The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 279 



of men of his own color, the Indians consented to 

 patch up another truce. 30 



The outrages, however, continued ; among others, 

 a big boat was captured by the Chickamaugas, and 

 all but three of the forty souls on board were killed. 

 The settlers drew no fine distinctions between in 

 different Indians ; they knew that their friends were 

 being murdered by savages who came from the di 

 rection of the Cherokee towns; and they vented 

 their wrath on the Indians who dwelt in these towns 

 because they were nearest to hand. 



On May 24th Martin left the Indian town of 

 Chota, the beloved town, where he had been stay 

 ing, and rode to the French Broad. There he found 

 that a big levy of frontier militia, with Sevier at 

 their head, were preparing to march against the 

 Indians ; Sevier having been chosen general, as men 

 tioned above. Realizing that it was now hopeless 

 to try to prevent a war, Martin hurried back to 

 Chota, and removed his negroes, horses and goods. 



Sevier, heedless of Martin's remonstrances, hur 

 ried forward on his raid, with a hundred riders. 

 He struck a town on Hiawassee and destroyed it, 

 killing a number of the warriors. This feat, and 

 two or three others like it, made the frontiersmen 

 flock to his standard; 81 but before any great num 

 ber were embodied under him, he headed a small 

 party on a raid which was sullied by a deed of 



80 State Dept. MSS., No. 71, Vol. II. Martin to Randolph, 

 June n, 1788. 



81 State Dept. MSS., No. 150, Vol. III. Geo. Maxwell to 

 Martin, July 9, 1788. 



