e years in South Carolina, Baron Adair returned to
Scotland. The son became a soldier in the Revolutionary War when quite a
youth, and served with gallantry in the colonial army. He was made
prisoner, and was treated with repeated cruelties by the enemy. He was a
member of the convention which ratified the Constitution of the United
States. He removed to Kentucky in 1787, and settled in Mercer County. He
took an active and prominent part in the Indian border wars, having been
appointed major by General Wilkinson. He was in many frays with the
savages, in one of which, after several repulses of a body of Indians
largely outnumbering his own forces, he was defeated by Chief Little
Turtle, though he brought off his men after inflicting more serious
losses on the enemy than his own. This was near Fort St. Clair, in Ohio.
In 1793, General Scott appointed him a lieutenant-colonel. He
represented Mercer County in the Legislature several times, and was once
Speaker of the House.

Adair's name became involved with Aaron Burr's in the military movements
in Kentucky and the Southwest which have become known in history as
"Burr's Conspiracy," as did the names of Andrew Jackson and other
prominent men of this country, of unquestioned loyalty to our nation.
Burr's designs, with all the lights thrown upon the question, have
remained a mystery to this day. If he contemplated ultimate treason, he
did not fully disclose it to many who were disposed to sympathize with
and to lend aid to what they were persuaded was a legitimate expedition
to wrest from Spanish rule territory in dispute, or which "manifest
destiny" determined should come under the rule of the United States as
against the aggressions of Spain or England. Burr undoubtedly misled
many good and patriotic men, who abandoned his fortunes when the
intimations of treasonable designs were charged against him, which
brought him to trial.

In 1805, when John Breckinridge resigned his seat in the United States
Senate to become attorney-general under Jefferson, Adair was elected to
fill the unexpired term. He entered the military service again, and at
the battle of Thames River acted as volunteer aid to Governor Shelby.
For gallant conduct on this occasion he was made a brigadier-general in
1814. He took a leading part in recruiting the volunteer troops for the
reinforcement of Jackson's army at New Orleans, and in their
transportation down the river. General Thomas, in chief command