USA > Ohio > The history of the state of Ohio; from the discovery of the great valley, to the present time > Part 21
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SAMUELHUNTINGTON Governor 1808-10.
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The savages clamored still to be led on. . But Colonel Byrd peremptorily refused to conduct them any further in such a war- fare against his brethren. The savages, exultant and enriched, reflected that they could obtain their ammunition only from the British. Should they offend them too deeply, this might be with- held. Then they would be at the mercy of the avenging colo- nists. They, therefore, consented to return. When any of the captives fell beneath their burdens, they buried the tomahawk in their brains.
We have before mentioned, that the region, south of the Ohio River, now called Kentucky, was the common hunting ground of many tribes occupying the region around. Over a large extent of this territory, it seems that no particular tribe was set- tled, or claimed exclusive possession. This fact, added to the loveliness of the climate, and the exceeding fertility and beauty of the country, lured many emigrants, across the Alleghanies, to that section. But all the valleys of the rivers in what is now Ohio, were crowded with Indians, who were very unfriendly to the en- croachments of the English. Thus it happened that in 1781, when there was scarcely the hut of a white settler to be found in all the region north of the Ohio River, there were many small settlements springing up in the rich and secluded valleys of Kentucky. It was a very ignoble warfare which the government of the mother country waged against these feeble hamlets, so powerless of harm. The Indians of Ohio, from the banks of the Muskingum, the Scioto, the Great and Little Miami, the Sandusky and the Maumee, were the agents whom the British employed, in predatory bands across the Ohio River, to lay waste these infant settlements. It is thus that the narrative of the outrages perpe- trated in Kentucky, by the Indian tribes of Ohio, becomes an important part of the history of that state.
Some bold pioneers had reared a few log houses, where Shelby- ville now stands, about forty miles east of Louisville. Alarmed by the horrors which were occurring all around them, they aban- doned their homes, to join another and stronger party at Bear's Creek. On their way they were assailed by a party of Indians in ambush, who opened fire upon them, killing several of their num- ber, and wounding many more. It was probably a small party, for instead of repeating the attack, or awaiting the return fire, they immediately fled, raising defiant yells. Colonel Floyd col-
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lected from some of the neighboring stations, twenty men to pursue them. He also was drawn into an ambush. At the first fire one-half of his little band was struck down by their bullets. The rest with great difficulty escaped, leaving their comrades to be scalped and mutilated by the allies of Great Britain. It was this kind of warfare which led Thomas Jefferson, in his arraign- ment of King George III., to write indignantly.
" He has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers the merciless Indian savages, whose known rules of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions."
The British authorities, at Detroit, now organized another army to cross the Ohio river, and sweep the frontier of Kentucky of all its white settlements. A force of five hundred savages was ren- dezvoused at Old Chillicothe, in the Valley of the Little Miami, from which so many marauding bands had already emerged. The army was composed of warriors from widely scattered tribes, the Shawanese on the Little Miami, the Wyandots on the Sandusky. the Tawas on the Maumee, and the Delawares on the Muskingum, were all represented by their most renowned braves. A num- ber of Canadians enlisted at Detroit, adding efficiency to the force, The whole band was under the leadership of two British officers, renowned for their ferocity, Colonel McGee and the notorious Tory, Simon Girty.
As the expedition was to move far and wide, it was not possible for them to take with them artillery on the pathless route. They, therefore, avoided Boonesborough, whose bullet-proof palisades had already proved themselves so impregnable. A few miles from Boonesborough, on the Kentucky River, there was a little cluster of log houses, called Bryant's Station. On the night of the four- teenth of August, 1782, the savages appeared before this little community, on the Elkhorn, about five miles from the present City of Lexington.
The fort, or fortress, consisted of about forty cabins, placed in parallel lines, with a narrow street between them. Strong pali- sades surrounded the little village, enclosing a parallelogram thirty rods in length, by twenty in breadth, giving an area of about four acres. These palisades were twelve feet high, formed of hard timber, at least a foot in diameter. They were planted very firmly in the ground, the earth being rammed down around
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them. This wall, which defied even savage agility in climbing or leaping, was surrounded by a ditch five feet deep.
At the four angles of these palisades there were block-houses, projecting some feet, which gave additional strength to the cor- ners, and which also enabled the inmates, through port-holes, to pour a raking fire upon any assailants who should approach the walls. There were two large folding-gates in front and rear, swinging on wooden-hinges, which afforded, in times of safety, ample entrance for men, cattle and wagons. When closed these gates were firmly held in place by bars.
These were strong works to be assailed without artillery. The garrison amounted to about fifty men, for every able-bodied man was a soldier. Many of the women also had been taught to use the rifle with great skill. The six hundred savages who, led by British officers, approached the unsuspecting fort, in the darkness of the night, divided themselves into two parties for the attack. The grass, on that rich soil, grew so rank that it would afford a covert even for mounted horsemen. In this grass, and in the forest and shrubbery around, the savages concealed themselves, waiting for the dawn.
