The First Bridge Over The Cumberland

A few years ago I wrote an article about the bridges across the Cumberland at Nashville.  You can find the article here - Nashville Bridges 

I hope to follow each bridge in depth from its conception to completion with news articles and government records.  I am going to begin here with the first bridge.

The plan of the first bridge across the Cumberland River was proposed by the citizens of Nashville in 1818. Erected where the present Victory Memorial Bridge is located, at the northeast corner of the Square across to Main Street, it opened in June of 1823. The covered bridge had windows along the sides to provide light. When it was built water craft was small and the structure was only 75 feet above the low water mark. The bridge was demolished in 1851 because the larger steam boats of the mid-century were unable to pass under....

Most of the following newspaper articles were found in the papers of Samuel A. Weakley [TSLA AC# 1330-2] and in the collection of Judge Litton Hickman [Metro Nashville Archives]. 

Nashville Whig, Saturday November 28, 1818

A meeting of the citizens of Nashville will be held at Talbot's Hotel on Monday evening next in order to take into consideration the propriety of a bridge across the Cumberland River at this place.  We hope every citizen who has the welfare of the town at heart will attend in order to give facility to an object of so much importance to the citizens of this place and the country at large.  We are happy to see the public spirit manifested on this subject, for we have long wished to see a bridge across the river here; as well for the convenience of the public at large as for the improvement of Nashville, which has already become a place of considerable commercial importance, and by the acquisition of a bridge many facilities would be rendered which are now impossible.

Nashville Whig, Saturday July 3, 1819

The undersigned, having been appointed a committee of the Board of Directors of the NASHVILLE BRIDGE COMPANY to correspond with and receive proposals from any qualified workman who may be willing to undertake and complete a bridge over the CUMBERLAND RIVER opposite Nashville, this is, therefore, to give notice to all persons who may be willing to engage in this undertaking that the sum of ONE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS is subscribed by the company for the above purpose.  The River Cumberland is about six hundred feet wide, having a rock bluff on the town side for an abutment, but the other bank is sandy.  The river is about from eight to ten feet in low water, having a rock bottom for most part across, and during the time of floods it rises sometimes as high as forty feet, which will require the piers to be built at least fifty feet high.  The country above Nashville will furnish the best kind of timber for the woodwork and at the town site there is a great quantity of stone well calculated for raising the piers. 

Robert Weakley

Andrew Hynes

John Shelby

May 20 1819                                                               Commissioners

National Intelligencer, Aurora, Richmond Enquirer, Boston Patriot and New York Columbian will publish the above 3 months and forward their account to this office for payment.

Nashville Gazette, July 31, 1819

Nashville Bridge – An installment of $5.00  on each share of the Capital stock to the Nashville Bridge Company is required to be paid into the hands of the Treasurer on Tuesday the 31^st August next.

By order of the Board.

                                                                        JOHN SHELBY, TREA’R

July 31.

Nashville Whig, September 18, 1822

Distressing accident.—On Monday last, while the hands were at work on the bridge over the Cumberland, a part of the scaffolding gave way, and several of them fell into the river from the height of sixty or seventy feet.  A man by the name of Kean was killed and five or six others wounded, some of them dangerously.

Nashville Whig – Wednesday, June 11, 1823

Nashville Bridge-- The bridge across the Cumberland river at this place is so far completed that horses, carriages, ect. now pass over it.

Nashville Whig – Wednesday, July 21, 1823

Nashville Bridge-- Extract from the By-laws and rules adopted by the Directors of the Nashville Bridge Company, Sec. 4  Be it resolved, that the following rules, by-laws and regulations shall be observed by the gate-keeper and by all persons in using, passing or being on said bridge to wit:  It shall not be lawful for any person or persons, having or driving any drove of horses, mules, cattle or hogs to drive or pass on said bridge in one drove at the same time in more than the following number to wit:   Horses, mules or cattle, not more than ten head; of hogs not more than twenty head; and it shall not be lawful for any loaded wagon to pass on or cross said bridge within less than one hundred yards of another loaded wagon;  and that it shall not be lawful for any person passing over said bridge on horseback or with a cart, wagon or carriage or with a drove of horses, mules, cattle or hogs to make any delay on said bridge except such as is unavoidable; and it shall not be lawful for any person riding on horseback or driving any cart, wagon or carriage on said bridge or driving any drove of horses, mules, cattle or hogs over same to ride or drive faster than a walk.

