In 1782 the State of Kentucky did not exist. The land we now call a State was a vast largely unexplored wilderness. The City of Lexington was a small settlement with less than 10 houses. Mount Sterling, Clay City, Winchester, and Stanton were still a long way from coming into being. Most of the land was heavily wooded and settlers had only been venturing into the area for around two years, thanks to the efforts of Daniel Boone, who had blazed a trail through the Cumberland Gap. There were no roads and travel was by packhorse or walking. The military (Militia) and some families did possess horses but these were still fairly uncommon.
The events in Wildcat Mountain are based on actual recorded documents and eye witness accounts, a small number of incidents are fictitious. But not all of the characters portrayed. A list of Fictional Characters is included in the appendices as is a biography of the main real life characters, this is to dramatize the story and bring it to life. However the accounts of the Estill Battle of Little Mountain, and the battle of Blue Licks were real events and are accurately depicted, as recorded by those who were there.
William and Elizabeth Chenault, James Estill, and Daniel Boone are real people. The Chenault's direct ancestor William Tandy Chenault still lives in Mount Sterling and assisted with some of the historical details. Although Wildcat Mountain is a work of historical fiction, this novel is a stark, accurate, and uncompromising view of life on the frontier in 1782.
I have reflected in it, the views of society as it was at the time. I make no apology for doing so, and in no way imply approval or otherwise of the practices of racism, slavery or savagery that the novel portrays.
