The Life and Times of Col. Daniel Boone, Hunter, Soldier, and Pioneer

Such a force, composed of such material, might well be considered invincible, for no combination of Indians could have been formed on the frontier capable of checking its march.

Colonel Clark, at the head, marched directly into the Indian country, spreading devastation wherever he went. The towns were burned and the corn-fields laid waste – a piece of cruelty, but war is always cruel – and by destroying their crops, the warriors were given something else to do besides forming expeditions against the frontier settlements. No attempt was made to check the advance of Colonel Clark, and his force having inflicted an incalculable amount of injury, withdrew and disbanded.

Only one skirmish had taken place; that was at an Indian village where about twenty men were killed on each side.

In the same year the organization of the militia of Kentucky was perfected. Colonel Clark was appointed brigadier-general and commander-in-chief of all the militia. Major Daniel Boone was advanced to the rank of colonel, and with Pope and Trigg held second rank, Floyd, Logan and Todd holding first.

A singular fatality seemed to attach itself to Blue Licks, already the scene of several disasters to the whites. In October, 1780, Boone and his brother visited the place, and had scarcely reached it when they were fired upon by a number of Indians in ambush, and the brother fell dead.

Boone himself dashed into the woods and fled for life, the Indians pursuing with the help of a dog. The latter clung so close to the heels of the fugitive, that, when he got a safe distance, he turned about and shot him, then resuming his flight, he soon placed himself beyond all danger from the savages.

In March, 1781, a number of straggling Indians entered Jefferson county at different points, and hiding along the paths, treacherously shot down several settlers. This served as a reminder to the pioneers that it was too soon to count upon any degree of safety from the red men.

In fact there was a state of continual unrest along the border. Among those killed in the manner mentioned, was Colonel William Linn. Captain Whitaker, with the resolve to punish the assassins, started in hot pursuit of them.

Striking their trail, he followed it rapidly to the Ohio, where he entered several canoes purposing to cross and continue the pursuit. He supposed that the warriors had already gone over, but such was not the case, the Indians being concealed on the Kentucky shore.

Just as Captain Whitaker and his men were pushing off, the savages fired, killing and wounding nine of them, but the others turned with such fierceness, that the Indians were put to flight, several of their number being left dead.

In the succeeding month a small station near Shelbyville, which had been founded by Boone, became so alarmed that the settlers determined to remove to Bear's Creek. While engaged in doing so, they were attacked by Indians and many killed.

Colonel Floyd hastily gathered twenty-five men and started in pursuit, but he was ambushed, half his party killed, and he himself would have been tomahawked, but for the assistance of the noted scout, Captain Wells, who helped him off the ground.

Toward the close of 1781, news reached Kentucky that Lord Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown, that the war was ended, and the Independence of the American colonies secured forever. It is impossible to imagine the delight which thrilled the country at this joyful tidings. America now took her place among the nations, and began that career of progress, advancement and civilization which has made her people the foremost of the world.

The settlers along the frontier believed their day of security and safety had come at last, and that now they might give their whole attention to the development of the country.

But the hope was an unsubstantial one. The American Indians, as a rule, are as regardless of treaties as are we, and they showed no disposition to recognize the fact that the war was over and the dawn of universal peace had come.

In May, 1782, twenty-five Wyandots suddenly appeared in front of Estill's Station, and after killing one man, and taking a prisoner, retreated. Captain Estill, with an equal force, started in pursuit, and overtook them at Hinkston's, where he savagely attacked them. His lieutenant, Miller, showed the white feather, failed to carry out instructions, and Captain Estill and nine of his men were killed and scalped, the Indians also losing their leader and half their warriors.

Simon Girty the renegade figures as an actor in the darkest deeds in the history of the West. He was a soldier at the fierce battle of Point Pleasant, but was so maltreated by his Commander, General Lewis, after the battle, that he forswore his race, and became one of the leaders of the Indians and the most merciless enemy of the settlers.

