Conquest of the Country Northwest of the River Ohio, 1778-1783, and Life of Gen. George Rogers Clark [2]

Citation preview

GENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. Taken from a miniature

in possession of Jefferson K. Clark,

Esq

,

of St. Louis,

Mo.

INTRODUCTORY VOLUMES TO ENGLISH'S HISTORY OF INDIANA

«*

CONQUEST OF THE COUNTRY

NORTHWEST OF THE RIVER OHIO 1778

— 1783 AND

LIFE

GEN.

OF

GEORGE ROGERS CLARK

OVER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE ILLUSTRATIONS

WITH NUMEROUS SKETCHES OF MEN WHO SERVED UNDER CLARK AND FULL LIST OF THOSE ALLOTTED LANDS IN CLARK'S GRANT FOR SERVICE IN THE CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE BRITISH POSTS. SHOWING EXACT LAND ALLOTTED EACH.

BY

WILLIAM HAYDEN ENGLISH President Indiana Historical Society

VOLUME

II

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., AND KANSAS CITY, MO.

THE BOWEN-MERRILL COMPANY 1897.

Copyright

1895

BY

WILLIAM HAYDEN ENGLISH

8TRATI0NS

ILLUSTRATIONS. Vol.

II.

Page.

Portrait of George Rogers Clark (Frontispiece Vol. Illustrations (half

2)

Hamilton and Lamothe Sent

588 591

title)

in Irons to AVilliamsburg

616

Faosimile Letter of Thomas Jefferson Declining to Release Governor Hamilton from Captivity

644

Portrait of Little Turtle

695

Signature of John Baley

701

Signature of Richard Harrison

701

Signature of Edward Worthington

701

Signature of Thomas Quick

701

Signature of Robert George

701

Signature of John Gibson

710

Clark's Forces Leaving Pittsburgh, 1781

719

Lochry's Defeat

728

Signature of Phillibert

739

Signature of Pierre Gamelin

739

Signature of L. E. Denline

740

Signature of Le Grand

710

Monument to Fourteen Soldiers Killed by Indians Death of Colonel John Floyd

in 1783

751

752

Fort Nelson

755

Map

767

of Northwest Territory and the Thirteen Original States

The Seal of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio

773

Death of Joseph Rogers Map of Northwest Territory with Notes of Some Historical Dates and Places

(593)

773

776

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

594

Page.

Signature of Benjamin Harrison, Governor of Virginia

783

Clark Driving the Indians from Council Chamber Signature of Samuel Hopkins Portrait of John Rice Jones

803

793

808

Signature of John Rice Jones

,

808

Portrait of General Clark in His Old Age Copied from Oil Painting IN VlNCENNES UNIVERSITY

817

,

Patent Issued by the State of Virginia for the Land in Clark's

Grant Official

834

Map

Signature of

of Clark's Grant

851

Walker Daniel

855

Signature of William Croghan

856

Signature of John Edwards

856

Signature of John Campbell

856

Signature of James F. Moore

857

Signature of Richard Taylor

857

Signature of Robert Breckenridge

857

Signature of Alexander Breckenridge

858

,

Signature of George Rogers Clark (after he was paralyzed)

858

Portrait of Joseph Bartholomew

859

Portrait of

Andrew

Signature of Abram

P. Hay Bowman

860 862

Ruins of Clark's Old Mill

863

Supposed Chimney of Fort Finney

863

Governor Posey's Old Residence at Jeffersonville Portrait of Marston G. Clark

864

Signature of Marston G. Clark

866

866

Clark's Residence in Clarksville

868

Sword of General Clark (2 plates) Presentation of Sword to General Clark House Where General Clark Died Residence of His Croghan

—

874, 875

885 Sister,

Lucy

Diagram of the Clark Graves

889 900

Graves of General Clark and Others of the Clark Family, Cave

Hill Clark Statue and Pedestal

902 in

Portrait of Jacob Burnett

Monument Place, Indianapolis

906 909

Portrait of Reuben T. Dirrett

911

Portrait of John Fiske

912

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

1^95

Page.

Portrait of John B. Dillon

912

Portrait of John Reynolds

912

Portrait of Henry Pirtle

913

Portrait of James A. Garfield

914

Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt

914

W. Daniel George F. Hoar

Portrait of John

915

Portrait of

915

Portrait of Lewis Collins

916

Portrait of Lyman P. Draper

916

Portrait of Samuel Merrill

917

Portrait of Burk A. Hinsdale

918

Portrait of Jacob P. Dunn

918

Portrait of John Randolph

918

Portrait of James Parton

919

Portrait of Daniel

W. Voorhees

920

Portrait of David Turpie

920

Portrait of John Sherman

921

The Bewi ldered Guide

924

Signature of John Sanders

927

Signature of Daniel Boone

927

Novel Pioneer Money Virginia Currency Payable

928 in

Tobacco

930

Signature of Richard Brashear Signature of Buckner

935

Potman

937

Signature of John Paul Signature" of

941

General Charles Scott

Signature" of Attorney-General

Signature of Honorable

Robert

J.

J.

948

Harry Innes

948

Brown, of Kentucky

948

Todd's Commission as Major

948

Portrait of Levi L. Todd, Senior

950

Portrait of Doctor Robert N. Todd

950

Signature of William Whitley

952

Signature of Abram Chapline

958

Signature of James Bigger

967

Signature of Shadrach Bond, Senior

967

Signature of Valentine T. Dalton

'.

Signature of Peter Priest Signature of Isaac Van Metre Signature of Isaac Yates

,

„

967 967 967 967

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

596

Page.

Signature op James Whitecotton...,

967

Portrait of George Rogers Clark in His Old Age

968

Portrait of Bland Ballard

973

Bland Ballard's Escape from the Indians

975

Bowman Signature of John Bowman

979

Signature of Isaac

979

Signature of Richard Rue

985

Richard Rue Running the Gauntlet

986

Portrait of Joseph Holman

988

Portrait of George Holman

988

Portrait of Lucy Croghan, Sister of General Clark

990

Portrait of General Clark's Sister,

Portrait of Eleanor Elting

Ann Gwathmey

990

Temple, General Jonathan Clark's

Daughter

990

Signature of General Jonathan Clark

991

Signature of Sarah Clark

991

Signature of William Aylett Booth

997

Signature of Rebecca Booth

997

Signature of William Booth

997

Portrait of Samuel Gwathmey

997

Signature of John Gwathmey

998

Signature of Captain Edmund Clark

....1001

Portrait of Major George Croghan

Medal Voted to Major Croghan by Congress (two Croghan Monument, Fremont, Ohio

1005 plates)

1005

1007

Signature of Richard Clough Anderson

1008

Signature of Governor Charles.Anderson

1009

Signature of Governor William Clark

1012

Portrait of Governor William Clark

1014

Fac-simile of the Entry of Judge William Clark's

Records of

St.

Death on the

Xavier's Church, Vincennes

1017

Portrait of Jefferson K. Clark, Son of William Clark

1019

Big Knives (Finis)

1019

Clark's Statue, Indianapolis

1021

Contents of Gbapters —^-

CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS. Vol.

II.

CHAPTER

XIV.

THE CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON AND OTHER BRITISH OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS SENT TO VIRGINIA AS PRISONERS. Hamilton's version of their treatment at Vincennes Captains Williams and Rogers with twenty -five

— Who the prisoners were men convey

the prisoners to

—Instructed by Colonel Clark to see that prisoners be provided with necessaries — Hamilton's account of the journey, and description of condition of the Americans — Governor Henry's announcing the capture of Vincennes — Hamilton put in irons and confined in a dungeon in retaliation for cruelties inflicted on American prisoners — He bitterly denounces treatment of himself and colleagues — Governor of Virginia acted on advice of the executive council — He explains and his action — Correspondence between General Washington and Governor Jefferson on the subject — SeVirginia

all

letter

justifies

verity of treatment finally relaxed

— Fac-simile

of a letter of Jefferson in re-

— Release on parole offered prisoners — Accepted by some Declined at by Hamilton, but finally accepted — Important on the subject — Leaves Virginia for New York — Recites troubles encountered on the way — Reaches British comrades in New York in wretched condition lation to

Hamilton

letters, etc.,

first

Is at last

exchanged and

sails for

England

— His subsequent career.. ..605-662

CHAPTER XV. COLONEL CLARK RETURNS TO THE FALLS OF OHIO— CONDITION OF AFFAIRS THERE. Fort near mouth of Ohio determined upon order

— Also in a

letter to

— Develops his plans in a general — Letter of Todd to Governor

Governor John Todd

Jefferson approving Clark's plans

— Clark

(598)

proceeds to mouth of Ohio earlv

—

CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS.

599

— Builds Fort Jefferson a few miles below — Intended for a settlement combined — Besieged by Indians — Heroic defense — Captain relieved — Indians withGeorge Owens and his descendants — Garrison in 17S0

and

garrison

finally

draw from

its

vicinity

— Perilous

— Clark's campaign — Distressing particulars of death of Joseph Rogers — Clark returns to Kentucky — Deplorable condition of affairs there, at Fort Jefferson and the Illinois — Official letters on the subject — Sketch of George Slaughter and Silas Harlan — Fort Jefferson finally to

Harrisburg

—British

journey made by Clark from Fort Jefferson

and Indians invade Kentucky

against the Indians at old Chillicothe and Piqua

abandoned

663-696

CHAPTER

XVI.

CONTEMPLATED CAMPAIGN AGAINST DETROIT

IN

17S1

LOCIIRV'S DEFEAT. Council of war to consider an expedition against the British at Detroit, or "the Floridians on the Mississippi"

and aids

— Early action delayed— Clark Virginia — Secures Governor Jefferson's approval of visits

in driving out the British

an expedition against Detroit

— Is

commissioned brigadier-general thereof

Letter from General Washington approving the expedition, promising military

— Letters of Jefferson and others on the subject — Promises not and expectations not realized — Country weary of war— Troops and army supplies hard to secure — Draft made but unsatisfactory — Clothing scarce — Paper money nearly worthless — Letters of Clark upon the discouraging situation Bears up bravely under disappointments — Starts from Pittsburgh with but of four hundred of the two thousand men expected — Events of voyage to to join Clark at the appointed the Ohio — Colonel Lochry's command disastrously defeated — Distress of Colonel time and place — Follows on and stores

and Continental troops

— Colonel Gibson's

regiment promised to Clark

fulfilled

falls

fails

is

Clark

at the defeat of

Colonel Crockett's

Lochry and

letter

failure of

campaign against Detroit

defending Colonel Clark's conduct

CHAPTER

XVII.

BAD CONDITION OF AMERICAN AFFAIRS THE ILLINOIS.

IN

KENTUCKY AND

— Letter of Captain Baley, commandant — Colonel John Floyd writes of the situation in Kentucky

Memorial of the people of Vincennes of the post there

697-734

CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS.

6oO

Colonel Floyd killed by Indians

— Clark

of the situation

shape

— Ascertains

— Colonel Slaughter and others write gloomily

immediately engages in putting matters into better

strength of the Kentucky militia

— Builds

Fort Nelson

Suggests to the governor of Virginia a system of armed boats on the Ohio

— Uses a gun-boat between the and the Licking— Indian depredations continue — Disastrous battle of Blue Licks in August, 17S2 — Rising of the people to carry the war into the enemy's country — General Clark marches, falls

at the

head of a thousand men, against the Indian towns on the Little Miami

and destroys them

— Indians amazed at unexpected development of the strength — An appro-

of the Americans and never afterwards invade Kentucky in force

priate ending of the successful part of General Clark's military career.

735-7 6 o

CHAPTER

XVIII.

ALL PROSPECT OF THE BRITISH CONQUERING THE COLONIES TERMINATES WITH SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS. Negotiations ended in tion

/

more

to the country in possession

for this the

mountains diers

treat}'

of peace of 17S3

—These negotiations called atten-

particularly to the great benefit General Clark's services had been

— He had captured from the enemy a vast territory, and

it

was included

in the

boundaries of the

boundary might have been the Ohio

— Importance

new government

river, or the

Alleghany

— Triumph of Clark and his Territory — Importance of that territory.

of the conquest

— Seal of the Northwest

being

—But sol-

761-77S

CHAPTER

XIX.

CLARK, RELIEVED FROM MILITARY SERVICE, RETIRES APPOINTED AND DISTRESSED.

DIS-

Virginia, exhausted by the war, failed, for a time, to sufficiently provide for Clark's

— He finally retired from service — Letter of governor of Virginia to — Letter from Clark to the governor, disclosing his financial distress due him — Similarity of treatment of Asks, in vain, for a portion of what Clark and Vigo — Letter from Vigo to Clark — Comments on the treatment Clark — Retires to Kentucky neglected, disappointed and distressed — Injurious comparative obscurity until made on his health and habits — Remains a commissioner in 1785 to treat with certain Indian tribes — Some incidents troops

is

Clark

is

01

effect

in

at

the treat v

770~7

H

l

CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS.

6oi

CHAPTER XX. WABASH AND MIAMI ISM,

INDIANS, ENCOURAGED BY THE BRITBECOME HOSTILE TO THE AMERICANS— CAMPAIGN AGAINST THEM DETERMINED UPON.

General Clark placed in

command — The

ernor of Virginia by Clark and John

situation

communicated

May — Officers, Kentucky

to the

Gov-

military dis-

— Right to impress military supplies declared— Expedito Vincennes — Provisions forwarded by water, delayed and spoiled — Expedition delayed at Vincennes — March in demoralized condition — A portion revolt before reaching enemy and return — Clark overwhelmed with grief— French inhabitants no longer friend! v — Clark determines to garrison Vincennes — Is driven by necessity to impress supplies for his troops — Takes some Spanish property— Commissary appointed — Regular accounts kept of property taken — His conduct misrepresented — Virginia and congress, without waiting for his explanations, condemn — This action hastv and inconsiderate — Opinions of disinterested persons — Clark returns to the of disappointment — Finally meditates an expedition in the interest of the French against the Spaniards on the Mississippi — Accepts French commission — Issues a proclamation — Expedition abandoned — Effect of the movement beneficial in hastening free navigation of the Mississippi — Opinion trict,

tion

meet

in council

marches by land

it

falls full

of

Governor Shelby and

795-S24

others..,

CHAPTER

XXI.

CLARK'S GRANT—THE OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF THE ILLINOIS REGIMENT, AND THE LAND ALLOTTED TO EACH. 825-S60

CHAPTER

XXII.

THE LATTER YEARS OF GENERAL CLARK'S LIFE AND HIS DEATH. Clarksville, Indiana,

—

Is stricken

presents

and vicinity

—George

Rogers Clark's connection therewith

with paralysis at that place

— Amputation of his leg— Virginia

—The

subject of sword presentations to

him a sword and pension

him considered

— He lingers long in a

feeble,

and

finally helpless,

condition—

CONTENTS OF CHAPTERS.

6o2 Dies at his

— His

— Controversy

house in Kentucky in 1S1S

will

and other events connected with

his illness

sister's

relation thereto,

in

and death. 861-896

CHAPTER Burial place of

XXIII.

