3xx8 (Letter from Lyman C. Draper to Col. William Martin, son of Brigadier General Joseph Martin)

Buffalo, New York, 24^th Sept. 1842

My Dear Sir:

I feel a thousand times obliged to you for your three -- several communications to me - the latter of which was kindly forwarded to me at this place. I cannot find language to express my gratitude to you for the interest you take in the subject I have in hand, and for the fulness of detail with which you write me. When, therefore, I say "I thank you" - strip it of all cold formality and receive it as a gushing exclamation direct from a warm and grateful heart. I have repeatedly read over your kind contributions, & every time I peruse - nay, study them with renewed interest & delight. The truth is, my aged friend, I am very passionately devoted to the Pioneer History of the romantic West - I keep delving away at it, more for the seal love I have for the thing itself than anything else.

And since I have found you out, since I have got some clue to you , extended, intimate & accurate acquaintance with my favorite hobby, I shall certainly hold you to your unwritten invitation for "a letter from me once in a while." All my fears are, that "once in a while" write me will be quite too often for your convenience. I cannot but think we are "congenial spirits", tho you yet "can't tell." It's well, I know, to be reserved - to make slow & careful advances in the formation of friends life, but I must confess in your case, instead of being reserved, checked. I want to run full tilt to you, & seize you by both hands - I hope & pray we may both live yet to see each other - it would so gratify the feelings of my heart to se you face to face!

Had I known of your Carrollton visit last Spring, I should certainly have met you there. But I do not despair of seeing you. I left Pontotoc all of a sudden, & here I am, in my native county, & here I expect t remain till sometime next year, when I hope to return to Mississippi - and there I must lie away to Tennessee. I have long promised myself a trip through your state, Kentucky, & South Western Virginia, for the special purpose of visiting the fine scattering survivors of that remarkable race of men of a former generation, who suffered more, and were honored less, than almost any equal number of adventurers in any country or in any age. I know full well that much, very much, of curious, valuable, & interesting information of the character I seek, has gone to the grave with its possessors - & there it will sleep forever. There is, however, much yet remaining - and it is this I am so desirous to rescue from forgetfulness & neglect.

Let me indulge a little more in this gossip. You are right in your supposition that I am a young man and should you ever see me, you would see one of that "puny generation" of which you speak, for I am a small bit of a fellow but five feet one,

enjoying not the best of health. But small as I am, & as "good for nothing" as I often think myself , I yet feel that I have something to do - and that something I am determined to do. My tastes & predilections long since led me into the inviting field of Western Pioneer history - so much of which had been but partially & imperfectly explained. I have found it a far richer field of epic than I had dared to hope. - so much so, that I shall, doubtless, make it more or less the study of my whole life. You can judge then, to some extent the anxiety I have, to see you, & hear from your won life that story of olden times I so delight to hear.

And let me tell you, too, there is "another tie" - that "blessed tie that binds our hearts in Christian love" - which adds much to the Devine I have to make you personal acquaintance. What a mysterious "tie" is that! - What a source of inward joy! - By the Baptist Banner, which I take, I have learned since I wrote you, that you are a Baptist, & I hardly need add, that we are brothers . You are an aged, thoughtful, experienced father - I, a young thoughtless, & inexperienced son. With what pleasure then, as I read your observations relative to the Bible & the religion of the Bible! You touched a kindred cord - a cord of feelings, of affections, & of Christian fellowship. Your reflections on this interesting subject - Which I shall always be gratified to receive - cannot fail to instruct & benefit me.

Your communications have suggested many such inquiries - some I will proceed to make, & perhaps may omit a portion of them until I write you again. Do you know the Christian name of your great grand father? Can you tell the precise time in the 1740, in which your father there was born? - & the month, & day of the month, of his death? You speak of his being out in the great Shawnee war of '74. Do you know the particular part he acted, & under whose command? I would be very glad

if you would relate for me, every traditionary incident relative to that campaign, & the battle at "The Point", of which you may be possessed - I mean, of course, eery thing written your knowledge pertaining to the unwritten history of that brilliant campaign & gallant battle. - I am desirous to know more than I now do about this engagement at the Long Island Flats, in June, 1776. Haywood's account of it is certainly not the thing - he evidently screens Capt. Wm Cocke.. I would like to learn the day of the month on which the battle took place - have you any means of ascertaining? Haywood says there were five companies collected there, but forgot to mention the names of but two captains - Capt. James Thompson, & Capt. Cocke I have two authorities, & pretty good ones, for saying that James Shelby was another Captain, and Col. Geo. Christian of Overton County, Tenn., informing me that one of the Campbells commanded a company - I presume he alluded to Arthur Campbell. If Arthur Campbell was there, (and I am inclined to doubt it) who was the other captain? - & if he was not there, then who were the other two?

