The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-06
GENERAL CHEATHAM HAD
LONG RECORD OF SERVICE,
General Marcus j. Wright Describes Campaigns
Of Gallant Officer Of the
w estern Army.
ny GEN. MARCUS J. wn1Gur

by GEN. MARCUS j. WRIGHT.
10 those who believe in the doctrin.
OF hercdity. it may be interesting Il
note something OF the history OF Gen
cheatham's maternal grandfather
Gen. James Robertson, who is called
The Father Of Tennessee" He was
the mighty hunter and the patriarch
OF tho Watauga and founder OF the
Cumberland Settlement. Though
without u noble lineage to boast Of
his heroic life revealed NOBILITY IN.
der patent sealed by a higher sourc,
than earthly potcntates After his
Spartan cducation-.'to learn a snea I.
the truth and to shoot"-he receiver
from his wife such elemcntary instr,,r.
ton as fitted him for the duties which
afterwards fell to him He was born
IN Virginia in 1742. His family set
tied IN North Carolina In 177o. Tn
!Iio nc crossed the Appalachian
Mountains and came to the lonely VAL
/! Icy OF the Watauga. BY his memora-
bic defense Of Watauga Fort h !,
achieved renown which, IL he Ind
done nothing else. would make him
immortal in the history Of Tennessee.
He rendered distinguished services
In the battle of kanauha, and pre-
vented, by his SoyermasterinE will the
abandonrnent Of the settlement a =
Nashville to replenish their exhausted
supply OF powder. and heroicallv
crossed alone the mountains ana ran
the gauntlet OF hostile saya gel, an5,
saved. by alertness and yalor, the gar
risons OF Fort Freeland, where he
fought lou the battles OF tho Bluffs in
1851, which assured the existence az
the Settlement OF the Cumberland. He
yl the invasion into the Indian coun-
try and achieved the victory OF Cold
Water. '.s Il , -
He was the leading spirit In 9form,nr
the self-constituted government n 17sa'
and was chairman Of the Committan
OF -Arbitrators. He was the North Car
oAlna indian Commissioners and chair
man ma OF the Commission Of Notables,
!. member OF tho General Assembly of
y orth Carolina from Davidson county i
r. l1s lie was appointed by Genera Il,
y washington In 100 N brlgadier- general
Tor the Nero District, He organized
ana directed the famous Nickajack cx-
pedltion In 1904 and was trustee Off
the famous Davidson College. and 1
closed his life in 1s14Sat the Clilckasaws
Agency.
3-&A1le1 GRANDSON @OLHtIllS nun, i5enJululnl
Franklin Cheathan1. Is the person of |
whose life and character proposo to
speak briefly. and think that he In I
lerltel' many of the traits OF his dis
ancestor.
General cheathanl was born October.
?, 1890, at MISSIONER, an estate ncar
Nashville, Tenn, which was Inherited +
oy his mother from her distinguishod I.
grandfather, General James r Robertson.
His father was Leonard Pope Cheat
lam and his mother. Elizabeth Robcrt-g
son Chatham. There We're oleycnSs
children born to the family--tilree sons
md eight daughters. General Cheat
lam passed. his early days at Nest
Yer, In his home he passed a nanny
,outh, with everything to make him,
ontentod and near at hand had 3op. i
'ortunity for bontlng.s fishing anal
in 8all of which ho took 4
much delight. On ono occasion, while
y a.swlmmlng expedition, no herol- II
ally leaned intosthe watep& and saved
10 q 81 Of q ~ a. negro boy Who had gone
beyond his dcpth, anu wAo cad lied ror