Browse Items (78 total)
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Isaac Shelby circular, 31 July 1813
Circular dated 31 July 1813 in which Isaac Shelby calls for Kentuckians to join the militia to fight the British and Native Americans. -
Letter from Ann Pearce to Isaac Clark, 24 October 1812
Talks of Isaac Clark needing clothing but expecting him to be home soon so she isn't sure their mother would send any. Discusses William Clark being back to Louisville soon with the Native Americans from Washington, which she states "appear very friendly now, but I reckon as soon as they return, they will be as bad as any of them." -
Letter from Anthony Wayne to Isaac Shelby, 18 May 1793
The commission of three men to meet with the "hostile Indians" for a treaty. -
Letter from Arthur Campbell to John Brown, 29 December 1787
Arthur Campbell's 29 December 1787 letter to John Brown discusses a "vast multitude" of immigrants passing into Kentucky with little resistance from Native Americans. Campbell warns that the peace may not last long and he expects frequent attacks against the outmanned pioneers. He also agrees to a nomination as the Superintendent of the Southern Department. -
Letter from Arthur Campbell to John Brown, 29 December 1787
In this letter, Campbell tells Brown of a "vast multitude of immigrants" passing through the wilderness to Kentucky and Cumberland without any trouble from the Native Americans. Goes on to say that there is a probability peace will be broken from the war against the Creek Indians. -
Letter from Arthur Campbell, 28 March 1792
Discusses dealings with a Cherokee Chief and the current state of the militia, including number of soldiers for each captains unit. -
Letter from Frederick Edwards to William Christian, 7 May 1785
Letter from Frederick Edwards to William Christian reporting on news from Kentucky, especially from the Louisville/Beargrass settlement area and conflict with Native Americans. Discusses plans for the operations at Saltsburg and Nicholas Meriwether taking over as the manager, and driving cattle down to Kentucky. -
Letter from General Anthony Wayne to Isaac Shelby, 26 September 1793
Orders from General Anthony Wayne calling upon Isaac Shelby to raise a militia of fifteen hundred men with Shelby in command for the protection of Kentucky. -
Letter from General Anthony Wayne to Major General Charles Scott, 26 September 1793
Anthony Wayne writes in his letter to Charles Scott about the disappointing reluctance of volunteers to join the effort to fight Native Americans. Wayne states that "unless the fire kindled at the Miami of the Lake is extinguished by the blood of the Hydra," the confederation of Native Americans will spread to other parts of the frontier. He calls upon Scott to gather what men he could and meet up with him for an attack. -
Letter from George Foote to William Foote, Sr., 2 October 1816
Letter discussing family business, the purchase of Native American land and treaties, politics, "immortal Jackson", and the weather. -
Letter from George Rogers Clark to George Mason, 19 November 1779
Sketches of the enterprise and proceedings in the Illinois Country by Colonel George Rogers Clark, Commander of that Expedition, in a letter to Colonel George Mason of Gunston Hall, Virginia. In this letter, Clark writes about the origins of the mission, his contact with Native Americans and British, and the conquest of the Illinois territory. -
Letter from Green Clay to Salley Clay, 8 January 1820
Writing from the bank of Mr. Jarrett's, Green Clay tells his wife of his travels in surveying around Clark's river, his trials and tribulations, relays that his provisions are exhausted, clothes in rags, states the Native Americans are encamped throughout the country but appear to be quite harmless. He also tells Salley of money matters. -
Letter from Isaac Shelby to Henry Knox, 10 February 1794
A letter from Isaac Shelby in which he informs Henry Knox that two more people have been killed by Southern Indians since his last letter. He expects attacks by the Creek and Chickamauga as soon as winter breaks. Again requesting power to raise men and defend the state, Shelby calls for a large number of influential officers to accompany the expedition. -
Letter from Isaac Shelby to Henry Knox, 10 January 1794
In his 10 January 1794 letter to Knox, Shelby states that frontier areas of Kentucky are defenseless. He anticipates major forays into Kentucky by the Native Americans in the spring, and says the present situation can be traced back to the failure of the "late intended expedition." He states the regular army is not capable of stopping them, and requests that the President make provisions for the defense of Kentucky by investing Shelby with the proper powers to raise militia and mounted volunteers for a series of three expeditions into the Indian country northwest of the Ohio River. He writes that General Wayne is not in a position to defend Kentucky's frontiers and Kentuckians are confident that they can defeat the Indians if given permission to try. -
Letter from James Wilkinson to Isaac Shelby, 6 June 1796
Refers to children being returned from the Native Americans, declares he has become good friends with Blue Jacket. He believes the females might have "lost their innocence and formed attachments that forbid their returns." -
Letter from James Young Love to Eliza Tunstal, 10 May 1813
Written from the "foot of the Miami [River] Rappids," to Eliza Tunstal in which Love describes a battle at Fort Meigs on the Maumee River in Ohio. He states that while the American soldiers were holding their own against the British and Native Americans, Gen. William Henry Harrison ordered the soldiers to retreat into the fort. It was not until American reinforcements arrived that the attackers left the area. However, Love writes that while trapped in the fort, the Natives plundered the American soldiers' supplies and personal items being stored in boats on the river. He lists those killed at the battle. -
Letter from John Bowman to Isaac Hite, 10 June 1782
Writing from Lincoln County, Kentucky, Bowman states that no surveying had been done lately because of the fear of attacks from Native Americans. -
Letter from John Bowman to Isaac Hite, 6 March 1780
A letter from John Bowman to Isaac Hite from Kentucky County, in which he tells of his livestock, land purchases, the need for wool, and the fear of attacks from Native Americans. He also writes of hearing that Natchez was in the possession of Spain. -
Letter from Richard Clough Anderson to Jonathan Clark, 9 July 1792
Anderson writes his brother-in-law, Jonathan Clark, a letter from his home near Louisville about what the newly seated Kentucky legislature has accomplished. He writes of the dreadful state of American-Indian affairs, with two recent defeats at the tribes' hands and failed negotiations. He fears his friend Colonel John Hardin, who has been sent to negotiate with them, will be killed, like Major Freeman. As gloomy and discouraging as the situation, Kentucky is too promising a country to abandon. Jonathan's presence would be of great assistance to his parents and one of his siblings who are suffering from an upsetting situation that his father-in-law John Clark has discussed with him several times, but he has not been authorized to discuss it and shall say no more other than to inform Jonathan that there is a situation of concern regarding the elder Clarks and a sibling. [Although not specified, the situation most likely concerns Fanny Clark's tumultuous marriage with James O'Fallon.] William Clark has been assisting Anderson with Jonathan's land investments and has sent records. -
Letter from the War Department to Isaac Shelby, 19 July 1790
Letter from Henry Knox discussing protection on the western frontier from Native Americans, mentioning how many rangers needed and what they would be paid.