It shall not be lawful for any foot passenger to travel on the road allowed for horses and carriages at the time that there is any horses or drove of horses, mules or cattle or any wagon, cart or carriage passing thereon except it be such person as shall have the same in charge, nor shall  it be lawful for any foot passenger to molest, disturb or frighten any horse or drove of horses, mules, cattle or hogs, when passing on said bridge.

It shall not be lawful for any person to carry over or have on said bridge any coal or chunk of fire, nor to smoke or carry with him on said bridge any lighted segar or pipe; and if any person or persons shall willfully commit a violation of any of the rules above described he, she or they, so offending shall be subject to pay the sum of five dollars, or every such offence, to be recovered before any tribunal having jurisdiction thereof by a warrant in the name of the Nashville Bridge Co., for the use of the said company.

It shall be the duty of all foot passengers to pass the footway on the right hand as they are going; and it shall be the duty of all passengers on horseback or driving any wagon, cart or other wheel carriage, or driving any drove of horses, mules, cattle, sheep or hogs to pass over on the right hand way.

It shall not be lawful for the gate-keeper to permit any slave to pass said bridge at any time after nine o’clock at night and before day light in the morning without a written pass from his or her master or mistress expressing such permission.

                                                                                    Robert Weakley,        

                                                                        President, Nashville Bridge Co.

July 21, 1823

Nashville Whig, January 26, 1824.  

 Nashville Bridge – The undersigned who had the management of the Bridge for the last six months, begs leave to inform the public that he has rented it for the term of one year.  He now tenders its use to the public and proposes to let out to families or individuals for the above term, the privilege of crossing on it, and pledges himself to do so if applied to, on the most reasonable terms.  Persons who reside on the north side of the river are particularly invited to call on the undersigned, as he believes they will find it very much to their advantage to enter into the arrangement proposed.  There will be a keeper of the gate who will be ready at all times to attend to the calls of those wishing to pass on urgent business, without regard to time.

The undersigned will endeavor to do everything necessary on his part to afford satisfaction, and hopes to merit a share of public patronage.

Jan. 12.                                                                                    ANDREW MORRISON

                                                             

A note concerning Greenwood Payne from Samuel A. Weakley papers – “The keeper of the bridge, from its beginning until it was removed in 1851, was Greenwood Payne.  He was evidently a methodical person, and interested in the behavior of the river for he recorded the height of each of the high waters during the life of the structure.  Several years ago the writer [Samuel A. Weakley] made and extensive search for the descendants of Greenwood Payne in an effort to locate this valuable record, but it was without success.  However several records of the high stages of the river were printed in the Nashville papers from time to time….”

 

Nashville Whig, January 26, 1824

The Nashville Bridge.  This elegant piece of architecture, so useful to the public, and ornamental to our town, has never yet been noticed in any manner adequate to its value and importance.  As a superstructure of elegance and durability, it is conceived to be equal, perhaps superior to any of the kind in the United States:  This has been the observation of persons from a distance who have seen most of the celebrated works of this kind.  It is the workmanship of Messrs. Samuel Stacker and Johnston of Pittsburgh….at the price of $75,000.  The bridge is 560 feet from end to end and, 40 feet in breadth and 75 feet in height, from river to low water.

The superstructure consists of three arches, each 187 feet long, butting against each other, resting in one continued chord, supported by the abutments and piers.  Versed sine, or rise, from the chord to the apex, is 6 feet; the curve formed by this arch is not, however, that of the segment of one great circle, but of segments of circles of unequal radii, those of the largest radii being next to the abutments, and the shortest at the vertex.  The superstructure at the abutments 28 feet wide, and at the apex of the centre arch 25 ½ feet.  This forms a catenarian arch on the outside of the bridge, and prevents lateral motion.  The ribs composing the arches are set in cast iron head blocks and butt against each other with the exception of about a foot where wedges are inserted; by spreading on these wedges the arches can be set up, and the floor raised to any height required.  (This is considered an improvement of the first magnitude in the erection of wooden bridges.)  The design and principle on which this Bridge is built is the same as those of Shaffhausen and Wittengen in Switzerland.

