One of the most remarkable pioneer fights, in the early history of the
west, was that waged by Captain James Estill, and seventeen of his
associates, on the 22d of March, 1782, with a party of Wyandotte Indians,
twenty-five in number. Seventy-one years almost have elapsed since; yet
one of the actors in that sanguinary struggle, Rev. Joseph Proctor, of
Estill county, Kentucky, survived to the 2d of December, 1844, dying in
the full enjoyment of his faculties at the age of ninety. His wife, the
partner of his early privations and toils, and nearly as old as himself,
deceased six months previously.
On the 19th of March 1782, Indian rafts, without any one on them, were
seen floating down the Kentucky river, past Boonesborough. Intelligence of
this fact was immediately dispatched by Colonel Logan to Captain Estill,
at his station fifteen miles from Boonesborough, and near the present site
of Richmond, Kentucky, together with a force of fifteen men, who were
directed to march from Lincoln county to Estill's assistance, instructing
Captain Estill, if the Indians had not appeared there, to scour the
country with a reconnoitring party, as it could not be known at what point
the attack would be made.
[Illustration: SLAUGHTER OF MISS INNES.]
Estill lost not a moment in collecting a force to go in search of the
savages, not doubting, from his knowledge of the Indian character, that
they designed an immediate blow at his or some of the neighboring
stations. From his own and the nearest stations, he raised twenty-five
men. Whilst Estill and his men were on this excursion, the Indians
suddenly appeared around his station at the dawn of day, on the 20th of
March, killed and scalped Miss Innes, and took Munk, a slave of Captain
Estill, captive. The Indians immediately and hastily retreated, in
consequence of a highly exaggerated account which Munk gave them of the
strength of the station, and number of fighting men in it. No sooner had
the Indians commenced their retreat, than the women in the fort (the men
being all absent except one on the sick list,) dispatched two boys, the
late General Samuel South and Peter Hacket, to take the trail of Captain
Estill and his men, and, overtaking them, give information of what had
occurred at the fort. The boys succeeded in coming up with Captain Estill
early on the morning of the 21st, between the mouths of Drowning creek and
Red river. After a short search, Captain Estill's party struck the trail
of the retreating Indians. It was resolved at once to make pursuit, and no
time was lost in doing so. Five men of the party, however, who had
families in the fort, feeling uneasy for their safety, and unwilling to
trust their defence to the few who remained there, returned to the fort,
leaving Captain Estill's party thirty-five in number. These pressed the
pursuit of the retreating Indians, as rapidly as possible, but night
coming on they encamped near the Little Mountain, at present the site of
Mount Sterling.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN ESTILL.]
Early next morning they put forward, being obliged to leave ten of the men
behind, whose horses were too jaded to travel further. They had not
proceeded far until they discovered by fresh tracks of the Indians, that
they were not far distant. They then marched in four lines until about an
hour before sunset, when they discovered six of the savages helping
themselves to rations from the body of a buffalo which they had killed.
The company was ordered to dismount. With the usual impetuosity of
Kentuckians, some of the party fired without regarding orders, and the
Indians fled. One of the party, a Mr. David Cook, who acted as ensign,
exceedingly ardent and active, had proceeded in advance of the company,
and seeing an Indian halt, raised his gun and fired. At the same moment
another Indian crossed on the opposite side, and they were both leveled
with the same shot. This occurring in view of the whole company, inspired
them all with a high degree of confidence. In the meantime, the main body
of Indians had heard the alarm and returned, and the two hostile parties
exactly matched in point of numbers, having twenty-five on each side, and
were now face to face. The ground was highly favorable to the Indian mode
of warfare; but Captain Estill and his men, without a moment's hesitation,
boldly and fearlessly commenced an attack upon them, and the latter as
boldly and fearlessly (for they were picked warriors) engaged in the
bloody combat. It is, however, disgraceful to relate, that, at the very
onset of the action, Lieutenant Miller, of Captain Estill's party, with
six men under his command, "ingloriously fled" from the field, thereby
placing in jeopardy the whole of their comrades, and causing the death of
many brave soldiers. Hence, Estill's party numbered eighteen, and the
Wyandottes twenty-five.
The flank becoming thus unprotected, Captain Estill directed Cook with
three men to occupy Miller's station, and repel the attack in that quarter
to which this base act of cowardice exposed the whole party. The ensign
with his party were taking the position assigned, when one of them
discovered an Indian and shot him, and the three retreated to a little
eminence whence they thought greater execution could be effected with less
danger to themselves, but Cook continued to advance without noticing the
absence of his party until he had discharged his gun with effect, when he
immediately retreated, but after running some distance to a large tree,
for the purpose of shelter in firing, he unfortunately got entangled in
the tops of fallen timber, and halting for a moment, received a ball which
struck him just below the shoulder blade, and came out below his collar
bone. In the meantime, on the main field of battle, at the distance of
fifty yards, the fight raged with great fury, lasting one hour and
three-quarters. On either side wounds and death were inflicted, neither
party advancing or retreating. "Every man to his man, and every man to his
tree." Captain Estill at this period was covered with blood from a wound
received early in the action; nine of his brave companions lay dead upon
the field; and four others were so disabled by their wounds, as to be
unable to continue the fight. Captain Estill's fighting men were now
reduced to four. Among this number was Joseph Proctor.
Captain Estill, the brave leader of this Spartan band, was now brought
into a personal conflict with a powerful and active Wyandotte warrior. The
conflict was for a time fierce and desperate, and keenly and anxiously
watched by Proctor, with his finger on the trigger of his unerring rifle.
Such, however, was the struggle between these fierce and powerful
warriors, that Proctor could not shoot without greatly endangering the
safety of his captain. Estill had had his arm broken the preceding summer
in an engagement with the Indians; and, in the conflict with the warrior
on this occasion, that arm gave way, and in an instant his savage foe
buried his knife in Captain Estill's breast; but in the very same moment,
the brave Proctor sent a ball from his rifle to the Wyandotte's heart. The
survivors then drew off as by mutual consent.--Thus ended this memorable
battle. It wanted nothing but the circumstance of numbers to make it the
most memorable in ancient or modern times. The loss of the Indians, in
killed and wounded, notwithstanding the disparity of numbers after the
shameful retreat of Miller, was even greater than that of Captain Estill.
It was afterwards ascertained by prisoners who were recaptured from the
Wyandotte, that seventeen of the Indians had been killed, and two severely
wounded. This battle was fought on the same day, with the disastrous
battle of the Blue Licks, March 22d, 1782.
There is a tradition derived from the Wyandotte towns, after the peace,
that but one of the warriors engaged in this battle ever returned to his
nation. It is certain that the chief who led on the Wyandottes with so
much desperation, fell in the action. Throughout this bloody engagement
the coolness and bravery of Proctor were unsurpassed. But his conduct
after the battle has always, with those acquainted with it, elicited the
warmest commendation. He brought off the field of battle, and most of the
way to the station, a distance of forty miles, on his back, his badly
wounded friend, the late brave Colonel William Irvine, so long and so
favorably known in Kentucky.