33 6 The Winning of the West 



some of the young braves among the lower towns 

 could riot be restrained, and in consequence the out- 

 lying settlers of Georgia and the Carolinas were the 

 first to be assailed. 



The main attack was made early in July, the war- 

 riors rushing down from their upland fastnesses in 

 fierce and headlong haste, the different bands march- 

 ing north, east, and southeast at the same moment. 

 From the Holston to the Tugelou, from southwestern 

 Virginia to northwestern Georgia, the back-country 

 settlements were instantly wrapped in the sudden 

 horror of savage warfare. 



The Watauga people, the most exposed of all, re- 

 ceived timely warning from a friendly squaw, 26 to 

 whom the whites ever after showed respect and 

 gratitude. They at once began to prepare for the 

 stroke; and in all the Western world of woodsmen 

 there were no men better fitted for such a death 

 grapple. They still formed a typical pioneer com- 

 munity; and their number had been swelled from 

 time to time by the arrival of other bold and rest- 

 less spirits. Their westernmost settlement this year 

 was in Carter's Valley; where four men had cleared 

 a few acres of corn-land, and had hunted buffalo 

 for their winter's meat. 27 



As soon as they learned definitely that the Otari 

 warriors, some seven hundred in number, were 



26 Her name was Nancy Ward. Campbell MSS., Hay wood, 

 etc. 



27 Ramsey, 144. The buffalo were killed (winter of 1775- 

 1776) twelve miles northeast of Carter's Valley. 