There was as yet no well dug within the enclosure. But at a short distance from one of the gates, there was an abundant spring of pure water. In the hurry of constructing the fort, with but few hands to work upon it, they had failed to extend the pali- sades far enough to include this spring; and there were also some portions of the work which were not fully completed.
It seems that there were two plans of attack. One hundred savages concealed themselves as near as possible to the gate open- ing upon the spring. The other five hundred hid themselves in the rear of the fort. It was supposed that as soon as the morning dawned the men, unsuspicious of danger, would throw open the gates and come out from their several cabins for water for their families. There would be one hundred savages, in ambush, to take deadly aim at their victims, within half rifle-shot. This would be two savages to every white man. Nearly all would inevitably drop dead. The savages then, with hideous yells and gleaming tomahawks, would rush in at the open gate and make short work with the helpless remainder of the inmates.
If this plan, so manifestly feasible, should fail, then these hun- dred savages, rushing from their ambush, would make a fierce
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attack upon the gate. The whole force of the garrison would instantly rally to its defense. It would naturally, in the confusion of the moment, be supposed that these assailants constituted the whole of the savage army. Then the five hundred, lying in am- bush in the rear of the fort, were silently to leap forward to the palisades, and, clambering upon each other's shoulders, were to effect an entrance. Five hundred warriors thus attacking fifty men, already engaged in repelling a hundred, would very soon silence them all in death.
Man proposes. God disposes. It would seem that one of these plans must succeed. They both failed. But they were so far above the ordinary cunning of the Indian, that there can be no doubt that they originated in the brains of the British officers. It was found impossible to bring the savages into obedience to British discipline.
Early in the morning the gates were thrown wide open, and half a dozen early risers come out with their buckets for water. Some of the impatient savages, disregarding orders, could not wait for the whole body to come, but opened fire upon them. This gave the alarm. The gates were speedily closed, and the whole garrison was roused. There were wise men in that garri- son, who were thoroughly acquainted with Indian warfare. They said immediately that the small number of Indians in ambush at the spring would not think of attacking their fort without the sup- port of a'large party. Sentinels were immediately stationed to watch every approach.
There was probably great perplexity in the Indian camp. For sometime there was perfect silence. Not a shout was heard ; not a gun was fired ; not an Indian was to be seen. But the garrison was without water. The starvation of thirst would soon compel a surrender. A siege of thirty-six hours could scarcely be main- tained. Very shrewdly it was conjectured that the assailants were forming some new plan of attack, and that the plan would be, fiercely to assail in feint some quarter of the fort, while the main attack would be made from the opposite quarter.
This, as our readers know, was the very plan which had been devised. Under these circumstances the following very extraor- dinary expedient was adopted for obtaining water. The more experienced men .of the garrison were satisfied that the feint would soon be made, and that the main body of the savages
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would not unmask themselves until the firing from the garrison was returned with such warmth as to convince them that all its energies were absorbed in repelling the feigned attack. They therefore were convinced that the women might go to the spring and get water with at least a probability of returning unharmed.
" Acting upon this impression, and yielding to the urgent neces- sity of the case, they summoned all the women, without excep- tion, and explaining the circumstances in which they were placed, and the improbability that any injury would be offered them, until the fire had been returned 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 full of water. Some of the woman had no relish for the undertaking, and asked why the men could not bring water as well as themselves, observing that they were not bullet-proof, and that the Indians made no distinction between male and female scalps.
"To this it was answered, that the women were in the habit of bringing water every morning to the fort, and 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 upon a few women, when they hoped, by remaining concealed a few moments longer, to obtain complete possession of the fort. It was said that if the 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 formed. A few of the boldest de- clared 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. 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. Although their steps became quicker and quicker on their return, and when near the fort degenerated into rather unmilitary celerity, attended with some little crowding at the gate, yet not more than one-fifth of the water was spilled." *
* The Great West, by Henry Howe.
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Having thus obtained this supply, which, with careful usage, would last for several days, a brave party of thirteen men was sent out to reconnoiter. They were speedily fired upon by the savages, and retreated within the gates without loss. They were followed by the whole band in ambush at the springs, who rent the air with their yells, and commenced a fierce assault upon the gate. Their fire was vigorously returned through the port-holes. Then the five hundred, concealed on the opposite side, supposing that the feint had accomplished its effect, rushed to the assault of what they supposed to be the unprotected side of the fort. But, to their surprise, every port-hole immediately opened its fire, strik- ing down the warriors with the deadly bullet, from which there was no protection. Though, for a time, they pressed forward with great bravery, soon finding the storm of lead too deadly to be encountered, they turned in a panic and fled. Several were slain, and many more were wounded.