In the month of August, a runner arrived at Bryant's Station with news that Girty, at the head of a large force of Indians, was pushing through the woods with the intention of capturing the station. Immediate preparations were made to receive them, and when the Indians appeared, on the 14th of August, everything possible had been done to put the place in the best form of defence.

Girty was at their head, as had been announced, and he at once advanced to the clearing and summoned the settlers to surrender, telling them that no other course was left, for, besides the large force under him he had a number of re-enforcements marching to join him with artillery.

The sound of the last word was alarming to most of the settlers, but Reynolds, one of their number, took upon himself to answer Girty, who had assured them of honorable treatment in case of capitulation, and the tomahawk in the event of their failure to accept the terms.

The answer of Reynolds to this demand was of the most insulting nature. He laughed at the threats of Girty and challenged him to make them good; he said he was the owner of one of the mangiest and most worthless curs ever seen, and that he put the last crowning disgrace upon the poor dog by naming him "Girty;" that if he had military artillery or re-enforcements, he was invited to exhibit them, and that, finally, if Girty remained two hours longer before the fort, they would go out and scalp him and all the warriors he had with him.

This was an emphatic reply to the question, and Girty expressed in turn his regret that the settlers were so blind to the fate of themselves and those dependent upon them; but he had given them fair warning, and their blood must be on their own heads.

They had deliberately chosen to disregard the proffer of peace and safety, and the world could not blame him now for carrying out his threat – that of putting every one to death with the tomahawk.

The resistance which they had determined to offer would only excite the Indians to the highest point of fury, and they would now be irrestrainable.

Thereupon Simon Girty went back to where his Indian allies were awaiting him, placed himself at their head, and then deliberately turned about and marched away, without firing a shot at the station!

CHAPTER XV

Arrival of Boone with Re-enforcements – Pursuit of the Indian Force – Boone's Counsel Disregarded – A Frightful Disaster – Reynold's Noble and Heroic Act – His Escape

On the morning succeeding the departure of Girty and his Indians from the front of Bryant's Station, Boone reached the place with re-enforcements, among them being his son Israel and his brother Samuel. Before the day closed, Colonel Trigg came in from Harrodstown, and Colonel Todd from Lexington, each with a similar force, so that the retreat of the noted renegade was the best thing that could have taken place for his own personal safety.

The company that gathered within the station was a curious one – numbering about two hundred, one-fourth of whom were commissioned officers. A noisy consultation was held, and amid much uproar and wrangling, it was resolved to pursue the Indians at once, without awaiting the arrival of Colonel Logan, who was known to be approaching with a large force, and was certain to arrive within the succeeding twenty-four hours.

Accordingly the pursuit was begun without delay, and it proved most easy to keep up, for the retreat of Girty and his Indians was marked by such a broad and plain trail that there could be no mistaking it.

The bushes had been bent down, the bark was hacked off the trees with tomahawks, and articles were strewn along the way with most remarkable prodigality.

Indeed there was so much pains taken to show the trail that Boone and his older companions were alarmed. They believed Girty had caused it to be done for the very purpose of drawing them in pursuit, and Boone spoke to many of the officers. But they laughed at his fears and pressed forward with the ardor of Kentuckians who see the certainty of a fierce struggle close at hand, where the victory is likely to be on their side.

When the settlers reached Blue Licks – an ominous name for them – they discovered several Indians on the other side of the Licking, who leisurely retreated into the woods, without showing any special alarm over the pursuit of the Kentuckians.

As it was certain that Girty and his whole force were immediately in front, another consultation was held; for the pursuers began to feel the need of care and caution in their movements. After a long discussion, all turned to Boone, who they felt was the best qualified to advise them in the emergency.

The grave face and manner of the great pioneer showed that he appreciated the danger.

"Our situation is a critical one," said he; "you know nothing of the nature of the country on the other side of the Licking, and the Indians have acted in such a manner that I'm satisfied they have laid an ambush for us. In my opinion, we have the choice of two courses: the first is to divide our men and send one half up the river to cross it at the Rapids and attack in the rear, while the rest make a simultaneous assault in front. But the other course and the one which I most earnestly urge is to await the coming of Colonel Logan and his re-enforcements. We have a strong body in front of us, and we have been taught more than one lesson by the disasters of the past few years, which we cannot afford to forget to-day. At any rate, we ought not to try to cross the river until we have sent forward spies to learn the number and disposition of the troops."

