USA > Kentucky > A history of Kentucky and Kentuckians; the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry and modern activities, Volume I > Part 11
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offer of Hamilton. It is related that while at Detroit, several English gentlemen, perhaps attracted by his personality and sympathizing with his condition, offered loans of money to Boone, but. since he saw no present prob- ability of an opportunity for repayment, he declined their generous offers. After a time Boone went with his captors to Chillicothe, leaving his ten comrades still prisoners at Detroit.
Arriving. after a march of fifteen days, at Chillicothe, Boone was speedily adopted as a son by one of the principal families of the Indians at that point. In addition to being one of the first of pioneers and among the bravest of Indian fighters, Boone was also a philosopher and proceeding upon the theory that what cannot be cured must be endured, he accepted the situation and submitted to all that was offered him by his captors with a seeming good grace. The ceremony of adop- tion must have appealed to whatever sense of the ludicrous he may have had, though it is difficult to imagine the possession of such a sense by a man so sternly engaged in the realities of frontier existence. Peck's "Life of Boone" describes the incidents of adoption as follows :
"The forms of this ceremony of adoption were in keeping with the nature of the sav- ages and as severe as they were ludicrous. The hairs of the head and the beard were plucked out by a painful and tedious opera- tion, one by one, excepting a tuft some three or four inches in diameter on the crown for the scalp lock, which was tied and dressed up with trinkets and feathers. The candidate was then taken into the river in a state of nudity and there thoroughly washed and rubbed, to take all his white blood out. This ablution, as well as the previous processes described, was performed by Indian women."
When the ablution was completed to the satisfaction of these Indian ladies, Boone was conducted to the council-house where he lis-
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tened to an address from the chief, in which he was informed as to the great honors con- ferred upon him. His head and face were then painted in the hideous savage style, at the conclusion of which Daniel Boone "the brave old pioneer" emerged in full panoply, as "a big Injun," it being assumed that he had been permitted to resume his customary raiment after the completion of his involun- tary bath.
These Indians knew Boone ; they knew his prowess as a hunter and as a fighter; they knew that alone and unguarded he had wan- dered through the wonderful wilds of Ken- tucky, and they imagined that in him they had discovered one who was a kindred spirit with themselves. Therefore they thought it an easy task to identify him with their tribe ; to make him one of them and to have the benefit of his unusual skill as a hunter and his gallantry as a fighter. Boone knew these views of the Indians and, in his role as a phi- losopher, seemingly fell in with them. But his heart was with those back at Boonesborough and he bided his time ; cautious, watchful, re- sourceful, he waited for his opportunity. It was the custom in the Indian tribes of that day to provide the man whom they adopted with a squaw to build his fires, prepare his food and perform such other duties as may be required by her lord and master. It is not known if this custom was adhered to in the case of Boone. When he finally returned to civilization, Daniel, who was then fifty years old, made no mention of any such incident. If the most interested party elected to remain silent on the subject, history can be generous and do the same without further comment. Certain it is that no blandishment of Indian maiden, no kindly treatment by his captors, could wean Boone from his love of liberty and the fellowship of his own people. His mind was ever on an escape and a return to his family in Kentucky.
Late in June of this year, 1778, a party of
Indians visited the Scioto Salt Lick in Ohio and Boone was with them. Returning to Chillicothe, Boone found over four hundred warriors full panoplied for warfare and about to set out for the capture and destruc- tion of Boonesborough. Now or never, was the time for him to escape and warn the Ken- tuckians of the coming danger. It is a reflec- tion upon the Indian, usually over-cautious and suspicious, that Boone under such cir- sumstances, was permitted to go out alone ostensibly for the purpose of hunting. That hunting trip covered a large expanse of terri- tory in Ohio and Kentucky to which latter Boone set his course. Marshall in his history, says: "So great was his anxiety that he made no attempt to kill anything to eat. The journey of one hundred and sixty miles was performed in five days upon a single meal of victuals which he had concealed in his blan- ket." This is a somewhat surprising state- ment, requiring one to believe that Boone, practically without sustenance, made his way through a trackless forest, crossing the Ohio river en route, at a rate of more than thirty miles per day.
