Battle of Blue Licks
Part of the American Revolutionary War
Historical marker at the battle site. In the background, a crowd watches a reenactment of the battle.
Date August 19, 1782 Location Near present Mount Olivet, Kentucky Result British and American Indian victory
Combatants
Kentucky militia (United States)	Great Britain, American Indians
Commanders
John Todd † Stephen Trigg † Daniel Boone	William Caldwell Alexander McKee Simon Girty
Strength
182 militiamen	50 rangers 300 natives
Casualties
72 killed, 11 captured	about 11 killed

The Battle of Blue Licks was fought on August 19, 1782, and was the last battle of the American Revolutionary War fought in Kentucky. The battle occurred ten months after Lord Cornwallis's famous surrender at Yorktown, which had effectively ended the war in the east. On a hill next to the Licking River in what is now Robertson County, a force of about 50 British rangers and 300 American Indians ambushed and routed 182 Kentucky militiamen. It was the worst defeat for the Kentuckians during the war. Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, The Netherlands, Spain, American Indians Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, American Indians Canadian Indians Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene, Bernardo de Gálvez Sir William Howe, Sir Henry Clinton, Lord Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 1079 KB) Summary File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Blue Licks Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Mount Olivet is a city located in Robertson County, Kentucky. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... John Todd (March 27, 1750–August 18, 1782) was a frontier military officer during the American Revolutionary War and the first administrator of the Illinois County of the U.S. state of Virginia before that state ceded the territory to the federal government. ... Stephen Trigg (1742–August 19, 1782) was an American pioneer and soldier in Kentucky. ... Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (November 2, 1734 – September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer, frontiersman and Indian-fighter, who blazed the trail known as the Wilderness Road and founded Boonesborough, Kentucky (also known as Boonesboro). ... William Caldwell (c. ... Simon Girty (1741–February 18, 1818) was a British subject, born in what is now the United States, who served as a liaison between the British and their Native American allies during the American Revolution. ... // Background Among the Acts of Parliament denounced by the Patriots as Intolerable Acts were the Proclamation of 1763, which forbade Anglo-American settlement west of the Appalachians; and the Quebec Act of 1774, which made provision for the extension of Québecs borders to the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. ... Combatants Kentucky settlers Shawnees and allies Commanders Daniel Boone, Richard Callaway, William Bailey Smith Blackfish, Antoine Dagneaux de Quindre, Moluntha Strength 135 settlers (30–40 gunmen) 444 Native Americans 12 Detroit militia Casualties 2 killed 4 wounded 37 killed unknown wounded The Siege of Boonesborough took place in September 1778... Combatants Great Britain United States Commanders Henry Hamilton George Rogers Clark Strength 80 British regulars, militia and French volunteers between 47 and 170 Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Vincennes was a battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on February 23 – February 25, 1779, when a small force of... Fort Laurens was an American Revolutionary War fort in what is now the U.S. state of Ohio. ... The Battle of Saint Louis (Spanish San Luis) was an unsuccessful British-led attack on the Spanish town of St. ... Birds invasion of Kentucky during the American Revolutionary War was just one phase of an extensive series of operations planned by the British in 1780, whereby the entire West, from Canada to Florida, was to be swept clear of both Spaniards and colonists. ... Colonel Archibald Andrew Lochry (Lockrees/Lochry/Lockery/Loughry/Loughrey) (1733-1781) was a colonial American military officer whose command ended in disaster when he and nearly every member of his force were killed or captured by Mohawk forces led by George Girty (brother of Simon Girty) and under the command... The Long Run Massacre occurred on September 13, 1781 at the intersection of Floyds Fork creek with the Falls Trace, a trail, in what is now eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky. ... Tragically, the American Colonel Crawford was horrifically killed after losing this intense battle against the Three Fires Confederation and their allies. ... Illustration of the women of Bryan Station getting water while Native Americans, who are about to besiege the settlement, watch. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, The Netherlands, Spain, American Indians Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, American Indians Canadian Indians Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene, Bernardo de Gálvez Sir William Howe, Sir Henry Clinton, Lord Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marques Cornwallis (31 December 1738 - 5 October 1805 in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh) was an English(England) military commander and colonial governor. ... Combatants United States France Great Britain German mercenaries Commanders George Washington Comte de Rochambeau Lord Cornwallis Charles O’Hara Banastre Tarleton {Stationed at Gloucester, Virginia} Strength 10,800 French 8,845 Americans 7,500 Casualties 62 dead 190 wounded[2] 156 killed 326 wounded 7,018 captured[1] The Siege... The mouth of the Licking River, where it joins the Ohio River The Licking River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 320 mi (515 km) long in northeastern Kentucky in the United States. ... Robertson County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. ... An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Background: Caldwell's expedition

Although a British army under Lord Cornwallis had surrendered at Yorktown in October 1781, the war on the western frontier continued. Aided by the British in Detroit, American Indians north of the Ohio River redoubled their efforts to drive American settlers out of western Virginia (what is now Kentucky and West Virginia). Building and origins of Fort Detroit Fort Detroit began as a settlement on the Detroit River called Fort Ponchartrain. ... The Ohio River is the largest tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ...

