176 The Winning of the West 



they were mistaken, they announced their pleasure 

 and stated that no hostilities would be undertaken. 

 Blount was much relieved at this, and thought that 

 the danger of an outbreak was past. Accordingly 

 he wrote to Robertson telling him that he could dis- 

 band his troops, as there was no longer need of 

 them. Robertson, however, knew the Indian char- 

 acter as few men did know it, and, moreover, he 

 had received confidential information about the im- 

 pending raid from a half-breed and a Frenchman 

 who were among the Indians. He did not disband 

 his troops, and wrote to Blount that The Glass and 

 The Bloody Fellow had undoubtedly written as they 

 did simply to deceive him and to secure their villages 

 from a counter-attack while they were off on their 

 raid against the Cumberland people. Accordingly 

 three hundred militia were put under arms. 56 



It was well that the whites were on their guard. 

 Toward the end of September a big war party, un- 

 der the command of John Watts, and including some 

 two hundred Cherokees, eighty Creeks, and some 

 Shawnees, left the Chickamauga Towns and marched 

 swiftly and silently to the Cumberland district. They 

 attempted to surprise one of the more considerable 

 of the lonely little forted towns. It was known as 

 Buchanan's Station, and in it there were several 

 families, including fifteen "gun-men." Two spies 



56 Robertson MSS., Blount to Robertson, Sept. 6, 1792; 

 Blount to The Bloody Fellow, Sept. 10, 1792; to Robertson, 

 Sept. 12; to The Glass, Sept. 13; to The Bloody Fellow, Sept. 

 13; to Robertson, Sept. 14; Robertson to Blount, Sept. 26. 

 1792. 



