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by J. J. Crittenden, Esq., was adopted, with only two or three dissenting votes:-"Resolved, &c. That in the late campaign against the Indians on the Wabash, Governor W. H. Harrison has, in the opinion of this legislature, behaved like a hero, a patriot, and a general; and that for his cool, deliberate, skillful, and gallant conduct in the late battle of Tippecanoe, he well deserves the warmest thanks of the nation."*

"The veteran soldier, Governor Charles Scott, approved this resolution, which at once gave tone to the popularity of Harrison, effectually turning the tide in his favor, and reducing the clamor of his enemies to private murmurs."

CHAPTER XIX.

Second term of Governor Shelby-Petition of Daniel Boon-War with Great Britain-First detachment of Kentucky volunteers--Surrender of Detroit-Kentucky Brevet to General Harrison-Indian siege of fort Wayne-Description of fort Wayne-Expedition against the Indian towns-General Winchester appointed to command the North Western army-Nature of the country and the plan of the campaign-Expedi tion of General Hopkins-Expedition of Colonel Russell.

The term of service of the gallant and venerable Scott, now grew to a close; and the patriots of Kentucky turned their eyes with one accord, upon their first Governor, one of the heroes of King's Mountain, the brave and energetic Shelby. When solicited to become a candidate for this high office, he consented on the condition, so honorable to his love of country, not of indulgences suited to his advanced years and ancient services, but "provided the United States are involved in war."

No ordinary language can do justice to a patriotism which rests its consent to serve one's country, not on conditions of ease and enjoyment; but those of painful responsibility and arduous difficulty, when declining years might well in ordinary

* Colonel Daviess did not expect an attack, as represented by M'Afee, in general so well informed; for he "was out of humor on the night before the battle, because there was no prospect of a fight. He even made this just reflection, that the Indians would agree to "Harrison's terms, and would, as soon as the army was withdrawn, commence their depredations again." The Governor would not, however, have returned, it has been mentioned, without the depredators being given up, or hostages for them.

men, have demanded repose. Isaac Shelby was triumphantly elected for the second time, Governor of Kentucky, in August, 1812: he chose Martin D. Hardin Secretary of State. This gentleman was the son of Col. John Hardin, of tried military excellence, and who had been perfidiously killed on a mission to the Indians.

During the session of the legislature of this year, a petition was presented to them, from the old pioneer of the west, Daniel Boone. It stated that, "unacquainted with the niceties of law, he did not intend to locate land for others; but to take up a reasonable portion of those which were good, for the use of himself and his posterity.

"To this end, he, with much struggling, after the country became some little settled, laid out the chief of his little property, to procure land warrants, and having raised about twenty thousand dollars, in paper money, with which he intended to purchase them: on his way from this country to Richmond, he was robbed of the whole, and left destitute of the means of procuring more. The few lands he afterwards was enabled to locate, were, through his ignorance, generally swallowed up and lost by better claims."

Under these circumstances, about 1794, Boone migrated "to the Spanish province of Upper Louisiana, under an assurance from the Governor, who resided at St. Louis, that ample portions of land should be given to him and his family." "Ten thousand acres of choice land were marked out, and given to him for his own use, on the Missouri; though the title was not completed, because that could only be done at New Orleans, as he was Syndic, or chief of the district of St. Charles, and honored by the kindness of his superior; his actual residence on the land given him, which was a usual condition of a Spanish grant, was dispensed with, in consequence of his public trust requiring his residence elsewhere." "When your memorialist came to lay his claim before the commissioners of land claims in that territory appointed by Congress, they were compelled, from the strict injunctions by which they were governed, to reject it. for want of cultivation and settlement. Thus your

memorialist was left once more, at about the age of eighty, to be a wanderer in the world."

"Having no spot he can call his own, whereon to lay his bones; your memorialist has laid his case before Congress." He therefore prayed the legislature to support his application to Congress by their aid and influence.

This memorial was committed to Messrs. Y. Ewing, Hopkins, Caldwell, Southgate, Bullock and Walker. The report submitted to the House and adopted by all the branches of the government of Kentucky, is too honorable to its sensibility, and too grateful to the moral feelings of every generous bosom, to be be omitted. It is as follows:

"The legislature of Kentucky, taking into view the many eminent services rendered by Colonel Daniel Boone, in exploring and settling the western country; from which great advantages have resulted, not only to this State, but to his country in general; and that from circumstances over which he had no control-he is now reduced to poverty, not having, so far as appears, an acre of land out of the vast territory, he has been a great instrument in peopling. Believing also, that it is as unjust as it is impolitic, that useful enterprise and eminent services, should go unrewarded by a government, wherein merit confers the only distinction; and having sufficient reason to believe, that a grant of ten thousand acres of land, which he claims in Upper Louisiana, would have been confirmed to him by the Spanish government, had not the said territory passed by cession into the hands of the general government,

Therefore

"Resolved, By the general assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, That our senators and representatives in Congress, be requested, to make use of their exertions to procure a grant of land in the said territory, to said Boone, either to the said ten thousand acres, to which he appears to have an equitable claim, from the grounds set forth to this legislature, by way of confirmation, or to such other quantity, and in such place as shall be deemed most advisable, by way of donation.

