State

January 6, 1934 THE STATE Junaluska Page Five A Chief Without a Tribe 15 у R . W . P r e v о s t ★ JUNALUSKA, thi‘ famous Chero¬ kee chief, whose career as war¬ rior, statesman, and white man’s friend stretched across a century of early American life, lies buried on a little hill outside the town of Robbins- ville, county seat of Graham County. II is resting place is marked by a huge boul¬ der taken from the near¬ by Tallulah creek and which bears the follow¬ ing inscription : “Here lie the bodies of Junaluska, the Cher¬ okee chief, and Nicie. his wife. Together with his warriors he saved the life of General An¬ drew Jackson at the battle of Horse Shoe Bend, Alabama, March 27, 1814, and for his bravery and faithful¬ ness North Carolina made him a citizen and gave him land in the county of Graham. He died November 20, 1858. aged dred years. This monu¬ ment was erected to his memory by the General Joseph Winston Chapter D. A. R. November 5, 1910.” Besides this sturdy stone that marks his grave a monument to his honor stands in Washington, D. C. and his memory is further perpetu¬ ated by the mountains, streams, re¬ sorts. hotels, and residences in West¬ ern North Carolina that bear his name. His humble tomb at Robbinsville has until recently been little known or noticed by the public but now with a modern highway passing hard by. the citizens of Robbinsville are beginning to direct the attention of tourists to the old chief’s monument and as a consequence thousands of visitors every year make their way up the winding trail to do belated honor to tlie memory of this grand old chief of the once proud Cherokee nation. Junaluska 's name in the original Cherokee was Tsunulahun.sk i which means “one who tries, but fails," but HE saved the life of Jackson and then — during the latter's administration as President — he and his people were driven from their beloved mountains. - ★ - the white man corrupted it to Juna¬ luska. The name was given him at a dance following his campaign against the Creek Indians of Alabama in which he failed to accomplish his avowed purpose of exterminating the Creeks before his return. When Junaluska and his braves returned a great dance was held in their honor. The song leader gave out the word, “detsinulahungu," meaning “ I tried but could not,” which was the word used by Junaluska in announcing the result of his efforts. It was chanted throughout the evening by the «lanc¬ ers and it gave the disappointed war¬ rior the name which lie ever after¬ wards bore. But Junaluska ’s hatred of the Creeks did not wane with his unsuc¬ cessful venture. When Andrew Jack- son launched his campaign to subdue the Creeks in 1814 the Cherokee chief and tradition says fifteen hundred of his braves went with him. Jackson met his hunted foes at the ★ Horse Shoe Bend of the Tallapoosa River. The Creeks had erected strong fortifications of logs across the neck of the “horseshoe” behind which a thousand warriors and their families had retreated. To provide a means of escape if necessary they had strung their с a n о e ' along the bank of the river behind them. Jack- son attacked them in front while his Client k«-e allies guarded the river to the rear. For hours the battle raged. The Creeks held their position stubborn¬ ly. meanwhile pouring their deadly rifle fire into Jackson’s troops. Junaluska, sensing the danger of defeat that faced Jackson, led a number of his braves in swimming the river to steal the Creeks' canoes. With these the Chero¬ kee leader and his war¬ riors crossed the river and then attacked their foes in the rear, with the result that the Creeks were almost an¬ nihilated and their power forever broken. It is said that Junaluska and his warriors brought home hundreds of Creek scalps which were preserved and worn in the Cherokee dances for many years. When, during the Presidency of Andrew Jackson, the Cherokees were removed to the West. Junaluska is said to have remarked: “If 1 had known that Jackson would drive us from our homes. I would have killed him that day at the Horse Shoe." Junaluska went with his people in 1838 on their long heart-breaking trek to the West, leaving behind them forever their beloved mountains and valleys, but he was not happy in the new home. In a short while he re¬ turned to North Carolina and took up his solitary abode in the land of his birth, a chief without a tribe. He found occasional companionship among the few scattered Red Men ( Continued on page twenty-two') almost one hun- THIS is the grave of Chief Junaluska at Robbinsville. It is now an object of interest to tourists passing through that section.