USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 26
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In the mean time the warriors repaired to a strong cabin, and prepared to defend it. The place of concealment was now disclosed, and several shot were discharged from one side and returned by the other, when the party under Captain Logan took possession of the vacated cabins, and commenced the attack upon the Indian citadel. Captain Logan ordered a moveable breast work to be constructed out of the doors and floors of the cabins, for the purpose of pushing it forward as a battery, against the cabin occupied by the Indians. This was already in the course of construction, when Colonel Bowman, who had not moved from his first position, finding that the Indians were on their defence, dispatched a messenger with orders for a retreat. At this time, this order was re- ceived with astonishment. Had he moved up his own division, victory would have been sure: and even had he marched home, leaving the division under Captain Logan to contend alone, it is more than probable the Indians would have been driven from their place of defence and routed. And what rendered retreat a cruelty to the brave men under Captain Logan, was, the unavoidable exposure which they must encoun- ter in the open field which surrounded the town. The order for retreat was therefore reluctantly obeyed. The moment they left their cover, the Indians opened upon them a galling fire, being themselves com- pletely sheltered. Then instead of order, a scene unmilitary and mor- tifying took place. Some would rush out of a cabin, others would rise from a log, or start from behind some screen, and all run in the utmost disorder, to gain the neighboring wood. At length, after the loss of several lives, the remnant of the invading force was reunited, and a re- treat commenced, under the painful reflection that the expedition had failed, without any adequate cause being known. But that was not the nlv source of mortification. The Indian warriors, under their chief,
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Blackfish, sallied from the town, in pursuit of the discomfitted invaders of their forests and firesides, and continued for some miles, harrrssing the rear of the fugitives, without being checked,-notwithstanding the disparity of their numbers,-there being not more than thirty savages in pursuit.
Colonel Bowman finding himself thus pressed, at length halted his men in a low piece of ground, covered with underwood. A situation more injudiciously chosen, can not well be imagined-since of all others, it most favored the purposes of the Indians. In a few minutes the savages surrounded the troops, and with horrid yells, commenced firing on all sides. The commander seemed to have lost his understanding. He gave no orders to fire-made no attempt to repulse the enemy, but, panic struck, stood as a mark to be shot at. Some of the men fired their pieces, but without any precise object, for the Indians were scattered and hid in the tall grass and underwood. At length Logan, Harrod, Holder, Badinger, and Bulger, put themselves at the head of a few chosen men, mounted on some of the pack horses, and scoured the woods, rushing upon the Indians first in one direction, and then in another, until their Chief, Blackfish, was killed, when the rest fled, and the fugitives were relieved from their further attacks. It was in the evening when this event occurred; and it being reported to the Colonel, he resumed his march, at dark, and taking for his guide a creek, running south into the Ohio, he followed its course all night, and in quiet and safety, reached home with the loss of nine men killed and one wounded. (1)
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Notwithstanding this unfortunate affair, Colonel Bowman was said not to be deficient in personal courage or military talents. He was besides highly respected, for his benevolence and civic virtures. His conduct in this expedition was inexplicable, and a subject of mortification and regret.
In the autumn of the same year, (2) a number of boats manned with about seventy men, under the command of Major Rodgers, were as- cending the Ohio, and had advanced as far as the mouth of Licking river, when a few Indians were observed standing upon the southern extre- mity of a sand bar. At the same time a canoe rowed by three others, was in the act of putting off from the Kentucky shore, apparently for the purpose of taking them on board. Major Rodgers instantly moved to the Kentucky shore, landed his men, who were well armed, and cau.
(1) Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I. p. 91, 94.
(2) This happened in 1779.
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tiously advanced in such a manner as to encircle the spot where the enemy had been seen to land. Only half a dozen Indians had been seen, and it was supposed the whole party could not exceed twenty.
