University of Virginia Library

[285] CHAPTER XVII.

Upon the close of the war of the revolution, many
circumstances conspired to add considerably to the population
of Kentucky; and her strength and ability to cope
with the savages and repel invasion, were consequently
much increased. Conscious of this, and sensible of their
own condition, weakened by the withdrawal of their allies,
the Indians did not venture upon expeditions against
its inhabitants, requiring to be conducted by the co-operation
of many warriors. They preferred to wage war in
small parties, against detached settlements and unprotected
families; and guarding the Ohio river and the "wilderness
trace,"[1] to cut off parties of emigrants removing to that
country. In all of those they were eminently successful.
In the interval of time, between the peace of 1783 and the
defeat of General Harmar, in 1790, it is inferred from evidence
laid before Congress, that in Kentucky, not less than
one thousand human beings were killed and taken prisoners.
And although the whites were enabled to carry the
war into the heart of the Indian country, and frequently
with success, yet did not this put a stop to their enormities.
When pressed by the presence of a conquering army, they
would sue for peace, and enter into treaties, which they
scarcely observed inviolate 'till those armies were withdrawn
from among them.

In April 1785, some Indians hovering about Bear

Grass, met with Colonel Christian and killed him. His
loss was severely felt throughout the whole country.[2]

In October of the same year, several families moving
to the [286] country were attacked and defeated on Skegg's
creek. Six of the whites were killed, and a number of the
others made prisoners, among whom were Mrs. McClure
and her infant. When the attack was begun, she secreted
herself with four children in some bushes, which together
with the darkness of the night, protected her from observation;
and could she have overcome the feelings of a
mother for her child, she might have ensured her own
safety and that of her three other children by leaving her
infant at some distance from them. She was aware of
the danger to which its cries would expose her, and sought
to prevent them by giving it the breast. For awhile it
had that effect, but its shrieks at length arose and drew
the savages to the spot. Three of her children were slain
by her side.

On hearing of this disastrous event, Capt. Whitley
collected twenty-one men from the nearer stations, and
went in pursuit of the aggressors. He presently overtook
them, killed two of their party, and retook the prisoners
and the scalps of those whom they had slain.—So signal
was his success over them.

In ten days afterwards, another company of movers, led
on by Mr. Moore, was attacked, and in the skirmish which
ensued, nine of their party were killed. Again Capt.
Whitley went in pursuit of the savage perpetrators of this
outrage, having thirty men to accompany him. On the
sixth day of the pursuit, they overtook twenty mounted

Indians, some of whom were clad in the clothes of those
they had slain; and who dismounted and fled upon the first
fire. Three of them however were killed, and eight scalps
and all the plunder were recovered.

In consequence of the many repeated aggressions of
the savages, an expedition was this fall concerted against
their towns on the Wabash, to be carried into immediate
execution. Through the exertions of the county lieutenants
an army of one thousand men, was soon assembled
at Louisville[3] and placed under the command of Gen.
Clarke, who marched directly for the theatre of contemplated
operations—leaving the provisions and much of
their munitions to be transported in boats. The army
arrived near the towns, before the boats;—the men became
dissatisfied and mutinous, and Gen. Clarke was in consequence,
reluctantly forced to return without striking a
blow.[4]

[287] When the army under Gen. Clarke marched from
Louisville, Col. Logan knowing that the attention of the
Indians would be drawn almost exclusively towards it, &
other towns be left exposed and defenceless, raised a body
of troops and proceeded against the villages on the Great
Miami, and on the head waters of Mad river. In this
campaign he burned eight large towns, killed twenty warriors
and took between seventy and eighty prisoners.[5]

