USA > Kentucky > A history of the commonwealth of Kentucky > Part 5
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The year 1775, was memorable for the arrival of that most daring and sagacious officer, George Rogers Clark, who was
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soon destined to intertwine his memory with honors, as lasting as the great country, which he, by his genius, brought under the American arms. "The appearance of Clark," says Mr. Mar- shall, "was well calculated to attract attention; it was rendered particularly agreeable by the manliness of his deportment, the intelligence of his conversation; but above all, by the vivacity and boldness of his spirit for enterprise, and the determination he expressed of becoming an inhabitant of the country. He fixed on no particular residence, was much in the woods; incidentally visiting the forts and ostensible camps; he cultivated the ac- quaintance of the people, and acquired an extensive knowledge of the various objects presented to his curiosity or to his inspection."
This distinguished commander, who, amidst deeds of hardi- hood and times of most gallant adventure, was by the general consent of his compeers, looked up to as their chief, was born in the county of Albermarle, in the State of Virginia, in Sep- tember, 1773. He, like the great master chief of the revolu- tion, engaged in the business of land surveying, under the unfortunate Colonel Crawford. There seems a fond alliance between this pursuit and many of the attractions of military life; free exercise in the open air, and adventurous expo- sure, both combine to fasten on a military spirit an attachment to this business, in the frontier woods of North America, re- quiring, at the times in question, so much fortitude and bravery. Little is known of the early years of George Rogers Clark, but the stirring times and the confined opportunities of that part of Virginia, though now the seat of the literary monument which consecrated the last days of the great Jefferson, forbid much expectation beyond the elements of his language, and those not taught with the utmost precision. He is said to have been much devoted to several branches of mathematics and was distinguished for his precise and minute knowledge of geography. Like many other of the gallant spirits of his time, he embarked at the head of a company, in Dunmore's war, and was engaged in the only active operation of the right wing against the Indians. After the suspicious haste with which
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peace was made by Lord Dunmore, without following up the bloody blows of Point Pleasant, he was offered by the Governor, a commission in the royal service. This, on consultation with bis friends, he was induced by the troubled complexion of affairs between his native country and Great Britain, to refuse. Early in 1775, Clark visited Kentucky, as the favorite theatre of romantic adventure at that day; he penetrated to Harrods- town, which after having been abandoned by Colonel Harrod, on the late rupture with the Indians, had been re-possessed by him. In this visit, he either had a commission of Major, or was from his service in Dunmore's war, and prominent talents, voluntarily placed at the head of the irregular troops, then in Kentucky. He himself only speaks of settling in the fail of 1777. the accounts of the Kentucky militia which would confirm the idea of his previous command, besides being known at that time as Major Clark. In the ensuing autumn Clark returned to Virginia, and again came back to Kentucky in the spring of 76 .* He reflected deeply on its value to Virginia as a frontier, as well as to the rest of the confederacy. The result of these meditations suggested to him, the importance of assembling the people of the country at Harrodstown, as it was then called, to de- vise a plan for the public defence. At this time the claim of Henderson and Company, acquired under the treaty of Wa- taga, in March, 1775, with the Cherokees, made a great deal of noise, and added no little to the perplexities of the settlers.
ยท In regard to thi- second visit, the author cannot resist the temptation to narrate an anecdote, which he in substance received from the lips of General Ray. It illustrates the hardy privations of the times, and the free and generous spirit, in which all the little alle- viations of these hardships, were shared with a fellow hunter in distress. "I had come down ' said the Generat, "to where [ now live," (about four miles north of - Harrodsbirg.) "to tern some horses out in the range; I had killed a small blue wing duck. that was feed- ing in my spring. and had roasted it meely on the brow of the hill, abont twenty steps out of my house." After having taken it off to cool, I was much surprised on being sad- dert arrested by a fine soldiers looking man, who exclaimed. "How do you do my little fellow ? What is your nanie? An's yon afraid of being in the woods by yourself?" On satiating the inquiries. I invited the traveler to partake of my duck, which he did with- out having me a bone to gick, His appetite was so keen; though he should have been wel- come to all the game I could have killed, stod Ray, when I afterwards became ad planned with bis node and gallant sont. After satisfying las questions, he inquired of the stranger his own name and business in this remote region. My name is Black, he answered, and I have come out to see what con brave fellows are doing in Kentucky, and to lend you a trying land if necessary. The General. a boy of sixteen, then conducted Clark to Har- Ir when, where he wir at his time making the observations on the condition and pros- Tarte f the country, natural to as comprehensive mind, and assisting at every opportunny " is terence.