Be that as it may, the important feature is that Boone reached Boonesborough on June 20th, finding the place but poorly conditioned for defense, but setting about at once to pre- pare for the expected attack. The return of this master mind to their counsels put new heart and life into the garrison and the nec- essary repairs were speedily made. Another prisoner, escaping from the Indians later than Boone, brought to the fort the intelligence that owing to the escape of the latter the threatened attack had been postponed for three weeks. The Indians had their spies in Kentucky and must have learned from them that the forts had all been strengthened to resist attack and their garrisons reinforced. This knowledge, together with the escape of Boone, may have operated to delay their threatened attack.
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As the Indians did not come to hunt for Boone, the latter concluded to go out and hunt for them. Accordingly on August Ist, with nineteen men, he set out from the fort, his objective point being Paintcreektown, on the Scioto, which he proposed to surprise and capture. Simon Kenton was one of this party. When nearing the Indian encampment which it was proposed to attack, Kenton heard loud peals of laughter from a cane- brake near him. He quickly concealed him- self behind a tree just as two Indians came into view mounted on a pony one facing to the rear, the other to the front. It was their laughter Kenton had heard and which was speedily changed to the death moan. From his place behind a tree, Kenton fired instantly killing one of the Indians and severely wounding the other. Following the savage custom of that day, he rushed out to scalp the Indian whom he had killed, when he was suddenly surrounded by some thirty Indians. Dodging from tree to tree to escape their aim, he was only saved by the prompt arrival of Boone and his men who attacked and drove off the savages.
Spies were now sent forward to the vicin- ity of the town, who, on their return, re- ported that it was evacuated. Boone's gen- eralship here came into play, and he reasoned correctly that the threatened attack on Boonesborough was about to be made. He thereupon determined to return as speedily as possible to that place, hoping to reach Boonesborough in advance of the Indians, thus giving warning to the garrison and al- lowing time for preparation to withstand the expected attack. Six days afterwards he passed the main body of the savages and on the seventh arrived safely at the fort.
On the following day the Indians, under command of Captain Duquesne, eleven other French Canadians and some of their own chiefs, appeared before the fort four hundred strong, and with the flag of England flying
over their headquarters. It was thus, in those early days that our English cousins "reached hands across the sea" to their kin- dred on this side.
This was the most formidable force any Kentucky fort had been called upon to resist, but there was no weakening before it. Boone was cool and collected. When a summons came demanding a surrender in the name of King George III, he asked for two days' time in which to consider it, which request was granted. A council was called and there were not fifty men to attend it. But those were men indeed. They could make a manly defense and die fighting for the women and children in the fort, or they could surrender and become the victims of savage barbarity. They did not hesitate but determined to hold the fort while life remained among them. The result of their deliberations was kept secret among those in the council. It is re- corded in history that after the adjournment of the council each man went out to collect and bring into the fort such of his horses and cattle as could be found. How this was possible, with the fort surrounded by four hundred hostile Indians, no previous historian has found time to explain. This present his- torian also finds himself pressed for time.
At the expiration of the two days granted by the besiegers Boone mounted a bastion of the fort and announced to Duquesne that there would be no surrender of the fort, at the same time politely expressing his appre- ciation of the notice of the proposed attack and the time thus allowed him to prepare for defense. Duquesne had evidently expected a different response to his demand for a sur- render, but, before beginning an attack, de- termined upon an artifice to decoy Boone and others of the garrison to the outside where he hoped to have them in his power. He there- upon declared that it was the order of Colonel Hamilton that he should take the garrison captives, treat them as prisoners of
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war and not to rob or kill them. He asked that nine of the principal men would come out, as he was prepared to treat with them. Boone, usually very cautious, agreed to this proposal and met the enemy at a point sixty yards from the gate of the fort. Boone was prepared to treat fairly with Duquesne: the latter meant only treachery. The articles of capitulation, few in number, were speedily considered, agreed upon and signed in the presence of a number of Indians who stood moodily looking on. Treachery now took its place where fair promises had hitherto been made.
