Stories of Indian Attacks during the Revolutionary War, Part III

1777. Indian Troubles around Boonesboro, Kentucky.

Colonel Daniel Boone built a fort as a defense against the Indians. In 1777, the Governor of Virginia raised a company in Bedford County, Virginia under Captain Charles Watkins for the purpose of being sent to Kentucky to assist the inhabitants who were engaged in combat with the Indians. The company consisted of fifty men. They were promised forty shillings per month.

Arabia Brown was stationed in Boonesboro as an Indian spy, under the command of Colonel Daniel Boone. Brown and thirty men appointed to the task of making salt at Licking Creek, were suddently taken as prisoners by the Indians. Brown soon escaped, however, and returned to the fort. But now Brown, along with others, was assigned to go out from the fort looking for Indians and give the alarm in the event of danger. One of the necessary hardships of the soldier was grinding corn with a hand mill as they had nothing furnished him but cornmeal. Brown was unable to return to Virginia until Squire Boone, a brother of Daniel Boone, was dispatched, thus serving on Lick Creek for eight months.

Source: Application for Pension Sept 12, 1832, Garrard County, Kentucky.

William Tracy volunteered in n August 1777 in this County for twelve months under Capt. Charles Gwatkins; marched to old Boonesboro in Kentucky for the purpose of protecting the fort and frontier settlers against the Indians and British. He served under…