Night Attack

Although night battles were not commonplace, they did occur; the conflict at Kirkwood's cabin was a good example. Former revolutionary commanding officer, Captain Robert Kirkwood, erected a cabin on the western side of the Ohio River opposite Fort Henry in the late 1780's. He also started to build a blockhouse, but it was not in a condition to be occupied when, on a bright moonlit night in the spring of 1791, a large force of Indians attacked the cabin. The attackers were unaware that Captain Joseph Biggs and fourteen of his militia scouts had arrived at the cabin the day before. Captain Biggs, after returning from a late night stroll, closed the door and feeling suspicious, rolled a barrel of pork against it to make it more secure. In a few minutes the furious attack began. All light inside the cabin was extinguished, and the moon being nearly full, enabled the defenders to easily see their enemies. The Indians continued the attack by setting the walls and roof afire, but the men inside kept the flames under control by pushing off the roof and extinguishing the wall fires with water, milk and eventually sand from beneath the floor. Shortly before daybreak, the boom of a cannon was heard from Fort Henry and the besieged as well as the warriors understood that assistance would soon be at hand and the battle ended.

Five whites were wounded, one mortally. The number of Indians was never fully ascertained, nor the extent of their killed and wounded.

The highly detailed painting entitled "Night Attack" has been reproduced as a very limited edition, archival quality, giclee canvas print of only ten individually signed and numbered reproductions.

The giclee process, especially in small quantities, is an extremely costly endeavor, however, it allows the collector to obtain a superior quality, lasting work of art which can be displayed without the need of protective matting or glass.