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It became uncertain whether the south side of the Kentucky river appertained to Virginia or to North Carolina. These difficulties increased the necessity of ascertaining the disposi- tion of the former; on the 6th of June, 1775, at the suggestion of Clark, a general meeting took place in Harrodstown, at which he, and Gabriel John Jones, were chosen members of the Assembly of Virginia. This, however, was not the course in- tended by Clark; he wanted the people to choose agents, with general powers to negotiate with the government of Virginia, and if abandoned by it, to employ the lands of the country, as a fund to obtain settlers, and establish an independent State. The election had, however, proceeded too far to change its object, when Clark, who had been detained, arrived at the town; the gentlemen elected, although they were aware the choice could give them no seat in the legislature, proceeded to Williamsburg, at that time the seat of Government. They selected the route through the southern wilderness, as it has generally been called, lying between the settlements of Ken- tucky, and those of Virginia, under most distressing difficulties. Independent of losing one of their horses, the extreme wetness of the season, and the danger of kindling fires, amidst strag- gling parties of Indians, the traveling through the mud, and over the mountains, brought on a most painful affliction, called by the hunters, the scald feet. In this complaint, the feet become useless from excessive tenderness, and the skin decays; so that the weight of the body becomes intolerable. While suffering in this manner, "inore torment than I ever expe- rienced," says Clark, "before, or since," they found the old stations near the Cumberland Gap, and Martin's fort, where they fondly hoped to have found relief, both abandoned by the inhabitants, owing to fear of the Indians. At the latter place, however, the desperate party determined to stay until their feet were recovered; when this was accomplished, they again prose- cuted their journey. On reaching the county of Bottetourt, it was found that the legislature had adjourned: upon which, Mr. Jones returned to the settlement on Holston, and left Clark to attend to the Kentucky mission. He immediately waited on
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Governor Henry, then lying sick at his residence in Hanover county, to whom he opened the objects of his journey; these met the cordial approbation of the Governor; in consequence of which, he gave Clark a suitable letter to the executive council of the State. An application was then made to the council for five hundred weight of gunpowder, in order to defend the sta- . tions in Kentucky. This body, though well disposed to assist their countrymen, remote as their siutation was, and not yet united to Virginia, by any express legislative recognition, said, they could only lend the powder to them, as friends in dis- tress, but could not give it to them as fellow-citizens. At the same time, they required Clark to be answerable for the value in case the legislature should not recognize the Ken- tuckians as citizens; and, in the meantime, to bear the ex- penses of its conveyance to Kentucky. This, Clark assured them was out of his power; he represented to them that the British were trying every means to engage the Indians in the war; that the people in the remote and exposed stations of Ken- tucky, might be destroyed for want of the supply, which he, a private individual, had sought at so much hazard and hardship for their relief; that when this frontier was destroyed, the fury of the savages would be brought nearer home. The council was still inexorable, the sympathy for the frontier settlers was deep, but the assistance already offered, was a stretch of power, and the council declared they could go no farther. The order was then issued to the keeper of the public magazine to deliver the powder to Clark: he had long reflected on the situation, and the prospects of the country he had left; his reso- lution to reject the assistance on these conditions, was fixed, he says, before he left the council chamber, to repair to Ken- tucky, and as he had at first proposed, exert the resources of the country for the formation of an independent Stute. He, accordingly returned the order of the council in a letter, infor- ming them, that he had weighed the matter well, and had found it utterly out of his power, to convey military stores to such a distance, through an enemy's country; he added, that he was mortified to find, that the people of Kentucky must look for
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assistance elsewhere than in their native State; which, how- ever, he had no doubt they could obtain; that a country which was not worth defending, was not worth claiming. The delibe- rations of the council on this letter of Clark's are unknown: but they may easily be conceived from the sagacity and patrio- tism, which shone so brilliantly in the government of Virginia; at whose head the great Henry then presided. On the receipt of this letter, Clark was sent for, and an order of council passed on the 23d of August, 1776, for conveying the gunpowder desired, to Pittsburg, "to be safely kept and delivered to Mr. George Rogers Clark, or his order, for the use of the said inhab- itants of Kentucki." This is the first step in the long and affec- tionate intercourse, which has subsisted between Kentucky and her parent Commonwealth; and obvious as the reflection is, it may not be omitted, that on the transportation of five hundred weight of gunpowder. hung the connexion between Virginia and the splendid domain, which she afterwards obtained on the west of the Allegany mountains. To this compromise of the council, Clark, influenced by attachment to his native State, acceeded; and immediately wrote to his friends in Kentucky of his success, desiring them to transport the powder down the Ohio to Ken- tucky. This letter they never received.