Among the troops led on by Col. Logan, was the
late Gen. Lyttle (since of Cincinnati) then a youth of sixteen.[6]
At the head of a party of volunteers, when the first
towns on the Mad river were reduced, he charged on some
of the savages whom he saw endeavoring to reach a close
thicket of hazel and plum bushes. Being some distance
in front of his companions, when within fifty yards of the
retreating enemy, he dismounted, and raising his gun to
fire, saw the warrior at whom he was aiming, hold out his
hand in token of surrendering. In this time the other
men had come up and were making ready to fire, when
young Lyttle called to them, "they have surrendered;
and remember the Colonel's orders to kill none who ask
for quarters." The warrior advanced towards him with
his hand extended, and ordering the others to follow him.
As he approached, Lyttle gave him his hand, but with
difficulty restrained the men from tomahawking him. It
was the head chief with this three wives and children,
two or three of whom were fine looking lads, and one of
them a youth of Lyttle's age. Observing the conduct of
Lyttle in preventing the murder of the chief, this youth
drew close to him. When they returned to the town, a
crowd of men rushed around to see the chief, and Lyttle
stepped out of the crowd to fasten his horse. The lad
accompanied him. A young man who had been to the
spring to drink, seeing Lyttle with the Indian lad, came
running towards him. The youth supposed that he was
advancing to kill him, and in the twinkling of an eye let
fly an arrow. It passed through Curner's dress, and
grazed his side; and but for the timely twitch which Lyttle
gave the lad's arm, would have killed him. His other arrows
were then taken away, and he sternly reprimanded.

Upon the return of Lyttle to where the chief stood,

he heard Col. Logan give orders that the prisoners must
not be molested, but taken to a house and placed under
guard for their [288] security; and seeing Major McGary[7]
riding up and knowing his disposition, he called to him
saying, "Major McGary, you must not molest those prisoners"
and rode off. McGary mutteringly replied, "I'll
see to that;" and dismounting, entered the circle around
the prisoners. He demanded of the chief, if he were at
the battle of the Blue Licks. The chief probably not understanding
the purport of the question, replied affirmatively.
McGary instantly seized an axe from the Grenadier
Squaw, standing by and sunk it into his head. Lyttle
saw the descending stroke and interposed his arm to prevent
it or break its force. The handle came in contact with his
wrist and had well nigh broke it. Indignant at the barbarous
deed, with the impetuosity of youth he drew his
knife to avenge it. His arm was arrested, or the steel
would have been plunged into the heart of McGary. The
bloody act of this man caused deep regret, humiliation and
shame to pervade the greater part of the army, and none
were more affected by it, than the brave and generous
Logan.—When the prisoners were conducted to the house,
it was with much difficulty the Indian lad could be prevailed
upon to quit the side of Lyttle.

The commencement of the year 1786 witnessed treaties
of peace with all the neighboring tribes;[8] but its progress
was marked by acts of general hostility. Many individual
massacres were committed and in the fall, a company of
movers were attacked, and twenty-one of them killed.
This state of things continuing, in 1787 the secretary of
war ordered detachments of troops to be stationed at different

points for the protection of the frontier. Still the
Indians kept up such an incessant war against it, as after
the adoption of the federal constitution, led the general
government to interpose more effectually for the security
of its inhabitants, by sending a body of troops to operate
against them in their own country.

While these things were doing, a portion of the country
north west of the river Ohio, began to be occupied by
the whites. One million and a half acres of land in that
country, having been appropriated as military land, a company,
composed of officers and soldiers in the war of the
revolution, was formed in Boston in March 1786 under the
title of the [289] "Ohio Company," and Gen. Rufus Putnam
was appointed its agent. In the spring of 1788, he
with forty-seven other persons, from Massachusetts, Rhode
Island and Connecticut, repaired to Marietta, erected a
stockade fort for security against the attacks of Indians,
and effected a permanent settlement there.[9] In the autumn

of the same year, twenty families, chiefly from Essex
and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts, likewise moved
there, and the forests of lofty timber fell before their untiring
and laborious exertions. Many of those who thus
took up their abodes in that, then distant country had been
actively engaged in the late war, and were used, not only
to face danger with firmness when it came upon them;
but also to devise and practice, means to avert it. Knowing
the implacable resentment of the savages to the whites
generally, they were at once careful not to provoke it into
action, and to prepare to ward off its effects. In consequence
of this course of conduct, and their assiduity and
attention to the improvement of their lands, but few massacres
were committed in their neighborhoods, although
the savages were waging a general war against the frontier,
and carrying destruction into settlements, comparatively
in the interior.

