USA > Kentucky > Madison County > Boonesborough > Boonesborough; its founding, pioneer struggles, Indian experiences, Transylvania days, and revolutionary annals; > Part 12
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Monday 8th Rainey. Was much embarrassed with a dispute between the above mentioned. Capt Harrod with about 40 men settled on Salt River last year, was driven off and joined the army with 30 of his men and being determined to live in this country had come down this spring from Monongahala accompanied by about 50 men, most of them young persons without families. They came on Harrods invitation. These men had got possession some time before we got here. The reception our plan of legis- lation met with from these gentlemen as well as Capt Floyd gave us great pleasure and we therefore immediately set about the business and appointed a meeting for Tuesday the 23d Instant at Boonesborough and according made out writings for the differ- ent towns to sign and wrote to Capt Floyd appointing an elec- tion. Harrodsburgh & the Boiling Spring settlement received their summons verbally by the gentlemen aforesaid.
Tuesday 9th Col Slaughter & Capt Harrod took their departure
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in great good humor. Our plantation business went on as usual, some people planting others preparing &c-We found it very difficult at first to stop great waste in killing meat. Some would kill three, four, five or 12 a dozen buffaloes and not take half a horse load from them all. For want of a little obligatory law our game as soon as we got here, if not before, was driven off very much. Fifteen or 20 miles was as short a distance as good hunters thought of getting meat, nay sometimes they were obliged to go thirty though by chance once or twice a week buffaloe was killed within 5 or six miles. It was some pleasure to find wonton men were afraid of discovery & I am convinced this fear saved the lives of many buffaloes, elks and deer -as to bear, no body wasted any that was fit to eat nor did we care about them .-
Wednesday 10th Nothing remarkable.
Thursday 11th-Common occurrences.
Friday 12th-Old story.
Saturday 13, No scouring of floors, sweeping of yards or scald- ing bedsteads here.
Sunday 14-No Divine service, our church not being finished- that is to say, about 50 yards from the place where I am writing and right before me to the south (the River about 50 yards behind my camp and a fine spring a little to the west) stands one of the finest elms, that perhaps nature ever produced in any region .- This tree is placed in a beautiful plain surrounded by a turf of fine white clover forming a green to its very stock to which there is scarcely anything to be likened. The trunk is about 4 feet through to the first branches which are about 9 feet high from the ground from thence above it so regularly extends its large branches on every side at such equal distances as to form the most beautiful tree that imagination can suggest. The diameter of its branches from the extream ends is 100 feet-and
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every fair day it describes a semicircle on the heavenly green around it, of upward of 400 feet and any time between the hours of 10 & 2 100 persons may commodiously seat them selves under its branches.
This divine tree or rather one of the many proofs of the existance from all eternity of its Divine Author, is to be our church, state-house,-council chamber &c and having many things on our hands have not had time to erect a pulpit, seats &c but hope by Sunday, Sennight, to perform divine service for the first time-in a public manner and that to a set of scoundrels who scarcely believe in God or fear a devil if we were to judge from most of their looks, words and actions.
Monday 15th. Express arrived, ten men, including Maj. Bow- man, Capt. Bowman and one Capt. Moore.
Tuesday 16th continue, eating meat without bread, and Should be very contented were it not for the absence of four men who went down the River by land on Fryday.
Wednesday 17th Hunters not returned. No meat but fat bear. Almost starved. Drank a little coffee & trust to luck for dinner. - Am just going to our little plant patches in hopes the greens will bear cropping, if so a sumptuous dinner indeed. Mr Calloways men got a little spoild buffaloe and elk, which we made out with pretty well depending on amendment tomorrow.
Thursday 18th. 'Tis now 12 o'clock and no news of the hunt- ers or the absentees. 3 o'clock. Hunters came in but no news of the lost men.
Friday 19th. Sent off Mr. Stoner with Capt. Calloway and some of his men in search of persons above mentioned.
Saturday 20th The election for Boonesborough was held this afternoon with great regularity when Squire Boone, Daniel Boone, William Cocke, Samuel Henderson, William Moore, and Richard Callaway were elected.
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Sunday 2Ist. Capt. Callomees men returned - had been lost. Gave great pleasure.
Monday 22d One Capt. Thos. Guess arrived from above Pitts- burg with six or seven men.
