Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-03-06
HAYWOOD'S
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
ICoNTINUED FROM LAST WEEK. /

hlhg' come on ana scalp them. Theil
first effort was to break through the
centre of our line, aud to turn the left
flank in the same instant. In both they
failed of success, by the well directed
tir OF our riflemen. Several of theil
chief warriors fell, and at length their
commander was dangerously wounded
This decided the victory. The enemy
Immediately betook themselves to
Hight, leaving twenty six of their bold
est warriors dead on the field of battle.
The blood of the wounded could be
traced III great profusion, in the direc
ton of the enemy's s retreat Our men
pursued in cautious manner, lest they
might be led into I'm am buscade: hard.
ly crediling their own senses, that SO
numerous q Toe was completely routed.
In this miracle ola battle we had not
man killed, and only five wounded,
who all recovered. But the wounded
OF the enemy died, till the whole loss in
killed, amounted to upwards of forty.
The battle lasted not more than ten
minutes after the line was completed Y
formed and engaged before the Indians
began to ret eat; but they continued to
fight awhile in that way, to get the
wounded off the ground. The firing.
during the time of the action. purticu
larly or the side of the white people,
was very lively and well directed. This
battle was fought in the month of June.
l'S The consequences of victory
we're OF some importance to the western
Inhabitants, otherwise than the destroy.
ing a number of their influential and
most vindictive enemies, and lessening
the no tile spirit of the Cherokees. 1t
induced concord and union of prin-
ciple, to resist the tyranny of the Brit.
ish government. 1t attracted the favor
and attention of the new common
wealth: it inspired military ideas, and
IA contempt of danger from our savage
enemies. The inquiry afterwards, " hen
in search of Indians, was not, how many
of them are there, but where are they
to be found? This spirit was kept up,
and often displayed itself on several
important occasions during the war.
On the same day that the battle was
fought at the Flats, another body of
Cherokees who came up Nolachucky,
under the command of Old Abraham.
of Chilhowee, attacked the fort at Wa.
tauga, in which were James Robertson.
who commanded, Captain Sewer, Greer
and others, forty in all. In the morn
ing at sunrise, they made the attack,
and were repulsed by the fire from the
fort with some loss. From that time
they skulked around the fort for three
weeks, till party from Virginia came
to the relief of the garrison. At Wa
tauga the Indians took Mrs. Bean pris-
oner. Those who were pent up in the
fort, sent couriers to inform those at
Heaton' Station, of the dangers that
encompassed them. Colonel Russell
was ordered, with five companies of
militia, to 60 to their assistance But
he was so dilatory, and the circum-
stances so pressing, that Col. Shelby,
raising about one hundred men, went
with them over to Watauga, where they
found the inhabitants very secure in
their fort, the Indians having retreated.
In the interim, Col. Russell arrived at
Shelby's station, and held council of
war to determine whether they should
go to the Watauga or the lower front
iers. A majority decided in favor of
going 10 Watauga. During the time
they were about the fort, the Indians
killed James Cooper and son, and a
man OF the name of Tucker. They
made captive boy of the name of
Moore, whom they led to one of their
towns and burnt. About the same time
they ran up to Wommack's fort, and
killed man. A third body of Indians
commanded by the Raven, came up
Carriers valley. Finding the people
alarmed and shut up in forts, they re-
treated and went home. No force was
opposed to party of Indians which
came up Clinch; they destroyed and
bore down all before them; they diyid-
ed themselves into small squadrons,
and visited with fire and the tomahawk.
the whole country, from the lower end
of what is now Sullivan County, to the
Seven Mile Ford in Virginia. The in.
habitants were all shut up forts, and
massacres were committed every day.
The Government of Virginia. indignant
at aggressions so unproy oked and SO
offensive, soon acted in a manner suit
able TO her exalted sense of national
nonor' colonel William Christian was
ordered to raise men, and to march
them into the heart of the Cherokee set
Elements. The place of rendezvous was
the Great Island of Holston. This SER
vice was entered upon with the greatest
alacrity, and SO active were the exer-
tions of the officers and men, that sew
eral companies were at the Long Island
of Holston, by the first of August. This
movement drove the enemy from the
settlements. BY the last of August,
Colonel Williams and Major Joseph
Winston, from North Carolina, Joined
the Virginians with three or four hun
dred men, The whole army soon took
up the line of march for the Cherokee
towns; crossing the Holston at the
Great Island, they encamped at the
Dnnhla SnripUc ~, tho &