Timeline story
Capt. James Estill / Estill's Defeat
On March 22, 1782, Capt. James Estill and about 25 Lincoln County militiamen overtook a Wyandot raiding party at Little Mountain Creek, near today's Mount Sterling.
After nearly two hours of fighting across the creek, Lt. William Miller's left flank broke, the Wyandots closed, and Estill was killed in hand-to-hand combat along with six of his men. The fight—also called the Battle of Little Mountain—was one of the bloodiest single engagements of Kentucky's "Year of Blood," and Estill County was later named for him.
Cite this story
Published . Last revised .
Chicago
Snowden, Shannon. "Capt. James Estill / Estill's Defeat." Kentucky History Drive. Published September 12, 2026. Last revised September 15, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/capt-james-estill-estills-defeat/.
MLA
Snowden, Shannon. "Capt. James Estill / Estill's Defeat." Kentucky History Drive, published 12 Sept. 2026, last revised 15 Sept. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/capt-james-estill-estills-defeat/.
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