Further, an atrocity committed in the recent campaign under Sevier's leadership--Kirk's brutal murder of Corn Tassel, a noble old Indian, and other chieftains, while under the protection of a flag of truce--had placed a bar sinister across the fair fame of this stalwart of the border.

Utter desperation thus prompted Sevier's acceptance of Gardoqui's offer of the protection of Spain.
John Sevier's son, James, bore the letter of September 12th to Gardoqui.

By a strangely ironic coincidence, on the very day (October 10, 1788) that Gardoqui wrote to Miro, recommending to the attention of Spain Dr.White and James Sevier, the emissaries of Franklin, with their plans and proposals, John Sevier was arrested by Colonel Tipton at the Widow Brown's in Washington County, on the charge of high treason.

He was handcuffed and borne off, first to Jonesborough and later to Morganton.

But his old friends and former comrades-in-arms, Charles and Joseph McDowell, gave bond for his appearance at court; and Morrison, the sheriff, who also had fought at King's Mountain, knocked the irons from his wrists and released him on parole.