USA > Kentucky > The history of Kentucky : from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 5
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After a sharp conflict, in which the loss was equal, the Indians fled ; the towns were reduced to ashes, and the gardens and fields laid waste.
This being accomplished, Clark returned to the Ohio and discharged the militia. The Indians
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
being under the necessity of resorting to hunting for the support of their families, gave the colo- nists no further trouble during the season.
In November of this year, Kentucky was di- vided into three counties, to which the name of Fayette, Lincoln, and Jefferson, were given. They had now three county courts, holding monthly sessions, three courts of common law and chan- cery jurisdiction, sitting quarterly, and a large number of magistrates and constables. No court capable of trying capital offences existed nearer than Richmond in Virginia.
Indian incursions continued through the year 1781; but being undertaken only by small par- ties of warriors, were easily repelled. Immigra- tion still brought large numbers into the new territories, and speculation in lands was carried on with an ardour that seemed rather to increase than to suffer any abatement.
It was during this year, that Transylvania University was established in Fayette county, Kentucky, by the legislature of Virginia. One- sixth of the surveyors' fees, formerly conferred on the college of William and Mary, with eight thousand acres of the first quality land in the then county of Kentucky, were granted for the endowment and support of the seminary.
The year 1782 opened disastrously. In the month of May, a party of twenty-five Wyandots invested Estill's station, on the south of Kentucky
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DESPERATE BATTLE.
River. After having killed one white man, taken a negro prisoner, and destroyed the cattle, they retreated. Captain Estill immediately organized a company of twenty-five men, and pursued them. When he reached the Hinkston fork of Licking River, the Wyandots were ascending leisurely a hill on the opposite side. Estill's men immedi- ately opened a fire upon the retreating Indians, who at first seemed disposed to run ; but upon their chief, who was severely wounded, calling to them to remain and fight, they took to the trees and returned the fire of their pursuers.
Each party, now protected by such shelter as they could find, commenced a rapid discharge of rifles from opposite sides of the creek. Coolly and deliberately the firing was continued for up- wards of an hour, until one-fourth of the combat- ants on both sides had fallen. Finding his men gradually lessening in number, and having no hope of success in the manner he was situated, Estill formed the desperate resolution of detaching six of his men up the valley through which the creek ran, with orders to cross the creek above, and . fall upon the Indian rear.
This movement was no sooner observed by the Wyandot chief, than he made a rapid charge across the creek, and falling upon the whites, now weakened by the absence of the detachment, drove them from their coverts, and compelled them to retreat with great slaughter. In this
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charge, Captain Estill and eight men were killed, and four others wounded. The Indians lost more than half of their number; but the loss of the whites was much greater. This action lasted two hours, and is considered to have been one of the best contested battles for the numbers en- gaged that was ever fought on the frontier.
On the 14th of August, a most formidable at- tack was made upon Bryant's station by an army of six hundred warriors, of various tribes, headed by the infamous renegade Simon Girty.
This fort, which was situated on the southern bank of the Elkhorn, contained about forty ca- bins placed in parallel lines, connected by strong palisades, and garrisoned by some forty or fifty men.
A few days previous to this, Captain Holden, with a party of seventeen men, had been de- feated near Upper Blue Licks, a messenger from whom arrived at Bryant's in time to warn the people at the latter station of the approaching enemy. Owing to this fortunate circumstance, the garrison was already under arms when Girty and his savage warriors appeared. Supposing from the preparations made by the garrison to receive them, that their actual presence in the vicinity was known, a considerable body of Indians was placed in ambush near to the spring, which was at some distance from the fort, while another and smaller party was ordered to
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CURIOUS EXPEDIENT.
take position in full view of the garrison, with the hope of enticing them to an engagement out- side of the walls.
Had this stratagem proved successful, the re- mainder of the forces were so posted as to be able, on the withdrawal of the garrison, to storm one of the gates and cut off their return to the fort.
