Kenton, another bold pioneer. He marched through the wilderness toward those important posts, and at the close of summer all but Detroit were in his possession. Clark was now promoted to colonel, and was instructed to pacify the western tribes, if possible, and bring them into friendly relations with the Americans. While thus engaged, he was informed of the re-capture of Vincennes. With his usual energy, and followed by less than two hundred men, he traversed the drowned lands of Illinois, through deep morasses and snow floods, in February, 1779, and on the 19th of that month appeared before Vincennes. To the astonished garrison, it seemed as if these rough Kentuckians had dropped from the clouds, for the whole country was inundated. The fort was speedily surrendered, and commander Hamilton (governor of Detroit), and several others, were sent to Virginia as prisoners. Colonel Clark also captured a quantity of goods, under convoy from Detroit, valued at $50,000; and having sufficiently garrisoned Vincennes and the other posts, he proceeded to build Fort Jefferson, on the western bank of the Mississippi, below the Ohio. When Arnold invaded Virginia, in 1781, Colonel Clark joined the forces under the Baron Steuben, and performed signal service until the traitor had departed. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier the same year, and went beyond the mountains again, hoping to organize an expedition against Detroit. His scheme failed, and for awhile Clark was in command of a post at the Falls of the Ohio. In the autumn of 1782, he penetrated the Indian country between the Ohio and the lakes, with a thousand men, and chastised the tribes severely for their marauding excursions into Kentucky, and awed them into comparatively peaceful relations. For these deeds, John Randolph afterward called Clark the 'American Hannibal, who, by the reduction of those military posts in the wilderness, obtained the lakes for the northern boundary of our Union at the peace of 1783. Clark made Kentucky his future home, and during Washington's administration, when Genet, the French minister, attempted to organize a force in the west against the Spaniards, Clark accepted from him the commission of maior-general in the armies of France. The project was abandoned, and the hero of the north west never appeared in public life afterward." General Clark was never married, and he was long in infirm health. He died in February, 1818, and was buried at Locust Grove, near Louisville.

"Gen. Charles Scott was a native of Cumberland county, Virginia. He raised the first company of volunteers in that state, south of the James River, that actually entered into the continental service. So much was he appreciated that in 1777 the shire-town of Powhattan county was named in honor of him. Congress appointed him a brigadier in the continental army on the 1st of April, 1777. He served with distinction during the war, and at its termination he went to Kentucky. He settled in Woodford county, in that state, in 1785. He was with St. Clair at his defeat in 1791, and in 1794 he commanded a portion of Wayne's army at the battle of the Fallen Timber. He was governor of Kentucky from 1808 to 1812. He died on the 22d of October, 1820, aged seventy-four years."

Scott was a man of strong natural powers, but somewhat illiterate and rough in his manners. He was eccentric, and many amusing anecdotes are related of him. When a candidate for governor, he was opposed by Col. Allen, a native of Kentucky, who, in an address to the people when Scott was present, made an eloquent appeal. The friends of the latter, knowing he was no orator, felt distressed for him, but Scott, nothing daunted, mounted the stump, and addressed the company nearly as follows:

"Well, boys, I am sure you must all be well pleased with the speech you have just heard. It does my heart good to think we have so smart a man raised up among us here. He is a native Kentuckian. I see a good many of you here that I brought out to this country when a wilderness. At that time we hardly expected we should live to see such a smart man raised up among ourselves. You who were with me in those early times know we had no time for education, no means of improving from books. We dared not then go about our most common affairs without arms in our hands, to defend ourselves against the Indians. But we guarded and protected the country, and now every one can go where he pleases, and you now see what smart fellows are growing up to do their country honor. But I think it would be a pity to make this man governor; I think it would be better to send him to Congress. I don't think it requires a very smart man to make a governor, if he has sense enough to gather smart men about who can help him on with the business of state. It

would suit a worn-out old wife of a man like myself. But as to this young man, I am very proud of him, as much so as any of his kin, if any of them have been here to-day listening to his speech." Scott then descended from the stump, and the huzzas for the old soldier made the welkin ring.

Gen. Benjamin Logan, one of the most distinguished pioneers, was born in Vir ginia, of Irish parentage, about the year 1742. He was a sergeant in Boquet's expedition, and was in Dunmore's campaign. In 1775, he came to Kentucky with Boone, Henderson, and others. The next year he brought out his family, and established a fort, called "Logan's Fort," which stood at St. Asaph's, about a mile west of the present town of Stanford, in Lincoln county. That period is memora ble in the history of Kentucky, as one of peculiar peril. The woods literally swarmed with Indians. Having been reinforced by several white men, Logan determined to maintain himself at all hazards.