— Location of the graves of the Clark — Inscriptions on the grave-stones — Visit of the

George Rogers Clark

family in Cave Hill Cemetery

— Reflections upon there being no monument to honor memory Steps taken to secure one in connection with the great Indiana soldiers' monument at Indianapolis Successful efforts in that direction — Description of the monument — Abortive movements of Kentucky and the United States to erect a monument — Opinions of eminent men of George Rogers Clark and his services to his country S97-922 author to these graves

General Clark's

—

—

CHAPTER XXIV. ADDITIONAL SKETCHES OF MEN WHO SERVED UNDER GEORGE ROGERS CLARK.

— Major Thomas Quick— Captain Richard Brashear — Lieutenant — Lieutenant John Gerault— Lieutenant Michael Perault— General Robert Todd — Captain Levi Todd — Ebenezer and John Severns Edward Bulger— Captain Abram Chapline —James Curry, Levi Teall and Joseph Anderson — Colonel William Whitley —John Paul — Buckner Pittman.

John Sanders

Richard Harrison

923-96S

CHAPTER XXV. SOME HISTORICAL INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH CLARK'S GRANT. The region of the falls alwaj's a favorite place of resort — Abundance of fish and game — Battlefield and burying ground of some unknown race near Clarksville Ancient stone fortifications at the mouth of Fourteen-mile creek Other

—

forts

and stations

—

— Bland

Ballard's

escape

— Lieutenant

Richard Rue

Isaac

Bowman 969-9SS

CHAPTER XXVI. BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. 9S9-1019

Conquest of tbe

Hortbweet Volume

39

II

—

CHAPTER

XIV.

THE CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON AND OTHER BRITISH OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS SENT TO VIRGINIA AS PRISONERS. Hamilton's version of their treatment at Vincennes

— Who the prisoners were

Captains Williams and Rogers with twenty-five Virginia all

— Instructed

necessaries

by Colonel Clark

men convey

the prisoners to

to see that they are provided with

— Hamilton's account of the journey, and description of condi— Governor Henry's announcing the capture of

tion of the

Americans

Vincennes

— Hamilton

for cruelties inflicted

letter

put in irons and confined in a dungeon in retaliation

on American prisoners

ment of himself and colleagues the executive council

— Governor

— He explains and

— He

bitterly

justifies his action

treat-

— Correspondence

between General Washington and Governor Jefferson on verity of treatment finally relaxed

denounces

of Virginia acted on advice of

— Fac-simile of a

letter

che subject

— Se-

of Jefferson in re-

— Release on parole offered prisoners — Accepted by some finally accepted — Important on the subject — Leaves Virginia for New York — Recites troubles encountered on the way-— Reaches British comrades in New York in wretched condition for England — His subsequent career. exchanged and Is at Hamilton

lation to

Declined

at first

by Hamilton, but

letters, etc..

sails

last

r.

SHE capture with

all

of the British boats

the stores

Hamilton, as narrated

on the Wabash

river,

and valuable papers intended Chapter XII, added

in

ready overwhelming humiliation.

The

for

to his al-

night after signing

the agreement to surrender Fort Sackville he says he spent

"in assorting papers and preparing

ceremony

of the next day.

and indignation had

for the disagreeable

Mortification, disappointment

their turns."

(605)

It

was but the begin-

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

606 ning

unfortunate lieutenant-governor's

of the

and

trials

sorrows according to the narrative of his numerous and long-continued troubles as given in his report to his superior officers, to which reference has already been fre-

There

quently made.

ored and

some

in

made

same time,

to realize

hands as a prisoner

ment bed

is

account was col-

what

is

it is

evident that he to

be

whom

in

was

an enemy's

special resent-

on a

certainly not allowed to sleep

of roses.

He

what was

realized

and possibly

we

Clark ordered neck-iron which,

in

in store for

for himself, at

evening of the day

some

of his

comrades,

the very beginning.

capitulated,*'

says he, " Colonel

and handcuffs

fetters

"The

to

be made

our hearing, he declared were designed for those

officers who I

it

war, towards

of

He was

felt.

this

respects exaggerated to suit his side of

the case, but, at the

very forcibly

no doubt

is

had been employed as partisans with the Indians.

took him aside and reminded him that these prisoners were

war included

prisoners of

so lately set his that he

hand

to.

in the capitulation

He said his

had made a vow never

child of the Indians, or those

them.

my

I

which he had

resolution

to spare

was formed;

man, woman or

who were emploved

with

observed to him that these persons, having obeved

orders,

them; that

were not I

to

be blamed for the execution of

had never known

to those orders,

that the}-

by encouraging the

on the contrary, and that

if

had acted contrarv

crueltv of the savages;

he was determined to pass by

the consideration of his faith and that of the public, pledged for the

performance of the

he might throw than the others.

articles of capitulation, I desired

me into prison, or lay me in irons, rather He smiled contemptuously, turned away

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS and ordered three irons should be

of

of these persons to the

The

made.

hung up by our

dians were

IN VIRGINIA.

guard

607 till

young man

tents; a

Rainbault was brought into the

of the

name

with a halter about

fort

his neck,

and only

from the

Illinois,

infallibly

been hanged without any crime

for the interposition of the volunteers

some

of

whom

were

would

his relations,

charge

laid to his

but his having been with a scouting party.

He was

strangled before he was taken from the tree.

Our

told us that

stroy

some

the

scalps of the slaughtered In-

of the rebels

we thought

to de-

As we situation we

opportunity.

first

could not guard against any attempt in the

then found ourselves,

soldiers

had sworn solemnly

Major Hay and myself the

half

best to appear unac-

it

quainted with any such resolution, but

we were

twice in

the night obliged to fly for security to Colonel Clark's quarters in the fort,

two men that were intoxicated, and whose

names had been given

attempting to shoot us in our

The attempt was proved but no punishment ensued.

tent.

We

us,

were kept

though

I

in the

dark as

to the

had repeatedly asked

it,

day

that

of

our departure,

we might have bread

baked and prepare what was necessary."

He was

not kept in suspense as to the time of his depart-

ure very long, for, on the 7th of March, according to

Bow-

man's journal, " Captain Williams and Lieutenant Rogers, with twenty-five

men,

the

set off for

conduct the following prisoners,

viz.

:

falls

of

Ohio, to

Lieutenant-Governor

Henry Hamilton, Major John Hay, Captain William Lamothe, Monsieur Dejean (grand judge tenant John Schieffelin, Doctor

I.

of Detroit)

,

Lieu-

McBeth, Francis Ma-

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

6o3

sonville,

Mr. L. F.

(French interpreter) with

Bellefeuille

,

eighteen privates."

memoir

Clark's

says

men,

twenty-five

"On

:

Williams and Rogers

the 7th of March, Captains

out by water with a part}- of

set

conduct the British

to

officers to

Ken-

tucky; and, farther to weaken the prisoners, eighteen privates

were

After their arrival at the

also sent.

falls of

the

Ohio, Captain Rogers had instructions to superintend their route to Williamsburg, to furnish

them with

all

the neces-

sary supplies on their way, and to await the orders of the

By weakening

governor." of course,

meant

and take care

falls of

the

same:

the Ohio,

names the

to

who

"Received

mentioned prisoners, 31st, 1779.

Wm.

in

Captain Harrod, presumably

at

executed the following receipt for

Captain Williams, the within

of

number

twenty-six,

Herrod, captain."

of the eight officers,

list,

to look after

have been turned over temporar-

to

by Captain Williams

the

number he had

of.

These prisoners seem ily

the prisoners, Colonel Clark,

to lessen the

March

above mentioned by

accompanying the

receipt,

the

In addition to the

gives the

Bowman, names

of

Sergeant James Parkinson and Corporal Abel Leazenbv,

and sixteen

privates, as follows

:

Robert Bryant, George

John Fraser, John Sutherland, Thomas Keppel, John Wall, Christ Macgra (McCrow), John Brebin (BreSpittal,

bonne) William Taylor, Patrick Mackinlie, Reuben Yesev. ,

Amos

Ainsley, Benjamin Pickering, John

Perry and Belser Givine

(.?),*

*The given names were not mentioned added.

The

list

Home, William

contains twenty-six names.

in

the receipt, but have since been

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

609

Captain John Rogers, a kinsman of Clark, as already stated,

seems

to

have been charged with the duty of seeing

that the prisoners

were conveyed from the

to the capital of Virginia.

issued to

The

him by Colonel Clark

Captain Williams to the

falls of

falls of

following instructions were

:

" You are

to

accompany

Ohio and

to

accompany

the

They

the prisoners from thence to Williamsburg.

guarded and conducted by the Kentucky to

You

will

draw

are

for the

account thereof

His Excellenc}', the governor."

As

evidence in contradiction of the charge

Hamilton it

just

be

possible to

if

on the treasury

bills

expenses of 3'our journey, and render a to

will

You

militia.

be careful that they want no necessaries

procure them.

the Ohio

will

be observed that special instructions were given the charge to "be careful that they want no neces-

officer in saries,

made by

that Clark treated the British prisoners cruelly,

if

possible to procure

them."

The account given by Hamilton of the departure and journey is that "on the 8th day of March, we were put into a

heavy oak boat, being twenty-seven

our provision of flour and pork

at

number, with

in

common

rations,

and

fourteen gallons of spirits for us, and our guard, which consisted of twenty-three persons, including two officers.

We

had before us three hundred and

and eight hundred and

carriage,

sixty miles of water

forty to

march

to

the

The we reached the Ohio, whose waters an uncommon and astonishing degree. The

place of our destination, Williamsburg, Virginia. 10th, in the afternoon,

were out

in

depth above the banks eighteen current as

made

it

very fatiguing

feet,

to

with such a swift

row, which

we

all

did,

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

6lO

in turn,

while our guards were distributed in four light

boats.

At night we were obliged to

it

fast to a tree, for the flood

and lay

rain,

not

room

throw a cover over head,

to

like

tated

arms and escape

among

us, but the idea

accompany

to

knocked

"Arrived

the hands of the rebels for

Here we found a in eternal

it.

;

our escort obliged

us part of the way, but they disappeared

in the

at the

This was agi-

Delaware Indians, who were hunt-

one day, and we were given quietly

together, having

was given up on the per-

left in

having only their bows and arrows

them

keep out the

presently found the

Natchez.

Vincennes would be sufferers

"We fell in with four ing,

We

to the

suasion that our companions at St.

jammed

to

guards such as would have enabled us to

discipline of our seize their

swine close

extend ourselves.

to

our boat, making

We made a miserable shift with our

as the eye could reach.

mast and oars

in

lie

extended as far in the woods

to

understand that they were

head.

falls

number

of the

Ohio the 30th

of settlers

who

March.

of

houses

live in log

apprehension from the Indians.

remark-

It is

able that the party from St. Vincennes had been so vigilant that the

news

of Fort Sackville falling into

17th of December was only

known on

our hands the

the 27th of

March.

Colonel Clark had promised to send fifteen horses to place for our use on the march, but that never

formed.

He had

this

was per-

apprised us that there was but

little

chance of escaping with our lives, the people on the frontiers

were so exasperated by the inroads this

we found he had

of the Indians,

and

in

told us the truth, being often threat-

ened upon the march and waylaid

at different times.

Our

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

6I

I

guards, however, behaved very well, protected us and

hunted

for us, else

we must have

starved, for our rations

were long since expended and our allowance

of bear's flesh

The

and Indian meal was frequently very scanty. at the fort are in a

state

every night within the

cattle

when march we had

the field

the}

at

7

go

to

—obliged

fort,

to enclose their

and carry

their rifle to

On

plow or cut wood.

our long

frequently hunger and thirst to encounter,

At length we gained

as well as fatigue.

and

wretched

people

Lynch's

ferry,

on the James

the settled country,

river,

were put

into

canoes and continued our progress by water."

The news

of Clark's

of the British

wonderful success and the approach

prisoners

was now spreading

all

over the

country, creating great excitement and enthusiasm, especially in Virginia.

Hemy

Governor Patrick

haste " from Williamsburg to Richard

Henry Lee on

May, that u Governor Hamilton,

19th of

wrote "

of Detroit,

in

the is

a

prisoner, with the judge of that countr}-, several captains,

lieutenants in his

and

all

the British

who accompanied Hamilton

conquest of the Wabash.

Our brave Colonel Clark hundred Virginians

(sent out from our militia) with one

besieged the governor in a strong fort with several hundreds, and with small arms alone fairly took the whole

corps prisoners and sent them into our interior countrv.

This

is

a most gallant action, and

frontiers

in great

are said to be of

measure.

if

trust will secure

The goods taken

immense amount, and

the Indians to espouse our interests.

and

I

I

hope

Detroit

our

b} Clark y

will influence

now

totters;

Clark had a few of Mcintosh's forces the place

would be ours

directly.

I've late sent the

French there

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

61 2

the state papers, translated into their language,

all

hands

of a priest

who

by the

believe has been very active.

I

I

can not give you the other particulars of Clark's success,

messenger

his

to

me

by the Indians. " Adieu, my dear for the public

b}

you

T

for so

being killed and the

Ma) you

sir.

letters

being torn

continue your labors

7

good, which has been so

much forwarded

long a time.

" Yrs

in haste,

" P. Henry.'**

"On

May," says Hamilton, "being on we were agreebly surprised to

the 20th of

shore to get refreshments,

find ourselves at Brigadier (Alexander) Hamilton's quar-

who endeavored by

his

kindness and hospitality to

make

us forget our hardships.

at the

house of a rebel, Colonel Lewis,

The same evening, halting we had the good

ters,

fortune to see two officers of the convention arm)'. tain

Freeman, aid-de-camp

was so obliging Phillips,

capitulation tain with a

one

1

for

On

to Chesterfield,

June

The time had now

•''

(

1

where we remained

,

779)

when Hamilton and his printo much harsher treatment than

they had before encountered.

This proceeded from sev-

no doubt, seem

less forcible to us

than they did to the Americans of that day. *Life of Patrick

Henry by

to Rich-

arrived

were subjected

eral causes, which,

General

the 26th a rebel cap-

guard marched us from Beaverdam

^th of

cipal officers

letter to

your excellency containing the

and some returns.

mond, from thence until the

General Reidevel (Riedsel),

be the bearer of a

as to

as also

to

Cap-

his grandson, Vol.

J. p.

31.

At

now

the time

1

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS of the surrender of

IN VIRGINIA.

Burgoyne many thousand

6

British pris-

oners had been sent into Virginia, where they were treated

with great liberality and kindness, largely on account of the influence exercised in their behalf

by Thomas

Jefferson,

afterwards governor of that state, and president of the

United States. Instead of this clemency inspiring a like liberal treatment of

Americans held

by the

as prisoners

British,

of well authenticated history that they

stances,

treated

Especially

was

with

unwonted

it is

were,

neglect

a matter

many

in

and

in-

cruelty.

number of American in New York harbor,

this true of the great

prisoners forced into prison ships

then in possession of the British, and elsewhere,

General

treated with absolute barbarity.

who were

Heath,

in

his

memoir, said that the American prisoners in New York were " crowded in prisons and sugar-houses; they fell sick

and died

in the

on a morning,

It was common, come and take away the

most shocking manner. for the

cartman

to

bodies for burial by cart loads."