Unconscious of the snare which had been laid for them, the garrison were in the act of sallying out, having already opened one of the gates for this purpose, when they became alarmed by a sudden firing from an opposite direction, and hastily falling back, they closed the gates and firmly secured them. One difficulty, however, they had to encounter,-a want of water. Acting on the belief, that although there might be an ambush at the spring, yet that the Indians, in de- siring to effect the capture of the station by stratagem, would not unmask themselves to the women of the fort, the latter were urged to go in a body to the spring, and each of them bring up a bucket full of water. Naturally enough, the females at first objected ; but after listening to the arguments of the men, a few of the boldest declared their readiness to brave the danger, and the younger and more timid rallying in the rear of the elderly matrons, they all marched down in a body to the spring within point-blank shot of more than five hundred Indian warriors. Not a
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
shot was fired. They filled their buckets with- out interruption, and regained the fort in safety.
As soon as messengers had been sent off to procure assistance from the nearest stations, and the arrangements for the reception of the enemy were completed, thirteen young men were ordered to make a sally upon the decoy party, while the rest of the garrison posted themselves at the op- posite side of the fort, ready to pour a plunging fire upon the ambuscade as soon as it was un- masked.
No sooner was the sally made, than Girty sprang up at the head of the main body of his warriors, and rushed rapidly upon the western gate, which he supposed to have been left un- defended. 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 minutes not an Indian was to be seen. A regular attack then commenced, and continued until two o'clock in the afternoon, when a reinforcement of sixteen horsemen and double that number of foot ap- proached the vicinity of the garrison.
On one side of the road by which they ap- proached was a field containing one hundred acres of standing corn ; on the opposite side was a thick wood. In this wood, and in the corn, three hun- dred Indians crouched, within pistol-shot of the
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INDIANS IN AMBUSH.
road, waiting silently in ambush for the rein- forcements which they had been advised were ad- vancing.
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 saluted with a shower of rifle balls at a distance of ten paces. At the first shot, the whole party put spurs to their horses, and rode at full speed through a rolling fire, which continued for several hundred yards ; but owing to the furious rate at which they rode, and the dust raised by the horses' feet, they all escaped and entered the fort unhurt.
The men on foot were less fortunate; they were passing through the corn-field, but hearing the firing, ran up to succour their friends. For- tunately, when they reached the place of ambush the Indian guns were mostly discharged. The savages, however, raised a yell and rushed upon them; but the rifles of the Kentuckians being loaded, they were enabled to keep the enemy at bay for some time, by pointing at them with their pieces, and then dodging and running deeper among the corn.
Some entered the wood and escaped through the thickets of cane, some were shot down in the wood, others maintained a running fight, halting occasionally behind trees, and keeping the savages
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
at a distance with their rifles. A stout young fellow, being hard pressed by Girty and several Indians, discharged his rifle and Girty fell; the ball struck a thick piece of sole leather in the pouch of the renegade, which saved his life, but upon the fall of their leader the savages halted, and the chase was discontinued. In this stirring skirmish the whites lost six men in killed and wounded. The loss of the Indians was less, in- asmuch as the whites never fired their rifles, ex- cept as a last resort.
The Indians now returned to the siege of the fort. Finding that their loss had already been heavy, and well knowing that the neighbouring stations would soon take the alarm, and hasten to the rescue of their friends, the chiefs were inclined to raise the siege, but Girty resolved to try the effect 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.
Commending them for their bravery, he as- sured them, that having six hundred warriors with him, further resistance would be madness; that he was in hourly expectation of reinforcements and artillery, which would instantly blow their cabins into the air ; but that if they surrendered at once, he gave them his honour, that not a hair of their heads should be injured. He told them his name, inquired whether they knew him, and
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THE RENEGADE GIRTY.
assured them that they might safely trust to his word.
Many of the garrison, really fearing the ap- proach of artillery, began to cast uneasy glances at one another, when an energetic young man by the name of Reynolds took upon himself to re- ply to Girty.
