Tracy City in Grundy County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

The Chickamauga Story

From the Heritage Center

— By Oliver W. Jervis —

The Chickamauga Story Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, June 18, 2025

1. The Chickamauga Story Marker

Inscription.

The Chickamauga Story. From the Heritage Center. Infuriated with the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals (1775) wherein the Cherokee Nation ceded Transylvania (Kentucky and part of Tennessee) to the American pioneers for settlement, Dragging Canoe in 1776 led 1,000 or so braves south to the region around Lookout Mountain. Opposed to peace with the American Revolutionaries, he and his followers soon joined with other Native American tribes, British loyalists and others, and established five towns on the Tennessee River, where they strove to prevent pioneer settlement into middle Tennessee. These towns were from east to west Lookout Mountain Town, Running Water Town, Nickajack Town, Long Island Town and Crow Town., Known as the Chickamauga, they attacked pioneer flotilla traversing the Tennessee River, headed for middle Tennessee and further attacked settlements in Middle Tennessee by using the ancient Cisca trail from St. Augustine, Florida. This trail crossed the Plateau at what is now Monteagle on a section known as Nickajack Trail. In 1788 a young boy, Joseph Brown, traveling with his parents and sister on a boat headed for middle Tennessee, was captured in an ambush by the Chickamauga., Brown was raised within the tribe for a few years, and later released in a prisoner exchange. Having learned the trail system, Brown showed the pioneers the route by which they were being attacked. In 1794, the militia led by Major James Ore, traveling on the Cisca trail system, guided by Brown, attacked the Chickamauga and destroyed their five towns., The Chickamauga dispersed, many to the Plateau, where in time they inter-married and cohabited with American pioneers, who began settlement on the Plateau after the Treaty of Tellico (1805) opened it for settlement. They took the pioneers' surnames such as Meeks, Nunley, Sampley and others. They became so integrated into the mixed population of the Plateau that they were passed over by the Indian removal of 1838 (Trail of Tears), even though one of the removal routes (Bell Route) passed through what is now Monteagle., The descendants of these Native Americans are today a significant part of the population of the Plateau., Image caption: Dragging Canoe, pronounced Tsiyu Gansini, "he is dragging his canoe" (c. 1738-February 29, 1792) was a Cherokee war chief who led a band of disaffected Cherokee against colonists and United States settlers in the Upper South.

Infuriated with the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals (1775) wherein the Cherokee Nation ceded Transylvania (Kentucky and part of Tennessee) to the American pioneers for settlement, Dragging Canoe in 1776 led 1,000 or so braves south to the region around Lookout Mountain. Opposed to peace with the American Revolutionaries, he and his followers soon joined with other Native American tribes, British loyalists and others, and established five towns on the Tennessee River, where they strove to prevent pioneer settlement into middle Tennessee. These towns were from east to west Lookout Mountain Town, Running Water Town, Nickajack Town, Long Island Town and Crow Town.

Known as the Chickamauga, they attacked pioneer flotilla traversing the Tennessee River, headed for middle Tennessee and further attacked settlements in Middle Tennessee by using the ancient Cisca trail from St. Augustine, Florida. This trail crossed the Plateau at what is now Monteagle on a section known as Nickajack Trail. In 1788 a young boy, Joseph Brown, traveling with his parents and sister on a boat headed for middle Tennessee, was captured in an ambush by the Chickamauga.

Brown was raised within the tribe for a few years, and later released in a prisoner exchange. Having learned the trail system, Brown showed the pioneers the route by which they were being attacked.

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In 1794, the militia led by Major James Ore, traveling on the Cisca trail system, guided by Brown, attacked the Chickamauga and destroyed their five towns.

The Chickamauga dispersed, many to the Plateau, where in time they inter-married and cohabited with American pioneers, who began settlement on the Plateau after the Treaty of Tellico (1805) opened it for settlement. They took the pioneers' surnames such as Meeks, Nunley, Sampley and others. They became so integrated into the mixed population of the Plateau that they were passed over by the Indian removal of 1838 (Trail of Tears), even though one of the removal routes (Bell Route) passed through what is now Monteagle.

The descendants of these Native Americans are today a significant part of the population of the Plateau.

Image caption: Dragging Canoe, pronounced Tsiyu Gansini, "he is dragging his canoe" (c. 1738-February 29, 1792) was a Cherokee war chief who led a band of disaffected Cherokee against colonists and United States settlers in the Upper South.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 35° 15.651′ N, 85° 44.235′ W. Marker is in Tracy City, Tennessee, in Grundy County. It can be reached from the

The Chickamauga Story Marker (far left) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, June 18, 2025

2. The Chickamauga Story Marker (far left)

intersection of Laurel Street and Depot St, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14 Laurel St, Tracy City TN 37387, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau

and in the Highland Rim.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Who are the Tourists? (a few steps from this marker); Mountain Goat (a few steps from this marker); Warren Memorial Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Tracy City (a few steps from this marker); WPA in Grundy County and Highlander Folk School - Part 1 (a few steps from this marker); Charley's Camp in the Horseshoe (a few steps from this marker); WPA in Grundy County and Highlander Folk School - Part 2 (a few steps from this marker); Beersheba Springs Hotel (a few steps from this marker); Wooten Mine (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tracy City.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2025, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 216 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 6, 2025, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.