"Resolved, That copies of these resolutions be transmitted

by the Governor, to our senators and representatives in Congress, together with copies of the memorial of said Boone, to this legislature for their further information."

This interposition, so eminently due from the gratitude of Kentucky, was attended with the success its unparalled merits demanded. Congress, by an act of February 10th, 1814, fulfilled the gratitude of the western country, if not of the whole republic, to the simple, guileless spirit, united to keen sagacity and generous bravery, who had been one of the first explorers, and among the principal defenders of the infant fortunes of Kentucky, by granting Boone a thousand arpens of land*—†.

The Indian difficulties on the Indiana frontier, which produced the battle of Tippecanoe, just alluded to, were the prelude to the hostilities which were declared by the United States against Great Britain, on the 12th of June, 1812.

The Indians, as had ever been their practice in the wars between the European nations in their neighborhood, engaged as parties; and generally in favor of the British.

Several considerations might naturally produce this result; The British, as the weaker power, numerically, on this continent, and greatly more lavish in bounties to the Indians than the Americans, possessed a stronger hold upon their affections. The superior growth of the American settlements, and the long

*Land Law, United States-642.

† It is lamentable to relate, that Boone was obliged to surrender this late grant from the bounty of his country, to reimburse a Kentuckian who had purchased land of him. This had been lost in the mazes of Virginia land law, and the loss fell upon Boone as the warrantor of the title.

It may be added, Boone declared, that all his lands in Kentucky had "proved an injury to him, rather than a benefit, owing to the uncertainty of his locations," according to the rules of law. He abandoned Kentucky in despair of ever enjoying any land there, and declared, on the west side of the Mississippi, he would never recross it."

This early hunter was a plain gentlemanly man, of good memory, mild and equable; nor did he possess any of the slovenly habits of the back-woods character. He was indifferent in money matters, and left all his land papers in the hands of Colonel J. Floyd; on whose death he never enquired into them again. The love of the chase was "his ruling passion strong in death;" he adhered to it, till he was too weak to encounter its privations and hardships; when his friends had to resort to stratagems, to prevent an indulgence too dangerous for his advanced age and increased debility. He lived and died with a favorite child, passing his time among all his children who lived near him, in the State of Missouri. Boone, though an intrepid and sagacious pioneer, never was a leading chief in the conquest and settlement of Kentucky. This is a popular mistake. George Rogers Clark was the great chief, by general consent, and after him, Floyd; John, Levi, and Robert Todd; B. Logan; Hardin; Christian and Whitley, were the military leaders. Colonel Christian had scarcely connected himself with Kentucky, when he was killed by the Indians: he had distinguished himself against the Indians on the Tennessee.

Letter from Judge David Todd, of Missouri, to the author.

and recent hostilities waged with our people, necessarily made us obnoxious to their fears and to their hate.

Through the operation of these causes, shortly after the commencement of the war with Great Britain, the Indians, from the lakes to the Mississippi, spread their devastations along the whole north-western frontier of the United States.

Kentucky was herself beyond their reach; she was covered by the panoply of her own children, who had emigrated to the new States on the north-west of the Ohio river. Her feelings, however, were as keenly alive to the sufferings of the frontier people, as when her own soil had been the theatre of the barbarous hostilities waged by the savages of North America.

The first efforts required of Kentucky in this second British war were, to detach fifteen hundred men from her quota of five thousand five hundred in the call of one hundred thousand from the confederacy. These, consisting of volunteers under Colonels John M. Scott, William Lewis, and John Allen; and with a regiment of regulars commanded by Samuel Wells, (the ancient friend of Colonel Floyd, in his defeat,) rendezvoused at Georgetown, on the 15th of August, 1812. Brigadier General John Payne took command of the brigade. The overflowing ardor of the people of Kentucky, swelled this body of troops to two thousand men, a regiment beyond the number required. They were composed of the very elite of our population, embracing several of the brightest ornaments of professional men, as well as the fairest promise among the young; the very flower of life, and of Kentucky. The troops proceeded to Newport, burning to avenge the wrongs of their country; and ambitiously anticipating a junction with General Hull, who was supposed to be at Malden or Detroit. Bitter indeed was their disappointment, and distressing their mortification, when on reaching the Ohio river, they learned the dastardly and disgraceful surrender of Detroit, and the Michigan Territory, by General Hull, to the British officer, General Brock.

With this surrender was coupled that of three fine Ohio regiments, under Colonels Findlay, McArthur, and Cass; who

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