On the body of one of these men, was
left a proclamation, issued by the Governor of Detroit promising
protection and reward to those who would renounce the cause of the
American colonies, and espouse that of Great Britain; and denouncing
those who would not. When this proclamation was carried to Logan, he
carefully kept secret its contents, lest it might produce an
unfavorable effect on the minds of some of his men; worn down,
exhausted, and discouraged as they then were.[17]

[150] After the arrival of Colonel Bowman in the country, there was
for a time, a good deal of skirmishing between his forces, aided by
individuals from the different forts, and those Indians. In all of
them, the superiority of the whites in the use of the rifle, became
apparent to the savages; and as the feat of Captain Gibson with the
sword, had previously acquired for the Virginians, the appellation of
the Long Knives,[18] the fatal certainty, with which Bowman's men and
the inhabitants of the various settlements in Kentucky, then aimed
their shots, might have added to that title, the forcible epithet of
sharp-shooters. They were as skilful and successful, too, in the
practice of those arts, by which one is enabled to steal unaware upon
his enemy, as the Natives themselves; and were equally as sure to
execute the purposes, for which those arts were put in requisition, as
these were. The consequence was, that the Indians were not only more
shy in approaching the garrison, than they had been; but they likewise
became, more cautious and circumspect, in their woods operations, than
formerly.

The frequent success of Colonel Bowman's men, in scouring the
surrounding country, gave to the inhabitants of all the settlements,
an opportunity of cultivating their little fields, and of laying in
such a stock of provisions and military stores, as would suffice in
the hour of need; when that force should be withdrawn from the
country, and the Indians consequently be again enabled to overrun it.
All that the inhabitants, by reason of the paucity of their numbers,
could yet do, was to shut themselves in forts, and preserve these from
falling into the hands of the enemy. When the term of those, who had
so opportunely came to their relief, expired, and they returned to
their homes, there were at Boonesborough only twenty-two, at
Harrodsburg sixty-five, and at St. Asaph's fifteen men. Emigrants
however, flocked to the country during the ensuing season, in great