284 The Winning of the West 



of the Franklin region were harried with vindictive 

 ferocity. The strokes fell most often and most 

 heavily on the innocent. Half of the militia were 

 called out, and those who most condemned the orig 

 inal acts of aggression committed by their neigh 

 bors were obliged to make common cause with these 

 neighbors, so as to save their own lives and the 

 lives of their families. 40 The officers of the dis 

 trict ordered a general levy of the militia to march 

 against the ^Indian towns, and in each county the 

 backwoodsmen began to muster. 41 



Before the troops assembled many outrages were 

 committed by the savages. Horses were stolen, peo 

 ple were killed in their cabins, in their fields, on 

 the roads, and at the ferries ; and the settlers nearest 

 the Indian country gathered in their forted stations, 

 and sent earnest appeals for help to their unmolested 

 brethren. The stations were attacked, and at one 

 or two the Indians were successful; but generally 

 they were beaten off, the militia marching promptly 

 to the relief of each beleaguered garrison. Severe 

 skirmishing took place between the war parties and 

 the bands of militia who first reached the frontier; 

 and the whites were not always successful. Once, 

 for instance, a party of militia, greedy for fruit, 

 scattered through an orchard, close to an Indian 



40 Do., Hutchings to Maxwell, June 2oth, and to Martin, 

 July nth. 



41 Do., No. 150, Vol. II, Daniel Kennedy to Martin, June 6, 

 1788; Maxwell to Martin, July gth, etc. No. 150, Vol. Ill, p. 

 357: Result of Council of Officers of Washington District, 

 August 19, 1788. 



