Thomas Sumter: differenze tra le versioni

Versione delle 14:26, 25 giu 2014

Versione delle 14:37, 25 giu 2014

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==Spedizione Timberlake==

[[File:Sumter 1022.JPG|left|thumb|150px|Targa dedicata a Thomas Sumter plaquepresso atil theparlamento Southdella Carolina statehousedel Sud]]

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[[File:Sumter 1022.JPG|left|thumb|150px|Thomas Sumter plaque at the South Carolina statehouse]]

In 1761, Sumter was invited to join an expedition (known as the [[Timberlake Expedition]]) organized by Colonel [[Adam Stephen]] to visit the [[Overhill Cherokee]] (in present-day [[Tennessee]]) to verify that [[Anglo-Cherokee War|war with the Cherokee]] had ended in the Virginia back-country. Stephen gave command of the expedition to [[Henry Timberlake]], who had volunteered for the assignment.<ref>Henry Timberlake, Samuel Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs, 1756-1765'' (Marietta, Georgia: Continental Book Co., 1948), 38-39.</ref> Timberlake was accompanied by then [[Sergeant]] Sumter, an interpreter named John McCormack, and an unknown servant. The group purchased a canoe and ten days' worth of provisions with money Sumter had borrowed. The plan was to follow the [[Holston River]] to its confluence with the [[French Broad River]], and proceed to the [[Little Tennessee River]], where the Overhill towns were situated.<ref>Robert Bass, ''Gamecock: The Life and Campaigns of General Thomas Sumter'' (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1961), 9.</ref>

InNel 1761, Sumter wasfu invitedinvitato toad joinunirsi anad expeditionun spedizione (knownnota as thecome [[Timberlakespedizione ExpeditionTimberlake]]) organizedorganizzata bydal Colonelcolonnello [[Adam Stephen]] toper visitvisitare thela [[Overhill Cherokee]] (in present-daynell'odierno [[Tennessee]]) toe verifyverificare thatche la [[Angloguerra anglo-Cherokee Warcherokee|warguerra withcon thei Cherokee]] hadsi endedera conclusa in thetutta Virginiala back-countryVirginia. Stephen gavediede commandil ofcomando thedella expeditionspedizione toa [[Henry Timberlake]], whoche hadsi volunteeredoffrì forvolontariamente theper assignmentl'incarico.<ref>Henry Timberlake, Samuel Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs, 1756-1765'' (Marietta, Georgia: Continental Book Co., 1948), 38-39.</ref> Timberlake wasfu accompaniedaccompagnato by thendall'allora [[Sergeantsergente]] Sumter, anda interpreterun namedinterprete di nome John McCormack, ande anda unknownun servantservitore sconosciuto. TheIl groupgruppo purchasedacquistò auna canoecanoa ande tenprovvigioni days'per worthdieci ofgiorni provisionscon withsoldi moneyprestati Sumterda had borrowedSumter. TheIl planprogetto wasera todi followseguire theil fiume [[Holston River(fiume)|Holston]] tofino itsalla confluenceconfluenza withcon theil [[French Broad River(fiume)|French Broad]], andper proceedpoi toprocedere thefino al [[Little Tennessee River(fiume)|Little Tennessee]], wheredove thesi Overhilltrovavano townsle werecittà situatedOverhill.<ref>Robert Bass, ''Gamecock: The Life and Campaigns of General Thomas Sumter'' (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1961), 9.</ref>

Timberlake's party left [[Long Island (Tennessee)]] on November 28, 1761. The Holston River's unusually low water levels slowed their progress, as the party had to drag or portage the canoe over and around exposed shoals and sandbars. They ran out of provisions after several days, but McCormack managed to shoot a bear, supplying them with several days' worth of meat. Around December 7, the party explored a stalactite-filled cave situated approximately {{convert|50|ft|m}} above the river. Timberlake described Sumter's swimming nearly a half-mile in the icy waters to retrieve their canoe, which had drifted away while they were exploring the cave.<ref>Timberlake, Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs'', 41-48.</ref>

Il gruppo di Timberlake partì da [[Long Island (Tennessee)|Long Island]] il 28 novembre 1761. Le stranamente basse acque dell'Holston ne rallentarono il viaggio, dato che dovettero trascinare in secca la canoa e portarla più volte a mano. Dopo molti giorni terminarono le provviste, ma McCormack riuscì ad uccidere un orso ottenendo carne per molti giorni. Attorno al 7 dicembre il gruppo esplorò una grotta piena di [[stalattite|stalattiti]] situata approssimativamente 15 metri metri sopra il fiume. Timberlake descrisse la nuotata di Sumter in circa un chilometro di acque ghiacciate per recuperare la canoa sfuggita durante l'esplorazione della grotta.<ref>Timberlake, Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs'', 41-48.</ref>

Il 13 dicembre la spedizione raggiunse una serie di cascate che Timberlake chiamò "Great Falls". Il gruppo impiegò un giorno a superare le cascate per poi trovare ghiacciato il fiume al di sotto. Il ghiaccio li rallentò ulteriormente, ma le piogge della notte del 14 dicembre sciolse il ghiaccio, e la spedizione oltrepassò la foce dell'Holston (nell'attuale [[Knoxville (Tennessee)|Knoxville]]) raggiungendo quello che oggi è noto come fiume [[Tennessee (fiume)|Tennessee]] il 15 dicembre.<ref>Timberlake, Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs'', 49-54.</ref>

On December 13, the expedition reached a series of cascades which Timberlake called "Great Falls." The party spent a day maneuvering their way down the cascades but found the Holston frozen over immediately downstream. The ice slowed them more, but rains on the night of December 14 thawed the ice, and the party passed out of the mouth of the Holston (in modern [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]) into what is now the [[Tennessee River]] on December 15.<ref>Timberlake, Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs'', 49-54.</ref>

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===Overhill===

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The Timberlake party had decided to make the return trip overland, having purchased horses from the Cherokee. Ostenaco, accompanied by several hundred Cherokee warriors, guided the Timberlake group northward along what is now known as the [[Great Indian Warpath]], which follows the western base of the Appalachian Mountains. On March 11, the party arrived at the abandoned village of Elajoy along the [[Little River (Tennessee)|Little River]] in what is now [[Maryville, Tennessee|Maryville]], and crossed the French Broad River the following day. A week later, they reached Fort Robinson, which the Stephen garrison had abandoned but had left behind a large supply of flour. The expedition left [[Long Island (Tennessee)|Long Island-on-the-Holston]] on March 22, continuing northward to an abandoned army camp. Timberlake was disappointed to find that his belongings had been looted from a trunk. The party finally arrived in [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] in early April.<ref>Timberlake, Williams (ed.), ''Memoirs'', 118-129.</ref>

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==Visita a Londra==

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