Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1920-04-29
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
UNCLE TOMS LETTER
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4

| like to express my thoughts
on paper and dig up what I've
heard and seen in life.
My old friend, Isaac Brown,
wants me to go ahead and tell
some more Indian stories. |
hope no one will think | was act
or in Indian warfare. True,
my grandfather West was a sold
ier under Gen. andrew jackson,
and was out in the parched corn
tour in Alabama. History gives
us a sketch of that tour as it is
generally known. Some of the
men had bad teeth, and had to
boil the corn so they could eat it.
Several of the men, lived in
what is now known as Ruther-
ford and Bedford counties, and
was considered some of the best
of Indian fighters. There was
only one kettle to boil the corn in
and one young fellow was watch
ing to get the kettle. and so was
another giant. When the corn
was boiling ne noticed the fire
burned more brlskIy on one side
than the other, so he decided to
grab the kettle on the cool side.
and thus force the giant to seize
the hot side, which in the strug-
gle the giant was forced to let go
from time to time. At last he
said to the boy: Let me nave
it this time and I'll see you get il
next" So he agreed and he got
the kettle the next time. Young
America seems not to know the
hardship our forebears under
went for US.
made a mistake when | told
about the last Indian that was
killed in the Beech Grove com
munitv. One was killed later by
my great-grandfather. He was
ont hunting and one of his dogs
jumped a deer and it ran close
enough tor him to shoot it. He
shot and killed the deer and
when the gun fired he heard
some one holIer up on top of the
ridge. He answered, not think
ing about an Indian being in the
community. The Indian gave
challenge whoop and came jump
ing down the hill, and every
time he struck the ground, he hit
his breast, uttering the war
whoop.
Granddaddy knew what the
Indian meant. He hurriedly
loaded "Old Betsy" and waited
until the Indian was within twen-
ty steps when he commanded
him to halt. The Indian paid no
attention, but came on and grand
daddy shot him dead, skinned
his deer and went home, very
well satisfied with his. hunt.
This was the last Indian killed in
that section of the country. I've
heard Middle Tennessee was
never the battle ground like
North Georgia and Alabama, al
tho rowing bands did lots of
devilment around Lick Springs,
now Nashville.
Many were the tales these old
pioneers would tell US children,
and they seemed never so happy
as when they had US around big
log fire, reciting to US the story
of their deeds. |, myself, re-
member when the hills of Can
not county were covered with
wild turkeys 9nd the woods full
of squirrels. I've seen over 250
squirrels in one drove and deer
out in the barrens like flock of
of sheep. MO wonder the Indian
hated to give up his hunting
ground and we can't blame him
for resisting the encroachments
the white men,
The old hunters would some
times get their stories mixed.
Uncle John, as everybody called
him, was a great hunter, and lik-
ed to tell of his exploits as a
hunter. He said he was out
alongside of his wheat patch one
day. 1t was just ready to har-
vest and the turkeys were mighty !
bad in it. So getting three of |
them in a row, idown he brings
them all. The biggest turks. !
too. you ever saw, so big, as ]
had them by the legs ever my
their heads drug the
snow. "
How is that, Uncle John,
snow in harvest time?"
"Oh, no, boys, I've got the
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