Autograph Letter Signed

Preparations for Indian Attacks in Kentucky

Governor 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.

1794

01

10

Kentucky

Henry Knox

Isaac Shelby

Indians

Kentucky

1794011040001

1

4

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State, as having been superseded by the orders which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