A school history of Tennessee

Preface

This book is written from the modern point of view with reference to the proper interpretation of history. Much of our history is almost exclusively political history. It is little more than an account of public officials and a description of battles. History, as properly construed, is an interpretation of the whole life of a people. It is as much the duty of a historian to interpret the industrial life, the educational life, the social life, and the religious life of a people, as it is to interpret their political life. Certainly children should not get the idea that wars and politics constitute the whole of history.

Much of the material herein used is original. It has been obtained through original investigation and research, and has never before been publislied.

Many facts used w^ere gotten from histories of Tennessee by Ramsay, Haywood, and Garrett and Goodpasture. These splendid books contain a veritable storehouse of valuable historical material and will hold an important place in the history of the state.

Contents

Chapter Page

Introduction vi

I. The Coming of the White Men to Tennessee 1

Introduction

The State of Tennessee is divided into three grand divisions : East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee. East Tennessee is physically separated from Middle Tennessee by the Cumberland Mountains, and Middle Tennessee is physically separated from West Tennessee by the Tennessee River. East Tennessee is the mountain section of the state, Middle Tennessee is hilly and rolling, and West Tennessee is comparatively level. But to designate East Tennessee as a "mountain section," or the East Tennesseans as "mountaineers" is decidedly misleading. East Tennessee is a valley, about three hundred miles in length with an average width of fifty or sixty miles, lying between two high mountain ranges. It is separated from Georgia and North Carolina by the Alleghanies, and from Virginia and Kentucky by the Cumberland ranges. The mountain region of East Tennessee is only about one-fifth of the territory of this section, and, perhaps, not over one-sixth of the population is found in the mountain region. The great majority — perhaps five-sixths of the East Tennessee people — live in the valleys, and are mountain people only in the sense that they live in view of the mountains.

Tennessee is abundantly supplied Avith rivers, creeks, and springs. Her navigable streams have

INTRODUCTION yii

been an important means of transportation from the beginning of her history. For the first sixty years of Tennessee history the Cumberland, the Tennessee, the Mississippi, and a few smaller rivers were practically the only means of transporting goods beyond the borders of the local communities. Before the days of railroads Middle Tennessee and West Tennessee had greatly the advantage of East Tennessee in means of transportation, since they were better supplied with deep, navigable rivers, and had less difficulty in constructing roads over which they reached the streams.

But East Tennessee has the decided advantage over the other sections of the state in its possession of water power, mineral springs, and mineral resources in general. The historical Watauga, Holston, French Broad, and Tennessee rivers with their tributaries furnish water power sufficient for very large manufacturing industries. Mineral springs are found in abundance and their waters are noted for their medicinal qualities. The famous Tate Springs are located near the middle of East Tennessee, and are kept open the year round for patients. To these and numerous other springs in this section many people go each year in search of health and recreation. This section of the state is rich in mineral resources. Iron, coal, and marble are found here in large quantities, and for many years copper and zinc mines have been in successful operation. The coal and iron and copper mines were in successful operation before the Civil War. The output viii INTRODUCTION

of these ores is at present very large, and has increased greatly in recent years.

The soil of Tennessee is rich and very productive. This is true of all three sections of the state. While portions of the mountain section of East Tennessee are barren and unproductive, the valleys and coves and much of the hill land are very fertile and compare favorably in productivity with the best lands of Middle Tennessee and West Tennessee.

In altitude Tennessee ranges from 6,660 feet above sea level in the eastern portion of the state to 170.44 feet in the west. This gives to the state a great variety of soil and climate, and enables Tennesseans to produce every kind of plant grown in the United States except tropical fruits. The Tennessee climate and soil are especially adapted to stock raising and this, in large measure, accounts for the very high grade of horses and mules and cattle in Middle Tennessee.