He told the renegade he was very well known ; that he himself had a worthless dog he called " Girty ;" that if the Indians had artillery and reinforcements they might bring them up; that the garrison also expected reinforcements soon ; and that if Girty and his gang of murderers re- mained twenty-four hours longer before the fort, their scalps would be found drying in the sun upon the roofs of the cabins.
Girty expressed great offence at the tone and language of the spirited young Kentuckian, and retired with an avowal of his sorrow at the in- evitable destruction which awaited the garrison on the following morning. He had no sooner, however, rejoined the chiefs, than instant pre- parations were made for raising the siege. About daylight in the morning they retired precipitately, leaving several pieces of meat upon their roasting sticks, and their fires still burning.
By noon the same day, one hundred and sixty men had assembled at Bryant's station, eager to punish the invaders. Colonels Todd, Trigg, and Daniel Boone ; Majors Harland, McBride, and
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
Levi Todd ; Captains Bulger and Gordon, with forty-five commissioned officers, including the celebrated McGary, assembled in council, and hastily determined to pursue the enemy, without waiting for Colonel Logan, who was known to be collecting a strong force in Lincoln, and who might be expected to join them in twenty-four hours.
It is said that McGary objected to this pre- cipitancy of action, but that the eagerness of the others was not to be overruled. Accordingly, on the afternoon of the 18th of August, the line of march was taken up, and the pursuit urged with that unreflecting rashness which has so often been fatal to Kentuckians. Most of the officers and many of the privates were mounted.
At the Lower Blue Licks, for the first time since the pursuit commenced, they came within view of the enemy, who, as the pursuers reached the southern bank of Licking, were ascending the rocky ridge on the other side.
The Indians halted for a moment, gazed at the Kentuckians, and then proceeded slowly onward. The latter halted also, while the officers entered into consultation. Finding some difficulty in knowing how to act, they appealed to Boone for advice.
He immediately acknowledged the critical na- ture of their situation, cut off as they were from all support, and from his knowledge of the coun-
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BATTLE AT THE BLUE LICKS.
try expressed his apprehension of an ambush at about the distance of a mile in advance. He suggested that it was best to do one of two things. Either to wait for Logan, or to divide their force, and while one-half marched up the river, crossed it at the rapids, and fell upon the rear of the enemy, the other division should make an attack in front.
Upon this advice opinions were divided. At length, the fiery and impetuous McGary suddenly interrupted the consultation by a war-whoop, and spurring his horse into the stream, waved his hat over his head, and shouted aloud, " Let all who are not cowards follow me." The effect was electrical. The men dashed instantly into the river, each striving to be foremost.
The vanguard had no sooner reached the ra- vine where Boone had expressed his apprehen- sions of an ambush, than a body of Indians sprang up and attacked them. McGary's party instantly returned the fire ; but the latter were on an open ridge, while the Indians were protected by their bushy covert. The centre and rear, hurrying up to support their comrades, were stopped by the terrible fire from the ravine., Still, however, they maintained their ground ; gradually closed upon the Indians, and drove them from the ravine, when the fire became mutually destructive. Upon the officers especially it had told terribly. Todd and Trigg, in the rear ; Harland, McBride, and young Boone, in front, were already killed.
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
At length, the Indians succeeded in outflank- ing the Kentuckians, and as this would cut off the retreat of the latter by the river, the rear was seized with a panic, which communicating itself to the front, the force of the whites fell back hurriedly. The Indians immediately sprang forward in pursuit, and, falling upon them with their tomahawks, made a cruel slaughter. The horsemen generally escaped, but the foot, espe- cially those who had been in the van at the commencement of the attack, were nearly all destroyed. Boone plunged into the ravine which the Indians had just quitted, and after sustaining several volleys unhurt, outstripped his pursuers, crossed the river below the ford by swimming, and returned by a circuitous route to Bryant's station. 2
In the river the scene was equally terrible. The ford was crowded with horsemen, footmen, and Indians, all mingled together, and fighting with the fury of desperation. The presence of mind shown by a man named Netherland saved a portion of the fugitives. Being well mounted, he with some twenty others had reached the opposite bank of the river, when, seeing his com- panions about to continue their flight, he called upon them to halt, fire upon the Indians, and save those who were still in the stream. The party instantly obeyed; a fatal discharge from their rifles checked the impetuosity of the sa-
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CLARK'S EXPEDITION.
