Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 29

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1654

USA > Kentucky > Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II > Part 29

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Hogan waited until he had emerged from the gloom of the trees which grew upon the bank, and as soon as he had reached the middle of the stream, where the light was more distinct, he took deliberate aim and fired. A great splashing in the water was heard, but presently all became quiet. The pursuit was discontinued, and the party remounting their horses, returned home. Anx- ious, however, to apprize Bryan's party of their danger, they left the fort before daylight on the ensuing morning, and rode rapidly down the creek, in the direc- tion of the mouth of Cane. When within a few hundred yards of the spot where they supposed the encampment to be, they heard the report of many guns in quick succession. Supposing that Bryan had fallen in with a herd of buffalo, they quickened their march in order to take part in the sport.

The morning was foggy, and the smoke of the guns lay so heavily upon the ground that they could see nothing until they had approached within twenty yards of the creek, when they suddenly found themselves within pistol shot of a party of Indians, very composedly seated upon their packs, and preparing their pipes. Both parties were much startled, but quickly recovering, they sheltered themselves, as usual, and the action opened with great vivacity. The Indians maintained their ground for half an hour with some firmness, but being hard pressed in front, and turned in flank, they at length gave way, and being closely pursued, were ultimately routed, with considerable loss, which, however, could not be distinctly ascertained. Of Hogan's party, one man was killed on the spot, and three others wounded, none mortally.

It happened that Bryan's company had encamped at the mouth of Cane, as had been agreed upon, and were unable to account for Hogan's absence. That, about daylight, they had heard a bell at a distance, which they immediately recog- nized as the one belonging to the led horse which had accompanied Hogan's party, and which, as we have seen, had been abandoned to the enemy the even- ing before. Supposing their friends to be bewildered in the fog, and unable to find their camp, Bryan, accompanied by Grant, one of his men, mounted a horse, and rode to the spot where the bell was still ringing. They quickly fell into an ambuscade, and were fired upon. Bryan was mortally, and Grant severely wounded, the first being shot through the hip and both knees, the latter through the back.

Being both able to keep the saddle, however, they set spurs to their horses, and arrived at the station shortly after breakfast. The Indians, in the mean time, had fallen upon the encampment, and instantly dispersed it, and while pre- paring to regale themselves after their victory, were suddenly attacked. as we have seen, by Hogan. The timidity of Hogan's party, at the first appearance of the Indians, was the cause of the death of Bryan. The same men who fled so hastily in the evening. were able the next morning, by a little firmness, to van- quish the same party of Indians. Had they stood at first, an equal success would

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ATTACK ON BRYAN'S STATION.

probably have attended them, and the life of their leader would have been pre served.

On the night of the 14th of August, 1782, this station was surrounded by a body of Indians from various tribes, composed of about six hundred warriors, headed by the notorious renegade, Simon Girty. The fort was situated on the right of the present road from Maysville to Lexington, immediately on the south- ern bank of Elkhorn, and contained about forty cabins, placed in parallel lines, connected by strong palisades, and garrisoned by about forty or fifty men. On the succeeding morning the enemy showed themselves, but so secret and stealthy had been their approach, that not the slightest suspicion existed that the savages were in the neighborhood. Had the Indians showed themselves only a few hours later, they would have found the fort occupied only by old men, women and children, as the effective force of the garrison had determined to march on that morning to the assistance of Hoy's station, from which a messenger had ar rived the evening before, with the intelligence of Holder's defeat. As it was, most of the garrison was under arms, and those out of the fort, generally, suo ceeded in regaining the station.

The garrison was supplied with water from a spring at some distance from the fort, on its north-west side-an error common to most of the stations,-and in a long continued siege, necessarily resulting in dreadful suffering for want of wa- ter. Near this spring a considerable body of the Indians were placed in ambush- Girty and the Indian chiefs making their arrangements for the assault under the erroneous opinion, superinduced from the military preparations within, that their approach had been discovered by the garrison.

