corded of young Reynolds, who replied with much humor to the summons of Simon Girty, demanding the surrender of Bryant's fort. This young man, after bearing his share in the battle, with distinguished gallantry, was galloping with several other horsemen in order to reach the Licking. The great body of the fugitives had preceded them, and their situation was in the highest degree critical. About half way between the battle ground and the river, the party overtook Capt. Robert Patterson, on foot, exhausted by the rapidity of the flight and ready to yield himself to the tomahawk and scalping knife of the savages. The Indians were close behind him and as he was infirm in consequence of former wounds, his fate seemed inevitable. The generous Reynolds coming up with this brave officer, instantly sprung from his horse, aided Patterson to mount upon the saddle, and continued his own flight on foot. Being active and vigorous, he contrived to elude his pursuers, until he reached the opposite bank of the Licking, when he was taken prisoner by a party of the enemy. His arms were taken away from him, and he was compelled to accompany the party in the pursuit. The eagerness to overtake the fugitives induced the party to commit him to the care of a single Indian, who conducted him, leisurely, in the rear. At length the Indian stooped to tie his moccasin, when young Reynolds seized the gun in the hands of the Indian, knocked him down with it, and quickly disappeared in the thicket which surrounded them. For this act of noble generosity Capt. Patterson, gave the young soldier a farm containing two hundred acres of land.

Soon after the fatal battle of the Blue Licks, on the first of September, a party of savages surprised Kincheloe's fort, situated on Simpson's creek, in which six or seven families had fled for protection. They entered the fort, broke into the houses in the night, and killed men, women and children. Some were led into captivity, and a few only, favored by the darkness of the night, escaped. (1)

As soon as the intelligence of the battle of the Blue Licks, and the outrages at Kinchloe's fort, reached Colonel George Rogers Clarke, who then resided at the falls of the Ohio, he detrmined to set on foot an expedition against the Indian towns, for the purpose both of avenging the murders committed, and rousing the spirits of the country, which had begun to sink into the deepest dispondency. He invited the superior officers to meet him in council, when he proposed that one thousand men should be raised and rendezvoused at Cincinnati, under the command of their respective officers, where he engaged to meet them at the head of

the regiment under his command, with one brass field piece, which was regarded by the Indians with superstitious terror. The offer was embraced with alacrity; and instant measures were taken for the collection of a sufficient number of volunteers. (1)

The whole force of the interior was assembled, under the command of Colonel Logan, and descending the Licking in boats, arrived safely at the designated point of union. Here they were joined by Colonel Clarke, at the head of his regiment, accompanied by volunteers from below. No provision had been made for the subsistence of the troops, and the sudden concentration of one thousand men and horses at a single point, rendered it exceedingly difficult to procure the necessary supplies. The woods abounded in game-but the rapidity and secrecy of their march, which was absolutely essential to the success of the expedition, did not allow them to scatter in search of it. They suffered greatly, therefore, from hunger, as well as fatigue; but all being accustomed to privations of every kind, they prosecuted their march with unabated rapadity, and appeared within a mile of one of their largest villages without encountering a single Indian. Here, unfortunately, a stragler observed the approach of the army, and instantly fled to the village, uttering the most thrilling and startling yells of alarm. The troops pressed forward with great dispatch, but on entering the town, found it totally deserted. The houses had evidently been abandoned only a few minutes before their arrival. Fires were burning, meat was upon the roasting sticks, and corn was boiling in their kettles. The provisions were very acceptable to the troops, who were nearly famish ed, but the escape of their enemies excited deep and universal chagrin. After refreshing themselves, they burned the village and destroyed the adjoining corn fields, and every means of affording sustenance to the Indians. The army then proceeded from village to village, reducing all to ashes, laying waste the corn fields and leaving only ruin and desolation in the country. Occasionally, a solitary Indian would crawl up within rifle shot, and deliver his fire; and once a small party, mounted on superb horses, rode up with great audacity, within musket shot, and took a leisurely survey of the whole army, but upon seeing a detach. ment preparing to attack them, they galloped off with a rapidity which baffled pursuit. (2)

Seven prisoners only were taken in this campaign, three of whom were afterwards killed by the captors. Upon approaching a large vil(1) Incidents of Border Warfare, p. 314.

lage of the Shawanese, from which most of the inhabitants had fled, an old chief named MOLUNTHA, came out to meet them, fantastically dressed, having an old cocked hat set jauntingly upon his head, and a fine shawl thrown over his shoulders. He carried an enormous pipe in one hand, and a quantity of tobacco in the other. He strutted out, with the air of an old French beau, to smoke the pipe of peace with his enemies, whom he found himself unable to meet in battle. Nothing could be more striking, than the fearless confidence with which he walked through the foremost ranks of the army, evidently pleased with his own appearance, and enjoying the admiration, which he supposed his cocked hat and splendid shawl inspired. Many of the officers and soldiers were highly amused at the mixture of dandyism and gallantry which the poor old man exhibited, and shook hands witn him very cordially.

Unfortunately he approached Major McGary, whose temper was as much inflamed at the sight of an Indian, as that of a wild bull by the waving of a red flag. Besides Moluntha had been one of the chiefs who commanded at the Blue Licks. Instead of giving him his hand, when offered, McGary scowled upon him and asked him if "he recollected the Blue Licks?" Moluntha smiled and merely repeated the words "Blue Licks!" when McGary, instantly drew his tomahawk, and cleft him to the brain. The old man received the blow without flinching for a second, and fell dead at the feet of his destroyer. Great excitement instantly prevailed in the army. Some called it a ruthless murder, while others justified the act, and declared that an Indian was not to be regarded as a human being, but ought to be shot down as a wolf, whenever and wherever he appeared. McGary raved like a madman at the reproach of his countrymen. (1) Col. Clark highly disapproved of the act, but deemed it imprudent to cause the subject to be investigated.(2)

Thus terminated this expedition, by which the savages were taught a lesson which they long remembered. It showed them that the whites were vastly superior, and that their aggressions would at last end in the destruction of their towns, and the reduction of their women and chil dren to want and hunger.

