Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-05-29
was whispered that he had agreed with
the Indians upon the time and place of
attack to be made by them, and was a
sharer in the plunder.


sharer in the plunder.
In the year 1852, and for several
years afterwards, the common custom
Of the country was, for one or two per.
sons to stand as watchman or sentinels,
whilst others labored in the field; and
even whilst one went to spring to
drink, another stood on the watch with
his gun ready to give him protection,
by shooting creeping Indian, or one
rising from the thicket of canes and
brush, that covered him from view
and wherever four or five were assem-
bled together at a spring or other place
where business required them to be,
they held their guns in their hands,
and with the backs turned to each
other, one faced the north, another the
south, another the Vest, watching in
all directions for lurking or creeping
enemy. Whilst the people at the bluff
were so much harrassed and CALLED by
the Indians that they could not plant
and cultivate their cornfields, propo-
sition was made in council of the in
habitants at the bluff, to break up the
settlement and go off. Captain Robert
son pertinaciously resisted this propo,
sition; it was then impossible to get to
Kentucky; the Indians were in force
upon all the roads and passages which
led thither; for the same reason it was
equally impracticable to remove to the
settlements on Holston. No other means
of escape remained but that of going
down the river in boats, and making
good their retreat to the Illinois; and
to this plan great obstacles were op-
posed, for how was the wood to be OBJ
tained with which to make the boatsY
The Indians were every day in the
skirts of the bluff, lying concealed
amongst the shrubs, privy and cedar
trees, ready to inflict death upon who.
ever should attempt to 60 to the woods
to procure timber for building boat.
These difficulties were all stated by
Captain Robertson; he held out the
dangers attendant on the attempt, on
the one hand; the fine country they
were about to possess themselves Of,
on the other; the probability of new
acquisitions of numbers from the in
terror settlements; the certainty OF
being able, by careful attention to
circumstances, to defend themselves
till succors could arrive. Finally, their
apprehensions were quieted, and grad.
ually they relinquished the design of
evacuating the positiont they occupied.
In this year George Aspy was killed by
the Indians on Brakes creek, and
Thomas Spencer wounded; this was IN
May. In the fall of this year William
McMurry was killed near Winchester e
mill, on Bledsoe's creek; Gen. Smith
and some others were with him, and
the General was wounded. They killed
Noah Trammel, on Goose creek. Nal.
den station upon Red river was bro.
ken up.
In the month of April of this year,
the legislature of North Carolina, by
an act passed for the purpose, allowed
to the settlers on Cumberland rights OF
preemption: six hundred and forty
acres to each family, or head of fam.
lily, and every single man of the age OF
twenty one years and upwards, who
were settled on the said lands before
the first day of June, 1880; such tracts
were to include their improvemen en- ts.
But no grant to any of them was to in,
clude any salt licks of salt springs
which by the same act were reserved
as public property, together with hun
dred and forty acres of the adjoining
land; all the rest of the country was
declared to be subject to partition.
In this year also, the legislature oi
North Carolina, after great deal OF
uncomfortable tergiversation, estab
lished courts of equity in all the dis
tricts of the State,
The revolutionary war was now fast
Fastening to close, and actually came
to an end on the S0th of November
1852. The event had been anticipated
by Captain Robertson, and from it ht
expected an abatement Of Indian hos
tility, as the Indians he conceived
would be no longer either encouraged
or paid, to presist in it. The even
corresponded in part with his expecta
tions, and was soon followed by tn,
arrival from North Carolina, of 6
number of persons who gave strength
and animation to the settlements.
Continued next week.