USA > Massachusetts > Our western border : its life, combats, adventures, forays, massacres, captivities, scouts, red chiefs, pioneer women, one hundred years ago, containing the cream of all the rare old border chronicles > Part 33
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Barking of squirrels is delightful sport, and, in my opinion, requires a greater degree of accuracy than any other. I first witnessed this manner of procuring squirrels while near the town of Frankfort. The performer was the celebrated Daniel Boone. We walked out together and followed the rocky margins of the Kentucky river until we reached a piece of flat land, thickly covered with black walnuts, oaks, and hickories. As the general mast was a good one that year, squirrels were seen gamboling on every tree around us. My companion, a stout, hale, athletic man, dressed in a homespun hunting shirt, bare legged and moccasined, carried a long and heavy rifle, which, as he was loading, he said had proved efficient in all of his former undertakings, and which he hoped would not fail on this occasion, as he felt proud to show me his skill. The gun was wiped, the powder measured, the ball patched with six-hundred-thread linen, and a charge sent home with a hickory rod. We moved not a step from the place, for the squirrels were so thick that it was unnecessary to go after them.
Boone pointed to one of these animals, which had observed us, and was crouched on a bough about fifty paces distant, and bade me mark well where the ball should hit. He raised his piece gradually until the bead or sight of the barrel was brought to a line with the spot he intended to hit. The whip-like report resounded through the woods and along the hills in repeated echoes. Judge of my surprise, when I perceived that the ball had hit the piece of bark immediately underneath
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the squirrel and shivered it into splinters ; the concussion produced by which had killed the animal, and sent it whirling through the air as if it had been blown up by the explosion of a powder magazine. Boone kept up his firing, and before many hours had elapsed, we had pro- cured as many squirrels as we wished. Since that first interview with the veteran Boone, I have seen many other individuals perform the same feat.
The snuffing of a candle with a ball, I first had an opportunity of see- ing near the banks of the Green river, not far from a large pigeon roost, to which I had previously made a visit. I had heard many reports of guns during the early part of a dark night, and knowing them to be those of rifles, I went forward towards the spot to ascertain the cause. On reaching the place I was welcomed by a dozen tall, stout men, who told me they were exercising for the purpose of enabling them to shoot after night, at the reflected light from the eyes of a deer or wolf by torch- light. A fire was blazing near, the smoke of which rose curling among the thick foliage of the trees. At a distance which rendered it scarcely distinguishable, stood a burning candle, but which, in reality, was only fifty yards from the spot on which we all stood. One man was within a few yards of it to watch the effect of the shots, as well as to light the candle should it chance to go out, or to replace it should the shot cut it across. Each marksman shot in his turn. Some never hit either the snuff or the candle, and were congratulated with a loud laugh; while others actually snuffed the candle without putting it out, and were recompensed for their dexterity with numerous hurrahs. One of them, who was particularly expert, was very fortunate, and snuffed the candle three times out of seven, while the other shots either put out the candle or cut it immediately under the light.
Of the feats performed by the Kentuckians with the rifle, I might say more than might be expedient on the present occasion. By the way of recreation, they often cut off a piece of the bark of a tree, make a tar- get of it, using a little powder wetted with water or saliva, for the bulls eye, and shoot into the mark all the balls they have about them, pick- ing them out of the wood again.
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GENERAL SIMON KENTON, ALIAS BUTLER.
GENERAL SIMON KENTON, ALIAS BUTLER.
HE HAS A BATTLE AND THINKS HE HAS COMMITTED MURDER,
Tread lightly ! This is hallowed ground. Tread reverently here !
Beneath this sod, in silence, sleeps the brave old Pioneer ;
Who never quailed in darkest hour; whose heart ne'er felt a fear.
Tread lightly, then I and now bestow the tribute of a tear.
For ever in the fiercest and the thickest of the fight,
The dusk and swarthy foemen felt the terror of his might .-- Wm. Hubbard.