Tuesday 23d Delegates met from every town. Pleased with their stations and in great good humor.
Wednesday 24th The Convention met. Sent a message ac- quainting me that they had chosen Col. Thos Slaughter Chair- man, and Mr Matt Jouett Clerk of which I approved. Open'd the business by a short speech &c.
Thursday 25th-Three of the members of the committee waited on the proprietors with a very sensible address -which asked leave to read ; read. it and delivered in return an answer &c - business went on &c. This day four bills were fabricated & read - I for establishing tribunals of justice & recovery of debts-2d for establishing a militia,- 3d for preventing the distruction of game &c fourth a law, concerning fees. The delegates very good men and much disposed to serve their country.
Saturday 27th - Finished convent'n in good order - Every body pleas'd.
Sunday 28th Divine service for the first time by the Rev. John Lyth, minister of the Gospel, of England. Most of the Dele- gates returnd home.
Monday 29-No letters from our friends .- Letter with an account of the battle at Boston.
Friday 2d June. Hunters returned, very good meal.
Sunday 4th Divine service by Mr. Lyth.
Monday 5 Made out commissions for Harrodsburg, Boiling Spring and St. Asaph, both military and civil.
Tuesday 6 Abundance of people going away-Selling their lots &c.
Tuesday 13th Col. Boone set off for his family and the young men went with him for salt.
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Saturday 17 Muster of men at the fort by Capt. Moore. Thirty two appeared under arms.
Sunday 18 Corn planted 26 or 27 of April was tasseled or shot. Had a mess of snap beans. Peas ripe. No meat. Two men from Va. Found bacon on which with the beans we had an excel- lent dinner.
Wednesday 21 Returned home late at night from hunting with a load of buffalo.
Friday 23d Bro. Samuel and two others set off down the river in a canoe to hunt elk, our horses being too much fatigued with constant riding.
28th Scarcity of meat.
30th Meat plenty and many joyful countenances.
Saturday July 1-1775 Dry weather. People going away. Mr. Luttrell and myself set off for Harrodsburg. Were four days bogning in the woods seeking the way. Went too near the river and much plagued with the hills, cane and bad ways.
Wednesday July 5 Arrived at Capt. Harrods and found all well.
Friday 7th set off back in company with Mr Slaughter and about 12 others who were going in to bring out their families or stock. Harrodsburg seemed quite abandoned ; only five men left on the spot to guard the crop &c. We suffered in this journey a little for want of provisions .- The weather very dry and the springs being scarce, water was rarely to be gotten .- Buffaloe had abandond their range & were gone into other parts .- When we got to this place we found all well, but a scarcity of meat. Sundry people gone since we left home & more going.
Wednesday 12th- Horses being almost worn out my Broth- ers Nathaniel and Samuel with some others went up the river in a canoe to get meat if possable. Our salt quite out except about a quart which I brought from Harrodsburg. The men sent for salt not yet returnd, nor any news from the East - Times a little
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melancholy, provisions very scarce, no salt, to enable us to save meat at any distance from home, no accou't or arrival from within ; Weather very dry - and we not able to raise above fourteen or fifteen fighting men at any one time unless they were all sum . mond, which could not easily be done without long notice they being much dispersed, Hunting &c
Thursday 13th July. Things as usual. Meat a little difficult to get.
Thursday 20th Capt. Linn & his company set off down the river to Lee's settlement with whom I sent two men for a little salt, our men being not yet return'd.
Sunday 23d Nothing uncommon more than a fellow calld Grampus belonging to Mr Luttrel ran away on Thursday which was thought nothing of at first-supposing he would return, but on Saturday it was discovered that he had stolen Mr Luttrels mare (his only riding beast) and was totally gone.
Monday 24th Mr Luttrel took a resolution of following his man, and immediately set off. I have intentions of going home as soon as a sufficient number of people come to defend the fort.
Tuesday 25th - Weather dry & are still in great want .- By Capt Linn we are informd that 5 or six men were gone down the Ohio to the Falls by order of Capt Bullet. Mr Bullets orders & his mens resolutions were to pay no regard to our title but settle the land nolens volens. They also inform me that Major Con- elly is resolved on the same conduct.