The ribs, ring posts, and string pieces are connected and secured by ties, braces, and bars of iron in such a manner as to form one connected and combined whole, equal in strength, perhaps, to anything within the compass of human invention on a similar scale.   This Bridge consists of three abutments – one is founded on solid rock with the intervention of 2 feet of gravel.  It is about 70 feet long, 20 thick, and 80 high, with rings extending into the bank 80 feet – it batters on inch to the foot, on all outsides, together with several offsets, which reduce it to 52 feet long and 24 thick where the superstructure rests.  It also overhangs on the inside to prevent the filling from protruding out the side.  The open space in this abutment required 3,000 yards of filling, which was done with lose rock and clay  sufficient to make it compact.  The piers are 70 feet long, 24 wide and 80 high.  The sides and lower end batter one inch to the foot, upstream and forming a right angle, fall back 1 ½ inches per foot.  They are founded on a platform of wood, 75 feet long, 27 wide and 7 deep.  The wooden part of the Bridge is handsomely executed with ornamental fronts at each end, the whole covered in neatly and painted white.  The pillars are composed of the limestone rock common to the country, which is admirably adapted to the erection of the best workmanship.

The Bridge belongs to a company of stockholders, incorporated by act of assembly; and its affairs are entrusted to the management of a Board of Directors, chosen annually.  They have leased it out for the present year to Mr. Andrew Morrison at $5,300 per annum, being at the rate of 7% on the amount of cost, exclusive of repairs.

Memorandum of materials:          Cubic feet of timber, 20,000

                                                            Wrought Iron, 21 tons

                                                            Cast Iron, 5 tons

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The New York Times, November 21, 1851.

The old bridge at Nashville, Tenn., which was erected about 26 years since, at a cost of $100,000, tumbled down on the 12th, to the great joy of the people. It had long been a serious obstruction to the river.

All material collected and transcribed by Debie Oeser Cox.

Clayton's History of Davidson Co., Chapter VII

History of Davidson County, Tennessee

with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers

by Prof. W. W. Clayton

J. W. Lewis & Co., Philadelphia
1880

CHAPTER VII.
MOVEMENTS AGAINST THE INDIANS. 

First Military Companies formed-Attack of Indians on Freeland's Station-Battle at the Bluff-Heroic Conduct
of Mrs. James Robertson-The Enemy Discomfited-The Killed and Wounded.
 

           THE first determined pursuit of the Indians was in the summer of 1780. The details of this affair are very meagre, but it is worthy of mention as the first instance of an offensive policy on the part of the settlers, the vigorous practice of which later on led to the most beneficial results, especially when directed against the enemy in his own home. At this time the depredations of the Indians had become particularly grievous. Aside from the murders committed, the loss of live-stock was very heavy, and hard to be borne on account of the great difficulties in replacing it, the source of supply being several hundred miles distant, Putnam remarks that the death of a milk-cow was a sore affliction to the women, next to that of a member of the family. The capture of a horse was equally so to the men. After a raid by a large party of Cherokees in the vicinity of Freeland's Station, in which a number of cattle were killed and gashed with knives and some horses carried off, prompt pursuit and punishment of the marauders were determined on. For this purpose Col. James Robertson, Alexander Buchanan, and eighteen others quickly embodied and gave chase. The Indians were overtaken at some point on Duck River not now known, but about forty miles south of the settlement, where Robertson's party charged and fired upon them. Several of the Indians were killed and wounded, when the rest fled, abandoning the stolen property to the possession of the whites, who returned in safety without the loss of a man. The result was very creditable, and thereafter Col. Robertson had frequently to restrain the ardor of the settlers in their eagerness to pursue large parties of the enemy with an inadequate force. However, it was an established rule to pursue on the instant when an outrage was committed. In this it was frequently possible to inflict some punishment on the depredators, who sometimes dallied too long to secure the scalp and arms of their victims. As a rule, when the Indians fired upon the whites in the vicinity of the forts they ran off at once and easily made their escape in the thickets of cane which covered over the face of the country. It may be stated in this connection that the Indians exercised the greatest economy in the use of powder, putting in a very small charge, otherwise their warfare would have been much more destructive. They rarely trusted themselves to fire beyond fifty yards, while the average backwoodsman could use his rifle with deadly precision at twice or thrice that distance. They frequently lost their lives, or were placed at disadvantage, by attempting to use the tomahawk as a substitute for a few grains of powder.

          

THE ATTACK ON FREELAND'S STATION.