Boone was told by the leaders of the at- tacking force that it was customary on occa- sions of this character, to show the sincerity of their minds by two Indians shaking each white man by the hand. This being also as- sented to, two Indians approached each of the nine white men and sought to take his hand and at the same moment make him a prisoner. Boone and his companions at once knew that only immediate flight would save them from captivity and the garrison from destruction. They pulled away from the Indians and as quickly as possible made their way into the fort followed by a hail of bullets from the savages from which all escaped in safety save one man who was wounded. Failing in this miserable subterfuge which it is charitable to believe was born in the brain of the French commander rather than that of the Indians whom he led, the beleaguerers be- gan a concentrated fire upon the fort, contin- uing for nine days, Boone's men returning it with interest.
Then the work of the educated Frenchmen, who should have been ashamed of their ser- vice with the Indians, began. They attempted to undermine the fort which was about sixty yards from the bank of the Kentucky river. The mine was begun in the bank of the river and it was expected by the engineers that, if successfully carried forward, it would result
in the surrender of the garrison or its com- plete destruction. These were the pleasing conditions surrounding the men who made possible the Kentucky of today. Confronted by an implacable savage foe, the pioneers had, at the same time, uneducated as they were, to meet and circumvent, if they could, the efforts of skilful engineers to work their destruction. They met them and they beat them. They stopped not to inquire as to any man's politics, as men do today; they saw that they and their families were in danger and they struck to save them, and they did save them. It mattered little to these men if those who stood by their side and aided in driving away the Indians, belonged to Tran- sylvania, or declared allegiance to Virginia. They fought for home and fireside: for wife and little children, and they won. How piti- ful the struggles of those who fight the parti- san battles of today as compared with the struggles of those who risked life and liberty that we of today might have the privilege of choosing our representatives and branding those of our fellow-citizens who do not agree with us as public malefactors.
The French engineers accompanying the Indians, introduced here a system of warfare unknown to their savage allies and, in fact, to the besieged colonists. They began a mine on the bank of the river on the completion of which they hoped to gain an entrance to the fort unawares. But there were some born en- gineers in the fort ; men unskilled in the minu- tiæ of warfare, but with perceptions as clear and keen as the eye of the hawk who circled above their beleaguered fort. They observed that the river below the fort ran muddy and at once recognized the reason therefor. A mine was being dug and the earth removed muddied the waters. They countermined at once and in order that their enemies on the outside might know that their plans were understood, they threw the earth from the countermine over the ramparts to the outer
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side. Who shall say that these beleaguered 'Captain Boone,' and stated that if he would pioneers were not born soldiers and engi- neers ?
The forces attacking the fort recognized that strategy would not win the day : the nine days firing on the fort had brought no results and they therefore raised the siege and with- drew from further attack.
This was the most formidable attack that had been made upon the Kentucky settle- ments and that it had been successfully re- sisted by so small a party, put new heart into the people at the other forts. During the siege but two men of the defenders were killed ; of the Indians, thirty-seven were killed within sight of the defenders of the fort and many others wounded, the latter being immediately removed in accordance with the Indian custom.
