The War in the Northwest 5 



shrouds early Western history, is striking and pic 

 turesque in itself; yet its chief interest lies in the 

 fact that he was but a type of many other men. 

 whose lives were no less lonely and dangerous. He 

 had no qualities to make him a leader when settle 

 ments sprang up around him. To the end of his 

 days he remained a solitary hunter and Indian 

 fighter, spurning restraint and comfort, and seeking 

 the strong excitement of danger to give zest to his 

 life. Even in the time of the greatest peril from the 

 savages he would not stay shut up in the forts, but 

 continued his roving, wandering life, trusting to his 

 own quick senses, wonderful strength, and iron 

 nerves. He even continued to lie out at night, 

 kindling a fire, and then lying down to sleep far 

 from it. 3 



Early in the year 1779 a leader of men came to 

 the place where the old hunter had roamed and killed 

 game; and with the new-comer came those who 

 were to possess the land. Robertson left the Wa- 

 tauga settlements soon after the spring opened, 4 



3 "Southwestern Monthly," Nashville, 1852, Vol. II. Gen 

 eral Hall's narrative. 



4 It is very difficult to reconcile the dates of these early 

 movements; even the contemporary documents are often a 

 little vague, while Haywood, Ramsey, and Putnam are fre 

 quently months out of the way. Apparently Robertson 

 stayed as commissioner in Chota until February or March, 

 1779- when he gave warning of the intended raid of the 

 Chickamaugas, and immediately afterward came back to the 

 settlements and started out for the Cumberland, before 

 Shelby left on his Chickamauga expedition. But it is pos 

 sible that he had left Chota before, and that another man was 



