General George Rogers Clark proposed a retaliatory expedition into the Indian country, and to carry out the plan, called a council of the superior officers.  The council agreed to his plan, and preparations were made to raise the requisite number of troops by drafting, if there should be any deficiency of volunteers.  But it was not found necessary to resort to compulsory measures, both men and supplies for the expedition were raised without difficulty.  The troops to the number of one thousand, all mounted, assembled at Bryant’s Station, and the Falls of the Ohio, from whence the two detachments marched under Logan and Floyd to the mouth of the Licking, where general Clark assumed the command.  Colonel Boone took part in this expedition; but probably as a volunteer.  He is not mentioned as having a separate command.

The history of this expedition, like most others of the same nature, possesses but little interest.  The army with all the expedition they could make, and for which the species of force was peculiarly favorable, failed to surprise the Indians.  These latter opposed no resistance of importance to the advance of the army.  Occasionally, a straggling party would fire upon the Kentuckians, but never waited to receive a similar compliment in return.  Seven Indians were taken prisoners, and three or four killed; one of them an old chief, too infirm to fly, was killed by Major McGary.  The towns of the Indians were burnt, and their fields devastated.  The expedition returned to Kentucky with the loss of four men, two of whom were accidentally killed by their own comrades.

This invasion, though apparently so barren of result, is supposed to have produced a beneficial effect, by impressing the Indians with the numbers and courage of the Kentuckians.  They appear from this time to have given up the expectation of reconquering the country, and confined their hostilities to the rapid incursions of small bands.

During the expedition of Clark, a party of Indians penetrated to the Crab Orchard settlement.  They made an attack upon a single house, containing only a woman, a negro man, and two or three children.  One of the Indians, who had been sent in advance to reconnoitre, seeing the weakness of the garrison, thought to get all the glory of the achievement to himself.

He boldly entered the house and seized the negro, who proving strongest, threw him on the floor, when the woman dispatched him with an axe.  The other Indians coming up, attempted to force open the door which had been closed by the children during the scuffle.  There was no gun in the house, but the woman seized an old barrel of one, and thrust the muzzle through the logs, at which the Indians retreated.

The year 1783 passed away without any disturbance from the Indians, who were restrained by the desertion of their allies the British.  In 1784, the southern frontier of Kentucky was alarmed by the rumor of an intended invasion by the Cherokees, and some preparations were made for an expedition against them, which fell through, however, because there was no authority to carry it on.  The report of the hostility of the Cherokees proved to be untrue.