The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1905-04-07
KENTUCKY HISTORY.
Last Fight Between Indians and
Whites on Kentucky Soil Took
Place in Summer of 1893.

related by Collins in his history of
Kentucky:
'1n the course of the summer of
1852, the spies who had been down
the Ohio below Limestone discovered
where a party of about twenty In
dams had crossed the Ohio and sunk
their canoes in the mouth of Hollis
creek. The sinking of their canoes
and concealing them. was evidence of
the intention of the Indians to re-
cross the Ohio at the same place.
When Kenton received this intelli-
gence, he dispatched a messenger to
Bourbon county.to apprise them that
the Indians had crossed the Ohio and
had taken that direction; while he
forthwith collected small party of
choice spirits, whom he could depend
upon in case of emergency. Among
them was Cornelius Washburn. who
had the cunning of a fox for ambus-
cading, and the daring of lion for
encountering. With this party, Ken
ton crossed the Ohio. at Limestone.
and proceeded down to opposite the
mouth of Hollis creek, where the In
dian canoes lay concealed. Here his
party lay concealed four days, before
they saw or heard anything of the
Indians. On the fourth day of their
ambusca1e, they observe three In
dams come down the bank. and drive
six horses into the river. The horses
swan over. The Indians then raised
one of their canoes they had sunk,
and crossed over. When the Indians
came near the shore, Kenton discov-
cred that Of the three men in the ca
noe, one was whiteman. As he
thought the white man was probably
a prisoner, he ordered his men to fire
alone at the Indians and save the
white man. His men fired; the two
Indians fell. The Roadway which the
canoe had, ran it upon the shore; the
white man in the canoe picked up
his gun, and as Kenton ran down to
the waters edge. to receive the man,
he snapped his gun at the whites.
Kenton then orderd his men to kill
. him. He was Immediately shot.
About three or four hours. after
wards. on the same day, two more
Indians, and another white man.
came to the river and drove in five
horses. The horses swan over and the
Indians raised another Of their sunk
en- canoes. and followed the horses
across the Ohio. As soon as the canoe
touched the shore with the Indians,
Kenton's party fired upon them and
killed them all. The white man who
was with this party of Indians had
his ears cut, his nose bored and all
the marks which distinguish the In
dams. Kenton and his men still
kept up the ambuscade, knowing
their were still more Indians, and
one canoe behind. Some times in
the night, the main body of Indians
came to the place where their canoes
were sunk and hooted like owls; but
not receiving any answer, they
began to think all was not right.
The Indians were as vigilant as
weasels. The two parties who had
been killed, the main body expected
to find encamped on the other side
of the Ohio; and as no answer was
given to their hooting, which was
doubtless agreed upon A. a.
countersign, one of the Indians must
have swan the river to reconnoitre,
and discover what had become of
their friends. The Indian who
swan the river, must have discovered
the ambuscade. He went upon a
high hill or knoll, which was imme-
diately in, Kenton's rear, and gave
three long and loud yells; after
which he informed his friends that
they must Immediately make their
escape, as party of whites were
waylaying them. Kenton had sew
eral men who understood the In
dian language. Not many minutes
after the Indian on the hill had
warned his companions of their
danger; the Bourbon militia came
up, 1t being dark, the Indians
broke and ran, leaving about thirty