The original destination was Louisville, but en route the Indian chiefs compelled Bird to first proceed against the forts on the Licking.––R. G. T.
A station was a parallelogram of cabins, united by palisades so as to present a continued wall on the outer side, the cabin doors opening into a common square, on the inner side. They were the strong holds of the early settlers.
There seems to be abundant evidence that Bird, a competent officer, was humanely inclined; but he was quite in the power of his savage allies, who would brook little control of their passions. The number of prisoners taken at Isaac Ruddell’s was nearly 300; about fifty more were taken at Martin’s.––R. G. T.
The Indians had, contrary to Bird’s expostulations, wantonly slaughtered all the cattle at Ruddell’s Station, and this it was that caused the famine. With an abundance of food to sustain both prisoners and warriors, Bird might readily have carried out his purpose of uprooting nearly every settlement in Kentucky. There is nothing in his official report of the expedition, to warrant the statement that high water had any thing to do with the matter.––R. G. T.
Col. Daniel Brodhead was in command of the Eighth Pennsylvania Regiment. He succeeded McIntosh at Fort Pitt, in April, 1779.––R. G. T.