* X * *
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The Occurrences of tomorrow & so on you'l find in another stitched book cover'd with brown paper & begins with Wednesday 26th July 1775.1
IThis note concludes all that is known to be extant of this journal. The " stitched book " referred to, which would probably complete the journal, has never been discovered.
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J
PROCLAMATION OF LORD DUNMORE (MARCH 21, 1775) AGAINST "RICHARD HENDERSON AND HIS ABETTORS."
(From the Virginia Gazette in the Library of Congress. )
By his Excellency the Right Hon. John, Earl of Dunmore, his Majesty's Lieutenant and Governor General of the Colony and dominion of Virginia, and Vice Admiral of the same :
A PROCLAMATION.
Virginia, to wit.
Whereas his Majesty did, at the request of the Assembly of this colony, permit the Western boundary thereof to be extended, as the same has been run and ascertained by Col. Donelson, and other surveyors deputed for the purpose ; and whereas his Majesty, both for the greater convenience of, & the prevention of litigation and disputes, among such persons as shall be inclined to settle upon any of his vacant lands, ordered that all that tract of land, included within the aforesaid bound- ary, and all other vacant lands within this colony, be surveyed in districts, and laid out in lots of from one hundered to one thousand acres, and as far as the said surveys shall be com- pleted, by the surveyors duly authorized, and the surveys thereof returned, that the lands so surveyed and allotted be put up to public sale, at such time and place as shall be appointed by public notice; and that the highest bidder for such lots and parcels of land, at such sales be the purchaser thereof, and be entitled to a grant in fee simple of the land so purchased as afore-
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said, by letters patent under the great seal of the Colony, sub- ject to no conditions or reservations whatever, other than the payment of the annual quitrent of one half penny sterling per acre, and also of all mines of gold, silver, & precious stones ; and whereas advice has been received that one Richard Henderson, and other disorderly persons, his associates, under pretense of a purchase made from the Indians, contrary to the aforesaid orders and regulations of his Majesty, do set up a claim to the lands of the Crown within the limits of this Colony ; I have thought fit, therefore, to issue this my proclamation, strictly charging all justices of peace, sheriffs, and other officers, civil and military, to use their utmost endeavours to prevent the unwarrantable and illegal designs of the said Henderson and his abettors : and if the said Henderson, or others concerned with him, shall take possession of, or occupy any lands within the limits of his Maj- esty's government of Va. merely under any purchase, or pre- tended purchase, made from Indians, without any other title, that he or they be required, in his Majesty's name forthwith to depart, and relinquish the possession so unjustly obtained ; and in case of refusal, and of violent detaining such possession, that he or they be immediately fined & imprisoned in the manner the laws in such cases direct.
Given under my hand, and the seal of the Colony, this 2Ist day of March, in the 15th year of his Majesty's reign. (1775)
God save the King.
DUNMORE.
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K
JUDGE HENDERSON TO HIS PARTNERS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
EXTRACTS FROM LETTER WHILE EN ROUTE TO KENTUCKY.
(From Hall's Romance of Western History.)
Gentlemen :
POWELL'S VALLEY, April 8, 1775.
Few enterprises of great consequence continue at all times to wear a favorable aspect ; ours has met with the common fate, from the incautious proceedings of a few headstrong and unthink- ing people. On the twenty-fifth of March last, the Indians fired upon a small party of men, in camp, near the Louisa, killed two and put four others to the route ; and on the 27th, did likewise on Daniel Boone's camp, and killed a white man and a negro on the spot, but the survivors maintained their ground and saved their baggage. But for a more particular account I refer you to Mr. Boone's original letter on that occasion, which came to hand last night. You scarcely need information that these accidents have a bad effect with respect to us. * * You observe from Mr. Boone's letter the absolute necessity of our not losing one moment, therefore don't be surprised at not receiving a particular account of our journey with the several little mis- fortunes and cross accidents, which have caused us to be delayed so that we are still one hundred and thirty or one hundred and forty miles from our journey's end. We are all in high spirits, and on thorns to fly to Boone's assistance, and join him in defense of so fine and valuable a country. My only motives for stopping, are, first, that you should receive a just repre- sentation of the affair, and secondly, to request your immedi- ate assistance ; for want of workmen our wagons are laid aside at Captain Martin's in this valley; the chief of our salt and all our saltpetre and brimstone are left behind.
