Indiana Palladium, Volume 3, Number 18, Lawrenceburg, Dearborn County, 12 May 1827 — Page 1
EQUALITY OF RIGHTS IS NATURE'S PLAN AND FOLLOWING NATURE IS THE MARCH OF MAN.-Barlcw. Volume III. LAWRENCEBURGfl, INDIANA 5 SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1827. Number 18.
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PRhXTED AjYD PUBLISHED BY M. Gregg & D. V. CuIIej, OK EVERY SATURDAY.
FROM THE KENTUCKY GAZETTE. KOTES OjVKEJVTU CKY.Sedion 1 3. Early in August 1782, large detach ments of Indian warriors trom the Uher okee, YVyandots, Taway, and Pottowat tomies. as well as from several other tribes bordering on the lakes, assembled in grand council at Chillicothe, where they were met by bimon Girty and IVrKee, two renegado white men; unprincipled in disposition, and stained with the blood of innocent women and children, their lives were assimilated to the custom? and habits of the Indians, from which, and their general knowledge of the white people, they had acquired the confidence of the Indians, were faithful to their interests, and assisted at, and were consnicous in their councils. Gir(y, in order to inflame the minds of the young warriors against the Kentuckians, took an elevated stand, when he disengaged his arm from his blanket, assumed the attitude of an Orator, and to the painted savage assembly, equipped in all the habiliments of war, delivered the following address: ' Brothers: The fertile region of Kcntuckv, is the land of cane and clover spontaneously growing to feed the buffalo, the elk and the deer; the hear and the beaver are always fat the Indians from all tribes, have had aright from time immemoriab!e, to hunt and kill unmolested these wild animals, and bring ollthcir skins, to purchase for themselves clothing to buy blankets for their hacks and rum to send down their throats to drive away the cold and rejoice their hearts after the fatigues of hunting and the toil of war, (great applause from the crowd.) But "Brothers. The long knives have overrun your country and usurped your hunting grounds they have destroyed the cane trodden down the clover; killed the deer and buffalo, the bear and the raccoon; the heaver has been chased from his damt and forced to leave the country, (palpable emotion among the hearers.) ''Brothers, The intruders on your lands exult in the success that has crowned their flagitious acts. They are building and making roads on the very ground of the Indian camp and war-path. They are planting fruit trees and ploughing the lands where not Ions since were the cane break and clover field. Was there a voice in the trees of the forest, or articulate soundsin the gurgling waters, every part of this country would call on you to chase away these ruthless invaders who nrc laving it waste. Unless you rise in the majesty of your might and exterminate the whole race, you may bid adieu to the hunting ground of your fathers to the delicious flesh of the animals with which it once abounded, and to the skins with which you were once enabled to purchase your clothing and your rum." Inflamed to frenzy with his harangue, the young warriors expressed their approbations and evinced their determination to comply with the recommendations of the speaker, by extending an outstretched arm towards Kentucky, grasping (he tomahawk and striking it into the ground with a hideous yell. The eld warriors signified their approbation by a loud sonorous grunt. No sooner had Girty concluded his harangue, than th1 I adians took up the line cf march for Kentucky, with the de termination first to take Bryan's station, after which to act as circumstances should direct. Bvran's station contained about fortv cabins, built so as to form a parallel, ogram of about SQOyards long and 50 wide and where the houses did not join, the vacancy, was filled up with pickets. The angles were strengthened by blockhouses which answered the purpose of bastions. On the 15th day of August, in the year 1782, this formidable savage army appeared in hostile array before Brvan's station; the inhabitants immediately on the discovery of their approach, closed the gates and made every preparation in their power to defend the place. Bryan's station or fort, five miles east from Lexington, became the most exposed point in Kentucky, after the destruction of Ruddle's and Martin's stations in . Long Knife. A name by which the Virgin iang were designated the Indians from other white people Ed. G z f The Beaver build dms to ra'ch fish, and to teuret the aTecue to their bouses. Ed. Gax-