The most daring and adventurous of Boone's companions was the far-famed Simon Kenton, who was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, on the 15th of May, 1755, the ever-memorable year of Braddock's de- feat. Of his early years nothing is known. His parents were poor, and until the age of sixteen, his days seem to have passed away in the obscure and laborious drudgery of a farm. He was never taught to read or write, and to this is the poverty and desolation of his old age, in a great measure, to be attributed. At the age of sixteen, by an un- fortunate adventure, he was launched into life, with no other fortune than a stout heart and a robust set of limbs.
It seems that, young as he was, his heart had become entangled in the snares of a young coquette in the neighborhood, who was grievously perplexed by the necessity of choosing one husband out of many lovers. Young Kenton and a robust farmer by the name of Leitchman-William Veach, according to Collins and McDonald-seem to have been the most favored suitors, and the young lady, not being able to decide upon their respective merits, they took the matter into their own hands, and, in consequence of foul play on the part of Leitchman's friends, young Kenton was beaten with great severity. He submitted to his fate for the time, in silence, but internally vowed that, as soon as he had obtained his full growth, he would take ample vengeance upon his rival for the disgrace he had sustained at his hands. He waited patient- ly until the following Spring, when, finding himself six feet high and full of health and action, he determined to delay the hour of retribu- tion no longer.
He accordingly walked over to Leitchman's house one morning, and finding him busily engaged in carrying shingles from the woods, he stopped him, told him his object, and desired him to adjourn to a spot more convenient for the purpose. Leitchman, confident in his superior age and strength, was not backward to indulge him in so amiable a
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pastime, and having reached a solitary spot in the woods, they both stripped and prepared for the encounter. The battle was fought with all the fury which mutual hate, jealousy, and herculean power on both sides, could supply, and after a severe round, in which considerable damage was done and received, Kenton was brought to the ground Leitchman (as usual in Virginia) sprang upon him without the least scruple, and added the most bitter taunts to the kicks with which he saluted him, from his head to his heels, reminding him of his former defeat, and rubbing salt into the raw wounds of jealousy by triumphant. allusions to his own superiority both in love and war. During these active operations on the part of Leitchman, Kenton lay perfectly still, eying attentively a small bush which grew near him. It instantly oc- curred to him that if he could wind Leitchman's hair, (which was re- markably long,) around this bush, he would be able to return those kicks which were now bestowed upon him in such profusion. The dif- ficulty was to get his antagonist near enough. This he at length effected in the good old Virginia style, viz .: by biting him en arriere, and compelling him, by short springs, to approach the bush, much as a bullock is goaded on to approach the fatal ring, where all his struggles are useless. When near enough, Kenton suddenly exerted himself vio- lently, and succeeded in wrapping the long hair of his rival around the sapling. He then sprung to his feet, and inflicted a terrible revenge for all his past injuries. In a few seconds Leitchman was gasping, ap- parently in the agonies of death. Kenton instantly fled, without even returning for an additional supply of clothing, and directed his steps westward. This was in April, 1771.
During the first day of his journey, he traveled in much agitation. He supposed that Leitchman was dead, and that the hue and cry would instantly be raised after himself as the murderer. The constant appre- hension of a gallows lent wings to his flight, and he scarcely allowed himself a moment for refreshment, until he had reached the neighbor- hood of the Warin Springs, where the settlements were thin and the immediate danger of pursuit was over. Here, he fortunately fell in with an exile from the State of New Jersey, of the name of Johnson, who was traveling westward on foot, and driving a single pack-horse, laden with a few necessaries, before him. They soon became acquaint- ed, related their adventures to each other, and agreed to travel together. They plunged boldly into the wilderness of the Allegheny mountains, and subsisting upon wild game and a small quantity of flour, which Johnson had brought with him, they made no halt until they arrived at a small settlement on Cheat river, one of the prongs of the Monon- gahela.
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GENERAL SIMON KENTON, ALIAS BUTLER.
Here the two friends separated, and Kenton (who had assumed the name of Butler) attached himself to a small company headed by John Mahon and Jacob Greathouse, who had united for the purpose of ex- ploring the country. They quickly built a large canoe, and descended the river as far as the Province's settlement. There Kenton became acquainted with two young adventurers, Yager and Strader, the former of whom had been taken by the Indians when a child, and had spent many years in their village. He informed Kenton that there was a . country below, which the Indians called Kan-tuck-ee, which was a per- fect Elysium : that the ground was not only the richest, and the vege- tation the most luxuriant in the world, but that the immense herds of buffalo and elk, which ranged at large through its forests, would appeal incredible to one who had never witnessed such a spectacle. He added, that it was entirely uninhabited, and was open to all who chose to hunt there; that he himself had often accompanied the Indians in their grand hunting parties through the country, and was confident that he could conduct him to the same ground, if he was willing to venture.
