pioneers of the old southwest-第21部分

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　leadership　of　men；　he　had　their　homage。　Yet　he　knew　how　to　be　comrade　and　brother　to　the　lowliest。　He　won　and　held　the　confidence　and　friendship　of　the　serious…minded　Robertson　no　less　than　the　idolatry　of　the　wildest　spirits　on　the　frontier　throughout　the　forty…three　years　of　the　spectacular　career　which　began　for　him　on　the　day　he　brought　his　tribe　to　Watauga。　In　his　time　he　wore　the　governor's　purple；　and　a　portrait　painted　of　him　shows　how　well　this　descendant　of　the　noble　Xaviers　could　fit　himself　to　the　dignity　and　formal　habiliments　of　state；　Yet　in　the　fringed　deerskin　of　frontier　garb；　he　was　fleeter　on　the　warpath　than　the　Indians　who　fled　before　him；　and　he　could　outride　and　outshootand；　it　is　said；　outswearthe　best　and　the　worst　of　the　men　who　followed　him。　Perhaps　the　lurking　smile　on　John　Sevier's　face　was　a　flicker　of　mirth　that　there　should　be　found　any　man；　red　or　white；　with　temerity　enough　to　try　conclusions　with　him。　None　ever　did；　successfully。

The　historians　of　Tennessee　state　that　the　Wataugans　formed　their　government　in　1772　and　that　Sevier　was　one　of　its　five　commissioners。　Yet；　as　Sevier　did　not　settle　in　Tennessee　before　1773；　it　is　possible　that　the　Watauga　Association　was　not　formed　until　then。　Unhappily　the　written　constitution　of　the　little　commonwealth　was　not　preserved；　but　it　is　known　that；　following　the　Ulsterman's　ideal；　manhood　suffrage　and　religious　independence　were　two　of　its　provisions。　The　commissioners　enlisted　a　militia　and　they　recorded　deeds　for　land；　issued　marriage　licenses；　and　tried　offenders　against　the　law。　They　believed　themselves　to　be　within　the　boundaries　of　Virginia　and　therefore　adopted　the　laws　of　that　State　for　their　guidance。　They　had　numerous　offenders　to　deal　with；　for　men　fleeing　from　debt　or　from　the　consequence　of　crime　sought　the　new　settlements　just　across　the　mountains　as　a　safe　and　adjacent　harbor。　The　attempt　of　these　men　to　pursue　their　lawlessness　in　Watauga　was　one　reason　why　the　Wataugans　organized　a　government。

When　the　line　was　run　between　Virginia　and　North　Carolina　beyond　the　mountains；　Watauga　was　discovered　to　be　south　of　Virginia's　limits　and　hence　on　Indian　lands。　This　was　in　conflict　with　the　King's　Proclamation；　and　Alexander　Cameron；　British　agent　to　the　Cherokees；　accordingly　ordered　the　encroaching　settlers　to　depart。　The　Indians；　however；　desired　them　to　remain。　But　since　it　was　illegal　to　purchase　Indian　lands；　Robertson　negotiated　a　lease　for　ten　years。　In　1775；　when　Henderson　made　his　purchase　from　the　Cherokees；　at　Sycamore　Shoals　on　the　Watauga；　Robertson　and　Sevier；　who　were　present　at　the　sale　with　other　Watauga　commissioners；　followed　Henderson's　example　and　bought　outright　the　lands　they　desired　to　include　in　Watauga's　domain。　In　1776　they　petitioned　North　Carolina　for　〃annexation。〃　As　they　were　already　within　North　Carolina's　bounds；　it　was　recognition　rather　than　annexation　which　they　sought。　This　petition；　which　is　the　only　Wataugan　document　to　survive；　is　undated　but　marked　as　received　in　August；　1776。　It　is　in　Sevier's　handwriting　and　its　style　suggests　that　it　was　composed　by　him；　for　in　its　manner　of　expression　it　has　much　in　common　with　many　later　papers　from　his　pen。　That　Wataugans　were　a　law…loving　community　and　had　formed　their　government　for　the　purpose　of　making　law　respected　is　reiterated　throughout　the　document。　As　showing　the　quality　of　these　first　western　statemakers；　two　paragraphs　are　quoted：