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L LETTER OF JUDGE HENDERSON (JUNE 12, 1775) TO PROPRIETORS REMAINING IN NORTH CAROLINA.
(From the Original, Loaned by James Alves to James Hall. )
Gentlemen,
BOONSBOROUGH, June 12, 1775.
It would be needless in me to enter into a detail of every little occurrence and cross accident which has befallen us since we left Wattauga ; they can afford no instruction, and are too trifling for your amusement. No doubt but you have felt great anxiety since the receipt of my letter from Powell's Valley. At that time, things wore a gloomy aspect ; indeed it was a serious matter, and became a little more so, after the date of the letter than before. That afternoon I wrote the letter in Powell's Valley, in our march this way, we met about 40 people returning, and in about four days the number was little short of 100. Arguments and persuasions were needless ; they seemed resolved on returning, and traveled with a precipitation that truly bespoke their fears. Eight or ten were all that we could prevail on to proceed with us, or to follow after ; and thus, what we before had, counting every boy and lad, amounted to about 40, with which number we pursued our journey, with the utmost diligence, for my own part never under more real anxiety. Every person almost that we met, seemed to be at pains to aggravate the danger of proceeding ; and had we given them all a fair hearing, I believe they would, in return for the favor, have gotten all our men. Many seemed to be of opinion (who had been with Boone) that the men assembled at the mouth of Otter creek would get impatient and leave him before we could possibly get there, if no other accident befell them ; and with me,
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it was beyond a doubt, that our right, in effect, depended on Boone's maintaining his ground -at least until we could get to him. Here, gentlemen, your imagination must take the burden off my hands, and paint what I am unable to describe. You need not be afraid of giving scope to your fancy ; it is impossible to make the picture worse than the original. Every group of trav- elers we saw, or strange bells which were heard in front, was a fresh alarm; afraid to look or inquire, lest Captain Boone or his company was amongst them, or some disastrous account of their defeat. The slow progress we made with our packs, rendered it absolutely necessary for some person to go on and give assur- ance of our coming, especially as they had no certainty of our being on the road at all ; or had even heard whether the Indians had sold to us or not. It was owing to Boone's confidence in us, and the people's in him, that a stand was ever attempted in order to wait for our coming. The case was exceedingly distressing : we had not a fellow that we could send on a forlorn hope in our whole camp : all our young men had sufficient employ with the pack- horses ; and, the truth is, very few would have gone, if they had been totally idle. Distress generally has something in store when it is least expected ; it was actually the case with us. Mr. Will- iam Cocke, (with whom some of you are acquainted,) observing our anxiety on that account, generously offered to undertake the journey himself, and deliver a letter to Captain Boone, with all the expedition in his power. This offer, extraordinary as it was, we could by no means refuse - it was not a time for much delicacy ; a little compliment and a few very sincere thanks, instantly given, preceded a solemn engagement to set off next morning ; and if he escaped with his life, to perform the trust. The day proved dark and rainy ; and I own, Mr. Cocke's undertaking appeared a little more dangerous than the evening before -in spite of affectation,
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it was plain he thought so - whether it was from the gloominess of the weather, or the time of setting off being actually come, or what, I cannot tell ; but perhaps a little of both. Indeed, I rather suspect there is some little secondary mischievous passion per- sonating courage, hankering about the heart of man, that very often plays him a double game, by causing him to view dangers at a little distance through the wrong end of the glass ; and as soon as cool deliberation, by the help of caution, has shifted the telescope, and brought the object home to a nearer view, and perhaps the dangerous features a little magnified, this monkey passion most shamefully deserts and leaves the affair to be man- aged as it can. Be that as it may, in these cases we are not always without a friend. Pride will, if possible, take up the cudgels ; and let the world say what it will of her, she answers the end of genuine innate courage, (if there be such a thing, ) and for aught I know, it is the thing itself. But to return to our sub- ject : no time was lost ; we struck whilst the iron was hot, fixed Mr. Cocke off with a good Queen Ann's musket, plenty of ammu- nition, a tomahawk, a large cuttoe knife, a Dutch blanket, and no small quantity of jerked beef. Thus equipped, and mounted on a tolerably good horse, on the day of April, Mr. Cocke started from Cumberland river, about 130 miles from this place, and carried with him, besides his own enormous load of fearful appre- hensions, a considerable burden of my own uneasiness. The probability of giving Mr. Boone and his men word of our being near them, administered great pleasure, and we made the best use of our time, following on.