When, however, Major Rodgers supposed that he had completely surrounded the enemy, and was preparing to rush upon them from several quarters at once, he was struck with astonishment at beholding several hundred savages, suddenly spring up in the front, rear, and on both flanks ! They instantly poured in a close discharge of rifles, and then throwing down their guns, rushed upon the surprised and terri- fied survivors with the tomahawk ! The panic and the slaughter were prodigious. Major Rodgers, together with forty-five of his men, was almost instantly killed. The survivors made an effort to regain their boats, but the five men with whom they had been left in charge, had left the shore in one boat, and the enemy had gained the possession of the others. Disappointed in the attempt, they turned furiously upon the enemy, and aided by the approach of darkness, forced their way through the savage host, and with the loss of several severely wounded, effected their escape to Harrodsburg.
Among the wounded, was Captain Robert Benham. Shortly after breaking through the enemy's line, he was shot through both hips, and the bones being shattered, he fell to the ground. Fortunately a large tree had lately fallen near the spot where he was lying, and with great difficulty he dragged himself into the top and concealed himself among the branches. The Indians, eager in pursuit of the others, passed him with- out notice, and by midnight all was quiet. On the following day, the Indians returned to the battle ground, in order to strip the dead. But Captain Benham remained still, and the Indians left the place. On the evening of the second day, being nearly famished, he saw a raccoon descending a tree near him and shot it, hoping to devise some means of reaching it, when he could kindle a fire, and cook himself a meal. Scarcely had his gun cracked, when he heard a human cry, ap- parently not more than fifty yards distant. Supposing it to be an Indian, he quickly reloaded his gun, and remained silent. Soon the same voice. was heard again, but much nearer. Still he made no reply, but prepared to fire, as soon as the object appeared. The cry was a third time re- peated, accompanied with an exclamation of impatience and distress, which convinced Captain Benham, that the unknown must be a white man. He was now near him, and in a supplicating tone exclaimed :- " Whoever you are, in the name of mercy answer me." Captain Ben- ham then replied, and the parties were soon together.
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Captain Benham had been disabled in both legs, and could not walk, but had the use of his arms. The other wounded man had escaped from the same battle, with both arms broken. He could walk, but could not help himself with his hands. Thus each was enabled to supply what the other could not. Captain Benham could load his gun and kill game, while his friend could kick the game to the spot where the Cap- tain could cook it. Captain Benham dressed his own and his friend's wounds, while the other gathered wood with his feet, brought water from
the Licking by wading into it, until his hat was filled, which he held by the rim in his teeth, and drove flocks of wild turkeys within the reach of Benham's gun. Here they remained for several weeks, until their wounds were so far healed, as to enable them to travel, when they removed to the mouth of Licking, and built a shelter, where they re- mained until a boat came along, and they were taken to Louisville, six weeks after the battle.
In the year 1780, Colonel George Slaughter descended the Ohio, with one hundred and fifty State troops, to the Falls, at Louisville, where Colonel Clarke had established his head-quarters, and erected the first regular fortification. In this fort were placed several small pieces of cannon.
The British Commandant at Detroit, recovering from the astonish- r ment at the brilliant success of Colonel Clarke at Kaskaskia and Vin- cennes, determined to counteract the effect it had produced upon his C Indian allies, by striking a decisive blow at the frontier settlements.
For this purpose, he concerted with the chiefs of the several Indian nations, a powerful expedition against Ruddle's and Martin's Forts, on the Licking River, on the south side of the Ohio. The greatest secrecy - was observed in the military preparations. A large force of six hundred Indians and Canadians assembled on the first day of June, under the command of Colonel Byrd, an officer of the British army. In addition to the usual implements of warfare employed in savage attacks against the rude fortifications which the pioneers constructed for the defence of their women and children, two field pieces were added to this painted, frightful, and murderous host.
Colonel Byrd moved his cannon by water up the Licking to the junction of the south fork, and thence by land, and appeared before Ruddle's Fort with his formidable force, on the twenty-second day of June, to the astonishment of the unsuspecting garrison and families under its protection. The gates of the fort were immediately shut, and preparations made for defence. It was only a common stockade fort,
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without a single piece of artillery, and only a few heads of families ca- pable of bearing arms, within it. 'The enemy displayed their numbers, brought up their cannon to view, and summoned the garrison to surren- der, promising to save their lives and the lives of their women and children. Their property was to be given up to plunder. The feeble garrison, encumbered by frightened and weeping women and children, without cannon to repel, cavalry to disperse, or numbers to meet such a force, threw open the gates, and the Indians rushed in to secure their prisoners and plunder. The savages killed three reluctant prisoners, loaded the remainder with the spoils of their own houses, and compelled them to carry the burdens to the Indian towns. They next attacked Martin's Fort, which surrendered in like manner, and on the same conditions.