〃Finding　ourselves　on　the　frontiers；　and　being　apprehensive　that　for　want　of　proper　legislature　we　might　become　a　shelter　for　such　as　endeavored　to　defraud　their　creditors；　considering　also　the　necessity　of　recording　deeds；　wills；　and　doing　other　public　business；　we；　by　consent　of　the　people；　formed　a　court　for　the　purposes　above　mentioned；　taking；　by　desire　of　our　constituents；　the　Virginia　laws　for　our　guide；　so　near　as　the　situation　of　affairs　would　permit。　This　was　intended　for　ourselves；　and　WAS　DONE　BY　CONSENT　OF　EVERY　INDIVIDUAL。〃

The　petition　goes　on　to　state　that；　among　their　measures　for　upholding　law；　the　Wataugans　had　enlisted　〃a　company　of　fine　riflemen〃　and　put　them　under　command　of　〃Captain　James　Robertson。〃

〃We。。。thought　proper　to　station　them　on　our　frontiers　in　defense　of　the　common　cause；　at　the　expense　and　risque　of　our　own　private　fortunes；　till　farther　public　orders；　which　we　flatter　ourselves　will　give　no　offense。。。。　We　pray　your　mature　and　deliberate　consideration　in　our　behalf；　that　you　may　annex　us　to　your　Province　（whether　as　county；　district；　or　other　division）　in　such　manner　as　may　enable　us　to　share　in　the　glorious　cause　of　Liberty：　enforce　our　laws　under　authority　and　in　every　respect　become　the　best　members　of　society；　and　for　ourselves　and　our　constituents　we　hope　we　may　venture　to　assure　you　that　we　shall　adhere　strictly　to　your　determinations；　and　that　nothing　will　be　lacking　or　anything　neglected　that　may　add　weight　（in　the　civil　or　military　establishments）　to　the　glorious　cause　in　which　we　are　now　struggling；　or　contribute　to　the　welfare　of　our　own　or　ages　yet　to　come。〃

One　hundred　and　thirteen　names　are　signed　to　the　document。　In　the　following　year　（1777）　North　Carolina　erected　her　overhill　territory　into　Washington　County。　The　Governor　appointed　justices　of　the　peace　and　militia　officers　who　in　the　following　year　organized　the　new　county　and　its　courts。　And　so　Watauga's　independent　government；　begun　in　the　spirit　of　true　liberty；　came　as　lawfully　to　its　end。

But　for　nearly　three　years　before　their　political　status　was　thus　determined；　the　Wataugans　were　sharing　〃in　the　glorious　cause　of　Liberty〃　by　defending　their　settlements　against　Indian　attacks。　While　the　majority　of　the　young　Cherokee　warriors　were　among　their　enemies；　their　chief　battles　were　fought　with　those　from　the　Chickamaugan　towns　on　the　Tennessee　River；　under　the　leadership　of　Dragging　Canoe。　The　Chickamaugans　embraced　the　more　vicious　and　bloodthirsty　Cherokees；　with　a　mixture　of　Creeks　and　bad　whites；　who；　driven　from　every　law…abiding　community；　had　cast　in　their　lot　with　this　tribe。　The　exact　number　of　white　thieves　and　murderers　who　had　found　harbor　in　the　Indian　towns　during　a　score　or　more　of　years　is　not　known；　but　the　letters　of　the　Indian　agents；　preserved　in　the　records；　would　indicate　that　there　were　a　good　many　of　them。　They　were　fit　allies　for　Dragging　Canoe；　their　hatred　of　those　from　whom　their　own　degeneracy　had　separated　them　was　not　less　than　his。

In　July；　1776；　John　Sevier　wrote　to　the　Virginia　Committee　as　follows：

〃Dear　Gentlemen：　Isaac　Thomas；　William　Falling；　Jaret　Williams　and　one　more　have　this　moment　come　in　by　making　their　escape　from　the　Indians　and　say　six　hundred　Indians　and　whites　were　to　start　for　this　fort　and　intend　to　drive　the　country　up　to　New　River　before　they　return。〃

