Sketches of western adventure: containing an account of the most interesting incidents connected with the settlement of the West, from 1755 to 1794: together with an appendix

Preface

In these "latter days," when a rage for book making pervades all ages, sexes and conditions, it is scarcely necessary to offer the usual hacknied apology, for what is modestly called <a trespass upon the patience of the public P Should the book prove entertaining, and in some degree useful, no apology will be necessary — if otherwise, none will be received. Instead, therefore, of spinning a dozen or more sentences, in the usual deprecating tone, or (which is as frequently done) throwing down the gauntlet at the whole tribe of critics,! shall content myself with a few remarks, upon the degree of credit which is to be attached to the following pages. Several years ago, when the author was younger and more confident, than at present, he was seduced into the perpetration of a book which was intended for a novel. It never attracted much attention, and has long since been forgotten, except by the immediate acquaintances of the author. Upon the appearance of the present work, to which the title and other circumstances unconnected with the merit of the execution, will probably give a more extensive circulation , the recollection of "Camden," will probably be revived with many readers in the West, and give rise to a suspicion that

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the present work is as truly an offspring of the imagination as the former. A simple denial of the charge would, probably, gain but little credit — 1 wish, therefore, to refer distinctly to the sources from which the materials for the present work have been derived, in order to give every one who chooses, an opportunity of satisfying himself as to its authenticity. For the correctness with which the adventures of Boon, Smith and Johnston are detailed, I refer the reader to the printed narratives of each of those gentlemen, which are to be found upon the shelves of almost every Bookseller in the West. In the life of Boon, there are many particulars relating to the seige of Bryant's station and the battle of the Blue Licks, which are not to be found in Boon's narrative. For some of these, I am indebted to Mr, Marshall; but most of them have been taken from a series of "Notes" which appeared several years ago in the Kentucky Gazette, and which were carefully taken down from the verbal communications of individuals still living, who were actively engaged in those scenes. For the striking incidents attending the expedition of Crawford, I am indebted to the printed narratives of Knight and S lover, which were published immediately after their return to Virginia, when the affair was fresh in the recollection of hundreds, and any misstatement would instantly have been corrected. Kenton's adventures are taken from a manuscript account dictated by the venerable pioneer himself, and nov in the possession of Mr. John D. Taylor of Washington, Ky. from whom at some future day, we may expect a full detail of his whole life, of which I have only given a rapid and imperfect sketch. The adventures of Johonnet, are

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taken from a printed account by himself, which first appeared in 1791, immediately after the defeat of St. Clair, and those of Kennan, from his own account, which the author, in common with many others, has heard repeatedly from his own lips. For the rest, I refer the reader general* ly, to Metcalfs's collection, Mr. — — "Border Wars," and the "Notes on Kentucky" already mentioned.

A small portion, and comparatively but a small portion of the minor details, have been gathered from personal conversation with the individuals concerned, Had I chosen to have given admission to mere rumors, related by persons who had received them from others,! might have given a host of anecdotes, partaking strongly of the marvellous, and some of them really worthy of being inserted, could I have been satisfied of their truth! But 1 have chosen to confine myself to those only which were given upon unquestionable authority, and can conscientiously affirm, that I have admitted nothing which I my self at the time, did not believe to be true. At the same time, it must be confessed, that the distressing hurry under which the latter part of the book (particularly St. Clair's expedition,) was written, did not permit me to refer; as particu larly to good authority, as could have been wished,, and I hav e consequently committed a few errors (chiefly unimportant) in that part of the work, which were not observed until it was too late for correction.

They will undoubtedly be pointed out by some good natured critic, but as they relate chiefly to the force of the Indian army, which in many publications of the day was much exaggerated,, they will probably not materially affect the general character of the work.. If there are any other er-

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rors, I am not aware of their existence. I have to regret that the rapidity with which it was necessarily composed, did not afford an opportunity of becoming acquainted with many interesting incidents which occurred upon the West* ern portion of Virginia during the Revolutionary war, which were published several years since under the title of "Border Wars." When I saw the book, 1 had already written more than three fourths of the work, and as the sheets were printedas fast as they were composed, it was impossible to insert them in their proper places. Such of them as bore a relation to parts of my own work, were subjoined in the ap pendix, the rest were necessarily omitted. I can only refer the curious reader to the book itself, from which I can promise him much entertainment.