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STEUBEN'S LABORS; NAVAL OPERATIONS.

forces in the South.* At this time the army was not compelled to undergo the sufferings experienced at Valley Forge, for though they were lodged in huts similar to those of the preceding year, they were more comfortably clothed than previously through the generosity of the French. Furthermore, the supplies came in more rapidly, animal food being being brought in chiefly from the New England States, where no British force was present to interrupt.

While the army was in winter quarters a more systematic and thorough discipline was introduced through the exertions of Baron Steuben, who had been appointed inspector-general in place of Conway. He prepared a system of tactics which was soon put into practice. The difficulties confronting Steuben were enormous, and he found it difficult to reduce the discordant evolutions of the troops from different States into uniformity and efficiency in the field.† At this time also a change was made in the management of the medical department of the army, the directing and purveying business of the military hospital being placed in the hands of different officers, whereas they had previously been under the direction of the same person. This was due chiefly to the efforts of Dr. Rush.

* Carrington, Battles of the Revolution, pp. 457458; Livingston, Life of Putnam, p. 383; Kapp, Life of Kalb, pp. 162-165.

Trevelyan, American Revolution, vol. iv., pp.

Up to this time the naval operations of the United States had been rather desultory and without any important result. The number of vessels were small and of very inferior fighting qualities, so that there was little hope of being able to cope with the powerful British navy. Yet, in many ways the little American navy was an efficient force in furthering the cause of the country chiefly because of agility. These vessels would dart in and out of a fleet of British merchantmen and capture such vessels as they thought were richly laden, before the British ships of the line could interfere. During 1776 more than 300 English vessels had been taken by the American cruisers, and during the next year, notwithstanding the fact that the British maintained 70 ships of the line on the American coast alone, 467 merchantmen were lost, some of which were of immense value. On the other hand, the American shipping met with many disasters, and not only a large number of merchantmen, but also several of the privateers fell into the hands of the British.* In 1778, after the conclusion of the treaty with France, Congress devoted much time and

329-332, 337; Stillé, Wayne and the Pennsylvania Line, pp. 129-130.

*Fiske says that prior to the French alliance more than 600 British vessels had been captured by the Americans while 900 American ships were taken by the British cruisers. American Revolu tion, vol. ii., pp. 118-119. See also Fisher, Struggle for American Independence, vol. i., chap. xxxiv., and authorities cited.

EXPLOITS OF BIDDLE, JONES, BARRY, AND TALBOT.

thought to the creation of a navy. Several vessels were constructed in France, others were bought, and a considerable number were built in America. In this year, therefore, the outlook for successful naval operations was particularly bright. Early in the year, Captain Nicholas Biddle, in the Randolph, a 36, engaged the British ship Yarmouth, a 64, but after twenty minutes of severe fighting, the Randolph blew up and Captain Biddle and the entire crew perished, with the exception of four men who were rescued a few days later from a piece of the wreckage.* During the year Paul Jones made his appearance along the English coast and completely terrorized all the seaport towns of that country. Captain John Barry distinguished himself in an action off the coast of Maine with two English vessels, sustaining the

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conflict for seven hours and finally escaping on shore with his crew.* Captain Silas Talbot likewise distinguished himself in October by making another well-planned and successful attack upon a British vessel off Rhode Island. At this time the schooner Pigot, being stationed at the mouth of the Sekonet River, had effectually broken up foreign commerce and had cut off all supplies and reinforcements for that part of the colony. Talbot obtained the consent of General Sullivan to attempt the capture of the vessel. In this project Talbot was successful, and the Pigot was carried off in triumph by the Continental forces. A month later Talbot received a complimentary letter from the President of Congress and was presented with a commission as lieutenant-colonel in the United States Army.†

CHAPTER XXIII.

1776-1779.

BORDER WARS: WYOMING: EXPEDITIONS OF CLARK AND SULLIVAN.