In the winter of 1786, Mr. Stites of Redstone visited
New York with the view of purchasing (congress being
then in session there) for settlement, a tract of country
between the two Miamies. The better to insure success
to his project, he cultivated the acquaintance of many
members of congress and endeavored to impress upon
their minds its propriety and utility. John Cleves
Symmes, then a representative from New Jersey, and
whose aid Stites solicited to enable him to effect the purchase,
becoming impressed with the great pecuniary advantage
which must result from the speculation, if the
country were such as it was represented to be, determined
to ascertain this fact by personal inspection. He did so;
and on his return a purchase of one million of acres, lying
on the Ohio and between the Great and Little Miami, was
made in his name. Soon after, he sold to Matthias Denman
and others, that part of his purchase which forms the
present site of the city of Cincinnati; and in the fall of
1789, some families from New York, New Jersey, and Redstone,
descended the Ohio river to the mouth of the Little
Miami. As the Indians were now more than ordinarily
troublesome, forty soldiers under Lieut. Kersey, were ordered
to join them for the [290] defence of the settlement.

They erected at first a single blockhouse, and soon after
adding to it three others, a stockade fort was formed on a
position now included within the town of Columbia.

In June 1789, Major Doughty with one hundred and
forty regulars, arrived opposite the mouth of Licking, and
put up four block houses on the purchase made by Denman
of Symmes, and directly after, erected Fort Washington.
Towards the close of the year, Gen. Harmar arrived
with three hundred other regulars, and occupied the fort.
Thus assured of safety, Israel Ludlow, (jointly interested
with Denman and Patterson) with twenty other persons,
moved and commenced building some cabins along the
river and near to the fort.—During the winter Mr. Ludlow
surveyed and laid out the town of Losantiville,[10] but when
Gen. St. Clair came there as governor of the North Western
Territory, he changed its name to Cincinnati.[11]

In 1790, a settlement was made at the forks of Duck
creek, twenty miles up the Muskingum at the site of the
present town of Waterford; another fifteen miles farther
up the river at Big Bottom, and a third at Wolf creek near
the falls. These settlements were made on a tract of one
hundred thousand acres, laid off into "donation" lots of
one hundred acres, and gratuitously assigned to actual
settlers; and at the close of the year they contained nearly
five hundred men, of whom one hundred and seven had
families.

Thus was the present flourishing State of Ohio begun
to be occupied by the whites; and the mind cannot but be
struck with astonishment in contemplating the wonderful
changes which have been wrought there, in such brief space
of time, by industry and enterprise. Where then stood
mighty and unbroken forests, through which the savage
passed on his mission of blood; or stalked the majestic
buffaloe, gamboled the sportive deer, or trotted the shaggy
bear, are now to [291] be seen productive farms, covered
with lowing herds and bleating flocks, and teeming with

all the comforts of life.—And where then stood the town
of Losantiville with its three or four little cabins and their
twenty inmates, is now to be seen a flourishing city with
its splendid edifices, and a population of 26,513 souls.
Continuing thus progressively to improve, the mind of
man, "pervading and far darting" as it is, can scarcely
picture the state which may be there exhibited in the lapse
of a few centuries.

The formations of those establishments north west of
the Ohio river, incited the savages to the commission of
such and so frequent enormities that measures were
taken by the general government to reduce them to
quiet and render peace truly desirable to them. While
preparations were making to carry those measures into
operation, detachments from the regular troops at Fort
Washington were stationed at Duck creek, the Big Bottom
and Wolf creek, for the security of the settlers at
those places; and when every thing was prepared, Gen.
Harmar, at the head of three hundred and twenty regulars,
moved from his head quarters at Fort Washington, to the
Little Miami, where the militia detailed for the expedition,
were then assembled. The object was to bring the Indians,
if possible, to a general engagement; and if this
could not be effected, to destroy their towns and crops on
the Scioto and Miami.

On the last day of September 1790, the army then consisting
of fourteen hundred and forty-three men, (of whom
only three hundred and twenty were regulars) marched
forward, and on the 17th of October reached the Great
Miami village.[12] It was found to be entirely deserted and
all the valuable buildings in flames—having been fired by

the Indians. As it was apparent that the savages had but
recently left there, Col. Hardin was detached with two hundred
and ten men, sixty of whom were regulars to overtake
them. Having marched about six miles, he was suddenly
attacked by a body of Indians who were concealed
in thickets on every side of an open plain. On the first
onset, the militia made a most precipitrate retreat, leaving
the few, but brave regulars to stand the charge. The conflict
was short but bloody. The regular troops, over powered
by numbers, were literally cut to pieces; and only
seven of them made their escape and rejoined the main
army at the Great Miami town.[13]

[292] Among those who were so fortunate as to escape
after the shameful flight of the militia, was Capt. Armstrong
of the regulars. He reached a pond of water
about two hundred yards from the field of action; and
plunging himself up to the neck in it, remained there all
night, a spectator of the horrid scene of a savage war
dance, performed over the dead and wounded bodies of his
brave soldiers. The escape of ensign Hartshorn was perhaps
owing entirely to a lucky accident. As he was flying
at his best speed he faltered over a log, which lay in
his path, and by the side of which he concealed himself
from the view of the savages.

