiny.' The En-
gli,h commander finally succeeded in inter-
posing boiy OF troop,-,he royal Se"tls
between the In tian> ami u rising gf,unl
on their rig 1t. whilst the other portions ul
the army being emboliel ami concentrated
on t.i'. left. were enaolel to effect the dis
lodgmeut of their fierce and sagaciOus OPP
pDnents. win were not only suffering from
this con incl AMI centralize effort, but
We're undecided as tv the true Position oi
the Rovai SCOTS. Ia highly disciplined
boly Of solliers) which force they untx
pettr,ily. and, for themselves. unfortunate
ly encountered. As. owing to the den ,iiy of
the thickets. they, liks theii a iversavi,s.
became somewhat bew liered ut the COM
mencement OF their retroyra'le movement.
Notwithstanding that th.ir position now.
| for Il few moments, seemed somewhat crit
ical. they soon succeiel in affecting a re-
treat to hill. an the battle ceased.
| Of the EnSi>b, tw .nsy w.fe killel. AN |
sevcnty-five ~oun,le,,. 1t Was supposed
that the Cher"S 'e>. i,,t io ". or pe.nap,
more ; but this estimate see.n, to .,ave been
conjectural
After retreating. it is sal th,; tn. Chr
okees could no more he drought ia.o az
tion ; but W. are MT im.o:n.I xs,as e.fa.t.
1t any, were mai. To e,iect ,..a, ooicu, an i
as pursuit was n"t made, (of tnst we are
clearly insormci we are bound to view
the latter assertion as being also predicate: !:
o:i con scture. l'ha, tn. Cii.roxce ka i..rs
sese not III lin ii 10 aivan their force, il,
'i'rn si"nnl N a to- rem sIei poweriul ~
Ills piine. "nl tut m liza arp,.n. m nls,
/ Ia. sn.a a step wouil have cvIncei y stsls
of desperation o- the want ri military sa-
| ga'iy Us. No duub.. tine. Ii was not IN az
c"r.ian.c with tas riy.nai policy or mo-
! :, sin,ns decided upon AZ the coialeu:e-
/ ae.lt o! Col: M,ntgomery's march from
Sort Prince Gorge. Evi iently their de-
sign was to corllsr the E ,Iish by detail;
TO cripple them by frequent amo,,.ca.ics,
from day to day. AMI from week to wsek ~
they woun.l their .ievinns course through q
will forest of lofty mountains. rugged ra-
vines. ami slsep galchss an now and then
when greatly favored by locality, to rtrike
boi'lly. so as to shorten tls process OF an
Inhalation,
Alter all. the battle. at best for the En-.
giish was undecisive. ani the Inai-
ans were only driven from ravine to an
adjacent hill. The Cherokees could have
asserted. with apparent truth. that the
English could no more be brought into ac-
tion.' for Col Montgomery very jadicioasly y
concluded that. hampercd. as he was, with
seventy-fve wounded men. further prose
lcution Of the csmpsign, in tho direction oi
the Over Hill region this original destina-
ltion) was imp. practicable. and. accordingly,
after destroying suficient amount Of pro-
visions to afford horses for the Transports
tion of the wounded, commenced retro.
grade movement
Now it was, that Cluchco. or Long War