Слике страница
PDF
ePub

His party on the present occasion, was made up of his trusty companions; and with two of these, he quitted the fort in the night, and traversing the woods, found his way to Holston; where having obtained the wanted powder and lead, and put them under the care of his men, with directions how to conduct themselves, Logan returned alone, to his fort, in less than ten days from the time of departure; he still found the siege continued, and his diminutive garrison almost reduced to despair. In him they found a host: his intelligence reanimates their drooping spirits; they rise from despondence to exultationfrom being almost vanquished, to sensations stronger, and more lively, than those of victory; they are feelings of gratitude, and confidence.

How had their commandant escaped the dangers which beset his path? was the eager enquiry of all. For the greater part of his way was through a broken and brushy wilderness, infested by savages ever ready to attack, and to kill. But Captain Logan was a woodsman, and a soldier: The one gave him a knowledge of the country-the other, fortitude to encounter, and surmount, both difficulty and danger. The sagacity of Logan, had prescribed to him the untrodden way; he left that which was beaten, and likely to be waylaid by Indians -avoided Cumberland gap, and explored his passage, where no man ever travelled before, nor probably since, over the Cum. berland mountain, through clifts, and brush, and cane; clambering rocks, and precipices, to be encountered only by the strong, the bold, and the determined. But he felt the importance of success; nor was he insensible to the situation of an affectionate wife, and confiding friends and comrades, who looked to him for safety, for preservation.

The escort with the ammunition, observing the directions given it, arrived in safety, according to expectation; and the garrison, although still besieged, felt itself competent to defend the fort. They were, however, under the necessity of hunting meat for their supply: which compelled daily exposures to the Indians, who infested all the parts adjacent. Thus cut off from other society, and deeply impressed with the unpleasant

effects of confinement within, and enemies without, they anxiously wished for a change-yet knew not whence to expect relief-while they suffered most poignant distress. They were not even apprized of Colonel Bowman's approach; who, however, arrived in the country about September, and fortunately dected his march, with a hundred men, to Logan's fort. A detachment of these, considerably in advance of the main body, upon its approach to the fort, was fired on by the besiegers, and several of them killed; the rest made their way into the place-which had the effect to disperse the enemy, to the great relief of the garrison. On the dead body of one of this detachment, were found proclamations, which had been prepared in Canada, and sent into the country, by the British governor of that province; offering protection to such of the inhabitants, as would abjure the republic, and return to their allegiance to the crown; with denunciations of vengeance against such as refused. The man who found the papers, gave them to Logan. Upon ascertaining their contents, he thought it prudent to conceal them; lest their invocations, and their threats, operating on the minds of the people, worn down by various difficulties, and distress, the end of which could not be foreseen, might have the unhappy effect of diminishing their fortitude, or of shaking their fidelity.

Perhaps this caution was unnecessary, but the circumstances under which it was taken rendered it prudent. For although the arrival of Colonel Bowman, had given a high degree of cheerfulness to the garrison for the moment; and the Indians had disappeared, from its walls; yet it had been disclosed, that his men were engaged but for a short time,-that much of it had expired on the road, and that their return would immediately follow their discharge; and it was but reasonable to apprehend, as a consequence, that the country would be again left a prey to the savages-instigated by the British agents in Canada. Of whose power, and enmity, the people had an opinion, as alarming, as they were exalted, and unknown, in their extent, or effects.

The lapse of time brought on the fall season, and with it the period, which deprived the garrison of their auxiliaries. The fort once more left to its resident inhabitants, and the Indians not yet withdrawn from the country, the want of ammunition, was again felt; and Holston the only resource accessible for supply. Again Logan left his family, and his fort, to encounter new dangers, and privations, in search of it. This journey was undertaken, and executed, with his usual readiness and facility; in which he obtained what he sought. Soon after his return, his force was augmented by the arrival of Montgomery's party; which confirmed the good spirits, his presence had revived. On the 4th of July, Boonesborough was again besieged by a party of these indefatigable warriors; apparently the more determined, as their number was increased to two hundred. And the more certain to ensure success, as they imagined, they had sent detachments to alarm and annoy the neighbouring forts; in order to prevent assistance being sent to Boonesborough. In the attack at this time, the Indians killed one, and wounded two men: with the loss of seven killed on their side; which were 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 by the garrison, of less than half the enemy's number; the Indians, losing all hope of success, tumultuously, and with clamour, departed, and disappeared, concealed by the adjacent hills.

