Ohio History Journal

DANIEL BOON.

 

 

WILLIAM A. GALLOWAY, B. S., M. D., XENIA, OHIO.

In Prof. McFarland's excellent article on Simon Kenton, he

mentions Daniel Boon, as having been the most prominent early

settler of Kentucky. He also quotes from Boon's own account,

giving the date of his first journey, from his home on the Yadkin

River, North Carolina, in quest of the country of Kentucky, and

the names of his associates on this memorable trip.

Some of Col. Boon's most strenuous experiences occurred in

Ohio, and on this account his most valuable contribution to Ohio

history is here given. His own narrative may be found in

 

 

 

 

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OR REPOSITORY OF ANCIENT

 

AND MODERN FUGITIVE PIECES, ETC., PROSE

AND POETICAL. FOR OCTOBER, 1787.*

 

 

Several orthographical points of interest will be noted. The

spelling of Old Chelicothe+ (pronounced by the Shawanese--

 

*Complete volumes of The American Museum from 1780 to 1789 are

a part of the valuable historical library of Hon. James Edmund Galloway,

Xenia, Ohio.

+The pronunciation of Che-li-coth-e comes down through the writer's

family, from James Galloway, Sr. It has undoubtedly been preserved cor-

rectly.  In the American Pioneer, June, 1842, occurs the following edi-

torial note by Jno. S. Williams: "Those valleys (the Scioto and Paint

Creek valleys) were favorites of the Aborigines also, in each of which

they built their che-le-co-the, which is understood to be an Indian name,

signifying town or city."

In the September number, 1842, of the same in an article on Logan,

Felix Renick, Esq., writes: "Captain Parsons informed me that he was

at the town where Logan then resided, and where he delivered his

speech. He called it chi-le-coth-e, sounding each syllable as it would,

detached from the rest."

263

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264       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

Che-li-coth'-e);  Peccaway (Piqua); Point Creek Town on

Sciota; Shawanese (Shawnees); Kentucke; and the name of

Boon. The quaint old-fashioned f, for our present use of s;

the circumflex mark connecting c and t; and the use of both

small and capital letters in military titles were common to a

later date than 1787.

The closing paragraphs tell, in simple, heartfelt words, the

sum of his life's story and reflect the shadows of his most event-

ful career. Boon was indeed "an instrument ordained to settle

the wilderness."

Col. Boon, in this narrative, locates Old Chelicothe as "the

principal Indian town on Little Miami." His statement, that in

1782 Clark's Expedition destroyed Old Chelicothe, Peccaway,

New Chelicothe, Wills Town, and Chelicothe, leaves no doubt that

at that time the various Chelicothes had different designations

and that the one on the Little Miami river was "Old Chelicothe."

The court records of Greene County verify this, and give the

exact location of the village in the testimony of James Galloway

in the case of

In the Green County Superior

JOHN STEVENSON                   Court in Chancery, before Jo-

vs                               siah Glover, Master Commis-

PETER VANDOLAH                          sioner, at the house of Abner

Reed, June 15, 1818.

 

After testifying that he first saw Old Chillicothe and the

Little Miami prairie bottoms in 1782, to the question "Are you

now sitting in the place called Old Chillicothe?" James Galloway

answered "I am sitting within the bounds where the pickets

were." It may here be said that these same pickets had to be

broken down with a small cannon, before the town was finally

taken and destroyed by Clark.

The house of Abner Reed, in which this trial took place, is

a two story brick residence, - still standing. It is situate at the

south-west edge of the village of Oldtown, three and one-half

miles north of Xenia.

James Galloway removed from Lexington, Ky., with his

family in 1797 to a place about one mile north of Oldtown. He

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Daniel Boon.                   265

 

was a Revolutionary soldier and was Treasurer of Greene County,

from August 1803 till June 1819.