Another party was ordered to take position in full view of the garrison-to display itself at a given time and. open a fire upon them, with the hope of enticing them to an engagement outside of the walls. If this stratagem proved success- ful, the remainder of the forces were so disposed as to sieze the opportunity which the withdrawal of the garrison afforded, to storm one of the gates and take forcible possession of the fort. Unapprised of the danger without, the garrison having completed their preparations for the intended excursion, threw open the gates, when a sudden firing announced the presence of an enemy, and the gates were instantly closed. The yells and screams of the Indians which accompanied the discharge of rifles, struck terror to the hearts of the women and children, and startled even the men ; but with the latter it was momentary only. Among the inhabitants of the station there were men of experience, of tried bravery, and intimately acquainted with the wiles of their Indian foemen. Such men might be startled, but never intimidated-and their resources and courage rose with the occasion which called them into requisition. Every effort was made to protect the station .* The gates, the bastions, the loopholes were manned-the breaches in the palisades were repaired, and messengers were forthwith dispatched to the adjoining stations to communicate intelligence of the siege, and to procure assist- ance.

* Mr. McClung has preserved a singular anecdote of female intrepidity connected with this siege, which we append :

" The more experienced of the garrison felt satisfied that a powerful party was in ambus cade near the spring, but at the same time they supposed that the Indians would not unmask themselves, until the firing on the opposite side of the fort was returned with such warmth, as to induce the belief that the feint had succeeded.

"Acting upon this impression, and yielding to the urgent necessity of the case, they sum moned all the women, without exception, and explaining to them the circumstances in which they were placed, and the improbability that any injury would be offered them, until the firing had been returned from the opposite side of the fort, they urged them to go in a body to the spring, and each of them bring up a bucket full of water. Some of the ladies, as was natural, had no relish for the undertaking, and asked why the men could not bring water as well as themselves ? observing that they were not bullet proof, and that the Indians made no distinction between male and female scalps!

" To this it was answered, that women were in the habit of bringing water every morning to the fort, and that if the Indians saw them engaged as usual, it would induce them to think that their ambuscade was undiscovered, and that they would not unmask themselves for the sake of firing at a few women, when they hoped, by remaining concealed a few moments longer, to obtain complete possession of the fort. That if men should go down to the spring,

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The arrangements to meet the enemy being complete, thirteen young men were sent out of the fort to attack the decoy party, with orders to fire with great rapidity, and make as much noise as possible, but not to pursue the enemy too far, while the rest of the garrison took post on the opposite side of the fort, cocked their guns, and stood in readiness to receive the ambuscade as soon as it was unmasked. The firing of the light parties on the Lexington road was soon heard, and quickly became sharp and serious, gradually becoming more distant from the fort. Instantly Girty sprang up at the head of his five hundred warriors, and rushed rapidly upon the western gate, ready to force his way over the unde- fended palisades, Into this mass of dusky bodies, the garrison poured several rapid volleys of rifle balls with destructive effect. Their consternation may be imagined. With wild cries they dispersed on the right and left, and in two min utes not an Indian was to be seen. At the same time, the party who had sallied out on the Lexington road, came running into the fort at the opposite gate, in high spirits, and laughing heartily at the success of their manœuvre.

." A regular attack, in the usual manner, then commenced, without much effect on either side, until two o'clock in the afternoon, when a new scene presented itself. Two men of the garrison, Tomlinson and Bell, who had been mounted upon fleet horses, and sent at full speed to Lexington, announcing the arrival of the Indians and demanding reinforcements, found the town occupied only by women and children, and a few old men, the rest having marched at the intelligence of Hol- der's defeat, to the general rendezvous at Hoy's station. The couriers instantly followed at a gallop, and overtaking them on the road, informed them of the dan- ger to which Lexington was exposed during their absence. The whole party, amounting to sixteen horsemen, and more than double that number on foot, with some additional volunteers from Boone's station. instantly countermarched, and repaired with all possible expedition to Bryan's station. They were entirely ignorant of the overwhelming numbers opposed to them, or they would have pro- ceeded with more caution. By great exertions, horse and foot appeared before Bryan's at two in the afternoon, and pressed forward with precipitate gallantry to throw themselves into the fort. The Indians, however, had been aware of the departure of the two couriers, who had, in fact, broken through their line in order to give the alarm, and expecting the arrival of reinforcements, had taken meas- ures to meet them.

