Militiamen Long Knives

Revolutionary War: Battle of Blue Licks

/ sandramervillehart

Groups of militiamen came to the aid of Bryan’s Station, Kentucky, upon learning of an attack by British and Indian forces. The Revolutionary War had ended the year before, yet fighting in the frontiers continued.

Lt. Col. Stephen Trigg arrived with 130 men and Lt. Col. Daniel Boone brought around 45 men. They knew Colonel Benjamin Logan was bringing 400 men, but Colonel John Todd, went against fellow officer, Major McGary’s advice, and decided not to wait for them.

These troops, known as Long Knives, pursued the British and Indian forces under British commander William Caldwell’s leadership.

When in retreat, Native Americans hid their trails. Yet these tracks were easily followed, alarming Daniel Boone, who warned his fellow officers of a trap. They dismissed his advice.

Two days later on August 19, 1782, militiamen approached Upper Blue Licks and saw 2 warriors on a hilltop over the Licking River. Boone warned that the crest of the hill—which he knew well—was large enough to hide the retreating army. He advised his fellow officers to wait for Logan’s reinforcements.

Colonel Todd agreed.

Major McGary mounted his horse. Yelling, “Them that ain’t cowards, follow me,” he splashed into the Licking River.

The men followed and then formed into 3 columns on the other side of the river. They climbed the hill on foot. When Todd’s men reached the crest, warriors attacked.

McGary galloped over to Boone with news of a retreat. By then, there was hand-to-hand combat beside the river—where the horses waited.

Boone’s column was now under attack. With men falling around him, he ordered his troops into the dense woods to recross the Licking River further downstream. Boone stayed behind to cover them and ordered his son, Israel, to run.

Israel refused. While stopping to shoot at the enemy, he was shot in the neck. Daniel realized his son was dying. He carried him to a cave before mounting a horse and leading his men across the river.

The militiamen lost about 70 men in a battle that lasted minutes. Kentucky lost prominent leaders when Todd and Trigg both died in battle.

Daniel Boone later called Israel’s death his hardest blow.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Graves, James. “Battle of Blue Licks,” HistoryNet, 2018/02/25 http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-blue-licks.htm.

“Blue Licks Battlefield History,” Kentucky State Parks, 2018/02/25 http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/blue_licks/history.aspx.

“Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park Historic Pocket Brochure Text,” Kentucky State Parks, 2018/02/25 http://parks.ky.gov/!userfiles/aParkBrochures/pocket-brochures/BlueLickspktbrochtext.pdf.

Revolutionary War: Bryan’s Station, Kentucky

/ sandramervillehart / 1 Comment

Though the surrender of Lord Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown ended the Revolutionary War in 1781, attacks on frontier outposts continued from Native American tribes led by British commander William Caldwell and Captain Alexander McKee. Sixty  Canadians and 300 Native Americans made up the force.

Another leader of the warrior forces was Simon Girty. He and his brothers, while teenagers, had been captured by the Seneca. Though his goal was to attack Bryan’s Station, Girty arranged a prior attack on Hoy’s Station as a decoy.

Before dawn on August 16, 1782, Caldwell’s forces surrounded a stockade settlement called Bryan’s Station, located on the Elkhorn River. Militiamen (known to tribes as ‘Long Knives’) inside the stockade saw them hiding in the woods and set couriers for reinforcements.

Families inside the stockade needed water, so the Long Knives devised a plan involving the women. The women listened to the plan, prayed together, and then gathered water pails. Chatting together, the ladies left the fort in groups of 2 or 3. They strolled to the river to fill their buckets as if nothing was wrong.

It worked.

Caldwell and Girty, thinking to attack Bryan’s Station after men left to aid those at Hoy Station, left the women alone.

When the militiamen didn’t leave, Girty ordered an attack, which was bravely fought off. Women loaded rifles for the shooters during the attack.

The 44 Long Knives inside Bryan’s Station were reinforced within a few hours with 16 men who entered the stockade under musket fire.

Girty shouted for them to surrender and live or die later. Remembering an earlier battle where settlers were killed as soon as they surrendered, the Long Knives chose to fight.

Girty ordered the crops around the stockade destroyed. Warriors killed livestock and burned outbuildings before leaving.

They’d soon meet again at the Battle of Blue Licks.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Sources

Graves, James. “Battle of Blue Licks,” HistoryNet, 2018/02/25 http://www.historynet.com/battle-of-blue-licks.htm.

“Blue Licks Battlefield History,” Kentucky State Parks, 2018/02/25 http://parks.ky.gov/parks/resortparks/blue_licks/history.aspx.

“Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park Historic Pocket Brochure Text,” Kentucky State Parks, 2018/02/25 http://parks.ky.gov/!userfiles/aParkBrochures/pocket-brochures/BlueLickspktbrochtext.pdf.