USA > Kentucky > The history of Kentucky : including an account of the discovery, settlement, progressive improvement, political and military events, and present state of the country > Part 3
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Notwithstanding these difficulties, and dangers, Ken- tucky was visited by many persons, in small parties,
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who came to improve lands, with a view of future settle- ment. And it would seem from a review of the records on this subject, that there were more of those improve- ments made in 1776, than in any other year. The country was extensive ; these improving parties by being dispersed, and transitory, presented no certain object to the Indians, and hence were in less danger, and in fact, less annoyed, than those who were about the garrisons. They however did not always escape ; but frequently were fired on ; sometimes by resistance they kept their ground; and sometimes were forced to fly for safety to the garrisons ; or to the strong camps ; of which there were several in the country. 1
In the year now immediately under consideration (1776) George Rogers Clark, who will hereafter occupy a distinguished place in this history, was in Kentucky ; and made himself extensively acquainted with the country ; without confining his residence to any par- ticular garrison.
It is a fact worthy of notice that in the summer of 1776 Captain John Haggin, lived for sometime in a single cabin on Hinkston's fork of Licking ; which has been so denominated; from Captain John Hinkston, who as the leader of a party of improvers in 1775, had his camp on the northern bank.
In the fall of the year the transitory improvers, gene. rally returned home, and as was natural, by disseminat- ing their hopes and fears, among their fellow-citizens, excited, particularly in Virginia, where most of them resided, a strong interest in favor of Kentucky.
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And when the Legislature assembled in the autumn of that year, such was the importance of Kentucky, and such the disposition of Virginia to accommodate the people of this remote part of the county of Fincastle, with the benefits of civil and military organization, that its southwestern part was erected into a separate county, by the name of Kentucky ; " lying south and westward of a line beginning on the Ohio, at the mouth of Great Sandy Creek, and running up the same and the main or northeasterly branch thereof, to the Great Laurel Ridge, or Cumberland Mountain ; thence southwesterly along the said Mountain, to the line of North-Carolina." This may be considered an important event in the political condition of the Kentucky settlers. As a part of Fincas- tle county, they had in fact, no part, or lot, in the state representation, but composing a separate county, they were by the Constitution of Virginia, thenceforth enti- tled to two Representatives, in the Legislature ; to have a court of civil jurisdiction in law, and equity-Justices of the Peace, Militia Officers-Sheriff, Coroner, and Surveyor-In fine, to be a civil, and military, munici- pality, or corporation ; with powers competent to their own government, agreeably to the general laws of the Commonwealth.
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LEESTOWN, so called, after Willis Lee, who was killed by the Indians, situated on the north bank of the Kentucky River, about one mile below, where Frankfort now stands, was in this year a place of general rendez- vous, for the hunters and improvers, on the north side of Kentucky ; at which, several cabins were built, but C
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not in the order of a fort. There were some others on the same side of the river, but of inferior note ; and not being able to withstand the attacks of the Indians, the whole were broken up, and abandoned.
The year 1777, realised all the advantages to be de- rived from the late change of political situation as far as circumstances would admit. The new county received both its civil, and military organization. A Court of Justice, one of the most important acquisitions of civili- zation, possessing both common law, and chancery jurisdiction, was opened, quarter-yearly, at Harrods- burgh ; and was composed of six or eight, of the most respectable for literary information, of the citizens, who had been commissioned by the Governor, as Justices of the Peace; and who could moreover hold monthly courts, for the dispatch of ordinary business. Among them is recollected the names of John Floyd, John Bowman, Benjamin Logan, and John Todd. They were attended by the Sheriff of the county, who had also been commissioned by the Governor. And they ap- pointed Levi Todd for their Clerk. The Governor had also commissioned, the requisite officers for the militia ;" while the county, in effect a colony of Virginia, assumed the appearance of an infant Commonwealth : whose military operations were under the controul of a County Lieutenant, with the rank of Colonel; his name at this time is not recollected with certainty ; but is believ- ed to have been Todd, or Bowman.
The return of spring as usual, brought out the Indians* Whom no laws but those of force, could restrain.
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Early in this year Benjamin Logan, made, up a small party, and returned to his own station ; which he im- proved, and strengthened for defensive purposes.