Notwithstanding the disastrous termination of this
engagement, the detachment succeeded in reducing the
other towns to ashes, and in destroying their crops of corn
and other provisions; and rejoining the main army under
Gen. Harmar, commenced their return to Fort Washington.
Anxious to wipe off in another action, the disgrace
which he felt would attach to the defeat, when within
eight miles of Chilicothe, Gen. Harmar halted his men,
and again detached Col. Hardin and Major Wylleys, with
five hundred militia and sixty regulars, to find the enemy
and bring them to an engagement.

Early next morning, a small body of the enemy was

discovered, and being attacked, fled in different directions.
The militia pursued them as they ran in despite of
orders; and when by this means the regulars were left
alone, they were attacked by the whole force of the Indians,
excepting the small parties whose flight had drawn
off the militia. A severe engagement ensued. The savages
fought with desperation; & when the troops which
had gone in pursuit of those who fled upon the first onset,
returned to take part in the engagement, they threw down
their guns and rushed upon the regulars tomahawk in
hand. Many of them fell, but being so very far superior
in numbers, the regulars were at last overpowered. Their
firmness and bravery could not avail much, against so overwhelming
a force; for though one of them might thrust his
bayonet into the side of an Indian, two other savages were
at hand to sink their tomahawks into his head. In his official
account of this battle, Gen. Harmar claimed the victory;
but the thinned ranks of his troops shewed that they had
been severely worsted. Fifty of the regulars and one hundred
of the militia were killed in the contest, and many
wounded. The loss of the Indians was no doubt considerable,
[293] or they would not have suffered the army to retire
to Fort Washington unmolested.[14]

Instead of the security from savage hostilities, which
it was expected would—result from Harmar's campaign,
the inhabitants of the frontier suffered from them, more
than they had been made to endure since the close of the
war with Great Britain. Flushed with the success which
had crowned their exertions to repel the invasion which

had been made into their country, and infuriated at the
destruction of their crops and the conflagration of their
villages, they became more active and zealous in the prosecution
of hostilities.

The settlements which had been recently made in
Ohio up the Muskingum, had ever after their first establishment,
continued apparently on the most friendly terms
with the Indians; but on the part of the savages, friendship
had only been feigned, to lull the whites into a ruinous
security. When this end was attained, they too
were made to feel the bitterness of savage enmity. On the
2d of January 1791, a party of Indians came to the Big
Bottom, and commenced an indiscriminate murder of the
inhabitants; fourteen of whom were killed and five taken
prisoners. The settlement at Wolf's creek escaped a similar
fate, by being apprized of the destruction of Big Bottom
by two men who got safely off in time of the massacre.
When the Indians arrived there the next morning,
finding the place prepared to receive them, they withdrew
without making any serious attempt to take it.

On the 24th of April, John Bush (living on Freeman's
creek,) having very early sent two of his children to drive
up the cattle, became alarmed by their screams, and taking
down his gun, was proceeding to learn the cause of it,
when he was met at the door by an Indian, who caught
hold of the gun, forced it from his grasp, and shot him
with it. Bush fell across the threshold, and the savage
drew his knife to scalp him. Mrs. Bush ran to the assistance
of her husband, and with an axe, aimed a blow
at the Indian with such force that it fastened itself in his
shoulder, and when he jumped back his exertion pulled
the handle from her hand. She then drew her husband
into the house and secured the door.

