Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 BLOUNT'S CONDUCT AND POPULARITY On June 26, 1792, the Creeks attacked and captured Zeigler's Station,7 a fort near Cairo, in Sumner County, only one month after the friendly conference with the Indians at Coyatee; Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 BLOUNT'S CONDUCT AND POPULARITY On September 30, 1792, a force of Creeks, Cherokees, Chickamaugas and Shawnees, under John Watts, one of Governor Blount's champions of peace, attacked Buchanan's Station and were gallantly defeated and driven off by a remarkable defense; Footnote See Captain Handly's narrative in American Historical Magazine, Vol. II, pp. 86-90; also Ramsey, pp. 571-572. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 BLOUNT'S CONDUCT AND POPULARITY In November, 1793, Capt. Samuel Handly, with sixty mounted men, was defeated near Crab Orchard by Cherokees, Creeks and Shawnees, under Middle Striker, and Captain Handly was wounded and captured;8 Footnote Pronounced Hightower. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 BLOUNT'S CONDUCT AND POPULARITY On September 25, 1793, Cherokees and Creeks destroyed Cavett's Station and murdered the family of thirteen, except one boy. So great was the wrath aroused by this act that Daniel Smith, acting governor in the absence of Blount, authorized General Sevier to invade the territory of the Cherokees and Creeks. He did so with his accustomed celerity, ability and success, defeating them and burning their towns, and, on October 17, 1793, defeated an Indian force under King Fisher (killed by Hugh Lawson White) at Etowah9 (now Rome, Ga.). This victory virtually ended the Indian hostilities in Washington District; Footnote Michaux in his Travels West of the Alleghany Mountains, which were made in 1802, says on page 253: On the road we stopped with different friends of Mr. Fisk; among others with General Smith, one of the oldest inhabitants of this country where he has resided 16 or 17 yrs. America is indebted to him for the best map of the State * * * We also, on our journey, visited General Winchester, who was engaged in finishing a stone house, very elegant for the country. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 BLOUNT'S CONDUCT AND POPULARITY On April 21, 1794, two Bledsoe boys were murdered by the Indians on Drake's Creek, in Sumner County, near Rock Castle,10 the famous home of Gen. Daniel Smith; Footnote For more detailed accounts of Joseph Brown and of this battle, see chapters on Indian Wars and on Historic Spots and Places. Also, see Ramsey, pp. 616, 618 and Putnam, pp. 484, 485. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 THE TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE page 152 On September 15, 1794, Major Ore, acting under orders given him by General Robertson, attacked and destroyed the Indian towns of Nickajack and Running Water, towns of the Chickamaugas, the home and rendezvous of the worst elements among the Indians, including some renegade half-breeds and whites. Joseph Brown, who had been captured by these Indians, was one of the guides of the invading force.11 General Robertson was severely censured by Governor Blount and by the Federal authorities for giving the order for this expedition and, in consequence, resigned his commission as brigadier general. But the [p.152] people approved his course enthusiastically; and this severe retaliation together with Sevier's punishment of the Indians but a short time before put an end to the Indian wars. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 PREPARATIONS FOR STATEHOOD By the spring of 1795 the widespread desire among the people for statehood, which had for so long been crystallizing, seemed about to be realized. Statehood was wished, not only as the consummation of a higher political plane, of an attainment of real, independent self-government, but, also, and particularly, as a means of protecting themselves against the attacks of the Indians from whom they had suffered so much. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 PREPARATIONS FOR STATEHOOD The matter of creating a new state out of the territory had been left by Congress to a vote of the people. The excellent financial condition of the territory, as shown by the report of the joint committee of the Legislature and the great increase in the population were predisposing reasons in the minds of both people and governor that the time was come when the territory should be erected into a state. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 PREPARATIONS FOR STATEHOOD Even at the first session of the Territorial Assembly, which met on August 25, 1794, preparations for statehood were begun. First Governor Blount was asked to have a census taken. Another resolution was passed to the effect that inquiry be made as to the disposition of the people of the territory relative to creating a state government in place of the territorial government. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 PREPARATIONS FOR STATEHOOD Governor Blount, while earnestly in favor of the admission of the territory as a state, did not take action at that time on the resolutions. As no territory of the United States had yet been given statehood, it seemed to him wise, in the absence of an expression of Congress on this point, to ascertain in advance what steps that body would require to be taken. For this purpose Dr. James White, the territorial delegate in Congress made diligent inquiry of the members and came to the conclusion that Congress would not act in any way prior to an application made by the territory. He (White) thought that the proper action would be for a convention to be called to adopt a constitution to take effect as soon as Congress should pass an act of admission. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 PREPARATIONS FOR STATEHOOD page 155 Thereupon Governor Blount issued a call for an extraordinary session of the Assembly, which met at Knoxville, June 29, 1795. It was in session only thirteen days and, on its last day, passed an act for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the territory, in which act provision was made that if it shall [p.155] appear that there are 60,000 inhabitants therein * * * the governor be authorized and requested to recommend to the people of the respective counties, to elect five persons of each county to represent them in convention, to meet at Knoxville at such time as he shall judge proper, for the purpose of forming a constitution or form of government, for the permanent government of the people who are or shall become residents upon the lands by the State of North Carolina ceded to the United States. Footnote Ramsey, p. 648. Tennessee the Volunteer State 17691923: Volume 1 PREPARATIONS FOR STATEHOOD In accordance with the provisions of this act a census was taken which showed a population of 77,262, of whom 66,649 were free inhabitants and 10,613 slaves. On November 28th, Governor Blount announced that there were 6,504 votes cast for organizing a state, and 2,562 against so doing.17 This strong minority was due largely to the great popularity of William Blount and satisfaction with his government. Strangely enough the opposition to statehood was strongest in Mero District, where only ninety-six votes were cast in favor of it in Davidson County and fifty-eight in Tennessee County. On the same date, November 28, 1795, Governor Blount issued a proclamation recommending to the people of the respective counties to elect five persons for each county, on the 18th and 19th days of December next, to represent them in a convention to meet at Knoxville on the eleventh day of January next, for the purpose of forming a constitution or permanent form of government. He closed his proclamation by saying that this recommendation is not intended to have, nor ought to have, any effect whatever upon the present temporary form of government; and that the present temporary form will continue to be exercised in the same manner as if it had never been issued, until the convention shall have formed and published a constitution or permanent form of government. ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com