Turtle-at-Home facts for kids

Turtle-at-Home, also known as Selukuki Wohelengh, was an important Cherokee warrior and leader. He was the brother and main helper of Dragging Canoe, who was a powerful war chief during the Cherokee–American wars.

Who Was Turtle-at-Home?

Turtle-at-Home was a brave and respected leader among the Cherokee people. He played a big part in defending his people's lands during a time of conflict with American settlers. He was known for leading his warriors in many battles.

Early Conflicts and Raids

From the start of the wars, Turtle-at-Home led groups of Chickamauga Cherokee warriors. They fought against the settlements that were growing in what is now East Tennessee. These areas included places near the Holston River, Nolichucky River, Watauga River, and Doe River. He also led raids against settlements along the Cumberland River in Middle Tennessee, near a place called Fort Nashborough.

Fighting in the North

After some Cherokee towns were destroyed in 1782, Turtle-at-Home and about seventy of his warriors did something different. Instead of moving south with his brother, Dragging Canoe, he went north into the "Kentucke territory." There, he joined forces with their allies, the Shawnee people, to continue fighting.

The Battle of the Wabash

Turtle-at-Home and his group stayed in the north for several years. They took part in a very important battle in 1791 called the Battle of the Wabash. This battle was part of the Northwest Indian War. His warriors, along with groups led by his brothers "Little Owl" and "The Badger," fought alongside the Shawnee leader Blue Jacket and the Miami leader Little Turtle.

In this battle, the Native American forces won a huge victory against the United States military. Out of 1,000 American soldiers, only 48 escaped unharmed, and 623 were killed. It was the worst defeat the U.S. military ever faced from Native American forces.

After this big victory, Turtle-at-Home returned south with his two brothers, though his men stayed behind.

A Time of Change

In 1792, Turtle-at-Home and another leader called "The Glass" returned from a successful raid. Soon after, his older brother, Dragging Canoe, died after a celebration. After Dragging Canoe's death, John Watts became the new leader.

Life After the Wars

When the wars finally ended, Turtle-at-Home became one of the most important leaders of the Lower Cherokee and the entire Cherokee Nation. He was always a member of the council for the Lower Towns. He later became the Speaker of the National Council after the death of another leader named Doublehead.

Turtle-at-Home lived in a town called Nickajack. He ran a ferry service across the Tennessee River, which helped travelers on a major road that went from Augusta, Georgia to Nashville, Tennessee. He was also the headman of Nickajack, which grew very large after the wars, even stretching across the river.

Politically, Turtle-at-Home was part of a group that believed the Cherokee should move west across the Mississippi River. This idea was very controversial, and at one point, he and other leaders were even removed from the national council because of it.

Later, when John Norton, a Mohawk leader with Cherokee and Scottish family, visited the area after the War of 1812, Turtle-at-Home shared a lot of information about the history of the region with him.