USA > Kentucky > A history of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 4
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populous city. They are spoken of as streets, by the old hun- ters. The party took one of these roads, or traces, as they were called, so fortunately made by the buffalo and other game, through almost impenetrable cane brakes, and crossed the Ken- tucky river, at the ford below Frankfort, opposite to what has since been called Lee's Town. Here they turned up the river- and surveyed the bottom in which Frankfort now stands, being the first survey made on the Kentucky river; it took place the 16th July, 1773, for 600 acres. They then went up the ridge along the present Lexington road, until ten or eleven o'clock of the 17th, when they again crossed the Kentucky river seven miles above Frankfort, and passed a little east of the present Lawrenceburg, and encamped near the remarkable spring which is situated under a rock, on the road between Frankfort and Harrodsburg; then called the cave spring, and now known as Lillard's. After surveying some land, the party hunted westwardly, until they discovered salt river; but which they called Crooked creek: they then went down this creek to the mouth of Hammond's creek; surveying from this point, to the mouth of the branch, on which Harrodsburg now stands. On the 31st July, the company, with the exception of Taylor, who had gone with two others to join Bullitt at the Falls, took nearly a south-east course across Dick's river, several miles above the mouth; and about the 5th of August, reached the forks of the Kentucky river. Here the mountains were almost impassable on account of the thick laurel, the pine and the under brush; nor did they discover any game, until the Sth of August, when James McAfee killed a buck elk, which afforded them all the provision they had until the 12th. The country now presented nothing but naked rocks, the abode of desolation and ruin; silence reigned on every side, not a living animal but themselves to be seen. In this barren and mountainous region, the party wandered along, without a mouthful to eat for two days, their feet blistered and bruised with the rocks, their flesh torn by the briars, that covered the country, and no water to be found; then it was, that George McAfee and George Adams threw themselves on the ground, declaring they could go no C
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further. In this distressing situation, at the point of starvation, in the midst of a wilderness, hundreds of miles from home, Robert McAfee, (the father of the present General Robert B. McAfee,) started alone to find something to kill. On passing the point of the next ridge, about sunset, he joyfully discovered a small buck about fifty yards off, and notwithstan- ding his intense anxiety for his brothers and other friends, whose lives depended on the certainty of his shot, he fired and killed his object. The rest of the party, animated by the report of his gun, came hobbling up, and a neighboring branch of water, enabled them all to recover from the late horrors. The party having traveled by what was called the hunters' path across the head of Powel's Valley, soon after safely returned to their anxious friends in Bottetourt.
So much seemed due to the peril and the hardihood of this enterprising adventure, whose particulars have been carefully and worthily preserved in the family papers. These hardships were, however, only a prelude to a series of most cruel and disheartening misfortunes that terminated in seating the family on some of the finest lands of Kentucky, to enjoy the love and the respect of a wide connexion of relations and of friends.
Other surveyors were sent to the Ohio in 1774, who landed at the Falls of that river, the present site of Louisville; they traveled up the Kentucky river as far as Elkhorn creek on the north side, and Dick's river on the south, to the neighborhood of the present towns of Frankfort and Danville. This, it is pre- sumed, is the party of surveyors mentioned by Boone, as "having with one Michael Stoner, in June, 1774, conducted in, at the request of Lord Dunmore:" completing a tour of eight hundred miles through many difficulties, in sixty-eight days. As yet, no families had removed into this part of the country; but in the course of 1774, James Harrod, who had led a party from the country on the Monongahela, ascended the Kentucky river in canoes to Harrod's landing; and proceeding across the country, built the first log cabin in Kentucky, upon the present seat of Harrodsburg; hence, at that time, called Harrod's Town,* This however was not occupied long, before « and atter old Town.