A hasty retreat was then commenced by the route of approach, and the prisoners were forced along with violence, to the women and child- ren. Such as were unable to perform the march on foot with the re- quired speed, or sunk under their burdens, fell instant victims to the tomahawk of their savage and vindictive conquerors. Such as survived, were dispersed among the Indian tribes, or carried captive to the British garrison at Detroit.
It was then determined to avenge the murder and captivity of the gar- risons at Ruddle's and Martin's Forts, by a prompt and vigorous retalia- tion, on the Indian towns in the north-west. Colonel Clarke, then at the Falls of the Ohio, issued a call for volunteers, which was promptly responded to, and a respectable force soon rallied around his standard. Uniting to the volunteers his own regiment, he marched against the Pickawa, the principal town of the Shawanese, situated on a branch of the Great Miami. The expedition was conducted with that prudence and dispatch which distinguished the hero of Kaskaskia and Vincennes. He appeared suddenly before the town, and the Indians, sending their women and children to the woods for safety, prepared for a desperate defence of their firesides and homes. Colonel Clarke commenced the attack with great impetuosity, and the defence was obstinate and bloody. For a considerable time the issue was doubtful. At length the victory was decided in favor of the whites-the savages were routed, leaving seventeen warriors dead upon the field. Their town was then reduced to ashes, and their gardens and cornfields were destroyed.
This victory, although decisive of the campaign, and inflicting a terrible blow upon the Indians, from which they did not recover, during the year, was nevertheless purchased with the loss of seventeen brave
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men of the army, who were killed in the action. Several others were wounded.
From the Pickawa, Colonel Benjamin Logan was sent by the com- mander-in-chief with a detachment, to reduce another town about twenty miles distant. But the Indians alarmed at the result of the fatal battle of Pickawa, and receiving intelligence of the approach of Colonel Lo- gan, evacuated the town, leaving their habitations and a British store, from which Pickawa had been supplied with arms and ammunition, to the conquerors. These were burned, and the adjacent corn-fields and gardens destroyed. The expedition having been successful, the volun- teers returned to their homes, and Colonel Clarke, with his regiment, again marched to head-quarters at the Falls of the Ohio.(1)
About this time Colonel Boone and his brother were returning home alone, from the lower Blue Licks, when he encountered a party of In- dians, and his brother, who had accompanied him through many years of toil and danger, was killed and scalped before his eyes. Unable to pre- vent or avenge his death, he was compelled to fly, and by his superior knowledge of the country, contrived to elude his pursuers. They fol- lowed his trail, however, by the scent of a dog, that pressed him closely, and prevented his concealing himself. With that coolness that distin- guished him, he halted until the dog, baying loudly upon his trail, came within reach of his rifle, when he deliberately turned and shot him dead. The thickness of the woods and the approach of darkness, then enabled him to effect his escape. (2)
(1) Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I., pp. 107-111.
