Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-08-14
HAYWOOD'S
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
fCoNTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.

duct OF military commanders, at
tribnted to Col. Sewer a voluntary alb
sence, whilst many of those who were
present, acquitted him Of all present.
ment Of the horrid act. Col. Sewer
never acted with cruelty before or
since; he often commanded; he was
never accused OF inhumanity; he could
not have given his consent on this oc
casion. Considering existing circum-
stances, he could not msintain as much
authority now, as at other times; he
was routed, prescribed and driven
from home; he took shelter amongst
the frontier mia bitants, who now com
posed his little army; he relied upon
them for safety; they consulted only
the exasperated feelings Of the moment,
and had never been instructed in the
rules of refined warfare. Captain Gil.
lespie, on arriving at the river, had
also gone off with his company IN
search Of the enemy, by order of the
commanding officer; he went up the
river on the south side, and crossed
where the Indians were on the north !;
he pursued them several miles and
took some pack horses; on his return
the Indians were every where in motion .
he recrcssed the river to the south side,
at the place where be had just before
crossed. As he he ascepded the bank
on the south side, he saw an Indian
named Alexander May berry, and hailed
him. who stopped and gave up his gun,
and surrendered himself a prisoner.
Captain Gillespie then went towards
the army which he had left, and as he
proceeded, was met by company of
soldiers who insisted upon killing his
prisoner. Captain Gillespie told them
that he had taken the Indian prison.
er, and that he should not be killed
whilst in his possession; they still pre-.
sisting, and manifesting determined
purpose to put the prisoner to death,
Gillespie dismounted from his horse,
and placing himself between them and
the Indian, cooked his gun, and gave
them the most positive assurances that
he would instantly pour the contents
Of it into the heart Of that man, who
dared to fire upon the Indian. The
resolute air of his countenance con
vinced them that he intended what he
said; they desisted and went of; he
led his prisoner into camp, and deliver
ed him to Col. Sewer, who removed
him to Hunters Station, whence he
was sent home in safety.
The massacre Of Kinks family was
followed in quick succession by that
many Others. A man Of the name of
English, was killed near Beans Sta
ton, and James Kirkpatrick between
Bean 9 Station and Holston; some were
killed in the neighborhood of Bull Run
and others at places north OF Knoxville,
and many others on the roads to West
Tennessee and Kentucky. The people
were compelled to live in forts; they
built Holston's Station sixteen miles
south Of Knoxville, not far from the
place where Maryville now stands.
Gen. Martin sent party to protect the
inhabitants Of the Station, under the
command of Maj. Thomas Stewart,
which went to the station and garri-
soned IL.
Captain John Fain, with some en-
listed men who composed part of the
guard under the command of Captain
Stewart, and some OF the settlers who
turned out with them, were sent out as
scouts 10 reconnoitre the adjacent
country; they crossed the Tennessee
River, entered into an apple orchard,
where carelessly they began to gather
the fruit; the Indians, were lying in
wait, and had suffered them to march
into the orchard without molestatiop.
Whilst In the act Of gathering fruit,
the Indians surrounded them, drove
them into the river, killed sixteen OF
the whites dead on the ground, took
one prisoner and wounded four, who
with difficulty effected their escape.
The scene of this tragedy was at a
town called Sitico. Captain Evans
raised thirty men, with himself lived
q considerable distance from the place
and was at 1t in the evening of the third
day. That night, being on the north
bank OF the Tennessee, they buried the
dead whom they found on that side OF
the river, marched back about one
mile and encamped for the night on
high ground; Maj. Thomas Stewar,
came In also with the enlisted men oil
the station; these were under his com
maud, but the volunteer company wal
exclusively under that Of Capt. Evans
Next morning they crossed the river al
the upper end OF Chota, and thence to
Sitico, where the massacre took place
there they found one white man lying
on his back with his belly ripped open
four men lying on sand bar with theil
bellies also ripped up, and their bowels
floating on the water; the head of one
man was cut off, and his heart anG
: bowels were torn out and strewet
about on the ground; after buryinf
the dead, they returned home. Such
of the company in the orchard as sur
vived the massacre, had fed toward,
Knoxville; these the Indians had pur
sued to within five miles Of that place
and In the pursuit killed a great par