Chapter I COMING OF THE WHITE MAN TO TENNESSEE

The Indians

Before the white man came to Tennessee this section was occupied by the Indians. It was used by them partly as a place of residence and partly as a hunting- ground. The Indians would come into this section and kill game and then return to their homes in other parts of the country.

While various tribes of Indians at one time or another came into Tennessee, the chief tribes that occupied this territory were the Cherokees, the Chickasaws, the Creeks, the Choctaws, and the Seminoles. The Cherokees were the Indians who gave serious trouble to the AVatauga settlers, and against whom John Sevier waged war. The settlers on the Cumberland Eiver w^ere attacked chiefly by the Creeks. The Chickasaws claimed all of West Tennessee. They lived on peaceful terms with the white man and rendered valuable service to the people on the Cumberland in their wars with the hostile Indians.

First White Man to Visit Tennessee — DeSoto

On May the 12tli, 1539, Hernando DeSoto, at the head of more than one thousand Spanish soldiers, sailed from Havana, Cuba, and in fifteen days landed on the coast of Florida. The purpose of this Spanish expedition was to conquer the Indians in all of the territory now within the bounds of the State of Florida, and as much farther north as possible, and to open up this section to Spanish colonization. DeSoto began his march north soon after landing, but he met with great opposition at the hands of the Indians. After fighting many battles and losing a large number of his men he reached the Mississippi River at a point which is believed to be near the present location of Memphis, crossed the river, and then turned back south. To DeSoto and his soldiers is generally given the honor of having been the first Avhite men to tread on what is now Tennessee soil. This was less than fifty years after the discovery of America by Columbus.

LaSalle

In 1673, Marquette and Joliet, two French missionaries, discovered the western boundaries of Tennessee, and ten years later LaSalle, another Frenchman, built a cabin and a fort on the first Chickasaw Bluff. This was, perhaps, the first real work done by a white man within the bounds of Tennessee. The purpose of LaSalle in building this cabin and fort was not to establish a permanent settlement, but to establish a trading post with the Indians at this point. The Indians never objected to the white man coming among them as a trader. It was only when he began to make a permanent settlement that

THE FIRST PERMANENT SETTLERS 3

lie met serious opposition from the Indians. La- Salle's visit was nearly one hundred and fifty years after that of DeSoto.

Chaeleville

In 1714, M, Charleville, a French trader, came up from New Orleans to trade with the Indians along the Cumberland River. He built a store near the present site of Nashville. But, like LaSalle at Memphis, his purpose was to establish not a permanent home, but a temporary trading post.

The First Peemanent Settlers

The first permanent settlement in America was made by the English at Jamestown in 1607. This was the beginning of the Virginia Colony. Sixty years later the first settlement of civilized man in North Carolina was made by the English. North Carolina at this time included all of the territory within the present bounds of Tennessee. At this time North Carolina was called Albemarl. In 1671, the population of Virginia was forty thousand and the population of North Carolina was about fourteen hundred. The first settlements in both Virginia and North Carolina were made near the Atlantic coast on the east. But as the population increased the settlements in both colonies were pushed farther and farther westward toward the territory now comprising Tennessee and Kentucky.

In 1714, Lieutenant and Captain-General Spotswood of Virginia, with a number of attendants, made a tour of exploration in the western section, and crossed the Appalachian Mountains.

FoET Loudon

In 1756, Governor Loudon, of Virginia, sent out a body of men under the command of Andrew Lewis, to build a fort on the Tennessee River about thirty miles from the present site of Knoxville, The purpose of tliis movement was to protect the western settlers against the murderous assaults of the Lidians. The fort was called Fort Loudon. This was the first structure of any sort erected by the English- Americans in Tennessee. Fort Loudon was captured and destroyed by the Indians four years after its erection, and a large proportion of its two hundred or more inhabitants slain.