Another writer says

"from

ten to twenty died daily, and their remains were

thrown

into pits without a single rite of burial.

provost,

where

officers chiefly

were they packed that when

In the old

were incarcerated, so their

bones ached

from lying on the hard planks, and they wished it

was done by the word

man mass river, the

of

turned at once.

hulk

command, and

at

closely

night

to turn,

the whole hu-

In Wallabout bay, across the

of the Jersey,

an old sixty-four gun ship,

unseaworthy, with masts and rigging gone, was a scene of

human

suffering

chills the

hand

which even now,

that

at the

would draw a pen

end

of a century,

picture,

however

in-

614 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON adequate. scorching

No warmth summer

in

winter,

no screen from the

sun, no physician, no clergyman soothed

or consoled the dying in that center of contagious disease,

which was never cleansed, and constantly replenished with

new

victims.

It

is

estimated that eleven thousand of

dead were buried on the Brooklyn shore.

York

Man}' a

New

citizen tried to alleviate the horrors of the prisons

prison-ships, for there

were several

its

and

but mili-

of the latter,

tary law prevailed; no communication with prisoners

allowed, and aid conveyed to them by stealth only 11 *

was

doomed

the benefactor to a similar fate.

it

The American commissioner of prisons, Elias Boudinot, is said, made the astounding statement which seems al-

most incredible,

'"that in

one prison-ship alone, called the

Jersey, which was anchored near New York, eleven thousand

American prisoners died whole

of

fled in a

in

eighteen months; almost the

them from the barbarous treatment crowded hold with

unwholesome food." nent in his day, and

France, recorded

infected air,

Joel Barlow,

in his

war were unexampled among

frontiers,

were the •

to

him, and Mr.

by the

first

British

years of the

civilized nations. atrocities perpetrated

children,

upon

and unarmed men on the

by ungovernable savages, organized, encouraged,

*Mrs. Lamb's History of the City of 1

to

that the cruelties exercised

like character

quite promi-

book, called the Columbiad, that

armies on American prisoners during the

Of

sti-

one time United States Minister

at

American women and

being

and poisoned with

who was

Mr. Boudinot made the above statement Barlow adds,

of

Barlow's Columbiad, note

37, p. 171,

New Vol.

York, j,

p. 20S.

edition of 1S09, Philadelphia.

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS and rewarded,

in

some

most among these

instances,

officers

was

by

IN VIRGINIA.

615 Fore-

British officers.

said to

have been Hamilton,

now thrown, by the fortunes of war, into the hands same Thomas Jefferson, who had only a short time

of this

before

Smarting under the

been chosen governor of Virginia.

apparent ingratitude of the British, and the cruelties

on the western

flicted

frontiers,

and on the American

oners in the east, Governor Jefferson decided

it

to

in-

pris-

be a duty

he owed his country to treat Hamilton and a few of

immediate

officers

with a return of severity; not only be-

cause, as he avers, they deserved retaliation

he hoped

it,

but also because by

to force the British to a greater len-

His

iency in the treatment of prisoners.

justification of

has been fully written by Mr. Jefferson him-

this action

and

self,

his

author

the

mainly the words

prefers

the

of

this

in

account

distinguished

use

to

parties

them-

selves.

To

that

end

be given the continuation of Gov-

will first

ernor Hamilton's grievances. field

an

officer

under the hand

He

says that at Chester-

met the party, " having a written order of the

Jefferson, for taking

governor

me

of the province,

in irons to

Williamsburg.

accordingly handcuffed, put upon a horse, and, not being suffered to go with me,

the

valise

I

was

my servant

was fastened

Captain Lamothe was ordered to accompany

behind me.

me, being

my

Thomas

in

like

march heated

several large boils

manner handcuffed.

The

fatigues

of

my blood to a violent degree. I had on my legs; my handcuffs were too tight

but were eased at a smith's shop on the road; thus, some-

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

6l6 times

second evening

We were half

at

of

mob

where we remained

to the palace

hungry, and

this

time a considerable

gathered about us, which accompanied us to

we were

This poor

handcuffed.

put into a

five criminals

five felons

were

as

happy

rum

exchange.

I

a bed, the

make them, and so night. The next dav

could

we were left to our repose for that we three were taken out about eleven o number of people our handcuffs taken in

also

could not refrain from tears

We had the floor for as

On

jail.

not ten feet square,

cell,

and Mr.Dejean, who was

man

on seeing our equipment.

about.

but had not even a

thirsty,

During

water offered us.

where we found

the

governor's door, in wet

in the street at the

our arrival there

on

arrived

Williamsburg, having come sixty miles.

conducted

an hour

clothes, weary,

cup

sometimes walking, we

and

riding

clock, off

was honored with the

and before a

and

fetters

largest,

put

which

weighed eighteen pounds eight ounces."

While the

fetters

were being put on Hamilton, he em-

braced the occasion to pour out a torrent of abuse of the

Americans, which, while probably natural, was not calculated to excite

him

in

sympathy

charge.

continues,

'

in his behalf,

with the

men who had

'When our fetters were properly

"we were remanded

the five felons were removed.

to

The

'

he

our dungeon from which

The

from a gate, which faced the court with walls thirty feet high.

*

fixed,

light

of

we

twenty

received

was

feet square,

prison having been built

we were

subject to one

very offensive inconvenience, in the heat of

summer almost

sixty years,

it

may be

suffocating; our door

We

conceived

was onlv opened

to give us water.

were not allowed any candle, and from the

first to

the

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS our confinement,

last of

we

IN VIRGINIA.

619

never could find that the gov-

ernor or council had ordered provision of an}' kind to be

made

for us except water, with

The

well supplied.

bad

a prey,

my

on

effect

His account shows

we were

companions.''

that, in

some

respects, the order as to

treatment was not very rigorously enforced, for he pro-

his

cured pen, ink and paper from the

jailer,

and proceeded

These com-

to write furiously to the Virginia authorities.

munications,

seems, remained unanswered.

it

plains that the jailer searched his papers, but

have been a search

to

really very

chagrin, and want of exercise began to

air,

produce their

which we were

variety of vermin to which

he was successful

in

of a

it

com-

Pie

appears not

very rigid character, as he says

keeping

his journal,

and other useful

papers, concealed.

He

"August

continues:

other prisoners from

burg.

Chesterfield,

The soldiers were confined

officers, five in

Major Hay, with the

31st,

number, were put

arrived at Williams-

in the debtor's

dungeons with

into the

which made the heat intolerable.

us,

room, the

At eleven

at night

we were obliged to alarm the prisoners in the next cell, who passed the word to the guard for the jailer, our surgeon being on the point of suffocating, an asthma

was

subject having seized

him

at this time,

lence that he lost his pulse for ten minutes.

wafting a blanket to draw some

was of

insufficient,

mind

to

and

if

which he

with that vio-

We had tried by

through the gate, but

this

he had not had presence enough

open a vein, he would probably have expired,

for the state of the air

we had

air

to

lately

was such

that a candle, with

been indulged, would barely

near the top of the 40

cell.

The

jailer

took Mr.

live,

which if

held

McBeath out

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

62 O

and suffered him

him, that

clare, in justice to

more

feeling

by

own room, and

to sleep in his

far

than

his

must de-

he showed

in several points

The door

emplovers.

of

our

continuing shut for several days, the poor prisoners,

cell

young and

men and women,

old,

debarred the use of the court liberty

which

at length

we

offered to be locked up

if

had.

we might be

and

allowed that

1 '

Having now given Hamilton's version let

I

of his grievances

us hear the version of the other side.

Governor

Jef-

ferson appears not to have acted hastilv in the matter, or entirely

on

his

own

volition.

some

advised bv the exec-

and the reason

utive council of Virginia, set out, at

He was

for their action as

length, in their proceedings,

is

"In Council, June

"The board of

proceeded

here given: 18, 1779.

to the consideration of the letters

Colonel Clark, and other papers relating to

Hamilton, Esq.,

who

Henry

has acted for some years past as

lieutenant-governor of the settlement at and about Detroit,

and commandant

Guy

of the British garrison there,

under Sir

Carleton, as governor-in-chief; Philip Dejean, justice

of the peace for Detroit,

and William Lamothe, captain

of

volunteers, prisoners of war, taken in the county of Illinois.

"The)' find that Governor Hamilton has executed the task of inciting the Indians to perpetrate their accustomed cruelties

on the

citizens of the

United States, without

tinction of age, sex or condition, with

avidity

an eagerness and

which evince that the general nature

harmonized with have been

his particular disposition.

satisfied,

these enormities

dis-

of his

charge

They should

from the other testimony adduced, that

were committed by savages acting under

1

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

62

commission; but the number of proclamations which,

his

different times,

were

left in

seal of

At

doubt.

is

houses, the inhabitants of which

away by

killed or carried

proclamations

and

were

at

the Indians, one of which

in possession of the

board, under the hand

Governor Hamilton, puts the time of his captivity,

it

beyond a

this fact

appears he had sent

considerable bodies of Indians against the frontier settle-

ments

and had actually appointed a great

of these states,

council of Indians to meet

him

at

Tennessee,

to concert

the operations of this present campaign.

" They find that

his

treatment of our citizens and soldiers,

taken and carried within the limits of his

been cruel and inhuman; that

command,

in the case of

has

John Dodge,

a citizen of these states, which has been particularly stated to this

board, he loaded him with irons, threw him into a

dungeon, without bedding, without straw, without the dead of winter

and severe climate

that state, he wasted

death; that

him

incessant expectations of

the rigors of his situation had brought

so low that death

their

seemed

likely to

withdraw him from

power, he was taken out and somewhat attended

until a to

when

him with

fire, in

of Detroit; that, in

little

mended, and before he had recovered

walk was again returned

to his

dungeon,

in

to,

abilitv

which a

hole was cut seven inches square only, for the admission of air,

and the same load

of irons again put

on him; that ap-

pearing, a second time, in imminent danger of being lost to

them, he was again taken from

had

lain

from January

till

his

dungeon,

in

which he

June, with the intermission of a

few weeks only, before mentioned.

622 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

"That Governor Hamilton gave standing rewards none

scalps, but offered

Indians, after into the

making

neighborhood

and carry

death

welcomed

of the

to the stake,

creted from

fort,

scalps

and success

fire

was

to

who

a discharge of cannon.

and destined

to

already kindled, and himself

was dexterously withdrawn, and

them by the humanity

large reward

them

governor,

to the

b}"

baggage

there to put

a prisoner, brought alive,

death by the Indians, the

bound

which induced the

their captives carry their

in their

their return

"That when

for prisoners,

for

se-

of a fellow-prisoner, a

offered for the discovery of the victim,

which having tempted a servant

to betray his

concealment,

the present prisoner, Dejean, being sent with a party of soldiers,

the

surrounded the house, took and threw into

unhappy victim and

soon expired under that he

was again

to

his

deliverer,

where the former

the perpetual assurances of Dejean

be restored into the hands

and the latter, when enlarged, was manded by Governor Hamilton. ages;

"

It

jail

of the sav-

bitterly repri-

appears to them that the prisoner Dejean was on

all

occasions the willing and cordial instrument of Governor

Hamilton, acting both as judge and keeper

of the jails,

and instigating and urging him, by malicious insinuations and untruths,

to increase rather

than relax his severities,

heightening the cruelty of his orders by his manner of executing them; offering at one time a reward to one

be hangman

for another, threatening his

and taking from

his prisoners the little

portunities enabled

them

to acquire.

life

on

man

to

refusal,

property their op-

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS "

IN VIRGINIA.

62$

appears that the prisoner, Lamothe, was a captain of

It

the volunteer scalping parties of Indians

went from time

time under general orders to

to

men, women nor

neither

and whites, who

From

children.

spare

this detail of

circumstances, which arose in a few cases only, coming accidentally to the selves authorized

knowledge by

fair

of the board, they think

them-

deduction to presume what would

be the horrid history of the sufferings of the

many who have

expired under their miseries (which, therefore, will remain

who have remote and too much

forever untold), or

escaped from them, and are

yet too

dispersed to bring together

their well-founded accusations against the prisoners.

"'They have seen that the conduct of the British

and

civil

military, has in the

savage and unprecedent officers jails,

whole course

among

of this

officers,

war been

civilized nations; that

taken by them have been confined

in

our

crowded

loathsome dungeons and prison-ships, loaded with

irons, supplied often with

no food, generally with too

for the sustenance of nature,

and that

little

little

sometimes un-

sound and unwholesome, whereby such numbers have perished

that captivity

and death have with them been

almost synonymous; that they have been transported be-

vond seas, where

their fate

is

out of the reach of our inquiry,

have been compelled to take arms against their country,

and by a refinement their

own

in crueltv, to

become murderers

of

brethren.

"Their prisoners with us have, on the other hand, been treated with fed

on

all

humanity and moderation; they have been

occasions, with

wholesome and

plentiful food,

suffered to go at large within extensive tracts of country,

624 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTEXANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON treated with liberal hospitality, permitted to live in the families

of

enjoy

our

and

profits,

participate of the

finally to

from

benefits of society, privileged

"Reviewing

this contrast,

our enemies themselves,

now been

and

citizens, to labor for themselves, to acquire

all

principal

burdens.

which can not be denied bv

in a single point,

and which has

kept up during four years of unremitting war,

a term long enough to produce well-founded despair that

our moderation

may ever

lead

them

manity; called on by that justice

hu-

to the practice of

we owe

to those

who

are

fighting the battles of our countiy, to deal out, at length,

miseries to their enemies, measure for measure, distress the feelings of

and

to

mankind by exhibiting to them specwhere we had long and vainly

tacles of severe retaliation,

endeavored

to introduced

pily possessed,

individuals

an emulation

by the fortune

who, having distinguished themselves person-

work

on, with the

of retaliation

—

subjects to begin

fit

this

advise the governor, that the said

Philip

hap-

war, of some of those very

of

ally in this line of cruel conduct, are

to

in kindness;

board has resolved

Henry Hamilton,

Dejean and William Lamothe, prisoners

of war, be

put in irons, confined in the dungeons of the public

jail.

debarred the use of pen, ink and paper, and excluded converse except with their keeper.

tion, and, as

mended

it,

in relation to

was

the governor or-

Arch. Blair, C. C,"

ders accordingly.

This action

And

all

Hamilton made quite

natural, the

and the

British

remonstrance were forwarded

a sensa-

Americans generally com-

condemned to

it.

Letters

of

Governor Jefferson by the

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS and

British authorities,

one

to

IN VIRGINIA.

of these

625

he prepared the

following vigorous, but rather voluminous, reply from Will-

iamsburgh, July 22, 1779, to the governor of Quebec:* "Your letter on the subject of Lieutenant-Governor

Hamilton's confinement came safely to hand.