It seems to me, if a man of Campbell's character & note had have been there, it would be more generally known - & more over, I should have supposed that he, not Thompson, would have been the commander in that affair. Haywood says that Thompson's being the senior captain, was chosen to the command. I know nothing of Thompson beyond his participation in this battle, but Arthur Campbell though being young, served in the War of '56 - yet after all, it is possible Thompson was the senior captain. Give me all the light you can in relation to this matter. Connected with this engagement I have one or two other matters to bring to your consideration. During the fight, it is said, one Alexander Moore got into close contact with a large Indian warrior - a doubtful struggle ensued, & finally Moore possessed himself of the Indian's knife & plunged it into his antagonist - after which the Indian broke his hold & sprang off from Moore, when some person shot him through the head. I have omitted the details of this incident, not being necessary to my present purpose - what I desire to ascertain is, who was the individual who shot the Indian?

A son of Capt. Samuel Hardy says his father was the man, while Col. Benjamin Sharp of Missouri, who is now 80 years of age, & who though not in the action, was at that time residing somewhere in the region, says a brother-in-law of his, one William King was the man who shot the Indian. Perhaps you may be able to help me out of this dilemma -

Alexander McCollom, about a year your senior, told me the following circumstance - perhaps you may know something of it: During the universal caster nation preceding the Flats battle, one Jackson, an Irishman, residing on the Smith Fork of Holston, abandoned his house & betook himself to a fort on Reedy Creek in Washington County, Va., & in his hurry forgot his wig & looking glass.

The Indians under the Dragging Canoe, after securing the articles in question, fired the house. Seven spies sent out from the Reedy Creek Station, & preceded some 12 or 15 miles, when they discovered the Indians encamped for the night. They had the wig placed on the ground & the looking glass braced up before it, & were performing a war dance around them - occasionally patting the wig would exclaim "You white man' scalp, come off!" I then, of course, suiting the action to the wig, the poor wig was treated rather roughly. Thus the ceremony, interspersed with occasional horrible grimaces in the looking glass, was kept up till near midnight. The spies, from the smallness of their number, kept at a suitable distance, until just before day, when they ventured up & shot 7 Indians & made good their retreat. This, according to Alexander McCollam's recollection, occurred the night preceding the action at the Flats. I have no means of knowing what reliance I ought to place on this statement. This much I know - that in very many things I found Mr. McCollam's memory relative to olden times seems remarkedly good in a few things, not so good. - Was Heaton's Station on Reedy Creek? - I would suppose not. You can doubtless tell.

In the campaign of 1781, who were the officers under your father? - & again in 1788? Were you out in this last campaign? - & was not Capt. Joseph Hardin, of Green County, killed in the affair at the Lookout Mountain? - Perhaps something may have occurred during your two years sojourn at your father's "Station" from '85 to '87, that you may glean of sufficient interest to rescue from oblivion. And will you give me those "striking incidents" that occurred during your two years service in the defense of the Cumberland Country. I have you by the buttons in spite of Chesterfield. Let me ask while I think of it, who was the Capt. Christian employed in the same service early in 1793, under Maj. Sharpe? - I forgot to ask in the proper place, who was Capt. James Thompson & where did he belong? -

I am very much obliged to you for your several corrections of Haywood. Whenever you discover any further errors into which he has fallen, be kind enough to apprize me of them. If you possess any thing worth my notice relative either to the King's Mountain Campaign, or the Franklin organization, do not fail to communicate it to me. Where these or any kindred subjects you cannot write amiss. Let me ask, if you know of the whereabouts of the Frankland records? I would like to get some clue to them. I half suspect they fell into Judge Haywood's hands - if so, perhaps his son Egbert Haywood, of Jackson, in your State may know something of them. I have written him with regard to the matter, but he has not seen fit to reply. Since commencing this sheet, I have had the pleasure to receive a letter from your brother Col. Joseph Martin relative to the manuscript papers of your father. He wrote me at your request - I am heartily glad that he did so. I am glad to learn that he has in his possession a somewhat extensive correspondence besides upwards of 100 pages of Indian talks & treaties. Those old papers are so voluminous, your brother advised me to pay him a visit & examine them for myself. I shall long to see them - I must make an effort to do so.