Hunters

From the beginning of the eighteenth century, and even before, it was not unusual for hunters from Virginia and North Carolina to cross the mountains to hunt and trade with the Indians in the territory now within the borders of Tennessee. In 1748, Dr. Thomas Walker, of Virginia, with a number of other gentlemen came into the Tennessee territory, crossing the mountains at a depression which lie called "Cumberland Gap." At this time he also gave the name "Cumberland" to the mountain and the river, which have since borne that name, in honor of the Duke of Cumberland, who was at that period prime minister of England. "Cumberland" is, perhaps, the

THE HUNTERS [,

only Tennessee name that was given in honor of an Englishman. The Cumberland River was called by the Indians the Warioto, by the French the Chauvanon.

In 1761, a number of hunters chiefly from Virginia, formed themselves into a company and came into the section now within the bounds of Hawkins County, Tennessee, and hunted for eighteen months. At this time Daniel Boone came into Tennessee on a hunting trip. He came from North Carolina. He had doubtless been here before, since on a beech tree near Jonesboro, Tennessee, the following inscription was found: "D. Boone Cilled a Bar on Teee iisr THE Year 1760."

From this time on for a number of years many groups of men, numbering from three to forty, came into the Tennessee territory for the purpose of hunting and trading with the Indians. The rapid increase in the number of explorers in this section at this time aroused the suspicions of the Indians, and led them to the conclusion that they would be compelled to resist these encroachments of the white men on their territory. As long as the white men came in small numbers to hunt and trade and then return to their homes across the mountains, they were well treated. But when they came in large numbers, and some of them gave evidence of making this territory their permanent home, the Indians realized that they would later claim this territory as their own and would attempt to drive the red man out. It was this realization that aroused the hostility of the Indians, and their enmity was not without cause. At this time there were few permanent Indian settlements in Tennessee. This territory was held by them chiefly as a hunting ground. They would come in from beyond the present state borders, and hunt and return with their game. They did not object to the white man's using this territory for a similar purpose. But they did object to permanent settlements by the white man, because they realized that this would tend to drive out the game and in the end would mean their own expulsion.

Chapter II THE WATAUGA SETTLEMENT

In the year 1761, a number of Virginians, with some others, formed themselves into a company and came into the western part of Virginia to hunt. This company was composed of Wallen, Scaggs, Blevins, Cox, and fifteen others. They came into what is now called Carter's Valley, in East Tennessee. About the same time Daniel Boone came into the same section at the head of another company.

These hunters were attracted to this section bj^ the great abundance of game, which they felt sure abounded along the western waters, and they went out with the expectation of making large gain through this source. At this time there were no white settlers in this part of the country, but Indians were here in large numbers.

These hunters were successful in killing large game, and they remained here about eighteen months. They came back again and others came with them, but, as yet, no permanent settlements had been made.

Impressed by the beautiful and fertile valleys of this section, as well as by the unusual opportunities afforded for possible hunting, a number of people from Virginia and North Carolina decided to settle here permanently.

The first permanent home was established by William Bean, who came a little before 1770, when the first settlers began to gather on the banks of the Watauga, and here was made the first settlement in Tennessee. Others came in and formed two other settlements near Watauga. The two additional settlements were Holston and Carter's Valley.

In South Carolina, before 1770, no courts of justice were held beyond the limits of the capital, and in the interior of the province the inhabitants took the law into their own hands and punished offenders in their own way. This mode of proceeding was called regulation and its authors "Regulators." Those who opposed them were called "Scovilites," after their leader, Scovil, commissioned by the governor of South Carolina to suppress the Regulators. Each party was armed and prepared to fight to the bitter end. The feelings arising from these tumults drove many patriots from South Carolina to the settlements on the Holston and the Watauga rivers.