In July 1782, a large meeting was held at the Shawnee villages near the headwaters of the Mad River in the Ohio Country, with Shawnees, Delawares, Mingos, Wyandots, Miamis, Ottawas, Ojibwas, and Potawatomis in attendance. A force of 150 British rangers under Captain William Caldwell (of Butler's Rangers) and 1,100 Indians supervised by Alexander McKee, Simon Girty, and Matthew Elliott was sent against Wheeling on the Ohio River. This was one of the largest forces yet sent against the American settlements. The Shawnee, or Shawano, are a people native to North America. ... Mad River can refer to: The Mad River in California in the United States. ... The Ohio Country, showing the present-day U.S. state boundaries The Ohio Country (sometimes called the Ohio Territory) was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake... The Lenape or Lenni-Lenape (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans) were, in the 1600s, loosely organized bands of Native American people practicing small-scale agriculture to augment a largely mobile hunter-gatherer society in the region around the Delaware River, the lower Hudson River, and western Long Island Sound. ... The Mingo are an Iroquois group of Native Americans that migrated west to the Ohio Country in the mid-eighteenth century. ... Huron redirects here. ... The Miami are a Native American tribe originally found in Indiana and Ohio. ... The Ottawa (also Odawa, Odaawa, Outaouais, or Trader) are a Native American and First Nations people. ... The Ojibwa, Aanishanabe or Chippewa (also Ojibwe, Ojibway, Chippeway, Anishinaabe, or Anishinabek) are the largest group of Native Americans/First Nations north of Mexico, including Métis. ... Rain dance, Kansas, c. ... William Caldwell (c. ... Butlers Rangers (1777–1784) was a Loyalist (or Tory) irregular militia regiment in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. ... Simon Girty (1741–February 18, 1818) was a British subject, born in what is now the United States, who served as a liaison between the British and their Native American allies during the American Revolution. ... Matthew Elliot (c. ... City and Ohio County, West Virginia Maps and aerial photos Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia Topographic map from TopoZone Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA Categories: | | | | | | ...

This expedition was called off, however, after scouts reported that George Rogers Clark, whom the Indians feared more than any other American commander, was preparing to invade the Ohio Country from Kentucky. Caldwell's army returned to the Mad River to intercept the invasion, but Clark's army never materialized. As it turned out, the rumors were false: Clark had a large boat patrolling the Ohio River, but he was not prepared to launch an expedition. Frustrated with this turn of events, most of the American Indians dispersed. Clark as painted by Matthew Harris Jouett in 1825 George Rogers Clark (November 19, 1752 – February 13, 1818) was the preeminent American military leader on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. ...

Siege and relief of Bryan's Station

With the remaining force of approximately 50 British rangers and 300 American Indians, Caldwell and McKee crossed into Kentucky. They hoped to surprise the settlement of Bryan's Station, but the settlers had learned of the approach of the army and "forted up." Caldwell and McKee's force laid siege to Bryan's Station on August 15, 1782, but withdrew on August 17 when they learned that a force of Kentucky militia was on the way. A siege is a military blockade and assault of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

The Kentucky militia who came to the relief of Bryan's Station on August 18 consisted of about 47 men from Fayette County and about 135 from Lincoln County. The highest-ranking officer, Colonel John Todd of the Fayette militia, was in overall command; under him were two lieutenant colonels, Stephen Trigg of Lincoln County and Daniel Boone of Fayette County. Benjamin Logan, colonel of the Lincoln militia, was still gathering men and was not present. August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. ... Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. ... John Todd (March 27, 1750–August 18, 1782) was a frontier military officer during the American Revolutionary War and the first administrator of the Illinois County of the U.S. state of Virginia before that state ceded the territory to the federal government. ... Stephen Trigg (1742–August 19, 1782) was an American pioneer and soldier in Kentucky. ... Daniel Boone Daniel Boone (November 2, 1734 – September 26, 1820) was an American pioneer, frontiersman and Indian-fighter, who blazed the trail known as the Wilderness Road and founded Boonesborough, Kentucky (also known as Boonesboro). ... Benjamin Logan (circa 1742-December 11, 1802 was an American military officer in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. ...

The officers discussed whether to pursue the enemy force immediately before it could escape across the Ohio River or to wait for Colonel Logan to arrive with reinforcements. Major Hugh McGary recommended waiting for Logan, but he was overruled by Colonel Todd, who shamed McGary by suggesting that he was timid. The Kentuckians therefore pursued the retreating British and Indian force, covering nearly 40 miles (60 km) on horseback over an old buffalo trail before making camp.

