The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-26

captured. The Americans had sixty killed
and wounded.
This glorious achievement occurred at
this. the most gloomy period of the Revolt
ton. and was the first link in the chain II
events at the South which established the In
dependence of the United States. This vic
tory, so important to history. was achieved
BY raw. undiscipiined rifiemen. without any
authority from the Government under
which they lived: without pay, rations. am
munition. or even the expectation of re-
ward. other than qualification at having adj
vanced the cause of liberty. The Tories,
hitherto so arrogant. were completely dis
pirited. and CORVALLIS. immensely alarmed.
fled with all his army to the seacoast, from
which he did not again venture to move I'M
til REINFORCED.
The Legislature of North Carolina passed
a vote of thanks to Colonel Shelby and sew
eral other officers. and directed that each
be presented with an elegant sword for their
patriotic conduct in the attack and defeat OF
the enemy on Kings MOu<tain. on the
memorable day of October :, 1ISo. This res
%olution was carried into effect as to Colonel
Shelby in the summer of 1918. just at the
moment when, in the Language of Secretary
Monroe, 'disclaiming all metaphysical dis
tinctions tending to enfeeble the Govern
ment," he was about to lead his troops far
beyond the limits of the State of which he
was Governor.
\ 1t was by the advice of Isaac Shelby to
General Gates and Greene that the brilliant
affair of the Cowpens was accomplished.
Shelby served under Marion in 1881. In lTs2
he was elected member of the North Caro-
lima Assembly and was appointed one Of
the commissioners to lay off the lands allot-
| ted to the officers and soldiers of the North
Carolina line. south of where Nashville now
stands. He performed this service in 1923.
and returned to Boonsborough. KY, in
April following, where he married susanna.
| Second 6anUhfpr nf C1ntain Nathaniel
Hart. one OF the first settlers of Kentucky.
He established himself on the first settle
ment and presumption granted in Ken
lucky. and pursued his favorite calling. the
cultivation of the soil.
He was one of the strong and influential
men of the colony, and his opposition to the
plans Of Wilkinson. who sought to have
Kentucky declare her independence of the
Government. was potent in keeping the peo-
pie loyal. 1t may be recalled that James
Wilkinson. the same who was implicated
In the Burr affair, was a resident OF Ken
lucky for a number of years after the Rev.
olution. and that he was in the pay Of the
Spanish Government for the purpose OF
throwing kentucky and Tennessee under
the control Of Spain.
Shelby was a member Of the early conven-
tons held at Danville for the purpose OF
obtaining a separation from Virginia. and
was a member of the Constitutional Con-
%vention. April. 1892. He was elected the
first chief magistrate of the new ommon
wealth. The history Of his administration
Of an infant Republic in the remote wilder
ness shows Shelby to have been remarkable
as a soldier. a lawgiver and a diplomatist.
At the expiration Of his term of office he
retired to his farm In Lincoln. \ biog-
rapher says of him that he was the mod
Ell Of an elevated citizen. whether at the
plow. in the field or in the Cabinet"
At the beginning of the war of 1872 Gov
ern0r Shelby wda again called To the chief
magistraey of his State under circum-
stances very gratifying TO his feelings. His
energy, associated with a recollection Of
his Revolutionary fame. aroused the patri-
otism Of the State. He developed Ken
lucky resources. and sent men and sup
plies to the aid Of General Harrison at the
Northwest. The Legislature authorized the
Governor TO assume the personal direction
Of his troops whenever. in his Judgment. the
step should be necessary. Upon his own
responsibility he advised the troops to
meet him with their horses. Four thousand
men rallied to his standard in less than
thirty days. This volunteer force reached
the shore of Lake Erie just in time to en-
able the Commander-in-Chief to profit by
the victory Of Perry and his associates. The
Kentuckians bore important parts in the
campaign, especially at the battle Of the
Thames.
Congress recognized Shelby's achieve
mentS by presenting to him a gold medal.
ne WIS uNrenlttlnS IN tne ala winch ne
extended to the Americans and
re-enforcements from Kentucky rendered
much needed succor at New Orleans on the
memorable sth of January.
In March, 1911, President Monroe an
pointed Isaac Shelby Secretary of War. bd
the Office was declined on account of adj
vanced age and his desire to lead a quie&
life. In 1918 he was associated with Generat4
Jackson in holding a treaty will the 4
Chickasaws. which resulted in the ces- !
sion of their lands west Of the Tennessee to /
last public service.
In 1870 he was stricken with paralysis.
but his mind continued unimpaired until
his death, July Is. 1926. two weeks after the
death Of Adams and Jefferson. He had
been for many years a member Of the
Presbyterian Church, and in his latter days
was the chief instrument in erecting a
house of worship on his own land.
Collins's History Of Kentucky" records
this interesting fact:
1.-THE first stone house In Kentucky was
that of the first Governor. Isaac Shelby, in
Lincoln County. about four miles south of
Danville. built in August. 1855. The late
Colonel Nathaniel Hart of Woodford
County used to say that when II was re-
ported that Colonel Shelby had found stone
suitable for building purposes he received
many letters from various portions Of the
State inquiring If it could possibly be true,
as well as many visits to verify the fact;
some from as great a distance as Mason
County. This real scarcity of stone then
seems almost Incredible now-in view Of
the supply visible on all sides,
but was doubtless due to the ~luxuriant
growth of cane and to the heavy foliage
which so thoroughly covered the ground
when it fell"