Many brave men helped our country win the American Revolutionary War. They fought in many different ways and in many different places. General George Rogers Clark fought in the wilderness that later became known as the Northwest Territory. By his daring courage, he helped to win all the land between the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Later from this vast territory, five new states were recognized. They are Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. George Rogers Clark helped to make this territory part of our country.
His Early Years George Rogers Clark was a son of Virginia. He was born in the Virginia Colony in 1752. His parents were friends and neighbors with future presidents of our country. George was the second son of a sturdy farmer, John Clark, and his wife, Ann Rogers Clark. Their farmland lay at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Beyond them lay a new world, a wilderness to be explored.
A short distance from the Clarks’ place, another famous American was growing up. He was Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. Many years after the Revolutionary War, both George Rogers and Thomas had wonderful memories of Albemarle County. They remembered the rolling hills, the flocks of blackbirds and wild geese, the mystery of the land beyond the mountains.
When George Rogers Clark was about six years old his family left their Albemarle County farm to escape Indian raids and resettled in Caroline County, Virginia. These raids were instigated by the French & Indian War. John Clark had a plantation near the Rappahannock River. George and his older brother Jonathon began going to school. Their teacher was Mr. Donald Robertson, a Scot. Two of George & Jonathon’s schoolmates would later grow up to be presidents of the new United States, John Tyler and James Madison.
In school, George and Jonathon learned not only reading, writing, and arithmetic, but also history. Their Scottish teacher taught the pupils about the deeds of their forefathers. They learned how the colonists came to this country to start a new life. They learned how the settlers cleared the land, built towns, and started their own government.
Like Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark was an apt pupil of the forest. He learned to track animals. Sometimes he would stand quietly, like the Indians did, not moving a muscle. He would stand this way for a long time, watching the movements of the animals and birds of the forest until he knew their habits. Like Daniel Boone, George could handle a gun easily and his aim was steady and sure.
John Clark helped his son survey farmland on the family farm and raise corn. His Grandfather Rogers gave him extensive lessons in surveying and map making. One day, John Clark pointed to a plot of land on the farm and said, “George, this is your land. This field is yours. Plant it, care for it, and the money you earn from its crop will be yours.”
George Rogers Clark was proud to be an independent farmer. He took care of his plot of land and raised a good crop of corn and tobacco. He made a nice profit, but his eyes kept looking toward the Blue Ridge Mountains and the wonders beyond. He knew that farming was not for him. There was something drawing him toward the West. George wanted more than anything to explore the land beyond the mountains.
George, the Explorer
In the spring of 1772, just before his twentieth birthday, George Rogers Clark left farming to begin his explorations. He tramped the same road that many others traveled earlier. He followed Indian trails through mountain passes and across rivers. From time to time he met other travelers and some of them became his companions.
George fought in Lord Dunmore’s War. This was a very short war, yet Clark was able to show his leadership skills and promote to the rank of Captain. He met Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton during this experience. After the war, George moved into Kentucky where he carried on his work as a surveyor. Here he bought several pieces of valuable land for himself and his family. He became greatly interested in natural resources and the problems the people of this new Kentucky were having.
General George Rogers Clark and the American Revolution
Prior the American Revolution, the American colonists fought in the French & Indian War. The two sides in this war were the French & Indians against the British & Colonists. During this war, the British won control of the Ohio Valley. They took the French forts in the region. They also built new forts in the Northwest Territory. The British had strong fort holds at Kaskaskia, Vincennes, and Detroit.
As the minutemen were arming themselves in Massachusetts; Daniel Boone, James Harrods, and Simon Kenton were cutting a road into Kentucky Territory. Settlers started pouring into this new region by 1775. Kentuckians too had a part in this Colonial struggle. The British stirred up Indians north of the Ohio River and led them against the Kentucky settlements. Kentucky men drove the enemy back and held their land. This kept the British troops from attacking the colonies from their west side and helped the Revolutionary cause. When the War broke out, large bands of Indians from the Ohio Territory made attacks on the colonists that built cabins in northern or central Kentucky Territory. The pioneers built small forts or stockades for protection (Bryan Station, Floyd Station, Fort Boonesborough, Fort Harrod, Goodwin Station, Squire Boone Station, Strode Station). The settlers were desperate for help to stop the Indian raids.
Clark’s Secret Mission One young leader among these frontier people was George Rogers Clark. He was ready to carry the Revolutionary War into the west. While the trouble with the Indians was going on, he planned a way to end it. He made a long journey back to Virginia, taking his ideas to Governor Patrick Henry. Clark reported how the British were using certain forts in the northwest as supply houses. Here they gave the Indians guns, powder, knives, and hatchets. They offered the Indians money for each white scalp they brought back to the British forts. Before Clark left Williamsburg, the Virginia assembly voted to supply him with money for ammunition. The assembly gave Clark Virginia men for his small army.