the year 1780. The death of William Bryan, who died of a wound received near the mouth of Cane run, so discour
aged his friends that they returned to North Carolina, and the greater part of the population from that slate, left the fort about the same time, which would have so reduced the strength, as to compel the remainder to remove, if the fort had not acquired new strength in a number of families from Virginia. Robert Johnson, Esq. the father of th Hon. Richard M.Johnson, with several families of his connections, from the same section of Virginia, removed to Bryan's sta tion, and kept up the strength ot the place at what it had been, if not greater than at any former period. It has been stated that Bryan's station was at that time the most exposed of the settlement in Kentucky, and that was to be ascribed to the residence of the hostile tribes and the guide they found in the Miami rivers on the north west side, and the Licking and Kentucky rivers on the south east of the Ohio. The for mer served to pilot them to the shores of the Otiio, and the latter served the same purpose to bring them to the vicinity of Bryan's station. Lexington, Bryan s station, Boon's station, M'F ce'sand Stroud's were the only places occupied on the north side of the Kentucky river, at the period of tho formidable attack on Bryan's, which was conducted so secretly by Simon Girty and his brother James, that the fort was completely surrounded on the night of the 15th of August, 1782 while the men, women and children slept quietly, not dreaming of any danger un til alarmed by the fire of the savages before sun rise, on those who first opened their doors. The night before, the news had been received that Capt. Holder, with a party of men from M'Gee's and Stroud's stations, had been defeated, and the greater part of the force from Bryan's were pre paring to march to that quarter; and if the Indians had delayed I he fire one hour longer, the fort would have been reduced to a mere handful, as the men were on the eve of departing. The greater danger at home now, called for united exertions of the whole country. Two men Nicholas Tomlinson and Thomas Bell, were mounted on good horses, and sent olT at the first fire to Lexington; on arriving there the force of that place had Cone to Boon's station, on tho way to Holder's assistance. Tomlinson and Bell followed and overtook them at Boon's station, where a force of sixteen mounted men and about 30 on foot immediately started to the aid of the besieged fort. The Indians agreeably to their modes of warfare, attempted to take the fort by stratagem of the following nature: It has already been stated, that the fire commenced early in the morning; this firing was by a party of 100 Indians on the south east side or angle of the fort, where the road from Lexington to fans no passes, ahout CJ00 yards from the spot where Mr. Joseph Kodgers resides at present. I he great body of the enemy (500) lay concealed in high weeds on the opposite side of the iort, within pistoi shot ot the spring, trom which the supply of water was drawn. The former practice of this fort, was known, and the Indians expected every
man to run to the spot where the hnnjjjand were m -stly killed; the lew sheen
commenced, which would leave tt undolenued on tne side where the mam body lay; but the number of gnus disc haired,
and the near approach of the party, con-j0f vineed the neotde of the fort that it
9nl9n(u,;.UmB . ,i. nff-ill:ninfft ili; fp-m to woKoi , "fte f ,3 T .-u pcees, ana the women rnmmpncpH nnu
uctu supplying vvaterjthe people of that fort. He declared j
from the very spring ofthe enemy. Anc V V 7 1 V j l ahhough the Indians, lav so near the spring, the women ventu red to it from the assurance that the enemy would remain concealed until the men from the fort fired on the party on the south side east side, which was'perccivccTat once to be the plan; accordingly, when a sufficient quantity of water was drawn, the fort put in order, and the men at their posts, a party of 13 went out on the direction of the first fire from i"iui iuu, anu n in.u moment i tie ambuscade rushed on the fort, believing the men were engaged on the other side. How they must have been disappointed to find every thing ready to receive them. A heavy well directed fire from the fort put the savages to flight, a small body ofthe most daring reached the fort, and set fire to a few houses and stables. which were consumed; but the rest of the fort and the lives of the people were saved by an easterly windy which drove