Smith, in his "History of Kentucky," re- lates the following incidents of the siege from the manuscript of Gen. Robert B. McAfee, related to the latter by persons in the fort : "Accordingly, as expected on Mon- day morning, August 8th, by sunrise about four hundred and forty-four Indians ap- reared on the hill facing the fort commanded by Capt. Duquesne, a Frenchman. They paraded with colors flying (British) in two lines, so as to show their whole strength and terrify the fort into submission. The Indi- ans were at particular pains to appear in as frightful a manner as possible, as they had all painted themselves in various colors streaked with red. After showing themselves for some time, they set up a most hideous yell and brandished their guns. Only twenty- nine men were in the station (elsewhere they had been stated as fifty) who, though fine soldiers, felt a chill of horror at the sight of an enemy so numerous and so powerful. Soon after a large negro man, who could speak English, stepped about forty yards in front of the Indian line toward the fort and called three times, as loudly as he could for
come out they would not hurt him. The men in the fort held counsel on the proposition, a number opposing his going out. Boone put an end to the debate by determining to go ; prepared himself with a pipe and flag and went out alone, leaving directions if they saw the Indians imprison him, they should shut the fort and defend it to the utmost. For a sign to his men he would strike his flag if danger presented itself. After a conference of an hour, he returned to the fort and re- lated the result and their imminent danger. The Indians wished him to surrender the fort and they would permit him and his associates to escape unhurt. To this proposition, he seemed to assent, in order to amuse the Indi- ans, well knowing that in the then situation of the fort, they could take it by storm. Boone, pretending to accede to their demands, prom- ised to return the next day and inform them of the result of the conference, saying he had no doubt the fort would be given up.
"During the night the men spent their time in fortifying the place by fastening the gates with bars, but for which the Indians might easily have forced the gates. Next day Boone returned to the Indian camp and in- formed them that all of his men, but a few, were willing to surrender, and he believed they would soon assent, seeing they had no means of escape; but if they did not give up, he, himself, would provide for the surrender. He left them, promising to return the next day, first agreeing to have a feast then, at which the Indian chiefs were to be present and most of the principal men of the fort. The time thus gained was diligently improved in the fort by making every preparation pos- sible. Things were made ready for the feast in a hollow in sight of the fort, whither both parties were to repair. Accordingly, Boone and five or six of his men went out. After eating, the Indians began the conference for a surrender which Boone seemed to agree to ;
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but, either suspecting his sincerity or desirous of drawing the men out of the fort, in order to massacre them as soon as the conference was over, it was proposed and agreed that two Indians should shake hands with one man. They accordingly rose up and one Indian took hold of the hand on one side and another on the other side. The first that got hold, being impatient, tried to throw Boone down. But the whites, suspecting all things were not right, broke their hold, threw down some of the Indians and ran towards the fort, while they were fired upon by a party of Indians in ambuscade who killed one white man and wounded two others. The balance of the whites got safely into the fort, having considerable difficulty to run through the Indians in several places, they having planted themselves all around, and as soon as the first gun fired, came pouring from all directions with the most hideous yells.
"When the Indians found that they could not take the fort by storm, they secreted a chosen band under the bank of the Kentucky river and then appeared and made battle in great numbers on the opposite side. They then affected to retreat in great disorder, so as to induce the whites to follow. The latter, suspecting the ruse, kept close to the fort, for Boone, in all his conferences with the Indians, represented the number of his men five times greater than he really had. When the Indians found their affected retreat would not do, they all returned and attempted to undermine the houses by beginning under the bank of the river and digging toward the fort. In this they had not the success they expected, for a drizzling rain set in which lasted for two or three days. They mined to within fifteen or twenty steps of the houses to where a large log lay, behind which they endeavored to hide. The men in the fort fre- quently killed Indians as they came to and returned from the mine. After all, the Indi- ans would have captured the fort but for the
constant rain for several days. The Indians took advantage of the night to make their advances. One night, about the seventh after they came, they pitched torches of cane and hickory bark against and upon the fort, which would inevitably have consumed the whole place had the fire canght readily, but the logs being wet, no impression was made before it was discovered by the whites and extin- guished with considerable trouble. The night being extremely dark, the Indians made every possible effort to reduce the fort and set it on fire.
"They continued to undermine during the next day, but finding they were discovered and countermined, they gave over and next day paraded and withdrew, having already slain all the cattle they could find and de- stroyed all the property they could reach. They retreated leisurely, the whites being too weak to pursue.
