ing their families in the selected spot in the forest, through their conflicts with the Indians, the difficulties incident to solitude, distance from all social comforts, and exposure to all the dangers of a strange climate; until their cabins are replaced by houses, and their houses by mansions; until their stations are converted to villages and the villages to towns; and until these sparse beginnings in the unexplored wilderness full of savages and wild beasts become powerful states. Imagination would recoil from the dreary uniformity of these early annals, in recording Indian assaults, burnings, murders, and all the ruthless manifestations of unpitying and unsparing savage vengeance, were not the picture relieved by the reckless heroism of the undaunted spirits, that put a strong and cheerful hand to the first improvements, every moment surrounded by these savages.

Four counties were constituted by law in Kentucky in 1783. Boonsborough, Harrodsburg, Limestone, now Maysville, Louisville, and Lexington were among the earliest and most conspicuous foundations in Kentucky. Knoxville and Nashville sustain the same relation to the early history of Tennessee, the former being settled in 1782, and the latter in 1784. Among the records of Indian assault and revenge the severest disaster in the history of the settlement of Kentucky is that of the defeat of the Kentuckians at the Blue Licks in 1782, in which sixtyone were slain and eight made prisoners. The first newspaper printed in Kentucky was printed at Lexington August 1787.

As early as 1785, the people of Kentucky began to discuss the expediency of becoming an independent state. No little difficulty occurred in settling the preliminary arrangements, and obtaining the unqualified assent of Virginia, the parent state.

In pursuing measures to become an independent state, Tennessee found more difficulty than Kentucky. Beside the same opposition from North Carolina, as Kentucky encountered from Virginia, the people were divided among themselves. A portion of the inhabitants, who wished to establish a state independent of the consent of North Carolina, the parent state, constituted themselves into a republic called Frankland. After an inefficient war of words with the authorities of North Carolina, and after some blood had been spilt in the cause, the new republic was merged in the state of Tennessee, which was admitted into the union in 1796. The annals of East and West Tennessee, present a dreary series of Indian murders, sometimes of individuals, sometimes of whole fami- . lies down to as late a period, as three or four years after the establishment of the federal government. Imagination can scarcely realize, that in this great and powerful state, now so prominent a member of the confederacy, the Indian war whoop and the shricks of assailed women and

children were heard, and the blaze of houses and settlements, which the Indians had fired, were seen, after the year 1790, and in districts, where Indians are now as seldom seen, as in Washington or Philadelphia. The first Tennessee newspaper was printed at Rogersville, in November 1791. It was called the Knoxville Gazette.

The most prominent trait of character in the people of these two states from the commencement was a sturdy spirit of independence, and the most vigilant jealousy of their rights. These traits were abundantly put forth in their discussions with their parent states, touching the question of their separation; in the guarded manner in which they weighed the extent, the right and influeuce of federal jurisdiction, and in their extreme suspicion, touching the manner, in which congress vindicated their claims to the free navigation of the Mississippi.

The commencement of the great state of Ohio, at present the fourth in point of size in the Union, and completing the chain of population between the eastern and western divisions of the settled portion of this valley, was of still more recent date. The progress of this great state has no parallel in the history of colonies, in point of advancement in national wealth, population, strength and improvement of every kind. Forty years since, it was in the occupation of savages. It now numbers a million of inhabitants, a hundred and thirty thousand militia, two canals, one over three hundred miles in length, one considerable and rapidly advancing city, a great number of towns, and a hundred populous villages. Handsome houses are springing up every year. Large manufacturing establishments, are constantly arising, emulating the same order of things in the Atlantic country. A mass of farmers is spread over the whole state, rich in rural abundance, in simplicity of manners, and the materials of genuine independence. Of its schools, colleges, manufactories and national improvements, any state, however advanced in improvement, might be proud. All this progress has been from an innate principle of vigor, without the forcing aid of speculation, opulence, or power; and is a triumph so recently won from the forest, that on all sides we still see the remains of the original trees in the fields.

The order of settlement in this state, as if fashioned from that of the Mississippi valley, commenced almost at the same time in its eastern and western extremities. As France claims the paternity of the settlements along the course of the Mississippi, and North Carolina and Virginia, of Kentucky and Tennessee, Ohio may be considered the offspring of New England and New Jersey. The famous wagon which carried out the first settlers from Massachusetts to Ohio, started in 1788. General Putnam and Dr. Cutler may be estimated the pioneers of the settlement of Marietta.

Judge Symmes, with a number of settlers from New York, New Jersey and and western Pennsylvania commenced the settlement between the two Miamies, as the point, which is now Columbia, in November 1789. Fort Washington was established on the present site of Cincinnati in the same year. This establishment was the germ of the town, which was originally called Losantiville. Ludlow, Filson, Denman and Patterson were the original purchasers of the town plat. In 1789 the settlement numbered twenty log cabins, two marriages were celebrated, and the first child was born. The first court was organized in 1790, and the name of the place changed to Cincinnati.

The settlements, thus commenced at Marietta and Cincinnati, rapidly extended on every side, until checked by the Indian war in 1791. From that period commenced the same gloomy and uniform series of Indian massacres, assaults and burnings, that signalized the beginnings of all the American settlements. The disastrous campaign of General St. Clair for a while arrested the progress of the settlements. Many of the inhabitants of Cincinnati were killed in that campaign, and many other settlers moved for security into Kentucky, which had attained a compactness of population to be fearless of Indian assault. The glorious campaign of Wayne succeeded; and an end was put to this sanguinary warfare in 1795.