It should be added to these evidences of the location of

"Old Chelicothe" that Simon Kenton made his last visit to his

nephew and niece, Orin and Martha North, at their residence

in Oldtown, about 1834. From the large porch of their residence

-still standing--in full sight of the most famous of all his

gauntlet runs, he showed them its course, extending from the

foot of the Sexton hill to the door of the Council House. He

located the Council House a few yards north-east of the Abner

Reed residence. This course is 158 rods bearing slightly east

of south from the Reed house. Kenton also pointed out the

prairie where he found the drove of horses, which got him into

this all but fatal captivity. It is located between the Massie's

Creek bridge of The P. C. C. & St. L. Railway and the first

steep of foothills east, bearing northward between these two

points.

On page 24 of the January 1904 issue of this Quarterly,

Prof. McFarland says, "It is perfectly certain that Kenton first

ran the gauntlet at the Chillicothe on the Little Miami."

These evidences set at rest all doubts as to the true location

of "Old Chelicothe", ordinarily spelled "Old Chillicothe"; now

Oldtown, Greene County, Ohio. The article by Col. Boon is here

presented, an exact copy, except the use of the letter f for s,

and the circumflex mark over ct.

Adventures of col. Daniel Boon, one of the original

settlers at Kentucke; containing the wars with the In-

dians on the Ohio, from 1769 to the year 1784, and the

first establishment and progress of the settlements on

that river. Written by the colonel.

It was on the first of May 1769 that I resigned my domestic

happiness, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the

Yadkin river, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilder-

ness of America, in quest of the country of Kentucke, in com-

pany with John Finley, John Stuart, Joseph Holden, James

Money, and William Cool.

On the ₇th of June, after travelling through a mountainous

wilderness, in a western direction, we found ourselves on Red

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266      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.   River, where John Finley had formerly been trading with the Indians; and, from the top of an eminence, saw with pleasure

the beautiful level of Ken- tucke. For some time we had experienced the most uncom- fortable weather.  We now encamped, made a shelter to defend us from the inclement season, and began to hunt and reconnoitre the country. We found abundance of wild beasts in this vast forest. The buffaloes were more nu- merous than cattle on other settlements, browsing on the leaves of the cane, or crop- ping the herbage on those ex- tensive plains. We saw hun- dreds in a drove; and the

numbers about the salt springs were amazing. In the forest, the habitation of beasts of every American kind, we hunted with great success until December. On the 22d of December, John Stuart and I had a pleasing ramble; but fortune changed the day at the close of it. We had passed through a great forest, in which stood myriads of trees, some gay with blossoms, others rich with fruits. Nature was here a series of wonders and a fund of delight. Here she dis- played her ingenuity and industry in a variety of flowers and fruits, beautifully coloured, elegantly shaped, and charmingly flavoured; and we were diverted with numberless animals, pre- senting themselves perpetually to our view. In the decline of the day, near Kentucke river, as we ascended the brow of a small hill, a number of Indians rushed out of a thick cane brake, and made us prisoners. The Indians plundered us, and kept us in confinement seven days. During this, we discovered no uneasi- ness or desire to escape, which made them less suspicious; but in the dead of night, as we lay by a large fire, in a thick cane brake, when sleep had locked up their senses, my situation not

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Daniel Boon.                   267

 

disposing me to rest, I gently awoke my companion. We seized

this favourable opportunity, and departed, directing our course

toward our old camp, but found it plundered, and our company

dispersed or gone home.

About this time my brother, Squire Boon, with another ad-

venturer, who came to explore the country shortly after us, was

wandering through the forest, and accidentally found our camp.

Notwithstanding our unfortunate circumstances, our meeting

fortunately in the wilderness, gave us the most sensible satis-

faction.

Soon after this, my companion in captivity, John Stuart, was

killed by the savages; and the man that came with my brother,

returned home by himself. We were then in a dangerous, help-

less situation, exposed daily to perils and death, among savages

and wild beasts, not a white man in the country but ourselves.