In North Carolina, at the same time, there was great unrest on the part of the masses of the people, who claimed that illegal and exorbitant fees were exacted by officers of the government, that oppressive taxes were exacted by the sheriffs and that the method of collecting them was tyrannical. In 1765, the people were aroused by the report that the Stamp Act had been passed by the British Parliament. They protested to England that they would not be forcibly taxed. The Stamp Act was repealed, but this did not quiet them. The extortions of offi-

THE WATAUGUA SETTLEMENT 9

cers were continued and the taxes were multiplied. The office holders were all foreigners. The people held several meetings and assumed the name of Regulators, and adopted the policy of resisting all illegal taxation. They prevented the sitting of courts and otherwise obstructed the execution of the laws. Governor Tryon met them on the 16tli of May, 1771, on the Alamance. Tryon's men numbered somewhat less tlian 3,000. The patriotic citizens numbered about 3,000 ; but they were poorly armed, and it seems had but little ammunition. The government troops, being better armed, better drilled, and better equipped in every way, won the battle. After this defeat many of these courageous citizens came to the Watauga settlement to make their home.

So a considerable number of those who made up the first permanent settlement in Tennessee, came to the Watauga settlement, not primarily to take advantage of the cheaper and better land in this section, but to get away from political oppression and establish themselves in a new country more friendly to liberty and freedom. Such men are a valuable addition to any community, and they doubtless made a large contribution to the heroic work accomplished by the Watauga settlers in their early history.

In 1772, the Watauga settlement was" steadily increasing through immigration from Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It was during this year that the pioneers decided that they must have some form of govermnent. At this tnne the line between Virginia and North CaroHna had not been definitely fixed, and these settlers believed for some time that they were in Virginia. But later they discovered that they were within the bounds of North Carolina. Neither Virginia nor North Carolina gave them any protection. The cost of establishing courts and maintaining an army to protect these settlers so far distant from the home government was a burden North Carolina refused to assume, even after it was certain that the settlement was within the bounds of this colony. Cut off from the protection of the home government, there was but one thing for them to do and that was to form some kind of government of their own, which would meet the demands of social order, and this they did. In forming this government they took the laws of Virginia as their guide. A written constitution or compact was drawn and adopted by them.

The procedure in the formation of this new government w^as truly democratic, since the consent of the whole people was obtained at each step. A committee of thirteen was elected as a general legislative body. From this body five commissioners were selected in whose hands the executive and judicial powers of the government were placed. This committee of five was the real governing body of their little "state," and was doubtless the first commission form of government in this country. John Carter, John Sevier, James Robertson, Charles Robertson, and Jack Isbel were the five men selected

THE WATAUGUA SETTLEMENT H

to administer the laws and manage the affairs of the settlement. Their decisions were final; no appeal could be made to any other court. For six years this government was in successful operation.

Four years after the launching of this little government on the banks of the Watauga, a petition was sent up to the legislature of North Carolina, signed by the legislative body, the executive counsel, and ninety-one other settlers, praying that the settlement might be annexed to the government of North Carolina. The request of the Watauga people was granted, and, in November, 1777, the legislature converted the "District of A¥ashington," as this section was called, into Washington County, and made the Watauga government the government of the new county. Washington County, at this time, included all of what is today the State of Tennessee. The government of North Carolina appointed justices of the peace and militia officers for this county, who in February, 1778, met, took the oath of office, and organized the new county and its court.

After February, 1778, the public affairs pf this section were conducted under the jurisdiction of the county court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. This court was composed of the justices of the peace of the county who were appointed in this first organization by the governor of North Carolina. All five of the commissioners who directed the Watauga government were members of the first court appointed by the governor of Nortli Carolina. This body selected John Carter as president and John

Sevier as clerk. These two gentlemen had been president and clerk respectively of the Watauga government. The appointment of the members of this court by the governor of North Carolina was, perhaps, nothing more than a form. The new government, it would seem, was simply the old Watauga government with a new name. This court, composed of justices of the peace, tried all civil and criminal cases arising within this territory and was the governing body of this section.