I

shall,

with

great cheerfulness, explain to you the reason on which the

advice of council of

doing what

is

was founded,

right, the greatest

we do approved by

"We

since, after the satisfaction is

that of having

what

whose opinions deserve esteem.

those

think ourselves justified in Governor Hamilton's

confinement, on the general principle of national

strict

To

retaliations.

cruelty to

state to

you the

particular facts of British

American prisoners would be

melan-

to give a

choly history from the capture of Colonel Ethan Allen, at the beginning of the war, to the present day, a history

which

will avoid, as equallv disagreeable to

I

you and

to

me. "I, with pleasure, do you the those facts to be very

justice to say that I believe

much unknown

to vou, as

Canada

has been the only scene of vour service in America, and in

we have

that quarter ton,

and the other

reason to believe that Sir

officers

commanding

Guy

Carle-

there, have treated

our prisoners (since the instance of Colonel Allen) with considerable lenity.

what

in

New

uninformed

;

What

has been done in England, and

York and Philadelphia, you are probablv

as

it

would hardly be made the subject

of

epistolary correspondence. * This

is

the address given in the Virginia State Papers.

dress

is,

In the edition of

Thomas Jefferson, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons, the ad"Sir Guv Carleton, Governor of Canada." Governor of Quebec is

The Writings

probablv right.

of

See Mr. Brvmner's

letter

near close of this chapter.

626 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

"I

confinement

will only observe to you, sir, that the

and treatment

our

of

officers, soldiers

and seamen have

been so vigorous and cruel as that a very great proportion of the

whole

captured in the course of

of those

this

war,

and carried

to Philadelphia while in possession of the British

army, and

to

New

that cause only

;

York, have perished miserablv from

and

that this fact

is

as well established with

us as any historical fact which has happened in the course of

A

the war. office,

and

gentleman

of

of this

known and

taken on sea, carried to

commonwealth

in

established character,

New York

public

who was

and exchanged, has

given us lately a particular information of the treatment of

our prisoners there. li

by land,

Officers taken

it

seems, are permitted to go on

parole within certain limits on shall

be made

Long

to their prejudice

other equally worthless person, the provost

in

New

Island,

till

suggestions

by some Torv refugee, or

when

thev are hurried to

York, without inquiring 'whether

they be founded upon positive

facts,

be matter

or taken from the report of interested men."

of hearsay,

The example

of inquiring into the truth of charges of this nature accord-

ing to legal principles of evidence has surely not been set us

by our enemies. and were for the

We

told they

inquired what these provosts were,

were the common miserable

confinement of malefactors. Officers and

jails, built

men

taken

been by sea were kept in prison ships infested with on by the crowd* from five to ten a day.

"When

therefore

we

are desired to advert to the possible

consequences of treating prisoners with rigor, *Parts

of"

one

line

and

all

I

need onlv

of another at bottom of the page lacking.

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS ask I

when

any British

sir,

who have had

as

the fortune of

627

us, assuredly.

good opportunities

what manner we

officer of learning in

whom

those

Not with

did these rigors begin?

think you,

IN VIRGINIA.

war has put

as

treat

into our hands,

can clear us from the charge of rigor, as far as your

knowledge or information has extended.

"I can

Governor Hamilton's

assert that

stance which has occurred in

my own

is

it is

altogether unheard of

all,

there

rare,

if

or they could not have been

by me.

of kindness to prisoners

if

unknown

These instances must have been extremely

me.

they have ever existed at

as

first in-

country, and

has been another in any of the United States, to

the

When

a uniform exercise

on our part has been returned by

uniform severity on the part of our enemies, you must

excuse

me

for saying

it

high time, by other lessons, to

is

teach respect to the dictates of humanity. retaliation

becomes an

" But suppose, the drudgery

sir,

In such a case

act of benevolence.

we were willing

still

ton's conduct has been such as to call for

ishment on him personally.

much

view

in

longer to decline

Governor Hamil-

of general retaliation, }*et

exemplary pun-

In saying this

his particular cruelties to

have not so

I

our citizens, pris-

oners with him (which, though thev have been

great,

were

of necessity confined to a small scale), as the general nature of the service

he undertook

exercise of cruelties

"Those who other.

and

No

ally

and the extensive

which they involved.

act together in

distinction can

by those against

who employs

at Detroit,

war

are answerable to each

be made between the principal

whom

the

war

is

waged.

another to do a deed makes the deed

his

He own.

628 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON he

If

calls in the

becomes the

hand

of the assassin or

rule of

an indiscriminate butchery

is

men, women and children.

of

The known

assassin or murderer.

warfare of the Indian savages

murderer, himself

These savages under

this

well-known character are employed by the British nation as

allies

the

in

war

Governor

against the Americans.

Hamilton undertakes

be the conductor

to

of the

war.

In

the execution of that undertaking, he associates small par-

under

of whites

ties

his

parties of the savages, jointly

frontiers.

and sends them

Governor Hamilton then

fair rules of

children.

sometimes

strictest

fort or

I

himself the butcher

is

will not

war would extend

ishment against him; but

tation

to act,

with large

but the farming settlements on our

field,

men, women and

length the

its

command

and sometimes separately, not against our

armies in the

of

immediate

I

am

sav to what

the right of pun-

sure that confinement under

circumstances, as a retaliation for Indian devas-

and massacre, must be deemed

"I apprehend you had not

lenitv.

sufficientlv adverted to

expression in the advice of the council,

when you

the

sup-

pose the proclamation there alluded to to be the one addressed to the inhabitants of the Illinois, afterwards printed in the public papers

to,

to

be confirmed

to contain

proclamation there alluded

contained nothing more than an invitation to our officers

and he

and *

denunciations

is

soldiers to join the British

pleased to

duce these

of the Indians *T\vo

call rebels

among

lines at

;

and

and

arms against those

traitors.

whom

In order to intro-

our people were put into the hands in

every house where they murdered or

bottom of page gone.

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS away

carried

the family

Some

mations.

of

they

IN VIRGINIA.

one

left

them were found

these procla-

of

sticking in the breasts

murdered; one, under the hand and

of the persons

Governor Hamilton, came

629

The

to our hands.

seal of

Indians

being the bearer of the proclamations under the hand and

Governor Hamilton

seal of ject of

(

no matter what was the sub-

them), there can be no doubt

his direction,

and, as including

if

you

to recur to the address of the Illinois,

you

find that

will

though

were acting under

will

made

all

cited

be so good as

which you

refer to,

does not in express terms

it

threaten vengeance, blood and massacre, yet the governor had

was

this proof, the fact

But

in the advice of the council.

the)'

for us the

it

proves that

most ample provision

of

these calamities.

"He

there o-ives in detail the horrid catalogue of savage

nations, extending

from south

whom

north,

to

he had

leagued with himself to wage combined war on our frontiers

•

and

it is

well

known

that that

war would

of course

be made up of blood and general massacre of men,

and children.

come

to

Other papers

of

women

Governor Hamilton have

our hands, containing instructions to

officers

going

out with scalping parties, of Indians and whites, and prov-

ing that that kind of orders. I

Further proof

suppose the

" Your ever

war was waged under

may

in

seems

to

express

abundance might be added, but

fact too notorious to

letter

his

need them.

admit an inference

have been the general conduct

of

that,

what-

our enemies

towards their prisoners, or whatever the personal conduct of

Governor Hamilton,

you consider him

yet, as a prisoner

as privileged

from

strict

by

capitulation,

confinement.

I

63O CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON do not pretend

My

idea

an intimate knowledge

to

that the

is

term

one, the specification of tion

'

prisoners of war'

which

first,

is,

is

a generic

prisoners at discre-

and, second, prisoners on convention of capitulation.

;

Thus,

in the

November

debate in the House of

'prisoner,'

Commons

in

savs he

presence)

his

and General Burgoyne

under the terms

be such as

to

to

in

of particular

The treatment of

the

first

be approved by the usage of

humane, unless

a contrary

an enemy or individual render a

strict treat-

polished nations; gentle and

conduct

a

convention of Saratoga,' intimating

of the

species entitled to certain terms.

ought

of

is

calls himself a 'prisoner

though a prisoner, he was a prisoner

that,

of the 27th

on the address, the minister speaking

last,

General Burgoyne (and

class

of this subject.

The

ment necessary.

prisoners of the second class have

nothing to exempt them from a like treatment with those of the first,

make

except so far as they shall have been able to

better terms

as these shall

by

So

articles of capitulation.

then

far

have provided for an exemption from

strict

treatment, so prisoners on capitulation have a right to be distinguished from those at discretion.

I

do not propose

*

history furnishes,

thereto,

though such instances might be produced from

where

certain causes antecedent

one case when the king himself

English history too, and

in

commanded

Marshal Boutiers, after the taking

in

of the Castle of of

Namur, was

arrested

and detained

war, by King William, though by an

capitulation of

person.

the

it

was

garrison

^Soine words

at

in

article

stipulated that the officers

general,

bottom of page gone.

a prisoner

and

in

the

soldiers

and Marshal Boutiers,

b^-

1

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS name, should be on

ernor Hamilton

to

However, we waive reasoning

at liberty.

is

violated

by

his

confinement.

Perhaps not having seen the capitulation, vou were led

suppose

it

a thing of course that, being able to obtain

terms of surrender, they would treatment.

which you prisoners

will see that the of

first

provide for their

own

enclose you a copy of the capitulation,

I

war, and

ment they were

to

ilton signs indeed, tives

63

head, because no article in the capitulation of Gov-

this

11

IN VIRGINIA.

second

nothing

be entitled

is

article

said

them

declares to the

treat-

Governor

Ham-

as

When

to.

by

he adds a flourish, containing the mo-

inducing him to capitulate, one of which was con-

enemy.

fidence in a generous

on a large

that generosity

him.

However

these

He

scale

were only

should have reflected

would take

side against

his private

motives and

did not enter into the contract with Colonel Clark.

"Being as

prisoners of

war then, with only such

had provided, and

their capitulation

privileges

that having pro-

vided nothing on the subject of their treatment, they are liable to

be treated as other prisoners.

tended our order as

whole

of

this

we might

corps.

We

justifiably

have not ex-

have done

to the

Governor Hamilton and Captain

Lamothe alone, as leading offenders, are The other officers and men are treated as

in

confinement.

if

they had been

taken in justifiable war; the officers being at large on their parole,

and the men

also

having their liberty

to a certain

extent.

" Dejeanwas not included eight days after on the

cennes.

in the capitulation,

being taken

Wabash, 150 miles from

St.

Vin-

632 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

"

hope,

I

sir,

that being

made more

on which the advice

the facts

fully

acquainted with

of council

was grounded,

and exercising your own good sense

ized nations, light

you

from that

in

to the

usage and sentiments of

will see the transaction in a

which

it

and candid

and the consequences deducted

deliberation on these facts,

from them according

in cool

appeared

and ascribe the advice

at the

time of writing

of the council, not to

your

letter,

want

of attention to the sacred nature of public

tions, of

which

lose sight,

I

hope we

shall never in

conven-

any circumstances

but to a desire of stopping the effusion of ye unof-

fending blood of

women and

children,

and the

able severities exercised on our captive officers in

civil-

very different

unjustifi-

and

soldiers

general by proper severities on our part."* It will

be observed that Hamilton and the other British

prisoners,

now

in

" durance vile," had been captured by

Virginia troops, and were that state,

under the order

being held as of the

prisoners

of

governor and council.

The relations between the states and the general government were then chaotic, and

authorities, in letters of

Governor

of the

British

remonstrance to the governor and

Jefferson, not being at all

with the technicalities of military the facts to General

but as the right to so

was vigorously denied by the

treat these prisoners

otherwise,

in transition,

affairs,

familiar

communicated

all

Washington, the commander-in-chief

Continental Army,, for the purpose of advising him

of the situation

and

eliciting his views,

*Virgina State Papers, Vol. Jefferson, Vol.

2,

1,

intending to conform

pp. 321, 322, ^2^, 324.

pp. 248 to 256, inclusive

:

Writings of

Putnam & Sons,

1S93.

Thomas

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

with whatever advice might be given.

his action

lowing

is

IN VIRGINIA.

633

The

fol-

the letter, dated Williamsburg, July 17, 1779:

"I, some time ago, enclosed to you a printed copy

of

an order of council, by which Governor Hamilton was

to

be confined letter

in irons, in close jail,

from General

"The

Phillips, of

which the enclosed

in close

idea was, that

deemed

a copy.

confinement, though his

capitulation should not have provided against

"My

is

general seems to think that a prisoner on capitu-

can not be put

lation

which has occasioned a

all

persons taken in war were to be

That those who surrender on

prisoners of war.

capitulation

it.

(or convention)

war

are prisoners of

also,

subject to the

same treatment with those who surrendered

at discretion,

except only so far as the terms of their capitu-

lation or convention shall

"In which

have guarded them.

the capitulation of Governor I

when he

,

no stipulation

is

signs, adds a flourish of reasons inducing

capitulate,

of

made as to the treatment or those taken with him. The governor, indeed,

enclose)

of himself,

Hamilton (a copy

one of which

is

the generosity of his

" Generosity, on a large and comprehensive to dictate the

making a

signal

example

scale,

of this

him

to

enemy. seemed

gentleman

;

but waiving that, these are only the private motives inducing him to surrender, and do not enter into the contract of

Colonel Clark.

I

have the highest idea

of those contracts

which take place between nation and nation,

would be the

last

on earth

to

do anything

at

war, and

in violation of

them.

"

I

can find nothing

as testimonials of the

in those

books usually recurred

law and usages

of nature

to

and nations,

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

634

which convicts the opinions

Yet

error.

seems

there

may be

I

have above expressed

of

such an usage as General Phillips

suppose, though not taken notice of by these

to

writers. tk

am

I

is

obliged to trouble vour excellencv on this occa-

by asking of you information on

sion,

no other person whose decision

There

this point.

will so authoritativelv

decide this doubt in the public mind, and none with which I

am

disposed so implicitly to comply.

If

vou

shall

be of

opinion that the bare existence of a capitulation, in the case of

Governor Hamilton, privileges him from confinement,

though there be no justice shall

article to that effect in the capitulation,

most assuredly be done him.

""The importance

own

my

anxiety under a charge of violation of national faith

by the executive apologize for

which

On at

and

of this point, in a public view,

I

my

know you

of

this

adding to

commonwealth, this to the

many

will,

troubles with

be burdened."*

the 6th of August, 1779, General Washington, then

West Point, answered Governor Jefferson's letter, "I have been honored with your letter of the

July,

hope,

I

upon the case

of

saving: 17th of

Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton.

This subject, on more mature consideration, appears to be involved in greater difficulty than I first

I

When

apprehended.

received the proceedings of the council

upon

it,

mitted in your excellency's letter of the 19th of June,

no doubt

* Writings 1S53,

I

had

of the propriety of the treatment decreed against

Mr. Hamilton, Maury,

trans-

of

as

being founded

Thomas

and referred

in principles of a just re-

Jefferson, Vol. i. p. ;:q (Published by Taylor to hereafter for brevity as Jefferson's Works).