Thus many hundred miles from our families in the howling

wilderness, we did not continue in a state of indolence, but

hunted every day, and prepared a little cottage to defend us from

the winter storms. We met with no disturbance during the

winter.

On the first of May 1770, my brother returned home by him-

self, for a new recruit of horses and ammunition, leaving me

alone, without bread, salt, or sugar, or even a horse or dog. I

passed a few days uncomfortably. The idea of a beloved wife

and family, and their anxiety on my account, would have dis-

posed me to melancholy, if I had further indulged the thought.

One day I undertook a tour through the country, when the

diversity and beauties of nature I met with, in this charming

season, expelled every gloomy thought. Just at the close of

day, the gentle gales ceased; a profound calm ensued; not a

breath shook the tremulous leaf. I had gained the summit of

a commanding ridge, and looking round with astonishing de-

light, beheld the ample plains and beauteous tracts below. On

one hand I surveyed the famous Ohio, rolling in silent dignity,

and marking the western boundary of Kentucke with inconceiv-

able grandeur. At a vast distance, I beheld the mountains lift

their venerable brows, and penetrate the clouds. All things were

still. I kindled a fire, near a fountain of sweet water, and seated

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268      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

on the loin of a buck, which a few hours before I had killed.

The shades of night soon overspread the hemisphere, and the

earth seemed to gasp after the hovering moisture. My excur-

sion had fatigued my body, and amused my mind. I laid me

down to sleep, and awoke not until the sun had chased away the

night. I continued this tour, and in a few days explored a con-

siderable part of the country, each day equally pleased as at

first, after which I returned to my old camp, which had not been

disturbed in my absence. I did not confine my lodging to it, but

often reposed in thick cane brakes to avoid the savages, who,

I believe, often visited my camp, but, fortunately for me, in my

absence. No populous city, with all the varieties of commerce

and stately structures, could afford so much pleasure to my mind,

as the beauties of nature I found in this country.

Until the 27th of July, I spent the time in an uninterrupted

scene of slyvan pleasures, when my brother, to my great felicity,

met me, according to appointment, at our old camp. Soon after

we left the place, and proceeded to Cumberland river, recon-

noitring that part of the country, and giving names to the dif-

ferent rivers.

In March 1771, I returned home to my family, being deter-

mined to bring them as soon as possible, at the risk of my life and

fortune, to reside in Kentucke, which I esteemed a second

paradise.

On my return I found my family in happy circumstances.

I sold my farm at Yadkin, and what goods we could not carry

with us; and, on the 25th of September 1773, we bade farewell to

our friends, and proceeded on our journey to Kentucke, in com-

pany with five more families, and forty men that joined us in

Powell's Valley, which is 150 miles from the now settled parts

of Kentucke; but this promising beginning was soon overcast

with a cloud of adversity.

On the 10th of October, the rear of our company was at-

tacked by a number of Indians, who killed six and wounded one

man. Of these my eldest son was one that fell in the action.

Though we repulsed the enemy, yet this unhappy affair scattered

our cattle, brought us into extreme difficulty, and so discour-

aged the whole company, that we retreated forty miles to Clench

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Daniel Boon.                   269

 

river. We had passed over two mountains, Powell's and Wal-

den's, and were approaching Cumberland mountain, when this

adverse fortune overtook us. These mountains are in the wil-

derness, in passing from the old settlements in Virginia to Ken-

tucke, are ranged in a south-west and north-east direction, are

of great length and breadth, and not far distant from each other.

Over them nature hath formed passes less difficult than might

be expected from the view of such huge piles. The aspect of

these cliffs is so wild and horrid, that it is impossible to behold

them without terror.

Until the 6th of June, 1774, I remained with my family on

the Clench when I and Michael Stoner were solicited by governor

Dunmore, of Virginia, to conduct a number of surveyors to the

falls of Ohio. This was a tour of near eight hundred miles, and

took us sixty-two days.