Kenton closed with the proposal, and announced his readiness to accompany him immediately. A canoe was speedily procured, and the three young men committed themselves to the waters of the Ohio, in search of the enchanted hunting ground, which Yager had visited in his youth, while a captive among the Indians. Yager had no idea of its exact distance from Province's settlement. He recollected only that he had crossed the Ohio in order to reach it, and declared that, by sailing down the river for a few days, they would come to the spot where the Indians were accustomed to cross, and assured Kenton that there would be no difficulty in recognizing it ; that its appearance was different from all the rest of the world, &c.
Fired by Yager's glowing description of its beauty, and eager to reach this new Eldorado of the west, the young men rowed hard for several days, confidently expecting that every bend of the river would usher them into the land of promise. No such country, however, ap- peared ; and at length Kenton and Strader became rather skeptical as to its existence at all. They rallied Yager freely upon the subject, who still declared positively that they would soon witness the confirmation of all that he had said. After descending, however, as low as the spot where Manchester now stands, and seeing nothing which resembled Yager's country, they held a council, in which it was determined to re- turn and survey the country more carefully-Yager still insisting that they must have passed it in the night. They accordingly retraced their steps, and successively explored the land about Salt Lick, Little and Big Sandy, and Guyandotte. At length, being totally wearied out in searching for
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what had no 'existence, they turned their attention entirely to hunting and trapping, and spent nearly two years upon the Great Kanawha, in this agreeable and profitable occupation. They obtained clothing in exchange for their furs, from the traders of Fort Pitt, and the forest supplied them abundantly with wild game for food.
In March, 1773, while reposing in their tent after the labors of the day, they were suddenly attacked by a party of Indians. Strader was killed at the first fire, and Kenton and Yager with difficulty effected their escape, being compelled to abandon their guns, blankets and pro- visions, and commit themselves to the wilderness, without the means of sheltering themselves from the cold, procuring a morsel of food, or even kindling a fire. They were far removed from any white settlement, and had no other prospect than that of perishing by famine, or falling a sacrifice to the fury of such Indians as might chance to meet them. Reflecting, however, that it was never too late for men to make an effort against being utterly lost, they determined to strike through the woods for the Ohio river, and take such fortune as it should please heaven to bestow.
Directing their route by the barks of trees, they pressed forward in a straight direction for the Ohio, and during the first two days allayed the piercing pangs of hunger by chewing such roots as they could find on their way. On the third day their strength began to fail, and the keen appetite which at first had constantly tortured them, was succeeded by a nausea, accompanied with dizziness and sinking of the heart, bor- dering on despair. On the fourth day they often threw themselves upon the ground, determined to await the approach of death-and as often were stimulated by the instinctive love of life, to arise and resume their journey. On the fifth, they were completely exhausted, and were able only to crawl, at intervals. In this manner, they traveled about a mile during the day, and succeeded, by sunset, in reaching the banks of the Ohio. Here, to their inexpressible joy, they encountered a party of traders, from whom they obtained a comfortable supply of provisions.
The traders were so much startled at the idea of being exposed to perils, such as those which Kenton and Yager had just escaped, that they lost no time in removing from such a dangerous vicinity, and in- stantly returned to the mouth of the Little Kanawha, where they met with Dr. Briscoe at the head of another exploring party. From him Kenton obtained a rifle and some ammunition, with which he again plunged alone into the forest and hunted with success until the Summer of '73 was far advanced. . Returning, then, to the Little Kanawha, he found a party of fourteen men, under the direction of Dr. Wood and Hancock Lee, who were descending the Ohio with the view of joining
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Captain Bullitt, who was supposed to be at the mouth of Scioto, with a large party. Kenton instantly joined them, and descended the river in canoes as far as the Three Islands, landing frequently and examining the country on each side of the river. At the Three Islands they were alarmed by the approach of a large party of Indians, by whom they were compelled to abandon their canoes and strike diagonally through the wilderness for Greenbriar county, Virginia. They suffered much during this journey from fatigue and famine, and were compelled at one time (notwithstanding the danger of their situation,) to halt for four- teen days and wait upon Dr. Wood, who had unfortunately been bitten - by a copperhead snake, and rendered incapable of moving for that length of time. Upon reaching the settlements the party separated.
