Wednesday 11th We set of [f] early & Marched briskly to New River wch was occasioned by an Information we recd that Capt Hogs Comy was but a little behind us. we got safe ovr the River & left a Guard of Men wth the Waggon wch did not reach the camp till late at night. As we Marched by the Cherikee Camps we Saluted them by Fireing Guns wch they returned wth seeming Joy & Aftersds honoured us wth a War Dance. Thursday 12th Nothing remarkable this Day only I heard a Sermon preached at Capt Woodstons Camp by the Revd Mr. Browne. Friday 13th This Day recd Orders from Maj. Lewis to have my Compy in readiness to appear on the Pardae at 12 o'Clock to Pass a Review wch Orders was complyd with. the Number Review'd was about 340, Indians included being the companies follg. Capts Hog, Preston, Smith, Overton, Woodston, & Paris wth the Cherikee Indians.... Lodged this Night wth the Revd Mr Browne at Mrs Peppers & took a good bath in the River. N. B. The Revd Mr Craig preached a Military Sermon his text was in Deuteronomy Two Caps Commissions was given this Day by Major Lewis to two Head Cherikee Warriors named Yellow Bird, Round O Saturday 14th Day. This Day came a company of Volunteers under Capt Delaps [Dunlap's] Command being 25 in Number. Sunday 15th. This Morning abt 10 o'Clock Old Jas Burk brought word that Robert Looney was killed nigh Alex. Sawyer's & that he had himself Horse shot & 5 takin away by Shanese Indians & that he thought by wt Signes he see that it was not above 4 Indians that had done the above upon wch there was Immediately a Council of War held & it was Concluded to send a Detachment of 60 White Men & 40 Indians out to morrow morng [as Scouts] Abt Noon The Revd Mr Browne gave us a military Sermon his Text was 2d Bk of Samuel Ch. V. which was excellently treated upon. & at Night our Indians Danced a Great War Dance. Monday 16 40 Indians & 60 White men under the Commd of Capt. Smith & Woodson marched from Fort in Order to range the woods about Reed Creek for the Enemy they are to march to Burks Garden when they are to be joined by the Second Division. the Revd Mr Browne took his departure from the Fort. I conveyd him over the River & there took Leave of him, Dined with Capt Hog who Entertained the Officers very kindly. Tuesday 17th We had Orders this Day to hold our Companies in Readiness to march next morning, Mr Paul returned from the horse Guard & reported that 3r was missing. the Revd Mr Craig Preachd an Excellent Sermon I wrote Sundry letters to my friends. Mr. Paul with a Small Detachment was ordered to search for the Horses which was missing they staid out that night Wednesday 18th the Companies were all in Readiness to march early this morning but as so many Horses were wanting only Capt Hog's Company & the Volunters with Major Lewis could march. They set off in the afternoon. My Company with Capt Pearis's was ordered to stay till the Horses would be found & Sadles prepared & that Night we fixed of[f] 27 Loaded Horses with which we marched next morning. Thursday the 19th. This morning all hands were Busied in getting Ready for their Journey and at 10 O'Clock we took Leave of what friends were there & after Sundry stoppages on the Road we got to Wm Lyens that Night & Lodged very well on his barn floor. I left 3 men at fort Jh under Stephen Tyler. Fryday 20. for swearing profanely I had occasion to switch one of the soldiers for misdemeanor which with Lt Mcneal & I Diverting ourselves by play very much incensed the Indian Chiefs then Present We started at 8 oclock & advanced to Alexr Tyers where we met with the Indians who went out with the first Division & Stephen Inglis who Informed us of the Burriel of Robt Looney & the other unfortunate man that was murdered with him soals of two Shawnees which was seen by a Cherrekee but being at so great a Distance he Did not fire at them. that Capts Smith and Woodson was Imediately Informed thereof but their searches for the Enemy Proved Useless as the Night very soon approached. I sent the Baggage horses on to McCalls (where the Body of men Lay) under the care of Lts Paul & Robinson & tarryd with Capt Pearis & others to accompany the Indians who being incensed at their missing the Enemy & some Disturbance which arose among themselves seemd in a verry bad humor & after we left