In 1780, the population of the settlement was probably less than 5,000. The number of persons capable of bearing arms was about 900. Sullivan County had been formed from a part of Washington County and within its borders lived about one-half of the settlers. At this time Colonel John Sevier had been appointed to the command of the militia of Washington County, and Colonel Isaac Shelby had been appointed to a similar position in Sullivan County.

xVt the time tbe Watauga settlers petitioned North Carolina to become a part of that colony the American colonies were at war with England. Up to the time of the beginning of serious trouble with England the Watauga settlers had experienced but little trouble with the Indians, who were often very near their borders. But in order to weaken the American colonies as much as possible in their resistance to the English government, the English used every means possible to arouse the hostility of the Indians against the western settlers, and in this way drive

■ THE WATAUGUA SETTLEMENT 13

tliem out of this country back to tlieir former homes. To accomplish this end, the English furnished the Indians with guns and ammunition, and made them presents of such things as were especially prized bj^ them. Under such influence the Indians began at once to make murderous assaults on the Watauga settlers.

Up to this time it had not been necessary for the settlers to make any considerable preparations for defense against any foe, since they were in no danger of attack. But now they had to begin every possible preparation for defense against the attacks of the Indians, which might come at any time. At once they began to build forts. The character of the forts constructed has been thus described : "A fort in these rude military times, consisted of pieces of timber, sharpened at the end and firmly lodged in the ground; rows of these pickets enclosed the desired space which embraced the cabina of the inhabitants. One block house or more of superior care and strength commanding the sides of the fort, with or without a ditch, completed the fortification or station, as they are most commonly called. Generally the sides of the interior cabins formed the sides of the fort."

In 1775, two Virginians by the names of Boyd and Boggett were sent out by their government to travel through a jDortion of Tennessee in order that they might observe the movements of the Indians who at this time were recognized as hostile to the colonists. These two men were killed by Cherokees at a point in East Tennessee now within the borders of Sevier County. This was the beginning of the cruel and long continued war waged by the Indians against the men, women, and children of this western settlement. The object of the Indians in this warfare was either to slay all men, women, and children on this western frontier, or to drive them out and force them to return to the section whence they came. The number of Cherokee warriors from whom they might expect an attack at any time was about 2,000. For this small group of settlers far removed from any organized government save their own, with no regular soldiers and with very limited resources, to protect themselves, their wives, and children against this great horde of savage warriors would have seemed to a less heroic people a hopeless task. But these were unusual men, and they stood their ground and refused to retreat a single inch. With such help as they could get from Virginia and North Carolina, and this was necessarily small, they resisted the Indians at every point, and waged an aggressive and successful war against them.

An Indian chief by the name of Old Abraham, noted for his cunning, in the summer of 1776, led his warriors along the path at the foot of the mountain leading into the Watauga country, hoping to take the settlers by surprise and murder them before they had time to get together for defense. A small number of the settlers were, at this time, in the garrison at Gillespie Station, which was only a short

THE W AT AUG U A SETTLEMENT 15

distance from the Watauga Station. They heard the approach of the Indians, and left Gillespie Station in great haste that they might ,ioin those in the Watauga fort. They succeeded in reaching Watauga before the Indians could overtake them. The next morning after their arrival, the women from the fort went out at daybreak to milk the cows, and were fired upon by the Indians. But they succeeded in getting back into the fort without injury. There were in the Watauga fort at this time one hundred and forty inhabitants ; only forty of them were men. This small group of men was under the command of Captain James Robertson, who later became the founder of Nashville, and Lieutenant John Sevier. The Indians made a vigorous assault on the fort, but on account of the splendid marksmanship and great bravery of the little group, the Indians were repulsed with considerable loss. No one in the fort received a wound. However, the Indians remained around the fort for six days. In the meantime one of the settlers made his escape from the fort in order to get aid from the Holston settlement. In response to this appeal one hundred men under the command of Colonel William Russell started at once for the relief of Watauga. But the Indians had retreated before they arrived.