It will be remembered that Bryant's Station was but at a dis- tance of five miles from Lexington, where there was another quite important station. In some way intelligence had reached that post of the attack by the Indians. Immediately a reinforcement of forty men, sixteen of whom were mounted, was sent to their assistance. The wary savages, ever keeping out their scouts in all directions, were apprised of the approach of these troops. They immediately ceased from the attack upon the fort, and formed themselves in ambuscade to cut off those who were has- tening to the relief of the garrison. There was a large corn-field through which the road to the fort ran. This southern corn, in its luxuriant growth, often attains a height of seven or eight feet. Here, on each side of the trail, the savages concealed themselves in two parallel lines nearly six hundred yards in length. For their own concealment it was necessary for them to keep at a dis- tance of several rods from the trail. The growth of corn was so thick as to intercept their view, so that no individual aim could be taken. To add still more to their embarrassment, a long drouth, beneath the hot summer's sun, had rendered the earth so dry that the little army of horsemen and footmen were enveloped in a cloud of dust quite impervious to view. Thus the savages were compelled to fire almost at random. The firing was the signal at the fort to throw open the gates, and the whole party, horsemen and footmen, rushed in. Two only had been killed and
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four wounded. Thus the strength of the garrison was nearly doubled.
This eventful day of peril and of terror was drawing to a close. The garrison felt assured that they could now defend their works against any assaults which the Indians could bring against them. The assailants also began to despair of success. Just as the sun was going down the infamous Tory, Simon Girty, mounted a stump at a little distance from the fort, and waving a white cloth, as a flag of truce, shouted to the garrison to surrender.
" We have," said he, " several pieces of artillery, which will reach us to-night. With these we can easily batter down your walls. We have these six hundred warriors, thoroughly armed, to rush in upon you. The capture of the fort is inevitable. If the fort is thus taken by storm we cannot restrain the ferocity of the savages. Every inmate of the fort must perish. But if you will now surrender, before they are exasperated by a fight, we can promise you all protection of your lives and your private property. I suppose you know who I am."
All this was a lie. There were no pieces of artillery on the way. A young man named Reynolds, fearing the effect which the threat of cannon might have upon the garrison, shouted in reply, with more of piquancy than of military courtesy :
" We do, indeed, know who you are. We know you to be a renegade, a cowardly villain, who delights in murdering women and children. I had a miserable, good-for-nothing dog whom I named Simon Girty. Wait until morning and you will find on which side the reinforcements are. We expect to leave not one of your cowardly souls alive. And if you are caught, our women shall whip you to death with hickory switches. Now clear out, you cut-throat villain, or we will put some bullets through you."
Girty disappeared. The night passed away in silence. Prob- ably the leaders of the expedition held a hurried consultation and decided that works so strong, and so well garrisoned, could not be taken by rifles alone. Like the shadows of night the whole band fled, seeking other fields of assassination and plunder. In the morning the Indian camp was found entirely deserted. Their fires were still burning brightly, and several pieces of meat were found upon their roasting-sticks. This led to the supposition that they had decamped very suddenly just at the break of day, It is probable that they were alarmed by the intelligence that still
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stronger reinforcements were on the march to aid the beleaguered garrison.
During this conflict four of the settlers were killed by bullets entering the port-holes, and several others wounded. It subse- quently appeared that thirty of the Indian warriors were slain by the unerring aim of the garrison; Girty himself and many others were more or less severely wounded.
William Bryant, who was the commandant of this heroic little band of settlers, had married a sister of Colonel Boone. The tid- ings of the attack soon reached the adjacent settlements, and a band of one hundred and eighty men were speedily on the march. It was probably the approach of these reinforcements which alarmed the savages.
Colonel Todd, one of the noblest of men, was the first in com- mand in this expedition, which was hurrying to the relief of their beleaguered friends. Colonel Boone was the second officer. He was accompanied by his two sons, Israel and Samuel. The retreating army had struck across to the Licking River, and were following it down to enter the Valley of the Little Miami. The soldiers were so unanimous and impetuous in their desire to pur- sue the fugitives, that the officers were overpowered by their zeal. Neither of the officers thought it prudent for one hundred and eighty men to pursue an army of six hundred warriors, under the guidance of British officers of known ability, and through a region every mile of which presented the most favorable opportunities for an Indian ambush.