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Cherokee war - The massacre of Wyoming - Slaughter of Colonel Baylor's regiment - Pulaski's corps attacked Effect of these atrocities Congress resolves upon retaliatory expeditions - Massacre of Cherry Valley George Rogers Clark in the Northwest Kaskaskia and Vincennes taken - Sullivan's expedition against the Six Nations Other expeditions. While the East was thus being deluged with blood, the West was undergoing no less severe trials. The

* Bancroft, vol. v., p. 222; McCrady, South Carolina in the Revolution, pp. 233-235.

See Cooper, Naval History, vol. i., pp. 8790. See also the various lives of Jones, and Parton, Life of Franklin, vol. ii., pp. 335-343.

British were successful in their efforts to foment a war spirit among the Creeks, Cherokees, Choctaws and

Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii.,

p. 641.

See Mr. Tuckerman's Life of Commodore Talbot, pp. 52-64; Richman, Rhode Island, pp. 233235; S. Talbot, Capture of Pigot Galley, in Rhode Island Historical Society MSS., vol. iii., no. 671.

132

INDIAN ATTACKS ON WATAUGA SETTLEMENTS.

Chickasaws, to which tribes numerous agents had been sent. The subsequent ravages of the Indians maddened the American frontiersmen and changed their resentment against the British king into a deadly and lasting hatred.* These Indian forays reacted unfavorably on the Loyalist cause, for the Indians were too intent upon plunder and rapine to distinguish between Whig and Tory, and as a result large numbers of the latter were driven into the patriot ranks.† The British agents showed poor generalship in inciting the uprising so early, for as yet the British troops in the South were few in number, and the Americans were unhampered in their operations against the Indians.

The Cherokee villages lay in that cluster of mountains which marks the ending of the present boundaries of Georgia and the Carolinas. These provinces lay to the east and southeast of them, while to the north in the valley of the upper Tennessee lay the villages of the Watauga pioneers, and still further north, the Virginia outposts. The Watauga settlements were certain to suffer as they were in close proximity to the Cherokees. Early in the summer of 1776, these Indians gave unmistakable signs of preparing for war shining guns, making moccasins, etc. The ravages began in June, though the main attack was deferred until July, when the various

* Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vcl. i., p. 279. †American Archives, 5th series, vol. i., p. 610. American Archives, 5th series, vol. i., p.111.

bands of Indians spread all over the country, wrapping the back country settlements from the Holston to the Tugelou, from northwestern Georgia to southwestern Virginia, in all the horrors of savage warfare.* The Watauga people had been warned of the attack, and the majority sought safety in their wooden forts or stations, but some delayed their departure and were slain as they fled or else captured, perhaps to die by torture. The Indians now laid waste the fields and burned the homesteads for miles around, soon transforming a prosperous community into a desolate waste and reducing the settlers to poverty. Rather than remain idle up in the fort while the Indians safely committed these depredations, the pioneers on July 20, to the number of 170, marched out toward Island Flats. After dispersing a small detachment of Indians, they had begun the journey homeward when a large body of Indians attacked their rear, but were decisively defeated with great loss, including their chief Dragging Canoe. The American loss was four slightly wounded.† On the same day the Watauga fort, garrisoned by 40 or 50 men under Robertson and Sevier, was attacked by a large force, but the Indians could only maintain an irregular sicge for about three weeks, at the end of which they retired, fearing the approach of rescuing partics of frontiersmen. Of

* Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. i., pp. 282-283.

† Ibid, pp. 286-290.

ATTACKS ON CAROLINA AND GEORGIA FRONTIERS.

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the garrison but few were killed or captured.

the

Early in June the settlements the settlements along the western borders of the Carolinas and Georgia had been attacked. A small party of Georgians had attempted to capture the British agent, Cameron, but the Cherokees surprised the party, killing some and capturing others.* The Southern colonies determined upon an immediate revenge before the British could interpose.† The Cherokees came down Catawba into North Carolina and inflicted great damage upon the back district settlements, but General Griffith Rutherford raised a frontier levy and soon relieved the beleaguered settlements. The small band of Indians who invaded Georgia were repulsed by Colonel Samuel Jack with a force of 200 rangers; and not only were the Indians expelled, but two or three of their villages were destroyed.‡

The party of Indians invading South Carolina was led by Cameron himself. The frontiersmen were commanded by Colonel Andrew Williamson, who with 40 mcn took station at Picken's Fort, July 3. At about this fime Lyndley's Fort on Rayborn Creek was attacked by 200 Indians and Tories, who were beaten back with some loss. By the end of July Williamson's force numbered more

McCall, History of Georgia, p. 76.

