How Daniel Boone’s wooden fort withstood the largest Native American siege in Kentucky

The Siege of Boonesborough of 1778

Shawnee Chief Blackfish had a clever plan in September 1778. He would trick Daniel Boone into surrendering his Kentucky fort without a fight.

For two weeks, Blackfish used fake peace talks and psychological warfare to break the settlers’ will. When that failed, he laid siege to Boonesborough with 400 warriors.

Here’s how this deadly game of cat and mouse unfolded at Fort Boonesborough State Park, where you can walk the same grounds today.

Boone’s Escape From Shawnee Captivity

Daniel Boone ran away from the Shawnee on June 16, 1778, after hearing they planned to attack his fort. He raced 160 miles through the wilderness in five days to warn the settlers. Blackfish had caught Boone months earlier during a salt-making trip to the Licking River.

The Shawnee then made Boone part of their tribe and named him “Sheltowee” or “Big Turtle.” While held captive, Boone falsely promised to give up the fort later. He only said this to keep the settlers safe until he could escape.

Blackfish Arrives At Boonesborough

Blackfish reached the fort on September 7, 1778, with warriors from many tribes. Besides Shawnees, he brought Cherokees, Wyandots, Miamis, Delawares, and Mingos. The group included fighters from Detroit who supported the British.

Even with his large force, Blackfish faced a tough challenge. His men had no big guns to break through the fort’s wooden walls. This weakness forced him to try talking with the settlers first instead of just attacking.

Initial Peace Negotiations

Blackfish asked Boone to come out for a talk. He reminded Boone of his promise to surrender.

Blackfish showed letters from the British governor promising good treatment if the settlers gave up and went to Detroit. Boone said he needed to ask others in the fort first, since leaders had changed while he was gone.

Inside, the settlers quickly decided to fight rather than surrender. They saw a chance to stall by talking while hoping for help from Virginia. This gave them time to strengthen their defenses.

The Treaty Trap

Blackfish offered a deal: if the settlers promised loyalty to King George III, the Shawnees would accept the Ohio River as their boundary. Both sides signed this agreement. Shawnee leaders then approached the Americans to seal the deal with handshakes.

What happened next is still debated. Some say the Shawnees tried to grab the American leaders during this moment. Other historians think the fight might have started another way, as there’s little proof of a planned trap.

The First Clash of Arms

A fight broke out during the handshakes, and both sides started shooting. The Americans rushed back toward the fort while bullets flew across the open ground. All but one man made it safely inside.

That last man hid behind a tree stump near the main gate, trapped as warriors ran toward the entrance. The defenders shot from the walls and stopped this first attack. After dark, someone opened the gate slightly, letting the stranded man crawl to safety.

Exchange Of Gunfire

Shooting continued for days as both sides looked for weak spots. Boone told his men to save gunpowder by firing only when they had clear shots.

At night, warriors crept close to the walls with burning torches and shot flaming arrows at the roofs, trying to set the wooden fort on fire.

The defenders had women dress as men and carry guns along the walls. This trick made Blackfish think 200 fighters guarded the fort instead of just 40.

The Mining Operation

On September 11, the Detroit militia leader convinced Blackfish to dig a tunnel from the riverbank toward the fort. They planned to place gunpowder under the walls and blow them up.

When fort defenders heard digging, they started digging their own tunnel to intercept and collapse the attack tunnel. Diggers on both sides shouted insults at each other while they worked.

Heavy rain soaked the ground and caved in the attack tunnel before it reached the fort. This saved the fort from what could have been a deadly explosion.

Squire Boone’s Inventions

Daniel’s brother Squire Boone made weapons to help defend the fort. He built a wooden cannon wrapped with metal bands that could fire a few times before breaking. The makeshift cannon fired once or twice at groups of warriors before cracking.

Squire also turned old gun barrels into simple water guns. These tools helped put out fires started by burning arrows on the wooden roofs. Such clever ideas were crucial since fire was the biggest threat to the wooden fort.

The Final Assault

Blackfish ordered his strongest attack on September 17. His warriors tried again to burn different parts of the fort during this all-out assault. The defenders successfully fought off wave after wave of attackers.

A timely rainstorm helped put out fires started during the battle. More warriors died in this final push than in all previous days combined. These heavy losses crushed the fighting spirit of the attacking force.

Blackfish Withdraws

Seeing that the fort would not fall, Blackfish pulled back his forces on September 18, 1778. His warriors split into smaller groups to attack less protected settlements throughout Kentucky.

Only two defenders died during the entire eleven-day siege: a slave named London and a settler named David Bondurant. This victory kept an American foothold in Kentucky during the Revolutionary War.

The Shawnee found that quick raids on farms and travelers worked better than trying to take a fort through a long siege.

Visiting Fort Boonesborough State Park, Kentucky

You’ll find Fort Boonesborough State Park at 4375 Boonesborough Road, Richmond, KY 40475. The park offers a working replica of the original 1775 fort with cabins, blockhouses, and period furnishings.

Inside the fort, watch resident artisans demonstrate pioneer crafts like blacksmithing, weaving, and candle making.

Beyond history, you can enjoy camping along the Kentucky River, swimming in the pool with water slide, fishing, boating, and hiking short trails.

Read More from WhenInYourState.com:

• Former Slaves Became Union Soldiers and Built a New Life at This Kentucky Military Base
• The Stunning Kentucky Gap that Became America’s Front Door West in 1775
• The Historic Kentucky Town Governed by Dog Mayors