the flames from the houses. Thi defeatlau?r.nia,K' I,s to re,I'lorct merits, that
anoui two uours after I He lir?t tire in the morning, drove the Indians to a respect ful distance. The enemy encamped on the bank of the creek where the road now cros?e-. convenient to the spring, at a place out ot sight of the fort. It was known to the savages that two men had been sent early in the morning on the direction to Lexington, and they tornnei a parly ot an,. m 300 of their bct warriors ai the upper eml of the lai e h ailing t. Lexington, to intercept (he expected reintonemei.t, on the south ea?t side of tne tort. Oa the right of the present road to lu;?, grew a field of more than lOO acres of com, (lire ugh which the Indians passed and repass u from the encampment on the bank ofthe creek to the pai l) at the head of the lane. At about 2, t M. the men from Lexington and Boon's station arrived insight oi i.j i .-..-- the fort, at a moment that the tiring had ceued and no indication of danger appeared; this reinforcement believed it iiad been a false alarm, and the sixteen mounted men approached the fort the usual route along a narrow lane which was lined for mure than a hundred yards by the enemy on both sides, who "commenced a fire unpereeived :i a few feet distance. It is believed the great dus which was raised by the horses feet, in a conside rable degree protected the part : ihey got safe into the fort without the slightest wound to man or horse, ut the parly on foot were le.s fortunate. They were approaching through the large cornfield on the right and could have passed into the fort unseen by the sava ges, but on hearing the hnncat the head of the lane on their comrades, they run to their aid, without reflecting that from the number of guns that the" force was an over match for them. When the) reached the head of the lane, the mounted men were gone, and the enemy were in great force between them and the fori, augmenting every moment from the camp on the bank of the creek. A sharp firing commence d, and nothing but the thickness of the corn saved this party oi 30 brave men from destiuetion; two only were killed and four wounded. The white men separated and sought safety in flight, and the force of then iities, in many instances where parties of G or 8 Indians were pur?uir g cue man, they were kept otfhy a know ledge of the danger of approaching a man w ith a gun .n his hand suppesed to be loaded. James Girty, w ith a half doz-'n savage brethren, pushed on one of the w hite men so hard, that he fired, and Girty fell, which stopped the rest of the party and saved the man from certain death. Unfortunately for many suflering victims who fell by the hands, or by the influence of this monster, he had bound to the strap of his powder horn, a piece of the leather just stolen from tauvats, the folds of which saved mm, anu ne only received a severe shock, which brought him to the ground. Mr. John Sharp, the father of the present jailor ot Fayette, was of this party, and too infirm to make Lis escape, if he had not been able to keep the Jndians at bav, from tear of his ride, until he readied a thicket of cane. In the evening the cattle and stock attempted to return as uu th to the fort. were totally destroyed. A little after sunset, Simon Girty aphemp, to a large stump of a tree, w i ... .i... ...i .i .proacimd under cover of a Uiick growth; ,m:h ' V ' '"l ' b lr I i r i l.-v 1 1 it . inf1
- priori' one i, me. iapiam, wnom l snail !mil,Ml 'r''-.diSi, .rr,.nd.-r;,lu.iguUh by the ,ml of Clodpole,
by turn, and inquired I he was known to .,aradr. In obeoMen, e to thU ArrW rrr . A. . . , . .!rar,,ur' oocuicnee 10 mis oicler, one
pusom-is snomu ue proiecieu "supplied the place of a drum and fife, they would surrender, which was out of' placed himself in front of the houe. and
his power it the place was taken by storm, is it would be that night, on the arrival of his cannon and strong reinforcements which were hourly expected. This language from Girty, and the recollection by the people in the fort, that cannon were employed in the reduction of Ruddle's and Martin's stations, was calculated to create considerable alarm. It was so handsomely parried by Aaron Reynolds, a young man remarkable for wit and sprighthness, that in justice to the individual his name is mentioned, as it will be hereafter in a noble act at the battle of the Blue Licks, a few days after. Mr. Reynolds observing the discouraging influence of Girty's lofty commanding address, took the liberty of replying to him. In the first place, lr. Rey nolds admitted the name of Girty was so well known, & held in 6iich detestatioiijthathe had u-iaied a worthless dog
