Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-05-01
For the Fayetteville Observer.
Early Times in Lincoln
County.

/ Q1dDS HidklilS tIicAI uOlllCo IA al
North Alabama, or Southern
Middle Tennessee; but it was al
most yearly visited by the Cher
okees for the purpose of hunting
the game which was abundant
in these regions.
There was no battle ever fought
between the whites and the In
dams in the country that consti-
tutes Lincoln County. In April,
1874, the Indians killed Randel
Gentry near Nashville, and Cur
tis Williams, Thomas Fletcher
and his son near the mouth of
Harper; Col. Robertson (after-
ward Gen. Robertson) ordered
Capt. John Rains to raise q force
and pursue them. Rains, after
raising sixty men, set out on
their trace, which led them across
Mill creek, Big Harper and across
Duck River at the fishing ford,
then across Elk river at the
mouth of Swan creek in this
county, then into the barrens and
to Flynt river.
Becoming convinced that they
could not overtake the Indians,
they left their trail and turned
their course westward until they
came to McCuthin's trace, then
they turned northward and be-
fore they reached Elk river they
discovered the trace of Indians
going toward Nashville, and at
the river where McCuthin's trail
crossed, near Latitude Hill, they
discovered the Indians camping
grounds that had been occupied
the night previous; they contin-
ued their march for six miles af-
ter crossing the river and camp
ed for the night, Capt. Rains
having sent two or three Of his
men forward to see if the Indians
were near enough to hear his
company cutting wood or talk
ing Ga precaution wisely taken. }
The next morning they contin-
ued their pursuit and in the eve
ming they came to the place
where the Indians had camped
the night before. The Indians
had cleared the brush and leaves
away. and had a. dance; they
had driven small pins down a.
round the dancing ground and
placed small poles in the forks
and rested their guns against
these poles, which circumstance
shows that they regarded them
selves in danger of being attack
ed by the whites. Capt. Rains
crossed Duck river at the mouth
Of Fountain creek and camped
about 2 miles from the river.
Renewing their march next
morning, after going about 6
miles they came upon the Indian
camp and fired into it, killing
only one man. This is about
the only instance we have of an
expedition of the whites passing
through what is now Lincoln
County in quest of the Indians
until 1912, when the county was
considerably settled up.
In 1894 an expedition, known
as Sores Expedition, f" was made
against the Cherolees, in which
the Indian villages of Nichajach
and Running water south of the
Tennessee river were burnt and
many warriors Killed. There
were about 500 men in this expe-
dition, they set out from Nash
vile on September 9TH, camped
the first night at the Indian camp
called Black Fox; they crossed
Barren fork of Duck river near
the old Stone Fort and crossed
Elk river at the place where
Caldwell's bridge stood in the
year 1923. After the destruc-
ton of these two Indian towns
the troops returned by the same
route; when camped at Fenni-
sons springs on their return o
soldier by the name of Leman
climbed a tree in his sleep and
fell out, wounding himself SO
that he died.
If the writer's information is
correct, the Gen. Rains who fell
at the battle of Murfreesboro
was a descendant of the Capt.
John Rains who led the Indian
laxnedition throuoh this eaunfx