To the left of the long and narrow lane, where the Maysville and Lexington road now runs, there were more than one hundred acres of green standing corn. The usual road from Lexington to Bryan's, ran parallel to the fence of this field, and only a few feet distant from it. On the opposite side of the road was a thick wood. Here more than three hundred Indians lay in ambush, within pistol shot of the road, awaiting the approach of the party. The horsemen came in view at a time when the firing had ceased, and every thing was quiet. Seeing no enemy and hearing no noise, they entered the lane at a gallop, and were instantly salu- ted with a shower of rifle balls from each side, at the distance of ten paces.

At the first shot, the whole party set spurs to their horses, and rode at full speed through a rolling fire from either side, which continued for several hundred yards. but owing partly to the furious rate at which they rode, partly to the clouds of dust raised by the horses' feet, they all entered the fort unhurt. The inen on foot were less fortunate. They were advancing through the corn-field, and might

the Indians would immediately suspect that something was wrong, would despair of suc- ceeding by ambuscade, and would instantly rush upon them, follow them into the fort, or shoot them down at the spring. The decision was soon over.

" A few of the boldest declared their readiness to brave the danger, and the younger and more timid rallying in the rear of these veterans, they all marched down in a body to the spring, within point blank shot of more than five hundred Indian warriors! Some of the girls could not help betraying symptoms of terror, but the married women, in general, moved with a steadiness and composure that completely deceived the Indians. Not a shot was fired. The party were permitted to fill their buckets, one after another, without interruption, and although their steps became quicker and quicker, on their return, and when near the gate of the fort, degencrated into a rather unmilitary celerity, attended with some little crowding in passing the gate, yet not more than one-fifth of the water was spilled, and the eyes of the youngest had not dilated to more than double their ordinary size."-See M' Clung's Sketches, rage 62.

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have reached the fort in safety, but for their eagerness to succor their friends. Without reflecting, that from the weight and extent of the fire, the enemy must have been ten times their number, they ran up with inconsiderate courage, to the spot where the firing was heard, and there found themselves cut off from the fort, and within pistol shot of more than three hundred savages.

Fortunately the Indian guns had just been discharged, and they had not yet leisure to re-load. At the sight of this brave body of footmen, however, they raised a hideous yell, and rushed upon them, tomahawk in hand. Nothing but the high corn and their loaded rifles, could have saved them from destruction. The Indians were cautious in rushing upon a loaded rifle, with only a tomahawk, and when they halted to load their pieces, the Kentuckians ran with great rapidity, turning and dodging through the corn in every direction. Some entered the wood and escaped through the thickets of cane, some were shot down in the corn-field, others maintained a running fight, halting occasionally behind trees and keeping the enemy at bay with their rifles; for, of all men, the Indians are generally the most cautious in exposing themselves to danger. A stout, active young fellow, was so hard pressed by Girty and several savages, that he was compelled to dis- charge his rifle, (however unwilling, having no time to re-load it, ) and Girty fell. It happened, however, that a piece of thick sole-leather was in his shot-pouch at the time, which received the ball, and preserved his life, although the force of the blow felled him to the ground. The savages halted upon his fall, and the young man escaped.

Although the skirmish and the race lasted for more than an hour, during which the corn-field presented a scene of turmoil and bustle which can scarcely be con- ceived, yet very few lives were lost. Only six of the white men were killed and wounded, and probably still fewer of the enemy, as the whites never fired until absolutely necessary, but reserved their loads as a check upon the enemy. Had the Indians pursued them to Lexington, they might have possessed themselves of it without resistance, as there was no force there to oppose them ; but after fol- lowing the fugitives for a few hundred yards, they returned to the hopeless siege of the fort.

It was now near sunset, and the fire on both sides had slackened. The Indians had become discouraged. Their loss in the morning had been heavy, and the country was evidently arming, and would soon be upon them. They had made no impression upon the fort, and without artillery could hope to make none. The chiefs spoke of raising the siege and decamping ; but Girty determined, since his arms had been unavailing. to try the efficacy of negotiation. Near one of the bastions there was a large stump, to which he crept on his hands and knees, and from which he hailed the garrison.

