Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-02-20

other rule for the government of his
actions, but the appreciation or con-
demnation of vulgar opinion and pref.
udice. The inhabitants were greatly
alarmed at this rash act, as 1t immedi.
ately endangered their repose, and ex.
posed them to the retaliating resent
ment Of the savages in their neighbor.
hood. In this state Of alarm and danger
James Robertson undertook journey
to the Indian nation, to pacify them,
and allay the irritation which the i'm.
prudent thad provoked. The attempt
was full of hazard, and required much
intrepidity, as we'll as affection for the
people, in him who engaged in it. Mr..
Robertson, however, did engage in it
and succeed. He proceeded directly to
the Cherokee towns, and stated to the
chiefs and people, that the settlers upon
the Watauga viewed the horrid deed
which had been perpetrated With the
deepest concern for their own charac-
ter, and with the keenest Indignation
against the offender, whom they meant
to punish as he deserved whenever he
could be discovered. The Indians were
appeased by this instance of condescen.
sion in the white people, and of the
discountenance which they gave to the
miscreant. The settlers were saved
from their fury, and Robertson began
to be looked on as an intrepid soldier, q
lover of his countrymen, and as man
Of uncommon address, in devising
means of extrication from difficulties.
In the year 1774, the Shawnees and
other hostile tribes north of the Ohio,
commenced hostilities and penetrated
as far south as the section of country
now called Sullivan County, in East
Tennessee. In the month of July, Of
this year, it was announced that Lord
Dunmore, the Governor of Virginia,
had ordered an expedition against those
Indians, under the command of Colonel
Andrew Lewis. Captain Evan Shelby
raised company of more than fifty
men, in what are now Carter and Sulli-
van counties, composed, in part, of the
Robertsons and SEWERS. They marched
on the 18th of August, and joined Col.
Christian on New river, and then pro.
ceeded to the Great Levels on Green
Briar, where they joined Col. Lewis
army about the first of September;
they then proceeded by Glow marches,
and arrived at the mouth of the Great
Kenhawa on the 9th of October, where
the army lay apparently in a state Of
perfect security until the morning of
the 10th of that month, when James
Robertson, afterwards Gen. Robertson,
and Valentine Seyier, afterwards Col.
Sewer, both Of them serjeants at that
time, went out of camp before day to
shoot a deer, and very Unexpectedly
met the Indians half mile from camp,
advancing towards the provincials in a
line from the Ohio. back to the hills, a
distance Of half mile. They were on
the extreme left of the enemy, and fred
on them at the distance of ten steps.
As it was yet too dark to see man dis
tinctly at that distance, it caused a
general halt of the enemy, while Rob-
ertson and Sewer ran into camp and
gave the alarm. Three hundred men
were instantly ordered out to meet
them; one hundred and fifty under
Col. Charles Lewis, to the right, and
one hundred and fifty under Colonel
William Fleming, to the left, up the
bank Of the Ohio. They had scarcely
progressed out Of sight of the ssntinels,
when they met the enemy and most
furious action commenced. The pro-
vincials were reinforced from camp,
and the battle lasted nearly the whole
day. The enemy was composed of
Shawnees, Delawares, Mingoes and
others, and had to the number of eight
hundred men. The provincials kept
the field; their loss in killed and wound
ed being one hundred and sixty. The
killed and wounded of the enemy were
about the same number. Thus it has
happened, that East Tennessee, in the
earliest stages Of her infancy, has been
called on to contribute all in her power
to the common defence, and seems to
have been made much less for herself,
than for the protection of her neighbors.
1t fell upon this occasion to the lot of
men from East Tennessee to make an
unexpected discovery of the enemy and
by that means to save from destruction
the whole army of the provincials, for
it was the design of the enemy to have
attacked them at the dawn of day, and
to have forced all whom they could
not kill, into the junction of the two
rivers. The first Congress of the United
Colonies, was sitting at Philadelphia,
at the time when this battle was fought.
1t had the happy effect of quelling the
Indians, till the year 1776. Cornstalk,
q chief of the Shawnees, commanded
the combined army of Indians on that
day; and on the whole of that day. ex.
hibited prodigies of valor; in whatever
part of the army his voice was heard,
from thence Immediately issued thick
and deadly fire.
In April, 1775, the treaty of Hender'
son with the Cherokees, was brought to
q conclusion, and the cession was made
which has already been described.
Upon this occasion, and before the