Good Morning!
It was a refreshing 17 degrees on the Mountian this morning. Everytime I push the clutch in on my truck it sounds like I'm stepping on a squeek toy. I keep expecting to see my mothers dog jump in front of me ready to play.
Speaking of dogs, something crossed my mind last Saturday.
Wars less known
Some of the Cherokees most prominent towns were on the Little Tennessee River in Macon County NC. Everytime I'm in that valley I think of them. The Town of Franklin is built on the old Holy Town of Nikwasi. Up and down that river were agricultural fields, towns and hamlets...And battles.
The history leading up to it is a bit complicated, but, on the 27th of June 1760 British General Archibald Montgomery led 1,600 men down that river(it flows north like the French Broad). The Middle Cherokees led by Oconostota* stopped him in what is now the community of Otto NC on the present Tessentee Farm.
It's hard to find details discussing the battle. The one book I had discussing it to any length, I misplaced.
Montgomery walked right into an ambush. While his main force was engaged his Supply Train far to his rear was unguarded. A Cherokee Manuever Force took advantage of it. Roughly half of the Mules were caught. As well some of the British Drummers somewhere in the column were captured. While Montgomery's Highlanders were noted for their bravery it was no match for Oconostota's clever ambush and the Cherokees fierceness. The British had around 100 casualties, made camp briefly and withdrew, going back to Charleston. Montgomery was supposed to releive a besiged Garrison at Ft. Louden in what's now Tennessee.
The British were a modern, well equiped, disciplined force. The Cherokee wich numberd around half of their oponant were not as equiped using limited Firearms and Bow and Arrows(the rate of fire of a bow was greater than a musket). There are indications that they had formal Military Training. They knew the terrain and made excellant use of terrain. That was their way of fighting. They were fighting for their homes and families.
Montgomery failed. He underestimated his enemy( not savages but a Warrior Society) and failed to gather intelligence by making good use of scouts. He failed to adapt to his enemy's tactics. You see, he had already layed waste to the Lower Towns** in now SC at the foot of the Blue Ridge. There he had a number of approaches for 1,600 men. Not so once in the Mountains. Word had already reached the Mountain Towns and Oconostota had shadow patrols following The British from that point on. He did threaten to do the same if they didn't give in to certain demands, but, it was already on.
The next year another battle took place there where the Cherokee didn't fair as well.
The truth is I hunger for knowing more of this Battle. Every time it crosses my mind I wonder.
I don't have the time to go on to other subjects this morning. So, let's just say, you'l have a good weekend.
Appalachian Intellectual
* A Cherokee War Chief. They were titled as Ravens. To be a Raven you had to be a tough dude on top of being a great strategist. They had to catch a Raven by hand in order to earn the title.
** They had also suffered from disease decreasing their numbers.
It was a refreshing 17 degrees on the Mountian this morning. Everytime I push the clutch in on my truck it sounds like I'm stepping on a squeek toy. I keep expecting to see my mothers dog jump in front of me ready to play.
Speaking of dogs, something crossed my mind last Saturday.
Wars less known
Some of the Cherokees most prominent towns were on the Little Tennessee River in Macon County NC. Everytime I'm in that valley I think of them. The Town of Franklin is built on the old Holy Town of Nikwasi. Up and down that river were agricultural fields, towns and hamlets...And battles.
The history leading up to it is a bit complicated, but, on the 27th of June 1760 British General Archibald Montgomery led 1,600 men down that river(it flows north like the French Broad). The Middle Cherokees led by Oconostota* stopped him in what is now the community of Otto NC on the present Tessentee Farm.
It's hard to find details discussing the battle. The one book I had discussing it to any length, I misplaced.
Montgomery walked right into an ambush. While his main force was engaged his Supply Train far to his rear was unguarded. A Cherokee Manuever Force took advantage of it. Roughly half of the Mules were caught. As well some of the British Drummers somewhere in the column were captured. While Montgomery's Highlanders were noted for their bravery it was no match for Oconostota's clever ambush and the Cherokees fierceness. The British had around 100 casualties, made camp briefly and withdrew, going back to Charleston. Montgomery was supposed to releive a besiged Garrison at Ft. Louden in what's now Tennessee.
The British were a modern, well equiped, disciplined force. The Cherokee wich numberd around half of their oponant were not as equiped using limited Firearms and Bow and Arrows(the rate of fire of a bow was greater than a musket). There are indications that they had formal Military Training. They knew the terrain and made excellant use of terrain. That was their way of fighting. They were fighting for their homes and families.
Montgomery failed. He underestimated his enemy( not savages but a Warrior Society) and failed to gather intelligence by making good use of scouts. He failed to adapt to his enemy's tactics. You see, he had already layed waste to the Lower Towns** in now SC at the foot of the Blue Ridge. There he had a number of approaches for 1,600 men. Not so once in the Mountains. Word had already reached the Mountain Towns and Oconostota had shadow patrols following The British from that point on. He did threaten to do the same if they didn't give in to certain demands, but, it was already on.
The next year another battle took place there where the Cherokee didn't fair as well.
The truth is I hunger for knowing more of this Battle. Every time it crosses my mind I wonder.
I don't have the time to go on to other subjects this morning. So, let's just say, you'l have a good weekend.
Appalachian Intellectual
* A Cherokee War Chief. They were titled as Ravens. To be a Raven you had to be a tough dude on top of being a great strategist. They had to catch a Raven by hand in order to earn the title.
** They had also suffered from disease decreasing their numbers.
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Thursday, November 17, 2005
6 Comments:
Brrr! I think I'll just keep my 40 degrees...
What a nice send off for the weekend.
You too, A.I.
Good story. I like real history.
Too many people only know the Cherokee from what is left of them and what they've had to do to adapt.
I don't know if it's still true, but you used to drive through their neck of the woods and buy Chinese tom-tom drums and rubber headed "tomahawks". Not exactly presenting the, as you mentioned, proud warriors in a flattering light, huh.
Have to agree with janie, though. You may have the cold temps like that all to yourself.
Janie, It's a wet 40 degrees in Seattle. It's a dry 17 here. Well was. I was told a little later it got down to 14.
Murf, nothing in the coffee.
Ed, it's still true. Truth is alot of the vendors in Cherokeee are not Indians, so they don't care. You want the real stuff? Bear Meats Produce on the old Hwy 19 heading towards Maggie Valley. Once your off the beaten path over there, the Language is still spoke and some of the beleifs still exsisit.
i remember hiking over Standing Indian Mt, there near Franklin on the Appalachian Trail, as the last of a hurricane dumped itself on us--10 inches of rain in a day--some of the worst hiking I've done and some of my best memories... Great story.
I've been doing genealogy for about 6 years now and it's amazing how many folks will claim a Cherokee ancestor.
Problem is if the particular lineage doesn't categorically link to the Dawes Roll, then it's hard to prove.
But, again, its amazing on these genealogy message boards and such how people will claim it. It's sorta a status symbol to some, I guess.
I imagine 100 yrs ago, it was the opposite.
Sage, there's rough country back in Standing Indian. It's Bear Sanctuary back in there. I've never been caught out on a Mountian like that during a Hurricane, but I have in some real Gully Washers. Strangley it does sound like fun.
AGT, I can reasonably reckon I had ancestors at the Battle. It's said to have taken the entire fighting stregth of the Middle Towns. But, my people aren't on the Dawes Rolls. Some isolated ones didn't know or just didn't bother.
You wouldn't know that I had any dagree of the blood in me. I have Blode Hair and Blue Eyes. But, it shows in alot of my relatives.
But, I agree with your last statment. Anything to be cool.
Post a Comment
<< Home