288 The Winning of the West 



he soon quarreled with one of the other side who 

 denounced him freely and justly for the murder of 

 Corn Tassel and the other peaceful chiefs. Finally 

 they all rode away, but when some miles out of 

 town Sevier got into a quarrel with another man; 

 and after more drinking and brawling he went to 

 pass the night at a house, the owner of which was 

 his friend. Meanwhile one of the men with whom 

 he had quarreled informed Tipton that his foe was 

 in his grasp. Tipton gathered eight or ten men and 

 early next morning surprised Sevier in his lodgings. 

 Sevier could do nothing but surrender, and Tip- 

 ton put him in irons and sent him across the moun 

 tains to Morgantown, in North Carolina, where he 

 was kindly treated and allowed much liberty. Most 

 of the inhabitants sympathized with him, having 

 no special repugnance to disorder, and no special 

 sympathy even for friendly Indians. Meanwhile a 

 dozen of his friends, with his two sons at their 

 head, crossed the mountains to rescue their beloved 

 leader. They came into Morgantown while court 

 was sitting and went unnoticed in the crowds. In 

 the evening, when the court adjourned and the 

 crowds broke up, Sevier's friends managed to get 

 near him with a spare horse; he mounted and they 

 all rode off at speed. By daybreak they were out 

 of danger. 48 Nothing further was attempted against 



48 Ramsey first copies Haywood and gives the account 

 correctly. 



He then adds a picturesque alternative account followed 

 by later writers in which Sevier escapes in open court on 

 a celebrated race mare. The basis for the last account, so 



