In the Current of the Revolution 353 



against all the other lower towns, utterly destroying 

 every one by the middle of August, although not 

 without one or two smart skirmishes. 57 His troops 

 were very much elated, and only the lack of provi- 

 sions prevented his marching against the middle 

 towns. As it was, he retired to refit, leaving a 

 garrison of six hundred men at Eseneka, which he 

 christened Fort Rutledge. This ended the first stage 

 of the retaliatory campaign, undertaken by the 

 whites in revenge for the outbreak. The South 

 Carolinians, assisted slightly by a small independent 

 command of Georgians, who acted separately, had 

 destroyed the lower Cherokee towns, at the same 

 time that the Watauga people repulsed the attack of 

 the Overhill warriors. 



The second and most important movement was 

 to be made by South Carolina, North Carolina, and 

 Virginia jointly, each sending a column of two thou- 

 sand men, 58 the two former against the middle and 

 valley, the latter against the Overhill towns. If 

 the columns acted together the Cherokees would be 



57 At Tomassee, where he put to flight a body of two or 

 three hundred warriors, he lost eight killed and fifteen 

 wounded, and at Tugelou, four woundetf. Besides these two 

 towns, he also destroyed Soconee, Keowee, Ostatay, Cheho- 

 kee, Eustustre, Sugaw Town, and Brass Town. 



58 All militia, of course, with only the training they had 

 received on the rare muster days ; but a warlike set, utterly 

 unlike ordinary militia, and for woodland work against sav- 

 ages in many respects much superior to European regulars. 

 This campaign against the Cherokees was infinitely more 

 successful than that waged in 1760 against the same foe by 

 armies of grenadiers and highlanders. 



