When they came to the Tennessee they spent the entire night in ferrying the arms across and swimming the horses; they used bundles of dry cane for rafts, and made four “bull-boats” out of the hides of steers.  They passed over unobserved and fell on the towns of Nickajack and Running Water, taking the Indians completely by surprise; they killed fifty-five warriors and captured nineteen squaws and children.  In the entire expedition but one white man was killed and three wounded. [Footnote:  Robertson MSS., Robertson to Blount, Oct. 8, 1794; Blount to Robertson, Oct. 1, 1794, Sept. 9, 1794 (in which Blount expresses the utmost disapproval of Robertson’s conduct, and says he will not send on Robertson’s original letter to Philadelphia, for fear it will get him into a scrape; and requests him to send a formal report which can be forwarded); Knoxville Gazette, Sept. 26, 1794; Brown’s Narrative.]

    This Brings the Cherokees to Terms.

Not only the Federal authorities, but Blount himself, very much disapproved of this expedition; nevertheless, it was right and proper, and produced excellent effects.  In no other way could the hostile towns have been brought to reason.  It was followed by a general conference with the Cherokees at Tellico Blockhouse.  Scolacutta appeared for the Upper, and Watts for the Lower Cherokee Towns.  Watts admitted that “for their folly” the Lower Cherokees had hitherto refused to make peace, and remarked frankly, “I do not say they did not deserve the chastisement they received.”  Scolacutta stated that he could not sympathize much with the Lower Towns, saying, “their own conduct brought destruction upon them.  The trails of murderers and thieves was followed to those towns ...  Their bad conduct drew the white people on me, who injured me nearly unto death....  All last winter I was compelled to lay in the woods by the bad conduct of my own people drawing war on me.”  At last the Cherokees seemed sincere in their desire for peace. [Footnote:  Robertson MSS., Blount’s Minutes of Conference held with Cherokees, Nov. 7 and 8, 1794, at Tellico Blockhouse.]

    Cherokees and Chikasaws Restrain Creeks.

These counter-attacks served a double purpose.  They awed the hostile Cherokees; and they forced the friendly Cherokees, for the sake of their own safety, actively to interfere against the bands of hostile Creeks.  A Cherokee chief, The Stallion, and a number of warriors, joined with the Federal soldiers and Tennessee militia in repulsing the Creek war parties.  They acted under Blount’s directions, and put a complete stop to the passage of hostile Indians through their towns. [Footnote:  Robertson MSS., Ecooe to John McKee, Tellico, Feb. 1, 1795, etc.] The Chickasaws also had become embroiled with the Creeks. [Footnote:  Blount MSS., James Colbert to Robertson, Feb. 10, 1792.] For over three years they carried on an intermittent warfare with them, and were heartily supported by the frontiersmen, who were prompt to recognize the value of their services.  At the same time the hostile Indians were much cowed at the news of Wayne’s victory in the North.