Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-02-06
HAYWOOD'S
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK. /


On the 3d of March, 1850, the Indians,
to the number OF two hundred, assault.
ed with musketry, the fort at Ninty Six,
hut made not the least impression, and
were obliged to retire with loss, burn
ing and rayaging the plantations
within their reach on the frontiers of
South Carolina, North Carolina and
Virginia; and as usual, committed the
most shocking barbarites. Col. Mont
gomery, with detachment of regular
troops, joined by number of proyin-
cials raised in South Carolina, entered
the Cherokee country, and destroyed
all their lower towns. The Cherokees
met him near the village of Etchoe,
and treated him so rudely, that though
he claimed the victory, he yet retreated
to Fort st. George, whence he shortly
afterwards went to New York. The
Cherokees, on his departure from the
country in the same year, 1850, invested
Fort Loudon. Fort Loudon stood on
the north side of Little Tennessee, and
about one mile above the mouth of
Tellico, in the centre of what then con-
stituted the Cherokee country. They
beseiged it till the want of pro visions
compelled the garrison to accept of the
terms offered to them. These were
safe retreat to the settlements beyond
the Blue Ridge. In pursuance of the
agreement, the white people, after
throwing into the river their cannon
with their small arms and ammunition,
except what was necessary for hunting,
broke up the fort, and commenced their
march to the settlements in South Car
olina. They were suffered to proceed
without molestation about twenty or
twenty two miles, to what's now called
Katy Harlin's reserve. At this place,
about day break, the Indians fell upon,
and destroyed the whole troop, men,
women and children, except three men.
Jack, Stuart and Thomas, who were
save d by the friendly exertions of the
Indian chief, called the Little Carpen-
ter: except also, six men who were in
the advance guard, and who escaped
into the white settlements. The sur.
render of the fort took place about the
7th of August l7G0. One of the six
men who thus escaped, l. Christie, is
yet alive, and II sides amongst the
Cherokees. 1t is said, that between
two and three hundred men, besides
women and children, pershed in this
m massacre. The Indians made fence
of their bones, but after the close of the
war, they were, by the advice of Como.
stota, king OF the Overhill Cherokees,
removed and buried, for fear of stirring
afresh the hostility of the English
traders, who began again to visit them.
Canada being conquered in 1850, troops
could now be spared for the relief of
Virginia, North and South Carolina,
on whose frontiers the Indian W ar ragged
in the most terrific forms. Early in
June, l76l, Colonel Grant, with a strong
detachment of regular troops, aided by
the South Carolina provincials and
friendly Indians who had joined him,
marched from Fort Prince George for
the Cherokee towns. Near the battle
ground of the last year, the Indians
met and fought him. The action COM
menced about eight o'clock in the
morning, and continued until about
eleven, when the Cherokees began to
give way. They were pursued, and a
scattering fire was kept up for five hours;
after which Grant marched to Etchoe,
and burnt it, as he did all the towns in
the Middle Settlement. Their houses
and their corn fields were DESTROYED
and the whole country laid waste. The
Cherokees sued for peace, and in the
summer of 1851, the war was put an
end to, by treaty of peace. In the
course of the war, the settlements
around Fort Loudon, which was the
only settlement of white people in VIII al
is now the State of Tennessee, were Ell
tirely broken up. In the year 1851, as
soon as the state of Indian affairs
would admit of hunting with safety in
the wilderness, certain persons, chiefly
of Virginia, hearing of the abundance
of game with which the woods were
stocked on the western waters, and al
lured by the prospects of gain which
might be drawn from this source, form
ed themselves into company compos
ed of Wallen, Scaggs, Blevins, Cox
and fifteen others, and came into the
valley, now called Carter's valley, in
Erst Tennessee. Part of these mer
came from Pennsylvania; the greater
part from several counties in Virginia
contiguous to each other. Daniel Boone
came from the Yadkin, in North Caro-
lima, at the head of one of these com
panies, and travelled with them til
they came as low as the place where
Abingdon now stands, and there lef
them. Wallen and his associates wen
through the Mockason Gap, in Clnct
, Mountain, and established station or
Wallen s Creek, which runs into Pow
; ell river, now in Lee County, Virginia
There they hunted eighteen months
They named Powell s Mountain, from
seeing the name, Ambrose Powell, in
scribed on tree near the mouth o.
Wallen Greek, on Powell s river. From
the name given to the mountain, the,