men sent to build the fort, had returned by September 18th. Major Lewis remained to bring in the Indian reinforcement.
At a Court Martial held September 11, 1756, Colonel David Stewart presiding, several persons were exempted from military duty, among them one man for the reason that two of his children were "natural fools."
The alarm in Augusta still continued. "One-third of the militia from Augusta," wrote the Governor on September 30th, "and some from other counties contiguous have been ordered out for protection of their frontiers, but they are such a dastardly set of people that I am convinced they do not do their duty, which is the reason of the late invasion there. They have neither courage, spirit, or conduct." Again, on the 26th of October, to Washington: "I received your letter from Augusta, and observe its contents. The behavior of the militia is very unaccountable, and I am convinced they are under no command. I ordered part of the militia to the frontier and there to remain till relieved by others, * * instead thereof, they go and come at their own pleasure, and many of them come here with large demands as if they had done the duty ordered in a proper manner: they are a dastardly set of people, and under no management or discipline, much owing to their officers, who I fear are little better than the private men."
At last Major Lewis returned from the Cherokee country, and brought in only seven warriors and three women, to the Governor's "great surprise and concern."
The French, it was feared, had been tampering with the Southern Indians, and had seduced them from the English. One of the seven was sent back to remind the Cherokees of their repeated promises, and the others in Augusta were exhorted by the Governor to accompany Major Lewis to Winchester.
The fort built by Andrew Lewis was called Fort Loudoun. It was on the south bank of the Tennessee river, at the head of navigation, and about thirty miles south of the present town of Knoxville. In 1760, when garrisoned by two hundred men, it was beleaguered by Cherokee Indians who had become hostile. Reduced to the point of starvation, and without hope of rescue, the garrison surrendered. Accounts vary as to the fate of the prisoners. One account states that the Indians fired upon the