On my return, governor Dunmore gave me the command of

three garrisons, during the campaign against the Shawanese.

In March, 1775, at the solicitation of a number of gentle-

men, of North Carolina, I attended their treaty at Wataga, with

the Cherokee Indians, to purchase the lands on the south-side of

Kentucke-river. After this, I undertook to mark out a road in

the best passage from the settlements, through the wilderness to

Kentucke.

Having collected a number of enterprizing men, well armed,

I soon began this work. We proceeded until we came within

fifteen miles of where Boonsborough now stands, where the In-

dians attacked us, and killed two, and wounded two more.

This was the 20th of March, 1775. Three days after, they

attacked us again; we had two killed and three wounded. After

this, we proceeded on to Kentucke river without opposition.

On the first of April, we began to erect the fort of Boons-

borough, at a salt-lick, sixty yards from the river, on the

south side.

On the ₄th, they killed one of our men.

On the 14th of June, having finished the fort, I returned to

my family, on the Clench. Soon after I removed my family to

this fort; we arrived safe; my wife and daughter being the

first white women that stood on the banks of Kentucke river.

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270       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

December 24th. The Indians killed one man, and wounded

another, seeming determined to persecute us for erecting this fort.

July 14th, 1776. Two of col. Calway's daughters, and one

of mine were taken prisoners near the fort. I immediately pur-

sued the Indians, with only eighteen men.

On the 16th, I overtook them, killed two of them, and recov-

ered the girls.

The Indians had divided themselves into several parties, and

attacked, on the same day, all our settlements and forts, doing

a great deal of mischief. The husbandman was shot dead in

the field, and most of the cattle were destroyed. They continued

their hostilities until

The 15th of April, 1777, when a party of 100 of them at-

tacked Boonsborough, and killed one man, and wounded four.

July 4th, they attacked it again with 200 men, and killed us

one and wounded two. They remained 48 hours, during which

we killed seven of them. All the settlements were attacked at

the same time.

July 1₉th, Colonel Logan's fort was besieged by 200 Indians;

they did much mischief; there were only fifteen men in the

fort; they killed two, and wounded four of them. Indians loss

unknown.

July 25. Twenty-five men came from Carolina. About

August 20th, colonel Bowman arrived with 100 men from

Virginia. Now we began to strengthen, and had skirmishes with

the Indians almost every day. The savages now learned the

superiority of the LONG KNIFE, as they call the Virginians; being

outgeneralded in almost every battle. Our affairs began to wear

a new aspect; the enemy did not now venture open war, but

practiced secret mischief.

January 1, 1₇78.* I went with thirty men to the Blue Licks,

on Licking river, to make salt for the different garrisons.

* Collin's Historical Sketches of Kentucky under heading, Daniel

Boon, contains the following statement: "During this period (from Jan-

uary, 1778 till the 16th of the following June) Boone kept no journal

and we are therefore uninformed as to any particular incidents which

occurred during his captivity." The entire article follows Boon's narra-

tive closely and leaves an irresistible impression that its author must have

had access to Boon's Journal, as here given, although no credit is given

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Daniel Boon.                     271

 

February 7th. Hunting by myself, to procure meat for the

company, I met a party of 102 Indians and Two Frenchmen,

marching against Boonsborough. They pursued and took me;

and next day I capitulated for my men, knowing they could

not escape. They were 27 in number, three having gone home

with salt. The Indians, according to the capitulation, used us

generously. They carried us to Old Chelicothe, the principal

Indian town on Little Miami.

On the 18th of February we arrived there, after an uncom-

fortable journey, in very severe weather.

On the 10th of March, I and ten of my men were conducted

to Detroit.

On the 30th, we arrived there, and were treated by gover-

nor Hamilton, the British commander at that post, with great

humanity.