He highly commended their courage, but assured them, that further resistance would be madness, as he had six hundred warriors with him, and was in hourly expectation of reinforcements, with artillery, which would instantly blow their cabins into the air ; that if the fort was taken by storm, as it certainly would be, when their cannon arrived, it would be impossible for him to save their lives ; but if they surrendered at once, he gave them his honor, that not a hair of their heads should be injured. He told them his name, inquired whether they knew him, and assured them that they might safely trust to his honor.

The garrison listened in silence to his speech, and many of them looked very blank at the mention of the artillery, as the Indians had, on one occasion. brought cannon with them, and destroyed two stations. But a young man by the name of Reynolds, highly distinguished for courage, energy, and a frolicsome gaiety of temper, perceiving the effect of Girty's speech, took upon himself to reply to it.

To Girty's inquiry, "whether the garrison knew him ?" Reynolds replied, " That he was very well known; that he himself had a worthless dog, to which he had given the name of 'Simon Girty,' in consequence of his striking resem- blance to the man of that name ; that if he had either artillery or reinforcements, he might bring them up and be d-d ; that if either himself, or any of the naked rascals with him, found their way into the fort, they would disdain to use their guns against them, but would drive them out again with switches, of which they had collected a great number for that purpose alone ; and finally, he declared that they also expected reinforcements ; that the whole country was marching to their assistance ; and that if Girty and his gang of murderers remained twenty-four

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hours longer before the fort, their scalps would be found drying in ihe sun upon the roofs of their cabins."

Girty took great offence at the tone and language of the young Kentuckian, and retired with an expression of sorrow for the inevitable destruction which awaited them on the following morning. He quickly rejoined the chiefs; and instant preparations were made for raising the siege. The night passed away in unin- terrupted tranquility, and at daylight in the morning, the Indian camp was found deserted. Fires were still burning brightly, and several pieces of meat were left upon their roasting sticks, from which it was inferred that they had retreated a short time before daylight.

Todd s Expedition .- In the spring of 1787, an expedition was made by some volunteers from Fayette and Bourbon counties, under the command of Col. Robert Todd, to the Scioto river region north of the Ohio. This was in con- sequence of information received from the Shawnees, of the hostile conduct of a small tribe, said to be Cherokees, who had settled on Paint creek, in what is now Ross county, Ohio. Three Indians were killed, and seven captured, who afterwards made their escape.

Early in the spring of 1780, Mr. ALEXANDER McCONNELL, of Lexington, Ky., went into the woods on foot, to hunt deer. He soon killed a large buck, and re- turned home for a horse, in order to bring it in. During his absence, a party of five Indians, on one of their usual skulking expeditions, accidentally stumbled on the body of the deer, and perceiving that it had been recently killed, they naturally supposed that the hunter would speedily return to secure the flesh. Three of them, therefore, took their station within close rifle shot of the deer, while the other two followed the trail of the hunter, and waylaid the path by which he was expected to return. McConnell, expecting no danger, rode carelessly along the path, which the two scouts were watching, until he had come within view of the deer, when he was fired upon by the whole party, and his horse killed. While laboring to extricate himself from the dying animal, he was seized by his ene- mies, instantly overpowered, and borne off as a prisoner. *

His captors, however, seemed to be a merry, good natured set of fellows, and permitted him to accompany them unbound ; and, what was rather extraordinary, allowed him to retain his gun and hunting accoutrements. He accompanied them with great apparent cheerfulness through the day, and displayed his dex- terity in shooting deer for the use of the company, until they began to regard him with great partiality. Having traveled with them in this manner for several days, they at length reached the banks of the Ohio river. Heretofore, the Indi- ans had taken the precaution to bind him at night, although not very securely ; but on that evening he remonstrated with them on the subject, and complained so strongly of the pain which the cords gave him, that they merely wrapped the buffalo tug loosely around his wrists, and having tied it in an easy knot, and at- tached the extremities of the rope to their own bodies, in order to prevent his moving without awakening them, they very composedly went to sleep, leaving the prisoner to follow their example or not, as he pleased.