vages, and gave time to the footmen to cross in safety. The check, however, was but momentary ; the Indians crossed in great numbers above and below, and the pursuit was urged keenly for twenty miles, though with but little loss. In this terrible conflict, the Kentuckians sustained a loss of sixty killed, and seven taken prisoners. The number of wounded was never ascertained. Some of the fugitives reached Bryant's station on the night after the battle, and were there met by Colonel Logan at the head of four hundred and fifty men.
Logan remained at Bryant's until the last of the survivors had arrived, and then continued his march to the battle-ground. The bodies of the dead were interred, and having satisfied himself that the Indians had crossed the Ohio and were beyond his reach, he returned to Bryant's sta- tion and disbanded his troops.
Colonel Clark no sooner heard of this terrible defeat, than he determined to retaliate for the havoc made by the Indians, by an immediate ex- pedition into the heart of their own country. Calling for volunteers to join his regiment of state troops, then permanently stationed at Louis- ville, he was promptly answered by numbers flocking to his standard. One thousand riflemen rendezvoused at the mouth of Licking, and, under the command of Clark, penetrated to the Miami towns in Ohio. No resistance was offered. The
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
Indians every where fled in terror before them. Their towns were burned, their crops destroyed, and the whole country laid waste with the most unsparing severity.
The Indians did not recover from the effects of this chastisement for a long time, and never afterward entered Kentucky in force.
CHAPTER .VI.
Increase of immigration-Prospect of peace with England -Difficulties continue-Indian hostilities cease-Kenton reclaims his settlement in Washington-Brodhead opens a store in Louisville-General James Wilkinson immigrates to Kentucky-New counties laid off-Proposition to separate from Virginia-Expedition of Clark against the Indians on the Wabash-Causes of its failure-Conventions in Ken- tucky-Difficulties with the general government-The navi- gation of the Mississippi-Spanish intrigues-Brown has several conferences with Gardoqui-Letter of Innis to the Governor of Virginia-General Wilkinson goes to New Orleans-Returns-Tempts the Kentuckians by the offer of an independent treaty with Spain-Animosity of parties -Letter of Marshall-Conventions-Kentucky received into the Union.
THE cessation of war between Great Britain and the United States of America led to an ex- traordinary increase in the number of immigrants to Kentucky. The fertile territory, soaked with the blood of the brave frontiersmen, was now to enjoy a state of comparative peace. Hostile in-
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TREATY STIPULATIONS VIOLATED.
cursions by the Indians were no longer dreaded, for the latter well knew, from bitter experience, that a fearful retaliation would immediately fol- low. The prospects of peace with England para- lyzed the arm of the savages, who, having no longer their losses repaired by the Canadian au- thorities, hesitated to continue a war which was not sanctioned by their ancient allies.
Many causes, however, contributed to prevent the proper execution of the treaty, which, by ex- asperating the bitterness already existing between the two nations, finally stimulated the Indians to a renewal of the war.
By mutual stipulations agreed upon between the contracting parties, England was bound to carry away no slaves, and to surrender the north- western posts ; while the United States had stipu- lated to admit the legal collection of all debts due by her citizens to British merchants.
All of these conditions were violated. Vir- ginia prohibited the collection of British debts until the slaves which had been taken from her state were restored ; and England refused to sur- render the northwestern posts until the debts of British subjects were legally recognised. Con- gress could do nothing; and the posts were held by Great Britain for ten years after peace had been ratified. In the mean time, however, the Indians, if not absolutely pacific, were at least not hostile.
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
Kentucky rapidly increased in population. Kenton, after an interval of nine years, reclaimed his settlement in Washington, and, in 1784, erected a block-house where Maysville now stands.
In the spring of 1783, Kentucky was formed into a district, and a court of criminal and civil jurisdiction, coextensive with the district, was erected.
