house. With his knife he inflicted a severe wound upon one and gave the other a stunning blow with his gun, when they both retreated. Freed from his foes, he snatched up his child, plunged into the forest and was soon beyond the reach of danger.

"Several women and children were cruelly put to death after they were made prisoners, on their way to the Indian towns. On the second day of her captivity, Mrs. Bland made her escape in the bushes. Totally unacquainted with the surrounding country, and destitute of a guide, for eighteen successive days she wandered through the woods without seeing a human face, without clothes and subsisting on sour grapes and green walnuts, until she became a walking skeleton. On the eighteenth day she was accidentally discovered and taken to Linn's station, where, by kind treatment and careful nursing, her health and strength were soon restored."

There is another interesting story connected with the capture of Kincheloe's station. Among the prisoners taken by the Indians there was a Mrs. Polk and her four children. She was in extremely delicate health and was compelled to walk until almost exhausted. An Indian brandished a tomahawk and threatened her with death, at which another Indian interposed and saved her life. This latter Indian, having about him an instinct of humanity, and recognizing the delicate condition of the prisoner, took her into his care, and mounting her and two of her children on a horse, took her safely to Detroit. Here a British trader purchased her and her children from her captors. By some means she sent a letter to her husband, who had been absent from the station at the time of the attack, and he at once visited Detroit, where he regained his wife and children with whom he returned to Kentucky. The remaining prisoners, left alive, were permitted to return to their homes in Kentucky after the declaration of peace be

tween England and the United States in the following year.

The optimists hoped that the close of the War of the Revolution would bring peace to those who had pressed forward into the wilderness to make homes for their families; that the specious inducements, offered by English officers, to savages, to raid white settlements and murder women and children, would fall into disuse, and that the Kentucky pioneer would thereafter be left to till his fertile fields. in safety undisturbed by the sound of an English gun carried by a savage.

Col. John Mason Brown, a descendant of the early Kentucky pioneers, and himself a distinguished son of Kentucky, whose modesty was only surpassed by his great capacity, says of this period:

"The spring of the year 1782 opened upon what, indeed, seemed an era of prosperity and security for the west. The surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, in the preceding autumn, had ended the War of Independence. Peace with England brought with it a recognized American title to the great northwest as far as the lakes and beyond Detroit. The splendid dream of Clark, which none but Jefferson seemed fully to comprehend, was fulfilled in the cession of an empire. Strong men had come in numbers to seek fortune and adventure in the brakes and forests of Kentucky. Brave women encountered the hardships of the frontier and followed husbands and fathers into the wilderness. Families had been established and children had been born to the pioneers. Already was cradled the generation of riflemen destined to crush, in after years, the great confederation of Tecumseh, and to assure the northern boundary of the Union."

That the whites had a reason to expect a cessation of Indian atrocities after the declaration of peace between the United States and England, as stated by Colonel Brown, was entirely reasonable, but the deadly affair at Blue

Lick showed that however peace may have come in a general sense, there was yet war for them and that the sturdy "backwoodsmen of Kentucky" had still to fight for home, wife and children.

Recognizing this fact and the dangers that surrounded them, Daniel Boone, Levi Todd, Robert Patterson, R. Netherland (the latter of whom had been called a coward and who was really the hero of Blue Lick), William Henderson, John Craig and others of the Kentucky pioneers, addressed the following memorial to Governor Harrison of Virginia:

"The officers, civil as well as military, of this county, beg the attention of Your Excellency and the Honorable Council. The number of the enemy that lately penetrated into our country, their behavior and, adding to this, our late unhappy defeat at the Blue Licks, fill us with the greatest concern and anxiety. The loss of our worthy officers and soldiers who fell there the 19th of August, we sensibly feel and deem our situation truly alarming. We can scarcely behold a spot of earth but what reminds us of the fall of some fellow adventurer, massacred by savage hands. Our number of militia decreases. Our widows and orphans are numerous; our officers and worthiest men fall a sacrifice. In short, Sir, our settlement hitherto formed at the sacrifice of treasure and much blood, seems to decline, and if something is not speedily done we doubt not will be wholly depopulated. The Executive, we believe, thinks often of us and wishes to protect us, but we believe that any military operations that for eighteen months have been carried on in obedience to orders from the Executive have been rather detrimental than beneficial. Our militia are called upon to do duty in a manner that has a tendency to protect Jefferson county, or rather Louisville, a town without inhabitants, and a fort situated in such manner that an enemy coming with a design to lay waste our country would scarcely come within one hundred miles of it; and our own frontiers are open and unguarded. Our inhabitants are discouraged. It is now near two years since the division of the county and no surveyor has ever appeared among us, but has, by appointment, from time to time, deceived us. Our principal expectation of strength is from him. During his absence from the county claimants of land disappear, when if otherwise they would prove a source of additional strength.