McConnell determined to effect his escape that night, if possible, as on the following night they would cross the river, which would render it much more difficult. He, therefore, lay quiet until near midnight, anxiously ruminating upon the best means of effecting his object. Accidentally casting his eyes in the direction of his feet, they fell upon the glittering blade of a knife, which had es- caped its sheath, and was now lying near the feet of one of the Indians. To reach it with his hands, without disturbing the two Indians, to whom he was fastened, would be impossible, and it was very hazardous to attempt to draw it

up with his feet. This, however, he attempted. With much difficulty he grasped the blade between his toes, and after repeated and long continued efforts, succeeded at length in bringing it within reach of his hands.

To cut his cords, was then but the work of a moment, and gradually and si- lently extricating his person from the arms of the Indians, he walked to the fire and sat down. He saw that his work was but half done. That if he should at- tempt to return home, without destroying his enemies, he would assuredly be

"M'Clung's Sketches.

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ESCAPE FROM THE INDIANS.

pursued and probably overtaken, when his fate would be certain. On the other hand, it seemed almost impossible for a single man to succeed in conflict with five Indians, even although unarmed and asleep. He could not hope to deal a blow with his knife so silently and fatally, as to destroy each one of his enemies in turn, without awakening the rest. Their slumbers were proverbially light and restless ; and if he failed with a single one, he must instantly be overpowered by the survivors. The knife, therefore, was out of the question.

After anxious reflections for a few minutes, he formed his plan. The guns of the Indians were stacked near the fire; their knives and tomahawks were in sheathes by their sides. The latter he dared not touch for fear of awakening their owners; but the former he carefully removed, with the exception of two, and hid them in the woods, where he knew the Indians would not readily find them. He then returned to the spot where the Indians were still sleeping, per- fectly ignorant of the fate preparing for them, and taking a gun in each hand, he rested the muzzles upon a log within six feet of his victims, and having taken deliberate aim at the head of one, and the heart of another, he pulled both trig- gers at the same moment.

Both shots were fatal. At the report of the guns, the others sprang to their feet, and stared wildly around them. McConnell, who had run instantly to the spot where the other rifles were hid, hastily seized one of them and fired at two of his enemies, who happened to be in a line with each other. The nearest fell dead, being shot through the centre of the body; the second fell also, bellowing loudly, but quickly recovering, limped off into the woods as fast as possible. The fifth, and only one who remained unhurt, darted off like a deer, with a yell that announced equal terror and astonishment. McConnell, not wishing to fight any more such battles, selected his own rifle from the stack, and made the best of his way to Lexington, where he arrived safely within two days.

Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Dunlap, of Fayette, who had been several months a prisoner amongst the Indians on Mad river, made her escape, and returned to Lexington. She reported that the survivor returned to his tribe with a lamenta- ble tale. He related that they had taken a fine young hunter near Lexington, and had brought him safely as far as the Ohio; that while encamped upon the bank of the river, a large party of white men had fallen upon them in the night, and killed all his companions, together with the poor defenceless prisoner, who lay bound hand and feet, unable either to escape or resist ! !

Russell's Spring is a subterranean stream of water issuing from the Cave. Both have been traced for three-quarters of a mile. Articles thrown into the sinks west of Russell's have come out at the spring. The stream often fills the narrow and crooked cave, from side to side, and in freshets even to the ceiling. To explore the cave, one must wade and sometimes even swim in some places. Catfish and suckers are found in it. The stream, usually a foot deep at the mouth of the cave, .empties into Elkhorn about 100 yards below. Near the entrance to the cave, but separated by narrow chasms, is a large and spacious hall.

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Collins historical sketches of Kentucky. History of Kentucky: Vol. II, Part 29

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn Publication date: 1874 Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co. Number of Pages: 1654

Author: Collins, Lewis, 1797-1870. cn; Collins, Richard H., 1824-1889. cn
Publication date: 1874
Publisher: Covington, Ky., Collins & Co.
Number of Pages: 1654