"After the siege was raised. the people picked up near the fort walls one hundred and twenty-five pounds of leaden bullets which had fallen, besides those which had stuck in the logs and palisades. This seems to have been the last effort ever made by the Indians against Boonesborough. It illus- trates the imbecility of physical force, desti- tute of knowledge and the arts. For what military enterprise could have been easier, to men knowing how to make ladders, than scaling a wall of stockades twelve feet high, or mounting on cabin roofs not even so high; when their numbers were six times greater than those within; and. when, as was the case, the assailants were armed with similar weapons, and especially with the tomahawk in their hands, and, face to face, a most for- midable weapon? That no attempt was made to take the place by storm, or escalade, seems the more astonishing on considering that the French Commander Duquesne must have possessed some of the arts of civilized war- fare and was apparently desirous of conquest.
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Was it that he had not the requisite tools and artificers, or was he unwilling that his host of myrmidons should be let loose among the helpless women and children, that he did not point out to them a certain road to victory and to an indiscriminate massacre as the con- sequence? History could gain little, while humanity might lose much by a solution of this inquiry.
"During Boone's captivity among the Shawnees, his family, supposing he had been killed, had left the station and returned to their relatives and friends in North Carolina, and as early in the autumn as he could leave, the brave and hardy warrior started to move them out again to Kentucky. He returned to the settlement with them early the next season,
and set a good example to his companions by industriously cultivating his farm and volun- teering his assistance, whenever it seemed needed, to the many immigrants who were now pouring into the country and erecting new stations in the neighborhood of Boones- borough.
"As some adverse criticism had been made on the surrender of the salt-making party by Boone, by an agreed arrangement, and with Boone's approval, a court-martial was called for an investigation of charges exhibited by Colonels Richard Calloway and Benjamin Logan. The result was an honorable acquit- tal and the increase of Boone in the esteem and affections of the people."
CHAPTER XIII.
CORN ISLANDERS REMOVED TO MAINLAND-FIRST SETTLERS OF LOUISVILLE-HARD WINTER OF 1779-80-LOUISVILLE CERTAIN-CLARK ERECTS FORT JEFFERSON-SUCCESSFUL INVASION OF ENEMY'S COUNTRY-NORTHWESTERN INDIAN CONFEDERATION-INDIANS, UNDER GIRTY, DEFEATED-GALLANT WOMEN OF BRYAN'S STATION.
Returning from his successful operations in what had been hitherto the enemy's coun- try but which he had wrested from them, Colonel Clark, on his arrival at the Falls of the Ohio, found that many and great changes had occurred during his absence. Encour- aged by news of his victories, immigrants flocked to Kentucky, eager to secure homes. During 1778 but two new settlements had been made in Kentucky, but in 1779 no less than fourteen new establishments were founded before his return to the Falls.
The little settlement lie had established on Corn Island, before his departure to the Illinois country, had been sensibly augmented by members of the party of men whose terms of enlistment having expired, he had sent back under command of Capt. William Linn. He had also instructed Linn to remove the people from Corn Island to the mainland. where he was to erect a permanent fort above the Falls. This work was entrusted to Rich- ard Chenowith, who had so expeditiously per- formed his task that by Christmas Day, 1778, a number of the families had removed from their cramped quarters on Corn Island to the more commodious homes on the mainland. Here they celebrated the Christmas season in their new cabins at the foot of what is now Twelfth street in the city of Louisville, with a feast and a dance. The belles and beaus of Louisville of today who can dance only on splendidly waxed floors derive not half the three sons, John, George and James.
pleasure from the dance that was enjoyed by their ancestors on the puncheon floors of their primitive log cabins, in honor of the day and of Richard Chenowith, the honest con- tractor, who, knowing not graft, had erected their cabins in accordance with his contract. The music for the dance was furnished by a single fiddle played by a negro named Cato. It is related that when the date for the affair was fixed, Cato's fiddle-strings had dwindled to but one, from which he could coax but in- different music, and he was in despair. Be- fore the date of the dance arrived, however, a boat tied up at the Falls and among its pas- sengers was a Frenchman, like himself a fiddler (or violinist, as he would probably have preferred to be called), and from him Cato secured the necessary complement of strings for his fiddle, and was therefore en- abled to furnish forth the musical feast for the dancing belles and beaus of the Falls.
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