At the fall session of the legislature of Virginia, Messrs. Jones and Clark laid the Kentucky petition before that body: they were of course not admitted to legislative seats; though late in the session, in despite of the exertions of Colonels Hender- son and Campbell, they obtained the erection of the county of Kentucky, which then embraced the limits of the present State of that name. Thus, our political organization was prin- cipally obtained by the generous daring of George Rogers Clark, who must be ranked as the earliest founder of the Com- monwealth. This measure gave it form and pressure, and enti- tled it, under the constitution of Virginia, to a representation in the legislature, as well as to a judicial and military arrange- ment. Clark and his associate having obtained these impor- tant benefits for the country, were preparing to come again to the interesting colony; when they heard that the supply of gun-
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powder, obtained with so much painful effort still lay at Pitts- burg. Jones and himself then determined to return by that place, for an article so precious in the condition of the frontier. At fort Pitt, they found many Indians lurking about, apparently for the purpose of making treaties: but who, in reality were acting as spies upon the movements of our countrymen, whose intention to descend the Ohio, they seemed to suspect, and would apparently interrupt. In this state of things, our party resolved to prosecute their voyage without delay, and with no more than seven boatmen, with indefatigable exertions, pursued the whole way by Indians, they got safe to Limestone creek. They went up this small stream with their boat, and hiding their cargo in different places in the woods, along its banks, at considerable distances apart; they turned their boat adrift, and directed their course to Harrodstown, to procure a sufficient escort for the powder. On their way through the woods, the party came to a solitary cabin of Hingston's, on the west fork of Licking creek. While resting here, some men, who had been surveying, happened at the same place, and informed them, that as yet the Indians had not done much injury; and that Colonel John Todd was in the neighborhood with a small body of men; that if they could be met with, there would be sufficient force to escort the powder to its destination. Clark, however, with his usual promptitude, after having waited for some time in vain, for Colonel Todd, set off for Harrodstown. accompanied by two of the men, leaving the residue with Mr. Jones, to remain at Hingston's. Soon after Clark had de- parted, Colonel Todd arrived: and upon being informed of the military stores left at the river, thinking his force was now suf- fient to effect their removal, he marched with ten men for this purpose. When they had reached the country about the Blue Licks, they met on the 25th of September, with an Indian party, which were following the trail of Clark and his companions; they attacked the whites with such vigor, as to route them en- tirely, having killed Jones, and some others, and took some prisoners. Fortunately for Kentucky, the prisoners proved true to their countrymen, and preserved the secret of the stores
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inviolate, while the party detached from Harrodstown, brought them safely to their over-joyed friends. On the 29th of Decem- ber, a large body of Indians attacked M'Clellan's fort, on Elk- horn,* killed M'Clellan, and two others, which drove the residue of the people to Harrodstown. This necessarily pro- duced great alarm; it was soon much increased by an attack of the Indians upon James Ray, his brother, and another man, who were clearing come land about four miles from Harrodstown, at the present residence of this venerable and distinguished pioneer. The hostile party consisting of forty-seven warriors under com- mand of' Blackfish, a celebrated chief, attracted by the noise of the axes, rushed upon the little party of choppers, killed the younger Ray, and took the third man prisoner. The elder Ray escaped by his uncommon swiftness of foot. So remarkable was this young woodsman for his running, that Blackfish mentioned to Boone the next year, when he took the latter prisoner at the Blue Licks, that some boy at Harrodstown had outrun all his warriors.
