The
delinquent officer was Jonathan Tipton, younger brother of
Colonel John Tipton, of whom we shall hear later. It is possible
that from this event dates the Tiptons' feud with Sevier, which
supplies one of the breeziest pages in the story of early
Tennessee.
Not content with putting the marauders to flight, Sevier pressed
on after them, burned several of the upper towns, and took
prisoner a number of women and children, thus putting the red
warriors to the depth of shame, for the Indians never deserted
their women in battle. The chiefs at once sued for peace. But
they had made peace often before. Sevier drove down upon the
Hiwassee towns, meanwhile proclaiming that those among the tribe
who were friendly might send their families to the white
settlement, where they would be fed and cared for until a sound
peace should be assured. He also threatened to continue to make
war until his enemies were wiped out, their town sites a heap of
blackened ruins, and their whole country in possession of the
whites, unless they bound themselves to an enduring peace.
Having compelled the submission of the Otari and Hiwassee towns,
yet finding that depredations still continued, Sevier determined
to invade the group of towns hidden in the mountain fastnesses
near the headwaters of the Little Tennessee where, deeming
themselves inaccessible except by their own trail, the Cherokees
freely plotted mischief and sent out raiding parties.
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