Kentucky Educational Television's show, KENTUCKY LIFE will tonight contain a segment about the Battle of Blue Licks in 1782. This is the information from KET's website http://www.ket.org/kentuckylife/ : Revolutionary Real Estate For generations it was known as “the last battle of the Revolutionary War.” And from the American perspective, it was a disaster. In just a few minutes on the afternoon of August 19, 1782, British troops and their Wyandot allies killed almost 70 Kentucky militiamen—nearly 40% of the American force—and captured several others. Among the dead were such leading Kentuckians of the time as Lexington co-founder John Todd and land commissioner Col. Stephen Trigg (both of whom now have Kentucky counties named for them). The Blue Licks battle followed a British raid on Bryan’s Station, just north of Lexington, on August 15. The station was well defended, and the British pulled out and began a retreat north. A hastily assembled group of about 180 militiamen set off in pursuit, catching up with the Redcoats at a ford of the Licking River in what is now southern Robertson County. Daniel Boone, in command of one troop, counseled caution because he feared that the British and Wyandots would be waiting in the easily defended ravines up ahead. Others, knowing that reinforcements were on their way, also wanted to wait before attacking. But legend has it that an impatient major charged the river, and the battle was on. As Boone had feared, British riflemen concealed in the ravines easily cut down the onrushing Americans—including Boone’s son Israel. By the time the reinforcements did arrive five days later, all they could do was bury the bodies. Because of the British involvement, the Battle of Blue Licks is considered one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War. In fact, it is one of those tragic ironies of history that it actually took place some time after the Revolution itself had ended—word simply hadn’t reached the frontier yet. But in the larger scheme of things, Blue Licks was also just one in the series of bloody raids, skirmishes, and all-out battles that raged for years between white settlers and the native tribes whose territory they had entered. That war would continue for several more years. To order copies of KENTUCKY LIFE episodes, contact: [email protected] Bill Davis [email protected] ******************************************************************** * * * Fax (978)334-7850 * P.O. Box 337 * Ghent * KY * 41045 * * * ******************************************************************** http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=wmadavis ********************************************************************