The maneuver was so well planned and the ground so well chosen that the Indian war party would probably have been annihilated but for the delay of an officer at one horn of the half-moon in bringing his troops into play.

Through the gap thus made the Indians escaped, with a loss of seventeen of their number.

The delinquent officer was Jonathan Tipton, younger brother of Colonel John Tipton, of whom we shall hear later.

It is possible that from this event dates the Tiptons' feud with Sevier, which supplies one of the breeziest pages in the story of early Tennessee.
Not content with putting the marauders to flight, Sevier pressed on after them, burned several of the upper towns, and took prisoner a number of women and children, thus putting the red warriors to the depth of shame, for the Indians never deserted their women in battle.

The chiefs at once sued for peace.