TIP #476 - CAPTAIN GARRARD'S TROOPS - WAR of 1812 First, some additional information. Robyn Collins of the list sent me the following information and I thought you would find it interesting. RobCOLL224@aol.com "I was very interested to read your story of the "Shanks Family Massacre". I have collected several different versions from different historians, but they are basically all the same. Elizabeth "Betsy" SHANKS was the widow of Daniel GILLESPIE. He had been killed in another raid by Indians a few months previous to this raid, along with Betsy's father, Christian SHANKS. Betsy remarried to William B. JONES. William is part of my JONES line that I have been researching for years." In Collins' History of Kentucky from which I've been quoting, is a list of Captain Garrard's troops. Since the purpose of my research tips is not only to discuss how, why and wherefore, I also attempt to locate people whose names are not always on record. The below is taken from a "Muster roll of a troop of volunteer state dragoons, for twelve months, under the command of Captain William Garrard, of Major James V. Ball's squadron, in the service of the United States from date of the last muster (October 31, 1812), to the 31st of December, 1812, inclusive, with the remarks appended to each name. The roll is certified to be correct, and the remarks as accurate and just, by the officers." This muster roll is included in Collins' discussion of Bourbon County, Vol. II, p. 199 Officers: William Garrard, Captain frost bitten Edmond Bayse, 1st Lt, frost bitten and wounded David M Hickman, 2nd Lt wounded Thos. H. McClanahan, Cornet frost bitten Chas S Clarkson, 1st Sgt sick and on furlough William Barton, 2nd Sgt sick and on furlough John Clark, 3rd Sgt sick, died 15 Nov 1812 Benj. W. Edwards, 4th Sgt sick, Serg't Major James Benson, 1st Cpl sick and on furlough Wm Walton, 2nd Cpl sick and on furlough, frost bitten Jesse Todd, 3rd Cpl sick, absent Jno S Bristow, 4th Cpl sick, frost bitten Joseph McConnell, Farrier wounded Dec 18 Ephraim Wilson, Trumpeter frost bitten William Daviss, Saddler frost bitten, resigned Nov. 20 Privates: John Finch frost bitten, appointed Sergeant William Beneer present fit for duty David B Langhorn frost bitten John Wynne sick, absent William Mountjoy frost bitten Samuel Henderson frost bitten Henry Wilson wounded Dec 18th, 1812 William Jones sick and on furlough John Terrill frost bitten Walter Woodyard frost bitten Moses Richardson frost bitten, wounded 18th Dec Jacob Shy frost bitten Lewis Duncan sick and on furlough Robert Thomas frost bitten Jacob Counts absent and on furlough John Snoddy frost bitten Thomas Bedford killed in action 18th Dec James Finch frost bitten and sick Walker Thornton present, fit for duty Thomas Eastin wounded on the 18th Dec Gerrard Robinson sick and on furlough William M Baylor frost bitten Alexander Scott frost bitten William Scott frost bitten, wounded Dec 18 James Clark frost bitten, sick Roger P West burned by the explosion of powder Frederick Loring frost bitten Thomas Barton frost bitten Samuel J. Caldwell frost bitten and sick John Baseman frost bitten Jesse Bowlden frost bitten John Funston frost bitten James Johnston frost bitten John Layson frost bitten Will. B Northcutt frost bitten Jonathan Clinkenbeard frost bitten Thomas Webster wounded on 18th Dec. Abel C Pepper frost bitten and sick Beverly Brown killed in action 18th Dec Edward Waller fit for duty Gustavus E Edwards wounded, frost bitten Stephen Barton wounded, frost bitten Stephen Bedford wounded, frost bitten John M Robinson frost bitten Jacob Sharrer sick, on furlough Isaac Sanders rejoined 26th November James Brown frost bitten Henry Towles sick, on furlough John Metcalfe frost bitten Stephen Owen frost bitten James Conn sick, on furlough Jacob Thomas frost bitten William Allentharp not yet joined the troops Nathaniel Hill not yet joined the troops Strother J Hawkins wounded, frost bitten Edward McGuire sick on furlough Troy Waugh, servant frost bitten Horses eight killed, eight wounded Now - before we just rush through this list looking for familiar names, go back again and realize what was happening. Captain Garrard had set out in the month in question with 82 officers and privates, one servant and horses. Of the 82, only two were fit for duty! Can you just for a moment imagine what hardships this group of dragoons went through in the battle, the cold, the illness? Multiply this by all the brave soldiers of the War of 1812 and we can just start to imagine what it was like. Next week: A look at Breckinridge County and the Indian battle of Capt. William Hardin who erected a station in current day Breckinridge. (c) Copyright 15 Apr 2004, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved. Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html SCKY surname registry sites: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/reg.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/forms/SCKYreg.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/