the House a Large Party of the Indians took off another way and pretended they would go to the Shawnese Town a near way, & only the Warriors & ten men attended us to the Camp. at which place we arrived about 4 oClock in the Afternoon I spent the evening very agreeably among the Officers. Saturday the 21st We recd Orders not to let our men fire any Guns withn one mile of the Camp, to Debar play of any kind among the men, & to send 4 Men out of each Company under Capt Overton & Lt McNeal to go in quest of the Enemy at a place where they had been Traced the Day before by Capt Tyers & others, in the afternoon they Returned but had found no Enemy. Major Lewis Capt Pearis & the Interpreter went to Col. Buchanan's Place where the Indians which deserted us had Loged the night before & with many persuasive Arguments prevailed upon them to Return & Join the army which they did in the Evening to our great Sattisfaction. Sunday 22d We marched about 9 oClock from McCauls at which time I wrote home and sent my horse by Col. Buchanan's servt which I soon after Repented. We Reached to Jno McFarlands about 3 OClock where we Encamped the Vollunteers-having marched on before us the Indians-perceiving their Tracks which they took to be the Enemy's occasioned our taking up Lodging so soon. My Company Mounted Guard this Evening. Returned a Muster Roll of the Co. Monday ye 23d This morning appeared likely to Rain we marched at 9 oClock & overtook the Vollunteers at Robt McFarland. from which we marched over the mountain with much Difficulty as it-Rained Very hard we Lodged at Bear Garden on the N. Branch of holstons River where we lost sundry Horses. Tuesday ye 24 Marched at 10 oClock from Bear Garden & with great trouble & fatigue Passed two Large Mountains & at length arrived at Burks Garden where we Encamped that Night we had Plenty of Potatoes which the Soldiers Gathered in the Deserted Plantations. Numbers of the White Men & Indians went out to hunt for fresh meat which was brought in abundance. The Indians discovered some Tracks which they took to be Enemy Indians & orders was given to each Captain to have 4 men of their Respective Companys in Rediness to march next morning with Capt Pearis & 20 Indians before the Company as Scout to Range the Woods-Snowed that night Wednesday 25th 20 white men and 20 Indians were sent off very early with Orders to wait for the Body at Clinch or Sandey Creekand it was Ordered that the soldiers should hunt that Day for Provisions (as none would be Drawn) (for we agreed not march that Day) I sent out several hunters and went out myself with Capt Brackiwood [Breckenridge] & hunted for seven hours & killed only one Poor Turkey and all my other hunters Returned with Success which caused many complaints to be made to the Comy. Burk's Garden is a Tract of Land about 5 or 6,000 Acres as Rich and Fertile as any I ever saw. it is well watered with many beautiful streams & Lyes surrounded with mountains almost inaccessable. Thursday 26th. We marched Early & Crossed three large mountains with great Difficulty & after Dark Arived at the head of Clinch where we met with Capt Pearis & the Detachment under his Command who had not met or seen any signs of the Enemy. It Rained in the Night which give me great Uneasiness as I was Ill Provided for a Tent. That Day bought a little horse of Lt Smith for £4 to Carry me out to the Shawne Towns. Our hunters went out but could not find any Game. Fryday 27 Being a very great Rain we lay by that Day. in the afternoon it cleared up & Several went a hunting and Killed 3 or four Bears. Saturday 28th We marched at 10 oClock & Passed several Branches of Clinch and at length got to the Head of Sandy Creek where we met with great Trouble and Fatigue occasioned by a very heavy Rain and the Driving of our Baggage Horses Down Sd Creek which we Crossed 20 Times that evening. We Encamped an hour before sunset. ordered to mount Guard that night. Our hunters had good success. 