History of Irvine and Estill County, Kentucky



him how many men there were in the fort. He replied,
"Forty." They then killed all the stock that was on the
outside and fled. The fort had only four old men in it.
Capt. James Estill had taken his little army of about
twentv-five men to Estill County the day before to look
in the sand for Indian tricks. The Indians had crossed
at the mouth of Red River. They failed to meet and a
messenger was sent from his fort to tell him what had
transpired there. He then took his command and fol-
lowed them to Little Mountain in Montgomery County.
The faithful boy Monk took Capt. Estill's horse and
hid behind a tree from the Indians. Capt. Estill ordered
his lieutenant to forin in the rear while he attacked
them in front. His order, for sonic reason, was not
obeyed. Capt. Estill, with half of his men, made their
attack. A Wyandotte Indian rushed on him while he
was weak from the effects of his broken arm, his fatigue
of traveling and his bold and daring fight. His gun
was empty and lie was thereby unable to overcome the
Indian, who overpowered him. He was the last white



man to fall. When he was killed by the Indian, Joseph
Proctor slew the Indian. That put an end to the fight.
Of all the men who engaged in the fight, only three re-
mained to tell the tale. These were Joseph Proctor,
unhurt; James Berry, thigh broken; William Irvine,
shot through the lungs. The fidelity of the slave Monk
deservesr mention. He carried James Berry on his back
to Booneborough, twenty-five miles. He was accorded
his freedom and enjoyed a long life with his former
master, Wallaec Estill.
  Aecomnpansing herewith is a picture of a statue
erected to the nmenmory of Capt. Estill in the Richmond
ecuiletery.
  Sad to adimit, the valiant Joseph Proctor is buried in
the "old grave vard" at Irvine, but it is doubtful whether
his grave could be discovered.
  The Kentucky River flows through Estill County
from the southeast to the northwest, a distance of about
thirty-five miles. Besides being a stream of great value
to the agriculturists, and a stream of remarkable beauty,



ICE GORGE



it is extremely useful as a means of transportation of
saw logs, ties, staves, coal, etc.
  Notwithstanding Estill has the advantage of the L.
 A. railroad, there are thousands upon thousands of
logs that are floated down the river at each tide. The
river is one of the most beautiful in the United States.
Bounded on either side by high peaks of the Cumberland
range of mountains, it affords views incomparable for



beeauty. Then, upon its margin, grow flowers of rare
beauty and (lelieacy in great profusion. Sometimes, in
the Winter, the river freezes over. Accompanying here-
with is a view of an ice gorge that occurred in the Ken-
tucky River last February. The view is at the mouth
of Station Camp Creek, just above Irvine.
  The following streams of water are tributary to the
Kentucky River in this county: Red River, Station



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