" _____back in the by-gone times
Lost 'mid the rubbish of forgotten things"
ACCORDING to the researches of archaeologists, a
race of people inhabited this country long prior
to its occupancy by the Indians whom Columbus
found in possession of it at the time of his
discovery. But of this people, little is
known beyond conjecture; concerning their
existence, authentic history is silent.
Aside from the rearing of the mounds and
earthworks, which extend from the Lake Superior
region to New Mexico, and thence into South
America, no records exist of their progress and
achievements. The antiquarian finds in
their works no inscriptions which can unfold the
mysteries of by-gone centuries. He finds
only moldering skeletons, the scattered remnants
of vessels of earthenware, rude weapons of war,
axes made of stone, and other implements equally
rude. A thousand interesting queries
naturally arise respecting these nations that
now repose under the ground, but the most
searching investigation can only give us vague
speculations in answer. If we knock at
their tombs, no spirit comes back with a
response and only a sepulchral echo of
forgetfulness and death reminds us how vain is
the attempt to unlock the mysterious past upon
which oblivion has fixed its seal. Who
were these people; whence did they come, and
whither did they go? We know not.
Generation after generation lived, moved, and
are no more. Time has strewn the track of
its ruthless march with the fragments of their
mighty works, but not even their names (other
than Mound-Builders) have an existence in the
speculations of those who come after them.
Some writers upon the pre-historic races of America
have discovered evidence convincing to
themselves, that the Mound-Builders came from
Asia, and that their advent was made at
different times from different portions of that
division of the globe. But at what period or
periods they came to this continent is but
speculation. From the comparatively rude
state of the arts among them, it is univer-
Page 29 -
Page 30 -
Page 31 -
Page 32 -
Page 33 -
Page 34 -
PICTURE OF
"EVERGREEN" RESIDENCE OF
M. M. CLAY, PARIS, KY.
Page 35 -
Page 36 -
noble and unexpected. Being finely
mounted, he had out-stripped the great mass of
fugitives, and crossed the river in safety.
A dozen or twenty horsemen accompanied him, and
having placed the river between them and the
enemy, showed a disposition to continue to
flight, without regard to the safety of their
friends who were on foot, and still struggling
with the current.
Netherland instantly checked his horse, and, in a loud voice, called upon
his companions to halt, fire upon the Indians,
and save those who were still in the stream.
The party instantly obeyed; and facing about,
poured a close and fatal discharge of rifles
upon the foremost of the pursuers. The
enemy instantly fell back from the opposite
bank, and gave time for the harassed and
miserable footmen to cross in safety. The
check, however, was but momentary. Indians
were seen crossing in great numbers above and
below, and the flight again became general.
Most of the foot left the great buffalo trace,
and plunging into the thickets, escaped to
Bryant's Station. But little loss was
sustained after crossing the river, although the
pursuit was urged keenly for twenty miles.
From the battle ground to the ford, the loss was
very heavy.''
Such was the fatal battle of Blue Licks, which for the
small number engaged, is one of the severest
recorded in Indian warfare. Like the
defeat of Braddock three-quarters of a century
before, the disaster was attributable to a
refusal to accept good counsel and sensible
advice. Had the counsel of Boone been
followed, instead of the example of the
hot-headed McGary, and the little army
have fallen back on Logan, with this
re-enforcement they would have been strong
enough to have defeated the Indians instead of
themselves being defeated. Of the one
hundred and eighty-two whites engaged in the
battle, sixty were killed, and three were taken
prisoners, who after a long and dreary captivity
were exchanged and liberated, and returned to
their homes. When the battle was over and
the pursuit ended, the Indians, fearing the
whites might rally and with re-enforcements turn
upon them, collected the spoils as quickly as
possible, and continued their march to the Ohio
River, which they crossed without further
molestation from their enemies. Col.
Logan arrived at the battle ground the
second day after the battle, but the enemy had
disappeared, and he did not deem it prudent to
pursue. He performed the sad and
melancholy duty of burying the dead, after which
he disbanded his men and returned home.
The foregoing incidents are illustrative of the life
our pioneer ancestors lived in this country.
All their adventures, hair-breadth escapes and
narrow risks, would form a large volume of
thrilling interest. Only a few have been
given, however, to embellish these pages, and
show what it cost to make the blue grass section
a paradise. — Perrin.
END OF CHAPTER II -
Click Here to go to
CHAPTER III - Page 36
CLICK
HERE to Go to Table of Contents |