"On the 20th of May, 1777, this fort was invested by a force of a hundred Indians; and on the morning of that day, as some of the females belonging to it were engaged, outside of the gate, in milking the cows, the men who acted as the guard for the occasion, were fired upon by a party of the Indians, who had concealed themselves in a thick canebrake. One man was shot dead, another mortally wounded, and a third so badly, as to be disabled from making his escape; the remainder made good their retreat into the fort, and closed the gate. Harrison, one of the wounded men, by a violent exertion, ran a few paces and fell. His struggles and exclamations attracted the notice, and awakened the sympathies, of the inmates of the station. The frantic grief of his wife gave additional interest to the scene. The enemy forbore to fire upon him, doubtless from the supposition that some of the garrison would attempt to save him, in which event they were prepared to fire upon them from the canebrake. The case was a trying one; and there was a strong conflict between sympathy and duty, on the part of the garrison. The number of effective men had been reduced from fifteen to twelve, and it was exceedingly hazardous to put the lives of any of this small number in jeopardy; yet the lamentations of his family were so distressing, and the scene altogether so moving, as to call forth a resolute determination to save him if possible. Logan, always alive to the impulses of humanity, and insensible to fear, volunteered his services, and appealed to some of his men to accompany him. But so appalling was the danger, that all, at first, refused. At length, John Martin consented, and rushed, with Logan, from the fort; but he had not gone far, before he shrunk from the imminence of the danger, and sprung back within the gate. Logan paused for a moment, then dashed on, alone and undaunted-reached, unhurt, the spot where Harrison laythrew him on his shoulders, and, amidst a tremendous shower of rifle balls, made a safe and triumphant retreat into the fort.

The fort was now vigorously assailed by the Indian force, and as vigorously defended by the garrison. The men were constantly at their posts, whilst the women were actively engaged in molding bullets. But the weakness of the garrison was not their only griev ance. The scarcity of powder and ball, one of the greatest inconveniences to which the settlers were not unfrequently exposed, began now to be seriously felt. There were no indications that the siege would be speedily abandoned; and a protracted resistance seemed impracticable, without an additional supply of the munitions of war. The settlements on Holston could furnish a supply-but how was it to be obtained? And, even if men could be found rash and desperate enough to undertake the journey, how improbable was it that the trip could be accomplished in time for the relief to be available. Logan stepped forward, in this extremity, determined to take the dangerous office upon himself. Encouraging his men with the prospect of a safe and speedy return, he left the fort under cover of the night, and, attended by two faithful companions of his own selection, crept cautiously through the Indian lines without discovery. Shunning the ordinary route through Cumberland Gap, he moved, with incredible rapidity, over mountain and valley-arrived at the settlement on the Holston-procured the necessary supply of powder and lead-immediately retraced his steps, and was again in the fort in ten days from the time of his departure. He returned alone. The necessary delay in the transportation of the stores, induced him to intrust them to the charge of his companions; and his presence at St. Asaph's was all-important to the safety of its inhabitants. His return inspired them with fresh courage; and, in a few days, the appearance of Col. Bowman's party compelled the Indians to retire.

In the year 1779, Logan was first in command under Bowman, in his expedition against the Indian town of Chillicothe. It failed through the imbecility of the commander; but Logan gained great credit for his bravery and generalship on the occasion. In the summer of 1788, he conducted a successful expedition against the Indians in the Miami country. From this period until his death, Gen. Logan de

voted himself to the cultivation of his farm. He was a member of the convention of 1792, which framed the first constitution of Kentucky. He died full of years and of honors.

Gov. Isaac Shelby, the first governor of Kentucky, and the "hero of two wars.

Isaac Shelly

Was of Welsh descent, and was born near Hagarstown,

Maryland, in 1750. At the age of 21 years he emigrated to Virginia,

and engaged as a surveyor there, and in 1775, in Kentucky. Early in the Revolution he was, for a time, in the commissary department; but later, in 1780, he was commissioned as a colonel by Virginia, and raised 300 riflemen. He gained great distinction in several actions, especially in the important battle of King's Mountain, the turning point of the Revolution in the south. He was the most prominent officer in this celebrated victory, and originated the expedition which led to it. After this he served under Gen. Marion.