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hostilities broke out with the Indians, and the battle of Point Pleasant was so obstinately fought at the mouth of the Ken- hawa, on the 10th of October in this year. This, with the operations of the right wing under Lord Dunmore in person, had completed the rupture, which compelled the early explorers to withdraw from Kentucky; and indeed attracted the greater part of them, including Boone, Harrod and the Shelbys, to engage in the left wing of the expedition. After the peace concluded by Lord Dunmore, afterward so much suspected for its motives, Colonel Richard Henderson and his associates pur- chased the title* which the Cherokees maintained to the coun- try, south of the Kentucky river. Boone was employed by this company of Indian purchasers, to mark a road through the southern wilderness, to the Kentucky river. Hitherto the access to the country had been by hunters' paths and buffalo traces. "We proceeded," says the pioneer, "with all possible expedition, until we came within fifteen miles of where Boones- borough now stands, on the south side of the Kentucky river, and in the present county of Madison. When the party of choppers and markers had reached this distance, they were fired upon by the Indians, who killed two men and wounded two others. Yet although surprised and taken at a disadvan- tage, we stood our ground." On the 23d March, the party was again attacked and lost two more men, and had three wounded : still, by the 1st April, they began to erect the fort, which was afterwards called Boonesborough. It was situated near a salt lick, about sixty yards from the Kentucky river, on the south side. Yet it is said to have been commanded from the cliffs on the opposite side of the river, whence a ball could reach the
* In connexion with this subject, a venerable friend has pointed out the following passage in Smollett's continuation of Huuine's England. "In Great Britain, this year, 1730, was not distheposted by any transaction of great moment. Seven chief's of the Cherokee Nations of Indians in America, were brought to England by Sir Mexander Cumin. Being intro- Ineed to the King, they laid their crown and regalia atlus tret, and by an authentic deed acknowledged themselves subjects to his dominion. In the name of all their compatriots. who had vested them with full powers for this purpose. They were amazed and con- sextadeed at the riches and magnificence of the British Court; they compared the King and " Queen to the Sun and Moon. the Princes to the Stars of Heaven, and themselves to nothing. "They gave their assent in the rest solomon manger, to articles of friendship and commerce, proposed by the Lords Commissioners for trade and plantatations; and being loaded with presents of necessaries. arms and ammunition, were reconveyed to their own country, which turders on the province of South Carolina." ed vol. Smollett, 493
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fort. It was not until the 14th of June, 1775, that the first fort of the white man was built in Kentucky. Well might the Indians, could they have anticipated the faintest shadow of the ills in store for them, and their whole race, from this foothold of the white man; have contested the fatal lodgment, with the last drop of their blood. The genius of their Pontiac, their Turtle and Tecumseh, did not display itself more gloriously at Detroit, against St. Clair, and on the Thames, than it might have donc, in preventing the white man from erecting his forts in the great hunting ground of their tribes.
A fort in these rude military times, consisted of pieces of tim- ber sharpened at the end and firmly lodged in the ground: rows of these pickets, enclosed the desired space, which embraced the cabins of the inhabitants. A block house or more, of supe- rior care and strength, commanding the sides of the fort, with or without a ditch, completed the fortifications, or stations as they were called. Generally the sides of the interior cabins formed the sides of the fort. Slight as this advance was, in the art of war, it was more than sufficient against attacks of small arms, in the hands of such desultory warriors, as their irregular supplies of provisions necessarily rendered the Indians. Such was the nature of the military structures of the pioneers against their enemies. They were ever more formidable in the cane brakes and in the woods, than before even these imperfect fortifications.
About September, 1775. Hugh McGary, from the backwoods of North Carolina, Richard H gan, and Thomas Denton, with their families, united to Daniel Boone and company, making, in the language of the times, twenty-seven guns; that is equiva- lent to twenty-seven fighting men. The party assembled in Powel's Valley, on the head of Holston river, after having waited three months, for the junction of Boone's company, and having sent one John Harman before them, to raise a crop of corn at Harrodstown. This labor he performed, in a ficld at the east end of the present town, where John Thomp- son, Esq., now lives. It is proper to mention, that Boone had previous to this, on the 25th September, 1773, made an attempt
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o move to Kentucky, "in company with five families, and forty nen that joined us in Powel's Valley." But on the tenth Octo- er, Boone says, "the rear of our company was attacked by a number of Indians, who killed six men and wounded one." This severe repulse deterred the party from prosecuting their daring enterprise, until the time mentioned above.
