Early September 1773, sixteen-year-old James Boone stood ready to follow his well-known father on yet another adventure. This time, he would go along—be part of an expedition into the wilderness they called Caintuck. Some forty individuals planned to make the trip including his immediate family, his father, Daniel, age 39, his 34-year-old mother, Rebecca, and seven younger siblings: Israel, age 14, Susannah, age 12, Jemima, age 10, Levina, age 7, Rebecca, age 5, Daniel Morgan, age 3, and baby Jesse, only three months old.
They would cross three mountain ranges between their current home near Moore’s Fort on Virginia’s Clinch River. There were rivers to ford, unforeseen dangers, and the trials of frontier travel. Not long after the journey began, Daniel sent James back to Captain William Russell’s home—a man who planned to join the expedition and later to send for his family—for more supplies, including flour and additional farming tools. The Mendinall (or Mendenhall) brothers, John and Richard, who traveled without their families, accompanied James on his errand. On his return with the supplies, Henry Russell, William’s seventeen-year-old son, Isaac Crabtree, a man named Drake, and two of the Russell family slaves, Adam and Charles, came along.
On 10 October 1773, disaster befell their small party, while camped only three miles from the Boone expedition. The Mendinall brothers died first. One slave escaped and hid nearby. He watched as James and Henry were first shot through the hips so they could not flee and then tortured for hours by Shawnee and Cherokee warriors. Isaac Crabtree was wounded, but escaped. Drake was wounded. His body was found years later. The other slave, Charles, escaped or was taken prisoner, according to which version you wish to believe.
The Boone expedition turned back. Captain Russell never again attempted to move to Kentucky. Newspapers across the region told the story in all its gory details. The story mentioned only Henry Russell by name, for his father was well known.