The Indians had such an affection for me, that they refused

100 £. sterling offered them by the governor, if they would leave

me with the others, on purpose that he might send me home on

my parole. Several English gentlemen there, sensible of my

adverse fortune, and touched with sympathy, generously offered

to supply my wants, which I declined with many thanks, adding

that I never expected it would be in my power to recompense

such unmerited generosity. The Indians left my men in cap-

tivity with the British at Detroit.

On the loth of April, they brought me towards Old Cheli-

cothe, where we arrived on the twenty-fifth day of the same

month. This was a long and fatiguing march, through an ex-

ceeding fertile country, remarkable for fine springs and streams

of water. At Chelicothe, I spent my time as comfortably as I

could expect; was adopted, according to their custom, into a

family, where I became a son, and had a great share in the affec-

therefore. The Historical Sketches of Kentucky were published 64 years

after Boon's narrative in the American Museum and the narrative is now

republished 120 years after Boon wrote it. Boon was born on Feb-

ruary 11th, 1731, on the bank of the Delaware river in Bucks county,

Pennsylvania. He died in 1820 and was buried at Flanders, Calloway

county, Missouri, aged 89. On September 13th, 1845, the state of Ken-

tucky lifted the remains of Boon and his wife and with fitting and beauti-

ful ceremony reinterred them in the public cemetery at Frankfort, Ky.

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272      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

tion of my new parents, brothers, sisters, and friends. I was

exceedingly familiar and friendly with them, always appearing

as cheerful and satisfied as possible, and they put great confidence

in me. I often went a hunting with them, and frequently gained

their applause for my activity at our shooting matches. I was

careful not to exceed many of them in shooting; for no people

are more envious than they in this sport. I could observe in

their countenances and gestures, the greatest expressions of joy

when they exceeded me; and, when the reverse happened, of

envy. The Shawanese king took great notice of me, and treated

me with profound respect, and entire friendship, often entrust-

ing me to hunt at my liberty. I frequently returned with the

spoils of the woods, and as often presented some of what I had

taken to him, expressive of duty to my sovereign. My food and

lodging was in common with them, not so good indeed as I

could desire; but necessity made everything acceptable.

I now began to meditate an escape, but carefully avoided

giving suspicion.

Until the first day of June I continued at Old Chelicothe,

and then was taken to the salt springs on Sciota, and kept there

ten days making salt. During this time, I had hunted with

them, and found the land, for a great extent above this river,

to exceed the soil of Kentucke, if possible, and remarkably well

watered.

On my return to Chelicothe, four hundred and fifty of the

choicest Indian warriors were ready to march against Boons-

borough, painted and armed in a fearful manner. This alarmed

me, and I determined to escape.

On the 16th of June, before sunrise, I went off secretly, and

reached Boonsborough on the 20th, a journey of one hundred

and sixty miles, during which I had only one meal. I found our

fortress in a bad state, but we immediately repaired our flanks,

gates, posterns, and formed double bastions, which we completed

in ten days. One of my fellow prisoners escaping after me,

brought advice, that on account of my flight, the Indians had

put off their expedition for three weeks.

About August 1st, I set out with nineteen men to surprise

Point Creek Town on Sciota. Within four miles we fell in with

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Daniel Boon.                   273

 

thirty Indians going against Boonsborough. We fought, and

the enemy gave way. We suffered no loss. The enemy had one

killed, and two wounded. We took three horses and all their

baggage. The Indians having evacuated their town and gone

all together against Boonsborough, we returned, passed them on

the sixth day, and on the seventh arrived safe at Boonsborough.

On the 8th, the Indian army, four hundred and forty-four in

number, commanded by capt. Duquesne, and eleven other French-

men, and their chiefs, came and summoned the fort. I requested

two days consideration, which they granted. During this, we

brought in through the posterns all the horses and other cattle

we could collect.

On the ₉th, in the evening, I informed their commander, that

we were determined to defend the fort, while a man was living.

