Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-11-23
HISTORICAL
NOTES ON KENTUCKY-sEcr
From the kentucky Gazette.

foi Eo Wv hbS loChF-SEcTIoN 9.
From the kentucky Gazette.
1T has already been noticed. that the
summer OF 1880 was exceedingly wet.
and that all the watercourses were fall
This circumstance induced Col Byrd
TO change his original purpose of attack
ing Louisville first file therefore de
cided to ascend Licking River, into
the heart of the country, by which
means he would be enabled to take
with him his artillery to Riddles Sta.
zion, and could easily take it, by land.
from Riddles TO Martins and Bryan's
Stations, and Lexington, the ground
being level, and the roads made cast
~ passable. Col Byrd landed his ar
tillery, stores, and baggage, on the
point at the Licking, where he put up
some huts to shelter them from the
weather; and from thence marched nv
land, few miles, TO Ruddle's Sta
ton, where he arrived on The 22d day
OF June, at the head of 1000 men. In
consequence of the extreme wetness of
the weather, which had continued for
many days, the men at Riddles and
Martins Station, who were accustom.
ed to be in the woods, had all come in.
and, therefore, Byrd, taking advan
tage of that circumstance, arrived with
an gun of the fort undiscovered;
and the first information the people
received of the approach of an enemy.
was the report from discharge ofone
of the field pieces. Byrd sent in
flag, and demanded surrender at
dlscretlon--to which demanded Capt.
Kuddle answered, that he could not
consent to surrender but on certain
conditions, one Of which was, that the
prisoners should be under the protec
ton OF the British, and not suffered TO
be prisoners TO the Indians; 10 these
terms Col. Byrd consented, and i'm.
medlateiy the gates were opened to
him. No sooner the gates were open.
ed, than the Indians rushed into the
Station, andleach seized the first per
son they could lay their hands on, and
claimed them as theK' own prisoners.
In. this way the members of every
family were separated from each other.
the husband from the wife, and the
parents from the children The pierre.
ing screams of The children; when
torn from their methers--the 0istrac.
ted throes Of the mothers when forced
from their tender offsprings, are in
descrlbable. Ruddlc remonstratedwith
Col. Byrd against this harbarous con
duct of the Indians, but TO no effect
He confessed that it was out of his
power TO restrain them. their numbers
being SO much greater than that of the
troops over which he had control
tina! he himself was completely in lheir
power
After the people were entirely strip
ped OF all their property, and The pri
soners divided among their capiors
the Indians proposed TO Col. Byrd Ia
march TO and take Martins Station
which was about FIVE miles from Rud
dies; hut Col Byrd was so effected by
the conduct Of the Indians to the pris
oners taken, that he peremptorilv re
fused, unless the chiefs would pledue
themselves. in behalf Of the Indians
that all the prisoners taken should hf
entirely under his control, and that the
Indians should only be enihled to the
plnuder. Upon these propositions be
ing agreed to by the chiefs, the army
marched TO Martins Station, and tool,
it without opposition. The Indian.
divided the spoil among themselves
and Colonel Byrd took charge of the
prisoners.
The case with which these two sta.
lions were taken, SO animated the In