"We entreat the executive to examine into the

cause and remove it speedily. If it is thought impracticable to carry the war into the enemy's country the plan of building a garrison at the mouth of the Limestone and another at the mouth of Licking, formerly prescribed by Your Excellency, might be again adopted and performed. A garrison at the mouth of Limestone would be a landing place for adventurers from the back parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia, adjacent to a large body of good land which would be speedily settled. It would be in the enemy's principal crossing place, not more than fifty miles from Lexington, our largest settlement, and might be readily furnished with provisions from above till they could be supplied from our settlements here. Major Netherland, we expect, will deliver this. He will attend to give any additional Huinformation that may be deemed necessary. manity towards inhabitants, destitute of hope of any other aid will surely induce Your Excellency to spare from the interior parts of the state two hundred men and a few pieces of artillery for those purposes above mentioned."

Col. Benjamin Logan on the 31st of August of the same year, wrote to Governor Harrison, as follows in relation to the affair at Blue Lick:

"From the situation of the ground on which our men were drawn, I hardly know how it was possible for any to escape. I am inclined to believe that when Your Excellency and council become acquainted with the military operations in this country, you will not think them so properly conducted as to answer the general interests of Kentucky. From the accounts we had received by prisoners who had escaped this spring, we were confident of an invasion by the Detroit Indians. Common safety then made some scheme of defense necessary. For this purpose I was called upon by General Clark to attend a council, and after consulting over matters, it was determined to build a fort at the mouth of the Licking. Shortly, I received his orders for one hundred men to attend this business with a certain number from Fayette. Before the day of the rendezvous, I was instructed to send the men to the Falls of the Ohio in order to build a strong garrison and a row-galley, thus by

weakening one end to strengthen another. The upper part of the country was left exposed and the enemy, intercepting our plans, brought their intended expedition against the frontiers of Fayette. The immense expenses incurred by the state in this western country we know are enough to prevent the government from giving us further aid, but when Your Excellency and council are informed that the people have never been benefited by those expenditures, we still hope your compassion will be extended to a detached and distressed part of your country, as it is not in the power of the people to answer the misapplication of anything by a proper officer. General Irwin, commanding at Fort Pitt as a Continental officer, might probably be of more assistance to this country, could he receive proper supplies from the state of Virginia, than any other measure that could be adopted, as he has the same enemies to encounter that trouble us and stores of every kind seem to be of little use to us, ammunition excepted. Colonel Trigg being killed, there is a field officer wanting in this county. I am at a loss how to proceed on the occasion, for all our magistrates have been killed except three, and there can be no court to send a recommendation. Colonel Harrod, who formerly acted as a colonel and who, according to seniority, ought to have received a commission, is now in being, and, I think a very proper person for that purpose."

It is difficult to leave the narration of events connected with the disastrous affair at Blue Licks. Those who have been soldiers participating in great victories, or suffering the pangs of disastrous defeats, will recognize the fascination which holds a former soldier to the events of the fatal day at Blue Licks. Therefore no excuse need be offered for presenting here a copy of a letter written August 26, 1782, by Col. Levi Todd to his brother, Captain Robert Todd, giving further details of the battle: "Our men suffered much in retreat, many Indians having

mounted our abandoned horses and having an open woods to pass through to the river, several were killed in the river. made to rally, but in vain. He that could remount a horse was well off, and he that could not, saw no cause for delay. Our brother received a ball in his left breast and was on horseback when the men broke. He took a course that I thought dangerous and I never saw him afterwards. I suppose he never got over the river. Col. Trigg, Major Harlan, Major Bulger, Captains McBride, Gordon, Kinkead and Overton fell upon the ground; also, our friend, James Brown. Our number missing is about seventy-five. I think the number of the enemy was about three hundred, but many of the men think five hundred. Col. Logan, with five hundred men, went upon the ground on the 24th and found and buried about fifty of our men. They were all stripped naked, scalped and mangled in such manner that it was hard to know one from another. Our brother was not known.

