So the flags of France and the United States went together into the field against Great Britain, unsupported by any other government, yet with the good wishes of all the peoples of Europe.  The benefit then conferred on the United States was priceless.  In return, the revolution in America came opportunely for France....  For the blessing of that same France, America brought new life and hope; she superseded scepticism by a wise and prudent enthusiasm in action, and bade the nation that became her ally lift up its heart from the barrenness of doubt to the highest affirmation of God and liberty, to freedom and union with the good, the beautiful, and the true.

* * * * *

=_J.G.M.  Ramsey,[40] about 1800-._=

From “The Annals of Tennessee.”

=_134._= SKETCH OF GENERAL JOHN SEVIER.

The Etowah campaign was the last military service rendered by Sevier, and the only one for which he ever received compensation from the government.  For nearly twenty years he had been constantly engaged in incessant and unremitted service.  He was in thirty-five battles, some of them hardly contested, and decisive.  He was never wounded, and in all his campaigns and battles was successful and the victor.  He was careful of the lives of his soldiery; and, although he always led them to the victory, he lost, in all his engagements with the enemy, but fifty-six men.  The secret of his invariable success was the impetuosity and vigor of his charge.  Himself an accomplished horseman, a graceful rider, passionately fond of a spirited charger, always well mounted, at the head of his dragoons, he was at once in the midst of the fight.  His rapid movement, always unexpected and sudden, disconcerted the enemy, and, at the first onset, decided the victory.  He was the first to introduce the Indian war-whoop in his battles with the savages, the Tories, and the British.  More harmless than the leaden missile, it was not less efficient, and was always the precursor and attendant of victory.  The prisoners at King’s Mountain said, “We could stand your fighting; but your cursed hallooing confused us.  We thought the mountains had regiments, instead of companies.”  Sevier’s enthusiasm was contagious; he imparted it to his men.  He was the idol of the soldiery; and his orders were obeyed cheerfully, and executed with precision.  In a military service of twenty years, one instance is not known of insubordination, on the part of the soldier, or of discipline by the commander.

Sevier’s troops were generally his neighbors, and the members of his own family.  Often no public provision was made for their pay, equipments, or subsistence.  These were furnished by himself, being at once commander, commissary, and paymaster.  The soldiery rendezvoused at his house, which often became a cantonment; his fields, ripe or unripe, were given up to his horsemen; powder and lead, provisions, clothing, even all he had, belonged to his men.