From this time on for many years the settlers were in almost continuous conflict with the Indians, and suffered at their hands the most inhuman cruelties. Many of their number were heartlessly murdered, and they were compelled to live in constant

John Sevier

THE WATAUGUA SETTLEMENT 17

dread of all the liorrors of wliicli the savage Indian was capable. The following account of a church service in this section at this time will give some idea of the dangers to which these people were subjected: "On Sabbath morning, during most of this period, it was the custom of Mr. Cummings (the preacher) to dress himself neatly, put on his shot pouch, shoulder his rifle, mount his horse, and ride off to church, where he met his gallant and intelligent congregation — each man with his rifle in his hand. The minister would then enter the church, walk grandly through the crowd, ascend the pulpit, deposit his rifle in the corner of it, lay off his shot pouch and commence the solemn service of the day."*

During the year 1779, the Watauga settlers received information that the Cherokees were planning an attack on their settlement. When this news reached Colonel John Sevier, who was at this time in command of the troops of Washington County, he ordered the militia of his county to assemble at once on the Nolichucky River; and within a few days two hundred men had gathered at this place. They at once started out to meet the Indians. On Boyd Creek they came upon an Indian camp with fires burning. An advance guard was ordered to the front to fire on the Indians and then retreat. The Indians followed the retreat as was anticipated until they came up to the main body of Colonel Sevier's troops. Colonel Sevier had divided his

* Ramsay, History oj Tennessee, p. 146.

regiment into three divisions, he commanding the center, Major Wallace the right wing, and Major Tipton the left wing. Orders were given that as soon as the Indians approached the fort, the right wing should wheel to the left and the left wing wheel to the right, and in this way practically surround the Indians. Major Wallace executed the left wheel speedily but the left wing under Major Tipton w^as slow in executing the right wheel, and this made an opening through which many of the Indians escaped when they met the deadly fire from Sevier's center. However, twenty-eight Indians were killed and many more were wounded. Not a single man of Sevier's troops was wounded. This is only one of a large number of battles fought by the Watauga settlers against the Indians.*

The plan of battle used by Sevier on this occasion to trap the Indians was used in other engagements successfully.

This plan was adopted and used with great success by Andrew Jackson in later years in his Indian wars.

* Letter of General Campbell — Ramsay, p. 160.

Chapter III King's Mountain"

111 the year 1780, the capital of Georgia had been taken by the British, and they had extended their posts as far as Augusta. When the Georgians saw that they were powerless to resist the strong British force, many of them left the state and some of them came into the Watauga settlement. The next move of the British was to take Charleston, the capital of South Carolina, which would virtually give them possession of the whole South. The South Carolinians made a brave defense of their capital city, but after a long siege they were compelled to abandon Charleston to the enemy and after this it was but a short while till the whole state was subdued.

When the governor of North Carolina learned that the British w^ould march against Charleston, he called upon the militia of his state to volunteer to go to the aid of South Carolina. When this call reached the remote Watauga settlement it met with a quick response. Colonel John Sevier with a regiment of two hundred men from Washington County, and Colonel Isaac Shelby with a similar number from Sullivan County, were soon on the march to resist the English in South Carolina.

Well might tlie Watauga settlers have been excused from sending soldiers into an adjoining state. To defend themselves, their wives, and children against the murderous and treacherous assaults of the Indians was enough to occupy all of their time and command all of their resources. In addition to the Indians, the Watauga people had another enemy much nearer them than the English. In the war for independence with Great Britain, many of the colonists were in sjanpathy with the mother country, and a number of them joined the British army and took up arms against the Americans. These were called "Tories" while the loyal Americans were called "Whigs." These Tories were scattered throughout the colonies, and a number of them were in the Watauga settlement. To what extent some of them were acting as spies and giving substantial support to the British in a secret way was hard to determine. On one occasion some of these Tories had planned to murder Colonel Sevier, and doubtless would have been successful had he not heard of the plot in time to prevent its execution.