           During the first year of occupation a number of settlements had been made or projected, extending along the Cumberland River for the distance of quite forty miles. Many of these stations were small in extent, poorly constructed, and insufficiently manned, as the result soon proved. The occupants were more engrossed with the selection of good locations, preferably near a salt-spring, than the thought that such an intrusion on the favorite hunting-ground of the Cherokee and other Indians would provoke serious and deadly opposition. Some of them, Col. John Donelson among the number, neglected even to erect houses, but passed most of the season in the half-faced structures known as hunters' camps. The consequences of this policy of neglect and division of strength were fearfully apparent before the close of the year. The beginning of the year 1781 found the entire body of settlers confined to three forts,-namely, Robertson's or the Bluff, Eaton's, two miles below on the north side of the river, and Freeland's, about a mile to the northwest of the first,-forced into these places for refuge from the rifle and tomahawk of their merciless foes. These results, so flattering to their arms, emboldened the Cherokees and their allies to attempt the extermination of the survivors, now greatly reduced from their original number by casualties and the departure of many families to the settlements in Kentucky and the Illinois.

           But to accomplish this result required a larger force than had hitherto invaded the settlements, and the exercise of bravery and enterprise sufficient to overcome fortified posts held bv resolute men fighting in defense of their families and the fertile country they had chosen for habitation. In the execution of this plan Freeland's Station was the first to receive the blow, on account of its situation and comparative weakness. That the attack was not successful was due to a want of concert and disregard of discipline which characterize all barbarous races in enterprises of this character. It appears that there were two parties, each numbering between fifty and a hundred warriors, marching to the attack of the place; but the first detachment, on its arrival discovering the weakness of the garrison, determined, in its eagerness to win the prize, to strike without awaiting the advent of the other.

           This station was erected by George, James, and Jacob Freeland on the spot afterwards occupied by the residence of Dr. McGavock. It was simply a stockade thrown around the houses of the occupants, and probably bastioned, as many of them were, in order to render more effective the fire of a small force of defenders. The gate was secured by a chain which fastened on the inside. On the night of the attack, Jan. 15, 1781, there seems to have been no apprehension of danger, as there was evidently no sentinel whose duty it was to watch over the safety of the place. The garrison consisted of eleven men and some families, including Col. James Robertson, whose presence proved a most fortunate circumstance, and was occasioned by the fact that on his arrival that day at the Bluff from the Kentucky settlements he learned that his family was at Freeland's. His journey through the wilderness had been full of perils, and the narration of this and the detail of home affairs by Mrs. Robertson had kept him awake until a late hour. About midnight his keen ear, trained to wonderful acuteness by long practice on the border, detected a movement of the chain at the gate, and on rising to examine into the cause, he discovered the gate thrown open and a large body of Indians crowding into the inclosure. He instantly raised the cry of alarm and awakened the inmates of the houses to a sense of their danger. Finding they were discovered, the assailants raised their terrible war-whoop to heighten the effect of surprise and chill the spirit of resistance. As soon as possible the men of the garrison sprang to their guns and opened a straggling fire upon the throng. Unfortunately one of the houses occupied by Maj. Lucas and several others, including a negro servant of Col. Robertson, was poorly fitted for defense, owing to the want of chinking and daubing in the cracks between the logs. Maj. Lucas realizing this rushed out to obtain better shelter, but was almost instantly killed. The moon was shining brightly, and the assailants, finding that they could not force an entrance into the houses now without great loss, quickly retreated through the gate, whence they opened a hot fire on the house from which Maj. Lucas had so rashly issued, and which alone on inspection afterwards was found to have received over five hundred bullets. Col. Robertson in a loud voice animated and directed the defense, charging the men to keep from before the port-holes while loading. He was enabled at one time in the conflict to take close aim at a fellow's head, and he declared his belief that he had his man, which was confirmed the next day by the discovery of the body of an Indian shot through the brain. He had been carried about a mile and covered with leaves. The din of conflict soon awakened the inhabitants at the Bluff, and a small swivel was fired at that place to convey to the besieged a knowledge that their situation was appreciated.

           The Indians kept up the fire until near daylight, when they withdrew out of range. Only about a half-dozen rounds to the man had been fired from the houses, but evidently to good purpose, from the numerous trails of blood left behind in the retreat. The occupants of the unfinished house were the only sufferers, several being wounded and the negro killed. Soon after daylight Capt. John Rains with a small party from the Bluff reached the scene, and following the trail of the Indians for some distance discovered the arrival of a second detachment. No further attempt, however, was made on this or the other two stations, but the ones that had been deserted were visited and burnt, the stock killed, provisions destroyed, trails waylaid, and the game driven off for miles in every direction in order to make its pursuit more hazardous to the hunters who were compelled to rely for food on this source of supply.

          

THE BATTLE OF THE BLUFF, OR ROBERTSON'S STATION, APRIL 2, 1781.

