an official report to
the Governor of Virginia, Benjamin Harrison, father of William Henry
Harrison, subsequently President of the United States. In this report,
it is noticeable that Boone makes no allusion whatever to his own
services. This modest document throws such light upon the character of
this remarkable man, and upon the peril of the times, that it merits
full insertion here. It is as follows:

"Boone's Station, Fayette Co., Aug. 30, 1782.

"Sir,--Present circumstances of affairs cause me to write to Your
Excellency, as follows: On the sixteenth instant, a large body of
Indians, with some white men, attacked one of our frontier
stations, known as Bryant's Station. The siege continued from about
sunrise until two o'clock of the next day, when they marched off.
Notice being given to the neighboring stations, we immediately
raised one hundred and eighty-one horsemen, commanded by Col. John
Todd, including some of the Lincoln County militia, and pursued
about forty miles."

After a brief account of the battle which we have already given, he
continues:

"Afterwards we were reinforced by Colonel Logan, which made our
force four hundred and sixty men. We marched again to the battle
ground, but finding the enemy had gone, we proceeded to bury the
dead. We found forty-three on the ground, and many lay about which
we could not stay to find, hungry and weary as we were, and dubious
that the enemy might not have gone off quite. By the sign, we
thought that the Indians exceeded four hundred, while the whole of
the militia of the county does not amount to more than one hundred
and thirty.

"From these facts, Your Excellency may form an idea of our
situation. I know that your own circumstances are critical; but are
we to be wholly forgotten? I hope not. I trust that about five
hundred men may be sent to our assistance immediately. If these
shall be stationed as our county lieutenant shall deem necessary,
it may be the means of saving our part of the country. But if they
are placed under the direction of General Clarke, they will be of
little or no service to our settlement. The Falls lie one hundred
miles west of us, and the Indians north-east; while our men are
frequently called to protect them.

"I have encouraged the people in this county all that I could; but