USA > Kentucky > Fayette County > Lexington > History of Lexington, Kentucky : its early annals and recent progress, including biographical sketches and personal reminiscences of the pioneer settlers, notices of prominent citizens, etc., etc. > Part 7
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Of the two stations marked out for destruction, Lexington was the strongest. Its garrison consisted of about sixty effective men,* and it enjoyed the very superior advantage of an abundant and never-failing supply of water inside its walls. Bryant's station stood on a gentle rise on the south- ern bank of the Elkhorn, a few paces to the right of the road from Maysville to Lexington, and consisted at this time of about forty cabins, was built in the usual parallelo- gram shape, was about two hundred yards long by fifty wide, strengthened with block-houses at the angles, and where the
*Bradford's Notes.
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
[1782
cabins did not join, the vacancies were filled with strong pickets. The garrison consisted of forty-four men. Unfor- tunately, there was no supply of water within the fort, and the only dependence was a spring on its northwestern side. The station was situated on a tract of land admired by all the settlers for its natural beauty, and it doubtless merited the glowing praise of the poet*, who speaks of
" A picketed station on fair Elkhorn, Surrounded by groves of the milk-white thorn, And paw-paw, with long and silvery stem, And dogwood of beautiful diadem ; Green meadows with antlered deer yet dotted, And lawns with flowers the loveliest spotted."
The savage army entered Kentucky, and penetrated with celerity and great secrecy into the very heart of the district. A party was at once sent out to demonstrate against Mc- Gee's and Strodes' stations, with the object of drawing away from their posts the garrisons of Bryant and Lexing- ton stations. On the morning of the 14th of August, this party defeated Captain Holder, and the stratagem of the wily red men barely escaped being crowned with complete success, as subsequent events will show. The main body of the Indians moved carefully forward, and on the night of the 14th gathered as silent as the shadows around Bry- ant's stationt. The great body of Indians placed them- selves in ambush in some high weeds, within pistol shot of the spring, while one hundred select men were placed near the spot where the road now runs after passing the creek. Providentially for the garrison, a messenger had arrived just before night with the intelligence of Holder's defeat, and they set to work immediately to prepare for an early march in the morning to the general rendezvous at Hoy's station. The Indians seeing the lights glancing from block-houses and cabins, and hearing the bustle of preparation, believed that their approach had been discovered, though the settlers were utterly unconscious of their presence. Under the im- pression that their stratagem to decoy the garrison from the
*W. D. Gallagher.
tMcClung's Sketches.
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SIEGE OF BRYANT'S STATION.
1782.]
fort had failed, the band of a hundred men was ordered to open a brisk fire early in the morning, and show themselves to the garrison on that side of the station, for the purpose of drawing them out, while the main body held themselves in readiness to rush upon the opposite gate of the fort, hew it down with their tomahawks, and force their way into the midst of the cabins. Day stole through the forest, the set- tlers rose from their brief slumbers, took their arms, and were on the point of opening the gates to march, under the command of Captain Elijah Craig, to the assistance of their friends, when the crack of rifles, mingled with yells and howls, told them in an instant how narrowly they had es- caped captivity or death. The former practice of this fort was known, and the Indians expected every man to run to the spot where the firing commenced, which would leave it undefended on the side where the main body lay; but the number of guns discharged, and the near approach of the party, convinced the people of the fort that it was a plan to draw the men out ; and, instead of falling into this trap, the opposite side of the fort was instantly manned, and several breaches in the picketing at once repaired .* Their greatest distress rose from the prospect of suffering for water.
The more experienced of the garrison felt satisfied that. a powerful party was in ambuscade near the spring, but at the same time they supposed that the Indians would not unmask themselves until the firing upon 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 summoned all the women, with- out 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 re- turned from the opposite side of the fort, they urged them to go in a body to the spring, and each to bring up a bucket- ful of water. Some of the ladies, as was natural, had no relish for the undertaking, and asked why the men could
* Bradford's Notes.
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not bring water as well as themselves, observing that they were not bullet-proof, and that the Indians made no dis- tinction 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 believe 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, the Indians would immediately suspect that something was wrong, would despair of succeeding by ambuscade, and would instantly rush upon them, follow them into the fort, or shoot them down at the spring. The decision was soon made.