These were the words of wisdom and prudence, but they fell upon unwilling ears, and the majority bitterly opposed the advice of the old pioneer. They insisted that the Indians were fleeing in alarm, and that such delay would give them time to get away unscathed, while the proposal to divide the settlers would so weaken them that the Indians would fall upon the detachments separately and destroy them. It may be said there was reason in the last objection, but none in the former.

It is probable there was little discipline in this wrangling assemblage which was engaged in discussing a most momentous question, for while the arguments were going on, Major McGary sprang upon his horse, spurred him at full gallop toward the river, calling upon all those who were not cowards to follow him.

The next instant he was plunging through the stream, and the whole shouting rabble rushed tumultuously after him. There was no semblance of order as they shouted, struggled, and hurried pell-mell to their doom. Simon Girty, the renegade, from the woods on the other side, must have smiled grimly, as he saw his victims doing everything in their power to hasten their own destruction, just as the majority of the expeditions against the Indians did before and have done since.

The soldiers hastened forward, until they reached the point against which Boone had warned them – the heading of two ravines. They had scarcely halted, when a party of Indians appeared and opened fire upon them. McGary returned the fire, but his position was disadvantageous, being on an exposed ridge, while, as usual, the Shawanoes were in a ravine with plenty of opportunity to conceal themselves, while picking off the whites.

The majority of the settlers had not yet come up, but they were hurrying forward in the same wild disorder, and continued rushing up the ridge, in time to meet the fire from the Indians which grew hotter and more destructive every minute.

Although placed at such disadvantage, the whites fought with great bravery, loading and shooting rapidly, though without any attempt at discipline and regularity. The fact was, the whites saw they were entrapped, and each and all were fighting for their very lives.

Had the warriors been given their choice of ground, they would have selected in all probability that taken by the respective combatants, for nothing could have been more in favor of Girty and his savages.

The Indians gradually closed in around the whites, loading and firing with great rapidity, while the settlers fell fast before the bullets rained in upon them from every quarter.

Among the officers, Todd, Trigg, Harland and McBride were soon killed, and Daniel Boone's son Israel, while gallantly doing his duty, fell pierced by bullets. The savages gaining confidence from their success continued to extend their line, so as to turn the right of the Kentuckians, until they got in their rear and cut off their retreat to the river.

The soldiers saw what the Indians were doing, for the heavy fire indicated it, and they became panic-stricken. At once every one thought of saving only himself, and a tumultuous, headlong rush was made for the river. As a matter of course, the savages did not allow the invitation to pass unaccepted, and they swarmed down upon the demoralized whites, tomahawking them without mercy.

Most of the horsemen escaped, but the slaughter of the foot soldiers was terrible. Nearly all of those who were in Major McGary's party were killed, and at the river the scene became appalling. Horsemen, foot soldiers, and painted Indians were mingled in fierce confusion, fighting desperately in the water, which was crowded from shore to shore.

A score of soldiers, having got across, halted and poured a volley into the red men, which checked them for a few minutes; but they quickly rallied and resumed the massacre and pursuit, the latter continuing for fully twenty miles. More than sixty Kentuckians were killed, a number made prisoners; and another disaster was added to the long roll of those which mark the history of the attempts at civilization in the West.

Daniel Boone bore himself in this fight with his usual intrepidity and coolness, doing his utmost to check the hurricane-like rush of the Indians, and endeavoring to rally those around him into something like organized resistance. Could this have been done, the renegade Girty and his merciless horde would have been routed, for some of those who fought on his side admitted years afterward that they were once on the very point of breaking and fleeing in disorder.

But Boone saw his son and many of his closest friends shot dead, and himself almost surrounded by Indians, before he comprehended his imminent personal peril.