&

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

and consulting with several seems

635

But, upon examining the matter more minutely,

taliation.

it

IN VIRGINIA.

to

be

intelligent

their opinion, that

general officers,

Mr. Hamilton could

not,

according to the usage of war, after his capitulation even in the

manner

severity

it

was made, be subjected

under that

him under

and

idea,

any uncommon

to

that the capitulation placed

a different footing from that of a

mere prisoner

at discretion.

"Whether

it

may

be expedient

to

continue him in his

present confinement from motives of policy, and to satisfy

our people, be,

I

is

a question

would take the

proper to publish

I

can not determine

;

but

liberty to suggest, that

if it

it

should

may

be

the cruelties he has committed or

all

abetted, in a particular manner, and the evidence in sup-

port of the charges, that the world, holding his conduct in

abhorrence,

may

feel

Indeed, whatever this

may

"

If,

may be

justice of his fate.

the line of conduct towards him,

be advisable.

from the considerations

of his treatment

is

upon any ground Phillips

and approve the

seems

to

have mentioned, the rigor

I

mitigated, yet he can not claim of right

the extensive indulgence which General

expect for him

and

•

I

should not hesitate

to

withhold from him a thousand privileges

to

common

tion;

prisoners.

and although the

He

I

might allow

certainly merits a discrimina-

practice of

war may not

justify all

may

the measures that have been taken against him, he

unquestionably, without an)- breach of public faith or the least

shadow

of imputation,

safe custody will be

be confined to a room.

an object

of great importance."

*Writings of Washington (Sparks), Vol.

41

6, p.

315.

1

His *

636 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON It

will.be seen from this letter that although General

Washington Hamilton

at first

entirely proper,

came

tion," he finally tion

considered the rigorous treatment of

to the conclusion

a prisoner of

(as

different footing

and "founded on a

just retalia-

"that the capitula-

war) placed Hamilton under a

from that of a mere prisoner

at discretion.*'

The general could

not determine, however, whether

would be expedient

to continue

it

Hamilton's present con-

finement as a matter of policy and to satisfy the wishes of the Americans, but appears to have thought he deserved

much

of the punishment he was receiving, and that "a thousand privileges " which might properly be allowed common

prisoners should be withheld from him.

Hamilton's safe

custody was a matter of great importance and he should, at least,

The

" be confined

letter, as a

in the severity of the

ing,

and

to this

to a

room."

whole, seemed to advise some relaxation treatment Hamilton had been receiv-

suggestion Governor Jefferson and his

council conformed.

The

latter

on the 29th of September: " The board having been,

at

took the following action

no time, unmindful of the

circumstances attending the confinement of Lieutenant-

Governor Hamilton, Captain Lamothe and Philip Dejean, which the personal

cruelties of those

men,

as well as the

general conduct of the enemy, had constrained them to

and willing

advise; wishing

may lead them to

to expect that their sufferings

the practice of humanity, should any future

turn of fortune in their favor submit to their discretion the fate of their fellow-creatures; that ition to others,

it

may prove an admon-

meditating like cruelties, not to rely for

i

m-

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

6y

IN VIRGINIA.

t

punity in any circumstances of distance or present security,

and that

it

may

induce an

enemy

to reflect

what must be

same

the painful consequences should a continuation of the

conduct on their part impel us again to severities, while such multiplied subjects of retaliation are within our power; sensible that no impression can be

the war,

against each other

of the victor,

their necks to the

and by the exercise

mode

same

unmanly

not to be decided by

light, will

of decision,

ond departure from kindness

to

is

war

Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton,

Dejean

to

confident

in the

we

the advice

—the board does advise

of a sec-

the only possible

motive to which can be candidly ascribed

Philip

in

enemy, viewing the

our captives;

that commiseration to our prisoners

about to give

power

be content to abide the event

and spare us the pain

actual circumstances of the

cruel-

honorable valor

of

the field, earnestly hoping that the subject in the

captives:

which has animated the two nations

is

on wretches who have bowed

of that

the event of

by wreaking vengeance on miserable

that the great cause

ties

made on

present

are

now

the governor to send

Lamothe

Captain

Hanover Court-House,

and

there to remain at

large, within certain reasonable limits, taking the parole in

the

usual

manner.

The governor

Ordered that Major John to the

same

Hay

be sent

orders also,

accordingly.

under parole,

place.'"'

Governor Jefferson enclosed these orders General Washington, on the

same time answered

"On

receipt of

ist

of council to

of October,

and

at the

the general's previous letter as follows:

your

letter

of

August

6th, during

my

absence, the council had the irons taken off the prisoners

638 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON of

war.

decide

When your ^dvice was asked, we meant it should with us and, upon my return to Williamsburg, the ;

A

matter was taken up and the enclosed advice given.

was formed,

parole

which the enclosed

of

Thev

tendered to the prisoners.

is

a copv, and

objected to that part of

it

which restrained them from saying anything to the prejudice of the

United States, and

They were, in the jail,

in

insisted

on 'freedom

of speech.'

consequence, remanded to their confinement

which must be considered

as a voluntary one, until

they can determine with themselves to be inoffensive,

word

New By

York,

her,

I

answer

flag sails

to negotiate the

have written

and enclosed

to

him

to a letter

I

Governor Hamilton.

On

A

as well as deed.

hence to-morrow

exchange

of

some

General Phillips on

to

him on

to

prisoners.

this subject,

copies of the within; intending

received from

in

it

as

an

the subject of

,, H '

'

the next day Governor Jefferson again wrote

Gen-

Washington, saying:

eral

"Just as the

letter

accompanying

this

Colonel Mathews arrived on parole from the

way

of headquarters,

on

this

subject, with

The

prisoners.

New

is

off.

York, by

bringing your excellency's

that of the British

subject

was going

letter

commissary

of great importance,

and

I

of

must,

therefore, reserve myself to answer after further consideration.

"Were say

it

I

to

was happy

mination of his tion.

speak from present impressions,

As

the

*JefYerson's

I

should

for

Governor Hamilton

that a final deter-

fate

was formed before

this

enemy have

Works, Vol.

1,

p. 230.

new informa-

released Captain Willing from

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

be induced, per-

his irons, the executive of this state will

But

haps, not to alter their former opinion.

639

is

it

impossible

that the}" can be serious in attempting to bull}' us in this

We have too many of their subjects in our power,

manner.

and too much iron

much

to clothe

I

will add, too

resolution to avail ourselves of both, to fear their pre-

However,

tended retaliation. of

them with, and

I

will

do mvself the honor

forwarding to your excellency the ultimate result of the

council on this subject.

"In consequence

of the information in the letter

from

the British commissary of prisoners, that no officers of the

Virginia line should be exchanged affair

was

York. to

which

flag,

anchor with a load of privates for

must therefore ask the favor

forward the enclosed by

as I it

I

Governor Hamilton's

we have stopped our

should be settled,

just hoisting

till

flag,

when an

suppose General Phillips will be

in

of

New

your excellency

opportunity offers,

New York

before

reaches you."*

On still

the 8th of the

another

" In mine

letter to

of the

same month Governor Jefferson wrote General Washington:

second of the present month, written

the instant of Colonel

Mathews

informed you what had

Governor Hamilton and

1

delivery of your letter,

been done on the subject his

companions, previous

in I

of

to that

moment. "

I

now enclose you an

of the

British

letter

you were pleased

commissary

*Jefferson's

advice of council, in consequence

Works, Vol.

of 1,

to enclose

prisoners,

p. 231.

me, from the

with one from

Lord

:

64O

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

Rawdon;

also a

copy

my

of

letter to

named.

closing, also, the papers therein

" The advice prisoners,

on

of council

allow the enlargement of

to

I

suppose, unless something on the

enemy should render

discontinue this kind of conduct. after,

it

necessarv.

however, that they will see

expect,

been

their giving a proper parole, has not

recalled, nor will be,

part of the

Colonel Mathews, en-

I

it

am

I

rather

their interest to

afraid

I

shall here-

perhaps, be obliged to give your excellence some

me

trouble in aiding

to obtain information of the future

usage of our prisoners.

"I

immediate orders

shall give

enemy

every engine which the struction of our

unhappy

pray Heaven

I

world

will

do

every event,

under which

The going

I

in readiness

The

captured by them.

is

shocking be} ond expresT

them; but nothing

in this

but a proper conduct in the enemy.

it

I

to avert

having

has contrived for the de-

citizens,

presentiment of these operations sion.

for

shall resign shall act/''

following

is

In

myself to the hard necessity

'

35

the enclosure referred to in the fore-

letter

"In Council, October

"The measures

governor for

is

S, 1779.

advised to take proper and effectual

knowing, from time

to time, the situation

and

treatment of our prisoners by the enemy, and to extend to theirs, with us, a like treatment, in every circumstance :

and, also, to order to a proper station the prison ship fitted

up on recommendation from Congress,

"Jefferson's

Works, Vol.

i,

p. 232.

for the recep-

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS tion

and confinement

IN VIRGINIA.

of such prisoners of

war

64!

as shall be

sent to it."

About

this

Lamothe and Mr. Dejean, two

time Captain

the imprisoned British officers,

of

which

the)'

had

at first rejected,

ence of Hamilton.

The

latter

probably under the

influ-

continued for a long- time

him, apparently without any

to reject all paroles offered

He was, therefore, continued Hay and four others who pur-

very well founded reason. confinement, with

in close

accepted the parole,

sued a similar course.

Washington wrote, from on the 23d

of

He

action.

November,

said:

his

headquarters at

to Jefferson, fullv

"The measure

West

Point,

approving

of the council in

this

remand-

ing Governor Hamilton and his companions back to con-

finement on their refusing

to sign the parole to

perfectly agreeable to the

practice of the

particular part objected to,

have always understood, enters

into the paroles given letter of the 8th, I

there will the

I

by our

officers.

would hope, with your excellency,

Indeed,

it is

is

The

In regard to your

be no necessity for a competition

enemy.

them,

enemy.

that

in cruelties

with

but justice to observe that of

late,

Henry Clinton has had the command, our prisoners has been more within the

or rather since Sir the treatment of line of

humanity, and

in

general verv different from that

which they experienced under not

fail,

however, as a matter

tion to such deviations

the result of

from

his predecessors.

of duty, to pa}' this

mere wantonness or

shall

proper atten-

conduct as ma}' appear

cruelty,

and have not been

incurred by the irregularities of our prisoners.' * 1

^Writings of Washington (Sparks), Vol.

I

6, p.

407.

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

6zt2

The extreme

man-

anxiety which the British authorities

Hamilton, and their great desire

ifested for the welfare of to secure his liberty,

soon attracted the attention of Ameri-

can prisoners of like rank, and inspired them with hope that

it

might lead

their

to

own

by exchange.

release

Friends of American prisoners, as well as the prisoners themselves, interceded with Washington and Jefferson to

To an

that end.

application of that character

Dubuysson, a French

Virginia, sensible

Baron De

officer in the family of

Kalb," General Washington wrote of

by "Colonel

of

in replv that

kk

the state

the dangerous influence which

Governor Hamilton holds over the Indians, have absolutelv refused to exchange least,

laid

and, as

down

I

him on any terms,

for the present at

have never deviated from a

at the

ficers in course,

beginning

of the

rule,

which

war, of exchanging

of-

according to the time of their captivity,

can not, without manifest injury

to several

your rank, who have been prisoners

for

I

I

gentlemen of

more than

three

years, propose your exchange in preference to theirs.

I

am

glad to find that you seem to be aware of this difficulty * in your letter from Philadelphia. "

Some to

time before

this

Mrs. Byrd, a member

who had

Governor Jefferson wrote a of a

letter

well-known Virginia family,

apparently written him favoring an exchange of

Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton for Colonel Mathews,

which he

said:

changed on

an)-

"I think he (Hamilton) terms during the war.'"

a fac-simile of this letter, the original of

the author's possession: *Writings of Washington (Sparks), Vol.

7.

p. ^40.

will not

The

be ex-

following

which

is

in

now

is

in

i 4.>l

^4

^,N

f *t

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

The Colonel Mathews same

here alluded to

referred to in a letter written

relation to the battle of

IN VIRGINIA.

is,

647

presumably, the

by General Sullivan

Germantown,

which he

in

in

says:

"A regiment commanded by Colonel Mathews advanced with rapidity near the town; but not being supported by

some other regiments, who were stopped by a breast-work near

Lucams

Mills, the brave colonel, after having per-

formed great

wounded

feats

of

was obliged with about a hun-

in several places,

dred of his

men

to

and being dangerously

braver)-,

surrender." *

Governor Jefferson addressed an important Colonel Mathews, October

"The

8, 1779, in

you the advice

ton's letter the

your arrival here, you are precise information,

of council of

August the 28th, another parole tendered

to

For your more

acquainted with. close

said:

proceedings respecting Governor Hamilton and

companions, previous

his

them the

same day,

of

June

September the

1st instant,

You

voluntary one.

when

I

en-

16th, of that of 19th,

on the

and Governor Hamil-

stating his objections, in

delivered us your

letters

the post being just setting out,

which he

become

persevered; from that time his confinement has

day,

to

letter

which he

much

a

the next

business

prevented the council from taking them into consideration.

They have

this

day attended

to

them, and found their

res-

olution expressed in the enclosed advice, bearing date this

day.

"It gives us great pain that any of our countrymen should be cut

off

from the society

derest connections, while

it

seems

*Writings of Washington (Sparks), Vol.

of their friends as

5, p.

if it

463.

was

in

and ten-

our power

:

648 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON to

administer

But we

relief.

and

discerning,

good sense

trust to their

their spirit for bearing

up

for

against, the fal-

lacy of this appearance.

"Governor Hamilton and oned and ironed.

companions were impris-

his

In retaliation for cruel treatment of

1st.

our captive citizens by the

enemy

in general.

2d.

For the

barbarous species of warfare which himself and his savage allies

carried on in our western frontier.

acts of barbarity, of to

3d. For particular

which he himself was personally

some of our citizens

power.

in his

charges was sufficient to justify the measures

"Of Your

the

the truth of

situation, indeed,

we

took.

yourselves are witnesses.

first,

seems

guiltv,

An}- one of their

to

have been better since vou

were sent to New York but reflect on what vou suffered before that, and knew others of your countrymen to suffer, and what you know is now suffered by that more unhappy ;

part of ships of

them who are

" Proofs

of the

own hand and ;

testimony

fore,

was

second charge

of the third, as

be

to

to

produce no

does not,

we have under Hamilton's sacred assurances as human

Humane

we

it

effect; the contrary, there-

produces a proper lenity

will

have the

in truth, that rigor

and

to

we meant

;

our if it

was

just,

Hamilton were founded

and would not give

right to

commence any new hostilities on their part such new severities are to be considered, not as

enemy all

effect

shall return a severity as terrible as universal.

the causes of our rigor against

the

conduct on our

If it

tried.

citizens in captivity,

If

confined on board of the prison

capable of giving.

is

was found

part

still

the enemy.

retaliation,

to

but

as

original

and unprovoked.

If

those

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

649

causes were not founded in truth, they should have denied

them.

