Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-03-23


He rendered distinguished services
In the battle of Kanawha, prevented
by his overmastering will the abandon
ment of the settlement at Nashville, to
replenish their exhausted supply of
powder heroically crossed alone the
mountains and ran the gauntlet of hos
tile savages, saved by his alertness and
valor the garrison of Fort Freeland,
fought the battle OF the Bluffs in 1881,
which assured the existence Of the
Cumberland settlement, led the inva-
sion OF the Indian country, and achieved
the victory of Coldwater.
He was the leading spirit in forming
the self-constituted government in 1850,
chairman of committee of arbitrators,
North Carolina Indian commissioner,
member and chairman of committee of
notables, member of the general as
sembly of North Carolina from David
son county in 1887, appointed by Wash
ington in 1900 brigadier-general for the
Nero district and wounded in an In
dian engagement in 1892 He organized
and directed the famous Nickaj jack ex-
pedition in 1894, and was trustee of
Davidson College. He closed his event
full life in 1914 at the Chickasaw Agency
and in the service of his country.
Throughout the fourteen years of
constant war which ragged on the Cum
berland, in which that frontier people
endured hardships, dangers and suffer
ings unsurpassed by any people of any
time, his wisdom and courage were
always conspicuous.
In the life of James Robertson is re-
corded the early civil, political and mill
tary history of Tennessee.
Shame upon the State, shame upon
us all, that the recommendation made
by Gov. Carroll in 1927 has never been
carried out, and that no statue of this
heroic man adorns the entrance to our
capitol, to inspire in the youth of the
land noble emulation of his patriotic
life. If not there, then let it be set up
in the capitol of the nation, to chal-
lenge comparison with the honored
representatives of other States.
If he had lived in England, Old or
New, his deeds would have been i'm
mortalized in deathless song, his form
and lineaments fixed in living marble
or uncorroding bronze.
Nav the patriotic fervor of this CEN
tennial year not spend itself in clamor
and parade, but rather may we bring
to the memory of the past true and
earnest worship that will not cease
until Tennessee shall have her Hall
of Fame" tenanted by similitudes Of
her immortals.
By Robertson stands John Sewer,
born an Virginia in 1744, of Huguenot
ancestry, one of the famous founders of
Watauga, clerk of the Watauga com
missioners,>a "a member from TIE District
of Washington of the provincial con-
gress at Halifax in 1776, hero of Kings
Mountain. a memorable service com
memoratcd by North Carolina by pre-
sentation of a sword and pistols, made
colonel by North Carolina in 1850,
fought in the same year the battle OF
Boyd's Creek, one of the hardest con-
tests in the border wars of Tennessee,
and saved the settlements from bloody
invasion, president of the convention
assembled at Jonesboro in 1884 to pro-
vide for the public safety, after the
cession act of North Carolina, while the
United States had not accepted the ter
ritory. and the country was political
orphan. one of the founders and the
Governor of the State of Franklin,
elected a member of the Cincinnati IN
1887. first member of congress from the
great valley of the Mississippi member
of the general assembly of the territory
of the United States south of the Ohio
in 1894. author of the bill in the terri
torial assembly which IN l1o5 estao-
lished Washington College, first Cover
nor of Tennessee, which Office he held
for twelve years, again elected to con
oress, representing the Knoxville ans
trice, appointed by Washington tc
establish an Indian boundary in Ala
bama, elected to congress for the thlro
time and without his knowledge VIC
tor in tbirtv-five battles, who never re
ca;ved compensation for but one OF al
the campaigns in which he served die'
IN the Creek Nation while on puoii'
service, and was buried with honorS o
war.
Such is n brief but incomplete epitom'
- .he life of this remarkable man.
The brilliant Phelan says: 'pt al
,Loso fame was attained within thu
limits of this State, the most INDUSTRIOUS
the most conspicuous, the one whos'
n.ma was and deserves to be the mos
resplendent was John Sewer.
Nav the day never come when I'M
I'll, ~ Tennessee shall be so recrean
TO the memory of those VINO maze ne
history glorious, as to cease 10 eh'nus
n, the mention of the name OF Johl
SEWER, ardent, impulsive, energetic
euent in speech, wise in council, genti
In peace, a thunderbolt in war; Tn
larcs-hea-ted, generous man, VINO exef
e;sed that hospitality Of which we ar
90 boastful, but which, alas! is becom
;,,r almost traditional, OF whom
might be said as Homer wrote
Axylus ,.
Sand greatly was he loved, for courteousl
u ,rolcamed to his house, beside the way
ANaomers."
Joseph McMinn, man of SOUNDED sound edr
..t;on a farmer from Pennsylvania.
.o,a;er Of the Revolutionary War; men
ber Of the lower house OF the territoria
government embracing tennessee len .s
Speaker of the senate in 1897 thre
times governor of Tennessee and tn u
FIRST person to give an impetus 10 IN