When McGary's party had arrived at the head of Dick's river, Boone, with twenty-one men, went to Boonesborough, and left his previous associates to find their way as well as they could by his directions, through the pathless forest to Harrodstown. At the time of our narrative, there were but four cabins at this place. one of which was inhabited, and but five old soldiers in them, who had followed James Harrod from the Monongahela country. This distinguished explorer, had likewise settled a place known as Harrod's Station, about six miles east of Harrodsburg, on the present road to Danville.
The families with McGary, having got bewildered, left the horses and cattle with James Ray, John Denton and John Hays, all boys, (the former, now General James Ray, but fif- teen years of age,) opposite to the mouth of Gilbert's creek, on the east side of Dick's river, while they attempted the route by themselves. McGary, finding no passage for the families at the mouth of Dick's river. on account of the lofty precipi- tous cliffs, went by himself to explore the way: by accident he fell on the path between Harrodsburg and Harrod's Station. and taking the eastern end. it brought him to the latter place, where he got Josiah Harlan, of lamented memory, to pilot the . families, as well as the three boys into Harrodstown. Thus was formed the first domestic circle of Harrodsburg by Mrs. Denton, Mrs. McGary and Mrs. Hogan, with their families; where is now the resort of the gayest of the gay among the fashionables of the west. These younger woodsmen were not, however, re- lieved until three weeks had elapsed, instead of three days, as Promised by MeGary at first, when they were left on this brloru hope. To add to their distress, they could not forget he fate of three boys, the eldest hopes of three families, who ad been killed by the Indians in 1773, under very similar ( *
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circumstances; while left to collect some stray horses in Pow- el's Valley, when moving with Boone to Kentucky. One, the eldest son of Boone, had been a playmate of James Ray in North Carolina. During the winter of '75-6, was begun the fort of Harrodstown, of such enduring importance in the early difficulties of Kentucky. It was situated on the hill, now occupied by the seminary building, and included a conside- rable spring of water at its foot: it was not finished until the ensuing season.
From this period may be dated the permanent settlement of Harrodsburg; about the same time, Colonel Benjamin Logan, of Virginia, established Logan's fort, about a mile west of the pre- sent town of Standford, in Lincoln county. The precise date of this establishment cannot be ascertained; but Col. Floyd speaks* of its being known as a station or fortified settlement, in May, 1775. At this time, the title of Henderson & Co., seems to have been generally acknowledged by the settlers in the coun- try. Nor were their numbers so contemptible even at that early day; they are computed by a close observer, to have amounted to three hundred; and to have had about two hundred and thirty acres under cultivation in corn. So perfect at first, was the ac- quiesence of the people in the title of the company mentioned above, that eighteen delegates assembled in convention at Boonesborough in the course of this year, and after acknow- ledging Henderson & Co., as proprietors, "established courts of justice, rules for proceeding therein, also a militia law, an at- tachment law, a law for preserving the game and for appoint- ing civil and military officers." Such was the incipient stage of this great Commonwealth, under what may be called its proprie- tary government. So eager were settlers to embark under the title of this great land company, that by the Ist of December, 1775, 560,000 acres of land were entered, as it is presumed in their office. Deeds of great formality were issued by this com- pany calling themselves "proprietors of the Colony of Transyl- cania in America." By these deeds, the grantees under the
* Correspondence of Col. J. Floyd, with Col. William Preston, politely communicated by Nath. Hart, Esq., of Woodford county.
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company, bound themselves to pay them, "one moity or half part of all gold, silver, copper, lead or sulphur.mines;" and, moreover, to pay the company a rent, as might be agreed on, "yearly and for every year." The penalty for not paying this rent was pro- vided by a covenant, "that if no sufficient distress can be found on the premises whereon it shall be lawful for the said Co., to levy such rent or arrears, with full costs, charges and expen- ses in making and levying the same, then this present grant and all assignments shall be void and of none effect. The company then reserved a right "to re-enter into the said lands and re-grant the same to any other person or persons whatsoever." Had this company retained its title, Kentucky, would, within their jurisdiction or purchase, have been under a quit rent to those great proprietors forever. It is, however, much to be doubted, whether the high temper of the western people would have submitted to a state of things, which had been a constant source of heart burnings in the elder colonies. Sooner indeed than have been any thing less than fee simple or allodial pro- prietors, the hunters of the west, (had they not risen in arms,) would have abandoned the country, to these lords proprietors. Symptoms of the slight hold these terms had upon the hearts of the people, at the earliest manifestations of Indian hostilities, may be inferred from the fact; * that three hundred men are said to have left the country by July, 1776. Colonel Clark intimates the same in his memoir. He remarks, that the company "took great pains to ingratiate themselves in the favor of the people; but too soon, for their own interest began to raise upon their lands, which caused many to complain." Some dissatisfaction of this sort, seems to have operated in producing the subsequent mission of Clark and Jones, to the government of Virginia, respecting the regulation and sale of the country.