"

declining the tribunal of truth and reason, they

If,

choose to pervert

we

tion,

will

a contest of cruelty and destruc-

this into

contend with them in that

power

out misery to those in our

portion which the advantage of superior

We

us to do.

information

we

shall think

and

"We

that of

we should

wish

our particular duty, after the

of

to

of the

enemy

will

to

soldiers, in

determined

by

and we are assured that your regard

;

fear to retaliate, least

additional

sufferings.

to

may choose

you should be made Their

officers

our hands, are pledged for your safety; to use

them

as such.

iron, but a great multiplication

jects

be your

suffer ourselves to be bullied into an ac-

and a

experience

situ-

your country would not permit you

quiescence, under every insult and cruelty they to practice,

your

your fellow-prisoners.

hope that the prudence honor

numbers enables

pay very constant attention

protection from injury for the

and measure

gather from the papers which have been

laid before us, to

ation

it

line,

in that multiplied pro-

and

we

are

Iron will be retaliated

on distinguished sub-

prison ships for prison ships, and like for like, in

;

general. 11

I

do not mean by

this to

acted or shall act improperly.

was

cover any officer

I

has

They say Captain Willing

guilty of great cruelties at the Natchez;

right in punishing him.

who

if

so,

would use any powers

they do I

have,

own who

should

be guilty of excesses unjustifiable under the usages

of civ-

for the

punishment

ilized nations.

of

any

However,

officer of

I

our

do not find myself obliged

to

650 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON believe the charge against Captain Willing to be true, on the affirmation

the

of

British

commissary, because

in

the next breath he claims no cruelties have as vet been inflicted

"

I

Captain Willing has been in irons.

on him.

beg you

to

be assured, there

is

nothing, consistent

we

with the honor of your country, which

shall not at all

times be ready to do for the relief of yourself and com-

panions in captivity.

We

know

that ardent

spirit

and

hatred for tyranny, which brought you into your present situation, will enable

you

to

bear up against

it

with the

firmness which has distinguished you as a soldier, and to

look forward with pleasure to the day take place against which the

wounded

when

events shall

spirits of

vour ene-

mies will find no comfort, even from reflections on the

most refined

of the cruelties

with which they have glutted

themselves." *

On

the 9th of October, 1779, the British soldiers

transferred from the to cut

prison

jail to

the barrack, and were allowed

wood both for themselves and the when cold weather arrived. " Even

soldiers

were

officers in the

the

American

on guard," says Hamilton's narrative, "though

miserably bare of clothing themselves, used to spare a part of their

own

fuel for the dressing of

our victuals."

On

Christmas day the British soldiers were marched awav

"The weather at this time became so intensely cold that we could not rise from the floor, but continued day and night in our blankets. The scurvy began to make its appearance and our legs to swell. The jailer then concluded we could not survive the severity of to

King William county.

*Jefferson's

Works, Vol.

i.

p. 233.

"

1

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

65

the cold in our present situation, took us to an upper

room

in the jail

where prisoners had formerly been kept.

though

had no windows, but an open grate, was more

it

tolerable than the

dungeon: we could

chimney and by sacrificing part grated

window and

of

a

our blankets

to stop the

we made

we were remanded

our dungeon.

"April 1 8th, 1780, Lieutenant Schieffelin made in

in the

fire

stuff the cracks in the ceiling

a shift to endure in the daytime; at night to

lio-ht

This,

company with Monsieur De Rochblave and

risks

and

difficulties

got to

New

his escape

after great

York.

"June 1st, Mr. Maisonville destroyed himself. "August 1st, we were marched from Williamsburg. Major Ha}^and I sent to the jail at Chesterfield. The surgeon and Mr. Bellefeuille to King William Court-House.

He

states that

while "at Chesterfield, our confinement

was rendered very

tolerable,

and several

and others who were convinced

of the military

of the injustice

and

illiber-

ally of our treatment, showed by their behavior what opinion they had of the executive power.

Major Hay and fever,

I

had a very severe, though

which was pretty generally

We were well

attended.

We

felt

had

In this

jail,

short, attack of

through the country.

liberty to

walk about

in

the neighborhood of the jail."

He had the

fall of

persistently refused all paroles offered, until in

1780,

when word was

authorities that he

was not

likely to

unless he accepted the parole.

him by

sent

the British

be exchanged

This caused him

at all,

to accept,

and he signed substantially the same parole which had all

times been open to 42

him

for a year.

To some

at

readers

652 it

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

may

look as

if

from some personal motive

own he

of his

preferred imprisonment during that period to being re-

when

leased, as he could have secured his liberty

was

first

the parole

offered him, on substantially the same terms he

now

secured

cept

it

it,

but

it

is

by the advice

Here

is

he was brought to ac-

likely

of friends, the

confinement, and the

change.

more

probability

irksomeness of long

the parole as given

by him, and

count of how he came to sign it: " On the 23d, Lieutenant-Colonel Towles a long-time prisoner to the English

He

at Chesterfield.

He

on Long Island, arrived

had had hopes

brought

York, which gave the parole, there

exchange.

me

was

Having

to

me

letters

understand

little

his ac-

who had been

procuring an ex-

of

change, and got permission to come to Virginia to practicable.

an ex-

of facilitating

my

from

that, unless

my

probabilitv of

effect

it, if

friends at I

accepted

procuring an

therefore written to Brigadier (Alex-

ander) Hamilton to request the continuance of his kindness to the prisoners

now removed

Town,

to Frederic

I,

with

Major Hay, accepted the parole, following:

"Lieutenant-Governor Henry Hamilton Parole. "October

10, 17S0.

"I, Henry Hamilton, lieutenant-governor and

superin-

tendent of Detroit, do hereby acknowledge myself a pris-

oner of war to the commonwealth of Virginia, and having permission from His Excellency

Thomas

Jefferson, gover-

nor of the said commonwealth, to go to pledge

my faith

of honor, that

I

New

and most sacredlv promise upon will not do,

saw

York, do

my

parole

write or cause to be done,

said or written, directly or indirectly, in

any respect what-

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

653

soever, anything to the prejudice of the United States of

America, or any captivity

of

them, until

I

be enlarged from

shall

my

by exchange, or otherwise, with the consent

the said governor of Virginia, or his successors, will return,

when

of

and that

I

required by the said governor or his suc-

cessors, to such place within the

point out, and deliver myself

commonwealth

up again

to

him or

as

he shall

the person

acting for or under him.

"In testimony whereof, and

I

have hereunto

set

my

hand

ioth day of October, 17S0.

seal, at Chesterfield, this

"Henry Hamilton,

[l. s.]'

must be admitted that there was a sudden change

It

about

this

time in the position of Governor Jefferson as to

holding Hamilton as a prisoner until the close of the war. It will

of

be seen that he

still

held that position on the 26th

September, 1780, when he wrote as follows

to

General

Washington:

"I was honored yesterday with your instant,

on the subject

of prisoners,

You

tenant-Governor Hamilton.

favor of the 5th

and particularly Lieuare not unapprised of

the influence of this officer with the Indians; his activity

and embittered zeal against

how how

precarious critical is

is

us.

You

our tenure of the

the situation of the

also,

perhaps,

Illinois

new

know

country, and

countries on the

Ohio.

"These circumstances determined us to detain Governor Hamilton and Major Hay within our power, when we delivered

up the other

from the people that country,

of

prisoners.

On

a late representation

Kentucky, by a person sent here from

and expressions

of

what they had reason

to

654 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

apprehend from these two prisoners, liberation,

we

in the

event of their

assured them they would not be parted with,

though we were giving up our other prisoners. " Lieutenant-Colonel Dubuysson,aid to Baron

came here on his parole, with an Rawdon, to exchange him for Hamilton.

lately

is

now

offer

De

Kalb,

from Lord

Colonel Towles

here with a like proposition for himself, from Gen-

urged bv the general. " These, and other overtures, do not lessen the opinion

eral Phillips, very strongly

of the

and

importance of retaining him; and thev have been, uniformly rejected.

will be,

indeed, of a cartel

Should the settlement,

become impracticable without

the con-

sent of the states to submit their separate prisoners to

we

obligation,

will-give up these two prisoners, as

would anything, rather than be an obstacle But no other circumstance would,

good.

them from

we

to a general

believe, extract

us.

"These two gentlemen, with

a Lieutenant-Colonel Elli-

good, are the only separate prisoners

and the

I

its

last

only on his

own

request,

we have

retained,

and not because we

any store by him. " There is, indeed, a Lieutenant-Governor Rochblave,

set

who has broken his parole, and gone to New York, whom we must shortly trouble your excellency to demand for us as soon as we can forward to you the

of Kaskaskia,

proper documents.

"Since the

forty prisoners sent to Winchester, as

tioned in

my

and

more have been

rift} 7

by us

letter of the 9th ultimo,

at sea, others sent

sent thither,

men-

about one hundred

some

of

on by General Gates.

them taken

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS " The exposed and weak

our western

of

state

IN VIRGINIA.

655 settle-

which they are subject from the

ments, and the danger to

northern Indians, acting under the influence of the Brit-

render

ish post at Detroit, five to eight is

it

necessary for us to keep from

hundred men on duty,

it

This

Could that post be

a great and perpetual expense.

duced and retained,

for their defense.

would cover

all

re-

the states to the

southeast of it."

Within a month from the time seems

to

was written there

this

have been a change on both

sides.

Hamilton

had signed the parole he so long refused, and the gov-

New York

ernor had consented that he might go to parole and join his British comrades. sion given

"The

him by

This

the permis-

the governor:

within mentioned

Henry Hamilton, having signed

a parole of

which

this

New York

and

remain within such parts

to

is

on

is

a copy, has permission to go to of that state as

are in possession of the armies of his Britannic majesty,

he shall be exchanged, or otherwise liberated with

until

consent of the governor of Virginia for the time being, or

he shall be recalled by him. " Given under my hand and seal

until

of Virginia, at

The

of the

Richmond, date within

following

is

the

"Th. Jefferson, [l. s.] " explanation made f the matter ,

a note Governor Jefferson sent General

Richmond "

I

commonwealth

written.

in

Washington from

on the 25th of October:

take the liberty of enclosing to you letters from Gov-

ernor Hamilton, for

New

York.

On some representations

received by Colonel Towles, that an indulgence to Gov-

656 CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

New

York, on

on the

situation

ernor Hamilton and his companies to go to

would produce

parole,

our

of

officers in

Hay, and some

the happiest effect

Long

of the

Island,

we have

same party

at

given him, Major

Winchester, leave to

The two former go by water

go there on parole.

the

lat-

by land."*

ter

Washington promptly replied from " Headquarters Passaic Falls," the eighth of the

next month, saying:

"'

I

am

glad to hear that you have permitted Governor Hamilton

and Major there

upon

Hay

to

go

New York

to

while thev remain

;

parole, they will be less capable of concerting

mischief than in Virginia, and of a pretext for

it

enemy

will deprive the

complaining that they are treated with

rigor."*j*

Released from a dungeon, and

annoyances

of

being a prisoner

in the

immediate charge

his

enemies, and clothed with the authority

to

join his

comrades

in

New

Hamilton ought now

to

have been out

York,

and

the hardships

all

it

of the

of

governor

would seem of trouble.

that

But,

according to his account, there was no happiness for him as

long as he remained

this

way

parole," says he, to

in this country.

" Having accepted

"we hastened to Williamsburg, on

Hampton, and

there were stopped

by the

our

lieuten-

ant-governor, who, as General Leslie had just arrived,

thought

it

not advisable to

let

us pass, and gave orders for

our being escorted back to Richmond. resented, telling *Jefferson's

This treatment

them they might march me back

Works, Vol.

1,

p. 267.

"Writings of Washington (Sparks). Vol.

7, p.

291.

I

a pris-

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS

IN VIRGINIA.

57

oner, but that this was a step they might judge imprudent in the present juncture.

"They seemed ceed. As soon as to

to think so, I

had given

we had

for

certificates,

liberty to pro-

recommending

General Leslie such of the inhabitants as had shown an

attachment our

government, or had been kind

to

distress,

we proceeded

people were reminded to

set

a guard over us and stop our to

Hampton.

journey cost us one thousand pounds, such preciated state of the paper

"At Hampton

in

York, where some turbulent

At length we got

progress.

us

to

to

money

This short

w as r

the de-

at that time.

the people were civil to us; furnished us

with a canoe, which to our inexpressible satisfaction put us

on board

who by lowered

of his

His Majesty's sloop Delight, Captain

Inglis,

kind reception of us presently recruited our

spirits.

We

next went to wait on Captain Gray-

commander of the squadron. "The cartel vessel, which was to have conveyed us from Hampton to New York, had been taken and the master's

ton,

certificate not

appearing genuine, he with the vessel were

detained. ' '

I

laving paid our respects to General Leslie

,

who received

we returned to the Romulus, The cartel master was suffered prepare for his voyage. The stores

us with the greatest politeness,

Captain Grayton's ship. to

go

to

Hampton

to

which General Leslie and Captain Grayton had most

liber-

ally supplied us, were plundered by the Americans on

shore, for

we

king's ship.

our

did

not choose to risk ourselves out of a

At length we

cartel, a little

set off

from the Romulus

in

miserable sloop of thirty-six feet keel,

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

658

which we were obliged

for a passage in

A violent

hard dollars. off

ground;

and to

at last

we

we were very

work

near perishing; our

to get the

anchor out

of the

got in home, leaving one fluke behind,

our no small mortification were obliged to put back

to

Hampton.

"Here we were on of

at

pav four hundred

gale of wind obliged us to anchor

Smith's Islands, where

crew was three hours

to

who had assembled some

General Wilson,

our skipper

being

desirous

A very severe gale ware,

when our

of

was twelve

sun that

we had laying

but

away, and having

set sail for

New

York. Dela-

of

skipper, not having a log line on board,

laid the vessel to,

it

get

militia,

wind took us near the capes

and we had reason

admire our good fortune,

and

to

we once more

got another anchor,

by order

the point of being detained

we were

for the

at night

in the

wind was

when we

morning

right

to

on shore,

judging bv the

la)' to,

opposite Delaware Bay, as

it

proved, for

driven seven leagues up the bay from the time of ,

to.''

But the disagreeable journey came the party landing in

New

York,

as

to

an end

Hamilton, says, "very

had any sleep

squalid spectacles, not having

at last;

for three days

and nights, our clothes ragged, shoes broken, and so altered in

face

and figure

that our acquaintances could scarcely

recollect us."

Sir

Henrv

Lord Rawdon, and

finally

Hamilton, and he was,

at last,

Consolation, however, speedilv Clinton, General Phillips and

an exchange was secured

for

came from

entirely free; but this did not take place until the 4th of

March, 1781.

He

sailed for

England on

the 27th of

May,

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS of that year,

IN VIRGINIA.

659

but did not arrive there until the 21st of the

next month.

He

established himself in St.

which place, on the 6th

Jermyns

street,

London,

at

he dates his account and

of July,

attempted justification of his far-reaching defeat.

He hopes

"to be more pitied than blamed," and attributes his over-

throw largely

to the treachery of the

French, and admits that "the Colonel Clark's march from

Canadians, Creoles and

and danger

difficulties

Illinois

were such

of

as required

great courage to encounter, and great perseverance to over-

come.

