pioneers of the old southwest-第22部分

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h　from　Boston；　June　18；　1775：　〃We　need　not　be　tender　of　calling　on　the　Savages　as　the　rebels　have　shown　us　the　example；　by　bringing　as　many　Indians　down　against　us　as　they　could　collect。〃　〃American　Archives。〃　Fourth　Series；　vol。　ii；　p。　967。

In　a　letter　to　Lord　Germain；　dated　August　23；　1776；　John　Stuart　wrote：　〃Although　Mr。　Cameron　was　in　constant　danger　of　assassination　and　the　Indians　were　threatened　with　invasion　should　they　dare　to；　protect　him；　yet　he　still　found　means　to　prevent　their　falling　on　the　settlement。〃　See　North　Carolina　〃Colonial　Records；〃　vol。　X；　pp。　608　and　763。　Proof　that　the　British　agents　had　succeeded　in　keeping　the　Cherokee　neutral　till　the　summer　of　1776　is　found　in　the　instructions；　dated　the　7th　of　July；　to　Major　Winston　from　President　Rutledge　of　South　Carolina；　regarding　the　Cherokees；　that　they　must　be　forced　to　give　up　the　British　agents　and　〃INSTEAD　OF　REMAINING　IN　A　STATE　OF　NEUTRALITY　with　respect　to　British　Forces　they　must　take　part　with　us　against　them。〃　See　North　Carolina　〃Colonial　Records；〃　vol。　X；　p。　658。


Whatever　may　have　been　the　case　elsewhere；　the　attacks　on　the　Watauga　and　Holston　settlements　were　not　instigated　by　British　agents。　It　was　not　Nancy　Ward　but　Henry　Stuart；　John　Stuart's　deputy；　who　sent　Isaac　Thomas　to　warn　the　settlers。　In　their　efforts　to　keep　the　friendship　of　the　red　men；　the　British　and　the　Americans　were　providing　them　with　powder　and　lead。　The　Indians　had　run　short　of　ammunition　and；　since　hunting　was　their　only　means　of　livelihood；　they　must　shoot　or　starve。　South　Carolina　sent　the　Cherokees　a　large　supply　of　powder　and　lead　which　was　captured　en　route　by　Tories。　About　the　same　time　Henry　Stuart　set　out　from　Pensacola　with　another　consignment　from　the　British。　His　report　to　Lord　Germain　of　his　arrival　in　the　Chickamaugan　towns　and　of　what　took　place　there　just　prior　to　the　raids　on　the　Tennessee　settlements　is　one　of　the　most　illuminating　as　well　as　one　of　the　most　dramatic　papers　in　the　collected　records　of　that　time。*

*　North　Carolina　〃Colonial　Records；〃　vol。　X；　pp。　763…785。


Stuart's　first　act　was　secretly　to　send　out　Thomas；　the　trader；　to　warn　the　settlers　of　their　peril；　for　a　small　war　party　of　braves　was　even　then　concluding　the　preliminary　war　ceremonies。　The　reason　for　this　Indian　alarm　and　projected　excursion　was　the　fact　that　the　settlers　had　built　one　fort　at　least　on　the　Indian　lands。　Stuart　finally　persuaded　the　Indians　to　remain　at　peace　until　he　could　write　to　the　settlers　stating　the　grievances　and　asking　for　negotiations。　The　letters　were　to　be　carried　by　Thomas　on　his　return。

But　no　sooner　was　Thomas　on　his　way　again　with　the　letters　than　there　arrived　a　deputation　of　warriors　from　the　Northern　tribesfrom　〃the　Confederate　nations；　the　Mohawks；　Ottawas；　Nantucas；　Shawanoes　and　Delawares〃fourteen　men　in　all；　who　entered　the　council　hall　of　the　Old　Beloved　Town　of　Chota　with　their　faces　painted　black　and　the　war　belt　carried　before　them。　They　said　that　they　had　been　seventy　days　on　their　journey。　Everywhere　along　their　way　they　had　seen　houses　and　forts　springing　up　like；　weeds　across　the　green　sod　of　their　hunting　lands。　Where　once　were　great　herds　of　deer　and　buffalo；　they　had　watched　thousands　of　men　at　arms　preparing　for　war。　So　many　now　were　the　white　warriors　and　their　women　and　children　that　the　red　men　had　been　obliged　to　travel　a　great　way　on　the　other　side　of　the　Ohio　and　to　make　a　detour　of　nearly　three　hundred　miles　to　avoid　being　seen。　Even　on　this　outlying　route　they　had　crossed　the　fresh　tracks　of　a　great　body　of　people　with　horses　and　cattle　going　still　further　towards　the　setting　sun。　But　their　cries　were　not　to　be　in　vain；　for　〃their　fathers；　the　French〃　had　heard　them　and　had　promised　to　aid　them　if　they　would　now　strike　as　one　for　their　lands。

