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CHAP. III.

Commencement of hostilities, progressive improvements, popula tion, &c.

[1775.] A ROAD sufficient for the passage of pack horses in single file, having been opened from the settlements on Holston, to the Kentucky river, by Daniel Boone, as heretofore mentioned, it was soon after, trodden by other adventurers, with families.

During this year, 1775, Boonesborough, and Harrodsburgh, were places of general rendezvous, it is believed, the only places of safety in the country, for either residents, improvers, or travellers. Nor were these safe, beyond the walls of their respective forts. If other settlements were permitted to exist, it was to be imputed to their obscurity, rather than to their strength. About the month of September in this year, Harrodsburgh became the residence of several families, with women and children: and from this period, may the permanent settlement of this place bear date. The names of Mrs. Denton, Mrs. McGary, and Mrs. Hogan, are worthy of mention; they being the first white females, who appeared with their husbands, and children, at Harrodsburgh. Other families soon followed, and the social, and domestic virtues, found a second asylum, in the midst of a savage wilderness.

In December, one man was killed by the Indians, at Boones borough; and their sign seen by the hunters in different parts of the country, while they, thus apprized of danger, were put on the alert.

In the latter end of this year, or early in 1776, Colonel Richard Calloway, removed his family, accompanied by others, to Boonesborough.

March, 1776, Benjamin Logan, moved Mrs. Logan and the residue of his family, from Holston to his Kentucky settlement; from which, however, for a part of the year, he pru

dently sought a temporary safety in Harrodsburgh; taking care, nevertheless, to secure his crop of corn on the premises. On the fourteenth of July-one of Daniel Boone's daughters, and two of the Miss Calloways, amusing themselves on the outside of the fort, were surprized by a party of Indians lying in ambush, and carried away prisoners. The alarm was immediately given; and Boone, collecting a company of eight men, pursued the Indians with the utmost dispatch. Such, however, was their celerity, that they were not overtaken, until the the 16th; when two of them were killed; and the girls rescued, without injury.

Soon after this occurrence, it was ascertained, that a host of savages had come into the country with hostile intentions; and the better to effect their purposes, according to their mode of warfare, had dispersed in small bands; and at the same time infested the different camps, or stations-some of which had been recently erected. The Indian manner of besieging a place, is somewhat singular; and will appear novel to those who have derived their ideas of a siege, from the tactics of regular armies. It is such, however, as the most profound reflection, or acute practical observation, operating upon existing circumstances, would dictate, or approve. They have not great armies, with which to make war: neither have they cannon, nor battering engines; nor have they even learned the use, of the scaling ladder. Besides, caution, the natural offspring of weakness, is even more inculcated, than courage. To secure himself, is the first, to kill his enemy, the second object, of the Indian warrior.

These sentiments, the results of the principle of self preservation, are common to all the tribes; and their practice is conformable to their utmost variety, and extent-with the exceptions, common to general rules. The Indians, in besieging a place, are hence but seldom seen, in force, upon any quarter; but dispersed and acting individually; or in small parties, They conceal themselves in the bushes, or weeds, or behind trees, or the stumps of trees; or waylay the path, or field, and other places, to which their enemies resort; and when one or

more can be taken down, in their opinion, they fire the gun, or let fly the arrow, aimed at the mark. If necessary, they retreat -if they dare, they advance upon their killed, or crippled, adversary-and take his scalp, or make him prisoner, if possible. They aim to cut off the garrison supplies, by killing the cattle; and they watch the watering places, for those who go, for that article of primary necessity; that they may by these means, reduce the place to their possession; or destroy its inhabitants, in detail.

In the night, they will place themselves near the fort gate, ready to sacrifice the first person who shall appear in the morning: in the day, if there be any cover--such as grass, a bush, a large clod of earth, or a stone as big as a bushel, they will avail themselves of it, to approach the fort, by slipping forward on their bellies, within gun-shot; and then, whosoever appears first, gets the fire; while the assailant makes his retreat behind the smoke, from the gun. At other times they approach the walls, or palisades, with the utmost audacity—and attempt to fire them, or to beat down the gate. They often make feints, to draw out the garrison, on one side of the fort, and if practica ble enter it by surprize, on the other. And when their stock of provision is exhausted, this being an individual affair, they supply themselves by hunting; and again, frequently return to the siege; if by any means they hope to get a scalp.