Fortunate it was for the infant fort, that Ray possessed such nimbleness of foot; for without his escape, the station might have been surprised in the same manner, in which the party had, at the Shawanee springs. By his information every thing was done to strengthen the fort, and prepare for the expected storm. On the next morning, the Indians with the precaution usual to them not to prosecute an expedition. immediately after any circumstance has happened, calculated to put an enemy on his guard; did not appear before the fort, until the next morning, on the 7th of March, 1777. The militia had been organized but two days before. The Indians began their attack by setting fire to an out cabin on the east side of the town; this. the men not believing to be the act of the enemy, rushed out of the fort to extinguish. The attempt was now made to inter- cept their return; our people retreated until they got to a piece of woods, which then covered the hill, now occupied by the court-house in Harrodsburg, where each took to a tree, or treed. as it was termed in the language of the times. In this conflict, one Indian was killed, and four of the whites were wounded, * The site of Georgetown, Scout county, also called Royal Spring.
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one of whom died; they made good their retreat to the fort, and the Indians soon afterwards withdrew. During the year 1777, they collected in great numbers round this devoted place. so as to pre- vent any corn from being raised about the town. In this period of danger and scarcity, Ray, but seventeen years old, used to rise before day. and with one old horse, the only one left by the Indians of forty head brought to Kentucky by his father-in-law, Major McGary, proceeded as cautiously as possible to Salt river, riding in the water, as well as in the bed of some stream, on leaving the river, in order to conceal his route. When suffi- ciently out of hearing, he would kill his load of meat; this he would bring to the suffering garrison by night-fall: while elder hunters, stimulated by these boyish exploits, attempting the same enterprise, were killed by the Indians.
In the course of this summer, one McConnel was trying his gun near the fort at a mark, in company with Ray, when the former was suddenly shot dead. His companion following the direction of the shot, perceived the enemy; but while he was attempting to revenge the death of his friend, he found himself suddenly attacked by a large body of Indians, who had crept up unseen. For one hundred and fifty yards, Ray was exposed to their fire in making his retreat. which he accomplished with his usual speed. But when he approached the fort of Harrods- burg, the people did not dare to open the gate for his admission. In this most critical situation, pursued by a band of savages, and refused shelter by his friends, Ray had no other alter- native, than to throw himself flat on the ground behind a stump, which was just large enough to protect his body. He lay in this situation for four hours, under the fire of the Indians, whose balls would every now and then throw up the ground upon him. Here he lay within seven steps of the fort wall, and his mother within sight of her son, in this perilous condition; still the memy did not venture to come within fire from the fort. It was now that Ray, on the suggestion of the moment, hollowed out, "for God's sake dig a hole under the cabin wall, and take me in." Strange as the expedient was, it was immediately adopted, and the young hunter was introduced in this strange
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way; though not quite like the Grecians of old, once more to the friends, who so much depended on his arm, and by whom he was so much beloved.
During the fall of this year, in order to make up the deficiency arising from having raised no corn, the people of the fort de- termined to make a turnip patch, about two hundred yards north-west of the station; while clearing the ground, an Indian was shot at by the guard and the men retired. The next day the cattle were perceived to be disturbed, and snuffing the air about a small field in the furthest corner, that had been allowed to grow up in very high weeds. The presence of the ene- my was instantly suspected; and that they were concealed there; so sure were the cattle to betray the neighborhood of Indians by their uneasiness, produced either at their sight, or by the smell of the Indian paint. Yet it was never known to be manifested at the sight of white men; although the latter might be exposed to all the same occasions of peculiar odor, contracted by killing the game, cooking and sleeping in the woods. This indication prompted Major George Rogers Clark, to turn the ambuscade upon the enemy. For this purpose some men were still kept in the turnip patch, nearest to the fort, working, and occasionally hollowing to their companions to come out to their work; while a party of men under Clark went back of the field, where they came upon the rear of the Indians lying concealed in the weeds. Four of the Indians were killed; one by Clark, another by Ray; the first he ever despatched. The white party then pursued the Indians until they came to the remains of a large Indian encampment, now deserted. Here they found within four hundred yards of the fort, down the creek, two rows of tents, with poles between for slinging their kettles, that might have accommodated five or six hundred Indians. From this camp the enemy had issued du- ring the preceding summer to assail the stations, which they had done to their great discomfiture, and the destruction of their horses and cattle : the enemy had now abandoned their position, and the party which had just been pursued, was the last remnant of this great Indian force. It was on account of this action, Major
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Clark complimented General Ray with the gun of the Indian, the first ever killed by him; a compliment from such a source, well worthy of recollection in the life of any man: the rest of the Indian property discovered in the camp, was, as usual, divided by lottery among the captors.
