Bird ' s invasion of Kentucky Bird ' s invasion of Kentucky during the American Revolutionary War was one phase of an extensive planned series of operations planned by the British in 1780 , whereby the entire West , from Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico , was to be swept clear of both Spanish and colonial resistance . While Bird ' s campaign met with limited success , raiding two fortified settlements , it failed in its primary objective . Other British operations that were part of the plan also failed . Background : British western campaign of 1780 . British authorities , during the spring of 1780 , prepared to carry out a comprehensive plan for the recapture of the Illinois Country and to attack St . Louis , New Orleans , and other Spanish posts on the Mississippi River . Spain , allied with France , had joined the war against Great Britain in 1779 , and had rapidly gained control over British positions along the Mississippi in that year . Four simultaneous movements were planned . Capt . Henry Bird , with a force from Detroit , was directed to " amuse " George Rogers Clark at the Falls of the Ohio . General John Campbell , 5th Duke of Argyll , from Pensacola , after taking New Orleans was to proceed up the Mississippi to Natchez where he was to be joined by a third force that descended the Illinois River and captured St . Louis . Capt . Charles de Langlade was to lead the force down the Illinois , which was to split up and also monitor Vincennes . No part of the plan proved successful . Campbell was preoccupied with the threat posed by Bernardo de Gálvez , the governor of Spanish Louisiana , who captured Mobile in March 1780 ( and then also captured Pensacola in 1781 ) . The expedition against St . Louis was repulsed . Langlade withdrew his remaining forces when Illinois cavalry approached . Campaign . From Fort Detroit , Captain Henry Bird of the 8th Regiment of Foot led an American Indian army of 1000 men , accompanied by a 150 white men ( Regulars of the 8th and 47th Regiments , Detroit Militia and bombardiers of the Royal Regiment of Artillery ) , against the settlers of Kentucky in June 1780 . When they reached the confluence of the Miami and Ohio Rivers , his large Indian contingent , concerned that Clark , a formidable presence in their view , was at the falls , insisted on attacking smaller forts and stations instead . While they might have successfully reached the falls while Clark was absent ( he was coordinating defenses on the Mississippi with the Spanish ) , Bird was unable to convince them to maintain the original plan . Working its way without opposition along the Licking River , the vanguard of Bird ' s force reached Ruddle ' s Station , surrounding it on the night of June 21 . Bird himself arrived the next day with the main body of his force , and cannon fire quickly breached the wooden walls of the station . Isaac Ruddle insisted on having the people under his protection treated as British captives , under the protection of the small British contingent . The Indians ignored this , and rushed into the fort to plunder and pillage . According to Bird " they rushed in , tore the poor children from their mothers ' breasts , killed and wounded many . " After the Indians had divided the prisoners and loot to their satisfaction , they wanted to continue on to the next station . Bird successfully got them to agree that prisoners taken in the future would be turned over to them at British discretion . Martin ' s Station , not far from Ruddle ' s was similarly surprised , and surrendered . The Indians honored the bargain with Bird , and the prisoners were given over to the British soldiers . While the Indians next wanted to attack Lexington , the largest settlement in the area , Bird ordered the expedition to end , citing depletion of provisions and reduced waterflow on the Licking River for the transport of the field cannons . The expedition then retraced its steps . After crossing the Ohio , Indians who lived in the area ( Delaware , Shawnee , and Miami ) began leaving the expedition , taking their booty and prisoners with them . When Bird reached Fort Detroit on August 4 , the force still held 300 prisoners taken from the two stations . Aftermath . The fear Bird ' s campaign instilled led many settlers to abandon their lands and flee to the east . Clark , who wanted instead to recruit settlers for campaigns against the Indian settlements north of the Ohio that were home to some of the expedition ' s participants , closed the only road out of Kentucky to the east in order to gain additional recruits and weapons .