The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 259 



But in the spring of 1 786 the discontent which had 

 smouldered burst into a flame. Tipton and his fol 

 lowers openly espoused the cause of North Carolina, 

 and were joined, as time waned, by the men who for 

 various reasons were dissatisfied with the results 

 of the trial of independent Statehood. They held 

 elections, at the Sycamore Shoals and elsewhere, 

 to choose representatives to the North Carolina 

 Legislature, John Tipton being elected Senator. 

 They organized the entire local government over 

 again in the interest of the old State. 



The two rival governments clashed in every way. 

 County courts of both were held in the same coun 

 ties ; the militia were called out by both sets of offi 

 cers; taxes were levied by both Legislatures. 9 The 

 Franklin courts were held at Jonesboro, the North 

 Carolina courts at Buffalo, ten miles distant; and 

 each court in turn was broken up by armed bands 

 of the opposite party. Criminals throve in the con 

 fusion, and the people refused to pay taxes to either 

 party. Brawls, with their brutal accompaniments 

 of gouging and biting, were common. Sevier and 

 Tipton themselves, on one occasion when they by 

 chance met, indulged in a rough-and-tumble fight 

 before their friends could interfere. 



Throughout the year '86 the confusion gradually 

 grew worse. A few days after the Greeneville con 

 vention met, the Legislature of North Carolina 

 passed an act in reference to the revolt. It declared 

 that, at the proper time, the western counties would 



8 Hay wood, 160. 