After　this　preamble　the　deputy　of　the　Mohawks　rose。　He　said　that　some　American　people　had　made　war　on　one　of　their　towns　and　had　seized　the　son　of　their　Great　Beloved　Man；　Sir　William　Johnson；　imprisoned　him；　and　put　him　to　a　cruel　death；　this　crime　demanded　a　great　vengeance　and　they　would　not　cease　until　they　had　taken　it。　One　after　another　the　fourteen　delegates　rose　and　made　their　〃talks〃　and　presented　their　wampum　strings　to　Dragging　Canoe。　The　last　to　speak　was　a　chief　of　the　Shawanoes。　He　also　declared　that　〃their　fathers；　the　French；〃　who　had　been　so　long　dead；　were　〃alive　again；〃　that　they　had　supplied　them　plentifully　with　arms　and　ammunition　and　had　promised　to　assist　them　in　driving　out　the　Americans　and　in　reclaiming　their　country。　Now　all　the　Northern　tribes　were　joined　in　one　for　this　great　purpose；　and　they　themselves　were　on　their　way　to　all　the　Southern　tribes　and　had　resolved　that；　if　any　tribe　refused　to　join；　they　would　fall　upon　and　extirpate　that　tribe；　after　having　overcome　the　whites。　At　the　conclusion　of　his　oration　the　Shawanoe　presented　the　war　beltnine　feet　of　six…inch　wide　purple　wampum　spattered　with　vermilionto　Dragging　Canoe；　who　held　it　extended　between　his　two　hands；　in　silence；　and　waited。　Presently　rose　a　headman　whose　wife　had　been　a　member　of　Sir　William　Johnson's　household。　He　laid　his　hand　on　the　belt　and　sang　the　war　song。　One　by　one；　then；　chiefs　and　warriors　rose；　laid　hold　of　the　great　belt　and　chanted　the　war　song。　Only　the　older　men；　made　wise　by　many　defeats；　sat　still　in　their　places；　mute　and　dejected。　〃After　that　day　every　young　fellow's　face　in　the　overhills　towns　appeared　blackened　and　nothing　was　now　talked　of　but　war。〃

Stuart　reports　that　〃all　the　white　men〃　in　the　tribe　also　laid　hands　on　the　belt。　Dragging　Canoe　then　demanded　that　Cameron　and　Stuart　come　forward　and　take　hold　of　the　war　belt〃which　we　refused。〃　Despite　the　offense　their　refusal　gaveand　it　would　seem　a　dangerous　time　to　give　such　offenseCameron　delivered　a　〃strong　talk〃　for　peace；　warning　the　Cherokees　of　what　must　surely　be　the　end　of　the　rashness　they　contemplated。　Stuart　informed　the　chief　that　if　the　Indians　persisted　in　attacking　the　settlements　with　out　waiting　for　answers　to　his　letters；　he　would　not　remain　with　them　any　longer　or　bring　them　any　more　ammunition。　He　went　to　his　house　and　made　ready　to　leave　on　the　following　day。　Early　the　next　morning　Dragging　Canoe　appeared　at　his　door　and　told　him　that　the　Indians　were　now　very　angry　about　the　letters　he　had　written；　which　could　only　have　put　the　settlers　on　their　guard；　and　that　if　any　white　man　attempted　to　leave　the　nation　〃they　had　determined　to　follow　him　but　NOT　TO　BRING　HIM　BACK。〃　Dragging　Canoe　had　painted　his　face　black　to　carry　this　message。　Thomas　now　returned　with　an　answer　from　〃the　West　Fincastle　men；〃　which　was　so　unsatisfactory　to　the　tribe　that　war　ceremonies　were　immediately　begun。　Stuart　and　Cameron　could　no　longer　influence　the　Indians。　〃All　that　could　now　be　done　was　to　give　them　strict　charge　not　to　pass　the　Boundary　Line；　not　to　injure　any　of　the　King's　faithful　subjects；　not　to　kill　any　women　and　children〃；　and　to　threaten　to　〃stop　all　ammunition〃　if　they　did　not　obey　these　orders。