Clark and his men traveled down the Ohio River in four flatboats. Before reaching the Mississippi River, Clark ordered his men to land and hide their boats. They hid their flatboats in an old fort. From that point, they knew they were in grave danger of being spotted by the British. There was always the danger of Indian attacks. But these men were used to danger. They knew there would be greater danger for the frontier families if they failed in their surprise attack on the English fort at Kaskaskia.
Kaskaskia When Clark and his men finally reached the site of the English fort, it was the night of July 4, 1778, just two years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. The English were taken by surprise. They had no idea that an attack was planned by the Americans. In fact, they were enjoying a dance in one of the large rooms of the fort. Most of the important people from the nearby villages were there. Clark stepped before the excited people and said, “Go on with your fun, but remember that you are now subjects of Virginia, not of the King.”
The British soldiers at Kaskaskia were taken off guard. They had not expected American patriots to attack them out there in the wilderness. The governor of Kaskaskia had been awakened out of a sound sleep by rugged looking men dressed in buckskins. The governor blinked at the man who shook him awake and then caught sight of the tall, lean George Rogers Clark standing in the doorway. “Your Excellency, I am George Rogers Clark, a colonel in the army of Virginia. You are our prisoner, sir!”
The French people who lived at Kaskaskia were so taken back by these unexpected activities. They watched the strange looking soldiers take down the British flag and put up Virginia's colors. When the noise and shouting died down, the people looked around to see if anyone had been injured. Perhaps this was the greatest surprise of all. No one had been killed or injured. Kaskaskia had been captured, and not a single shot had been fired! George Rogers Clark told the people of Kaskaskia to go back to their homes. The Americans did not want to harm them. Then he told them that the people of France were helping the Americans to fight for their independence from the British. The people of Kaskaskia were thrilled to hear this good news and they very much liked this charming, tall, red-headed American. They felt he spoke the truth. Before the sun set on the day of July 5, 1778, the people of Kaskaskia and their gentle priest, Father Gibault, gathered at the village church to give thanks for their safety. They pledged their loyalty to the American cause.
Cahokia Before the end of that same July day, Colonel Clark sent some of his men on to Cahokia. This little trading town was sixty miles across a prairie which separated it from Kaskaskia. But Clark knew that it was important to capture the second fort nearby before the British found out about the Americans at Kaskaskia. Men from Kaskaskia rode with their new rugged frontier friends. They brought their own horses and food. The American cause was now their cause.
The men rode all night and by morning they were riding through the streets of Cahokia. The men from Kaskaskia spoke as friends to these people. They spoke in French. Soon the people of Cahokia were pledging their loyalty to the Americans too. The American had won another victory without firing a shot.
Vincennes On a wintry day in February 1779, George Rogers Clark set out with a little band of 130 men for the fort at Vincennes. They would try to take the fort but it would have to be a surprise attack. The British troops at Fort Vincennes would far outnumber Clark’s little band. It was a very dangerous plan. The rivers were swollen with freezing water, and many had overflowed their banks. But Clark was determined. “It is our only chance. We must take Vincennes before the British send new troops there. We must catch them off guard as we did the soldiers at Kaskaskia. Now is the time.”
After a week of marching, these brave men were within sixty miles of Vincennes. The soldiers suffered terrible hardships. They had no boats. For much of the march, Clark and his men had to wade through icy swamps and rivers. They held their rifles above their heads to keep them dry. The men were cold, wet and hungry. Many were sick with chills and fever. Before them was a flooded river. It was five miles across. The men did not want to wade through the icy water. But the brave Clark tried in every way to cheer his men. He lead them into the waist-deep water. He sang, cheered, and even did some tricks to amuse them.
Clark picked up the little drummer boy, who was having a hard time keeping his drum out of the water. Clark placed the boy on the shoulders of the tallest man in the ranks. The young drummer, now a very happy lad, cheered his commander and began to beat his drum. Immediately, Clark gave the command. “Forward, March!” Every man then behaved as a true soldier and marched bravely through the cold water to the other shore.
When they arrived at Vincennes, Clark sent word to the French settlers to stay in their homes. This they did without protest. The frontier drums rolled the call to attack. Clark maneuvered his men to trick General Hamilton. The British general believed there was a full army attacking the fort. The fort at Vincennes was taken.
Clark’s Northwest Territory Again Clark successfully outwitted his opponent with the act of surprise. British General Hamilton and his men were all taken prisoners. Hamilton was taken to Williamsburg and paraded through the market in chains. By his hard work, Clark gained the Northwest Territory for the new republic (United States of America). A law set up a plan of government for the Northwest Territory, providing that states should be formed as soon as there were enough people. The new states were to have equal power with the older states. The citizens were to have the same rights that citizens in the older states enjoyed. There was to be no slavery in this new territory.