[ocr errors]

Notwithstanding these various sieges, adjacent to the forts, the men cleared the fields; in which they planted corn, and other vegetables-some keeping guard, while others laboured; and each taking his turn, as a hunter, at great hazard. The people being now permitted, by the dispersion of the Indians, to take their equal chance in the woods, felt much relief; and rejoiced not a little in their freedom. They thought themselves rather the best marksmen, and as likely to see the Indian first, as to be seen by him; while the first sight, was equivalent to the first fire, and the most expert shooter, held, the best security for his life,

They had been accustomed to call the Virginians, Long Knife; and they now found to their cost, that they were close shooters; they had by this time, become shy of exposing themselves, at the garrisons--and even in the woods, took some precaution, to avoid rencounters, with equal numbers. The end of this eventful year, at length approached; the icy train of winter came on; and the Indians, for a while disappeared.

From the narrative now given, it appears that Boonesbo rough, Harrodsburgh, and Logan's fort, alias, St. Asaph's; were the only permanent settlements yet formed-and of these, the first only, was on navigable water. At the first, were twenty-two men--at the second, sixty-five-at Logan's, fifteen --exclusive of the preceding summer's recruits; who being militia, generally returned to the eastward when discharged; which they were in the autumn of the same year.

[1778.] It would be unnecessary, were it practicable, to particularize the assistance which Captain Boone gave to emigrants either on the road, or after their arrival, when the activity of his zeal, and the humanity of his character are recollected, and duly appreciated. Suffice it to say, that he was accustomed to range the country as a hunter, and as a spy; and that he frequently would meet the approaching travellers on the road, and protect or assist them into the settled parts. No sooner was he relieved from one kind of duty, than he was. ever ready to engage in another, for the relief of the garrisons, or the service of the country. On the first of January, 1778, he, with thirty men, went to the lower Blue licks, on Licking river, to make salt for the different establishments, where the people were in great want of that article, without the prospect of supply from abroad. The seventh of the ensuing February, as he was out hunting meat for the salt makers, he fell in with a detachment of one hundred and two Indians, on its march to attack Boonesborough. That, as it may be remarked, being a particular object of Indian resentment and hostility; probably on account of its being the first settlement made in the country, by the white intruders," as the Indians would naturally call them. At this time they wanted a prisoner, from whom

to obtain intelligence: and while Boone fled, some of their swiftest warriors pursued, and took him. After eight days, they brought him to the licks, where they made twenty-seven of his men prisoners, by previous capitulation; in which they promised life, and good treatment. The other three men of the party, had been sent home with the salt, which had been made.

The Indians, elated with their success, proceeded to their town of Chillicothe, on the little Miami. The weather was cold, and inclement, during a march of three days, in which they treated their prisoners as they did themselves, in respect to fire, and provisions. Nor did they afterwards break the capitulation.

Thus was twenty-eight, including Captain Boone, of the brave defenders of the country, carried captive into the enemy's town, without a prospect of liberation, or exchange. A SPARTAN would have solaced himself, that by the sacrifice of his own liberty, he had saved his country. Nor were these less patriotic than Spartans. Had the Indians, after making Boone and his men prisoners, instead of returning home with their captives, continued their march to Boonesborough, they might have either taken the place by surprise; or using the influence which their prisoners conferred on them, compelled a surrender of the garrison. And progressively acting on the same plan, it is probable, that similar success would have attended them at the other two places. For it is hardly presumable that if either had escaped surprise, that it would have resisted a summons to surrender, which might have been enforced by the massacre of any number of the prisoners. But owing to the address of Boone, or the habits of their warfare, after succeeding to so great an extent in capturing their enemies, without any loss on their side, they returned home; leaving the garrisons unmolested for that time; but afflicted with a deep sense of their loss-and of the probable sufferings of their unfortunate comrades, who had thus fallen into the hands of savages, in executing an innocent enterprise, undertaken for their mutual benefit.

« ПретходнаНастави »