Rutherford Light Horse expedition facts for kids

The Rutherford Light Horse expedition was a military trip. It was led by American soldiers against Cherokee towns in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. This happened during the early part of the American Revolutionary War. The expedition was a response to attacks by Native Americans on American settlements in July 1776.

This journey took place on the American frontier. It led to the destruction of six Cherokee towns. The expedition lasted from October 17 to November 16, 1776. It ended when the soldiers had to turn back because they ran out of supplies. Captain William Moore led the trip. He was part of the 2nd Rowan County Regiment and reported to Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford.

Why the Expedition Happened

The American Revolutionary War started in April 1775. Soon after, settlers in the Watauga area formed their own group. They called it the "Washington District." This group was loyal to the American colonies. They created a Committee of Safety to manage their area.

In the spring of 1776, the Washington District asked Virginia to take over their land. Virginia said no. So, on July 5, 1776, they asked North Carolina to do it instead.

Around this time, the Cherokee planned to push the settlers out. They also planned to invade Virginia. The first attack was led by the Cherokee war chief, Dragging Canoe. American colonists defeated his group at Heaton's Station. Another attack, led by Abraham of Chilhowee, was stopped at Fort Watauga.

American forces responded to these attacks. Several thousand Virginia soldiers, led by General William Christian, attacked the Overhill Cherokee towns. These towns are in what is now northeast Tennessee.

This attack was part of a bigger plan. Two thousand soldiers from South Carolina, led by Major Andrew Williamson, were supposed to join. A small group from Georgia also joined them. These southern forces were to meet with soldiers from North Carolina, led by General Rutherford.

This combined southern army attacked the middle and lower Cherokee towns. They burned over 30 settlements. This included the main towns of Tuskegee and Citico. However, the southern and northern armies could not meet up. They lacked supplies. Both groups returned home by mid-September 1776.

After these battles, General Rutherford's force had 1971 foot soldiers. They had started with 2500. He also had about 80 "light horse" cavalry soldiers. These cavalry were led by Captain Moore.

The Light Horse Raid Begins

Captain Moore restarted his cavalry group on October 19, 1776. On October 29, he met Captain Joseph Hardin near Cathey's fort. Captain Hardin had been gathering a cavalry group from Tryon County since August. Tryon County was then part of the Salisbury Military District in North Carolina.

The next day, the combined forces crossed into an area. This area was between the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers. There, they found signs that Native Americans had been there recently.

The cavalry quickly went to the Cherokee town of Too Cowee. They had only 97 men at this point. They realized they could not surround the large town. So, they decided to attack directly. They charged into the town. They found it almost empty. They took any food they could find and burned the town.

The soldiers then chased the main group of fleeing Cherokee. The chase was very fast. At one point, the fleeing Native Americans set the forest on fire. They did this to slow down the cavalry. This fight became known as the "Battle of Cowee Gap."

What Happened Next

The expedition destroyed five more Cherokee towns. Then, they had to turn back because they ran out of supplies. Most of the Cherokee towns made peace soon after. This happened with the Treaty of Dewitt's Corner in 1777.

However, Dragging Canoe and Ostenaco refused to sign another treaty. They left with their followers, the Chickamauga Cherokee. They moved south to the creek which bears their name. They wanted to continue fighting. This struggle became known as the Cherokee–American wars. It lasted until 1794.