Andrew Lewis' Sandy Creek Expedition Clinch River
Sandy Creek Expedition Clinch River
February 26 Sandy Creek Expedition Clinch River Valley
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Compiled by Jim Moyer first in 2016, updated 2/9/2020, 2/15/2020, 2/23/2020, 2/29/2020
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After A visit to a paradise of Burkes Garden, the next valley, The Clinch River Valley is scarce. Hunting turns up nothing. No Game.
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The Journal
We are still following the journal kept by Capt William Preston’s journal of the Sandy Creek Expedition
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Arriving at Burkes Garden
Burkes Garden
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Finally the majority of the expeditionary force arrives at Burke’s Garden
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See this link for more detail about Burkes Garden.
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Tuesday 24 FEB 1756
Crossed two mountains and arrived at Burke’s Garden. Had plenty of potatoes which the soldiers gathered in the deserted plantations .
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Wednesday 25 FEB 1756
Remained in Camp.”Burke’s Garden is a tract of land of 5000 or 6000 acres, as rich and fertile as any I ever saw, as well watered with many beautiful streams, and is surrounded with mountains almost impassible.
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CLINCH RIVER VALLEY
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Thursday 26 FEB 1756
Marched early, crossed three large mountains, arrived at head of Clinch.
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Notice where we think they crossed, because of remarking about 3 mountains.
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Clinch River.
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Repeating Journal entry as caption for this 2nd map:
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Thursday 26 FEB 1756
Marched early,
crossed three large mountains,
arrived at head of Clinch.
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Our hunters found no game.
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See topo map of
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But the next day? They found game !
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Friday 27,
Lay by on account of rain. Hunters killed three or four bears.
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Saturday 28,
Passed several branches of Clinch and at length got to head of Sandy Creek, where we met with great trouble and fatigue, occasioned by heavy rain, and driving our baggage horses down said creek, which we crossed 20 times that evening. Killed three buffalos and some deer.
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Clinch River Flows South
to a Future Fort
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This South Fork Clinton River becomes the main Clinch River flowing south into today’s state of Tennessee, ending at South West Point where a Fort Loudoun (one of 3 forts named Fort Loudoun) will built later this year to satisfy a treaty with the Cherokee.
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This Valley reaches south to a future Fort Loudoun
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Follow the Clinch River all the way down to where Major Andrew Lewis will build a Fort for the Cherokee, stipulated in a treaty with them.
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Major Andrew Lewis does this in August of 1756.
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Fort Loudoun in what is in today’s Tennessee is built nearby afterwards.
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Source:
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There’s more to this journal and to the story. We just wanted to pick this one area they saw to highlight.
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Some Links
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Sandy Creek Expedition Begins
All the troops are gathered at this point.
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Brief overview –
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Excellent trace map of the expedition.
Shows the route in West Virginia area only:
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Captain William Preston tells the story as written down by him at the time. .
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the following seems to be a partial reprint of Preston’s journal
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Reenactors retracing trek
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18 February -13 March 1756
The Officers involved
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After her return from captivity, in November of 1755, Mary Ingles provided her husband, CPT William Ingles, with intelligence about Shawnee villages along the Ohio.
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In December of 1755,
approached Lt Governor Dinwiddie about conducting a raid against two of these villages near present day Portsmouth, OH.
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was designated to lead the expedition of approximately 200-300 men from the Virginia Regiment and Militia Rangers along with approximately 80-130 Cherokees.
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was ordered to provide and lead forty men from his Company.
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A draft of sixty men from Captain William Preston’s and Captain John Smith’s Company, to be commanded by Captain Smith was ordered to participate.
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Captain Overton and Captain Obadiah Woodson were to provide forty men each and serve as Company Commanders.
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Captain Pearis commanded the Cherokees.
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Captain Robert Breckinridge, was ordered to take his companies as well.
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Captain’s Archibald Alexander, John Montgomery and Dunlap commanded volunteer companies of indeterminate size.
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Captain David Stuart served as commissary.
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the instigator if not, perhaps, the planner of the mission, joined the expedition as well.
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The main body of the expedition departed Fort Frederick (vicinity Salem, VA) on 18 February 1756.
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The expedition with the exception of CPT Hogg’s men who were behind the main body, reached the north Fork of the Holston River by 23 February.
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By 26 February the expedition was at the head of the Clinch River and at the head of Sandy Creek by the 28th which they followed towards the Ohio River until desertion and insubordination caused the expedition to turn around on 13 March.
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