"As people in different parts of the country will be anxious to know the names of the killed, I will add a list of what I can now remember: Col. John Todd, Colonel Stephen Trigg, Major Silas Harlan, and Major Edward Bulger; Captains William McBride, John Gordon, Joseph Kinkead, and Clough Overton; Lieutenants William Givens, John Kennedy, Joseph Lindsey, and - Rodgers; Ensign John McMurtry; Privates Francis McBride, John Price, James Ledgerwood, John Wilson, Isaac McCracken, Lewis Rose, Mathias Rose, Hugh Cunningham, Jesse Yocum, Wm. Eads, Esau Corn, Wm. Smith, Henry Miller, Ezekiel Field, John Folly, John Fry, Val Stern, Andrew McConnell, Surgeon James Brown, William Harris, William Stewart, William Stevens, Charles Ferguson, John Wilson, John O'Neal, John Stapleton, Daniel Greggs, Jervis Green, Dowry Polly, William Robertson, Gilbert Marshall, James Smith and Israel Boone."

But for the rash conduct of Major McGary the dread result at Blue Licks would have been avoided. The logical duty of those in command was to await the arrival of the reinforcements under Colonel Logan, who were hastening to the assistance of their fellow colonists. With these men the Indians would have been defeated and driven from the state, probably never to return in such organized form. McGary was of the type of brave man without judgment, and most grievously did his comrades pay for his rashness.

The people were disheartened by this disastrous battle, even the lion-hearted Boone, sharing the general depression. Writing to Governor Harrison of Virginia, he said: "I have encouraged the people in this country all that I could, but I can no longer justify them or myself to risk our lives here under such extraordinary circumstances. The inhabitants are very much alarmed at the thoughts of the Indians bringing another campaign into our country this fall. If this should be the case, it would break up these settlements."

The desperation of Boone, as set forth in his letter to Gov. Harrison, was a natural sequence to the affair at Blue Lick. The brave old pioneer was almost in despair but there was a gallant, soldierly man in Kentucky who knew not the word despair and who had never abandoned the plan of carrying the war into the enemy's country.

George Rogers Clark had been charged with expending his energies in defense of the settlements about Louisville, but, in fact, his sole idea was the relief of all the settlements. He proposed to strike so serious a blow to the Indian tribes as would forever prevent another incursion by them into Kentucky. He sent forth a call for volunteers before Boone's complaint had been made known. The gallant settlers rallied in immediate response, well knowing that with Clark as their leader there would be prompt and quick reprisal upon the savage enemy.

Early in November, 1782, according to the best authorities, though some have named September as the month when they rallied, Clark found himself at the head of more than a thousand brave and determined men who had rallied to his call at the mouth of the Licking, opposite to what is now the great city of Cincinnati. With this force, early in November, 1782, he moved across the Ohio river and on the evening of the 10th surprised and

captured the principal Shawnee town, destroying everything that was of no value to his troops. Col. Benjamin Logan, the splendid soldier, who seemed to be always ready when there was active work to be done, a characteristic of the Logans to come after him, led a party of one hundred and fifty men. against the British post at the head of the Miami, which he captured, destroying vast quantities of stores which the English had furnished to the Indians. The amount of these stores was a surprise to the invading forces, who had no idea that the savages had such substantial support from their English allies.

Clark remained for four days in the Indian country, but finding that he could not bring on a general engagement, as he so much desired, he withdrew his forces, owing to threatening. weather and the near approach of winter. But he had taught the savages a useful lesson and afterward they made no formidable invasion of Kentucky. Small parties of Indians made subsequent incursions into the district, doing much damage, but there were no organized efforts after Clark's expedition into their country, though the English, even after the treaty of peace was signed, continued to incite the savages to deeds of violence against. the white settlers along the American frontier. The English of today confront a situa