Much as the Indians were in the country, they seem to have made no serious attempt on Harrodsburgh, until the month of March. This place from the time of settlement, had usually been the strongest in the country ; but this spring a number of the men had left it, and on the sixth, a large party of Indians, having marched through the woods with great privacy , surprised a small company of improvers, at a new settlement about four miles from Harrodsburgh, on their way to that place. This company consisted of the present General James Ray, then about fifteen years of age, a brother of his, who was killed ; and one other man, who was taken prisoner. The fortunate escape of James Ray, was the probable cause of saving Harrodsburgh from a like sur- prise, and a similar catastrophe ; he ran with all possible speed to town, and gave the alarm.
The Indians, aware of the intelligence which would of course be given to the garrison by the man who had es .. caped them, or from some superstitious impression, seem to have checked their march ! for they did not reach Harrodsburgh until the next day. In the mean time the men were collected, and the place put in the best state of defence, which the circumstances would admit.
On the 7th, Harrodsburgh was invested by the savage army, in the manner of an Indian siege. Many shot were exchanged in the course of the day ; and some
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execution done on both sides. The Indians left one of their dead on the field ; a circumstance indicating great discomfiture on their part, or great rashness on the part of the slain. For as we have before observed, their cus- tom was to remove from the field of battle, both their killed and wounded. But the deceased might have lost his life, where his comrades would not risk theirs.
On the part of the garrison, four men were wounded -among them was the late Colonel M'Gary ; one only of them died ; the rest recovered.
We delight not in depicting distress ; nor in painting the alarm of women and children ; these are scenes which necessarily occur in cases like the present ; and may be always left by the writer, to the native humanity, and sensibility of the reader.
The Indians, wholly unskilled in the civilized arts of besieging places, and destitute of that open, daring, and disciplined, firmness, necessary to storm fortified places, or even blockade forts-having first failed to surprise, and now despairing of success, retired from before Har- rodsburgh, into the adjoining forest ; which served them for a cover ; and contained their needful supply of game for food.
Adjoining the forts, the men cleared the fields, in which they planted corn, and other vegetables, for the garrison supply --- some kept guard, while others labored.
The 15th of April, a party of these savages, to the number of one hundred, surrounded Boonesborough : An attack was soon commenced with small arms, and hand-bows; and returned with spirit by the people in
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the fort. The Indians finding so warm a reception, soon disappeared ; having killed one man, and wounded four others, in the fort ; and carefully removed all their own killed and wounded, so that their loss could not be ascertained.
On the 4th of the July following, Boonesborough was again besieged, by a party of two hundred of these red warriors, apparently the more determined, as their num- bers were increased ; and the more certainly to insure success, they had sent detachments to alarm and annoy the other neighboring forts, to prevent their sending assistance to Boonesborough. In the attack at this time, the Indians killed one man, and wounded two ; with the loss of seven men killed on their part, which were distinctly counted from the fort, but removed, as is their custom. After a close and vigorous siege for two days, and nights, in which the utmost vigilance and fortitude were displayed on the part of the garrison, the Indians, despairing of success, tumultuously departed, and disap- peared, concealed by the forest.
On the twentieth day of this month, Benjamin Logan's fort was besieged, by the same number, and probably, by many of the same Indians who had recently invested Boonesborough. The garrison at that time con- sisted of fifteen men only, of whom two were killed, and one other wounded-This fort stood near to the place, where Standford now stands ; about equi-distant from Boonesborough, and Harrodsburgh ; the only forts at that time in the country, from which any assistance could be expected-And the Indians had taken care at
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the same time, to keep these alarmed ; and whose garri- sons were but weak, compared to the host of savages, then in the country.
At Harrodsburgh, there were sixty-five men ; at Boonesborough, twenty-two ; at Logan's fort, fifteen ; -while it is probable there were at least, three hundred Indians in the country.
