was injured. It has been well
said that the defense of Buchanan's station by such a handful of men
against an attacking force estimated all the way at from three to seven
hundred Indians is a feat of bravery which has scarcely been surpassed
in the annals of border warfare. The effect upon the Indians must
have been thoroughly disheartening. 2
In the same month arrangements were made for protecting the fron-
tier along the French Broad by means of a series of garrisoned block-
houses, with scouts to patrol regularly from one to another. North
Carolina cooperating on her side of the line. The hostile inroads still
continued in this section, the Creeks acting with the hostile Cherokee.
One raiding party of Creeks having been traced toward Chilhowee
town on Little Tennessee, the whites were about to burn thatCumberland settlement,
was attacked by a mixed force of Cherokee, Creeks, and Shawano,
near the Grab Orchard, west of the presenl Kingston, Tennessee.
Becoming separated from his men he encountered a warrior who had
lifted his hatchet to >trikc when Handley seized the weapon, crying
out "Canaly" (for higtona'lii), "friend," to which the Cherokee
responded with tin' same word, at oner lowering his arm. Handley
was carried to Willstown, in Alabama, where he was adopted into the
Wolf elan (29) and remained until the next spring. After having
made use of his services in writing a peace letter to Governor Blount
the Cherokee finally sent him home in safety to his friends under a
protecting escort of eight warriors, without any demand for ransom.
He afterward resided near Tellico blockhouse, near Loudon, where,
after the wars were over, his Indian friends