“After anxious reflection for a few minutes, he formed his plan.  The guns of the Indians were stacked near the fire; their knives and tomahawks were in sheaths by their sides.  The latter he dared not touch for fear of awakening their owners; but the former he carefully removed, with the exception of two, and hid them in the woods, where he knew the Indians would not readily find them.  He then returned to the spot where the Indians were still sleeping, perfectly ignorant of the fate preparing for them, and, taking a gun in each hand, he rested the muzzles upon a log within six feet of his victims, and, having taken deliberate aim at the head of one and the heart of another, he pulled both triggers at the same moment.

“Both shots were fatal.  At the report of the guns the others sprung to their feet and stared wildly around them.  McConnel, who had run instantly to the spot where the other rifles were hid, hastily seized one of them and fired at two of his enemies who happened to stand in a line with each other.  The nearest fell dead, being shot through the centre of the body; the second fell also, bellowing loudly, but quickly recovering, limped off into the woods as fast as possible.  The fifth, and the only one who remained unhurt, darted off like a deer, with a yell which announced equal terror and astonishment.  McConnel, not wishing to fight any more such battles, selected his own rifle from the stack, and made the best of his way to Lexington, where he arrived safely within two days.

“Shortly afterward, Mrs. Dunlap, of Fayette, who had been several months a prisoner amongst the Indians on Mad River, made her escape, and returned to Lexington.  She reported that the survivor returned to his tribe with a lamentable tale.  He related that they had taken a fine young hunter near Lexington, and had brought him safely as far as the Ohio; that while encamped upon the bank of the river, a large party of white men had fallen upon them in the night, and killed all his companions, together with the poor defenseless prisoner, who lay bound hand and foot, unable either to escape or resist.”

In October, 1780, Boone, who had brought his family back to Kentucky, went to the Blue Licks in company with his brother.  They were attacked by a party of Indians, and Daniel’s brother was killed; and he himself pursued by them with the assistance of a dog.  Being hard pressed, he shot this animal to prevent his barking from giving the alarm, and so escaped.

Kentucky having been divided into three counties, a more perfect organization of the militia was effected.  A Colonel and a Lieutenant-Colonel were appointed for each county; those who held the first rank were Floyd, Logan, and Todd.  Pope, Trigg, and Boone held the second.  Clark was Brigadier-General, and commander-in-chief of all the Kentucky militia; besides which he had a small number of regulars at Fort Jefferson.  Spies and scouting parties were continually employed, and a galley was constructed