Among the most inveterate foes of the Cherokee were the Shawano, known
to the Cherokee as Ani'-Sawanu'gi, who in ancient times, probably
as early as 1680, removed from Savannah (i. e., Shawano) river, in
South Carolina, and occupied the Cumberland river region in middle
Tennessee and Kentucky, from which they were afterward driven by the
superior force of the southern tribes and compelled to take refuge
north of the Ohio. On all old maps we find the Cumberland marked as
the "river of the Shawano." Although the two tribes were frequently,
and perhaps for long periods, on friendly terms, the ordinary condition
was one of chronic warfare, from an early traditional period until the
close of the Revolution. This hostile feeling was intensified by the
fact that the Shawano were usually the steady allies of the Creeks,
the hereditary southern enemies of the Cherokee. In 1749, however,
we find a party of Shawano from the north, accompanied by several
Cherokee, making an inroad into the Creek country, and afterward
taking refuge among the Cherokee, thus involving the latter in a new
war with their southern neighbors (Adair, Am. Inds., 276, 1775). The
Shawano made themselves respected for their fighting qualities,
gaining a reputation for valor which they maintained in their later
wars with the whites, while from their sudden attack and fertility
of stratagem they came to be regarded as a tribe of magicians. By
capture or intermarriage in the old days there is quite an admixture
of Shawano blood among the Cherokee.
According to Haywood, an aged Cherokee chief, named the Little
Cornplanter (Little Carpenter?), stated in 1772 that the Shawano had
removed from the Savannah river a long time before in consequence of
a disastrous war with several neighboring tribes, and had settled upon
the Cumberland, by permission of his people. A quarrel having afterward
arisen between the two tribes, a strong body of Cherokee invaded the
territory of the Shawano, and, treacherously attacking them, killed a
great number. The Shawano fortified themselves and a long war ensued,
which continued until the Chickasaw came to the aid of the Cherokee,
when the Shawano were gradually forced to withdraw north of the Ohio.
At the time of their final expulsion, about the year 1710, the boy
Charleville was employed at a French post, established for the Shawano
trade, which occupied a mound on the south side of Cumberland river,
where now is the city of Nashville. For a long time the Shawano had
been so hard pressed by their enemies that they had been withdrawing
to the north in small parties for several years, until only a few
remained behind, and these also now determined to leave the country
entirely. In March the trader sent Charleville ahead with several loads
of skins, intending himself to follow with the Shawano a few months
later. In the meantime the Chickasaw, learning of the intended move,
posted themselves on both sides of Cumberland river, above the mouth
of Harpeth, with canoes to cut off escape by water, and suddenly
attacked the retreating Shawano, killing a large part of them,
together with the trader, and taking all their skins, trading goods,
and other property. Charleville lived to tell the story nearly seventy
years later. As the war was never terminated by any formal treaty of
peace, the hostile warriors continued to attack each other whenever
they chanced to meet on the rich hunting grounds of Kentucky, until
finally, from mutual dread, the region was abandoned by both parties,
and continued thus unoccupied until its settlement by the whites. [473]
According to Cherokee tradition, a body of Creeks was already
established near the mouth of Hiwassee while the Cherokee still had
their main settlements upon the Little Tennessee. The Creeks, being
near neighbors, pretended friendship, while at the same time secretly
aiding the Shawano. Having discovered the treachery, the Cherokee took
advantage of the presence of the Creeks at a great dance at Itsâ'ti,
or Echota, the ancient Cherokee capital, to fall suddenly upon them
and kill nearly the whole party. The consequence was a war, with the
final result that the Creeks were defeated and forced to abandon all
their settlements on the waters of the Tennessee river. [474]
Haywood says that "Little Cornplanter" had seen Shawano scalps
brought into the Cherokee towns. When he was a boy, his father, who
was also a chief, had told him how he had once led a party against
the Shawano and was returning with several scalps, when, as they were
coming through a pass in the mountains, they ran into another party
of Cherokee warriors, who, mistaking them for enemies, fired into
them and killed several before they discovered their mistake. [475]
Schoolcraft also gives the Cherokee tradition of the war with
the Shawano, as obtained indirectly from white informants, but
incorrectly makes it occur while the latter tribe still lived upon
the Savannah. "The Cherokees prevailed after a long and sanguinary
contest and drove the Shawnees north. This event they cherish as
one of their proudest achievements. 'What!' said an aged Cherokee
chief to Mr Barnwell, who had suggested the final preservation of
the race by intermarriage with the whites. 'What! Shall the Cherokees
perish! Shall the conquerors of the Shawnees perish! Never!'" [476]
Tribal warfare as a rule consisted of a desultory succession of petty
raids, seldom approaching the dignity of a respectable skirmish and
hardly worthy of serious consideration except in the final result. The
traditions necessarily partake of the same trivial character, being
rather anecdotes than narratives of historical events which had dates
and names. Lapse of time renders them also constantly more vague.
