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Links of Interest:
British and Canadian Officers led Native Americans to attack settlements in the frontier as part of their strategy during the American Revolution. During Bryans Station Siege in Kentucky, brave women (Polly Craig, age 66) left the fort to get water at the creek on the morning of 16 August 1782 knowing they were surrounded by Native Americans about to attack. They got back to the fort safely with their water and the attack began later that day. The water was useful to quench fires from flaming arrows landing on their thatched cabin roofs inside the fort. Reinforcements began to arrive after two days and the Native Americans left after killing all their cattle (about 150), sheep, stealing their corn, and destroying their crops. On Sunday 19 August 1782 after more militia arrived from neighboring forts, about 190 men tracked down the Native Americans (about 300-600) and ran into an ambush which is known as the Battle of Blue Licks. It was at a salt lick by a creek where the buffalo and other animals came to lick salt. About one-third (77) of the frontiersmen were killed and 12 injured within the first five minutes. The rest barely managed to escape and go back to Bryans Station where they met General Rogers Clark who had just arrived with his troops to help them chase the enemy. Instead they went to the scene to bury the unrecognizable bodies in a common grave. Lt. Daniel Morgan Wilcoxson was at Bryans Station during the siege. His Uncle (Col.) Daniel Boone (the famous frontiersman) was one of the reinforcements who arrived from Boones Station, which was five miles away. Lt. Wilcoxson had only been married for two years to Polly Craig's granddaughter, Nancy Faulkner Wilcoxson. Nancy was not at Bryans Station at the time of the siege. Both Wilcoxson and Daniel Boone survived, but one of Boone's sons, Israel Boone was fatally shot in the Battle of Blue Licks. Daniel got across the creek with his son and hid him in a cave, but his son died. To read more about this story see articles at Polly CraigLt. Daniel Morgan Wilcoxson.Source:
"Bryant's Station and the memorial proceedings
held on its site under the auspices of the
Lexington Chapter, D.A.R." 1897. found on
ancestry.com All about the American Revolution from battles and commanders to documents and timeline Field Guide has drawings of Continental forces
uniforms "William and Esther Whitley, Kentucky pioneers,
built a two story brick home with glazed bricks
forming the initials W.W. over the front door
and E.W. over the back door. Glass for the
windows was carried over the Cumberland
mountains by mule trains. The windows were
placed high from the floor so no Indian could
spy into the rooms. Carving of 13 small panels
over the living room mantle, symbolize the first
13 states; as well as 13 steps of the stairway
each with an eagle's head carved on it. Court
was often held in the attic, also used as a
ballroom and for quilting bees." |
