ThatFrontierHistorian

Hi All

I have been working on a podcast episode about the trial/accusations of treason Daniel Boone faced in 1778 and I wanted to see whether or not my assumption that this is fairly unknown is true. Did any of you know that Boone was faced a court martial for treason?

Many thanks!

(If you want to hear the episode, Click Here (or right click and save, to listen on your mp3 player at your convenience)

Baltis

Yes, I am aware of it although I think there is room for more information on the episode. Allan Eckert wrote a historical novel


What really interests me more than the existence of the episode is the question. "Is it true?" I ask because there is actually very little evidence to suggest Boone held strong opinions on the revolution. My prior Boone studies left me believing he was actually six of one/ half dozen of the other. I believe Boone fought the Indians and whoever threatened his settlement. I have found little reason to believe he was particularly political one way or the other.

So, how do you call it? Was Boone ready to turn Loyalist to save Boonesborough?

ThatFrontierHistorian

First, this is a great way of describing Boone's view of the Revolution - his in-laws, the Bryans, for example, had loyalist leanings and, at best, he seemed fairly ambivalent about the whole revolutionary affair. BUT, his court martial wasn't really about revolutionary politics (though there is an element of that in there). Rather, he was seen as pro-Indian rather than pro-British and yes, I think it is true that this event occurred - there are lots of clandestine (and a few overt) references to it.

There is really only one source that talks about his trial in any detail but there are other sources where his loyalty was called into question for his apparent integration into the Shawnee tribe (as a member of Blackfish's family) and he appears to have suggested the surrender of Boonesborough even following his escape. His rationale was based upon the Shawnee's promise of integration for the entire community - it wasn't really about surrender to the British.

It's an interesting little episode as it, in my opinion, really highlights the concurrent war with the Indians taking place in the west along side the Revolution. If you're interested, I talk in some detail about it here - as someone who's obviously read about the topic I'd love to hear your thoughts on it (if you right click the link you can save the file to listen on your mp3 player, etc).

Thanks for getting back to me

Piscator

No, I was not aware of that. Interesting fact, though. Was it whitewashed because Boone was such an American hero?

d'artanian

The story is told here:
WHY WAS BOONE CHARGED WITH TREASON? - Awesome Stories

As I see it, Boone did what he had to do to stay alive - and keep his men alive too. He was a clever man, an adventurous man, but not especially political.

A few years back, I spent a lot of time tracing the Boone family as one of my ancestors had dealings, and a rumored marriage, within the Boone/Callaway family.

ThatFrontierHistorian

Hahaha, everyone here seems to have heard of it! As for the whitewashing, I think a big part of it comes from how Boone was presented to the public in his (semi) autobiographical narrative in which he fails to acknowledge it directly. Moreover, that same document was constructed in such a way as to implicitly demonstrate his innocence. When later authors, particularly in the nineteenth century, really started to build Boone's legend they did so on a foundation that did not really acknowledge this event.

Piscator

No, I said I had never heard of it.

Baltis

One item that always led me to think Boone was quite capable of loyalism would be his later immigration to Missouri. Boone did not seem terribly attached to the United States as a new nation. Kind of surprising that he became such a household name and hero to the young.

ThatFrontierHistorian

Absolutely, I think his actions at this time were really clever and executed as well as they could be. I do, however, think that he also really enjoyed the company of his new Indian family. After he became disillusioned with the United States in his old age and moved to Missouri he visited with some of his old Indian relatives - this always strikes me as quite sweet little epilogue to the tale.

ThatFrontierHistorian

My apologies - my caffeine levels were running dangerously low when I replied to you!