Such was the enemy, who infested Kentucky, and with whom the early adventurers had to contend. In the combat, they were brave; in defeat, they were dexterous; in in victory, they were cruel. Neither sex nor age, nor the prisoner, were exempted from their tomahawk, or scalping knife. They saw their perpetual enemy, taking possession of their HUNTING GROUND; to them, the source of amusement, of supply, and of traffic; and they were determined to dispute it to the utmost extent of their means. Had they possessed the skill which combines individual effort, with a concerted attack-and had they directed their whole force against each of the forts, then few, and feeble, in succession; instead of dissipating their strength, by attacking all at the same time; they could

easily have rid Kentucky of its new inhabitants: and again restored it to the buffaloe, and the Indian-the wild game, and its red hunters. But it was ordered otherwise; and after inflicting great distress on the settlers, without being able to take any of the forts, the approach of winter dispersed them; they having, in the mean time, killed sundry persons; and destroyed most of the cattle round the stations. Of the settlers, however, it is to be said, that they acquired fortitude, and dexterity, in proportion to the occasional pressure. In the most difficult times, the Indians were obliged to retire into the woods, sometimes in pursuit of game, sometimes, as to a place of safety: and generally by night they withdrew, to encamp at a distance. In these intervals, the white men would plough their corn, or gather their crop, or get up their cattle, or hunt the deer, the bear, and buffaloe, for their own food.

When traveling, they left the paths-and they frequently employed the night, to go out from, or return to, the garrison. In these excursions, they often exchanged shots with the Indians: and at times, when they came to the station, found it invested. Notwithstanding these dangers, and difficulties, Kentucky was visited by many parties, who came to improve lands, with a view to future settlement. And it appears, from a review of the records on this subject, that there were more of these improvements made in 1776, than in any other year: they having been since recognized, by grants of settlement, and pre-emption rights, for them. The country was extensive; the improving parties dispersed, and transitory; hence they presented no certain object to the Indians; and consequently were not sought for, placed in so much danger, or in fact, so much annoyed, as those who were about the garrisons. They however, did not always escape; on the contrary, rencounters frequently ensued; sometimes by manful resistance they kept the ground-at other times, they were compelled to fly, for safety, to the garrisons, or to the strong campsof the latter of which, there were several in the country.

It is a fact, worthy of notice for its singularity, that in the summer of this year, Captain John Haggin, lived for some

time in a single cabin, on Hinkston's fork of Licking; which was so denominated, from Captain John Hinkston, who, in the preceding year, was the leader of a party to its northern bank, where they made a station camp; but which was evacuated in the autumn of the same year.

In mentioning the incidents of 1776, the visit of George Ro gers Clark, who will hereafter occupy a distinguished place in this history, also demands attention. His appearance, well calculated to attract attention, was rendered particularly agreeable, by the manliness of his deportment, the intelligence of his conversation; but above all, by the vivacity, and boldness of his spirit for enterprise; and the determination he expressed of becoming an inhabitant of the country.

He fixed on no particular residence-was much in the woods; incidentally visiting the forts, and ostensible camps,. he cultivated the acquaintance of the people, and acquired an extensive knowledge of the various objects presented to his curiosity, or to his inspection.

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 point of general rendezvous, for the itinerant hunters, and improvers, north of the river; here there were cabins for shelter and accommodation, though not in the form; nor enclosed, as a fort. Other camps there were, of the kind mentioned, but of inferior note: none of them, however, being able to withstand the attacks of the Indians, the whole were broken up, and abandoned, in the course of the year.

At the approach of winter, the transitory improvers generally returned home; and as was natural, by recounting their adventures, unfolding their prospects, and disseminating their hopes, and their fears, among their fellow citizens, excited in them, particularly in Virginia, where most of them resided, a strong interest in favour of Kentucky. And when the legislature assembled, towards the close of that year, such was the increased importance of Kentucky-and such the disposition of Virginia, to accommodate the people of this remote and de

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