When word of the disaster was brought to Whitley's, he was not at home, but his wife, a worthy helpmeet, immediately sent for him, and meanwhile sent word to his company.

On his return he was able to take the trail at once with twenty-one riflemen, as true as steel.

Following hard, but with stealth equal to their own, he overtook the Indians at sundown on the second day, and fell on them in their camp.

Most of them escaped through the thick forest, but he killed two, rescued six prisoners, and captured sixteen horses and much plunder.
Ten days after this another party of immigrants, led by a man named Moore, were attacked on the Wilderness Road and nine persons killed.
Whitley raised thirty of his horse-riflemen, and, guessing from the movements of the Indians that they were following the war trace northward, he marched with all speed to reach it at some point ahead of them, and succeeded.

Finding they had not passed he turned and went south, and in a thick canebrake met his foes face to face.