In this time other of the savages had come up, and
after endeavoring in vain to force open the door, they commenced
shooting through it. Fortunately Mrs. Bush remained
unhurt, although eleven bullets passed through
her frock and some of [294] them just grazing the skin.
One of the savages observing an aperture between the logs,
thrust the muzzle of his gun thro' it. With another axe

Mrs. Bush struck on the barrel so as to make it ring, and,
the savage on drawing it back, exclaimed "Dern you."
Still they were endeavoring to force an entrance into the
house, until they heard what they believed to be a party
of whites coming to its relief. It was Adam Bush, who
living close by and hearing the screams of the children
and the firing of the gun, had set off to learn what had
given rise to them, and taking with him his dogs, the
noise made by them in crossing the creek alarmed the savages,
and caused them to retreat, taking off the two children
as prisoners. A company of men were soon collected
and went in pursuit of the Indians; but were unable to
surprise them and regain the prisoners. They however,
came so nearly upon them, on the Little Kenhawa,[15] that
they were forced to fly precipitately, leaving the plunder
and seven horses which they had taken from the settlement:
these were retaken and brought back.

In May, as John McIntire and his wife were returning
from a visit, they passed through the yard of Uriah Ashcraft;
and in a small space of time after, Mr. Ashcraft,
startled by the sudden growling and springing up of one
of his dogs, stepped quickly to the door to see what had
aroused him. He had hardly reached the door, when he
espied an Indian on the outside with his gun presented.
Closing and making fast the door, he ascended the stairs
that he might the better fire upon the unwelcome intruder;
and after snapping three several times, and having discovered
that there were other Indians in the yard, he raised
a loud shout to apprize those who were within the sound
of his voice, that he was surrounded by danger. Upon
this the Indians moved off; and three brothers of McIntire
coming to his relief, they all pursued the trail of the savages.
About a mile from Ashcraft's, they found the body
of John McIntire, tomahawked, scalped, and stripped;
and concluding that Mrs. McIntire, was taken prisoner,
they sent intelligence to Clarksburg of what had happened,
and requested assistance to follow the Indians and recover
the prisoner from captivity. The desired assistance was

immediately afforded; and a company of men, led on by
Col. John Haymond and Col. George Jackson, went in
pursuit. On Middle Island creek,[16] before they were aware
of their proximity to the savages, they were fired upon by
them, and [295] two of the party very narrowly escaped
being shot.—A ball passed through the hankerchief on the
head of Col. Haymond, and another through the sleeve
of Col. Jackson's shirt. The fire was promptly returned,
and the men rushed forward. The Indians however,
made good their retreat, though not without having experienced
some injury; as was discovered by the blood,
and the throwing down some of the plunder which they
had taken. It was here first ascertained that Mrs. McIntire
had been killed,—her scalp being among the things
left—and on the return of the party, her body was found
some small distance from where that of her husband had
been previously discovered.

Towards the last of June, another party of Indians invaded
the settlement on Dunkard creek, in the county of
Monongalia. Early in the morning, as Mr. Clegg, Mr.
Handsucker, and two of Handsucker's sons were engaged
at work in a cornfield near the house, they were shot at by
some concealed savages, and Handsucker was wounded and
soon overtaken. Clegg and Handsucker's sons ran towards
the house, and the former entering it, defended it for
a while; but confident that he would soon be driven out by
fire, he surrendered on condition that they would spare his
life and that of his little daughter with him. The boys
passed the house, but were taken by some of the savages
who were also concealed in the direction which they ran,
and who had just made captive Mrs. Handsucker and her
infant. They then plundered and set fire to the house,
caught the horses and made off with the prisoners, leaving
one of their company, as usual, to watch after their
retreat.

When the firing was first heard, Mrs. Clegg being some
distance from the house, concealed herself in the creek,

under some projecting bushes, until every thing became
quiet. She then crept out, but perceiving the Indian who
had remained near the burning house, she took to flight; and
he having at the same time discovered her, ran in pursuit.
She was so far in advance, and ran so well, that the savage,
despairing of overtaking her, raised his gun and fired
as she ran. The ball just grazed the top of her shoulder,
but not impeding her flight, she got safely off. Mr. Handsucker,
his wife and child, were murdered on the dividing
ridge between Dunkard and Fish creeks.[17] Mr. Clegg after
some time got back, and upon the close of the Indian war,
ransomed his two daughters.

