In the year of 1773 Daniel Boone was preparing to go on another expedition into the frontier of
Kentucky. The younger members of the party were assigned the task of caring and transporting
the livestock needed for the expedition. On this occasion the boys all about the age of 17 were
supposed to meet up with Boone's party on Wallen's Creek, but for one reason or another they
were running late and darkness overtook them before reaching the main party. The boys then
camped for the night along Wallen's Creek and sometime during the night a party of Indians
attacked them killing and torturing them through most of the night. All in the party were killed
except Isaac Crabtree and a negro slave who managed to hide in the bushes and listened to
the rest being tortured. Isaac was wounded and it is not clear exactly how he managed to escape
with his life. Isaac's older brother John was wounded and last seen running for the woods being
chased by Indians. He was never seen again even after extensive searches.
As it turned out the boys were only a short distance from the main party when they were found
the next morning by one of the party sent to find them.
Some months later Isaac recognized one of the Indians in the Watauga and killed him on the spot,
the Indian he killed was Cherokee Billy a nephew of Chief Oconostata and since Billy had been
an embarrassment to the chief in the past he was'nt too upset by the killing.
Some political posturing went on after the killing that was meant to
satisfy the chief,
but Isaac never suffered any repercussions.
1773 Wallen's Creek Massacre.