The　major　part　of　the　Watauga　militia　went　out　to　meet　the　Indians　and　defeated　a　large　advance　force　at　Long　Island　Flats　on　the　Holston。　The　Watauga　fort；　where　many　of　the　settlers　had　taken　refuge；　contained　forty　fighting　men　under　Robertson　and　Sevier。　As　Indians　usually　retreated　and　waited　for　a　while　after　a　defeat；　those　within　the　fort　took　it　for　granted　that　no　immediate　attack　was　to　be　expected；　and　the　women　went　out　at　daybreak　into　the　fields　to　milk　the　cows。　Suddenly　the　war　whoop　shrilled　from　the　edge　of　the　clearing。　Red　warriors　leaped　from　the　green　skirting　of　the　forest。　The　women　ran　for　the　fort。　Quickly　the　heavy　gates　swung　to　and　the　dropped　bar　secured　them。　Only　then　did　the　watchmen　discover　that　one　woman　had　been　shut　out。　She　was　a　young　woman　nearing　her　twenties　and；　if　legend　has　reported　her　truly；　〃Bonnie　Kate　Sherrill〃　was　a　beauty。　Through　a　porthole　Sevier　saw　her　running　towards　the　shut　gates；　dodging　and　darting；　her　brown　hair　blowing　from　the　wind　of　her　race　for　lifeand　offering　far　too　rich　a　prize　to　the　yelling　fiends　who　dashed　after　her。　Sevier　coolly　shot　the　foremost　of　her　pursuers；　then　sprang　upon　the　wall；　caught　up　Bonnie　Kate；　and　tossed　her　inside　to　safety。　And　legend　says　further　that　when；　after　Sevier's　brief　widowerhood；　she　became　his　wife；　four　years　later；　Bonnie　Kate　was　wont　to　say　that　she　would　be　willing　to　run　another　such　race　any　day　to　have　another　such　introduction！

There　were　no　casualties　within　the　fort　and；　after　three　hours；　the　foe　withdrew；　leaving　several　of　their　warriors　slain。

In　the　excursions　against　the　Indians　which　followed　this　opening　of　hostilities　Sevier　won　his　first　fame　as　an　〃Indian　fighter〃the　fame　later　crystallized　in　the　phrase　〃thirty…five　battles；　thirty…five　victories。〃　His　method　was　to　take　a　very　small　company　of　the　hardiest　and　swiftest　horsemenmen　who　could　keep　their　seat　and　endurance；　and　horses　that　could　keep　their　feet　and　their　speed；　on　any　steep　of　the　mountains　no　matter　how　tangled　and　rough　the　going　might　beswoop　down　upon　war　camp；　or　town；　and　go　through　it　with　rifle　and　hatchet　and　fire；　then　dash　homeward　at　the　same　pace　before　the　enemy　had　begun　to　consider　whether　to　follow　him　or　not。　In　all　his　〃thirty…five　battles〃　it　is　said　he　lost　not　more　than　fifty　men。

The　Cherokees　made　peace　in　1777；　after　about　a　year　of　almost　continuous　warfare；　the　treaty　being　concluded　on　their　side　by　the　old　chiefs　who　had　never　countenanced　the　war。　Dragging　Canoe　refused　to　take　part；　but　he　was　rendered　innocuous　for　the　time　being　by　the　destruction　of　several　of　the　Chickamaugan　villages。　James　Robertson　now　went　to　Chota　as　Indian　agent　for　North　Carolina。　So　fast　was　population　growing；　owing　to　the　opening　of　a　wagon　road　into　Burke　County；　North　Carolina；　that　Washington　County　was　divided。　John　Sevier　became　Colonel　of　Washington　and　Isaac　Shelby　Colonel　of　the　newly　erected　Sullivan　County。　Jonesborough；　the　oldest　town　in　Tennessee；　was　laid　out　as　the　county　seat　of　Washington；　and　in　the　same　year　（1778）　Sevier　moved　to　the　bank　of　the　Nolichucky　River；　so…called　after　the　Indian　name　of　this　dashing　sparkling　stream；　meaning　rapid　or　precipitou