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 hun- dred 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 which 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 degenerated into a rather unmilitary celerity, at- tended 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 .*
Being now amply supplied with water, they sent out thir- teen young men 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
*McClung and Bradford.
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SIEGE OF BRYANT'S STATION.
1782.]
as soon as it was unmasked. The firing of the light par- ties on the Lexington road was soon heard, and quickly became sharp and serious, gradually becoming more distant from the fort. Instantly, Girty sprung up at the head of his five hundred warriors, and rushed rapidly upon the west -. ern gate, ready to force his way over the undefended pali- sades. A small body of the most daring reached the fort, and set fire to a few houses and stables, which were con- sumed; but the rest of the fort and the lives of the people were saved by an easterly wind, which drove the flames from the houses. Into the immense mass of dusky bodies the garrison poured several rapid volleys of rifle balls with de- structive effect. Their consternation may be imagined. With wild cries they dispersed on the right and left, and in two minutes 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 ma- neuver.
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. Upon the first appearance of the Indians in the morning, two of the garrison, Tomlinson and Bell, had been mounted upon fleet horses, and sent at full speed to Lexington, announcing the arrival of the Indians, and demanding reinforcements.
Upon their arrival, a little after sunrise, they found the station occupied only by some women and children and a few old men, the rest having marched to the assistance of Holder. The two couriers instantly followed at a gallop, and, overtaking them on the road, informed them of the danger to which Bryant's station and Lexington were ex- posed during their absence. The whole party, with some volunteers from Boone's station, instantly countermarched, and repaired, with all possible dispatch, to Bryant's station. They were entirely ignorant of the overwhelming numbers opposed to them, or they would have proceeded with more caution. The couriers had only informed them that the sta- tion was surrounded, being themselves ignorant of the num-
1
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
[1782.
bers of the enemy. At about two P. M. the men from Lexing- ton and Boone's station arrived in sight of the fort, at the mo- ment the firing had ceased, and no indications of danger ap- peared. The reinforcement believed it had been the victim of a false alarm, and the sixteen mounted men approached the fort the usual route along a narrow lane, which was lined for more than one hundred yards by the enemy on both sides, who commenced a fire unperceived at a few feet distance. It is believed the great dust which was raised by the horses' feet in a considerable degree protected the party ; they got safely into the fort without the slightest wound on man or horse .* The men on foot were less fortunate. They were advancing through a corn-field, to the left of what is now the Mays- ville and Lexington road, and might 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 had leisure to reload. At the sight of this brave body of footmen, however, they raised a hideous yell, and rushed upon the Lexington infantry, 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 keep- ing the enemy at bay with their rifles; for, of all men, the Indians are generally the most cautious in exposing them- selves to danger .; A stout, active young fellow was so hard
*Bradford's Notes.
+Id.
83
SIEGE OF BRYANTS STATION.
1782.]
pressed by Girty and several savages, that he was compelled to discharge his rifle (however unwilling, having no time to reload 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 conceived, yet very few lives were lost. Only six of the white men from Lexington 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 following the fugitives for a few hundred yards, they returned to the hopeless siege of the fort.
It was now near sunset, and the cattle and stock, while attempting to return, as usual, to the fort, were mostly killed; the few sheep were totally destroyed.
By this time the fire on both sides had slackened. The Indians had become discouraged. Their loss in the morn- ing had been heavy, and the country was evidently arming, and would soon be upon them. They had made no im- pression upon the fort, and without artillery could hope to make none. The chiefs spoke of raising the siege, but Girty determined, since his arms had been unavailing, to try the efficacy of negotiation. He approached, under cover of a thick growth of hemp, to a large stump of a tree, which stood not far from the spot where the dwelling-house of Mr. Rogers was afterward erected, and hailed the fort, demanding a surrender, stating that the forces were com- manded by him, and inquired if he was known to the peo- ple of the fort. He declared that the prisoners should be protected if they would surrender, which was out of his power if the place was taken by storm, as it would be that
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
night, on the arrival of his cannon and strong reinforce- ments, which were hourly expected .* This language from Girty, and the recollections by the people in the fort, that cannon were employed in the reduction of Ruddle's and Martin's stations, was calculated to create considerable alarm. But one of the garrison, a young man by the name of Aaron Reynolds, remarkable both for wit and courage, and afterward distinguished for a noble act at the battle of the Blue Licks, 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 conse- quence of his striking resemblance 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 reinforce- ments ; that the whole country was marching to their as- sistance; and that if Girty and his gang of murderers remained twenty-four hours longer before the fort, their scalps would be found drying in the sun upon the roofs of their cabins."