           Robertson's Station, or the Bluff, as it was more usually designated, was, from its central position and the number of inhabitants congregated in the place, the most important of the Cumberland settlements. It was fortified with much care on the stockade plan, and so situated that water from a spring near by could be conducted in troughs within the inclosure. The site was immediately on the bluff of the river, and partly covered the present debouchement of Church Street, in Nashville. The main building ia the inclosure, not erected at this time probably, was built of stone, two stories high, the northern face being on a line with the southern boundary of Church Street. The regulations for its safety were carried out with much care, watches being constantly maintained over the boats in the river and from a block-house on the land side. Since the attack on Freeland's all who ventured out were compelled to use great caution on account of the presence of prowling parties of Indians in the vicinity. Only a few days before the engagement at the Bluff Col. Samuel Barton, who was out endeavoring to get some beef cattle into the fort, was wounded in the wrist about where Wilson's Branch crosses College Street. On the night of April 1st an Indian was discovered spying the premises and was shot at by James Menifee, the sentinel in the block-house, when he withdrew. Between daylight and sunrise the next morning two others approached, and firing their guns at the fort ran off out of range, where they halted and began leisurely to reload, waving their hands in a bantering manner. It had always been the practice of the settlers to pursue under such circumstances, and although an ambuscade was feared by some it was determined to resent the insult at all hazards. Thereupon a party of twenty-one quickly mounted their horses and dashed through the gate in pursuit. Capt. Leiper led the advance and Col. Robertson the main body. The names of thirteen only of this daring band of salliers have been handed down by tradition, and are as follows: Col. James Robertson, Capt. Leiper, Peter Gill, John Kesenger, Alexander Buchanan, George Kennedy, I. Kennedy, Zachariah White, James Menifee, Kasper Mansker (usually pronounced Manscor), Isaac Lucas, Joseph Moonshaw, and Edward Swanson. When the advance reached the present locality of Broad Street, about its intersection with College, a few of the enemy were seen making a stand at the Branch a short distance off. The whites immediately dismounted for battle, but before they could secure their horses a force of about three hundred warriors rose from the thickets along the Branch and poured into them a deadly volley. They returned the fire with spirit and to good effect. In the mean time another large body of the enemy, which had taken post before daylight in the cedar and privet bushes which thickly covered the present site of Cherry Street embraced between Church and Broad, ran from their concealment after the horsemen had passed and extended their line rapidly in the direction of the fort and the river. The war-whoop of these savages in their rear at once conveyed to the sallying-party and also to their friends in the fort the desperate nature of their situation, and excited in all the gravest fears for their safety. They began at once their retreat, resolutely bringing off all of their wounded who could be assisted. Fortunately for the survivors their horses had broken back in the direction of the fort when the fight began, but on reaching the interposing line they swerved off to its right to escape, when large numbers of the Indians, unable to resist the temptation, quit their places and hurried in pursuit of them. Into the gap thus opportunely left the retreating whites now pressed, hotly pursued from the rear and fired upon from different directions. 

