On February 27, 1760, Fort Dobbs was attacked by more than 70 Cherokee warriors during the Anglo-Cherokee War. The fort was constructed four years earlier by North Carolina to protect the western frontier during the French and Indian War.
The Anglo-Cherokee War broke out in April 1759. Settlers along the Catawba and Yadkin Rivers were killed by Cherokees seeking revenge for dozens of Cherokees murdered the year before by colonists. Fort Dobbs served as a haven for local settlers, and its garrison of soldiers helped to defend the region.
Cherokee warriors lured Col. Hugh Waddell and nine of his men to a spring 300 yards from the fort at about nine o’clock at night. Sixty to seventy Cherokee opened fire on the soldiers. Waddell’s men held their fire until the Cherokee charged to within twelve steps. When they fired, each man’s gun was, “…loaded with a bullet and seven buck shot.” Waddell later wrote. “They [the Cherokee] had nothing to cover them as they were advancing either to tomahawk or make us prisoners…”
At the same time, another group of Cherokee surrounded and attacked the fort. Waddell and his men retreated and fought their way back into the fort. The Cherokee then broke off the attack. The combined casualties, killed or wounded, from the brief encounter included 10 to 12 Cherokee, two soldiers and one young boy.
Visit: Fort Dobbs in Statesville is now one of 27 state historic sites, open to the pubic Tuesday through Saturday.
Image from fortdobbs.org.