During your Tugalo residence, I presume you became acquainted with Col. Benjm. Cleveland. I am trying to collect a sufficient number of facts relative to his services, to prepare a sketch of him. I find it extremely difficult to get authentic information about him - not even the year of his death, or his age. I hope you will be able to give me something of a lift. - Cleveland, Joseph Winston, the McDowells, Pickens, & Sumter were all prominent borderers - though not exactly Pioneers in the same sense as the Shelbies, Boone, Robertson, Sevier, Logan, your father, & others. - I was acquainted with a daughter of Gen. Pickens - a friend of Dr. John Miller, now of Pontotoc Co. Miss. - a very fine & intelligent elderly lady. Where you lived in the Tugalo, Dr. Miller resided at old Pendelton C.H.

Do you know of any survivors of the battle of Point Pleasant, of the 10^th Oct. 1774? I am exceedingly solicitous to procure every little incident connected with these battles. Some little striking incident - some singular out-of-the-way occurrence - perhaps not directly connected with a noted battle, will nevertheless give a peculiar zest to the narrative. A little of the spice of variety adds so much to the interest of the written details of any battle. With these views, I would like a good many "Details" & some little "spice" relative to your father's campaign of '88. It was too prominent a campaign not to have afforded some incidents - & the battle, too, at Lookout Mountain - could you not add something to Haywood's account of it? How many men were out under your father on that campaign? - & also in 1781? - & on this latter occasion, how many each had Arthur & William Campbell? Do you recollect any of the Indian Campaigns in which either of the Campbells participated? - I am indebted to Govr. Campbell, of Abingona, for much truly s of interesting matter regarding the lives & public services of the cousins & brother-in law, Arthur & William; but the Governor could tell me but little about Arthur's services against the Indians - & he did not seem to think that William had ever served against the Indian enemy. And I was not aware, until the reception of your last communication, that Wm Campbell led a reinforcement as far as the Long Island of Holston in 1781. I am glad you mentioned that fact - & hope will recur to it in your next. And here let me ask (-- you see how resultry I am- ) if Wm Campbell's reinforcements were, like Arthur's, mounted men? - The anecdote you related, relative to yourself & Gen. Campbell , I shall, with very great pleasure, insert in my sketch of that great man. I have not formed quite so exalted an opinion of Col Arthur Campbell as I have of Gen. William Campbell. Both were great & useful men of their days, & full justice has never yet been awarded to them. Indeed, I may say, that of all the prominent Pioneers of the West, Col. Daniel Boone, Isaac Shelby, & George Rogers Clark, are the only ones whose lives & services have received any thing like historical justice. And yet to the published accounts of all these, I shall be able to add something considerable. Flint's "Life of Boone" needs to be divested of much of its pretty romance; and not a little of its pretended historical detail is sadly distorted & imperfect.

Col. G. Washington Sevier, & also his elder brother James, have each furnished me facts relative to their father. The Colonel yet has his father's papers, & I am to have an examination of them when I visit your State. - Dr. Robertson has been some two or three years preparing for my use some extended notes of his father's life, & services - his mother (the Doctor's) yet survives, though very aged, & her memory of those early times is very good, & is of very great assistance in the preparation of such a work. From this source I have a right to hope for much of a deeply interesting character. - I am yet quite deficient in facts concerning the Bledsoes - Isaac & Anthony; & so I may say of Gen. Daniel Smith. I have written to Col. George Smith, of Sumner - many months ago, - but no reply. Of Col. John Donaldson I know nothing save what is contained in Haywood's work - I wrote to Gen. Jackson, & Col. A. J. Donaldson, some time since, & yet cherish the hope to hear from one or both of them. - I am desirous of knowing more than I now do of Gen. Isaac Shelby, & Gen. George Doherty - & I may also include Gen. James White. I deeply regret that I was not aware that the latter was the father of the late Judge H. I. White, in time to have written the Judge during his life time. In 1839 I wrote the venerable Judge in reference to Sevier, Robertson, Cocke, Gov. Wm Blount & others, & he made me quite a lengthily & kind reply. I have written Dr. Ransey, of Knox Ca, with reference to Gen. White - no answer as yet. - I have gotten some facts pertaining to the history of Col. John Tipton, of Washington Co. Tenn, but I did not learn that he had any thing to do with the Indian wars. His brother , Maj. Nathan Tipton served considerably under Sevier. The late Senator Tipton of Indiana, informed me that his uncle Col. John Tipton was at the Battle of King's Mountain. I can learn nothing to corroborate this - & on the whole, I think he was not there. Certain it is that at the time this battle was fought 7^th Oct. 1780, Tipton was residing near Woodstock in Virginia - far, very far beyond the units of Col. Wm Campbell's regiment. At all events - be pleased to give me your opinion of Col. Tipton.