On the Carolina side the Shawano approach was usually made up the
Pigeon river valley, so as to come upon the Cherokee settlements
from behind, and small parties were almost constantly lurking about
waiting the favorable opportunity to pick up a stray scalp. On
one occasion some Cherokee hunters were stretched around the camp
fire at night when they heard the cry of a flying squirrel in the
woods--tsu-u! tsu-u! tsu-u! Always on the alert for danger, they
suspected it might be the enemy's signal, and all but one hastily
left the fire and concealed themselves. That one, however, laughed
at their fears and, defiantly throwing some heavy logs on the fire,
stretched himself out on his blanket and began to sing. Soon he heard
a stealthy step coming through the bushes and gradually approaching
the fire, until suddenly an enemy sprang out upon him from the
darkness and bore him to the earth. But the Cherokee was watchful,
and putting up his hands he seized the other by the arms, and with a
mighty effort threw him backward into the fire. The dazed Shawano lay
there a moment squirming upon the coals, then bounded to his feet and
ran into the woods, howling with pain. There was an answering laugh
from his comrades hidden in the bush, but although the Cherokee kept
watch for some time the enemy made no further attack, probably led
by the very boldness of the hunter to suspect some ambush.
On another occasion a small hunting party in the Smoky mountains heard
the gobble of a turkey (in telling the story Swimmer gives a good
imitation). Some eager young hunters were for going at once toward
the game, but others, more cautious, suspected a ruse and advised a
reconnaissance. Accordingly a hunter went around to the back of the
ridge, and on coming up from the other side found a man posted in a
large tree, making the gobble call to decoy the hunters within reach
of a Shawano war party concealed behind some bushes midway between the
tree and the camp. Keeping close to the ground, the Cherokee crept up
without being discovered until within gunshot, then springing to his
feet he shot the man in the tree, and shouting "Kill them all," rushed
upon the enemy, who, thinking that a strong force of Cherokee was
upon them, fled down the mountain without attempting to make a stand.
Another tradition of these wars is that concerning Tunâ'i, a great
warrior and medicine-man of old Itsâ'ti, on the Tennessee. In one
hard fight with the Shawano, near the town, he overpowered his man
and stabbed him through both arms. Running cords through the holes
he tied his prisoner's arms and brought him thus into Itsâ'ti, where
he was put to death by the women with such tortures that his courage
broke and he begged them to kill him at once.
After retiring to the upper Ohio the Shawano were received into
the protection of the Delawares and their allies, and being thus
strengthened felt encouraged to renew the war against the Cherokee
with increased vigor. The latter, however, proved themselves more
than a match for their enemies, pursuing them even to their towns in
western Pennsylvania, and accidentally killing there some Delawares
who occupied the country jointly with the Shawano. This involved the
Cherokee in a war with the powerful Delawares, which continued until
brought to an end in 1768 at the request of the Cherokee, who made
terms of friendship at the same time with the Iroquois. The Shawano
being thus left alone, and being, moreover, roundly condemned by their
friends, the Delawares, as the cause of the whole trouble, had no
heart to continue the war and were obliged to make final peace. [477]