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Reminiscences of Snoddy's
Fight, November 1793
(From Capt. Wm. Reid, of Sumner Co., Tenn. about 79 in
1844.) Draper Mss. 323 490-493.
Lieut. Wm. Snoddy mustered into
service, at Winchester's Mill, 32 men in all -- my informant,
being one of the number. Went and camped that night at
Dixon's Spring; next day Nathaniel Lattimore killed a bear;
third day marched to Caney Fork -- Wm. Reid pilot -- just as
they were in the act of crossing the stream, talking pretty
loudly, they saw two Indian sentinels jump up apparently
awakened from sleep, and ran off. The men dashed across
and soon discovered the Indian camp in alarm and confusion, all
the Indians dashed off and over into an island in the river,
called the Double or Rock Island. The Indians, in their
haste, left their plunder, and while the whites were gathering
the articles, John Peyton called out that the Indians were
surrounding them -- one Indian only was seen, and he darted off.
Then the men treed along the bank of the river for a hour or
more, thinking they would be attacked. The plunder was
then gathered up -- 62 packs were taken, each containing a
blanket, lead, a piece of bear skin to lie on -- one shot gun --
2 Spanish blades, bridles and halters. Went up a little
distance to the top of the ridge from the river, and camped --
tied the horses and had the plunder in a pile and the horses
around it. The Indians, commanded by Doublehead, were on
the island; and Doublehead was heard to make a loud howl, and
then make a talk to his warriors. The poorest horse in the
company was then hoppled out and belled, and grass pulled and
placed before him, and occasionally some one would go out and
give the bell a ring -- this was designed as a trap for the
Indians. Sentinels were placed out; and finally the
Indians came up around the camp, but kept at some distance off,
and imitated owls and other birds -- then all the men were
placed out to strengthen the guard, making 3 together. The
decoy horse was now brought in; and just at the break of day,
Snoddy went and examined around the camp and suggested that the
Indians had gone, and all had better start. Reid, the
pilot objected and advised that they wait till at least the sun
was an hour up -- (Reid had been out with Scott and Wilkinson in
1791, and had seen service). Snoddy acquiesced, and had
scarcely got to his position, when Reid was badly wounded in the
right arm, having received the charge of the signal gun (fired,
as was believed by Doublehead himself) -- and the firing on both
sides at once became warm and general, and particularly on the
right where Reid was -- close by fell Nathaniel Lattimore, and
(Ms blank) Scoby fell dead -- and Andrew Stelle was shot through
the hand, and Hugh Elliott was wounded slightly through the
body. Three rounds were exchanged.
The Indians sounded the signal
for retreat, and were seen no more. When they first
commenced fighting, they raised most deafening yells. One
Indian was left dead on the ground, and seven others either
killed on the spot or died of their wounds before reaching the
nation. John Kendrick, Edward Williams, Charles Dyers and
two others, ran away at the commencement of the fight, and did
not rejoin their brave comrades until the third day after.
This fight of Snoddy's was Sept. '92.
(Memo vide narrative of
Snoddy's fight by Wm. K. Sadler.)
From Carr's
Early Times in Middle Tennessee
In 1792, Lieutenant Snoddy was
out on scouting party on Caney Fork, and at Rock Island, late in
the evening, he came on a large encampment of Indians. He
immediately plundered it, the Indians being absent hunting.
Whilst doing so they observed an Indian sauntering slowly down
the hill, with a gun on his shoulder who, on discovering them,
immediately took into the canebreak. Snoddy knew well
enough that he would have to fight before he left the
neighborhood, so he went across the river and selected an
eligible place for defense. There as a high eminence, upon
which he posted his party, about which spot he formed a hollow
square, placing his horses in the centre. Throughout the
night he heard the Indians making all sorts of horrible
imitations around, hooting like owls, barking like dogs and
foxes, or screaming like catamounts. Unfortunately, a
restless horse belonging to one of the party frequently neighed,
betraying their station to the Indians; and about the break of
day the latter made an attack upon the whites. The battle
lasted until about sunrise; but Snoddy had a Spartan band with
him, and although the Indians were double in numbers, they were
handsomely shipped; he lost, however, two fine fellows, Scoby
and Latimore, whilst several were wounded. Among the
latter were Captain William Reid, at present living in this
county and Andrew Steel, since dead. Two or three cowardly
rascals ran away and came to the settlement, instead of staying
to fight,. The rest of the party came safely in, having
gained great applause by their noble conduct in the battle.
There were some thirty engaged in the fight. A large
number of the Indians were killed. My brother went to the
spot afterwards, in company with some others, and found several
Indians whom their own party had hidden away and scalped, for
fear that the whites should do it; whilst they had dug up the
bodies of the whites, scalping them also.
From Haywood's
History of Tennessee
Some short time before the 9th.
of November, 1793 some horses having been stolen and Indians
seen near Croft's Mill in Sumner County Col. James Winchester
ordered out Lieut. Snoddy with thirty men, to scour the woods
about the Caney Fork, and if possible to discover the main
encampment. On the 4th. of November he met two Indians,
who fled; and he pursued them to a large camp near the Rock
Island ford of the Caney Fork, where he took twenty-eight good
Spanish blankets, two match-coats, eight new brass kettles, one
firelock, three new swords, Spanish blades, a bag of vermilion
powder and lead, several bayonets, spears, war hatchets, bridles
and halters. Evening coming on he withdrew from the camp
about a mile to an eminence, where he halted his men, and they
lay on their arms all night. About the dawn of day they
appeared, advancing with trailed arms, and at the distance of
about thirty yards a firing commenced, and was kept up from
three to four rounds, when the Indians retreated, leaving one
fellow on the ground and were seen to bear off several wounded.
Lieut. Snoddy had two men killed and three wounded. He
deserved and received much commendation for his gallantry.
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