The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-05-18
FORT JEFFERSON, KY.

AS this place is so much frequented by
citizens of Cairo and so much heard of in
daily conversation, and as it is soon to be
the scene Of large and happy gathering of
Cairo people, celebrating the advent OF
blooming flowers and verdant trees,we deem
it not inappropriate to reproduce in these
columns an article which appeared many
years ago in a Cairo paper, preserved by Mr..
VIM. Loncrgan, and which is an account of
very thrilling incident connected with the
Fort. The article is as follows;
The Fort was erected by George Rogers
Clark, under the direction of Thomas
Jefferson, in the year 1871. Jefferson was
then governor of Virginia, and receiving
advice that the Spanish crown would at
tempt TO set up claim to the country east
of the Missippi river, he took this step to
foil the attempt.
Immediately after the erection Of the
fort Clark was called away to the frontiers
Of Kentucky, but was succeeded by Captain
James Piggott.
Immigration to the Fort was encouraged,
and several families at once settled in It's
vicinity, and for living proceeded to Gull
tivate the soil. For a short time the settle
ment hourished. During 1881, however,
the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians be-
came exceedingly incensed at the cncroach-
ments of the whites their consent for the
erection of the fort not having been OBJ.
tained) and commenced an attack
upon the settlers in the nelghborhood.
The whole number of warriors belonging
to these tribes at that time was about
twelve hundred, including the celebrated
Scotchman, Calbert, whose postcrity fig
ured as half-brceds. AS soon as it was de.
cded that an attack was to be made upon
the fort by the Indians, trusty messenger
was dispatched to the falls of the Ohio,
for further supplies and ammunition.
The settlement and fort were in great
distress, at the point Of starvation, indeed,
and succor could not be obtained short of
the Falls or the town OF Kaskaskia
The Indians approached the settlement,
at first in small parties, and succeeded in
L;II;,,, N MIN, lor oc tho unt tln,e toc,,o ,l,,
could be moved into the fort. Half the
people, both in the forts and its vicinity
were helpless from sickness,
and the famine was so distressing that it is
said that pumpkins were eaten as soon as
the blossom had fallen from the vines. The
Indians continued their murdcrous visits in
squads, for about two weeks before the
main army of braves reached the fort. The
soldiers aided and received into the fort all
the white people that could be moved.
In the skirmishcs to which has been al
luded, a white man was taken prisoner by
the Indians, who to save his life, exposed
the true state OF the garrison. The inior-
nation seemed to add fury to the passions
Of the savagcs.
After the arrival OF the main body of the
savages under Calbcrt, the fort was be-
sleged tor three days and nights During
this time the suffering and misery
Of the garrison was extreme
ly great. The water had almost given
out. The river was falling rapidly and the
water IN the wells rccedcd with the river.
The supply of provisions was quite exhaust.
ed and sickness ragged to such an extent in
the fort that very large number could not
be moved from their beds. The wife of
Captain Piggott and several others died