Home » History » Frontier History » The Fall of Fort Loudon - Page 2

The Fall of Fort Loudon - Page 2

© Jim Buckenmyer

Governor Lyttelton refused their attempts at diplomacy. He offered them safe passage back to the frontier. The Cherokee men were led back to Fort Prince George by Governor Lyttelton's army. Once at the Fort Lyttelton demanded that twenty-four of the braves that had participated in the raids of reprisal be turned over to him to stand trial for murder. He kept twenty-four of the peace delegation as hostages until this was done. To the Cherokee this was an open declaration of war.

In an attempt to free the hostages Ocanastota drew Lt. Coytmore out of the fort under a flag of truce. Once he was out, he was attacked and killed. The soldiers of Fort Prince George vowed to exact revenge upon the twenty-four hostages. They were only appeased when the commander ordered the hostages placed in irons. When the soldiers went to carry out this order, the hostages attacked with knives and tomahawks they had hidden. All twenty-four hostages were killed in the resulting melee.

Both Fort Prince George and Fort Loudon were placed under siege. Most of Governor Lyttelton's army had already left Fort Prince George due to an outbreak of smallpox there.

There were several attempts to relieve the forts. Fort Prince George was relieved after only a few weeks. Unfortunately it was not as easy to save Fort Loudon, as it was so cut off by the mountains. Virginia sent a company of men to the aid of Fort Loudon, but their progress was so slow that their attempt was abandoned.

The siege was begun late in 1759. In January Capt. DeMere wrote that they had only four months of food left. While the fort was under siege, many of the Cherokee remained friendly with the soldiers. A little food was brought in or traded for by these friends. In the spring of 1760 the siege intensified. Food supplies were rapidly diminishing, and soldiers that attempted to leave the fort were shot.

One final attempt was made to relieve Fort Loudon. In June twelve hundred British regulars and four hundred militia under the command of Colonel Archibald Montgomery began a march towards the Overhill towns. Once in the mountains they met with an ambush. Many were killed, the rest retreated. They would not attempt the mountains again.

Finally on August fourth conditions in the fort had become unbearable. Several men deserted and the rest threatened to. They felt it was better to take their chances running for it than to die of starvation. On August sixth Capt. DeMere called a council of his officers where it was agreed to seek terms of surrender.

The copyright of the article The Fall of Fort Loudon - Page 2 in Frontier History is owned by . Permission to republish The Fall of Fort Loudon - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.