All

From this time, there was a rush of immigration towards the Ohio valley. The wonderful tale of western exuberance once more circulated with effect along the whole range of the Atlantic country. It was no longer counterbalanced by the dread of the Indian scalping knife. the great roads of approach to the western country were crowded with adventurers directing their course towards the land of promise; and fleets of boats were continually floating them down the Ohio. The settlements diverged from Marietta on the one hand, and Cincinnati on the other towards the height of land between the Ohio and the lakes. Connecticut Reserve was settled chiefly from Connecticut. The extraordinary fertility of the Scioto valley early attracted inhabitants. The country on the Great Miami, from Cincinnati to Dayton, and thence to Urbanna soon became populous; and the great outline of the state of Ohio rapidly filled with inhabitants, and the noiseless and powerful march of industry transformed the silence of the forest to cultivation, farms, villages and towns.

The first territorial legistature met at Cincinnati in 1799. Repre sentatives from Detroit and Kaskaskias, eight hundred miles apart, were present. The act of Congress admitting Ohio into the union, was passed in 1801; and in 1803, the present constitution of the state went into operation.

It should have seemed, that this vast country of forests and prairies in the interior of the continent, so recently and sparsely settled, ought to have avoided the horrors of war. Such has not been its fortune. Beside its constant exposure, in all directions, to the covert ambush and the fierce assault of the savages, its shores have been abundantly stained with the blood of men of our own race, brought here by the cupidity and revenge of corrupt princes, separated from it by an ocean; and who received, and inflicted death in these remote regions for causes, in which they had no personal concern.

We shall present some of the more important military events, that have occurred in the west, in the unpretending form of annals.

War existing between France and Spain, Pensacola was invaded by a French expedition, aided by four hundred Indians, in 1719. Two vessels of war invested it by sea. The Spanish governor surrendered on condition, that the garrison should be transported to Havanna. It was re-taken the same year by a Spanish fleet.

The general massacre of the French at Natchez by the Indians happened November 1729. Never was vengeance so complete. The town was crowded with people assembled to witness a great savage festival. The garrison was filled with warriors introduced without suspicion. At a given signal the massacre commenced. Of seven hundred people scarcely enough were left to carry the tidings. The settlements on the Yazoo and Washita shared the same fate. The French retaliated this massacre by nearly extirpating the whole nation of the Natchez.

A remnant of this people took shelter with the Chickasaws, and were demanded by the French. The Chickasaws, in alliance with the English, refused to yield them. Bienville led a French expedition from Mobile against them, which was aided by an auxiliary French force from Illinois. Both the invading forces were defeated by the Chickasaws. Another expedition by the same officer with a greater force, was equally unsuccessful.

In pursuance of their plan, to surround the English colonies on the Atlantic sea board by a line of posts connected by water communications, from the gulf of St. Lawrence to the gulf of Mexico, the French, with equal energy and ingenuity had arranged a chain of posts, portages, roads and alliances with the Indians, which kept up an easy and unbroken connection between Canada and Louisiana. It was drawn, as a bow string, directly in the rear of the whole English colonial line of settlements. It was an important part of this chain, to add to it a communication between lake Erie and the Ohio. For this purpose, the French established a fort on a water of the Alleghany river, intermediate between lake Erie and the Ohio. The connection was completed by the crection

of Fort Duquesne at the point, where the junction of the Alleghany and Monongahela forms the Ohio, the present site of Pittsburgh.

General Braddock, with a considerable body of regular troops, aided by a force of provincials under General Washington, was ordered to cross the Alleghany mountains, and attack this fort. Obstinately attached to the regularity of European tactics, against the advice of men experienced in Indian warfare, the British general marched in the depth of the forest, into an ambush of French and Indians concealed among the trees. A masked and murderous fire was opened upon them from behind the trees. In vain he charged an invisible enemy with the bayonet. He was mortally wounded, his force defeated, and the greater portion slain. Here General Washington developed the first traits of his military character. Two horses were killed under him, and four balls passed through his coat. Calm and self possessed, the shield of providence seemed to be cast over him. It was owing to his skill and management, that any part of Braddock's force was saved.

At this time the eventful victory of Wolfe upon the heights of Abraham settled the momentous question, which of the nations, France or England, should have the ascendency in the future destinies of this continent. Never were more eventful consequences decided by the issue of one

combat.

But the French, though subdued in Canada, still retained the ascendency of their influence over the savages. Instigated by them, the Cherokees slaughtered the English settlers and traders upon the frontiers of the Carolinas. The provincials, to the number of twelve hundred, marched into the country of the Cherokees, and inflicted an ample vengeance.

The Indians in their turn attacked Fort Loudon in Tennessee. It surrendered to them; and they violated the convention, by a ruthless and indiscriminate murder of men, women and children. Some of the males were burned at a slow fire, into which their children were thrown; and the mothers were carried into a captivity worse than death.

The war between Great Britain, France and Spain closed in 1763. Canada was ceded to Great Britain, and Louisiana to Spain. The Spanish commenced their rule in that country by an act of wanton and gratuitous cruelty, executing six distinguished Louisianians, who had opposed the Spanish occupation of the government, and sending six others to the dungeons of Havanna.

By this treaty Florida had been ceded by Spain to the English. A British regiment, descending the Mississippi, to take possession of the ceded territory, was attacked by the Tunica Indians, near the site of Fort Adams; Major Loftus, the commander, was killed, and most of the