GABRIEL SLAUGHTER, 1767-1830 G•OVERNOR OF KENTUCKY ...

342 The Filson Club History Quarterly [Vol. 40
Although his early training had certainly been in the Church of
England, Slaughter had been a member of the Baptist Church for many
years and was a very early member of the congregation at Shawnee Run
in Mercer County. 3 In 1808 he was clerk of the South District Association
of Baptists which met at Shawnee Runa and in 1809 held the
same office when they also met in Mercer County.3s He was a messenger
from his church to the several associations with which it was connected
for more than thirty years and was moderator of the South
District Association for nine years.89
Sarah (Hord) Slaughter probably died before her husband became
Lieutenant Governor. On October 3, 1811, Gabriel Slaughter married
a third time, to Mrs. Elizabeth (Thomson) Rhodes of Scott County,4°
widow of Waller Rhodes and daughter of William and Ann (Rhodes)
Thomson.
Since the Constitution did not permit the re-election of the Governor
and Lieutenant Governor, Gabriel Slaughter retired in 1812. He had
hoped to be nominated as Governor by the Republicans, but Isaac Shelby
was again elected Governor of Kentucky41 and Richard Hickman
succeeded to Slaughter's office.
In 1813 the Kentucky Bible Society was founded at Lexington.
Among the founders and active managers and supporters were many
clergymen and public officials including Gabriel Slaughter. 2
During the two years following his retirement from public office,
Slaughter engaged in farming. But when on October 20, 1814, Govenor
Shelby issued a call for men for the New Orleans campaign he
immediately answered. Three regiments were raised on November 10
under the command of Slaughter, Presley Gray, and William Mitchusson.48
The troops suffered difficulties from the beginning. Their boats had
to be procured privately. They were refused the promised supplies by
the United States Quartermaster and, having expected them, few had
necessary clothing for the campaign. The long-delayed Kentucky
militia finally reached New Orleans on January 4, 1815. In speaking
of the condition of the Kentucky troops on their arrival, General Jackson
said in an official report: "Not one man in ten was well armed, and
only one man in three had any arms at all. ''44 Those they had were
their own, for the government supplies did not arrive until long after
the battle. The citizens of New Orleans contributed enough to arm
Slaughter's regiment of about seven hundred and Major Reuben Harrison's
battalion of Mitchusson's regiment of 305 men. Jackson's total
strength was 6,504 men, all but 884 of them raw militia. Opposed to
them were nearly 18,000 men, nearly all regulars.
In the battle which, although fought after the peace treaty was signed,