from Kingsport Times, September 3, 1940
The battle of Island Flats [on July 20, 1776 near Kingsport] was an epochal event in the frontier history of Tennessee. Stories relative to this famous Indian battle were rehearsed by the native country folk for many generations and items of minute importance were debated by the best authorities.
One important angle of the battle was the behavior of William Cocke later U. S. senator from Tennessee who had persuaded the frontiersmen to meet the Indians in open battle. Supposedly when confronted by the savage approach of Dragging Canoe’s warriors his valor weakened. Captain James Shelby, Captain William Edmondson and other brave fighters were holding the Indians at bay while their men formed a solid line of defense Meanwhile Captain Cocke and his company had retreated to the fort six miles across Eaton’s ridge.
After the battle was over and the victorious soldiers were returning to the fort they met Cocke and his men marching out to battle again. When accused of committing a cowardly act Cocke explained that he went back to the fort to defend the women and children should the pioneers have been defeated. The alibi did not remove the contempt expressed by his comrades. Charges of cowardice therefore were brought against him in the Washington county court. William Cocke was vindicated however and the case was dismissed.
In later years William Martin asked Colonel James Robertson what he thought about Cocke’s behavior Robertson replied
I never knew a man more desirous to be brave.
Perhaps Robertson was right for Cocke later proved himself to be a worthy soldier in military engagements.
Whereas Cocke bore the title of the craven in the battle of Island Flats "Elick" Moore was hailed as the hero. Tradition says that during the engagement Moore encountered a chieftain in a hand-to-hand combat. The stage for the contest was a big sink hole. Supposedly both sides momentarily stopped fighting to center their attention on the death struggle of these mighty warriors In the final moment of suspense Moore freed his right arm from the grip of his opponent seized a tomahawk and buried it in the Indian’s brain. All of the commentaries on the battle do not agree with this account depicting Moore’s valor. One writer states that while the Indians were fleeing from the onslaught of battle Moore ran upon the warrior crippled in the thigh lying in a big sink hole. Finding his prey in this helpless condition Moore finished killing him in an ostentatious manner. This writer continues by saying that he knew Moore personally and that on certain occasions he had a habit of getting drunk. While in this intoxicated condition he would entertain the inmates of the tavern by saying
I am Big Elick Moore that killed the big Indian in a big sink hole on Big Island Flats near the big island on the Holston.
While the deeds and exploits of the whites have been well preserved historians have failed to give due credit to great Indian fighters. Of all the uncompromising heroes of the Cherokee nation, Dragging Canoe deserves the greatest praise To the whites his type of vindictive warfare appeared to be cruel and savage. To the redmen it was keeping with a high code of honor. They were fighting in defense of their nation and were retaliating by taking scalps only in equal number for the warriors the whites had killed. Although the Indians killed and scalped some white women and children the white men were equally as cruel in their burning of homes and killing of Indian squaws.
In some virtues of warfare the Indians excelled the whites. They exercised greater chivalry in their treatment of women prisoners. On one occasion after Dragging Canoe and his band had been on a raiding party around Long Island they were returning to their towns with their loot and their prisoners. At one time the chief's attention was directed toward one of his company who had loitered behind with a woman captive. Dragging Canoe immediately investigated the case. When he found that the captor had abused the high honor of the Indian code he shot the transgressor dead in his tracks.
The defeat of Dragging Canoe at Island Flats did not crush the spirit of this brave Cherokee warrior. He possessed too much pride to return to his capital without something to compensate for his loss of thirteen men killed and several wounded. His warriors therefore broke up into scouting parties and began to ravage the homes of the isolated settlers on the Clinch and Holston Rivers. Thus when he did return to the Cherokee nation he brought home eighteen scalps and some much needed supplies.
One of the scalps taken however failed to add another dead man to the toll. While the Reverend Jonathan Mulkey and one of his neighbors were working In their fields in Carter’s Valley they were attacked by some of Dragging Canoe’s men. Mulkey swam the Holston River and escaped. His companion was knocked down scalped and left for dead. When Mulkey finally made his way to Eaton’s Station he learned that his scapless friend had already arrived at the fort.
Contrary to the opinion that a scalp taken always left a dead man lying on the ground source records reveal that many of these unfortunate victims were nursed back to normal health Fredrick Calvit is an outstanding example of one who suffered such treatment.
During the winter of 1776 James Rob ertson was stationed at Long Island commissioned to patrol the frontier and to protect the outlying homesteads from the ravages of Dragging Canoe’s stealthy soldiers. While Robertson was on duty at the fort the Indians came to his home and stole several of his horses. Robertson and his men immediately pursued the thieves and recovered the stolen property. In the skirmish one of his men, Calvit, fell into the hands of the marauders. He was scalped and left for dead. Found by his companions he was taken back to the fort for treatment. Dr. Patrick Vance surgeon at the fort proceeded to operate on Calvit. He also gave Robertson the following instructions for the same operation should there be no surgeon available another time:
Take a common blunt-pointed sewing awl and bore a hole into the skull until a red fluid appears on the point of the awl. Continue to bore these holes about an inch apart until the exposed surface is covered.
It took approximately two years for a patient undergoing this treatment to recover normal condition. Calvit according to authentic records did recover. How much hair grew back on his head no one knows. How much pain he suffered we can only surmise. There is one conclusion we can draw however Calvit was and is an unique example of the courage and endurance which exemplified the spirit of the rugged pioneers who built our nation.
