General Clark lost his patience with this proposition. He had made his way to Virginia at great personal risk, to obtain the gunpowder, and he was ready to give his utmost services in defending the colony, but he could not admit the justice of becoming responsible for the value of the ammunition so sorely needed by the settlements, and he therefore declined to receive it upon such terms. Rather than do so, he announced that he would go back to Kentucky, put in operation his original scheme, and use all the resources of the territory to erect it into an independent and sovereign State.
This determination General Clark declared in a letter to the Council, after taking time to deliberate fully over the proposition. Its reception produced a result which he hardly dared hope. The Council called him before it, reconsidered their action, and ordered that the powder be sent to Pittsburg at once, where it was to be turned over to General Clark to be used in the defence of the settlements of Kentucky.
This took place in the latter part of August, and in the autumn of the same year the memorial was laid before the Virginia Legislature. The delegates could not be admitted to seats, but, before the session was over, they secured legislative action that marked an epoch in the history of the colony, which was its erection into the county of Kentucky, by which it was entitled to a separate county court, two justices of the peace, a sheriff, constables, coroners, and militia officers. Thus to General Clark must be given the credit of securing the first political organization of Kentucky, by which it was entitled to representation in the Virginia Assembly, and to a separate judicial and military establishment.
Having accomplished this important purpose, General Clark and Gabriel Jones made ready to start to Kentucky again. The powder and a large quantity of lead were still at Pittsburg, awaiting them, and they proceeded to that point and took charge of the supplies. With seven boatmen they started on their voyage down the Ohio.
General Clark felt the importance of making all possible haste in the matter, for the Indians were sure to attempt its capture if they knew of the prize passing through their country.
By some means or other they learned the truth, and the boat, with its small crew, was scarcely out of sight of Pittsburg, when the Indians appeared along the banks and began firing upon it with the hope of disabling the crew. Then they entered their canoes and began a pursuit of the boat containing the ammunition.
Without offering resistance, General Clark devoted his energies to flight, and his men plied their oars with such success that they held the advance all the way to the mouth of Limestone Creek, where General Clark resorted to stratagem to save the valuable property in his hands.
His men had rowed with such unremitting energy that they could not hold out much longer. The boat was therefore turned up Limestone Creek, speeding along between the banks with such swiftness, that it kept out of sight of the Indians for a long time.
At the proper point, the craft was run ashore, the men sprang out, and the powder was concealed in the bushes. Then the boat was turned adrift, and the little party started overland for Harrodsburg, where they arrived without mishap. A few days later, the General returned with a strong force, recovered all the ammunition, delivered it at Harrodsburg, without the loss of a pound, and shortly after it was distributed among all the stations, which were thus provided with the indispensable means of defending themselves against the impending assaults.
It will be admitted that General George Rogers Clark did a most important service for Kentucky in thus furnishing her with ammunition, and in securing her erection into the County of Kentucky: but this did not end his services, and when it was least expected by his enemies, he assumed the offensive.