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be　in　my　power　to　recompense　such　unmerited　generosity。



The　Indians　left　my　men　in　captivity　with　the　British

at　Detroit；　and　on　the　tenth　day　of　April　brought　me　towards

Old　Chelicothe；　where　we　arrived　on　the　twenty…fifth　day　of　the

same　month。　This　was　a　long　and　fatiguing　march；　through

an　exceeding　fertile　country；　remarkable　for　fine　springs　and

streams　of　water。　At　Chelicothe　I　spent　my　time　as　comfortably　as

I　could　expect；　was　adopted；　accordin　to　their　custom；　into　a

family　where　I　became　a　son；　and　had　a　great　share　in　the　affection

of　my　new　parents；　brothers；　sisters；　and　friends。　I　was

exceedingly　familiar　and　friendly　with　them；　always　appearing　as

chearful　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　entrusting　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　every　thing　acceptable。



I　now　began　to　meditate　an　escape；　and　carefully　avoided　their

suspicions；　continuing　with　them　at　Old　Chelicothe　until　the　first

day　of　June　following；　and　then　was　taken　by　them　to　the　salt

springs　on　Sciotha；　and　kept　there；　making　salt；　ten　days。　During

this　time　I　hunted　some　for　them；　and　found　the　land；　for　a　great

extent　about　this　river；　to　exceed　the　soil　of　Kentucke；　if

possible；　and　remarkably　well　watered。

When　I　returned　to　Chelicothe；　alarmed　to　see　four　hundred　and

fifty　Indians；　of　their　choicest　warriors；　painted　and　armed　in　a

fearful　manner；　ready　to　march　against　Boonsborough；　I　determined

to　escape　the　first　opportunity。



On　the　sixteenth；　before　sun…rise；　I　departed　in　the　most　secret

manner；　and　arrived　at　Boonsborough　on　the　twentieth；　after　a

journey　of　one　hundred　and　sixty　miles；　during　which；　I　had　but　one

meal。



I　found　our　fortress　in　a　bad　state　of　defence；　but　we　proceeded

immediately　to　repair　our　flanks；　strengthen　our　gates　and

posterns；　and　form　double　bastions；　which　we　compleated　in　ten

days。　In　this　time　we　daily　expected　the　arrival　of　the　Indian

army；　and　at　length；　one　of　my　fellow　prisoners；　escaping　from

them；　arrived；　informing　us　that　the　enemy　had　an　account　of　my

departure；　and　postponed　their　expedition　three　weeks。The　Indians

had　spies　out　viewing　our　movements；　and　were　greatly　alarmed　with

our　increase　in　number　and　fortifications。　The　Grand　Councils　of

the　nations　were　held　frequently；　and　with　more　deliberation　than

usual。　They　evidently　saw　the　approaching　hour　when　the　Long　Knife

would　disposess　them　of　their　desirable　habitations；　and　anxiously

concerned　for　futurity；　determined　utterly　to　extirpate　the　whites

out　of　Kentucke。　We　were　not　intimidated　by　their　movements；　but

frequently　gave　them　proofs　of　our　courage。



About　the　first　of　August；　I　made　an　incursion　into　the　Indian

country；　with　a　party　of　nineteen　men；　in　order　to　surprise　a　small

town　up　Sciotha；　called　Paint…Creek…Town。　We　advanced　within　four

miles　thereof；　where　we　met　a　party　of　thirty　Indians；　on　their

march　against　Boonsborough；　intending　to　join　the　others

from　Chelicothe。　A　smart　fight　ensued　betwixt　us　for　some　time：　At

length　the　savages　gave　way；　and　fled。　We　had　no　loss　on　our　side：

The　enemy　had　one　killed；　and　two　wounded。　We　took　from　them　three

horses；　and　all　their　baggage；　and　being　informed；　by　two　of　our

number　that　went　to　their　town；　that　the　Indians　had　entirely

evacuated　it；　we　proceeded　no　further；　and　returned　with　all

possible　expedition　to　assist　our　garrison　against　the　other　party。

We　passed　by　them　on　the　sixth　day；　and　on　the　seventh；　we　arrived

safe　at　Boonsborough。



On　the　eighth；　the　Indian　army　arrived；　being　four　hundred　and

forty…four　in　number；　commanded　by　Capt。　Duquesne；　eleven　other

Frenchmen；　and　some　of　their　own　chiefs；　and　marched　up　within　view

of　our　fort；　with　British　and　French　colours　flying；　and　having

sent　a　summons　to　me；　in　his　Britannick　Majesty's　name；　to

surrender　the　fort；　I　requested　two　days　consideration；　which　was

granted。



It　was　now　a　critical　period　with　us。We　were　a　small　number　in

the　garrison。A　powerful　army　before　our　walls；　whose　appearance

proclaimed　inevitable　death；　fearfully　painted；　and　marking　their

footsteps　with　desolation。　Death　was　preferable　to　captivity；　and

if　taken　by　storm；　we　must　inevitably　be　devoted　to　destruction。　In

this　situation　we　concluded　to　maintain　our　garrison；　if　possible。

We　immediately　proceeded　to　collect　what　we　could　of　our　horses；

and　other　cattle；　and　bring　them　through　the　posterns　into　the

fort：　And　in　the　evening　of　the　ninth；　I　returned　answer；　that　we

were　determined　to　defend　our　fort　while　a　man　was　livingNow；

