The worst members of each race committed crimes against the other, and not only did the retaliation often fall on the innocent, but, unfortunately, even the good men were apt to make common cause with the criminals of their own color.  Thus in July the Chickamaugas sent in a talk for peace; but at that very time a band of their young braves made a foray into Powell’s valley, killing two settlers and driving off some stock.  They were pursued, one of their number killed, and most of the stock retaken.  In the same month, on the other hand, two friendly Indians, who had a canoe laden with peltry, were murdered on the Holston by a couple of white ruffians, who then attempted to sell the furs.  They were discovered, and the furs taken from them; but to their disgrace be it said, the people round about would not suffer the criminals to be brought to justice. [Footnote:  Do., pp. 213, 248.]

The mutual outrages continued throughout the summer, and in September they came to a head.  The great majority of the Otari of the Overhill towns were still desirous of peace, and after a council of their head-men the chief Old Tassel, of the town of Chota, sent on their behalf a strong appeal to the governors of both Virginia and North Carolina.  The document is written with such dignity, and yet in a tone of such curious pathos, that it is worth giving in full, as putting in strongest possible form the Indian side of the case, and as a sample of the best of these Indian “talks.”

“A Talk to Colonel Joseph Martin, by the Old Tassell, in Chota, the 25th of September, 1782, in favour of the whole nation.  For His Excellency, the Governor of North Carolina.  Present, all the chiefs of the friendly towns and a number of young men.

“Brother:  I am now going to speak to you.  I hope you will listen to me.  A string.  I intended to come this fall and see you, but there was such confusion in our country, I thought it best for me to stay at home and send my Talks by our friend Colonel Martin, who promised to deliver them safe to you.  We are a poor distressed people, that is in great trouble, and we hope our elder brother will take pity on us and do us justice.  Your people from Nolichucky are daily pushing us out of our lands.  We have no place to hunt on.  Your people have built houses within one day’s walk of our towns.  We don’t want to quarrel with our elder brother; we, therefore, hope our elder brother will not take our lands from us, that the Great Man above gave us.  He made you and he made us; we are all his children, and we hope our elder brother will take pity on us, and not take our lands from us that our father gave us, because he is stronger than we are.  We are the first people that ever lived on this land; it is ours, and why will our elder brother take it from us?  It is true, some time past, the people over the great water persuaded some of our young men to do some mischief to our elder brother, which our principal men were sorry for.