These were alarming, and calamitous times -- The little garrison in Logan's fort, suffered extremely ; but aided, by Logan, and encouraged by his example, they would not complain, much less, despair. Very fortu- nately for them, relief was approaching, from a distant quarter, whence they had not so soon expected it. On the 25th of the same month, a party, from North-Caro- ina, consisting of forty-five men, arrived in the country, but went to Boonesborough. And about the 20th of the August following, Colonel John Bowman came, with 100 men, from Virginia. These halted at Logan's, where a part staid, the others proceeded to Harrodsburgh, Reinforcements, appearing so opportunely, were like a message from Heaven, to the hearts of the different garri- sons ; but to no other, was their arrival so momentous, as to that of Logan's fort. The siege was raised on their ar- rival ; the people were permitted once more to take their chance in the open country, where they were ever on the watch, and as likely to see the Indian first, as to be seen by him ; for the first sight was equivalent to the first shot, and the most expert marksman, had the best security for his life. In the latter part of the summer, a party of men came to Logan's with a Mr. Montgomery. The Indi-
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ans remained in the country during the autumn of this year; and the white people, now thinking them- selves strong enough to face them any where, hunted, or pursued them throughout the woods, as they did the wild game ; and for six weeks, hardly a day passed without a shot from one or the other side ; and frequently, smart skirmishes ensued, with various success ; but generally to the disadvantage of the savages.
They had been accustomed to call the Virginians, LONG KNIFE ; and they found to their cost, that they were CLOSE SHOOTERS. They began to be shy of the" garrisons, and even in the woods, took some precautions, to avoid rencounters, with equal numbers.
The face of affairs assumed a new aspect, and the enemy, not daring to venture on open war ; resorted to their usual practice of secret mischief. The winter, with her icy train come on, and the Indians for a while dist appeared.
Having ascertained the commencement of several permanent settlements in Kentucky, and given the general history of Indian warfare, in the infancy of these settlements ; it will not be considered as deviating from the utility, or dignity of history, should we now pay a more particular attention, to those men, by whom the first families were led into the wilderness ; the first towns built ; or other establishments made in the birth of the population of the country.
What eloquence is to rhetoric; what religion is to' morality ; what piety is to virtue ; such is Biography, to History. It gives hfe, and action to narrative ; it
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gives soul, and body, to the agency of events ; it makes up a whole, with assorted and appropriate parts ; it fills the scene with actors in their proper persons ; it presents beings of our own species for imitation, or reprehension ; it adds example to precept, sentiment to feeling, and vivacity to manners-in fine, it completes a work, otherwise defective : while it places upon the permanent pedestal ofhistorical statuary, the picture " large as life," of the hero who fought in the defence of his country ; and of the Legislator, who devised, systems of jurispru- dence, for its peace, and for its prosperity.
It may also hold up for public derision, the timid, or unskilful commander ; the selfish politician, and the assumed patriot : or offer on the altar of popular justice, før full and free execration and contempt, the official hypocrite, and the faithless, public servant. One senti- ment should be forever inculcated, that TO BE GREAT, IS TO BE USEFUL- AND THAT TO BE USEFUL, IS TO BE VIRTUOUS. While the faithful record of vir- tuous actionsgives to history its strongest recommenda- tion, and its best effect ; because to the motives which it holds out for laudable imitation, it adds the pleasing anti- cipation of merit, however humble, receiving its just re- ward. Make it also the record of vicious actions, give these in their proper coloring to the review of posterity, and to the abhorrence, and detestation of the virtuous, and the wise, and the sentiment of patriotism becontes fortified, by the emotions of hope, and fear, and by the sensations of pleasure, and pain ; among the most ope- rative of human motives, to action.
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Man sympathises with the objects around him, and in proportion to their distance, or approach, is his sensibility affected. It is undoubtedly this principle in physicks which has drawn from us these preliminary effusions to the intended biography of Boone, Harrod, and Logan, as our hand touched the pen to begin the draft ; or more poetically, the pencil, to commence the portrait.
These will be first in Kentucky Biography, as they were most prominent in effecting her early settlements ; and others, will take their places, in due order of time and events.
On the list of early and meritorious adventurers, the name of Daniel Boone, James Harrod, and Benjamin Logan, stand conspicuous ; where many others also merit, to be inscribed on the historic page.
It is not with, a CADMUS, a SOLON, or a ROMULUS, that we shall compare these men; they lived at periods immensely remote from our time, and in countries equally distant from Kentucky ; with their co- temporaries, these should be compared.