In trusting to traitors he was

myself; whether on the whole he

was

me to determine." And so ended the long captivity

more

fortunate than

entitled to success

is

not for

of

Lieutenant-Governor

Henry Hamilton and his active connection with the affairs Whatever diverging views of the American Revolution.

may

be taken on the different sides of the Atlantic of

remarkable career on American

his

soil, patriotic citizens

of

the United States must ever rejoice that Clark evidenced the better to a

and more

complete and

successful generalship,

full

and forced him

surrender of the vast territory

so important a part of the

American union

of states;

now and

however objectionable he may have been

to

and whatever animosities were naturally and

justly aroused

against

him because

Americans,

of his course in using the

savages

against the unprotected settlements of the frontiers,

it

can

not be denied that he was at least ever true and loyal to his

king and country.

The author tried for this

in

every direction to procure his portrait

volume but was not

successful in finding:

it.

Know-

CAPTIVITY OF LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR HAMILTON

660

ingthe thorough information of Mr. Douglas Brymner, the custodian of the Canadian archives, a letter

any

of

was addressed portrait of

to

him inquiring

"

ilton.

I

know

do not

He was till

the civil

ity,

as to his his-

Mr. Brymner promptly

any

portrait of

Henry Ham-

lieutenant-governor of Quebec (Canada

was then the province ber, 1784,

of

subjects,

as to the existence

Governor Hamilton, and

tory after his return to Canada. replied:

upon such

of

Quebec) from the 14th Novem-

the end of 1785, having only the civil author-

and military having been separated

in the

retirement of his predecessor, General Haldimand.

On

13th August, 1785, the secretary of state notified

Hamil-

that the king

ton

On

the 20th,

Hope's

first

had no further need

Hope was informed

of his services.

was

as lieutenant-governor

letter

October, 1785.

that he

the

to succeed.

dated 12th

is

Hamilton became lieutenant-governor

of

Bermuda on the 16th September, 1788, and governor on the nth January, 1790; he was afterward appointed governor of Dominica, the date of the 23d of April, 1794.

captain-general

November, 1794.

From

ascertained." that

Hamilton died

The author to

Hamilton

at

He assumed The

of

Esq., to be Island

the

the duties

date of his death

of

on the 30th I

have not

other sources the author ascertained

Antigua,

in

September, 1796.

and information

as

England, and through the kindness

of

also sought the portrait in

appointment being

Henry Hamilton,

and governor-in-chief

Dominica, vice Orde.' of

'

his

Honorable Thomas F. Bayard, United States ambassador,

and

of

Benjamin F. Stevens, Esquire, United States gov-

ernment dispatch agent

in

London, received copies

of

1

AND OTHER BRITISH PRISONERS several valuable papers

66

IN VIRGINIA.

from the public records there

relat-

ing to Hamilton, and also the information that "he was the fourth son of Gustavus Frederick, seventh Viscount

Boyne." October

A

letter

from Mr. Stevens, dated "London,

17, 1895, say s >"

"I

am writing

to the present Vis-

count Boyne on the possible chance of a portrait of Governor Hamilton being preserved in the family. information to

you."

this

is

If

volume.

obtained received,

I

shall

and

have pleasure

in

If

any

repeating

in time, the portrait will

be

it

in

CHAPTER XV. COLONEL CLARK RETURNS TO THE FALLS OF OHIO— CONDITION OF AFFAIRS THERE. Fort near mouth of Ohio determined upon order

—Also in a

letter to

— Develops his plans in a general — Letter of Todd to Governor

Governor John Todd

—Clark proceeds mouth of Ohio early —Builds Fort Jefferson a few miles below — Intended for a settlement and garrison combined — Besieged by Indians — Heroic defense — Captain George Owens and his descendants — Garrison relieved — Indians with-

Jefferson approving Clark's plans

to

in 17S0

finally

draw from

its

vicinity

— Perilous

— British

journey made by Clark from Fort Jefferson

—Clark's campaign — Distressing particulars of death of Joseph Rogers — Clark returns to Kentucky — Deplorable condition of affairs there, at Fort Jefferson and the Illinois — Official letters on the subject — Sketch of George Slaughter and Silas Harlan — Fort Jefferson finally abandoned — La Balme's defeat. to

Harrisburg

and Indians invade Kentucky

against the Indians at old Chillicothe and Piqua

;HEN

Colonel Clark returned to the

summer had been made

Ohio, at the close of the

found that quite an accession lation of that vicinity, at

once took steps

possible

way.

removed

to the

The

and

of

falls

of

of

1779, he

to the popu-

Kentucky generally, and he

to further the public interests in

garrison

left

main land on

the

every

on Corn island had already

the

Kentucky

side,

and a rude

stockade fort had been constructed, probably near where

Twelfth

He

street in Louisville

now

intersects the river.

not only devoted himself to matters pertaining to the

defense of the country, but took great interest in promot-

(663)

COLONEL CLARK THE FOUNDER OF LOUISVILLE.

664

ing the welfare of the settlement at the

which

the Ohio, to

develop

much importance.

into a place of

He

falls of

keen foresight realized was destined

his

has the honor of being the founder of the important

which has a

city of Louisville,

A

such an illustrious founder. that city says,

"

to

well informed historian of

him belongs the honor

him

as clearly as belongs to

of settling

our

city

the glory of the capture of Vin-

cennes, Kaskaskia, and Cahokia.

pliment to the

having

justifiable pride in

,, H '

'

It

was a high com-

the Ohio as a 'desirable location that

falls of

made it his depot of supwhen he had so many other

he started a settlement there and plies in the

beautiful

spring of 1778,

and desirable

that he confirmed his

the capture of the British,

sites

first

on the Ohio

judgment by returning

Wabash and

and established

"as the best place,"

his

as

to select from,

Illinois

to

it

and

after

country from the

headquarters permanentlv there,

he

tells us,

"of having a general

This action, and the security

supervision over the whole."

given by the forts he caused to be built there, attracted the first settlers,

fersonville

the

and fixed the future destinv

and

Kentucky

New Albany. Had

river, as

of Louisville. Jef-

he chosen the mouth of

he was urged to do, the

would have naturally been

first settlers

attracted to that point.

Clark

undoubtedly gave the matter much thought, and looked into the future in

making

great cities to arise

be followed

*

some da}

later, as the

on the other side

this selection. -

at the falls:

far

He

expected two

first

Louisville, to

country became populous, by one

of the river,

which he hoped would bear

R. T. Durrett in Centenary of Louisville,

p.

4::.

PLANS WISELY FOR A GREAT CITY. name.'

55'

his

the planning of

ville,

made

But, until Virginia

the grant for Clarks-

what he expected would be a great

absorbed

city at Louisville

The wisdom and

his attention.

far-reaching benefits of the plan he then city

now

is

drew up

generally conceded, and where

Upon

parted from generally deplored. the most competent judges says

ville,

and took up

in the fall of 1779,

one

this subject

"When

:

for the

has been de-

it

his

of the Illinois

abode

Louis-

in

he drew a plan of the proposed town of Louisville,

and made a map

of the public

and private

divisions of the

This

land as he thought they ought to be established.

map of

of

General George

Rogers Clark returned from the conquest country

665

is still

preserved, and

General Clark.

foot of

Twelfth

saw the need

From

his little

grounds

streets,

room

in the fort, at the

for breathing places

become populous.

ground between Main Twelfth

shows the wonderful sagacity

he looked far into the future and

street,

of public

the city should

it

street

His

and the

marked 'public'

map shows

all

the

from

First to

strip of

ground

river,

Also a

when

half a square in width, just south of Jefferson street, run-

ning the whole length of the town, marked 'public'

Also

two whole squares, where the court-house now stands,

marked 'public'

If

this

plan of the town had been ac-

cepted by the trustees and adhered to by their successors, Louisville

would be one

of the

handsomest

*In view of the progress and development at the cities

may

falls

since

cities

1

77S,

when another like period shall have come when the, now comparatively

he expected there

on the

what greater

passed away.

Possibly the day may yet little, vacant ground between Jeffersonville, Clarksville and New Albany will all be built up, and the three places be united in one city. Then, if the name of Clark should be substituted for the present names, his dream of the future city on the north side of the river would at last be fully realized.

666 ORIGINAL PLANS OF LOUISVILLE AND JEFFERSONVILLE.

The

continent to-day.

of capacity to see the for the public, or

sold

all this

advantages of holding

from necessity

brought but

It

worth millions of

now

in the

grand old

tion says that

ground

to

property

this

pay debts against

it,

little

forest trees

it

was part

shows south

when

sold.

It

would be

shape of park propertv, with a

General Clark only extends

it

however, either for want

property, except the court-house square and the

grave-yard.

number

trustees,

upon

map

This

it.

of

to Jefferson street, but tradi-

have the

of his plan to

strip of

of Jefferson repeated at intervals of

every three squares as the city should enlarge."*

It is

a

when William Henry Harrison, Indiana territory, and Isaac Bowman, one of

singular coincidence that

governor of

Clark's officers, requested President Jefferson to

plan for a town at the

falls, to

north side of the river, which

be

laid off

Bowman

the

same

that

had been adopted by General Clark

liberal ideas as to public squares

that in both instances the plans should

But

had donated,

Yet such

is

to

be

Mr. Jefferson should have adopted

called Jeffersonville, that

doned.

draw the

on land on the

and grounds

for Louisville,

and

have been aban-

the fact.

other points than the

falls of

the

Ohio were

also re-

ceiving Colonel Clark's attention.

The the

establishment of a strong fort near the mouth of

Ohio had been

American

success.

for

Governor Henry,

ary, 1778, wrote that

mouth

a post near the it."

Thomas

*R. T. Durrett

some time considered

it

back

was "in contemplation

of the

Jefferson, in

as far

as essential to

who

as Janu-

to establish

Ohio, with cannon

to fortify

succeeded Henry as governor

Centenary of Louisville, pp. 4^-43-

1'ORT

on the

NEAR THE MOUTH OF OHIO CONTEMPLATED. 667 June

1st of

followed

it

was

in part,

of that year,

renewed the

project,

The

up, vigorously, until consummated. to strengthen the

American claim and a

as far west as the Mississippi,

to the

line of forts

and

object,

country

was con-

templated from Fort Jefferson northwardly, towards the Colonel Clark warmly approved the building of

lakes.

near the mouth of the Ohio, and did what he

the fort

could to

cany

cause

into execution, but

Some Kentuckians

necessity. it

it

it

progressed slowly, of

did not

seem

to favor

would weaken the settlements by drawing

portion of the militia

much needed

it

be-

off a

nearer home.

Colonel Clark's plan was not only to build and garrison a

fort,

but to induce families to

of land.

He

settle there

by

liberal grants

issued the following order, to that end, to

Captain Silas Martin, soon after his return to the

"September

falls:

30, 1779.

U G. R. Clark

to Captain Silas Martin, etc., Commander of Militia Headquarters Falls of Ohio:

"By George

Rogers Clark, Esq., Colonel

Commander-in-Chief

Battalion,

in the AVestern

of the Illinois

of the Virginia Forces

Department, Etc., Etc.

"Whereas a fort is intended immediately to be built near the mouth of Ohio, and a number of artificers wanting to carry on the works, as well other inhabitants,

"I do, by the virtue

of the

power and authority

given, authorize you to raise an}'

you can get

to

under pay as 43

become

number

settlers at said post, the

militia as long as necessary.

to

me

of persons that

You

whole

to

be

are to ren-

FORT NEAR THE MOUTH OF OHIO CONTEMPLATED.

668

dezvous

at this place

Given from under

The

fall

my

by the

first

day

December

of

hand."

and winter passed without building the

March, 1780, Colonel Clark reviewed the

in

his plans in the following letter to

developed

Todd, the then governor

I

interest of

Illinois

fort,

situation

but

and

Colonel John ''By the

of the Illinois country:

account from every post in the

ponding,

next.

so nearly corres-

make no doubt of the English regaining the many tribes of Indians, and their designs against

the Illinois, perhaps on Governor Hamilton's plan, and

without some speedy check

and the I

am

may

prove

fatal to

western country on the Mississippi.

total loss of the

not clear but the Spaniards would fondly suffer their

settlements in the Illinois to

having the opportunity

into ours for the sake of

fall

of retaking both.

doubt they

I

are too fond (of) territory to think of restoring

"Although there are but few (the) deficiency

is

ages you well know. I

make no doubt

of

British troops

fully replaced

goods they have, the

of

effects of

They have

Not being apprehensive of a visit, having planned some expedition

of their

greater opportunities of

we have

not deprive us

again.

which among the sav-

importance against our posts, which,

ation than

it

on the lakes

by the immense quantity

if

they gain,

be attended with greater consequences than at.

Kentucky

of.

I

may

have hinted

knowing our

situ-

of theirs,

which you know they could

You

know

well

the difficulties

we have

labored under with our joint efforts to maintain our ground,

and support our

among the savages in that departwhy which is now greater than

interest

ment, and the reason

—

ever as the bad crops and the severity of the winter hath

FORT NEAR THE MOUTH OF OHIO CONTEMPLATED.

669

impossible for the towns in the Illinois to

make

rendered

it

any further supplies

"The

until next harvest.

troops being entitled to a discharge in a few weeks,

when

except those that have re-enlisted

Rogers

—when armed

hundred and

fifty,

which

amount

not

will

joined by Captain to

more than one

too few, under our present cir-

is

cumstances, to think of defending the different posts

now

we

Letters from His Excellency, and a promis-

occupy.

ing account from our recruiting officers may, perhaps, soon alter

our apparent circumstances, but, as yet, receiving no

advice from either, already meeting with

ments

in

my

expectations,

much

may be

department, a few weeks' hesitation long future disadvantage.

we had no

''If

Your I

prize,

we were

could subsist I

disappoint-

it

productive of

best to act as though

expectation of being assisted either with

provisions.

you know

think

I

many

to the disadvantage of the

it

or

counsel, not only necessarv, but which is

what

I

want.

tolerably formidable at

at,

men

any one post

might have a great and good

hinted to lay aside

all

that

effect.

we As

expectations of a re-enforcement,

I

see but the one probable method of maintaining our authoritv in the Illinois,

which

our present posts, and the

mouth

the

good

to

draw

of Ohio,

effect off a

is

let

which

this;

by immediately evacuating

our whole force center at or near will

be too contemptible to answer

proposed, without

we

fall

upon some method

considerable re-enforcement from Kentuckv

of militia.

"Families would be of the greatest service, as they are always followed by two or three times their numbers of

young men.

They would with

their store of provisions

be

FORT NEAR THE MOUTH OF OHIO CONTEMPLATED.

670

able to victual great part of our troops in proportion to their fall

number, which,

would be able

if

only one hundred, by the ensuing

to victual a regiment, besides establish-

ing a post that His Excellency I

imagine

all

we

very anxious

is

reason

for, the

are both acquainted with, and the interests of

the western country call for.