They then proposed a treaty, and said if we sent out nine men

to conclude it, they would withdraw. The treaty was held within

sixty yards of the fort, as we suspected the savages. The articles

were agreed to and signed; when the Indians told us, it was

their custom for two Indians to shake hands with every white

man in the treaty, as an evidence of friendship. We agreed to

this also. They immediately grappled us to take us prisoners,

but we cleared ourselves of them, though surrounded by hun-

dreds, and gained the fort safe, except one that was wounded by

a heavy fire from their army. On this they began to undermine

the fort, beginning at the water-mark of Kentucke river, which

is sixty yards from the fort. We discovered this by the water

being made muddy with the clay, and countermined them by

cutting a trench across their subterranean passage. The enemy

discovering this, by the clay we threw out of the fort, desisted.

On the 20th of August, they raised the siege.

During this dreadful siege, we had two men killed, and four

wounded. We lost a number of cattle. We killed thirty-seven

of the enemy, and wounded a great number. We picked up one

hundred and twenty-five pounds of their bullets, besides what

struck in the logs of the fort.

Soon after this I went into the settlement, and nothing worthy

of notice passed for some time.

 

18 Vol. XIII.

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274      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

In July, 1779, during my absence, col. Bowman, with 160

men, went against the Shawanese of Old Chelicothe. He ar-

rived undiscovered; a battle ensued, which lasted until ten in

the morning, when col. Bowman retreated thirty miles. The

Indians collected all their strength, and pursued him, when an-

other engagement ensued for two hours, not to col. Bowman's

advantage. Col. Harrod proposed to mount a number of horses

and break the enemy's line, who at this time fought with remark-

able fury. This desperate measure had a happy effect, and the

savages fled on all sides. In these two battles we had nine men

killed, and one wounded. Enemy's loss uncertain, only two scalps

being taken.

June 22d, 1780, about 600 Indians and Canadians, under

colonel Bird, attacked Riddle's and Martin's station, and the

Forks of Licking river, with six pieces of artillery. They took

all the inhabitants captives, and killed one man and two women,

loaded the others with the heavy baggage; and such as failed

in the journey, were tomahawked.

The hostile disposition of the savages, caused general Clark,

the commandant at the falls of the Ohio, to march with his regi-

ment and the armed force of the country against Peccaway, the

principal town of the Shawanese, on a branch of the Great Miami,

which he finished with great success, took seventeen scalps, and

burned the town to ashes, with the loss of seventeen men.

About this time, I returned to Kentucke with my family;

for, during my captivity, my wife, thinking me killed by the

Indians, had transported my family and goods on horses through

the wilderness, amidst many dangers, to her father's house in

North Carolina.

The history of my difficulties in going and returning, is too

long to be inserted here.

On the 6th of October 1780, soon after my settling again at

Boonsborough, I went with my brother to the Blue Licks, and

on our return, he was shot by a party of Indians; they followed

me by the scent of a dog, which I shot, and escaped.

The severity of the winter caused great distress in Kentucke,

the enemy during the summer having destroyed most of the

corn. The inhabitants lived chiefly on Buffaloes' flesh.

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Daniel Boon.                   275

In spring 1782, the Indians harrassed us.

In May they killed one man at Ashton's station, and took a

negro. Capt. Ashton pursued them with 25 men, and in an

engagement which lasted two hours, his party were obliged to

retreat, having eight killed, and four mortally wounded. Their

brave commander fell in the action.

August 1oth, two boys were carried off from major Hoy's

station. Capt. Holder pursued with 17 men; they were also de-

feated, and lost four and one wounded. Our affairs became more

and more alarming. The savages infested the country, killing

men at every opportunity.

In a field near Lexington, an Indian shot a man, and running

to scalp him, was himself shot from the fort, and fell dead upon

his enemy.

All the Indian nations were now united against us.

August 15th, five hundred Indians and Canadians came

against Briant's station, five miles from Lexington; they as-

saulted the fort, killed all the cattle around it, but being repulsed,

they retired the third day, having about thirty killed, their

wounded uncertain. The garrison had four killed and three

wounded.

