A History of the Daniel Boone National Forest 1770 - 1970

Before the end of December the store of salt at Fort Boonesborough was exhausted, and at the other two settlements on the Kentucky frontier as well. The threat of sickness made the situation desperate. The nearest source of supply of salt to Kentucky was at the salt wells at North Holston. Threat of Indian attacks throughout the year had prevented bringing in a new supply of salt before winter. The long trip over rough terrain during the winter months was not to be considered. The only other alternative was for the settlers to make their own salt by evaporating the water from some of the salt springs in their vicinity. The nearest source of such salt water with sufficient salt content to make such an operation feasible was at the Blue Licks, a series of ancient salt springs located on the Licking River in what is now Nicholas County. Here salt could be made by evaporating the salt water by boiling. Two bushels of salt was considered a full load for a packhorse.

As there appeared to be no alternative, an expedition to the Blue Licks was organized. On January 1, 1778, Daniel Boone, leading a salt-making party of 30 men made up from the three forts, left Fort Boonesborough for the Blue Licks with packhorses carrying the large iron kettles necessary for salt making as well as tools and food for men and horses. On arrival at the Blue Lick the job of salt making was organized and started at once. This was a disagreeable job requiring the cutting of much wood to feed the continuous fires under the kettles, of carrying the salt water from the springs to the kettles and of maintaining a 24-hour watch to keep the fires burning at maximum heat. These chores, in addition to trying to keep fingers and toes from freezing, were generally distasteful to frontiersmen. The principal food supply was wild meat obtained from hunting. Although Indian attacks in mid-winter were almost unknown, scouts went out continually and combined the job of scouting with that of fresh meat supply. This duty usually fell to Daniel Boone, his son-in-law Flanders Callaway and a companion.

In making the decision to send the salt-making party to the Blue Licks it was realized that the garrison of each of the three forts would be weakened. However, the dire need of the salt for the health of the people, coupled with the experience that the Indians seldom attacked the settlements during mid-winter, certainly influenced the decision. Probably the deciding factor was the arrival in Kentucky of a detachment of Virginia Militia, under Captain Watkins, which had been sent out from Virginia to strengthen the defense of the settlements. It was agreed that Daniel Boone and his party would set up and start the salt making, after which his group would then alternate with that of Captain Watkins in keeping the work going until enough salt had been produced to maintain the settlement until pack trains could bring in a new supply from North Holston in the spring.

It is significant to note that so dire was the need for salt that the first small bag of salt produced was immediately dispatched to Fort Boonesborough.

The work of salt making at the Blue Licks continued throughout January of 1778, with Daniel Boone and his two companions scouting widely for signs of Indians and hunting to keep the camp supplied with fresh meat. It was well known that the vicinity of the salt springs was dangerous territory as Indians frequently laid in wait at such places to surprise small parties of white hunters who came there in search of deer and buffalo. The frontiersmen of the salt-making party knew this, but believed that their party of 30 riflemen was more than a match for the usual small band of Indians which frequently came down from north of the Ohio to steal horses and lift the scalps of unwary hunters. Such expeditions were seldom undertaken in mid-winter.

By late January, sufficient salt had been produced to load the packhorses. A pack train was dispatched for the settlement loaded with salt under the charge of three of the salt makers. This salt arrived at Boonesborough without incident, much to the relief of the entire garrison.

The work of the salt-making camp had been underway for some five weeks and the weary salt makers were looking forward with anticipation to the arrival of the relief party of Captain Watkins, when the routine of the salt camp was violently interrupted.

On February 7, 1778, a date long remembered by the settlers of the Kentucky frontier, Daniel Boone set out on his usual scouting and meat hunting patrol. While buffalo were usually found in the vicinity of the salt licks, it was their habit in mid-winter to linger in or near one of the larger cane breaks, common in that vicinity. Daniel Boone had been forced to travel several miles from the salt camp to find game but he had been successful. After loading his packhorses with buffalo meat he was returning to the camp, nearly numb with cold and in the midst of a violent snow storm, when he was suddenly seized by a small party of Indians who were upon him before he could defend himself or escape.

This proved to be a small scouting party which took him to the main camp of the party of Indians on Hinkston's Creek, not far from the salt camp on the Licking River.

On arrival at the camp, Boone was surprised to find a war party of over 100 Shawnee, all painted for war and under the leadership of the famous war chief Black Fish and accompanied by another important chief of the Shawnee, Chief Munseka.

Accompanying the party were two French aides of British Governor William Hamilton of Detroit, named Lormer and Baubin. The presence of these Frenchmen, serving as observers and advisors to the expedition, was ample evidence to Boone of British support and direction of this attack against the frontier forts of Kentucky.