There was no difficulty in following the trail of so large a war party, many of whom were on horseback. As the pursuers were cautiously advancing they came to a remarkable bend in the Licking River. This bend enclosed a large and very luxuriant meadow, which was surrounded with shrubs, and where the grass, thick and strong, and almost as tough as reeds, was seven or eight feet high. A well-trampled buffalo track, called a "street," led through these almost impervious reeds to the river. Along this path the Indians had retreated. The scouts, who were always sent forward to explore the way, returned with the announcement that there were no signs of Indians to be seen. There is some diversity in the accounts of the battle which ensued. The follow- ing is probably a correct narrative of the facts :
This bend, like a horseshoe, enclosed two or three acres. The
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cunning savages, aided by the intelligence of their officers, had formed a very strong double line in the thickets and the grass, at the neck of this bend, extending across from bank to bank of the stream. They left ample space for their victims to enter into the trap, whose door they would soon effectually close. As soon as the rear-guard of Colonel Todd's party had passed this neck, so that there was no possibility of escape, the war-whoop of five hundred savages rent the air, followed by an instantaneous explo- sion of rifles, while a volley of bullets, from behind and on each side, swept the ranks of the doomed colonists.
Before that first discharge, sixty of them fell dead or seriously wounded. Colonel Todd himself was struck from his horse, and lay upon the sod, drenched in blood. One or two more volleys were poured in upon them, as they reeled to and fro in dreadful consternation. The savages, raising unearthly yells and brand- ishing their tomahawks, rushed in to complete the massacre. For the survivors, a backward retreat was impossible, and before them was the broad current of the Licking River.
Colonel Boone's two sons fought by the side of their father. One of them, Israel, was shot dead. The other, Samuel, was se- verely, but not mortally, wounded. The unhappy father, to save his wounded son from the scalping knife of the savage, took him upon his shoulders and tottered beneath the bleeding body tow- ards the river. A burly savage rushed upon him with gleaming knife. He dropped his boy, and shot the savage through the heart. But others came rushing on, and discharging their rifles, the poor boy was killed in his father's arms. Boone, leaving the bodies of his dead sons to their fate, fled with the agility of a deer towards the river, and swam the stream. His perfect familiarity with the region enabled him to elude his pursuers, and finally, by a circuitous route, and after much suffering, to reach his friends in safety.
In the meantime, the scene of tumult and slaughter was awful beyond description. Indians and colonists were all blended to- gether on the banks of the river, there being four Indians to one white man, and the stream seeming to be clogged with those who were endeavoring to escape by swimming. The Indians shot them and scalped them without mercy. Those who succeeded in escaping across the river scattered in all directions through the forest.
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There are different accounts of the numbers of the colonists who perished in this awful massacre. As there was no re-assem- bling of the utterly routed force, the missing could not well be counted. The Indians subsequently admitted the loss, on their part, of sixty-four warriors. This certainly proves the extraordi- nary valor with which the colonists fought. Colonel Boone, who almost miraculously escaped the carnage, gives the following modest, yet graphic, account of the calamity :
"I can not reflect upon this dreadful scene, but sorrow fills my heart. A zeal for the defense of their country led these heroes to the scene of action, though with a few men, to attack a power- ful army of experienced warriors. When we gave way, they pur- sued us with the utmost eagerness, and in every quarter spread destruction. The river was difficult to cross, and many were killed in their flight; some just entering the river, some in the water, and others after crossing, in ascending the cliffs. Some escaped on horseback, a few on foot ; and being dispersed every- where, in a few hours brought the melancholy news to Lexington. The reader may guess what sorrow filled the hearts of the inhab- itants, exceeding anything I am able to describe. Being rein- forced, we returned to bury the dead, and found their bodies strewed everywhere, cut and mangled in a dreadful manner. This mourn- ful scene exhibited a horror almost unparalleled, some torn and eaten by wild beasts, those in the river eaten by fishes, all in such a putrified condition that no one could be distinguished from another."
The savages, in accordance with their barbaric custom, to ap- pease the revengeful spirits of their slain, selected a number of their captives and put them to death by the most terrible tortures which fiend-like ingenuity could devise. This battle of the Blue Licks, fought by the Indians of Ohio upon one of the rivers of Kentucky, 'occupies one of the most melancholy chapters in the history of the latter state. Colonel Boone, a sorrow-stricken man, sent an official report of the conflict to Benjamin Harrison, then Governor of Virginia, father of William Henry Harrison, subse- quently President of the United States. The region of the great valley, now called Kentucky, was then considered as under the dominion of Virginia.
It was feared that the savages, elated by this victory, would attack and destroy nearly every one of the feeble settlements in
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Kentucky. It was fearful to encounter a foe, combining the brain of the Englishman with the sinewy arm and ferocious temper of the savage. Influenced by such peril, nearly every man and boy, capable of shouldering a musket, immediately took the field. Though the whole militia of the region, occupied by these feeble settlements, numbered at this time only one hundred and thirty men, still they raised the extraordinary number of four hundred and sixty to pursue the Ohio savages. It would seem that there must have been reinforcements sent to them from Pittsburgh, and from beyond the mountains. In Colonel Boone's official report, he writes :
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