DANIEL BOONE, did not like MOSES, find himself the leader of an host of armed followers, impelled by the fear, or the love, ofthe Lord, to obey his commands, in a journey through the wilderness. His followers, were his voluntary comrades ; and the source of his authori -. ty, was the affection they bore him, and the confidence they had in his sagacity, and fortitude. Besides, the names of those legislators, and heroes, of antiquity, have been transmitted to us, by the pens of profane historians, or poets ; who availing them- D
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selves of the fictions of past time, have amplified and embellished, their subjects, with all the inventions of genius, and all the graces of oratory, and of poetry ; or else, under the influence of Divine inspiration, the prophet has astonished us with the wondrous miracles which he wrought, and afterwards recorded, for the ad- miration of posterity.
But Daniel Boone, is still living, banished by diff cul- ties he knew not how to surmount-and yet but little known to fame. Nor will the lapse of time, nor the rigid rules of faithful history, permit the aid of imagina- tien, to magnify his name, or to adorn a narrative of simple facts.
DANIEL BOONE, now an obscure resident in the forests of Louisiana, old, and needy, was a native of Virginia. 'More of a Nimrod, than a Joshua, he hunt- ed the wild game ; and found out the place for the city, which he built, ard peopled, before he ruled.
From his infancy, Daniel Boone, discovered, a pre- dilection for hunting, and ranging the uncultivated parts of the country. And to this disposition, may be ascribed his removal from his native place to North- Carolina, then recently settled where he went, and abounding with wild game, of different kinds.
Without the incumbrance of worldly goods to give him local attachments ; and without the illumination of science to make him shine in society; at the age of manhood, he found himself possessed of high health, and a vigorous constitution ; supported by great muscular strength, and nervous activity. He delighted to chase
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the wild deer : and this propensity often led him to places remote from the habitations of men. Accustomed to be much alone, he acquired the habit of contemplation, and of self-possession. His mind was not of the most ardent kind ; nor does he ever seem to have saught knowledge, through the medium of books. His natural sagacity was considerable : and as a woodsman, he was soon expert, and ultimately supereminent. Far from being ferocious, his disposition was mild, humane, and charita- ble ; his temper conciliating, kind and hospitable ! Yet his most remarkable quality, was an induring, and un- shaken fortitude. He was a man of the most undoubted courage -- cool, temperate, and firm : yet of the most in- ofensive deportment .- For seven years his life was that of a soldier in fact, and every summer, to him an ac- tive campaign. Such was the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens, that he was raised by intermediate grades, to the rank of Colonel in the militia ; and several times elected a member to the Legislature, although quite illiterate ; purely as a reward for his personal merit.
Private, as is, the present condition of Daniel Boone; far, as he is removed from Kentucky ; now feeble and verging to the grave ; we who once knew him, as the right arm of an infant, and feeble settlement, may be permitted, to indulge an expression of our sense of his merits, without incurring the in putation of flattery, or the more laudable desire to please. We owe that ex- pression in a work of this kind, to our idea, of private justice, and to our opinion of PUBLIC UTILITY. And such is our perception of the perils, labours, and difficul-
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ties, encountered by Daniel Boone, in discovering, and exploring the different parts of the country ; and in ef- fecting its settlement ; that the history we have under- taken to write, would in our judgment, be imperfect with- out this biographical sketch.
In proportion then, to the interest, which every citi- zen of Kentucky, can but feel in the evencs to which the enterprising spirit of Daniel Boone contributed ; we shall be indulged in paying this debt of gratitude- this tribute to merit ; by attempting to set his name in its right place, and true light, on the fair page of Ken- tucky history.
