Buchanan's Station
The assault by a combined force of around 300 Chickamauga Cherokee, Muscogee Creek, and Shawnee, nominally led by Chief John Watts, was repelled by 15 gunmen under Major Buchanan defending the station.In the spring of 1783, as the American Revolutionary War was drawing to a close, Major John Buchanan claimed land 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Fort Nashborough.[6] On May 8, 1786, Major Buchanan's brother Samuel left the station to plow the field near Mill Creek, when he was pursued and killed by a group of Native Americans, reportedly after jumping off the bluff.Preoccupied with the Northwest Indian War, Knox was determined to avoid escalating conflict in the Southwest Territory, and tried to pacify the delegation by increasing the annuity paid to them under the Treaty of Holston.[10] In the face of ongoing raids by Chickamauga Cherokee and Muscogee Creek, Governor William Blount and leaders of the militia in the Southwest Territory had petitioned Knox to send federal troops to the area.[10][11] While authorizing the raising of militia in the Mero District, Knox insisted that they remain in a defensive posture only, and suggested that any settlers encroaching on unceded lands in violation of the Treaty of Holston should be punished.[10] Meanwhile, raids by various tribes continued, emboldened by support from Hector, Baron de Carondelet, the Spanish governor of Louisiana, who wanted to halt American westward expansion.Despite having been advised by Arturo O'Neill, a Spanish official, to avoid taking aggressive action, Watts rallied the Chickamauga to go to war against the United States.Although Bloody Fellow initially opposed the decision, one of the Cherokee delegates to Philadelphia, Cheeseekau, and White Owl's Son both declared their support for Watts.[12] In the meantime, Blount received disingenuous letters of reassurance from Bloody Fellow and Chief Glass claiming that a war party had started to gather, but had been dispersed.[5][8] In addition, one of his scouts, Abraham Castleman, reported finding the trail of a large party near Black Fox's Camp at present-day Murfreesboro, which was suspiciously deserted.[12] Robertson put the militia to work at Buchanan's Station,[5] the dilapidated outpost four miles east of Nashville which was most exposed in the event of a strike on the town.[5] Blount later wrote, "Difference of opinion, as the mode and place of attack, at the rendezvous after they passed at the Tennessee, probably was the cause of the delay; I have no other way to account for it", pointing out that this was often the case when more than one Native American nation was involved.[7][11] Cheeseekau led his men within 10 yards of the front gate, but the agitation of the cattle outside the stockade walls alerted John McCrory, who was standing guard inside one of the blockhouses."[15] In The Eminent and Heroic Women of America, Elizabeth Ellet called Sally Buchanan "the greatest Heroine of the West" due to her determined leadership and aid to the fort's defense during the conflict.[12] Following the Battle of Buchanan's Station, Watts received a letter of sympathy from Spanish Governor Carondelet at New Orleans, who suggested that the King of Spain might intervene with the Americans to restore Native lands.
stockadebunkhouseCountryUnited StatesTerritorySouthwest TerritoryCountyDavidsonJohn BuchananDonelsonNashville, TennesseeCherokee–American warsChickamauga CherokeeMuscogee CreekShawneeJohn WattsAmerican Revolutionary WarFort NashboroughMill CreekNickajackChattanoogaKnoxvilletomahawkGeorge William FeatherstonhaughDavidson County, TennesseeMajor John BuchananOverhill CherokeeHenry KnoxNorthwest Indian WarTreaty of HolstonWilliam BlountHector, Baron de CarondeletCheeseekauDragging CanoeWillstownArturo O'NeillLookout MountainLittle TurkeyJames RobertsonChief GlassBlack FoxMurfreesboroTalotiskeeElizabeth ElletTecumsehSally Buchananblunderbussswivel cannonJ. G. M. RamseyChief DoubleheadNatchez TraceNickajack ExpeditionElm Hill Pike and Massman DriveWayback MachineFeatherstonhaugh, George WilliamCity of NashvilleHistoryTimelineCommerceGeographyMayors PeoplePublic artEducationCityscapePoliceBelle MeadeBerry HillForest HillsOak HillGoodlettsvilleRidgetopAntiochGreen HillsThe GulchHermitageHillsboro VillageInglewoodJoeltonLakewoodLockeland SpringsLower BroadwayMadisonMusic RowPrinter's AlleyTusculumWest Meade333 CommerceBelcourt TheatreBelmont MansionBicentennial Capitol Mall State ParkBluebird CaféCathedral of the IncarnationCentennial ParkCheekwoodCountry Music Hall of FameFort NegleyFrist Art MuseumGaylord Opryland ResortGrand Ole OpryThe HermitageDebra K. Johnson Rehabilitation CenterLife & Casualty TowerLoveless CafeMusic City CenterNashville Children's TheatreNashville City CemeteryNashville Zoo at GrassmereParthenonRyman AuditoriumSchermerhorn Symphony CenterSecond Avenue Commercial DistrictJohn Seigenthaler Pedestrian BridgeShelby Street BridgeStation InnTennessee Performing Arts CenterTennessee State CapitolTennessee State MuseumTennessee TowerUnion StationAllen ArenaBridgestone ArenaCentennial SportsplexCurb Event CenterDugan Field at Marsh StadiumE.S. Rose Park