I recently sent our a query requesting information on the Clays that participated in the Battle of Point Pleasant -- the first battle of the Revolutionary War. Thank you for all the E-mails & sharing of information. I thought I would take this opportunity to update everyone. The 3 Clays who fought at Point Pleasant were William Mitchell Clay & his 2 sons David & Ezekiel. The Clay listed among those that died was the father William Mitchell Clay. An exert from Chronicles of Border Warfare," by Alexander Scott Withers & edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites explains it in the following way: "When the army was preparing to leave Camp Union, there was for a while some reluctance manifested on the part of Col. Field to submit to the command of Gen. Lewis. This proceeded from the fact, that in a former military service, he had been the senior of Gen. Lewis; and from the circumstances that the company led on by him were Independent Volunteers, not raised in pursuance of the orders of Governor Dunmore, but brought into the field by his own exertions, after his escape from the Indians at Kelly's. These circumstances induced him to separate his men from the main body of the army on its march, and to take a different way from the one pursued by it,--depending on his own knowledge of the country to lead them a practicable route to the river. "While thus detached from the forces under Gen. Lewis, two of his men (Clay and Coward) who were out hunting and at some little distance from each other, came near to where two Indians were concealed. Seeing Clay only, and supposing him to be alone, one of them fired at him; and running up to scalp him as he fell, was himself shot by Coward, who was then about 100 yards off. The other Indian ran off unarmed, and made his escape. A bundle of ropes found where Clay was killed, induced the belief that it was the object of these Indians to steal horses; --it is not however improbable, that they had been observing the progress of the army, and endeavoring to ascertain its numbers. Col. Field, fearing that he might encounter a party of the enemy in ambush, redoubled his vigilance 'till he again joined General Lewis; and the utmost concert and harmony then prevailed in the whole army." The editor does a little further analysis: "This is misleading. On September 6, Col. Charles Lewis, with his Augusta troops, numbering about six hundred, were detached to proceed to the mouth of the Elk, and there make canoes for transporting the supplies to the mouth of the Great Kanawha. This body had in charge a drove of 108 beef cattle, and 400 packhorses laden with 54,000 lbs. of flour. Field's company soon followed this advance. --R.G.T. Saturday the 10th, Clay and Coward were sent out to hunt deer for Field's company, on the banks of the Little Meadow. Then occurred the incident related by Withers. The Indian who escaped, hurried on to the Shawnee towns and gave them their first notice of the approach of the army. Alarmed at this incident, Field hurried and caught up with the advance under Charles Lewis. The text reads as though he had hastened back to Andrew Lewis, who had not yet left Camp Union.-- R.G.T. This & more re: William Mitchell Clay can be found at a wonderful website with the following URL: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/9551/wmclife.html Information has also been found that indicates that William Mitchell Clay was the first person to die in the 13 Colonies' quest for independence. I was sent an E-mail by Susan Richmond that contained the following: "It is my understanding that Mercer County, WV is building a park on the site of the Mitchell Clay homestead on the Bluestone River. I have heard that they are going to erect a monument for Mitchell's father, William Mitchell Clay, honoring him as the first casualty of the Am. Rev. War. ... You probably know that the DAR was instrumental in Congress in 1909 ( I think that is the correct year) recognizing the Battle of Point Pleasant as the first battle of the American Revolution." SUPER NEWS! Great research by all! Thank you again for all the guidance & assistance. Keep the information coming. Sincerely, Mike Peters [email protected]