(2) An anecdote is told of Boone, which is highly characteristic of the hu- mor and the coolness of the pioneer. He was once resting in the woods, with a small number of followers, when a large party of Indians came suddenly upon them and halted-neither party having discovered the other until they came in contact. The whites were eating ; and the Indians, with the ready tact for which they are famous, sat down with perfect composure and com- menced eating also. It was obvious that they wished to lull the suspicions of the white inen, and to seize a favorable opportunity for rushing upon them .- Boone affected a careless inattention ; but in an under tone, quietly admon- ished his men to keep their hands upon their rifles. He then strolled towards the Indians, unarmed, and leisurely picking the meat from a bone; the Indian leader, who was similarly employed, rose to meet him. Boone saluted him, and then requested to look at the knife with which the Indian was cutting his meat. The chief handed it to him without hesitation ; and our pioneer, who, with his other accomplishments, possessed considerable expertness at sleight of hand, deliberately opened his mouth and affected to swallow the long knife, which, at the same instant, he threw adroitly into his sleeve. The Indians were astonished ; Boone gulped, rubbed his throat, stroked his body, and then, with apparent satisfaction, pronounced the horrid mouthful to be very good. Having enjoyed the surprise of the spectators for a few moments, he made another contortion, and drawing fortti the knife, as they supposed, from his body, civilly returned it to the chief. The latter took the point cautiously between his thumb and finger, as if fearful of being contaminated by touch-
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During the year 1781, several predatory bands of Indians committed depredations upon the settlements south of the Ohio river, but no large force acted in concert during the year. In March, several parties way- laid and killed Colonel William Lynn, and Captains Tipton and Chap- man. Captain Whitaker then raised fifteen men, and following the trail of the Indians, pursued them to the Ohio, at the foot of the rapids .- Supposing they had crossed the river, they embarked in canoes to fol- low them, when the Indians, concealed on the bank, opened a fire upon their rear, and killed and wounded nine of the party. Although more than half were killed and wounded, the survivors returned to the shore, and by a vigorous and gallant attack routed the Indians with great loss.
Not long afterwards, several families, who had settled where Shelby- ville now stands, became alarmed at the appearance of Indians in the vicinity, and determined to remove to the stronger settlements for safety. When on their way, and encumbered with women, children and their effects, they were attacked near Long Run by a large party of Indians, and defeated with considerable loss, in killed and wounded. The sur- vivors were either taken prisoners or dispersed. Colonel John Floyd, on the receipt of this intelligence, raised a company of twenty-five men, in great haste, and repaired to the scene of disaster, with a view of af- fording relief to the sufferers, and chastising the enemy, He divided his party and proceeded with great caution, but such was the nature of the country, and the number of the savages, that he fell into an ambus- cade, and was defeated with the loss of half his men. He fought bravely, and killed a large number of the enemy, but being overpow- ered by numbers, which exceeded the whites three to one, he was com- pelled to retreat.
In about a month after the defeat of Colonel Floyd, Samuel McAfee and another person, were absent one-fourth of a mile from the fort, when they were fired on by some Indians in ambush. The companion of McAfee was killed, and he commenced his retreat to the fort. He ran only a short distance, when he met an Indian : each halted and raised their muskets, at the same instant. The Indian's gun missed fire. McAfee killed his antagonist, and continued his retreat. Before he reached the fort, he met his brothers Robert and James. Robert, although cautioned against it, ran along the path to see the dead Indian, and in the mean
ing the weapon, and threw it from him into the bushes, The pioneer saun- tered back to his party; and the Indians, instantly despatching their meal, marched off, desiring no farther intercourse with a man who could swallow a scalping. knife .- Hall's Sketches of the West, Vol. II. p. 60-61.
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time several Indians threw themselves between him and the fort. In this critical situation, he was pursued, and flew from tree to tree, aiming to reach the fort. He threw himself over a fence, and his pursuer took shelter behind a tree, and when the Indian undertook to look from behind the tree, Robert fired his rifle, and lodged the ball in his mouth- the Indian fell, and Robert escaped to the fort. In the mean time, James McAfee was in a situation of great peril. Five Indians lying in ambush fired at him, and missed him. He instantly retreated behind a tree for safety, when four Indians on the other side discharged their muskets at him, and the balls whistled about his ears but did him no injury. He then abandoned the tree, and made his escape to the fort. This singular prowess and remarkable deliverance of three brothers, are among those truths in history that are more strange than fiction.
The Indians then appeared in all directions, and with horrid yells and menacing gestures commenced an attack on the fort. The garrison re- turned their fire with spirit. The women cast the bullets and the men discharged them at the enemy. After an action which lasted about two hours the Indians withdrew. The firing had been heard at a considera- ble distance and the neighborhood had been roused. Major M'Gary, arrived on the ground with forty men, soon after the Indians had re- treated. He instantly commenced the pursuit and followed on their trail with such celerity, that he overtook them about a mile from the fort. He then attacked them with great promptitude and energy .- They were signally defeated, broke and fled, and were hotly pursued for several miles, and completely routed and dispersed, with the loss of seven killed and several wounded.
