John Sevier - Cherokee and Chickamauga Wars

Cherokee and Chickamauga Wars

Upon returning from Kings Mountain, Sevier received word from Nancy Ward of an impending Cherokee invasion, and immediately organized a 300-man force and marched south. On December 16, 1780, he routed a Cherokee force at the Battle of Boyd's Creek, near modern Sevierville. A few days later, he was joined by a contingent of Virginia militia led by Arthur Campbell, and the combined forces continued south, occupying Chota on December 25, and capturing and burning Chilhowee and Tallassee three days later. Sevier and Campbell proceeded as far as the Hiwassee River, where they burned the villages of Great Hiwassee and Chestoee, before beginning the march home on New Years Day.

In February 1781, Sevier was commissioned colonel-commandant of the Washington County militia following the death of John Carter. Shortly afterward, he embarked on an expedition against the Cherokee Middle Towns, which lay on the other side of the mountains in the vicinity of modern Bryson City, North Carolina. Emerging from the mountains in March, his 150-man force took the village of Tuckasegee by surprise, killing about 50 and capturing several others. Facing little opposition, he proceeded to destroy about 15 villages before returning home.

In September 1782, Sevier set out on an expedition against Dragging Canoe and the Chickamaugas, who were now concentrated in a string of villages in northern Georgia and Alabama. He defeated a small Chickamauga force near Lookout Mountain, and destroyed several villages along the Coosa River.