[296] In the month of September Nicholas Carpenter
set off to Marietta with a drove of cattle to sell to those
who had established themselves there; and when within
some miles from the Ohio river, encamped for the night.[18]
In the morning early, and while he and the drovers were
yet dressing, they were alarmed by a discharge of guns,
which killed one and wounded another of his party. The
others endeavored to save themselves by flight; but Carpenter
being a cripple (because of a wound received some
years before) did not run far, when finding himself becoming
faint, he entered a pond of water where he fondly
hoped he should escape observation. But no! both he
and a son who had likewise sought security there, were
discovered, tomahawked and scalped. George Legget,
one of the drovers, was never after heard of; but Jesse
Hughes succeeded in getting off though under disadvantageous
circumstances. He wore long leggins, and when
the firing commenced at the camp, they were fastened at
top to his belt, but hanging loose below. Although an
active runner, yet he found that the pursuers were gaining

and must ultimately overtake him if he did not rid
himself of this incumbrance. For this purpose he halted
somewhat and stepping on the lower part of his leggins,
broke the strings which tied them to his belt; but before
he accomplished this, one of the savages approached and
hurled a tomahawk at him. It merely grazed his head,
and he then again took to flight and soon got off.

It was afterwards ascertained that the Indians by
whom this mischief was effected, had crossed the Ohio
river near the mouth of Little Kenhawa, where they
took a negro belonging to Captain James Neal, and continued
on towards the settlements on West Fork, until
they came upon the trail made by Carpenter's cattle.
Supposing that they belonged to families moving, they
followed on until they came upon the drovers; and tying
the negro to a sapling made an attack on them. The
negro availed himself of their employment elsewhere,
and loosing the bands which fastened him, returned to his
master.

After the defeat of General Harmer, the terrors and
the annoyance proceeding from Indian hostilities, still continued
to harrass Kentucky, and to spread destruction
over its unprotected portions. Seeing that the expeditions
of the savages were yet conducted on a small scale, the
better to effect their purposes, the inhabitants had recourse
to other measures [297] of defence; and established many
posts on the frontier, garrisoned by a few men, to watch
the motions of the enemy, and intercept them in their progress,
or spread the alarm of their approach. It was productive
of but little benefit, and all were convinced, that
successful offensive war could alone give security from Indian
aggression. Convinced of this, preparations were
made by the General Government for another campaign
to be carried on against them; the objects of which were
the destruction of the Indian villages between the Miamies;
the expulsion of their inhabitants from the country, and
the establishment of a chain of forts to prevent their return,
until a general peace should give promise of a cessation
of hostilities on their part. Means, deemed adequate
to the accomplishment of those objects, were placed by

Congress at the disposal of the executive, and of the army
destined to effect them, he directed General Arthur St.
Clair to take the command.[19]

It was some time before the troops detailed for this
campaign, could be assembled at Fort Washington; but as
soon as they rendezvoused there, the line of march was
taken up.[20] Proceeding immediately for the principal establishments
of the Indians on the Miami, General St.
Clair had erected the Forts Hamilton and Jefferson,[21] and
placing sufficient garrisons in each, continued his march.
The opening of a road for the passage of the troops and
artillery, necessarily consumed much time; and while it
was in progress, small parties of the enemy were often
seen hovering near, and some unimportant skirmishes took
place; and as the army approached the Indian villages,
sixty of the militia deserted in a body. To prevent the
evil influence of this example, General St. Clair despatched
Major Hamtrack at the head of a regiment, to overtake
and bring them back; and the rest of the army moved
forward.

On the night of the third of November, General St.
Clair encamped near the Great Miami village, and notwithstanding
the reduced state of the forces under his command,
(by reason of the detachment of so large a body in
pursuit of the deserters,) he proposed to march in the
morning directly to its attack.[22] Having understood that
the Indians were collected in great force, and apprehensive
of a night attack, his men were drawn up in a square, and

kept under arms until the return of day, when they were
dismissed from parade for [298] the purpose of refreshment.
Directly after, and about half an hour before sun
rise, an attack was begun by the Indians on the rear line,
and the militia there immediately gave way, and retreated,—
rushing through a battalion of regulars, to the very centre
of the camp. The confusion was great. Thrown into
disorder by the tumultuous flight of the militia, the utmost
exertion of the officers could not entirely compose
the regulars, so as to render them as effective as they
would otherwise have been.