said　I　to　their　commander；　who　stood　attentively　hearing　my

sentiments；　We　laugh　at　all　your　formidable　preparations：　But　thank

you　for　giving　us　notice　and　time　to　provide　for　our　defence。　Your

efforts　will　not　prevail；　for　our　gates　shall　for　ever　deny　you

admittance。Whether　this　answer　affected　their　courage；　or　not；　I

cannot　tell；　but；　contrary　to　our　expectations；　they　formed　a

scheme　to　deceive　us；　declaring　it　was　their　orders；　from　Governor

Hamilton；　to　take　us　captives；　and　not　to　destroy　us；　but　if　nine

of　us　would　come　out；　and　treat　with　them；　they　would　immediatly

withdraw　their　forces　from　our　walls；　and　return　home　peaceably。

This　sounded　grateful　in　our　ears；　and　we　agreed　to　the　proposal。



We　held　the　treaty　within　sixty　yards　of　the　garrison；　on　purpose

to　divert　them　from　a　breach　of　honour；　as　we　could　not　avoid

suspicions　of　the　savages。　In　this　situation　the　articles　were

formally　agreed　to；　and　signed；　and　the　Indians　told　us　it　was

customary　with　them；　on　such　occasions；　for　two　Indians　to　shake

hands　with　every　white…man　in　the　treaty；　as　an　evidence　of　entire

friendship。　We　agreed　to　this　also；　but　were　soon　convinced　their

policy　was　to　take　us　prisoners。They　immediately　grappled　us；

but；　although　surrounded　by　hundreds　of　savages；　we　extricated

ourselves　from　them；　and　escaped　all　safe　into　the　garrison；　except

one　that　was　wounded；　through　a　heavy　fire　from　their　army。　They

immediately　attacked　us　on　every　side；　and　a　constant　heavy　fire

ensued　between　us　day　and　night　for　the　space　of　nine　days。



In　this　time　the　enemy　began　to　undermine　our　fort；　which　was

situated　sixty　yards　from　Kentucke　river。　They　began　at　the　water…

mark　and　proceeded　in　the　bank　some　distance；　which　we　understood

by　their　making　the　water　muddy　with　the　clay；　and　we　immediately

proceeded　to　disappoint　their　design；　by　cutting　a　trench　across

their　subterranean　passage。　The　enemy　discovering　our　counter…mine；

by　the　clay　we　threw　out　of　the　fort；　desisted　from　that　stratagem：

And　experience　now　fully　convincing　them　that　neither　their　power

nor　policy　could　effect　their　purpose；　on　the　twentieth　day　of

August　they　raised　the　siege；　and　departed。



During　this　dreadful　siege；　which　threatened　death　in　every　form；

we　had　two　men　killed；　and　four　wounded；　besides　a　number　of

cattle。　We　killed　of　the　enemy　thirty…seven；　and　wounded　a　great

number。　After　they　were　gone；　we　picked　up　one　hundred　and　twenty…

five　pounds　weight　of　bullets；　besides　what　stuck　in　the　logs　of

our　fort；　which　certainly　is　a　great　proof　of　their　industry。　Soon

after　this；　I　went　into　the　settlement；　and　nothing　worthy　of　a

place　in　this　account　passed　in　my　affairs　for　some　time。



During　my　absence　from　Kentucke；　Col。　Bowman　carried　on　an

expedition　against　the　Shawanese；　at　Old　Chelicothe；　with　one

hundred　and　sixty　men；　in　July；　1779。　Here　they　arrived

undiscovered；　and　a　battle　ensued；　which　lasted　until　ten　o'clock；

A。　M。　when　Col。　Bowman；　finding　he　could　not　succeed　at　this　time；

retreated　about　thirty　miles。　The　Indians；　in　the　meantime；

collecting　all　their　forces；　pursued　and　overtook　him；　when　a　smart

fight　continued　near　two　hours；　not　to　the　advantage　of　Col。

Bowman's　party。



Col。　Harrod　proposed　to　mount　a　number　of　horse；　and　furiously

to　rush　upon　the　savages；　who　at　this　time　fought　with　remarkable

fury。　This　desperate　step　had　a　happy　effect；　broke　their　line　of

battle；　and　the　savages　fled　on　all　sides。　In　these　two　battles　we

had　nine　killed；　and　one　wounded。　The　enemy's　loss　uncertain；　only

two　scalps　being　taken。



On　the　twenty…second　day　of　June；　1780；　a　large　party　of　Indians

and　Canadians；　about　six　hundred　in　number；　commanded　by　Col。　Bird；

attacked　Riddle's　and　Martin's　stations；　at　the　Forks　of　Licking

River；　with　six　pieces　of　artillery。　They　carried　this　expedition

so　secretly；　that　the　unwary　inhabitants　did　not　discover　them；

until　they　fired　upon　the　forts；　and；　not　being　prepared　to　oppose

them；　were　obliged　to　surrender　themselves　miserable　captives　to

barbarous　savages；　who　immediately　after　tomahawked　one　man　and　two

women；　and　loaded　all　the　others　with　heavy　baggage；　forcing　them

along　toward　their　towns；　able　or　unable　to　march。　Such　as　were

weak　and　faint　by　the　way；　they　tomahawked。　The　tender　women；　and

helpless　children；　fell　victims　to　their　cruelty。　This；　and　the

savage　treatment　they　received　afterwards；　is　shocking　to　humanity；

and　too　barbarous　to　relate。



The　hostile　disposition　of　the　savages；　and　their　allies；　caused

General　Clark；　the　commandant　at　the　Falls　of