Girty took great offense at the tone and language of the young Kentuckian, and retired with an expression of sor- row 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 uninterrupted tranquillity, and at daylight in the morning the Indian camp was found de- serted. 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.t
* Bradford's Notes.
tMcClung.
85
SIEGE OF BRYANT'S STATION.
1782.]
And thus ended one of the most remarkable and cele- brated sieges known in the history of Indian warfare, and one crowded, brief as it was, with strange and thrilling events. The firing in the morning was in time to prevent the march of nearly all the men to a distant point, and the enemy so far overrated their plan, that instead of drawing the men out, every one prepared for a siege. Then there was the providential circumstance of the wind springing up from the east, and saving the place from the flames. Add to this, the almost miraculous escape of the two couriers to Lexington, the daring charge of the sixteen death-defying heroes from Lexington through a cross-fire of hundreds of Indians, and their entrance into the fort unhurt, and the escape of their gallant comrades on foot, with a loss of only six killed and wounded, when all of them seemed doomed to utter destruction, and we have a chapter of truths stranger far than many a page of highly-wrought fiction. Only two persons, Mitchell and Atkinson, were killed in the fort. One of the most heroic of the brave little garrison, Nicho- las Tomlinson, was slightly wounded in the arm. He was one of the most active defenders of his country, and was employed in Harmer's expedition, in 1790, as a spy. At the defeat of a detachment of the army under Colonel John Hardin, on the Oglaze, the daring Tomlinson, being in ad- vance, was literally shot to pieces by an ambuscade of more than one thousand Indians .*
The loss of the Indians in the seige of Bryant's station has never been accurately ascertained, but it is known to have been very considerable. The residence and improve- ments of Mr. Charlton Rogers now (1872) cover part of the ground upon which the fort stood. The famous spring, from which the heroic women of the garrison drew water, still pours forth a grateful stream.
Swift couriers carried the news of the presence of the Indian army to the various stations, and while the savages were retreating, the hunters were rapidly gathering at Bry- ant's station, to pursue them. Colonel Daniel Boone ac-
*Bradford's Notes.
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
[1782.
companied by his youngest son, Isaac, and Samuel, the brave brother of the old pioneer, headed a strong party from Boonesborough. Colonel Stephen Trigg brought up the force from Harrodsburg, and Colonel John Todd com- manded the Lexington garrison. Todd and Trigg, as senior colonels, took command .*
Dispatches had been sent to Colonel Benj. Logan, in Lin- coln county, during the seige, and he had hastily collected about three hundred men, and started upon his march, but before he was able to reach Bryant's station, the Indians had raised the seige and gone. Colonel Logan followed as fast as possible, in the hope of coming up with those who marched from the neighborhood of Lexington before they overtook the Indians, but met them not far from Bryant's on their return. In the midst of trying scenes of tears and sadness, the misgivings of the wife, and the forebod- ings of the mother, the brave men made every preparation for the march. On the morning of the 18th of August, their force amounted to one hundred and eighty-two men,t and though it was well-known that the numbers of the enemy were overwhelmingly superior to this, the pursuit was urged with that precipitate courage which has so often been fatal to Kentuckians, and on the afternoon of the same day, the march was commenced.}
The Indians had followed the buffalo trace, and the Ken- tuckians had not proceeded more than nine or ten miles, before the lynx-eyed Boone discovered certain signs on the route indicating a willingness on the part of the Indians to be pursued, which was plainly evinced by their leaving a plain trail. Notwithstanding, they evidently used all the means in their power, to conceal their number, for which purpose they marched in single file, treading in each other's footsteps.
The pursuing force, after a hard march, camped that night in the woods only a few miles distant from the now sadly famous battle-gound, the appearance of which, at that time, is thus quaintly described by one who fought
*G. Rogers Clark. 1Bradford's Notes. #McClung.
¿Bradford.
87
BATTLE OF THE BLUE LICKS.