Despite his apprehension Boone maintained a calm attitude and pretended to be pleased to be a guest of his red brothers. Chief Black Fish, delighted at the capture of such an important white man, told him that the objective of this expedition was to capture Fort Boonesborough. Boone told his captors that a large party of settlers had come to the fort from Virginia late in December, and that this was the reason that more salt was required for the rest of the winter. He also told Chief Black Fish that the capture of nearly 30 prisoners would bring him and his warriors great honor and many presents from Governor Hamilton at Detroit, and that the Indians could return with a larger force in the spring and capture the fort with ease. He intimated to Chief Black Fish that he personally would intercede at that time to insure the surrender of the fort as proof of the loyalty of the Kentucky settlers to the British crown. It was a long chance. The plausibility of the story, coupled with Boone's calm manner and self assurance, convinced Chief Black Fish.

In offering to negotiate the surrender of the salt makers, Boone extracted a promise, for what it was worth, from Chief Black Fish that the prisoners would not be tortured or forced to run the gauntlet. When this was agreed upon, the party set off, creeping up and surrounding the salt camp without being discovered. Boone, under the rifles of several Indians, approached the camp and told the men that they were surrounded by an overwhelming force of Indians. He pointed out the situation with the families back at Boonesborough and the certainty that they would be killed or, if captured, would probably die on the long trip back to Detroit. After many objections and expressions of desire to fight it out with Black Fish's warriors then and there, the logic of Boone's proposal finally prevailed, and with great reluctance some 27 salt makers yielded themselves as prisoners of the Shawnee.

The long march north of the Ohio to the Shawnee villages on the Scioto River and on to Detroit was started immediately. Later on some of these captives were ransomed, some escaped and some of them were never heard of again. As late as 1780, one of them, Joseph Jackson, was known to be still a captive in one of the Shawnee villages.

Boone was retained by Chief Black Fish who seemed to have a genuine liking for him and adopted him as his son, giving Boone the name of Sheltowee (Big Turtle).

Fort Boonesborough was not long in learning of the loss of its people. The other two scouts returned to find the salt camp deserted and thought that the salt makers had returned to Boonesborough, planning to meet the relief party enroute. However, on searching the camp, they found that some 300 bushels of precious salt had been thrown in the snow and some of the kettles removed. This, coupled with the moccasin tracks of many Indians and a discarded Indian bow and arrows, told the scouts the story of what had happened. They left immediately to warn Fort Boonesborough. Finding the relief party in camp on their way to relieve the salt makers, the scouts told their story after which all made for Fort Boonesborough at full speed, believing that possibly the Indian war party might reach there in advance of them.

The news of the capture was a blow to the families at Fort Boonesborough. Nearly every family had lost one or more members. The news of the capture spread rapidly across the frontier and thence to the settlements. One party of settlers enroute to Kentucky turned back to the settlements to await a more favorable situation.

There was no news of the captives. Scouts who followed the trail north of the Ohio reported no signs of a fight, no bodies or evidence as to what had happened. The wilderness had swallowed them.

With the passing of many weeks without news of the captives, their families gave them up for dead. Even Rebecca Boone resigned herself to the fact that Daniel must be dead. Early in May 1778, she and her family joined the sorrowing families of many of the missing men on the long and rough journey back over the Boone Trace to settlements in North Carolina. Only one of the Daniel Boone family remained at the fort. Jemima, Daniel's daughter, now married to Flanders Callaway, remained at Fort Boonesborough with her uncle, Squire Boone, and his family.

The first direct news of the captives to reach Fort Boonesborough came when one of the salt camp prisoners, Andrew Johnson, managed to escape and returned to Fort Boonesborough. He not only brought news of the capture of the salt camp but of the location of the Indian towns, which had been unknown in Fort Boonesborough up until that time.

Fort Boonesborough now saw some of its darkest days. Not only were the early leaders, such as Judge Henderson, John Williams and other members of the Transylvania Company gone, but now nearly all of the heads of families did not occur during the spring and summer of 1778. Colonel Callaway faced a difficult task in trying to raise the morale of the people and bring them together.

In the meantime Daniel Boone was learning to live the life of an adopted son of Chief Black Hoof. He appeared to enjoy the wild and free life of the Indian village. While seeming content, he was ever watchful for an opportunity to escape, which did not materialize. On June 15, 1778, the major fighting force of the Shawnee returned from an unsuccessful raid against Donelly's Fort on the Greenbrier River where they had been soundly repulsed. Smarting for revenge they decided on an immediate raid to surprise and capture Fort Boonesborough.

Daniel Boone, now familiar with the Shawnee language, heard these plans and knew that he must escape to warn the fort. Taking a horse and moving down stream channels to eliminate his tracks, he penetrated cane breaks and trackless forest to outwit the pursuing Indians and to reach the fort in time. On June 20, 1778, Daniel Boone arrived at Fort Boonesborough. He had abandoned his horse after a few miles and had made the rest of the way on foot. He had covered over 160 miles in four days, eating only one meal and a bit of jerked venison enroute.

