Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-05-26

the country of the fierce Chickamaugas
was a veritable gauntlet, and numbers
of them fell by the rifle and tomahawk,
one was frozen to death, one was
drowned and one was burned by the
Indians. Thus among these ricissi-
tudes was formed the first settlement
of the great Mississippi valley in the
middle basin of Tennessee, which is
now said to be 1.-THE dimple of the uni
verse" A fort was built on the bluff
overlooking the Cumberland and COM
pact of government was formed, known
as the government of notabes, and
Robertson was elected president of the
colony. The settlers were soon at
tackled by the Indians and for two years
encountered reign of terror. Nearly
one-half of the colony during the two
years perished by the hand of those
ruthless sons of the forest
During this period little cultivation
of the soil could be done and corn
reached the price of Sl65 per bushel.
The faithful rifle of the settler
brought many stalwart savage TO his
death, but they were too numerous for
this to make much impression. Indian
hostilities finally ceased for awhile, and
with the addition of new settlers the
colony was soon in fourishing con-
dition and was named Nashville, in
honor of Gen. Frances Nash of revo-
lutionary fame. In 1880 the war of
independence was in progress and the
backwoodsmc of Tennessee proved
themselves the rear guards Of the rev.
olution."
The British government had sent
| agents among the Indians, and having
aroused them to hostilities, formed O
gigantic plan to cnvelop the colonists
in the coils of an anaconda. Their arm
les had overrun the eastern portion OF
the colonies, and Sir Henry Clinton, an
entcrprising officer Of the British army
with the combined naval and land
forces, was to attack the scaboard
towns of the southern colonists, while
Sir Henry Hamilton, governor of Can
ada, was to organize and ally his troops
with the northern tribes of Indians and
descend upon Virginia and the Caro-
linas upon the north, John Stewart
the agent of the English king, anC
Oconostoto, the willy chief of the Cher
okee nation, were to arouse the south
ern tribes and descend upon the Wa
tauga settlers, eXterminate them, and
passing the Alleghanies, sweep dowr
upon the rear of the Carolinas anC
Georgia. Such was the coil into which
the colonists were to be enwrapped and
liberty entombed. The plan was deep
ly laid and wide sweeping, but it die
not succeed, and this is why. Georg,
Rogers Clark, one OF the most pictur
esque figures in American history, wa.
commissioned by Patrick Henry, ther
governor of Virginia, to raise regi
ment. This he did, and with 200 border
ers, with no supplies but their DecharC
rifles, marched 1900 miles down tht
Ohio into the unknown wilderness O.
the Illinois. He drove the savages ives
of the Mississippi river and captured thu
fort of Kaskaskia. He then proceeded
to Nincennes, $50 miles further, and
appearing before the fort, demanded
and received its surrender, with Hamil
ton and his entire force. Thus til,
anaconda was struck heavy blow, bu
not killed. Lord CORVALLIS, who wa
marching VIGOROUSLY through the Car
olinas, detached Gen. Furgerson, an en-
| terprising officer, with force of Brit
ish regulars, to raise the tories in east
ern North Carolina and overrun tha
section across the mountains, thus clos
ing in the western settlers between tn
savage horde Of 0conostoto and hi
own army.
lTo BE coNTIsuIpl