In the beginning of the year 1782, as the last battle of the revolution had been fought, and hostilities had ceased between the United States, upon the surrender of Yorktown, the western pioneers fondly hoped that the war-whoop would now cease to be heard upon the frontiers. But these hopes were soon dissipated by the appearance in Kentucky, of predatory bands of Indians, early in the spring, who roamed over the country, attacking defenceless stations, murdering the inhabitants, and starting from their places of ambush, killing all who happened to ven- ture from their fortified places.
In the month of May, a party of about twenty-five Wyandotts in- vested Estill's fort, on the south side of Kentucky river. They killed one man, wounded another, and after destroying all the cattle about the fort retreated. Capt. Estill, at once, raised a company of twenty-five men, and followed them. IIe overtook them on Hinkton's fork of Lick-
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ing river, about two miles below the Little Mountain. The Indians had just crossed the creek, which in this place is small, and were ascending the bank on one side, as Estill's party was descending the creek hill, on the other. The water course which lay between, had produced an opening in the timber, which revealed the parties to each other, within rifle shot. Instantly the party under Capt. Estill fired upon the enemy, upon which the Indians commenced a flight. But their chief, although badly wounded by the first fire, was heard with a loud voice, promptly to give orders to his followers to stand, and take their positions in order of battle. Each Indian then sheltered himself behind a tree, nearly in a line and facing the party under Capt. Estill. In this position they returned the fire, and fought with great desperation.
In the meantime, Capt. Estill halted his men, about sixty yards dis- tant from the foe, and gave orders to his men to extend the line in front of the Indians, to cover themselves by the trees, and to fire, as the In- dians presented themselves, with sure aim.
The numbers were equal-the hostile lines within rifle shot, and the battle was general and desperate. It was impossible to retreat or ad- vance without imminent danger-each man fought his man, and fired only when he saw his mark. The firing was deliberate-with caution they looked out from behind their defences, and this look was often the forfeit of life. On both sides were the dead, the wounded and the dying. And thus, for more than one hour, the combatants on both sides, firmly stood, or bravely fell; and more than one-fourth of each party had fallen to rise no more,-and several others were wounded. Never was individual bravery put to a test more severe. Amid the clangor of arms, in a great and general battle ; and in the excitement, produced by mar- tial music, the roar of artillery, and the loud hurras at every advantage gained over the enemy, death is forgotten, and even cowards die like brave men. But in the cool and constant expectation of death, none but the truly brave can stand. Never was manœuvreing more necessary or less practicable. Capt. Estill, had not a man to spare from his line. He could not retreat without the greatest danger, and he deemed it unsafe to charge the enemy in front, as many of his men must fall in the at- tempt when the enemy would receive the survivors on the other bank, with the tomahawk in hand. At the same time to preserve his present position, would expose his men to certain death, one by one, unless the Indians should all be killed first, and even then victory purchased at such a price, would afford but a melancholy triumph.(1)
(1) Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. 1, p. 126-128.
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After coolly revolving these reflections in his mind, and observing that the enemy exhibited no symptoms of discouragement, Capt. Estill de- termined to detach a party of six men, under Lieut. Miller, with orders to cross the creek above, and take the Indians in flank, while he main- tained his ground, ready to co-operate, as circumstances might require. But he had to deal with an enemy equally bold and sagacious. The Indian chief was quickly aware of the division of the force opposed to him, from the slacking of the fire in front, and readily conjecturing the object, he determined to frustrate it, by crossing the creek with his whole force, and overwhelming Estill, now weakened by the absence of the force under Miller. The manœuvre was bold and masterly and was executed with determined courage. Throwing themselves into the water, they fell upon the party in front under Capt. Estill, with the tom- ahawk, and drove them before them with great slaughter. Lieutenant Miller never executed the order, but fled with precipitation, and even lies under the reproach of absconding, instead of occupying the designated ground. The party under Capt. Estill, finding themselves furiously charged upon, and receiving no assistance from the party under Lieut. Miller, fought until their brave commander and eight of his men had fallen and only six or seven survived, when they retreated and escaped. The Indians lost about an equal number of men but gained the victory.
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