Sevier, heedless of Martin’s remonstrances, hurried forward on his raid, with a hundred riders.  He struck a town on Hiawassee and destroyed it, killing a number of the warriors.  This feat, and two or three others like it, made the frontiersmen flock to his standard; [Footnote:  State Dept.  MSS., No. 150, vol. iii.  Geo. Maxwell to Martin, July 9, 1788.] but before any great number were embodied under him, he headed a small party on a raid which was sullied by a deed of atrocious treachery and cruelty.  He led some forty men to Chilhowa [Footnote:  State Dept.  MSS., No. 150, vol. iii, Thos.  Hutchings to Martin, July 11. 1788] on the Tennessee; opposite a small town of Cherokees, who were well known to have been friendly to the whites.  Among them were several chiefs, including an old man named the Corn Tassel, who for years had been foremost in the endeavor to keep the peace, and to prevent raids on the settlers.  They put out a white flag; and the whites then hoisted one themselves.  On the strength of this one of the Indians crossed the river, and on demand of the whites ferried them over. [Footnote:  State Dept.  MSS., No. 150, vol. iii.  Hutchings to Maxwell, June 20, 1788.  Hutchings to Martin, July 11, 1788.] Sevier put the Indians in a hut, and then a horrible deed of infamy was perpetrated.  Among Sevier’s troops was young John Kirk, whose mother, sisters, and brothers had been so foully butchered by the Cherokee Slim Tom and his associates.  Young Kirk’s brutal soul was parched with longing for revenge, and he was, both in mind and heart, too nearly kin to his Indian foes greatly to care whether his vengeance fell on the wrongdoers or on the innocent.  He entered the hut where the Cherokee chiefs were confined and brained them with his tomahawk, while his comrades looked on without interfering.  Sevier’s friends asserted that at the moment he was absent; but this is no excuse.  He knew well the fierce blood lust of his followers, and it was criminal negligence on his part to leave to their mercy the friendly Indians who had trusted to his good faith; and, moreover, he made no effort to punish the murderer.

As if to show the futility of the plea that Sevier was powerless, a certain Captain Gillespie successfully protected a captive Indian from militia violence at this very time.  He had come into the Indian country with one of the parties which intended to join Sevier, and while alone he captured a Cherokee.  When his troops came up they immediately proposed to kill the Indian, and told him they cared nothing for his remonstrances; whereupon he sprang from his horse, cocked his rifle, and told them he would shoot dead the first man who raised a hand to molest the captives.  They shrank back, and the Indian remained unharmed. [Footnote:  Haywood, p. 183.]

    Misconduct of the Frontiersmen.