(1) McClung's Sketches of Western Adventure, p. 118. (2) Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. 1, p. 147.

CHAPTER XIV.

POPULATION OF VIRGINIA AND KENTUCKY INCREASED-INDIAN DEPREDATIONS -TROOPS ORDERED TO PROTECT FRONTIER SETTLEMENTS-SETTLEMENTS AT MIAMI, AND PRESENT SITE OF CINCINNATTI-FORT WASHINGTON BUILTGENERAL HARMAR ARRIVES THERE-INDIANS COMMIT RENEWED DEPREDATIONS-SETTLERS ROUSED TO AVENGE THEMSELVES UPON THE INDIANS HARMAR'S EXPEDITION AGAINST THE INDIANS-DEFEAT OF HIS ARMY-HARMAR RETURNED TO FORT WASHINGTON-REMARKS-EFFECTS OF HARMAR'S DEFEAT-GENERAL CHARLES SCOTT'S EXPEDITION-GENERAL WILKINSON'S EXPEDITION-ADVENTURES OF JOHONNET.

Soon after the close of the Revolutionary War, a number of circumstances conspired to increase the population of the south-western parts of Virginia and Kentucky, and add to the strength of the first settlers to repel the invasion of the savages. Notwithstanding the increase of population and strength of the people to compel the Indians to sue for peace, they continued committing depredations all along the settled parts of the Ohio river. Indeed they often penetrated into the heart of the settlements. Even after treaties (1) had been made with them, they still committed acts of general hostility. The years 1786 and 1787 were distinguished for attacks upon emigrants who went westward to settle lands on the Ohio. This state of things continuing, the Secretary of War in 1787, ordered detachments of troops to be stationed at different points, to protect the frontiers; and if required, to follow the savages into their own country.

In the fall of 1789, several families from New York, New Jersey, and Redstone, now Brownesville, in Pennsylvania, descended the Ohio river, to the mouth of the Little Miami. and commenced a settlement there. As the Indians were at this time very troublesome, forty soldiers under Lieutenant Kersey, were ordered to the defence of the settlement. They erected at first a single block-house, and soon after added to it three others; a stockade fort was formed on a position now included within the town of Columbia, about six miles above the city of Cincinnati. In June, 1789, Major Doughty arrived opposite the mouth of Licking river, with one hundred and forty regular troops, to protect the

(1) By the treaties with the Indians, in 1785-'86, Congress acquired the lands watered by the Muskingum, Scioto, Little and Great Miami rivers. In 1788, another treaty was made, by which the country was purchased, from the mouth of Cuyahoga river to the Wabash, lying south and east of a certain line, mentioned in the treaty.

17

settlers there. (1) He put up four block-houses, and soon after erected Fort Washington, (2) where Cincinnati now stands.

Towards the close of the year, Gen. Harmar arrived with three hundred other regulars, and occupied the fort, as the importance of the place seemed to demand it. It was here that the Indians crossed the Ohio, and ascended the Licking river, to penetrate the heart of Kentucky, to pursue their marauding excursions. Besides this, "The Old War Path" leading from the British garrison at Detroit, to the Maumee, and up that river, and over on the Miamias, passed through this place. Many Indian paths diverged from the War Path to their several towns. In the summer of 1790, General Harmar, leaving Majors Doughty and Wyllys at Fort Washington, encamped on the left bank of the Ohio, the present site of Covington. Early in the spring of this year, the Indians committed numerous depredations. A canoe ascending the Ohio, about the last of March, was taken by the Indians near the mouth of the Scioto river, and three men killed. Shortly afterwards, a boat coming down was decoyed by a white man, who feigned distress; when fifty savages rose from concealment, ran into the boat, killed John May, and a young woman, being the first persons they came to, and took the rest of the people on board prisoners. Soon after this event, for the Indians still continued to infest the river, other boats were taken, and the people killed or taken captive. In the month of April, they attacked three boats on the Ohio, near the confluence of the Scioto; two being abandoned, fell into the hands of the enemy; the other being manned by all the people, made its escape by hard rowing.

This continued series of depredations roused the inhabitants of the settlements, and General Scott, of Kentucky, with two hundred and thirty volunteers, crossed the Ohio, at Limestone, now the town of

(1) On the 28th of December, 1788, Israel Ludlow, with about twenty other persons, landed on the right bank of the Ohio, opposite Licking-commenced a settlement, and erected three or four log cabins.

(2) Fort Washington was erected on a lot of fifteen acres, reserved by the United States. The fort was in a square form, built of logs hewed and squared, and was on each side one hundred and eighty feet long, and formed on the inside into barracks of two stories high. At the corners were four bastions or block-houses, constructed of hewed logs, so placed that cannon within them, could rake the walls. On the south side, a gate way, twelve feet wide and ten feet high, secured by strong doors, opened through the barracks into the fort. From its north-east and north-west corners, pallisades extended to a blockhouse, enclosing a triangular space containing workshops for the accommodation of artificers. In front was a fine esplanade, eighty feet wide, enclosed by a handsome paling on the brow of the bank, which had a sloping descent of thirty feet to the lower bottom. The exterior of the fort was white washed, and at a little distance presented an imposing appearance. The fort was complete in November, 1789. On the 29th of December, General Harmar arrived