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Bourbon County, Kentucky
History & Genealogy



 

HISTORY

Source:
History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison & Nicholas Counties
KENTUCKY.

with an outline sketch of
The Blue Grass Region,
By Robert Peter, M. D.

Edited by William Henry Perrin.
ILLUSTRATED
Published
Chicago:
O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers, Lakeside Building.
1882

CHAPTER II. -
The Mound Builders and Pre-Historic Times
Pg. 28 -
- Earliest Inhabitants of the Country
 - Monuments and Fortifications of the Lost Races
 - Relics of them in Bourbon, Scott and Nicholas Counties
 - The Indians
 - Their Occupation of Kentucky
 - Depredations upon the Whites
 - Disastrous Defeat at the Blue Licks, etc.
 

     " _____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-

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PICTURE OF
"EVERGREEN" RESIDENCE OF
M. M. CLAY, PARIS, KY.

 

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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

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