Needless to say, friends and neighbors crowded around to welcome him back and to inquire for news of those captured with him. There were a few black looks from members of the families of the absent captives. Already rumors were circulating that Boone had saved his life by securing the surrender of his companions. It is also believed that the escaped Andrew Johnson had brought back tales of Boone's seemly friendliness and acceptance by the Indians, which was misconstrued by the other prisoners. Already murmurs against Boone and resentment of his escape were growing in Fort Boonesborough.

The news of the impending attack brought by Boone threw the entire population into a state of alarm and consternation. It did accomplish one thing that Daniel Boone and Judge Henderson had been trying to accomplish since 1775 — the full completion of the fort which, despite the attacks of the previous year, had fallen into disrepair. Now there was plenty of eager hands and willing workers to bring the fort to full completion of the plans prepared by Judge Henderson three years before. For 10 days the fort was a beehive of activity. The main gates were strengthened, the stockade at the gates and between the outer cabins was completed or repaired. Water barrels were filled and food stocks readied within the fort. Some members started to dig a well inside the fort to insure a continuing water supply. Always with dread for the coming attack. When no attack developed after two weeks and the scouts reported no sign of the advance of a large body of Indians, all work on the fort and well stopped and no further attempt was made to develop a dependable water supply within the fort.

Early in June a small party of riflemen ventured as far as the Blue Licks on the Licking River and recovered the large salt kettles, left by the Indians as too large and heavy to carry, but so necessary to the people of Fort Boonesborough. They reported seeing no Indians or fresh Indian signs.

Later in the summer the people of Fort Boonesborough received the joyful news of the capture of Kaskaskia by George Rogers Clark and his force, which included men from Fort Boonesborough. Soon afterward, a traveler from Virginia brought the news of the arrival of the French fleet off the coast to aid the Continental Army. Again great rejoicing was expressed by the usual frontier bonfire, fiddling and dancing. Similar activity which made the people of Fort Boonesborough forget, for the moment, the impending Indian attack. It was the lull before the storm.

On July 17, 1778, one of the men taken prisoner at the salt camp, William Handcock, returned to Fort Boonesborough. He brought news that Boone's escape had delayed the expedition against Fort Boonesborough for three weeks. Nine days of this time had already elapsed. At the time of his escape Handcock had been at Chillicothe while the Council of the Shawnees met to plan the attack and had actually seen the presence of the Indians sent from Detroit and had talked with the British officers who brought them. The plan of the British and Indians was to include a force of 400 Indians and four field guns to batter down the walls of the fort in the event the people refused to join the British. The plans included an extended siege to starve out the garrison, meanwhile feeding themselves with the settler's cattle. An awesome prospect at best, but there was no thought in Fort Boonesborough other than fighting it out to the bitter end.

Daniel Boone at once sent a message to Virginia military authorities telling of the Fort Boonesborough situation and requesting reinforcements. In his message he stated, "We are all in fine spirits and have good crops growing. We intend to fight hard in order to secure them." He added that he expected the Indians to arrive at Fort Boonesborough about the end of July.

The end of July came, but no Indians. It was now six weeks since Daniel Boone had returned and the fort was in good condition to receive an attack. The suspense was great and was growing.

At this point Daniel Boone proposed a scouting expedition of his own, back to the vicinity where he had been confined before his escape, to learn the situation there and perhaps attack one of the Indian towns with the object of securing horses and beaver pelts which he believed to be there. Colonel Callaway, who had been the leader of Fort Boonesborough before Boone returned objected vigorously to the men leaving the fort with an Indian attack pending. A sharp argument ensued in which Colonel Callaway voiced doubts as to Boone's motives and his loyalty, implying possible treachery similar to that implied regarding the surrender of the salt maker's camp. It is believed that this was the start of an enmity between Daniel Boone and Colonel Callaway that continued until Colonel Callaway's unfortunate death at the hands of Indians.

Boone believed that he could lead such an expedition north across the Ohio and return to Fort Boonesborough in time to meet the Indian attack. It is possible that he realized that the building tension of the people needed the release that this plan would give. At any rate the prospect of some action and possibly a bit of loot looked good to the frontiersmen and, when a vote was taken, Colonel Callaway lost both the argument and his temper. Daniel Boone left for the Indian country with a tough band of 30 frontiersmen prepared to live off the country. Somewhere beyond the Blue Licks 10 of the party lost their nerve and turned back to Fort Boonesborough, but the remainder, which included Simon Kenton and Alexander Montgomery, scouts as experienced and skillful as Boone, continued on their mission.

Boone's expedition was really a reconnaissance in force, large enough to cope with the average band of roving Indians, but small enough to conceal their movements. Crossing the Ohio River they painted themselves like Indians and headed for the Scioto River valley where Boone had been held captive.

Arriving in that vicinity Boone's party had a skirmish with a small party of Indians and, learning that the town was empty of warriors, Boone immediately started back, as this indicated that the Indian force had gathered and was possibly even on their way to Fort Boonesborough. The scouts, Kenton and Montgomery, were left behind to keep a watch on Indian movements.