Blackfish (Shawnee leader) facts for kids

Blackfish (born around 1729, died 1779) was an important Native American leader. He was a war chief of the Chillicothe band of the Shawnee tribe. His Shawnee names were Cot-ta-wa-ma-go or Mkah-day-way-may-qua.

Blackfish's Life and Role

Little is known about Blackfish's early life. He appears in historical records only during his last three years. This is mainly because of his interactions with famous American frontiersmen. These included Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton.

The Ohio River Border

In 1774, the Shawnee were defeated by Virginia in a conflict called Lord Dunmore's War. A peace treaty was signed after this war. It made the Ohio River the boundary. This river became the border between western Virginia (which is now Kentucky and West Virginia) and Native American lands in the Ohio Country. Some Shawnee leaders, like Cornstalk, agreed to this treaty. However, Blackfish and other leaders refused to accept losing their traditional hunting grounds in Kentucky.

Raids During the American Revolution

Fighting along the border grew worse when the American Revolutionary War began in 1775. Because of this, the Chillicothe Shawnee moved their town. They moved it from the Scioto River further west to the Little Miami River. This new location was near what is now Xenia, Ohio.

British officials in Detroit encouraged and supplied Blackfish and his warriors. They launched raids against American settlers in Kentucky. Their goal was to drive the settlers out of the region.

Capturing Daniel Boone

In November 1777, American militiamen killed Cornstalk. In revenge, Blackfish led a surprise winter raid into Kentucky. On February 7, 1778, he captured American frontiersman Daniel Boone and several others. This happened on the Licking River.

The Shawnee respected Boone for his amazing hunting skills. He was taken back to Chillicothe and adopted into the tribe. A popular story says Blackfish himself adopted Boone. However, some historians believe Boone was likely adopted by another family.

Siege of Boonesborough

Boone escaped in June 1778. He had learned that Blackfish was planning an attack on the Kentucky settlement of Boonesborough. The attack, known as the siege of Boonesborough, began in September of that year.

The siege was not successful for the Shawnee. The Kentuckians, led by Colonel John Bowman, then attacked Chillicothe the following spring. This raid was also unsuccessful for the Americans. However, Blackfish was shot in the leg. The wound became infected, and he eventually died from it.

Blackfish in Pop Culture

Several actors have played Blackfish in the Daniel Boone television series. These actors include Anthony Caruso, Walter Coy, and Robert F. Simon.