August 18th. Col. Todd, colonel Trigg, major Harland,

and myself, speedily collected one hundred and seventy-six men,

well armed, and pursued the savages. They had marched be-

yond the Blue Licks to a remarkable bend of the main fork

of Licking river, about forty-three miles from Lexington, where

we overtook them on the 19th.

The savages observing us, gave way, and we, ignorant of

their numbers, passed the river. When they saw our proceed-

ings, having greatly the advantage in the situation, they formed

their line of battle from one bend of the Licking to the other,

about a mile from the Blue Licks. The battle was exceedingly

fierce for about fifteen minutes, when we, being overpowered

by numbers, were obliged to retreat, with the loss of sixty-seven

men, seven of whom were taken prisoners. The brave and much

lamented colonels Todd and Trigg, major Harland and my second

son, were among the dead. We were afterwards told, that the

Indians on numbering their dead, finding they had four more

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276      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

killed than we, four of our people they had taken, were given

up to their young warriors to be put to death after their barbar-

ous manner.

On our retreat, we were met by colonel Logan, who was has-

tening to join us, with a number of well armed men. This power-

ful assistance we wanted on the day of the battle. The enemy

said, one more fire from us would have made them give way.

I cannot reflect upon this dreadful scene, but sorrow fills my

heart. A zeal for the defence of their country led those heroes

to the scene of action, though with a few men, to attack a power-

ful army of experienced warriors. When we gave way, they

pursued us with the utmost eagerness, and in every quarter

spread destruction. The river was difficult to cross, and many

were killed in the flight, some just entering the river, some in

the water, others after crossing, in ascending the cliffs. Some

escaped on horseback, a few on foot; and being dispersed every-

where, in a few hours, brought the melancholy news of this

unfortunate battle to Lexington. Many widows were now made.

The reader may guess what sorrow filled the hearts of the in-

habitants, exceeding any thing I am able to describe. Being

reinforced, we returned to bury the dead, and found their bodies

strewed every where, cut and mangled in a dreadful manner.

This mournful scene exhibited a horror almost unparalleled;

some torn and eaten by wild beasts; those in the river eaten by

fishes; all in such a putrefied condition, that no one could be

distinguished from another.

When general Clark at the falls of Ohio, heard of our dis-

aster, he ordered an expedition to pursue the savages; we over-

took them within two miles of their town, and we should have

obtained a great victory, had not some of them met us when

about two hundred poles from their camp. The savages fled in

the utmost disorder, and evacuated all their towns. We burned

to ashes Old Chelicothe, Peccaway, New Chelicothe, Wills Town,

and Chelicothe; entirely destroyed their corn and other fruits,

and spread desolation through their country. We took seven

prisoners, and five scalps, and lost only four men, two of whom

were accidentally killed by ourselves.

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Daniel Boon.                   277

 

This campaign damped the enemy; yet they made secret

incursions.

In October, a party attacked Crab Orchard; and one of

them, being a good way before the others, boldly entered a

house, in which were only a woman and her children, and a negro

man. The savage used no violence, but attampted to carry off

the negro, who happily proved to strong for him, and threw him

on the ground, and in the struggle the woman cut off his head

with an axe, while her little daughter shut the door. The sav-

ages instantly came up and applied their tomahawks to the door,

when the mother putting an old rust gun barrel through a crevice,

the savages went off.

From that time, until the happy return of peace between the

united states and Great Britain, the Indians did us no mischief.

Soon after the Indians desired peace.

Two darling sons, and a brother I have lost by savage hands,

which have also taken forty valuable horses, and an abundance

of cattle. Many dark and sleepless nights have I spent, sepa-

rated from the chearful society of men, scorched by the sum-

mer's sun, and pinched by the winter's cold, an instrument or-

dained to settle the wilderness. But now the scene is changed:

peace crowns the sylvan shade.

DANIEL BOON.

Fayette County, Kentucke.

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