Nickajack Expedition
Encyclopedia
Following a peace treaty
between Cherokee
and white settler
s in 1777, during the midst of the American Revolutionary War
, followers of the Native American chief Dragging Canoe
, all of whom opposed the peace, separated from the tribe
and relocated to East Tennessee
. They were joined by groups of Shawnee
and Creek
at their new home upon Chickamauga Creek, which would become their new namesake. The Chickamauga
engaged in numerous raid
s on the white settlers for decades. A short period of peace took place in the aftermath of the Revolution, during which time they moved west of Lookout Mountain, using Nickajack Cave as their stronghold. However, violence between the two sides soon flared up once more. In 1792, settlers in the Cumberland region feared for their lives, but Territorial
Governor William Blount
continued with peace negotiations. When the sons of Colonel Anthony Bledsoe, as well as Major General George Winchester, were killed in 1794, Blount turned to military action.
and Running Water
, as the point of attack. These villages were the source of many raiding parties. The army came upon Nickajack in mid-August, finding only a hundred or so warriors. Many villagers heard of the army's approach and fled to Running Water before Ore's men had come upon the village. Warriors from Running Water were also on their way to Nickajack to investigate the activity and found the fleeing villagers halfway. Whatever warriors that were with the Nickajack group merged with the Running Water group, and all proceeded back to the village.
By this time the army had already begun pursuit of the fleeing villagers. The two sides met at the Narrows and engaged in battle. It proved to be a disaster for the Chickamauga. They were quickly routed, having managed to wound only three whites, and killing none. The army quickly destroyed both villages, leaving seventy dead. It is said that Col. Whitley personally shot a warrior out of a moving canoe at some distance after his men had failed to make the deadly shot.
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
between Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and white settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s in 1777, during the midst of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, followers of the Native American chief Dragging Canoe
Dragging Canoe
Tsiyu Gansini , "He is dragging his canoe", known to whites as Dragging Canoe, was a Cherokee war chief who led a band of Cherokee against colonists and United States settlers...
, all of whom opposed the peace, separated from the tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
and relocated to East Tennessee
East Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
. They were joined by groups of Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
and Creek
Creek people
The Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
at their new home upon Chickamauga Creek, which would become their new namesake. The Chickamauga
Chickamauga Indian
The Chickamauga or Lower Cherokee, were a band of Cherokee who supported Great Britain at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. They were followers of the Cherokee chief Dragging Canoe...
engaged in numerous raid
Raid (military)
Raid, also known as depredation, is a military tactic or operational warfare mission which has a specific purpose and is not normally intended to capture and hold terrain, but instead finish with the raiding force quickly retreating to a previous defended position prior to the enemy forces being...
s on the white settlers for decades. A short period of peace took place in the aftermath of the Revolution, during which time they moved west of Lookout Mountain, using Nickajack Cave as their stronghold. However, violence between the two sides soon flared up once more. In 1792, settlers in the Cumberland region feared for their lives, but Territorial
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
Governor William Blount
William Blount
William Blount, was a United States statesman. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention for North Carolina, the first and only governor of the Southwest Territory, and Democratic-Republican Senator from Tennessee . He played a major role in establishing the state of Tennessee. He was the...
continued with peace negotiations. When the sons of Colonel Anthony Bledsoe, as well as Major General George Winchester, were killed in 1794, Blount turned to military action.
The expedition
Governor Blount appointed Major James Ore to head the expedition. Col. John Montgomery commanded the territorial militia, and Col. William Whitley of Kentucky (whose state had long felt the brunt of attacks, which had been launched from this area of Tennessee by the Cherokee) commanded his 6th Regiment of militia. Col. Montgomery commanded the left, and Col. Whitley commanded the right, while Maj. Ore retained command from the center. They singled out two Chickamauga villages, NickajackNickajack
Nickajack was the name of a proposed neutral state of Unionist areas of North Alabama and East Tennessee. In the period leading up to the American Civil War there was much talk of secession made by the politicians representing wealthy plantation owners in the Black Belt. Hill country residents were...
and Running Water
Running Water
Running Water may be:* Running Water, Tennessee, former name of Whiteside, Tennessee* Running Water, South Dakota, a community in Bon Homme County, South Dakota* "Running Water" from the 1983 album The Present...
, as the point of attack. These villages were the source of many raiding parties. The army came upon Nickajack in mid-August, finding only a hundred or so warriors. Many villagers heard of the army's approach and fled to Running Water before Ore's men had come upon the village. Warriors from Running Water were also on their way to Nickajack to investigate the activity and found the fleeing villagers halfway. Whatever warriors that were with the Nickajack group merged with the Running Water group, and all proceeded back to the village.
By this time the army had already begun pursuit of the fleeing villagers. The two sides met at the Narrows and engaged in battle. It proved to be a disaster for the Chickamauga. They were quickly routed, having managed to wound only three whites, and killing none. The army quickly destroyed both villages, leaving seventy dead. It is said that Col. Whitley personally shot a warrior out of a moving canoe at some distance after his men had failed to make the deadly shot.