| THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WAS COMPILED BY ESTER MORRIS IN 1834 |
Defeated Creek, a north branch of the Cumberland River, near the line of Smith and Jackson counties, between Carthage and Williamsburg. This creek took its name from a defeat of John Peyton and his party, consisting of his brothers Ephraim and Thomas Peyton, John Frazier, and Squire Grant, in the year 1786. The Indians, about 60 in number, led on by the Fool Warrior, a distinguished Cherokee chief attacked the camp, (situated on a small island just above the mouth of a spring branch, a short distance below where the old Fort Blount road crosses said creek) in the night, during a deep snow, shot a ball through and broke the arm and shoulder of John Peyton. Thomas Peyton was shot through the thigh, Frazier through the leg and Grant through the knee. Ephraim Peyton escaped without a wound from the Indians, but sprained his ankle in running through the creek. In this naked and mangled condition, this five hardy veterans had to grope their way in crusted snow through a pathless wilderness of cave clad mountains alone, ( for no two ever came together) for four days before they reached habitation of civilized man, bare headed, bare footed, without food, or any garment except a shirt and pantaloons. Marking the desert with their blood. Not withstanding their situation, they all arrived safely at Bledsoe's Lick, a distance of about 70 miles by the circuitous route they came, recovered by their wounds and fought many Indian battles in defence of the women and children of the frontier. John Peyton, from whom this compiler obtained the above facts, died at his residence on Station Camp, in Sumner County in 1833 in the 78th year of his age. By Ester Morris. 1834 |
| THE STORY OF DEFEATED CREEK |
| DEFEATED CREEK |