Misadventures of Vigo.
Among the men who suffered about this time was the Italian Vigo; a fine,
manly, generous fellow, of whom St. Clair spoke as having put the United
States under heavy obligations, and as being "in truth the most
disinterested person" he had ever known. [Footnote: American State
Papers, Indian Affairs, vol. i., Sept. 19, 1790.] While taking his
trading boat up the Wabash, Vigo was attacked by an Indian war party,
three of his men were killed, and he was forced to drop down-stream.
Meeting another trading boat manned by Americans, he again essayed to
force a passage in company with it, but they were both attacked with
fury. The other boat got off; but Vigo's was captured. However, the
Indians, when they found the crew consisted of Creoles, molested none of
them, telling them that they only warred against the Americans; though
they plundered the boat.
Preparations to Attack the Indians.
By the summer of 1790 the raids of the Indians had become unbearable.
Fresh robberies and murders were committed every day in Kentucky, or
along the Wabash and Ohio. Writing to the Secretary of War, a prominent
Kentuckian, well knowing all the facts, estimated that during the seven
years which had elapsed since the close of the Revolutionary War the
Indians had slain fifteen hundred people in Kentucky itself, or on the
immigrant routes leading thither, and had stolen twenty thousand horses,
besides destroying immense quantities of other property.
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