After the first fire, the Indians rushed forward, tomahawk
in hand, until they were checked by the well directed
aim of the front line; which being almost simultaneously
attacked by another body of the enemy, had to
direct their attention to their own assailants, and the action
became general. The weight of the enemy being
brought to bear on the centre of each line where the
artillery had been placed, the men were driven with great
slaughter from the guns and these rendered useless by the
killing of the matrosses. The enemy taking advantage
of this state of things, pushed forward upon the lines, and
confusion began to spread itself in every quarter. A
charge was ordered, and Lieutenant Colonel Drake succeeded
in driving back the Indians three or four hundred
yards at the point of the bayonet; but rallying, they returned
to the attack, and the troops in turn gave way.
At this moment the camp was entered by the left flank;
and, another charge was directed. This was made by
Butler and Clark's battalions with great effect, and repeated
several times with success; but in each of these
charges, many being killed, and particularly the officers,
it was impossible longer to sustain the conflict, and a retreat
was directed.

To enable the troops to effect this they were again
formed into line, as well as could be under such circumstances,
and another charge was made, as if to turn the
right flank of the enemy, but in reality to gain the road.
This object was effected; and a precipitate flight commenced
which continued until they reached Fort Jefferson,

a distance of thirty miles, the men throwing away
their guns and accoutrements as they ran.

Great was the havoc done by the Indians in this engagement.
Of the twelve hundred men engaged under
General St. Clair, nearly six hundred were left dead on
the field, and many were wounded. Every officer of the
second regiment [299] was killed in the various charges
made by it to retrieve the day, except three, and one of
these was shot through the body. Major General Butler
having been wounded, and carried to a convenient place to
have his wounds dressed, an Indian desperately adventurous,
broke through the guard in attendance, rushed up,
tomahawked and scalped him, before his own life paid the
forfeit of his rashness. General St. Clair had many narrow
escapes.[23] Early in the action, a number of savages
surrounded his tent and seemed resolved on entering it
and sacrificing him. They were with difficulty restrained
by some regular soldiers at the point of the bayonet.
During the engagement eight balls passed through his
clothes, and while the troops were retreating, having had
his own horse killed, and being mounted on a sorry beast,
"which could not be pricked out of a walk," he had to
make his way to Fort Jefferson as he could, considerably
in the rear of the men. During the action Adjutant Bulgess
received a severe wound, but yet continued to fight
with distinguished gallantry. Presently a second shot
took effect and he fell. A woman who was particularly
attached to him had accompanied him in the campaign,
raised him up, and while supporting him in her arms, received
a ball in the breast which killed her instantly.

The Chicasaws were then in amity with the whites,
and some of their warriors were to have co operated with
Gen. St. Clair, but did not arrive in time. There was

however one of that nation in the engagement, and he
killed and scalped eleven of the enemy with his own
hands, and while engaged with the twelfth was himself
killed, to the regret of those who witnessed his deeds of
daring and of courage.

According to the statement of the Indians, they
killed six hundred and twenty of the American troops,
and took seven pieces of cannon, two hundred head of
oxen, many horses, but no prisoners.[24] They gave their
own loss in killed at only sixty-five; but it was no doubt
much greater. Their force consisted of four thousand
warriors, and was led on by a Missasago chief who had
served with the British in the late war; and who planned
and conducted the attack contrary to the opinion of a
majority of the chiefs, who yet, having such confidence
in his skill and judgment, yielded their individual plans
and gave to him the entire control of their movements.
He is reported to have caused the savages to forbear the
pursuit of the retreating troops; telling them that they
had killed enough, and it was time to enjoy the booty
they had gained with the victory. He was then about
forty-five years of age, six feet in height, and of a
[300] sour, morose countenance. His dress was Indian
leggins and moccasons, a blue petticoat coming half way
down his thighs, and European waistcoat and surtout.
His head was bound with an Indian cap, reaching midway
his back, and adorned with upwards of two hundred silver
ornaments. In each ear he had two ear rings, the upper
part of each of which was formed of three silver meddles
of the size of a dollar; the lower part consisted of quarters
of dollars, and more than a foot in length; one from
each ear hanging down his breast,—the others over his
back. In his nose he wore ornaments of silver curiously
wrought and painted.

Two days after the action the warriors from the Chicasaw

nation arrived at Fort Jefferson, under the command
of Piomingo, or the "Mountain Leader." On their march
they heard of the fatal battle, and saw one of the enemy;
who mistaking Piomingo's party for some of his own comrades,
made up to them. He discovered the mistake when
it was too late to rectify it. Piomingo accosted him in harsh
tones, saying—"Rascal, you have been killing the whites,"
and immediately ordered two of his warriors to expand
his arms, and a third to shoot him. This was done and his
scalp taken.