I read with interest your narrative of the captivity of Mrs. Scott. It agrees in all essential particulars with a published account I have in my possession. It was truly a "hair breath escape". Perhaps in my next, I will copy this published account for your amusement - if you have not got it, & I presume you have not. I have made some inquiry about the Historical Society of Nashville, but have learned nothing definite. When I receive another letter from Dr. Robertson - & I hope to soon - I shall look for something in the shape of tangible information. It would not surprise me to learn that Dr. Ramsey has got the collections of that society in possession - I believe he is the origin of the East Tennessee Historical Society, & what ever that is doing, I am ignorant.

A few wars since Dr. Robertson persuaded a portrait painter to attempt a likeness of his father from such directions as he would be able to give, & from family features where they were known to exist - & actually produced, the Doctor informs me, a very good likeness, & readily recognized by the General's old acquaintenances. Would that portraits of your father & Gen. Wm Campbell could be similarly produced! Think of it my friend. You can tell whether your father's features can be traced in his children. I should be much gratified to have a portrait of him engraved & prefixed to his sketch. Who can tell what a little perseverance will not accomplish? It has done wonders - & may again.

While it occurs to me, let me inquire whether old Toby was out with your father in '81 & '88? He is, I presume, with your brother in Henry County, Va. - A year or two since I made the acquaintance an old gentleman of the name of Job , then residing in Tishamingo County, Miss. He was out with your father in the Lookout Mountain Campaign of '88. I said I made his acquaintance - let me qualify it somewhat. I was riding along one March afternoon, when I espied and elderly person in a plough field by the roadside - I reined up - made some inquiries, & observed to him that he appeared old enough to have taken part in some of the old Indian wars. The remark produced the intended effect - I drew him out. He gave me an account, somewhat hurried to be sure, of the Lookout Mountain Campaign - which I noted down as well as I could on horseback & in a drizzling rain - for I recollect I had to shield the rain from my paper with the skirt of my overcoat held by one hand, while with the other I pencilled his hurried narrative on my knee. I have scarcely seen the notes I then took since - tho I have tem carefully laid away. By the time I write you again I will have them at hand - & if in comparison they differ in any particular from Haywood, I will submit the question to you for arbitration.

It is high time I draw my long yarn to a close. I hope you will be patient with me. When I mount my favorite hobby I know not when to stop. I am aware that my letter is sadly disjointed, but I have so many letters to write that I can not delay to sound my friends, nor cull the flowers of sheton's. Nor have I time to correct & copy my lengthy letter - indeed, I would at any time rather write two letters than copy one. I write, as you see, in great haste - a brief comment here - an inquiry there - forming altogether quite a skip-hop-& jump affair, but I care but little so that I accomplish my object.

Let me say - take your own time to comply with my wishes. With my thanks to your son for his kindness to me, and with my prayers & good wishes for your continued good health for many a long & happy years.

I remain very Truly yours,

Lyman C. Draper

P.S. My copy of Haywood, which I procured with great difficulty - is wanting in its title page & a portion of the 503 & 504 pages - which I believe comprise the last leaf. I wish to tax the kindness of your son to supply the deficiency by copying from yours - commencing with the 17^th line on page 503 - & all of the Indian letter on page 504. - Did not Judge Haywood also publish a kind of Indian History of Tennessee - a work entirely distinct from his civil history? I am under that impression.

Inferring from your letter that you are friendly to the election of Henry Clay to the Presidency, I take the liberty of sending to your address the recently published life of the distinguished Kentucky Statesman, in the "New World" newspaper. I do not take much interest in the political wrangles of the day that many do - I am too fond of a retired & unobtrusive life for that. I may as well say, my first choice for the next Presidency would be Col. R. M. Johnson, but I do not much expect that he will be a presidential candidate.

One of these days I intend writing to Col. P.H. Fontaine, & when I do, I shall not fail to deliver your message. He is a fine old gentleman & I have spent many delightful hours in his company.

But I must conclude. May God bless you & yours, my good friend!

Sincerely - L.C.D.