The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-05-13

the country of the fierce Chickamaugas
was 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 yicissi-
tudes was formed the first settlement
of the great Mississippi valley in the
middle basin of Tennessee, which is
now said to be "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 notables, and
Robertson was elected president of the
colony. The settlers were soon at
tackled by the Indians and for two yea 3
encountered reign of terror Nearly
one-haIf of the colony during the two
years persisted 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 $165 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
backwoodsmen 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 hostiities, formed a
gigantic plan to envelop the colonists
in the coils of an anaconda. Their arm
les had overrun the eastern portion OF
the colonies, and Sir Henry Clinton, an
enterprising officer of the British army,
with the combined naval and land
forces, was to attack the seaboard
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, and
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 down
upon the rear of the Carolinas and
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. Georgs
Rogers Clark, one of the most pictur.
esque figures in American history, was
commissioned by Patrick Henry, then
governor of Virginia, to raise a regi.
ment This he did, and with 200 border.
0rs, with no supplies but their Dechard
rifles, marched 1900 miles down the
Ohio into the unknown wilderness OF
the Illinois. He drove the savages west
of the Mississippi river and captured the
fort of kaskaskia. He then proceeded
to Fincennes, $50 miles further, and
appearing before the fort. demanded
and received its surrender. with Hamil.
ton and his entire force. Thus the
anaconda was struck heavy blow, but
not killed. Lord CORVALLIS. who was
marching VIGOROUSLY through the Car,
| olinas, detached Gen. Furgerson, an en-.
terprisipg officer. with a force of Brit.
ish regulars, to raise the tories in east.
ern North Carolina and overrun that
section across the mountains. thus clos.
ing in the western settlers between the
savage horde III Oconostoto and hil
own army.
| [To BE coNTINUED.l