1782.]
upon its sanguinary soil : "The Blue Licks are situated about forty miles from Lexington, and about thirty-five from Bryant's station. The Licking river at this place is about three hundred feet wide at common water, and forms a semi-elipsis, which embraces on its northeast side, toward Limestone, a great ridge of rocks which had been made bare by the stamping of buffalo and other game, drawn together from time immemorial to drink the water and lick the clay. Two deep ravines, heading in this ridge near each other, and extending in opposite directions, formed the longest diameter of this elipsis. This ridge had very little timber on it, and what it had was very indiffer- ent, and exhibited a very dreary appearance; but the ravines were furnished not only plentifully with timber, but with a thick brushwood also."
On the following day, by an easy march, the Kentuck- ians reached the lower Blue Licks, where for the first time since the pursuit commenced, they came within view of an enemy. As the miscellaneous crowd of horse and foot reached the southern bank of Licking, they saw a number of Indians ascending the rocky ridge on the other side.
They halted upon the appearance of the Kentuckians, gazed at them for a few moments in silence, and then calmly and leisurely disappeared over the top of the hill. A halt immediately ensued. A dozen or twenty officers met in front of the ranks, and entered into consultation. The wild and lonely aspect of the country around them, their distance from any point of support, with the certainty of their being in the presence of a superior enemy, seems to have inspired a portion of seriousness, bordering upon awe. All eyes were now turned upon Boone, and Colonel Todd asked his opinion as to what should be done. The veteran woodsman, with his usual unmoved gravity, replied :
"That their situation was critical and delicate; that the force opposed to them was undoubtedly numerous and ready for battle, as might readily be seen from the leisurely retreat of the few Indians who had appeared upon the crest of the hill; that he was well acquainted with the ground in the neighborhood of the lick, and was appre-
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HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
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hensive that an ambuscade was formed at the distance of a mile in advance, where two ravines, one upon each side of the ridge, ran in such a manner, that a concealed enemy might assail them at once, both in front and flank, before they were apprised of the danger.
"It would be proper, therefore, to do one of two things. Either to await the arrival of Logan, who was now un- doubtedly on his march to join them, or if it was deter- mined to attack without delay, that one-half of their num- ber should march up the river, which there bends in an elliptical form, cross at the rapids, and fall upon the rear of the enemy, while the other division attacked in front. At any rate, he strongly urged the necessity of reconnoitering the ground carefully before the main body crossed the river."*
Such was the counsel of Boone. And although no meas- ure could have been much more disastrous than that which was adopted, yet it may be doubted if anything short of an immediate retreat upon Logan, could have saved this gallant body of men from the fate which they encountered. If they divided their force, the enemy, as in Estill's case, might have overwhelmed them in detail ; if they remained where they were, without advancing, the enemy would cer- tainly have attacked them, probably in the night, and with a certainty of success. They had committed a great error at first, in not waiting for Logan, and nothing short of a retreat, which would have been considered disgraceful, could now repair it.
Boone was heard in silence and with deep attention. Some wished to adopt the first plan; others preferred the second; and the discussion threatened to be drawn out to some length, when the boiling ardor of McGary, who could never endure the presence of an enemy without instant battle, stimulated him to an act, which had nearly proved distructive to all. He suddenly interrupted the consulta- tion with an Indian war whoop, spurred his horse into the
*Bradford and McClung.
89
BATTLE OF THE BLUE LICKS.
1782.]
stream, and shouted aloud, "Let all who are not cowards, follow me."
The rashness of McGary was contagious. He was fol- lowed in quick succession by the whole party, who crossed the river in great disorder and confusion, whilst the officers were reluctantly borne along in the tumult. After cross- ing the river, no authority was exercised, nor any order observed in the line of march, but every one rushed for- ward, tumultuously pursuing the road over the rocks to the end of the ridge of hills, where a forest of oaks and deep ravines, with underwood, concealed the enemy from view, who awaited in their ambuscade to receive them.
McGary lead the van of the army, closely followed by Major Harlan and Captain William McBride, supported by the men on horseback. They reached the spot mentioned by Boone, where the two ravines head on each side of the ridge, when Girty, with a chosen part of his tawny host, rushed forward from their covert, and with horrid shrieks and yells, attacked them with great impetuosity. The con- flict instantly became hot and sanguinary. The advan- tageous position occupied by the Indians enabled them to assail the whole of the whites at the same moment. The officers suffered dreadfully, and many were already killed.
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