Thus　was　heralded　the　beginning　of　a　savage　warfare　which　kept　the　borderers　engaged　for　years。

It　has　been　a　tradition　of　the　chroniclers　that　Isaac　Thomas　received　a　timely　warning　from　Nancy　Ward；　a　half…caste　Cherokee　prophetess　who　often　showed　her　good　will　towards　the　whites；　and　that　the　Indians　were　roused　to　battle　by　Alexander　Cameron　and　John　Stuart；　the　British　agents　or　superintendents　among　the　overhill　tribes。　There　was　a　letter　bearing　Cameron's　name　stating　that　fifteen　hundred　savages　from　the　Cherokee　and　Creek　nations　were　to　join　with　British　troops　landed　at　Pensacola　in　an　expedition　against　the　southern　frontier　colonies。　This　letter　was　brought　to　Watauga　at　dead　of　night　by　a　masked　man　who　slipped　it　through　a　window　and　rode　away。　Apparently　John　Sevier　did　not　believe　the　military　information　contained　in　the　mysterious　missive；　for　he　communicated　nothing　of　it　to　the　Virginia　Committee。　In　recent　years　the　facts　have　come　to　light。　This　mysterious　letter　and　others　of　a　similar　tenor　bearing　forged　signatures　are　cited　in　a　report　by　the　British　Agent；　John　Stuart；　to　his　Government。　It　appears　that　such　inflammatory　missives　had　been　industriously　scattered　through　the　back　settlements　of　both　Carolinas。　There　are　also　letters　from　Stuart　to　Lord　Dartmouth；　dated　a　year　earlier；　urging　that　something　be　done　immediately　to　counteract　rumors　set　afloat　that　the　British　were　endeavoring　to　instigate　both　the　Indians　and　the　negroes　to　attack　the　Americans。

Now　it　is；　of　course；　an　established　fact　that　both　the　British　and　the　American　armies　used　Indians　in　the　War　of　Independence；　even　as　both　together　had　used　them　against　the　French　and　the　Spanish　and　their　allied　Indians。　It　was　inevitable　that　the　Indians　should　participate　in　any　severe　conflict　between　the　whites。　They　were　a　numerous　and　a　warlike　people　and；　from　their　point　of　view；　they　had　more　at　stake　than　the　alien　whites　who　were　contesting　for　control　of　the　red　man's　continent。　Both　British　and　Americans　have　been　blamed　for　〃half…hearted　attempts　to　keep　the　Indians　neutral。〃　The　truth　is　that　each　side　strove　to　enlist　the　Indiansto　be　used；　if　needed　later；　as　warriors。　Massacre　was　no　part　of　this　policy；　though　it　may　have　been　countenanced　by　individual　officers　in　both　camps。　But　it　is　obvious　that；　once　the　Indians　took　the　warpath；　they　were　to　be　restrained　by　no　power　and；　no　matter　under　whose　nominal　command；　they　would　carry　on　warfare　by　their　own　methods。*

*　〃There　is　little　doubt　that　either　side；　British　or　Americans；　stood　ready　to　enlist　the　Indians。　Already　before　Boston　the　Americans　had　had　the　help　of　the　Stockbridge　tribe。　Washington　found　the　service　committed　to　the　practise　when　he　arrived　at　Cambridge　early　in　July。　Dunmore　had　taken　the　initiative　in　securing　such　allies；　at　least　is　purpose；　but　the　insurgent　Virginians　had　had　of　late　more　direct　contact　with　the　tribes　and　were　now　striving　to　secure　them　but　with　little　success。〃　〃The　Westward　Movement；〃　by　Justin　Winsor；　p。　87。

General　Ethan　Allen　of　Vermont；　as　his　letters　show；　sent　emissaries　into　Canada　in　an　endeavor　to　enlist　the　French　Canadians　and　the　Canadian　Indians　against　the　British　in　Canada。　See　〃American　Archives；〃　Fourth　Series；　vol。　II；　p。　714。　The　British　General　Gage　wrote　to　Lord　Dartmouth　from　Boston；　June　18；　1775：　〃We　need　not　be　tender　of　calling　on　the　Savages　as　the　rebels　have　sh