It was on the first of May, 1769, that Daniel Boone, then the father of a family, made a temporary resignation of his domestic happiness, to wander through the rough and savage wilderness bordering on the Cumberland Mountains-in quest of the fair-famed, but little known country of Kentucky. In this tour he was accompanied by John Finley, John Stewart, Joseph Holden, Wm. Coole, and James Monay. On the 7th of June follow- ing, after a journey of great labor and fatigue, through a mountainous country, of one hundred and fifty miles in cxtent, and without a path to guide them, they arrived on Red River, north of the Kentucky, where John Finley, had formerly been, as an Indian trader. Here the party determined to take some repose, and made themselves a shelter of bark, to cover their heads from the occasional showers of the day, and the cold dews of night. It was in his excursion from this camp, that Daniel Boone first saw with wonder the beauties, and
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inhaled with delight the odours of a Kentucky summer. It was also in one of his peregrinations from a second camp, that he and John Stewart, rising the top of a hill, encountered a host of savages.
They made Boone and his companion prisoners, and plundered them of what supplies they had. Seven days were they detained in custody, by these Indians, nor had they a prospect of voluntary discharge, when as a consequence of their well dissembled contentment, the captors without a guard on their prisoners, resigned themselves to sleep, and they made their escape. Boone, and his companion, returned to their camp, found it plundered ; and the residue of the party having been driven from it, had fled the country, to their former ha- bitations-whither Daniel Boone, and his fellow-wan- derer, must soon have, followed, or perished, had not Squire Boone, the brother of Daniel, pursuing their tract from North-Carolina, come up with them about this time, and furnished them a few necessaries.
Soon after this period, John Stewart was killed by the Indians ; and the two Boones, remained, the only white men, in the wilderness of Kentucky. The winter suc- ceeding they continued in the country, the only tenants of a cabin, which they erected to shelter themselves from the cold.
The death of John Stewart, being the first that was perpetrated by the Indians in Kentucky, on the white adventurers, deserves to be particularly commemorated. Upon this subject, but few facts have come to our know- ledge. It was in 1769, after Squire Boone had joined
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his brother Daniel and John Stewart, who had recently been prisoners with the Indians, that those savages be- coming more hostile to the white men, had recourse to death, instead of bondage, as the surer method of getting rid of their new rivals, in the avocation of hunting.
As Daniel Boone, and his little band were traversing the forest, then depositing its leaves on the earth, and preparing to expose only its hardier parts to the ap- proaching winter, they were suddenly met, on the side of a Cane-Breake, and immediately fired on, by a supe- rior party of Indians. John Stewart received a mortal wound, and fell ; and his companions, incapable of as- sisting him, reluctantly fled. . An Indian, as their cus- tom was, rushed upon Stewart, and withone hand wound in the hair of his head, and the other grasping a knife, took his scalp, which left bare his scull.
Many times, and at divers places, was this savage scene reacted on the heads of our adventurous country - men ; and well did they repay their enemy, " in their own coin," at as many places, and as often : As in the sequel will be shewn.
But this is man's characteristic-he will do unto others, as they do unto him. And it is owing to a re- fined benevolence, or to a Christian precept, that he is taught otherwise. For it is a fact that may be commit- ted to history, that white men in their wars against the Indians, became themselves Indians in practice ; and did those things, without remorse, of which in other çases, they would be ashamed, and repent.
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In May 1770, Squire Boone returned home, leaving Daniel without bread, or salt ; and not even a dog to keep his hut. Never was man in greater need of philo- sophy to sustain his reflections ; nor ever were reflections more philosophical than those of Daniel Boone. He cast his eyes towards the residence of a family ever dear to him-he felt the pang which absence gave -- he heaved the sigh which nature prompted-his mind was beset with apprehensions of various dangers-despondence was ready to seize on his soul : when grasping his gun, and turning from his camp, he reflected that Providence had never yet forsaken him; nor thought he, will I doubt its beneficence. No man have I injured-why should I fear injury from any ? I shall yet see my family, and the joy of the meeting, will repay all this pain. By this time, he had advanced some distance into the wood, and gained an eminence, whence looking round with as- tonishment ; on the one hand, he beheld the ample plane, the beauteous tracts which lay before him ; on the other, surveyed the river Ohio, which rolled in silent dignity, marking the western boundary of Kentucky, with equal precision and grandeur. The chirping of the birds solaced his ears with music; the numerous deer, and buffaloe, which passed him in review, gave dumb assurance that he was in the midst of plenty -and cheerfulness, once more possessed his mind. Thus in a second paradise, another Adam was seen, giving names to springs, to rivers, and to places, before unknown to civilized man.
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