Kenton, not wishing to venture to Virginia, (having heard nothing of Leitchman's recovery,) built a canoe on the banks of the Mononga- hela, and returned to the mouth of the Great Kanawha, hunted with success until the spring of '74, when the war, called sometimes Dun- more's and sometimes Cresap's war, broke out between the Indian tribes and the colonies, occasioned, in a great measure, by the murder of the family of the celebrated Indian chief, Logan. Kenton was not in the great battle near the mouth of the Kanawha, but, with the noto- rious renegade, Simon Girty, acted as a spy throughout the whole of the campaign, in the course of which he traversed the country around Fort Pitt and a large part of the present State of Ohio.
When Dunmore's forces were disbanded, Kenton, in company with two others, determined on making a second effort to discover the rich lands bordering on the Ohio, of which Yager had spoken. Having built a canoe and provided themselves abundantly with ammunition, they descended the river as far as the mouth of Big Bone Creek, upon which the celebrated Lick of that name is situated. They there disem- barked, and explored the country for several days; but not finding the land equal to their expectations, they reascended the river as far as the mouth of Cabin Creek, a few miles above Maysville.
HERDS OF ELK AND BUFFALO-HENDRICKS BURNT-KENTON'S FIGHT.
From this point they set out with a determination to examine the country carefully until they could find land answering in some degree to Yager's description. In a short time they reached the neighborhood of Mayslick, and, for the first time, were struck with the uncommon beauty of the country and fertility of the soil. Here they fell in with the great buffalo trace, which, in a few hours, brought them to the Lower Blue Lick. The flats upon each side of the river were crowded with
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immense herds of buffalo that had come down from the interior for the sake of the salt, and a number of elk were seen upon the bare ridges which surrounded the springs. Their great object was now achieved. They had discovered a country far more rich than any which they had yet beheld, and where the game seemed as abundant as the grass of the plain.
After remaining a few days at the Lick, and killing an immense num- ber of deer and buffalo, they crossed the Licking and passed through the present counties of Scott, Fayette, Woodford, Clarke, Montgomery and Bath, when, falling in with another buffalo trace, it conducted them to the Upper Blue Lick, where they again beheld elk and buffalo in im- mense numbers. Highly gratified at the success of their expedition, they quickly returned to their canoe, and ascended the river as far as Green Bottom, where they had left their skins, some ammunition and a few hoes, which they had procured at Kanawha, with the view of culti- vating the rich ground which they expected to find.
Returning as quickly as possible, they built a cabin on the spot where the town of Washington, Ky., now stands, and having cleared an acre of ground in the centre of a large canebrake, they planted it with In- dian corn. Strolling about the country in various directions, they one day fell in with two white men, near the Lower Blue Lick, who had los+ their guns, blankets and ammunition, and were much distressed for pro- visions and the means of extricating themselves from the wilderness. They informed them that their names were Fitzpatrick and Hendricks; that, in descending the Ohio, their canoe had been overset by a sudden squall; that they were compelled to swim ashore, without being able to save anything from the wreck; that they had wandered thus far through the woods, in the effort to penetrate through the country to the settle- ments above, but must infallibly perish unless they could be furnished with guns and ammunition. Kenton informed them of the small set- tlement which he had opened at Washington, and invited them to join him and share such fortune as Providence might bestow. Hendricks consented to remain, but Fitzpatrick, being heartily sick of the woods, insisted upon returning to the Monongahela. Kenton and his two friends accompanied Fitzpatrick to "the point," as it was then called, being the spot where Maysville now stands, and having given him a gun, &c., assisted him in crossing the river, and took leave of him on the other side.
