But you our elder brothers come to our towns and took satisfaction, and then sent for us to come and treat with you, which we did.  Then our elder brother promised to have the line run between us agreeable to the first treaty, and all that should be found over the line should be moved off.  But it is not done yet.  We have done nothing to offend our elder brother since the last treaty, and why should our elder brother want to quarrel with us?  We have sent to the Governor of Virginia on the same subject.  We hope that between you both, you will take pity on your younger brother, and send Col.  Sevier, who is a good man, to have all your people moved off our land.  I should say a great deal more, but our friend, Colonel Martin, knows all our grievances, and he can inform you.  A string.” [Footnote:  Ramsey, 271.  The “strings” of wampum were used to mark periods and to indicate, and act as reminders of, special points in the speech.]

The speech is interesting because it shows that the Indians both liked and respected Sevier, their most redoubtable foe; and because it acknowledges that in the previous war the Cherokees themselves had been the wrongdoers.  Even Old Tassel had been implicated in the treacherous conduct of the chiefs at that period; but he generally acted very well, and belonged with the large number of his tribesmen who, for no fault of their own, were shamefully misused by the whites.

The white intruders were not removed.  No immediate collision followed on this account; but when Old Tassel’s talk was forwarded to the governor, small parties of Chickamaugas, assisted by young braves from among the Creeks and Erati, had already begun to commit ravages on the outlying settlements.  Two weeks before Old Tassel spoke, on the 11th of September, a family of whites was butchered on Moccasin Creek.  The neighbors gathered, pursued the Indians, and recaptured the survivors. [Footnote:  Calendar of Va.  State Papers, III., p. 317.] Other outrages followed, throughout the month.  Sevier as usual came to the rescue of the angered settlers.  He gathered a couple of hundred mounted riflemen, and made one of his swift retaliatory inroads.  His men were simply volunteers, for there was no money in the country treasury with which to pay them or provide them with food and provisions; it was their own quarrel, and they furnished their own services free, each bringing his horse, rifle, ammunition, blanket, and wallet of parched corn.  Naturally such troops made war purely according to their own ideas, and cared nothing whatever for the commands of those governmental bodies who were theoretically their superiors.  They were poor men, staunch patriots, who had suffered much and done all they could during the Revolution [Footnote:  Do.]; now, when threatened by the savages they were left to protect themselves, and they did it in their own way.  Sevier led his force down through the Overhill towns, doing their people no injury and holding a peace talk with them.