Preparations for Indian Attacks in Kentucky
Document 1794Governor Isaac Shelby of Kentucky warns that hostile Indians have been emboldened by their successes against the expeditions sent against them and he has every reason to believe that they will attack again early in the Spring. He discusses his proposals for preparing for these inevitable attacks.
Kentucky January 10th 1794
Sir My duty obliges me to call the attention of the President of the United States to the present defenseless situation of the frontiers of this State. We have every reason to expect that we shall be vigo rously attacked by the Indians early in the Spring and the present defenseless condition of our citizens who live in that exposed situation must render them an easy prey whenever they are attacked. The enmity of the Indians toward us is not lessened the total failure of the late intended expedition – against them has increased their confidence in them =selves and confirmed their former opinion that they have nothing to fear from the Regular Army. Their circumstances their love of plunder will induce them to continue their usual depredation on this State and unless proper measures for our defence are adopted they will continue them with impunity. – The army had barely fixed themselves in their winter quarters before several parties of Indians ap =peared on our frontiers, and having killed four men took off a number of horses from different parts of the State. I consider the power with which I was Strike-through textinvested by the President to make provision for the defence of this State, as having been superseded by the orders which General Wayne has sent into this Country. It is by no means a desirable thing to me to be vested with such powers, but the particular situation of this Country renders it indispensably necessary that discretionary powers of that kind should be lodged somewhere within the State to be exercised as time and circumstances may require It is impossible if this power is lodged in the hands of the Commanding General of the army that it can be used so as to be of any real service to us, he is so far removed from us that the emergency would be over before his orders could be received: this would either make it necessary for him to keep constantly in the service such a number of men as would be equal to our defence, or oblige us to give up all expectations of succour from the General Government. He cannot be supposed to be sufficiently acquainted with the situation of the different parts of the State to know in what degree they require protection and therefore would not be able to distribute the means of defence which were allowed us according to the necessities of the different parts of the State. There would be very little danger of such a power being abused, as the person to whom it was intrusted would always expect that his conduct would be examined with the strictest attention and as it would always be in the power of the President to direct any alterations which he might judge necessary in the plan which should be adopted; If it is the object of the Government to afford real protection to this State, I am convinced that it can only be effected by lodging the power of doing it some where within the State and that such a regulation would in the end be found to cause a great saving of the Public Money, as of the blood of our Citizens. From the great and freqent injury done us by the Indians, and from the inadequate protection which has been afforded by the Army, there is no part of the United States which is much interested in the mode of conducting the war STAMPED: THE FILSON CLUB
1310 South Third Street
Louisville, Ky. 40208
against that Common enemy as this State is. It is with concern that I am compeled to say that it is a universal opinion in this State, that the system of warfare which is pursued at present by the United States will never humble the Indians or induce them to consent to make a lasting peace. It is also believed that the Citizens of this Country are fully competant to that task if they could be properly employed in it. I scruple not to declare that I am fully of that opinion, and that I will with the Citizens of this Country alone engage to attack and defeat any part of the Indian Tribes north west of the Ohio against whom the President may think proper to direct our Operations. To enable us to do this certain regulations will be necessary. Proper persons in this Country must be vested with the necessary Powers to call forth such numbers of foot as militia and such a Number of Mounted Volunteers as the service they may be visited on shall require: to employ them for such length of time as would addequate to the attainment of the object etc make the necessary arrangements respecting ammunition, the necessary tools to form rifle batteries incase the enemy should be found in block houses, and tools for the purpose of making proper crafts to cross such streams as could not be foarded and to imploy such expresses as the nature of the business might require In such a service it would be of the gretest importance to enable these persons to imploy a greater pro- portion of officers than are allowed in the regular army, especially to the mounted volunteers, thirty six privates would be as many as the present number of officers could conduct wit propriety. The allowing a greater proportion of officers would have an other important effect - they would be able with greater ease and certainty to draw out by their united influence a sufficient number of our real rifle men who alone can give us a certainty of success in such an expedi =tion The number of men to be imployed in this service aught to be varied according to the search and the object. The first expedition should be carried on by a strong and powerful body sufficient to combat with the whole force of the enemy. I suppose that two thousand volunteers officers as is mentioned above would be fully equal to this object. Perhaps half the Number would be enough for the second expedition and still fewer for a third if so many expeditions should be found necessary. but I am fully persuaded that the Indians would immedi =ately after the first expedition either apply for peace on terms the United States might think proper to impose or abandon the territory of our United States altogether. The Opinion which we entertain on this impor= =tant subject may be erronious but no person can doubt its sincerity when it is considered we are willing to make the experiment at the hazard of our lives and reputations. I submit these observations to the superior Judgment and knowledge of the President
and have the honour to be Sir
Your Most Obedient and
Very Humble Servant
Isaac Shelby
Major General Know
Secretary of War STAMPED: THE FILSON CLUB 1310 South Third Street Louisville, Kentucky 40208
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