† American Archives, 4th series, vol. vi., p. 1228. Roosevelt, Winning of the West, vol. i., pp.

294-295.

than 1,100 militia and he began the advance toward the Indians. With a party of 300 horsemen, he attempted to surprise and capture Cameron, who lay at Oconoree Creek, beyond the Cherokee town of Eseneka, but was ambushed and compelled to retreat with a loss of 5 mortally and 13 severely wounded. He succeeded in burning a number of houses, however, together with some 6,000 bushels of corn. He then returned to camp and the next day resumed the march, on the way destroying all the lower Indian towns, including Seconee, Keowee, Ostatay, Chehokee, Eustustie, Sugaw Town and Brass Town. Leaving a garrison of 600 men at Eseneka, which was renamed Fort Rutledge, Williamson returned home.*

The Carolinas and Virginia then united for action. Each State sent a column of 2,000 men, and the Carolina troops were launched against the middle and valley sections, while the Virginia troops went against the Overhill towns. On September 1, 1776, Rutherford left the head of the Catawba with 2,400 North Carolina troops, passed over the Blue Ridge at Swananoa Gap, crossed the French Broad at the Warrior's Ford, and then pushed on through the mountains to the middle towns. With 900 picked men, he next set out to the valley towns along the Hiawassee, but missed his way in the mountainsthus fortunately escaping an ambush -and on September 18 returned to *Ibid, pp. 296-299.

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RETALIATORY EXPEDITIONS; WYOMING.

the middle towns at Canucca, where he met Williamson with the South Carolina troops.* Williamson then passed on through Noewee Pass and fell into the ambush which had been prepared for Rutherford. After suffering a loss of 17 killed and 29 wounded, Williamson with great difficulty extricated himself from this perilous situation. Rutherford then joined Williamson and the combined forces laid waste all the valley towns and returned home without serious loss.†

Meanwhile, on October 1, the Virginia forces, including some North Carolina troops, in all 2,000 strong, under command of Colonel William Christian, had started from Great Island on the Holston and pressed forward until they reached the Big Island on the French Broad, where the Indians were encamped. When the latter learned of the strength of the Virginia forces, they precipitatedly fled, but Christian pursued and early in November reached their towns, where he remained two weeks, devastating the country for miles around. The Indians then agreed to peace, and after burning the town of Tuskega, Christian led his forces homeward.

It will be remembered that the royal peace commissioners had been unsuccessful in their mission. Considering the Americans as incorrigible rebels, the British took little pains to accord to them the ordinary

* Ibid, pp. 300–301. Ibid, pp. 301–303. Ibid, pp. 303-306.

comities of war. As a part of their campaign to make the war odious to the Americans, the British launched the savage hordes against the frontiers, where all manner of outrages were committed. Among the most atrocious and saddest of these events were the massacres at Wyoming and Cherry Valley. Dr. Thacher, in his Military Journal (pp. 140-143), gives an excellent account of the massacre of Wyoming.* This place, located on the eastern branch of the Susquehanna River, consisted of eight townships, containing about 1,000 families. The settlement was in a flourishing condition and was surrounded by large farms devoted chiefly to the production of grain, hemp, fruit, etc. While the greater part of the inhabitants were loyal Americans, and had ardently espoused the American cause, still there were a considerable number who clung to the British side. As a result, animosities arose to an astonishing height, the closest connections being severed. A number of the inhabitants in a spirit of revenge abandoned their plantations and united with the Indian allies of the British, instigating and assisting them in their barbarous work of slaughter and death, even among relatives and close friends. The adherents of the American cause had received intelligence that the Indians

*See also Bancroft, vol. v., pp. 279-280; Fiske, American Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 82-90; W. L. Stone. The Poetry and Hisiory of Wyoming (3d ed., 1871); Miner, History of Wyoming; Lossing, Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 340–362.

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