The failed British-Shawnee siege of Boonesborough in 1778 secured continued American settler presence in Kentucky during the Revolutionary War.
Key Facts
- Date of siege start
- September 7, 1778
- Duration of siege
- 11 days days
- Attacking commander
- Shawnee chief Blackfish
- Defending commander
- Daniel Boone
- Outcome for attackers
- Siege lifted; unsuccessful assault
- Post-battle development
- Boone court-martialed, then acquitted
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Shawnee chief Blackfish, allied with Britain, sought to drive American settlers from Kentucky. Months before the siege, he had captured Daniel Boone, the founder of Boonesborough, and adopted him into his tribe. Boone escaped and returned to warn and prepare the settlement's defenders against the anticipated assault.
On September 7, 1778, Blackfish led a Shawnee and British-allied force in a siege of the Kentucky settlement of Boonesborough. Under Daniel Boone's leadership, the settlers defended the fortified station. After eleven days, the siege failed and Blackfish withdrew his forces without capturing the settlement.
The repulse of the siege preserved American settler control of Boonesborough. In its aftermath, Boone faced a court-martial by fellow officers who suspected him of Loyalist sympathies stemming from his time among the Shawnees. He was acquitted but subsequently departed the settlement he had founded.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Daniel Boone.
Side B
1 belligerent
Blackfish.