Their Outrages on the Tennesseeans.

The General Government had conducted the treaties in good faith and had given the Indians what they asked.  The frontiersmen did not molest them in any way or trespass upon their lands; yet their ravages continued without cessation.  The authorities at Washington made but feeble efforts to check these outrages, and protect the southwestern settlers.  Yet at this time Tennessee was doing her full part in sustaining the National Government in the war against the Northwestern tribes; a company of Tennessee militia, under Captain Jacob Tipton, joined St. Clair’s army, and Tipton was slain at the defeat, where he fought with the utmost bravery. [Footnote:  Knoxville Gazette, Dec. 17, 1791.  I use the word “Tennessee” for convenience; it was not at this time used in this sense.] Not unnaturally the Tennesseeans, and especially the settlers on the far-off Cumberland, felt it a hardship for the United States to neglect their defence at the very time that they were furnishing their quota of soldiers for an offensive war against nations in whose subdual they had but an indirect interest.  Robertson wrote to Blount that their silence and remoteness was the cause why the interests of the Cumberland settlers were thus neglected, while the Kentuckians were amply protected. [Footnote:  Robertson MSS., Robertson’s letter, Nashville, Aug. 25, 1791.]

    Anger of the Tennesseeans. 
    Blindness of the Federal Government.

Naturally the Tennesseeans, conscious that they had not wronged the Indians, and had scrupulously observed the treaty, grew imbittered over, the wanton Indian outrages.  They were entirely at a loss to explain the reason why the warfare against them was waged with such ferocity.  Sevier wrote to Madison, with whom he frequently corresponded:  “This country is wholly involved in a war with the Creek and Cherokee Indians, and I am not able to suggest the reasons or the pretended cause of their depredations.  The successes of the Northern tribes over our late unfortunate armies have created great exultation throughout the whole Southern Indians, and the probabilities may be they expect to be equally successful.  The Spaniards are making use of all their art to draw over the Southern tribes, and I fear may have stimulated them to commence their hostilities.  Governor Blount has indefatigably labored to keep these people in a pacific humor, but in vain.  War is unavoidable, however ruinous and calamitous it may be.” [Footnote:  State Dep.  MSS., Madison Papers, Sevier’s letter, Oct. 30, 1792.] The Federal Government was most reluctant to look facts in the face and acknowledge that the hostilities were serious, and that they were unprovoked by the whites.  The Secretary of War reported to the President that the offenders were doubtless merely a small banditti of Creeks and Cherokees, with a few Shawnees who possessed no fixed residence; and in groping for a remedy he weakly suggested that inasmuch as many of the Cherokees seemed to be dissatisfied with the boundary line they had established by treaty it would perhaps be well to alter it. [Footnote:  State Dep.  MSS., Washington Papers, Secretary of War to the President, July 28, and Aug. 5, 1792.] Of course the adoption of such a measure would have amounted to putting a premium on murder and treachery.