melon vouid receive a trei e one in
time to meet ihe cowardly ain.y commanded by him. For his. part he felt so little i ci t t rn or apprehension fn m such an e ni m) , thai he cci tidtrcd it disgraceful to use fire arms in lopelihg thtm: ai d should in the event of his party breakii g into ihe fort roort to switches, which he l ad no doubt wculd he sufficient to dri the rake d nwals frc m ti e country. Girty toe k great c fit nee at the levity and want cf pi liter. ess of his ndveisary, aid pi etc l de d to deplete the coisM-quercrs resulting frc m such obstinacy, and lefi his position very quickly. During the night a small party vas left to keep up occasional tiling, but the main body inarche d efiin gieat l.aste to the low e r Blue Licks, w here a battle ihe mot distressing that Kentucky had tvei w itnessed, occurred in a few days. I recapitulatii g the preceding attack, there are seme very sirgular circumstan ces worthy of attention. The tiring in the mornii g was in time to prevent the march of nearly all the men to a distant point, and the enemy so far overrated their plan, that instead cf drawing tht men out, every one prepared for a siege-. and although there wert more than 100 nuns discharged, not a solitary person was touched; the singular circumstance of the w ind springing up from the east and saving the place from the flames: the fortunate parsing out and return of Tomlinson and Bell, the tw o expresses, and the passage of 16 mounted men through a fire et several hundred Indians unhurt all these things are singular. There were 500 Indians and about CO Canadians and tories, forming an aimy oi more man ouu ro ngnt -r. men. i ne whole number in the fort was 41 men, but two wore sent olTns expresses, and two were killed in the fort. The persons killed were Mitchell and Atkinson; and Tomlinson slightly wounded in the arm after his return from the express. The loss of the Indians w as very consid erable, but the precise number not known. NiclitjUs TcmUr.son continued cne cf tht 'ost fcclivr d ferd?r3 of th is country ar.ii Vis roptoye-d in XI rrr;ra expedition in 1790, s spj at die dtftat of ds-Udment of tht arnu Mi drr Cot John lUrdin, on the Auimxe, I season Kite? ;n advance, vvks littrjllv shot w pit-nsbv a a rabuscade of more ihin oae 1C0O) n dians. MILITIA MUSTER. IN A LLTTER TO A IRU.1). Dear Sir. I happened not long since to he present at the muster of a Captain's company in a remote part of one of the counties, and as no general description could convey an accurate idea ot the achievments of that dav, must he permitted to go a little into detail, as well as my recollection w ill serve me. The men had been notified to meet at 12oVlock, armed and equipped as the law uirecis, inai is to sav, with a gun and cartridge-box at least, but, as direct ed by the law of the United States, kiv ith a good firelock, a sufficient bayonet, and a pouch with a box to contain not less than twenty-tour sufheient cartridges cf ot powder and ball.' At 12 about one thiul, perhaps one half of the men had collected, and an inspector's return of the number present, and of the ir arm?, would have stood nearly thus: Oae Capt. one Lieute.nant, ere Ensim. Serjeant r.one: hleis. note? nri vates present, 23; ditto a bsent 50: ur.s 5 mudocks 12, ramrods 10, rifle pouches 3, bayonets none; horst whips walkI A f i 1 1 incaurs ana umnrellas, A tittle
0f the sergeants, whee lun had lon"'CaPtat!'; lna3' Iotk ipam lor how can
hegan to baw l with creat vehemence k"All Captain Clodpole's Company to parade here! Come ulxtlimkn, parade here! and you that haa'nt guns, fall into the lower eend" lie might have baw led till this time w ith as little success as the Sy rens sung to Ulyssus, had he not changed his post to a neighboring shade, i here he was immediately joined by all who were then at leisure; the others were at the time engaged, either as parties, or spectators, at a game of fives, and could not just then aitend. However, in less than half an hour, the c;ame was finished, and the Captain enabled to form his company and proceed in the duties ofthe day. Lock Iq the right end dress! These were foon by the help of the non-commissioned officers, placed in a straight line, hut as everv man was anxious to pp hnu the rest stood, these on the mugs ------ -