In the meantime, Hendricks had been left at the Blue Licks, without a gun, but with a good supply of provisions, until the party could return from the river. As soon as Fitzpatrick had gone, Kenton and his two friends hastened to return to the Lick, not doubting for a moment that
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they would find Hendricks in camp as they had left him. Upon arriving at the point where the tent stood, however, they were alarmed at finding it deserted, with evident marks of violence around it. Several bullet holes were to be seen in the poles of which it was constructed, and various articles belonging to Hendricks were tossed about in too negligent a manner to warrant the belief that it had been done by him. At a little distance from the camp, in a low ravine, they observed a thick smoke, as if from a fire just beginning to burn. They did not doubt for a moment that Hendricks had fallen into the hands of the In- dians, and believing that a party of them were then assembled around . the fire which was about to be kindled, they betook themselves to their heels, and fled faster and farther than true chivalry perhaps would jus- tify.
They remained at a distance until the evening of the next day, when they ventured cautiously to return to camp. The fire was still burning, although faintly, and after carefully reconnoitering the adjacent ground, they ventured at length to approach the spot, and there beheld the skull and bones of their unfortunate friend. He had evidently been roasted to death by a party of Indians, and must have been alive at the time when Kenton and his companion approached on the preceding day. It was a subject of deep regret to the party that they had not reconnoi- tered the spot more closely, as it was probable that their friend might have been rescued. The number of Indians might have been small, and a brisk and unexpected attack might have dispersed them. Regret, however, was now unavailing, and they sadly retraced their steps to their camp at Washington, pondering upon the uncertainty of their own condition, and upon the danger to which they were hourly exposed from the numerous bands of hostile Indians who were prowling around them in every direction.
They remained at Washington, entirely undisturbed, until the month of September, when again visiting the Lick, they saw a white man, who informed them that the interior of the country was already occupied by the whites, and that there was a thriving settlement at Boonsborough. Highly gratified at this intelligence, and anxious once more to enjoy the society of men, they broke up their encampment at Washington, and visited the different stations which had been formed in the country. Kenton sustained two sieges in Boonsborough, and served as a spy, with equal diligence and success, until the summer of '78, when Boone, re- turning from captivity, as has already been mentioned, concerted an expedition against the small Indian towns on Paint Creek.
Kenton acted as a spy on this expedition, and after crossing the Ohio, being some distance in advance of the rest, he was suddenly startled by
-
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hearing a loud laugh from an adjoining thicket, which he was just about to enter. Instantly halting, he took his station behind a tree, and waited anxiously for a repetition of the noise. In a few minutes two Indians approached the spot where he lay, both mounted upon a small pony, and chatting and laughing in high good humor. Having permitted them to approach within good rifle distance, he raised his gun, and aim- ing at the breast of the foremost, pulled the trigger. Both Indians fell -one shot dead, the other severely wounded. Their frightened pony galloped back into the cane, giving the alarm to the rest of the party, who were some distance in the rear. Kenton instantly ran up to scalp the dead man and to tomahawk his wounded companion, according to the usual rule of western warfare; but, when about to put an end to the struggles of the wounded Indian, who did not seem disposed to submit very quietly to the operation, his attention was arrested by a rustling in the cane on his right, and turning rapidly in that direction, he beheld two Indians within twenty steps of him, very deliberately taking aim at his person.
A quick spring to one side, on his part, was instantly followed by the flash and report of their rifles-the balls whistled close to his ears, causing him involuntarily to duck his head, but doing him no injury. Not liking so hot a neighborhood, and ignorant of the number which might be behind, he lost no time in regaining the shelter of the woods, leaving the dead Indian unscalped and the wounded man to the care of his friends. Scarcely had he treed, when a dozen Indians appeared on the edge of the canebrake, and seemed disposed to press on him with more vigor than was consistent with the safety of his present position. His fears, however, were instantly relieved by the appearance of Boone and his party, who came running up as rapidly as a due regard for the shelter of their persons would permit, and opening a brisk fire upon the Indians, quickly compelled them to regain the shelter of the canebrake, with the loss of several wounded, who, as usual, were carried off. The dead Indian, in the hurry of the retreat, was abandoned, and Kenton at last had the gratification of taking his scalp.
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