During this year, Daniel Brodhead established the first store in Louisville, the merchandise for which was brought in wagons from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, and thence to Louisville in flat- boats.
In 1784, General James Wilkinson immigrated to Kentucky, and settled in Lexington. He had already distinguished himself in the war of Inde- pendence ; he was the aid-de-camp of Gates at Saratoga, and for his distinguished services in that glorious campaign, received from Congress the appointment of brigadier-general. The avowed object which had tempted him into the wilderness was to improve his embarrassed fortunes; and it soon became understood, that in connection with an eastern company, he was ready to enter into any speculations that might tend to advance this object. He soon became popular, and entering warmly into the fierce political controversies which subsequently harassed the state, was as bitterly assailed by his antagonists as he was warmly defended by his friends.
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PETITIONS FOR SEPARATION.
The distance from the seat of the parent go- vernment operating injuriously to Kentucky, led the people about this time to agitate for a sepa- ration from Virginia. Accordingly, toward the close of this year, the first convention of dele- gates appointed for that purpose met at Danville, to debate the question in all its bearings.
On the 23d of May, 1785, a second convention met, and decided that a constitutional separation from Virginia was expedient. After agreeing upon a petition to the legislature, and an address to the people of Kentucky, the convention was adjourned.
A third convention was held in August of the same year, and the former petition and address modified in its style and language. Chief-justice Muter and Attorney-general Innis were deputed to present the petition to the legislature of Vir- ginia. This was accordingly done, and in Janu- ary, 1786, the legislature passed an act with great unanimity in conformity with the wishes of Kentucky, but appended thereto certain terms and conditions, which, though perfectly fair and just, necessarily produced some delay.
As yet there was neither newspaper nor print- ing press in Kentucky, and the address to the people was circulated in manuscript. Fresh im- migrants continued to pour in. The new county of Nelson had already been taken from Jefferson, and before the end of the year three other new
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HISTORY OF KENTUCKY.
counties were erected : Bourbon taken from Fay- ette, and Mercer and Madison from Lincoln.
The stipulations made by Virginia, in passing the act of separation, were, that five delegates should be elected from each of the seven counties of Kentucky, to take into consideration the for- mation of an independent government. ' That the determination to separate by the convention should govern the consent of Virginia, provided Congress, before the 1st of June, 1787, would admit the new state into the Union, and that Kentucky would agree to assume her proportion of the Virginia debt. Other requisitions of less moment were made; but the convention being prevented from sitting with a sufficient number of members, owing to the expedition undertaken at the time by General Clark against the Indians on the Wabash, the legislature of Virginia post- poned the period of separation, by a revision of the previous act, until the 1st of January, 1789.
The expedition of Clark consisted of a thou- sand volunteers. They rendezvoused at Louis- ville, and were well supplied with arms and am- munition by private contribution. These were placed on board of nine keelboats, which were ordered to proceed to Vincennes, while the volun- teers should march to the same point by land.
The flotilla, laden with provisions and muni- tions of war, encountered obstacles in the naviga- tion of the Wabash which had not been foreseen,
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FUTILE EXPEDITION.
and was delayed beyond the time which had been calculated. The army of volunteers, after wait- ing for fifteen days the arrival of the boats, became weary, disgusted, and insubordinate. Clark, too, no longer possessed the entire confi- dence of his troops. He had become intempe- rate. A detachment of three hundred volunteers broke off from the main body, and took up the line of march for their homes. Clark remon- strated, and entreated, even with tears, but in vain. A total disorganization of the force soon followed, and the expedition returned with its mortified commander to Kentucky, without hav- ing effected any of the purposes for which it was organized.
After a delay of three months, the convention met at Danville, to consider the revised act of separation. When the new conditions with which it was clogged became known to the people of Kentucky, and they found that two years must elapse before they could claim the privileges of an independent state, a general expression of anger and impatience was elicited. They were already wearied with the number of conventions which had met, and adjourned without accom- plishing any thing; and now they found them- selves farther off than ever from the attainment of their wishes.
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