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From: "Faith Keahey" <>
Subject: Edgington Narrative cont no 10
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 14:09:12 -0600


Jacob Wetzel

Jacob happened at Mayville when Kenton had raised a party of 30 men, going
to pursue Indians who had been stealing horses, went over the Ohio some 60
miles. When Wetzel and Cornelius Washburn (raised on Pigeon in Washington
Co, PA, moved to KY) discovered a hobbled horse on the trail, and concluded
he had strayed off, and an Indian would come for him. Wetzels watched till
the Indian came and mounted, when they shot him dead. Kenton sent Wetzel
forward, and he discovered a large Indian camp, on a ridge of land between a
pond and a creek.

He returned and reported that he thought the number too large for Kenton's
party, about 60 or 70, some squaws and children among them- with tents
(which they had probably got at St. Clair's defeat) - but it being dark, he
could not tell definately. It was arranged to steal up to the camp and fire
on it at daybreak next morning. This was done and the Indians scattered
yelling in every direction, and Wetzel followed some over the creek waist
deep, and found himself surrounded by Indians, treed all around him. But
being dressed something like them, they did not discover the mistake till he
shot one of them dead a few feet from him, when several fell upon him and a
stroke across his left arm broke it.

He fled. Kenton's men had all gone, and Wetzel had to make the best of his
way alone. When out of the reach of the Indians, he stripped off some
slippery elm bark and bound it on, first placing the bones as well as he
could. In time his arm got well, but ever after crooked. About 10 o'clock
he overtook one of the fugitives limping along, who had sprained an ankle,
and got Wetzel to carry his rifle into Limestone, which he did, disabled as
he was killed a turkey on the way, and ate some raw. Kenton got in first.

Prior to this, Jacob and some others took a boat and went from Limestone to
kill turkeys, discovered two Indians on a raft about a mile below, crossing
to the south side. Wetzel ran down and got a shot with his light load, then
reloaded, shot, and tumbled off an Indian, his arms fast between the poles
of the raft. By this time the canoe came up with the others of Wetzel's
party, and made after the other Indian, who had abandoned his raft and was
swimming. When they came quite near him, he would dive, and before they got
a chance to knock him in the head they were fired upon by a large Indian
party on the southern shore, who previously crossed and now came to the
relief of their companion, and they had to put off, and the Indian thus
escaped. Jacob got the scalp of the one killed.
cont.

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