The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-18
SEWERS REMAINS.
A Letter From Congressman Glass.
A Tribute to tho First Governor of
Tennessee.
Tho Honors Duo the Great Hero OF
Kings Mountain.
The Old Land Warrant Scandal
vigorously Controverted.
The Man Who Ranks Next to Washing
ton As tho Savior OF His Coun-
try-The Present state OF
the Grave.


see in your issue OF this morning that
the State Senate has passed the bill APP
propriating $500 TO remove the remains OF
Gov. John Sewer from their resting place
in Alabama, to the National Cemetery at
Knoxville, etc. am glad 10 learn that
even this small measure OF justice is
about to be done TO preserve the grave
and perpetuato tho memory of ono who
did 30 much good for Tcnncssco and the
Colonies. There was bill introduced
into the last House Of Representatives of
the United States, 10 erect n monument
and preserve the grave, but the bill was
not pressed TO It's passage, as some Of the
descendants desired the remains to DO ro-
moved, for final intermont, to his adopted
State.
It is strange that so little respect has
been shown by his countrymen for tho
distinguished life aud services OF Gov.
SEWER. lilo was no ordinary man; n Hu.
guenot by descent, born Indian fighter
Injured TO IL from boyhood he achieved
greater success In his thirty-fyo battles
with the Indians, all victorious, than any
OF his contemporaries Next TO Washing
ton, he did more than any other 10 achieve
the independence OF the colonies. lie,
with Robertson and the Shelbys, with a
few hundred dauntless spirits, stood, dur
ing the revolutionary struggle, ~ a living
wall between the Creeks and Chorokccs
and the Carolinas and Georgia. lie was
the controllingspirit In the battle Of Kings
Mountain. and by his hcroism won the
fight that turned the tide OF revolution In
our favor, that resulted In the locking up
OF CORVALLIS In Yorktown aud compelled
the surrender OF the British armies. JEFF
iorson wrote OF the battle Of Kings Noun
tain: "Ihe joyful annunciaiion OF that
turn in the tide Of success which termi
mated the revolutionary war with the seal
Of independence"
John SEWER WIS commissioned by Gov.
Lanmaro m Captain In the same corps in
which Washington was Colonel, aud was
at the battle OF Point Pleasant, In which
the Shawnccs were defeated, and driven
west of the Ohio River. lilo fought
through the revolutionary war at his own
expense, aid has never received dollar
therefor.
will mention hero, that ! was deeply
panied 10 read in your issue Of tho llth
inst, Ia review OF kcatng's history OF
Memphis, 10y u. w. H.. the charge that Jno.
SEWER, while holding office wis avaricious,
aud spcculaled In land warrants" Now,
cannot say that Gen. seyrr did not at
any time bus or sell land warrants, but |
do deny that lac ever did, at any period OF
his life, engage In such speculation in any
way that the honest and most high-ioncd
gentlemen might not have done. In the
life and character OF John Sewer Is given
an illustration Of the loiticst and most
disintercstcd patriotism aud upright pub.
lie career that this country Affords
lie gave his life and fortune 10 his coun.
try, in whose service hc died, aud found
grave In wilderness inhabited by savage
Indians The Greeks and Chcrokces
feared aud loved him, aud when treaties
wercto be negotiated with them, they ~
qucstcd that "Chucky Jack" as they
called him, be sent 10 do IT, President
Madison appointed him commissioner 10
treat with the Creek Indians, aud settle a
question Of disputed boundary. Aud at
the age OF seyenty-twO he started out from
Knoxville ON horseback 10 travel many
hundred miles through a wilderness, to
meet Creek chiefs at the old French Fort
Toulouse, afierwnrd called decatur
Whilst In the execution OF his duty lac
died, on the 9th Of September, 1916, and
was buried near thus old fort, aud his re-
mains have rested there since. small
marble SLAP marks his grave, with an iron
fence inclosing Il, erected by his descend
ants
The land beneath whose sod his dust
now rests was. until recently, owned 10y a
kind and noble gentleman, |. w. Walker,
who lovingly cared for the grave for many
yean, aud urged successive Governors Of
our State o. preserve aud rare for II. The
grave is near where the battle Of Horse
shoe Bend was fought aud is about
twonty-oight miles from Montgomery,
Ala, on the south bank Of 1alaho0sa
River. Il IA at the foot Of hill near
beautiful spring aud tradition has il
that he selected the spot ~ bis burial place.
The author Of the "Rcar Guard oi the
Revolution" says "No other character
in American history Of equal ability aud
equal achievements has been No little no.
ticcd by historians or 40 entirely over
looked by the general public"
"Ihe first Governor 0i Tonncsscc-tho
great man and true patriot who turned tho
tide OF the revolution at Kings Mountain,
aud when that war WIS over, thwarted the
woll-laid scheme by which the spaniafds
attempted aided by the treason Of Gen.
Wilkinson-to sever the trans Allegheny
region from the Union" Yours, etc,
T.. 4. GLASS.
Ripley, Tenn, March H. 1882