Southern Argus

INTERESTING FROM THE CHEROKEE COUNTRY—INDIAN REVOLT, AND DEATH OF TWO U. S. SOLDIERS.
The following letter to the editor from an intimate friend attached to the Army communicates the painful intelligence of an outbreak among a small fraction of the Cherokees in the mountains of North Carolina, as detailed by a staff officer who may be relied on as General in Command in the Cherokee country.
Athens, Tenn., November 6, 1838.
My Dear Friend: I had expected to be in your city in a very few days, with Gen. Scott on our way North but am disappointed. As in the circumstances of an untoward occurrence in the mountains of North Carolina there will be many exaggerated reports relative thereto, I will give you the facts, that if you deem it of interest you may publish them.
The Cherokee emigration had gone on with the most triumphant success, and unstained by bloodshed or acts of violence on either side. However, in collecting the Indians in North Carolina, the most savage and uncivilized part of the tribe, a few, misled by mischievous white men, for some sinister purpose, induced them to believe that by secreting themselves from the search of the troops, they might remain permanently in the country, took refuge in the mountains. To bring in these fugitives, small detachments of troops, were, from time to time sent out, accompanied by Indian runners, with talks from the Cherokee authorities. By this means, many of the fugitives were brought in.
Lieut. Smith, of the 1st Dragoons, with a detachment of troops, had succeeded in capturing a party of the fugitives, whom he despatched to the emigrating depot, under the charge of a sergeant and a few soldiers. The Lieutenant himself, with three men, went in pursuit of another party, whom he took, all without the least resistance or appearance of hostility. The Indians appeared to be very peaceably disposed, and were treated, as all the prisoners have been, with the utmost kindness.
On the evening of the 1st inst., as the party was on the march, down the Little Tennessee River, in North Carolina, two of the soldiers having dismounted to let the Indians ride their horses, the Indian prisoners attacked and killed two of the men, badly wounded the third, and made their escape. This party consisted of five warriors, besides women and children.
When the Lieutenant was joined by the rest of his detachment, which had been with the other party of prisoners, he, being under orders to join the regiment, which was to have marched to-day to Fort Gibson, immediately came on to Fort Cass.
To capture and to punish these marauders, the whole disposable force in the country the 4th regiment of infantry, under Col. Foster, a gallant and distinguished officer, has been ordered to the mountains. It will march to-morrow, and I have no doubt, that in a very short time the object will be effected.
The number of the Cherokees remaining is but very small, the last emigrating detachment by land, having set out this day, or the West, making about fifteen thousand that have been sent off since the 1st of June last.
These mountain Indians cannot be considered formidable, they are but a few mere outlaws, who do not recognize the authority of the nation, and were, probably, stimulated on a sudden, to this outbreak, by the hope of plunder and the prospect of escape to the mountains.
This affair, which has thus, in the close of the operation of removing an entire people, thrown blood upon it, cannot be considered as the act of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee people have uniformly deprecated a resort to arms, and have acted in the most perfect good faith.