360 The Winning of the West 



troops. By the first week in December, 1780, seven 

 hundred mounted riflemen were ready to march, un- 

 der the joint leadership of Colonel Arthur Campbell 

 and of Sevier, the former being the senior officer. 

 They were to meet at an appointed place on the 

 French Broad. 



Sevier started first, with between two and three 

 hundred of his Watauga and Nolichucky followers. 

 He marched down to the French Broad, but could 

 hear nothing of Campbell. He was on the great 

 war trace of the Southern Indians, and his scouts 

 speedily brought him word that they had exchanged 

 shots with a Cherokee war party, on its way to the 

 settlements, and not far distant on the other side 

 of the river. He instantly crossed, and made a 

 swift march toward the would-be marauders, camp- 

 ing on Boyd's Creek. The scouts were out by sun- 

 rise next morning December i6th, and speedily 

 found the Indian encampment, which the warriors 

 had just left. On receipt of the news Sevier or- 

 dered the scouts to run on, attack the Indians, and 

 then instantly retreat, so as to draw them into an 

 ambuscade. Meanwhile the main body followed 

 cautiously after, the men spread out in a long line, 

 with the wings advanced ; the left wing under Major 

 Jesse Walton, the right under Major Jonathan Tip- 

 ton, while Sevier himself commanded the centre, 

 which advanced along the trail by which the scouts 

 were to retreat. When the Indians were drawn into 

 the middle, the two wings were to close in, when the 

 whole party would be killed or captured. 