Battle

The Kentuckians reached the Licking River on the morning of August 19, near a spring and salt lick known as the Lower Blue Licks. On the other side of the river, a few Indian scouts could be seen. Behind the Indians was a hill around which the river made a loop. Colonel Todd called a council and asked Boone, the most experienced woodsman, for his opinion. Boone, who had been growing increasingly suspicious about the overly obvious trail the Indians had been leaving, advised his fellow officers that the Indians were trying to draw them into an ambush. The mouth of the Licking River, where it joins the Ohio River The Licking River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 320 mi (515 km) long in northeastern Kentucky in the United States. ... August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... A salt lick is a salt deposit that animals regularly lick. ...

Major McGary, apparently eager to prove that he was not a coward as Todd's earlier criticism had suggested, urged an immediate attack. He mounted his horse and rode across the ford in the river, shouting, "Them that ain't cowards, follow me." Men began to follow, as did the officers, who hoped to at least make an orderly attack. "We are all slaughtered men," said Boone as he crossed the river.

On the other side of the river, most of the men dismounted and formed into a battle line of three or four divisions. They advanced up the hill, Todd and McGary in the center, Trigg on the right, Boone on the left. As Boone had suspected, Caldwell's force was waiting on the other side of the hill, concealed in ravines. As the Kentuckians reached the summit, the Indians opened fire with devastating effect. After only five minutes, the center and right of the Kentucky line gave way; only Boone's men on the left managed to push forward. Todd and Trigg, easy targets on horseback, were quickly shot down.

The Kentuckians began to flee wildly back down the hill, fighting hand-to-hand with the Indians who had flanked them. McGary rode up to Boone's company and told him that everyone was retreating and that Boone was now surrounded. Boone gathered his men for a withdrawal. He grabbed a riderless horse and ordered his son, Israel Boone, to mount and make an escape. Israel refused to leave his father, however, and was shot through the neck as Daniel searched for another horse. Boone saw that his son's wound was mortal, mounted the horse, and fled. According to legend, Boone hid his son's body before leaving, but in reality there was no time. The Battle of Marathon, an example of the double-envelopment, a form of flanking maneuver In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides (or, less often, the rear [1]) of an opposing force. ...

Monument at the Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, photographed in 2006 during a memorial service marking the 224th anniversary of the battle.

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 1009 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Blue Licks Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 1009 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Blue Licks Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner...

Aftermath

Although he had not taken part in the battle, George Rogers Clark, as senior militia officer, was widely condemned in Kentucky for the Blue Licks disaster. In response to the criticism, Clark launched a retaliatory raid into the Ohio Country. In November 1782, he led more than 1,000 men, including Benjamin Logan and Daniel Boone, on an expedition that destroyed five Shawnee villages on the Great Miami River, the last major offensive of the war. No battles were fought in that engagement because the Shawnees declined to engage the Kentuckians, instead pulling back to their villages on the Mad River. The Great Miami River (also called the Miami River) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 160 mi (257 km) long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States. ...

Those villages were subsequently destroyed by Benjamin Logan in 1786 at the outset of the Northwest Indian War. On that expedition, Hugh McGary confronted the Shawnee chief Moluntha, asking him if he had been at Blue Licks. Moluntha had not taken part in the Battle of Blue Licks—relatively few Shawnees had—but he evidently misunderstood McGary's question and nodded his head in agreement. McGary then killed the Shawnee leader with a tomahawk. Logan relieved McGary of command and later had him court-martialed. Combatants United States Western Indian Confederacy Commanders Josiah Harmar Arthur St. ...

State park

The Blue Licks battle site is commemorated at Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, on U.S. Route 68 between Paris and Maysville, just outside the town of Blue Licks Springs. The site includes a granite obelisk, burial grounds, and a museum. U.S. Highway 68 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 560 miles (901 km) from northwest Ohio to western Kentucky. ... Paris is a city located in Bourbon County, Kentucky. ... Russell Theater, Maysville Maysville is a city located in Mason County, Kentucky, along the Ohio River. ...

References

• Faragher, John Mack. Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer. New York: Holt, 1992. ISBN 0-8050-1603-1.
• Hammon, Neal O. Daniel Boone and the Defeat at Blue Licks. Minneapolis: The Boone Society, 2005. (Amateur local history, no ISBN)
• Lofaro, Michael A. Daniel Boone: An American Life. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky, 2003. ISBN 0-8131-2278-3.
• Nelson, Larry L. A Man of Distinction among Them: Alexander McKee and the Ohio Country Frontier, 1754–1799. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-87338-620-5 (hardcover).
• Rice, Otis K. Frontier Kentucky. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1975. ISBN 0-8131-0212-X.
• Sugden, John. Blue Jacket: Warrior of the Shawnees. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN 0-8032-4288-3.

External links

• Text of the inscriptions and list of names on the Battle of Blue Licks Monument
• Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park