3 Buffaloes were killed and some Deer. I was Sunday 29th We marched half an hour after nine & in 15 miles. Passed the Creek, 66 times. My Compy attended the Pack Horses which Increased our Fatigue as Sundry Horses were left not being able to carry Loads any further. I Passed the Creek 16 Times on Foot. The Sabbath Day was spent very Disagreeably. We followed Down the Several Courses of that Crooked Creek Passing Branches which came in on both sides until we Came to a Cane Swamp where we Encamped. This Creek has been much frequented by Indians both Traveling & hunting on it & from many late Signs I am apprehensive that ?arnisher the Prisoners taken with him were Carried this way & Indeed the Indian are of oppinion that som have gone lately this way by some Tracks they seen. Monday 1st of March [1756] This morning I see to the West and I heard Thunder before Day. (I bathed in ye River) At nineoClock we marched & in four miles we Left the Creek to the Eastward Passed a Gap in a high Ridge & Came upon a Branch which we Encamped upon in a large Bent & in a very In convenient Place. about oneoClock we had a very great Gust of Thunder hail & Rain which caused us to take up much sooner than otherwise we would have done. The Indians went in front & (as they say) they Discovered the Tracks of 2 Enemy Indians on ye main Creek. I sent Abm Bledsher to hunt & he found where the Enemy had been about 2 Days ago Cutting a tree for a Bear & see 3 box traps which had been made since Crsitams. It was generally believed that the Enemy had a hunting Camp very Nigh. Therefore Caution must be used that we may trap undiscovered or utturly destroy the Party. Tuesday ye 2d. a number of the Indians went out Early to make what Discoveries they could of ye Enemy about 10 oClock some of them Returned & Reported that they had seen a large Camping Place of ye Enemy where they had been about 3 Days ago with many signs of Horses which had been stolen by them The Cherrokees Desired to Stay that Day at their Camp to Range the Woods which they Did. We marched at 120Clock and traveled down the Branch about one Mile where we see the above Enemies Camp, with very great Signs, we proceeded down ye Branch & in another mile or two we came to the main Creek where we Encamped at 2 oClock. Major Lewis, Capt Pears & Brackinridge & myself with sundry others II in number went down the Creek Two Miles in Search of tracks but being followed by Mr Hocket we Returned, who told us that the Indians had seen a great smoke which they supposed to be Enemies & that they had sent a Messagenger for Capt Pearis to go Imediately to them with 25 Chosen Men no other Officers. We Proceeded with great haste to the Camp & the men were Ordered out being 30 odd in numbr with Capt Pearis, Lts McNeal & Allan who went as Vollunteers We recd an account that the Cherrokees with a few white men had Left the Camp & were gone in order to Destroy the Enemy before they were Reinforced by the Detachment. This Day we were put to half alowance of Beef which was almost exhausted-this Day on our march we came into the Cole Land Crossed ye Rivr S[undry] times. Wednesday 3d we marched half an hour after nine oClock my company on the rear of Capt Hog with 20 men went before to Clear the Road which was almost Impassible. we marched until sunset or nigh that time & advanced only 9 other miles being much Retarded by the River & mountains which closed in on Both sides which Rendered our marching very Difficult and more so as each man had but half a pound of flour & no meat but what we could kill, & that was very scarce. Encamped on ye Creek at a place where no food was for the Horses wh ocasioned many to stray away We got a few Bears. Capt Pearis' had not Returned. we Thursday 4th We marched at half an hour after nine oClock after a tedious search for the Horses many of whom could not be found. I was ordered to march in the front wth my Company we Proceeded Down ye Ck which by several Branches coming in on both sides was very much Increased and Rendered it Difficult for our poor men to Wade which they were obliged to do 16 times. Capt Pearis & Lt McNeal with the white men & Indians on that Command met us on the Creek & Reported that they had made great search for the Enemy & could not find any signs, nor the fire which the Cherrokees supposed they see the smoke of. we marched about 6 miles that Day I sent out several hunters but had no success as was the Case with the Whole Company & nothing but Hunger & fatigue appeared to us. Fryday 5th we marched about nine oClock this morning & with great Difficulty Proceeded 15 miles on our Journey the River being |