Hitherto the war in Kentucky had been carried on by the perseverance and the gallantry of the backwoodsmen them- selves, with little assistance from the power of Virginia, ex- cepting that which was procured by the devotion of Messrs. Clark and Jones. The tremendous struggle of the Revolu- tion, involving every thing dear to a free and generous people, demanded all the energies of the Commonwealth. The State had not disposable means to act on so remote a frontier; nor does the government of Virginia appear to have been dis- tinctly aware. of the important diversion of the Indian force, which might be effected by supporting the exertions of Kentucky. As little did she perceive the rich acquisitions offered to her mili- tary ambition in the British posts in the western country. Yet every Indian engaged on the frontier of the Kentucky, was saved to the nearer frontier of the parent State. These combined views acquired greater weight with the progress of the Revo- lution, and the increasing population of Kentucky; they were particularly aided by the ardent and impressive representations of Major Clark. He had witnessed the rise and growth of this section of the country from its earliest buddings; he had penetrated its condition and its relations with the instinctive genius, which stamped him the most consummate of the wes tern commanders. He had seen at a glance, that the sources of the Indian devastations were to be found in the British po-sessions of Detroit. St. Vincents, and Kaskaskia. The heart rending ravages spread by the barbarians of the western hemi- sphere, and which have again been so recently displayed in our own times, were stimulated by the ammunition, arms, and cloth- ing supplied at these military stations. If they could be taken, the streams of hostility which had overflown Kentucky with hor- rors, would be dried up, and a counter influence established over the savages. Under the influence of these views, the Go-
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vernor and council of Virginia, in the year 1778, took into consideration the policy of an expedition, against the strong holds of' her foes; though situated many hundreds of miles from the main seat of her population and resources. This expedition must be mainly attributed to the genius of Clark, who had fore- seen its necessity during his visits to Kentucky. So strongly was he impressed with the importance of this movement, that in the summer of '77, he had dispatched two spies of the names of Moore and Dunn, to reconnoitre the situation of these remote posts of the enemy. These emissaries reported great activity on the part of the militia, as well as the most extended encour- agement to the Indians in their barbarous depredations upon the Kentucky frontier; ye., notwithstanding the enemy had essayed every art of misrepresentation to prejudice the French inhabitants against the Virginians, by telling them that these frontier people were more shocking barbarians than the savages themselves, still the spies reported strong traces of affection for the Americans, among some of the inhabitants. Not that the spies, or any body else, were acquainted with the contem- plated expedition, till it was ripe to be laid before the governor and council of Virguia. To this body he determined to sub- mit the matter; when, on the Ist of October, 1777, he left Ken- tucky. At this time he says, "every eye was turned towards me, as if expecting some stroke in their favor; some doubted my return, expecting I would join the army in Virginia. I left them with reluctance, promising them I would certainly return to their assistance, which I had predetermined." He remained a considerable time at Williamsburg, settling the accounts of the Kentucky militia, and, as he says, "making remarks on every thing I saw or heard, that could lead me to a knowledge of the disposition of those in power." During this time the genius of the Republic had achieved the victory of Saratoga, and the spell of British regulars, like that of British sailors and ships in more recent times, was broken. The spirits of Virginia may well be supposed to have partaken of the general triumph, and on the 10th of December, Clark opened the plan of the Illinois campaign to Governor Henry. At first the Go-
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