ed forward fer ihe purpose, til) tht whole line assumed r.tatly the form cf a crescc r.t. hy look at Vny'sny s the Captain; 4'wh genthnen you are all erci.kir here at both ettiCj, so that yet! ill cct t to rre by and by cinsf gentlemen, cress.' dress P This was accordit gly deic; but in pelled by the a.e n tiivt ns lefcie they seen rc?umtd their former h!uie.? and ihey were permitted to re n ait;. Now, gentlemen, says the Captain, t am goit g to carry je u through ihe rrro'ivticm of the n.anut l exe rcist , and I v ai t ycu, genile men, to j ay particular attention to the we id cfcenmand jhi exactly as 1 give it cut to yeu. 1 hope you will huM a little patitr.t e, gentlemen, if ou ph ase, ai d Til be as shcit ac pc ssiblc, ai d it 1 be a goit g w rot g, I will beniuh oblige d to any of ycu, ge i tiemen, to put me right again, lor 1 n ear, all for the best, ai d 1 hope yeu will excuse me, if you please. Oi e thing, genlit men, J must tautiti ogaiist, m particular, atid tluat is i c t to make any mistakes if you can possibly htipitjaid ihfc best way to do this, will be to do all the
motions right first, and that will help ucto get along so much the faster, and we'll try to have it over as soon as possible. Cr me, hovs, ct me to the shoulder. Poise fovlk .' I'vise Jl-olk! Very handsomely dun 'June a ?;.' luun dizni cciricges Ise! i o! lire 1 recollect n w that firing on es rex after taking aim, accoidii g toSttnle n; but with yeur ptin issiot', gei nn I'll reed the words just exac tly as they aie printed in the bock, aid then 1 shall be sure to he right. 4,0 ves! read it, Captain, read it (e xclaime d twenty voices at once) that will save tini-." 'Tent ion the whole then; please to oh serve, gentlemen, that at the wcid Jire! you must fire, that is if any ofycui guns are leaden, you must not shoot in yarnesi 1 ut only make pretence like, ai d y ou gentlemen, fellow solditis, who's i rn ed with nothing but sticks and switches, ai d corn stawks, necd'nt go through the firing, but stand as you are, aid keep you i selves to yourselves. Uulf cockjbolk i Very w ell done- , t. (spelling) shut pan! That to& would have been very handtomely dote9 if you had'nt handled cartridge instead of shutting pan, but I suppose you want noticing. Now, 'tention one and all, gentlemen, and do that motion again. Shut pan.' Very good, very well indeed, ai d y ou did that moshun equal to any sojer you improve 'stonishit gly. Handle cartri gts! Pretty w ell, e v nsidering y ou did it roeg eend foremot,as if you took the catridge out ol yi ui irouth and bit off the twist with the catiirlge bix. Draw rammer! These whohavYt n ranmier to their guns necd'nt dn.vv, but only make the motion; it will do just aa we ll, and save a great deal of time. Return rammer! Very well again! hut that would have becu done. I think with greater e xpertness, if you had performed the moticn with a little d xienty . 6, ?, t, k, I- shoulder Jholk! Very handsomely dene indeed! l'ut your guns on the other shoulder, gentlemen. Older foolk! Ilandscmely done, gerv tlemen'.very handsomely done! and alto gether too, except that a few of ycu we is a laile too soon, and some others a tet!s too late. In laying down your guns, gentleman, take care to lay the locks up and the other side dow n. 4Tehtion the whole, Crcur.d foolki Very well. Charge layonzt! (Some of the men.) That can't be ngh we "arge oayonei wnnoui our gun f (Ccptaiiu)! don't know as to that, but' l'know Tin right, for here 'tis printed in the book c, h, u, r, yes charge bayD?eti that s right, that s the word, 1 know how to read; come gentlemen, do pray charge bay onet! charge, I say! Why don't ycu charge? do you think it a n't so? Do y rethink I have lived to this time o' day and don't know what charge bayonet is? Here, ccme and see for yourselves; its plain as the nose on ytur a stop? stay no! hah! no! no! Faiih'.Fm wrong, I turned over two haves at orce, 1 bg your pardon; gentlemen we will not stay here long, and we'll have something to drink as soon as we have done. Ce me, boys get off the stumps and h gs and take op your guns, we'll soon be dons; excuse me, if y ou please. Fix Bayonets ! Adii7ue arms! Very well done. Turn up the ste cks of your guns in front, gen-
pree-ltlemeni and that ill bring ihe barrels