and after killing the cattle, they retreated across the river.  When the battle of Little Mountain opened two days later, Monk, who was still a prisoner with the Indians cried out:  ‘Don’t give way, Mas’ Jim!  There’s only about twenty-five redskins and you can whip ’em!’ This was valuable and encouraging information to the whites.  When the Indians began to advance on Lieutenant Miller, when he was sent to prevent a flank movement and guard the horse-holders, Monk called also to him to hold his ground and the white men would win.  Instead of being instantly killed as was to be apprehended, even though the savages might not understand his English, he made his escape before the fight closed and got back to his friends.  On their return to the station, twenty-five miles, without sufficient horses for the wounded, he carried on his back, most of the way, James Berry, whose thigh was broken.  He had learned to make gunpowder, and obtaining saltpetre from Peyton’s Cave, in Madison county, he frequently furnished this indispensable article to Estill’s Station and Boonesborough.  He has been described as being five feet five inches high and weighing two hundred pounds.  He was a respected member of the Baptist church, when whites and blacks worshipped together.  He was held in high esteem by the settlers and his young master, Wallace Estill, gave him his freedom and clothed and fed him as long as he lived thereafter—­till about 1835.

“A year or two after the close of the Revolutionary war, a Mr. Woods was living near Crab Orchard, Kentucky, with his wife, one daughter (said to be ten years old), and a lame Negro man.  Early one morning, her husband being away, Mrs. Woods when a short distance from the house, discovered seven or eight Indians in ambush.  She ran back into the house, so closely pursued that before she could fasten the door one of the savages forced his way in.  The Negro instantly seized him.  In the scuffle the Indian threw him, falling on top.  The Negro held him in a strong grasp and called to the girl to take an axe which was in the room and kill him.  This she did by two well-aimed blows; and the Negro then asked Mrs. Woods to let in another that he with the axe might dispatch him as he came and so, one by one, kill them all.  By this time, however, some men from the station nearby, having discovered that the house was attacked, had come up and opened fire on the savages, by which one was killed and the others put to flight.”

CHAPTER X.

From Lexington to Carrizal.

Negro in war of 1812—­incident of the Chesapeake—­battle of lake
Erie—­Perry’s fighters 10 percent negroes—­incident of the “Governor
Tompkins”—­Colonists form negro regiments—­defense of