In 1782, he was elected a member of the Legislature of North Carolina, but soon after returned to Kentucky, and settled down upon a farm for life. "He was elected the first governor of the new state, and after an interval of comparative Another war repose, he was again the incumbent of that important office in 1812. with Great Britain was then impending The fire of 1776 still warmed his bosom, and he called his countrymen to arms, when the proclamation of war went forth. Henry Clay presented him with a sword, voted by the legislature of North Carolina for his gallantry at King's Mountain, thirty-two years before, and with that weapon he marched at the head of four thousand Kentucky volunteers, toward the Canada frontier, in 1813, though the snows of three score and three winters were upon his head. He fought gallantly upo the Thames, in Canada; and for his valor there, congress honored him with a gold medal. President Monroe appointed him secretary of war in 1817, but he declined the honor, for he coveted the repose which old age demands. His last public act was the holding of a treaty with the Chickasaw Indians, in 1818, with General Jackson for his colleague. His sands of life were now nearly exhausted. In February, 1820, he was prostrated by paralysis, yet he lived, somewhat disabled, until the 18th of July, 1826, when apoplexy terminated his life. He was then almost seventy-six years of age, and died as he had lived, with the hope of a Christian."

Col. Richard M. Johnson, vice president of the United States, was born at Bryat's Station, five miles north-east of Lexington, in Oct., 1781. The outline of the history of this one of the most distinguished natives of Kentucky, is given in the monumental inscription, copied on page 908 of this work.

H. Orleans 29 "ber 1842
Your friend

G. Aay

с

แ Henry Clay was born in Hanover county, Virginia, April 12, 1777. Having received a common school education, he became at an early age, a copyist in the office of the clerk of the court of chancery, at Richmond. At nineteen he commenced the study of law, and short

ly afterward removed to Lexington, Kentucky, where he was admitted to the bar in 1799, and soon obtained extensive practice. He began his political career, by taking an active part in the election of delegates to frame a new constitution for the state of Kentucky. In 1803, he was elected to the legislature by the citizens

of Fayette county; and in 1806, he was appointed to the United States senate for the remainder of the term of General Adair, who had resigned. In 1807, he was again elected a member of the general assembly of Kentucky, and was chosen speaker. In the following year occurred his duel with Humphrey Marshall. In 1809, he was again elected to the United States senate for the unexpired term of Mr. Thurston, resigned. In 1811, he was elected a member of the house of representatives, and was chosen speaker on the first day of his appearance in that body, and was five times re-elected to this office. During this session, his eloquence aroused the country to resist the aggressions of Great Britain, and awakened a national spirit. In 1814, he was appointed one of the commissioners to negotiate a treaty of peace at Ghent. Returning from this mission, he was re-elected to congress, and in 1818, he spoke in favor of recognizing the independence of the South American Republics. In the same year, he put forth his strength in behalf of a national system of internal improvements. A monument of stone, inscribed with his name, was erected on the Cumberland road, to commemorate his services in behalf of that improvement.

In the session of 1819-20, he exerted himself for the establishment of protection to American industry, and this was followed by services in adjusting the Missouri Compromise. After the settlement of these questions, he withdrew from congress, in order to attend to his private affairs. In 1823 he returned to congress and was re-elected speaker; and at this session he exerted himself in support of the independence of Greece. Under John Quincy Adams, he filled the office of secretary of state; the attack upon Mr. Adams' administration, and especially upon the secretary of state, by John Randolph, led to a hostile meeting between him and Mr. Clay, which terminated without bloodshed. In 1829 he returned to Kentucky; and in 1831 was elected to the United States senate, where he commenced his labors in favor of the Tariff; in the same month of his reappearance in the senate, he was unanimously nominated for president of the United States. In 1836, he was re-elected to the senate, where he remained until 1842, when he resigned, and took his final leave, as he supposed, of that body. In 1839, he was again nominated for the presidency, but General Harrison was selected as the candidate. He also received the nomination in 1844, for president, and was defeated in this election by Mr. Polk.

He remained in retirement in Kentucky until 1849, when he was re-elected to the senate of the United States. Here he devoted all his energies to the measures known as the Compromise Acts. His efforts during this session weakened his strength, and he went for his health to Havana and New Orleans, but with no permanent advantage; he returned to Washington, but was unable to participate in the active duties of the senate, and resigned his seat, to take effect upon the 6th of September, 1852. He died in Washington City, June 29, 1852. He was interested in the success of the Colonization Society, and was for a long time one of its most efficient officers, and also its president.

Gen, Zachary Taylor was a Virginian born, and a Kentuckian bred. In 1785, while he was an infant a year old, his parents moved to the vicinity of Louisville. At the age of 24 years, he entered the army as lieutenant of infantry, and continued in the service of his country until his death, while holding the position of President of the United States, July 9, 1850, at the age of 63 years. His biography is written in honorable lines in the history of his country, and his memory is warmly cherished in the hearts of her people.