An Account of the Remarkable Occurrences in the Life and Travels of Col. James Smith, During His Captivity with the Indians, in the Years 1755, '56, '57, '58, & '59.

James Smith, the author, was a native of Pennsylvania, but later in life settled in Kentucky. He was a captive among the Indians in his boyhood, 1755-9; a leader of the " Blackboys " in 1763 and 1769; an officer in Bouquet's expedition in 1764; made an exploring excursion into southern Kentucky in 1766; received his title of colonel for services in the revolutionary war; married and reared a family ; was an active and influential member of the Presbyterian church; wrote pamphlets against the Shakers in 1810; and, when too old to fight his ancient foe, wrote and published a treatise on Indian warfare, with a title-page so long that if he could have only induced the Indians to stop fighting long enough to read it, there would have been, perhaps, some chance of peace.

Col. Smith was an eye-witness of all he narrates with evident truthfulness. As a picture of Indian life and habits, it deserves a place in every library pretending to be a collection of historical books relating to America.