At the same time, in justice to this great company, it must be observed, that it furnished, although for sale, all the supplies of gunpowder and lead, with which the inhabitants defended themselves and their families. Indeed, the books of Henderson & Co., exhibit accounts for these articles with all the inhabi-
* Correspondence of Colonel Floyd.
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tants of the country, in the years 1775-6: while they are credited with various items, as cutting the road to Cantucky, hunting and ranging. The prices of articles in these accounts, afford some curious comparisons with those of the present times. Powder was charged at $2 66 per pound, and lead at 163 cents; while labor was credited at 33 cents or fifty cents per day, for ranging, - hunting or working on roads. These accounts remain unclosed upon the books in every instance, shewing a condition of no little indebtedness for the colonists of Transylvania to the great proprietors.
About the 16th July, 1776, it was discovered from the sign, as the marks of the enemy's presence were termed, that a large body of Indians had come into the country with hostile inten- tions; and had, according to their mode of invasion, dispersed in small bands, infesting the stations, at the same time.
A romantic instance of the insecurity of the times, and the ardent sympathy which kuit the people to one another, is beau- tifully exhibited in the following narrative, in the words of an actor .* "On the 7th of July, 1776, the Indians took out of a canoe which was in the river, within sight of Boonesborough, Miss Betsy Calloway, her sister Frances, and a daughter of Daniel Boone. The last two are about thirteen or fourteen years of age and the other grown. The affair happened late in the af- ternoon," and the spoilers "left the canoe on the opposite side of the river from us, which prevented our getting over for some time to pursue them; Next morning by daylight we were on the track; but found they had totally prevented our following them by walking some distance apart, through the thickest cane they could find, we observed their course and on which side we had left their sign, and traveled upwards of thirty miles. We then imagined that they would be less cautious in traveling and made a turn in order to cross their trace, and had gone but a few miles, before we found their tracks in a buffalo path; pur- sued and overtook them on going about ten miles, just as they were kindling a fire to cook. Our study had been more to get the prisoners without giving the Indians time to murder them
* Colonel Floyd
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after they discovered us, than to kill them. We discovered each other nearly at the same time. Four of us fired, and all rushed on them, which prevented their carrying any thing away except one shot-gun without any ammunition. Mr. Boone and myself had a pretty fair shoot, just as they began to move off. I am well convinced I shot one through, and the one he shot dropped his gun, mine had none. The place was very thick with cane, and being so much elated on recovering the three little broken hearted girls, prevented our making any further search. We sent them off without their mockasons, and not one of them so much as a knife or a tomahawk." These are the unembel- lished circumstances of a transaction, which a lively and most interesting writer has, through misinformation, historically dis- figured into a beautiful romance .* A continuation of such heart rending depredations and the death of the hunters in every di- rection, spread a dismay, which may faintly be conceived from the following most honorable extracts from the correspondence of the same gallant man whose narrative has just been quoted. "I want to return as much as any person can do; but if I leave the country now, there is scarcely one single man hereabouts, but what will follow the example. When I think of the deplo- rable condition of a few helpless families are likely to be in; I conclude to sell my life as dear as I can in their defence rather than make an ignominious retreat." Again he says, "I do at the request, and in behalf of all the distressed women and chil- dren, and the inhabitants of this place, implore the aid of every leading man, who may have it in his power, to give them any re- lief."