           At this juncture another most fortunate circumstance occurred to favor their escape. There were great numbers of dogs gathered into the fort, trained to face any danger at bidding, and on hearing the well-known reports of their masters' rifles in the vale below they were seized with an uncontrollable frenzy, and evinced by loud cries their disposition to join in the conflict. Mrs. Robertson, the wife of Col. James Robertson, who was watching gun in hand with intense interest the varying changes of the battle, on discovering the snare into which her friends had fallen, and fearing that they would all be lost, now urged the sentinel to open the gate and hiss on the dogs. These animals on being released flew at once at that part of the Indian line still in place, and attacked it with a fury and persistence probably never before witnessed. It was an anomaly indeed in warfare, as dogs are usually much afraid of the fire of guns. Such an onset, however, could not be despised, and forced the enemy to empty their pieces and resort to their tomahawks in self-defense. Favored by this unexpected diversion, the little band of whites now hastened on, and all reached the fort in safety except Isaac Lucas. He had reached a point in rifle-range of the place when he fell with a broken thigh. He had just finished loading his gun as he ran, and when he fell an Indian rushed upon him with the purpose of securing his scalp. Lucas took deliberate aim as he lay on the ground and shot his pursuer dead in his tracks. He then dragged himself a short distance to shelter from the Indian fire, reloaded his rifle, and disposed his tomahawk for a desperate resistance; several determined efforts were made by the friends of the dead man to carry off his body and dispatch Lucas, but were frustrated by the vigilance of the garrison, who kept up a warm fire in that quarter. Lucas was carried into the fort after the enemy withdrew out of range, and soon recovered. Edward Swanson, another of the salliers, was overtaken, within twenty yards of the gate by a large Indian, who pressed the muzzle of his gun against his back and attempted to shoot, but it failed fire. The Indian then struck Swanson heavilv on the shoulder with the barrel, making him drop his gun. Swanson now turned, and seizing his antagonist's gun by the muzzle, endeavored to wrench it from his hands. A desperate struggle ensued for the possession of the weapon, which ended at length in the Indian's favor, when by a heavy blow on the head he felled the white man to his all-fours. The combatants had been so closely engaged that the friends of Swanson could not fire from the fort without danger to both ; but at this instant, when the Indian was in the act of disengaging his tomahawk to give the finishing blow, old Mr. John Buchanan rushed through the gate and firing quickly, mortally wounded him. Thereupon the savage, gritting his teeth with rage, retired to a stump near by where he fell. Swanson, assisted by his deliverer, made his way into the fort. During the night the body of the Indian was dragged off by his comrades, and was found several days later buried on College Hill, at the place afterwards occupied by the residence of the Rev. Mr. Hume.[1] No attempt was made to carry off the one killed by Swanson, as he was probably scalped by the whites, and this, according to Indian theology, rendered him unfit for burial. The loss of the scalp was supposed to be sufficient to debar the victim from the "happy hunting-grounds." no matter how bravely he may have fought. Hence they always sought at great risk to consign an enemy to the dominions of the bad spirit by practicing this mutilation upon him. 

           Of the sallying-party seven were killed, according to the statement of the Rev. John Carr, who lived in the pioneer period. These were Capt. Leiper, Peter Gill, John Kesenger, Alexander Buchanan, George Kennedy, Zachariah White, and J. Kennedy. James Menifee, Kasper Mansker, Isaac Lucas, Joseph Moonshaw, and others were wounded. Putnam's account says that five were killed, but no names are given. In an obituary notice of Gen. James Robertson, published in the Nashville Clarion in 1813, the writer states that only thirteen returned alive to the fort, which would put the number of killed at eight. Very few of the horses were captured; most of them, after a hot chase across Capitol Hill and about the Sulphur-Bottom, broke by their pursuers and reached the gate of the fort, into which they were admitted. At ten o'clock A.M. the enemy withdrew from the contest, but returned at night and fired a great many shots at the walls. It was understood that this party was a reinforcement which had arrived too late to take part in the morning's battle. At one time during the night a knot of several hundred were seen collecting about the present intersection of Church and College Streets, when it was proposed to fire the swivel at them. Some objected on account of the scarcity of ammunition, but a contribution of powder, slugs, and pieces of iron having been made up, the piece was brought into position and fired. In the stillness of night the report and flash of the little swivel proved very creditable, and more than answered expectations. The party decamped with such haste that they left several articles of value behind. Not another shot was fired at the fort after this, nor was it again directly attacked during the existence of hostilities. Soon after the swivel was fired the one at Eaton's gave an answering signal, and in the course of the night a small force came from that place to the opposite bank, where, on making its presence known, boats were dispatched, and it was quickly transferred to assist in the further defense of the place if needed. Early next morning scouts went out and ascertained that the Indians had gone westerly and crossed Richland Creek. The number of their killed was never definitely ascertained. The bodies of the whites were found stripped and scalped. Thus ended an expedition of six or seven hundred Cherokees, the details of which were planned with much judgment and executed with remarkable secrecy. The proverbial want of discipline with the savages at the critical moment alone saved the party which rashly sallied out to attack them from total destruction. In the light of subsequent events the death of Col. Robertson would have been a public calamity, which at this juncture might have operated most unfavorably on the interests of the Cumberland settlements. In any event the loss of so many brave men at one fell swoop would bave been a most serious blow, and liable to have been followed by a train of worse disasters. As Mrs. Robertson pertinently remarked, the Indians' fear of dogs and love of horses proved the salvation of the whites on this occasion. It is due to the memory of the pioneer women of Nashville to state that in the midst of the terrible excitement succeeding the repulse of their husbands, brothers, and friends, and the heart-rending prospect of their total destruction, they stood gun and axe in hand at the gate of the fort, determined to die in its defense if occasion demanded it.

[1] On Market Street, opposite the entrance to the Vanderbilt Medical College.