Following is an account of the Long Run Massacre and Floyd's Defeat as told by G. T. Wilcox, Squire Boone's Grandson in a letter to Hon. Thos. W. Bullitt. Elizabeth Smith esmith@montgomery.k12.ky.us ********************************************** Eden Postoffice (Jefferson County), Ky. July 23, 1880. Mr. Thos. W. Bullitt Dear Sir: Having made your acquaintance at the unveiling of the monument erected to the memory of the dead of G. John Floyd's defeat on Floyd's Fork, now in Jefferson County, you requested me to give you a narrative of what I knew of the massacre and Floyd's defeat. I am a representative of Squire Boone, being his grandson, and what I know I learned from Isaiah Boone, my uncle, a son of Squire Boone. He was at Floyd's defeat. He said that his father had built a station on Clear Creek, two miles east of where Shelbyville now stands, and that his father, with several families, left Boonesborough in 1779, settled in this, then called Boone's station. There was a station on Beargrass, three miles east of Louisville, Called Beargrass (or Floyd's Station), and one eight miles from Louisville, called Lynn's Station. Lynn's Station was on the place afterward owned by Col. R. C. Anderson. Boone's Station at that time was the only station between Harrod's and Lynn's Station. Squire Boone's station was about twenty-two miles east of Lynn's Station. Bland Ballard and Samuel Wells at that time lived in Lynn's Station, while Gen. Floyd lived in Beargrass Station. There were two couples to be married in Lynn's Station. Bland Ballard and a man named Carris went from Lynn's Station to Brashear's Station, near the mouth of Floyd's Fork, now Bullitt County, after a Baptist minister, John Whitaker, to marry them. This was to be the first legal marriage in this part of the country. In going over, Ballard discovered an Indian trail and was satisfied there was a large body of them. He retraced his steps to Lynn's Station, sent word to Beargrass Station, and then went to Boone's Station that night. They held a meeting and agreed to leave the station and go to Lynn's Station. There were a large number of families in Boone's Station at this time, viz: the Hintons, Harrises, Hughses, Hansboro, Bryans, Van Cleves and many others. They could not all get ready to move the next day, but some were determined to go. Squire Boone was not ready and could not prevail on them to wait another day. So Major Ballard conducted this party, leaving Squire Boone and a few families in the station to come the next day. When Ballard's party reached Long Run he was attacked in the rear. He went back to protect the rear. He drove the Indians back and held them in check as long as he could. In going back he saw on the ground a man and his wife, by the name of Cline. He told Cline to put his wife on the horse and hurry on. They were in the bed of Long Run. Ballard returned in a short time, to find Cline and his wife still on the ground. He put her on his horse and gave the horse a tap with his wiping-stick and as he did so an Indian pulled a sack from her horse. Ballard shot the Indian and hurried to the front. Here he found a great many killed and the people scattered, leaving their cattle and losing their baggage and many horses. Some reached Lynn's Station that night, and a few Boone's. Boone remained in his station for several days after that before he and his party went down to Lynn's Station. I'll give the name of a few of those that were killed on Long Run: Two Misses Hansboros, sisters of Joel Hansboro; a Mr. McCarby, a brother of Mrs. Richard Chenoweth, and a Mrs. Van Cleve, an aunt of my mother's. The next day General (then Colonel) Floyd, Colonel (then Captain) Wells, and Bland Ballard (afterward Major Ballard) and thirty-four others from Lynn and Beargrass Stations, went up to bury the dead. When they reached Floyd's Fork, Ballard said to them: 'You send a few men and ascertain where the Indians are.' He, however, was overruled and on they went. At the head of the ravine they were surrounded and sixteen of their men were shot down at the first fire. Fourteen of these were buried in one sink. They began to retreat. Isaiah Boone said that when he reached the Fork he discovered an Indian following him. He raised his gun. The Indian stepped behind a tree. Just at this time General Floyd and Colonel Wells came in sight, Floyd on foot and Wells on horseback. Wells said to Floyd: 'Take my horse.' Floyd, being large and fleshy, was much exhausted. They took to the bushes and reached the place selected, should they be defeated. It was near where Thos. Elder's new house now stands, on the Shelby Pike, about three miles above Middletown. For some time prior to this, General Floyd and Wells were not friendly. Isaiah Boone said: 'General, that brought you to your milk.' The Gerneral's reply was: 'You are a noble boy; we were in a tight place.' This boy was then but fourteen years of age. He was at that time visiting Lynn's Station. The occurrence took place in September, 1781. Squire Boone's wife's maiden name was Jane Van Cleve. Enoch Boone, their youngest son, was born in Boonesborough, October 16, 1777, being the first male white child born in Kentucky. He died in Meade County, Kentucky, 1861. Squire Boone died in 1815, and was by his request, buried in a cave in Harrison County, Indiana. Sarah Boone, my mother, was the only daughter of Squire Boone. She was married to John Wilcox, my father, in 1791, and he settled on and improved land, surveyed and patented in the name of Sarah Boone by her father, four miles north of Shelbyville. Dear Sir, pardon me for departing from the subject of my narrative. I am making it too long. Yours truly, G. T. Wilcox P. S.---The information here given you was derived from conversations with Isaiah Boone; confirmed by conversations with my mother, who was in the fort with her father at the time of the massacre; also with Enoch Boone; also with my grandmother, Jane Boone, wife of Squire Boone, who lived at my father's house and died there in 1820. For further information on this interesting topic I would refer you to John Williamson, now living at Eden Station, in this county, and in the eighty-fifth year of his age. Squire was the Christian name, not the title, of Squire Boone. He was the youngest brother of Daniel Boone. G. T. Wilcox From: "Smith, Elizabeth" Date: Wed, 25 Mar 1998