Hannah of Kentucky - James Otis |
James and the two men of our company had found their way to the Clinch River without trouble, and the settlers at that place were so well supplied with meal as to be willing to let us have more than Jimmy and his companions could carry. Six of the people therefore proposed to visit our camp, bringing the meal on their horses.
When they were within three miles of our camp, they wandered from the trace into the darkness. Believing it would be better to make camp and wait until morning, when there would be no difficulty in finding their way, they came to a halt. They felt secure against a visit from the Indians, and so built a camp fire and made themselves as comfortable as possible, even lying down to sleep without a guard.
A band of Shawnee Indians, who had been on a raid to the Cherokee villages on the Little Tennessee River, came upon the slumbering men and killed and scalped all save the two who had ridden into our camp.
Our fathers believed that the Shawnees were probably lingering near at hand, awaiting a favorable chance to fall upon our party, and made such preparations to protect us as were in their power. The women were armed with pistols or rifles, and boys even younger than Billy were called upon to act the part of men.
And during all that time Mr. Boone and his wife were grieving over the death of their oldest son!