The War in the Northwest 309 



wooded and precipitous defiles, and were pouring 

 down to the help of their brethren of the plains. 



Ferguson had pushed his victories to the foot of 

 the Smoky and the Yellow mountains. Here he 

 learned, perhaps for the first time, that there were 

 a few small settlements beyond the high ranges he 

 saw in his front; and he heard that some of these 

 backwoods mountaineers had already borne arms 

 against him, and were now harboring men who had 

 fled from before his advance. By a prisoner whom 

 he had taken he at once sent them warning to cease 

 their hostilities, and threatened that if they did not 

 desist he would march across the mountains, hang 

 their leaders, put their fighting men to the sword, 

 and waste their settlements with fire. He had been 

 joined by refugee tories from the Watauga, who 

 could have piloted him thither; and perhaps he in- 

 tended to make his threats good. It seems more 

 likely that he paid little heed to the mountaineers, 

 scorning their power to do him hurt; though he 

 did not regard them with the haughty and ignorant 

 disdain usually felt for such irregulars by the Brit- 

 ish army officers. 



When the Holston men learned that Ferguson 

 had come to the other side of the mountains, and 

 threatened their chiefs with the halter and their 

 homes with the torch, a flame of passionate anger 

 was kindled in all their hearts. They did not wait 

 for his attack; they sallied from their strong- 

 holds to meet him. Their crops were garnered, 

 their young men were ready for the march; and 