After the disastrous termination of this campaign,[25]
the inhabitants of Kentucky were as much as, or perhaps
more than ever, exposed to savage enmity and those incursions
which mark the bitterness of Indian resentment.
Soon after the retreat of the army under Gen. Sinclair,
a party of them came upon Salt river, where two men
and some boys were fishing; and falling suddenly upon
them killed the men and made prisoners of the boys.
They then liberated one of the boys, and giving him a
tomahawk, directed him to go home; shew it to his
friends; inform them what had been the fate of his companions,
and what they were to expect for their own. The
threat was fearfully executed. Many families were entirely
cut off and many individuals sacrificed to their fury.
Companies of Indians were constantly traversing the
country in secret, and committing depredations, wherever
they supposed it could be done with impunity. A remarkable
instance of their failure and suffering in attempting
to form an entrance into a house where was an
almost unprotected family, deserves to be particularly
mentioned.

On the 24th of December 1791, a party of savages attacked
the house of John Merril, in Nelson county. Mr.
Merril, alarmed by the barking of the dogs, hastened to
the door to learn the cause.—On opening it, he was fired
at by two Indians and his leg and arm were both broken.
The savages then ran forward to enter the house, but before

they could do this, the door was closed and secured by
Mrs. Merril and her daughter. After a fruitless attempt to
force it open, they commenced hewing off a part of it with
their tomahawks, and when a passage was thus opened, one of
them attempted to enter through it. The heroic Mrs. Merril,
in the midst of her screaming and affrighted children, and
her groaning suffering husband, seized an axe, gave the ruffian
a fatal blow, and [301] instantly drew him into the house.
Supposing that their end was now nearly attained, the others
pressed forward to gain admittance through the same aperture.
Four of them were in like manner despatched by
Mrs. Merril, before their comrades were aware that any
opposition was making in the house. Discovering their
mistake the survivors retired for awhile, and returning,
two of them endeavored to gain admittance by climbing
to the top of the house, and descending in the chimney,
while the third was to exert himself at the door. Satisfied
from the noise on the top of the house, of the object of the
Indians, Mr. Merril directed his little son to rip open a
bed and cast its contents on the fire. This produced the
desired effect.—The smoke and heat occasioned by the
burning of the feathers brought the two Indians down,
rather unpleasantly; and Mr. Merril somewhat recovered,
exerted every faculty, and with a billet of wood soon despatched
those half smothered devils. Mrs. Merril was all
this while busily engaged in defending the door against
the efforts of the only remaining savage, whom she at
length wounded so severely with the axe, that he was glad
to get off alive.

A prisoner, who escaped from the Indians soon after
the happening of this transaction, reported that the
wounded savage was the only one, of a party of eight,
who returned to their towns; that on being asked by some
one, "what news,"—he replied, "bad news for poor Indian,
me lose a son, me lose a brother,—the squaws have
taken the breech clout, and fight worse than the Long
Knives."

The frequent commission of the most enormous outrages,
led to an expedition against the Indians, carried
on by the inhabitants of Kentucky alone. An army of

one thousand mounted volunteers was raised, and the
command of it being given to Gen. Scott, he marched immediately
for their towns.[26] When near them, he sent out two
spies to learn the state of the enemy; who reported that
they had seen a large body of Indians, not far from the
fatal spot where St. Clair's bloody battle had been fought,
enjoying themselves with the plunder there taken, riding
the oxen, and acting in every respect as if drunk. Gen.
Scott immediately gave orders to move forward briskly;
and arranging his men into three divisions, soon came upon
and attacked the savages. The contest was short but decisive.—Two
hundred of the enemy were killed on the
spot, the cannon and such of the other stores as were in
their possession, retaken, and the savage forces completely
routed. The loss of the Kentuckians was inconsiderable,—only
six men were killed and but few wounded.

Gen. Scott on his return, gave an affecting account of
the appearance of the field, where Gen. St. Clair had been
encountered by the savages. "The plain," said he, "had
a very melancholy appearance. In the space of three hundred
and fifty yards, lay three hundred skull bones, which
were buried by my men while on the ground; from thence
for miles on, and the road was strewed with skeletons,
muskets, &c." A striking picture of the desolation wrought
there on the bloody fourth of November.