No place seems more appropriate than the present for detail- ing the circumstances usually attending an Indian siege. "The Indians in besieging a place are seldom seen in force upon any quarter; but dispersed, and acting individually, or in small par- ties. They conceal themselves in the bushes or weeds, or be- hind trees or stumps of trees; or waylay the path, or fields, or other places which their enemies resort; and when one or more can be taken down, in their opinion, they fire the gun, or let fly
* Flint's Life of Daniel Boone, page 89. | Marshall, 1, 43-44.
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the arrow, aimed at the mark. If necessary they retreat- if they dare, they advance upon their killed, or crippled adver- sary; and take his scalp, or make him prisoner, if possible. They aim to cut off the garrison supplies, by killing the cattle; and they watch the watering places, for those who go for that article of primary necessity; that they may by these means, reduce the place to their possession; or destroy its inhabitants, in detail."
"In the night, they will place themselves near the fort gate, ready to sacrifice the first person who shall appear in the morn- ing: in the day, if there be any cover-such as grass, a bush, a large clod of earth, or a stone as big as a bushel, they will avail themselves of it, to approach the fort, by slipping forward on their bellies, within gun-shot; and then, whosoever appears first, gets the fire; while the assailant makes his retreat behind the smoke, from the gun. At other times they approach the walls, or pallisades, with the utmost audacity-and attempt to fire them, or to beat down the gate. They often make feints, to draw out the garrison on one side of the fort, and if practicable enter it by surprise on the other. And when their stock of provision is exhausted, this being an individual affair, they supply themselves by hunting; and again, frequently return to the siege; if by any means they hope to get a scalp."
"Such was the enemy who infested Kentucky, and with whom the early adventurers had to contend. In the combat, they were brave; in defeat, they were dexterous; in victory, they were cruel. Neither sex nor age, nor the prisoner were exempted from their tomahawk, or scalping knife. They saw their per- petual enemy, taking possession of their HUNTING GROUND; io them, the source of amusement, of supply. and of traffic; and they were determined to dispute it to the utmost extent of heir means. Had they possessed the skill which combines individual effort, with a concerted attack; and had they directed their whole force against each of the forts, then few, and feeble, in succession; instead of' dissipating their strength, by attacking all at the same time; they could easily have rid Kentucky of its new inhabitants: and again restored it to the buffalo, and
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the Indian; the wild game, and its red hunters. But it was or- dered otherwise; and after inflicting great distress upon the settlers, without being able to take any of the forts, the ap- proach of winter dispersed them; they having, in the mean time, killed sundry persons; and destroyed most of the cattle round the stations. Of the settlers, however, it is to be said, that they acquired fortitude, and dexterity in proportion to the occasional pressure. In the most difficult times, the Indians were obliged to retire into the woods, sometimes in pursuit of game, sometimes, as to a place of safety: and generally by night they withdrew, to encamp at a distance. In these intervals, the white men would plough their corn, or gather their crop, or get up their cattle, or hunt the deer, the bear, and buffalo, for their own food."
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"When traveling, they left the paths; and they frequently employed the night, to get out from, or return to the garrison. In these excursions they often exchanged shots with the In- dians: and at times, when they came to the station, found it in- vested."
In despite of these difficulties and dangers, struggling for life with the wilderness, and so wily and savage a foe, there were, "from a review of the records," more "improvements" (as culti- vation or buildings are termed,) "with a view to future settle- ment," in this year, "than in any other." Nor were these dis- persed parties in so wide a territory, so generally exposed to the attacks of the enemy, as the fixed and notorious forts.
CHAPTER III.
First visit of Clark to Kentucky-Visits Harrodstown-Chosen a delegate to the Vir- ginie Legislature with Gabriel John Jones -. Calls on Governor Henry-Receivey gunpowder for Kentucky-Procures the creation of Kentucky county-Brings gun- powder from Fort Pitt-Conceals it on the banks of Limestone creek-Blackfish attacks Harrodstown-Singular escape of Ray-Plans approved by Governor and Council -- Spus in flinois-Arrives at the Falls of Ohio-Eclipse of the Sun -- Passes the Falls-Braunes Kaskaskia-Surprises the town-Takes Cahokia.
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