The general panic that had seized the men we were continually meeting, was contagious ; it ran like wild fire ; and, notwithstand- ing every effort against its progress, it was presently discovered in our own camp; some hesitated and stole back, privately ;
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others saw the necessity of returning to convince their friends that they were still alive, in too strong a light to be resisted ; whilst many, in truth, who have nothing to thank but the fear of shame, for the credit of intrepidity, came on, though their hearts, for some hours, made part of the deserting company. In this situation of affairs, some few, of genuine courage and undaunted resolution, served to inspire the rest ; by help of whose example, assisted by a little pride and some ostentation, we made a shift to march on with all the appearance of gallantry, and, cavalier like, treated every insinuation of danger with the utmost con- tempt. It soon became hibitual; and those who started in the morning, with pale faces and apparent trepidation, could lie down and sleep at night in great quiet, not even possessed of fear enough to get the better of indolence. There is a mistaken notion amongst the vulgar, with respect to courage, which cannot be eradicated but by dint of experiment ; all watching, when it comes to be put in practice, has to them the appearance of cowardice ; and that it is beneath a soldier to be afraid of any thing, especially when a little fatigued. They would all agree in the morning, that it would be highly prudent and necessary to keep sentinels around our camp at night; but a hearty meal or supper (when we could get it) and good fires, never failed putting off the danger for at least 24 hours; at which time it was universally agreed, on all hands, that a watch at night would be indispensably necessary. Human nature is eternally the same; a death-bed repentance and a surprised camp are so nearly assimilated, that you may safely swear they arise from the same cause. Without further speculation, we have been so fortunate, hitherto, as to escape both. I wish from my soul, that they may not be in league to come together. Never was fairer opportunity, as to the one, and you may form a tolerable
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judgment as to the other; the western waters having, as yet, produced no visible alteration with respect to morals or Christian charity amongst us. It will no doubt surprise you, but it is nevertheless true, that we are in no posture of defence or security at this time; and, for my own part, do not much expect it will ever be effected, unless the Indians should do us the favor of annoying us, and regularly scalping a man every week until it is performed; if the intervals should be longer, the same spirit of indolence and self-security, which hath hitherto prevailed, would not only continue, but increase. To give you a small specimen of the disposition of the people, it may be sufficient to assure you, that when we arrived at this place, we found Captain Boone's men as inattentive on the score of fear, (to all appearances), as if they had been in Hillsborough. A small fort only wanting two or three days' work to make it tol- erably safe, was totally neglected on Mr. Cockes arrival; and unto this day remains unfinished, notwithstanding the repeated applications of Captain Boone, and every representation of danger from ourselves. The death of poor Tivitty and the rest, who at the time you were informed, became sacrifices to indis- cretion, had no more effect than to produce one night's watching after they got to Otter creek; not more than ten days after the massacre. Our plantations extend near two miles in length, on the river and up a creek. Here people work in their different lots ; some without their guns, and others without care or caution. It is in vain for us to say any thing more about the matter ; it cannot be done by words. We have a militia law, on which I have some dependence ; if that has no good effect, we must remain for some time much at the mercy of the Indians. Should any successful attempt be made on us, Captain Hart, I suppose, will be able to render sufficient reasons to the
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surviving company, for withdrawing from our camp, and refusing to join in building a fort for our mutual defence. This repre- sentation of our unguarded and defenceless situation is not all that seems to make against us. Our men, under various pre- tences, are every day leaving us. It is needless to say any thing against it ; many of them are so much determined that they sell their rights for saving land on our present terms, to others who remain in their stead, for little or nothing; nay, some of them are resolved to go, and some are already gone, and given up all pretensions for this season, and depend on getting land on the next fall's terms. Our company has dwindled from about eighty in number to about fifty odd, and I believe in a few days will be considerably less. Amongst these I have not heard one person dissatisfied with the country or terms; but go, as they say, merely because their business will not admit of longer delay. The fact is, that many of them are single, worthless fellows, and want to get on the other side of the mountains, for the sake of saying they have been out and returned safe, together with the probability of getting a mouthful of bread in exchange for their news.
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