"One hundred

families, their followers, the troops

have already engaged, those whose time of service shortly will expire, that

would remain

The

would be considerable.

joined,

the time

it

put a stop for

win from militia,

some time

I

is

always

don't doubt but that

us,

it

to their proceedings, as

would greatly confuse the Indians thev are

it

when

at the place,

reached our enemies would be augmented, per-

aggravated by the Indians; and

know

or

is

report of which by

haps, to treble our numbers, as such intelligence

would

we

I

like to

our temporary force, with the French

as

probably counting the Spaniards, would be too con-

them

to

tamper with.

"Our only chance

at present to

siderable for

encouraging the families, but land will do

I

it.

I

save that country

am

is

by

sensible nothing but

should be exceedingly cautious

doing

in

anything that would displease government, but their present interest, in

man)

loud for

I

it,

that

7

respects obvious to us both, call so

think,

give a deed for forty or place, at the price that interferes with

sir,

that

fifty

you might even venture

thousand acres

of land at said

government may demand

no claim

of

to

for

it.

It

our friendly Indians (and would

be) the greatest barrier to the inhabitants of the against the southern Indians

—security

merce and perhaps the saving

of the

Illinois

of the general

com-

country to the state.

FORT NEAR THE MOUTH OF OHIO CONTEMPLATED. and probably

in a

few months enable us

to act

67

I

again on

the offensive.

"I should be against suffering families cuously in any part of the lishment of the said post

is

to settle

so necessary and as

it

,

complete without the families,

think

I

it

promis-

but the estab-

Illinois at present,

can not be

your duty

the aforesaid encouragement and such instructions as

some time

confine the people for

could consult government for

some time

will

it

be procured with

Sustenance

late.

difficulty.

"I can not think of the consequences of the

of losing possession

country without a more determined resolution to

risk every point rather than suffer

it,

for they, the English,

can not execute any matter of very great importance the savages without to

mine;

Colonel

know your

I

it.

you concur with me

if

immediately, or such advantageous.'' *

it

Illinois

them

it

you might think more

said:

"On

his letter to

Governor Jefferson,

consulting with Colonel Clark,

impracticable to maintain so

many

all to

one post.

The land

we

posts in the

better to

draw

at the junction of the

Ohio

with so few means and concluded

and Mississippi was judged best as

me know

Todd approved these suggestions, and acted upon

which he

found

as

among

concern to be equal

in sentiment, let

amendment

them, as will be seen from in

would

Before you

to a fort.

might be too

to give

it

situated for the purpose

would command the trade on an extensive country

on both

sides of each river

and might serve

any encroachments from our present

whose growing power might *Virginia State Papers, Vol.

1,

allies,

justly put us

p. 33S.

as a

check

to

the Spaniards,

upon our guard

INDIAN ATTACK UPON ISAAC BOWMAX's PARTY.

672

and whose fondness

might other-

for engrossing territory

wise urge them higher up the river upon our side than

we

would wish.

"The expenses in erecting this new post and victualing men would have been obstacles insurmountable without

the

a settlement contiguous to the garrison to support

adventurers would

assist the soldiers in the

building- their fortifications. tain

number

I

of families four

it,

where

heavy work

of

therefore granted to a cer-

hundred acres

to

each family,

at a price to

be settled by the general assembly, with com-

missions for

civil

officers,

and the necessarv

Copies of the principal of which

instructions.

send you.

and military

The

me by

the governor

and

"Lest the withdrawing our troops from

tage,

raise suspicions I

herewith

other being agreeable to the printed forms

heretofore delivered

might

I

among

council. St.

the citizens, to our disadvan-

have sent to Major Bosseron, the then

mandant, blank commissions, with powers compan}' and put them

Yincennes

com-

district

raise

one

in possession of the garrison,

with

to

assurances that pay and rations should be allowed them by the government. officers

and men,

and twenty, were

When to the all

Colonel Clark

amount

of

left

the

falls, his

perhaps one hundred

well clothed except in the article of

linens.

"Mr.

Isaac

Bowman,

with seven or eight

November

last.

attended by another batteau with twelve

men

family, set off from Kaskaskias the in a batteau,

and three or four families I

judged

the

it

men and one

in

it,

bound

safer to send to the falls

commonwealth by Bowman

15th

to the falls of

Ohio.

many articles belonging to than to bring them myself

)

FORT JEFFERSON BUILT NEAR MOUTH OF THE OHIO.

Bowman's

by land.

battean

fell

into the

Chickasaw Indians, and the other arrived

hands

673 the

of

March

in

or

April at the French Lick on Cumberland, with the account that

Bowman

and

killed

such

articles as

out from

many

all

my

men

the

and taken.

were

I

belonged

except one Riddle

enclose

to the state, as well as

of intelligence yet

enjoy no leisure until

I

Ruddell a

have

fully

necessary

r

will

I

Your

Bowman

Illinois.""

as will

make

acquainted

killed as stated in this letter of Colonel

was captured by the Indians,

of

books and

remain unmentioned.

shall

list

can

I

Manj

lost.

Excellency with the situation of the

was not

My

detached memorandums.

necessary papers being also

articles

(

Your Excellency

Todd, but

be fully related fur-

ther on.

Early in 1780 Colonel Clark, with a small force

one hundred and twenty to a place

to

two hundred men

—from

— proceeded

on the Mississippi river called Iron Banks, four

or live miles below the

mouth

of the

Ohio, where they

erected several block-houses and a fort, in what

is

now

Ballard county, Kentucky, which was called Fort Jefferson, in honor of ginia.

From

Thomas

Jefferson, then governor of Vir-

inadvertence, or cause not

now known,

the

consent of the Indians had not been obtained for the erection of the fort, and, as they it

had not relinquished the land,

naturally offended them, and led to skirmishes

acts of hostility as

and thus defeated the carrying out of

and such

prevented settlements outside the of

an important part

Colonel Clark's plan of having a self-sustaining

ment and

fort

combined.

fort,

settle-

INDIANS ATTACK FORT JEFFERSON,

674

Finally the

Choctaw and Cherokee Indians united, and

over one thousand warriors, under the leadership of a

Scotchman, named Colbert, who had obtained, and whose descendants long held, great power to the fort,

duced

laid siege

which had then, from various causes, been

to a garrison of

only about thirty men.

ness prevailed in

that region,

badly prepared to

make

these disadvantages, they

The

among them,

sick-

and the Americans were

resistance

made

Much

re-

;

but, notwithstanding

a most gallant defense.

Indians continued the siege, in vain, for rive or six

was an unusually long time

days, which

together in such an attempt.

an island near the

now known

fort

as Island

Their principal camp was on

and the mouth

Mavfield creek,

There was not only sickness

but scarcity of water and food, the latter being

reduced to unripe pumpkins.

finally

of

Number One. The Americans were

reduced to great extremities. in the fort,

for Indians to hold

But,

worn out

as

they were with loss of sleep, and the constant strain of

watching and fighting, day and night, there was no thought of surrender.

Finally the Indians fort,

made

a desperate night assault

on the

but were entrapped into a position within reach of the

fire of

a cannon, or swivel, heavily loaded with

musket

balls.

rifle

and

This had been planted by Captain George

Owens in a place unsuspected by the Indians, and was fired when they were crowded together in close range of the gun. The carnage was terrific, and the survivors withdrew

in

hot haste.

was not renewed. from that part

Colbert was wounded, and the attack

But the Indians did not

retire entirely

of the country until the arrival of Colonel

s .

CAPTAIN GEORGE OWENS.

675

when

Clark with re-enforcements and provisions,

up the contest and returned

they gave

to their respective villages.

CAPTAIN GEORGE OWENS. Captain George Owens, a native of Pennsylvania, and the chief actor in this slaughter of the Indians,

came

to a

sad end a few years later, and the savages had a terrible re-

venge.

what

is

They captured him near the falls of the Ohio, now Indiana, as he was hunting, or attempting and Vincennes, and,

pass between the

falls

him

frightful

in the

most

manner,

death at the stake at or near the It is said

Wea

burned him

intimately,

to

towns (Ouiatanon)

settled in Scott countv,

knew them

to

after torturing

he himself had some Indian blood

His descendants author

finally

in

in

his veins.

The young man

Indiana.

and when a

beard Captain Owens"s sons, George and Thomas, then old

men, speak

of these events.

Their hatred

of the In-

dian race was so vehement that the people of Lexington,

then the county seat of Scott countv, had in

much

difficulty

keeping them from killing two friendly Indians

happened

at that place half a

who

century after Captain Owens"

death, and long after the Indian wars in that region were

The author was present and remembers cumstances distinctly. Abednego Owens, who ended.

Scott county, in 1894, at an advanced age,

Owens, who removed date,

were grandsons

to

the cir-

died in

and Thomas

Texas many years before

of this historic

that

Captain George Owens,

and there were other grandchildren whose names are not

now remembered.

676 CLARK CROSSES THE WILDERNESS TO HARRODSTOWN,

The author was

number of papers which had belonged to Captain Owens, and among them is the following peculiarly worded receipt given bv John Montgomery, who was a prominent officer in Clark's Illinois campaigns: "This is to certify that George Owens and

me

by the family with

a

have settled acumpts and have received

demands from

faction of all this

intrusted'

day.

the beginning of the world to

say received of me.

I

"March

full satis-

John Montgomery."

24, 1787.

But itwasnotthe southern Indians alone

that

were giving

trouble about the time of the unsuccessful siege of Fort

The northern

Jefferson.

Indians, as Colonel Clark knew,

were preparing, under British leadership,

American

frontiers;

probably

original plan of a united to

it

this,

and

furtherance of Hamilton's

it.

vigilant ever, he determined to

me*t

To

that

by a counter movement against the enemy.

end he made

his stav short at

across the wilderness for

companions. journey on

It

foot,

was

full

of

Clark and

and they had rafts

to cross

made

of

many swollen streams logs

To

roving bands of Indians.

his

companions painted

like the savages,

firing at

bound together

There were no roads, and the country

which

artifice

serious trouble, as they finally

were

Fort Jefferson, and started

Harrodsburg with onlv one o: two

was an exceedingly fatiguing and perilous

by swimming, or on by grape vines.

attack the

movement, which was expected

sweep everything before

Knowing

in

to

them before

deceive them.

their faces

came near

and dressed

getting

them

met a party of whites

their identity

into

who

was made known.

DANGEROUS SITUATION OF THE AMERICANS.

They at

lived

on buffalo and other game, and

Harrodsburg

at a fortunate

was a large assemblage

there

had gathered there

677

finally arrived

time for Clark's purposes, as of

men,

for that period,

who

to enter lands in the surveyor's office.

Clark took the responsibility of temporarily closing the

and proceeded

office,

was

at

once to enrolling volunteers, and

quite successful, although there

among

was some grumbling

the land speculators at his arbitrarily closing the

He

land-office.

adopted other necessary, but equally

positive measures, such as sending a small force to a point

on the wilderness road, then the principal Kentucky,

to turn

outlet

back or disarm every one trying

from

to leave

the country at this time of peril.

In the spring of 1780 the Americans in the west were in great danger in several quarters. able invasion of

Kentucky by the

In addition to the formidBritish

and Indians under

Colonel Bird, a movement against Cahokia and

was inaugurated by the

Illinois river

routes than had before been followed.

St.

Louis

and more western

Of

this

contemplated

expedition Lieutenant-Governor Sinclair, British

command-

ant at Michilimackinac, wrote General Haldimand, the 29th of

May,

saying:

"Your ary of

last,

that a party

March

attack

Excellency was informed bv

to

was

fifty

engage the Indians

pose on the 2d da}* of

down May.

to the

traders, servants

Febru-

on the 10th

westward

Illinois country.

men, including

proceeded with them

letter of

to leave this place

on the Spanish and

dred and

my

in

an

Seven hun-

and Indians,

the Mississippi for that pur-

THE SPANISH AND

678

"During

La

at

COUNTRY INVADED.

ILLINOIS

the time necessary for assembling the Indians

du Chien, detachments were made

Prairie

the river to intercept crafts

watch

coming up with provisions and

upon the people working

to seize

to

Both

mines.

in the lead

one and the other were effected without any accident. "Thirty-six Minomies,

have brought Pencour,

ish

intended

first

armed

the mines they have brought seventeen Span-

and rebel prisoners, and stopped

fifty

tons of lead ore,

and from both they obtained a good supply

The

of provisions.

Machiquawish and Wabasha have kindled

chiefs

spirit in the

this

western Indians.

"Captain Langlade, with a chosen band Canadians, will join a party assembled

make

an escort,

as

boat, loaded at

which were twelve men and a rebel commis-

in

From

sary.

at

to this place a large,

his attack

by the

and

Chicago, to

and another partv are

Illinois river,

sent to watch the plains between the

of Indians at

Wabash and

the Mis-

sissippi.

"

I

am now

in treaty

with the Ottawas about furnishing

their quota to cut off the rebels at Post St. Vincents, but as they are

under the management

two

of

chiefs, the

drunkard and the other an avaricious trader. difficulties in

bringing

it

"A

and the

island

band can

many more.

part of the

Menominis who

Puants, Sacks and Rhenards, go the lead mines.

no person

met with

Thirty Saguinah warriors

about.

are here in readiness to join them,

furnish as

I

one a

to

Orders

will

are

come

be published

go there who looks

the Indians have orders to give

here,

away immediately

to

some watch

at the Illinois for

for receiving quarter,

none

to

any without

and

a British

THE SPANISH AND

ILLINOIS

COUNTRY INVADED.

679

This requires every attention, and support being of

pass.

the utmost consequence."

Some damage was done by

main, the expedition proved a

side of the river, but, in the

An

failure.

ten

by

exaggerated account

Sinclair to Ilaldimand

which says

is

given in a letter writ-

on the 8th

of

July, 1780,

:

"I kave two

the invaders on the Spanish

Your Excellency

the honor to inform

vessels sent into

that the

Lake Michigan have returned.

They

fortunately carried from this a force sufficient to enable the

party retiring from the Illinois by Chicago to pass with

band

safety through a to

embark

in security,

the vessels.

The

some

by

Monsieur Calve, who allowed the

The

enemy.

and are arrived here with

to fall into

other division penetrated

Lake Michigan and

the country between

sels

canoes and some on board

by the Sacks and Outagamies

the hands of the

Illinois

in

others retired in two divisions, one

the Mississippi with

prisoners taken

and

of Indians in the rebel interest

the Mississippi,

Two

their prisoners.

hundred

cavalry arrived at Chicago five days after the ves-

left

it.

On

the

26th of

May Mr.

Hesse, with the

Winipigoes, Scioux, Ottawa, Ochipwa, Iowa, and a few of the

Outagamies, Sacks, Mascoutins, Kickapous and Pot-

tawatamies.

"Twenty

of the volunteer

Canadians sent from

a very few of the traders and the servants,

made

this,

and

their at-

tack against Pencour and the Cahokias.

"The Winnipigoes had and four wounded, the only sufferers.

I

fear

a chief

one

of

and three men

them mortally.

killed,

They

are

FORMIDABLE INVASION OF KENTUCKY

68o

"The

and three men

rebels lost an officer

Cahokias, and

killed at the

five prisoners.

"At Pencour

sixty-eight

were

killed

and eighteen blacks

whom

and white people made prisoners, amongst eral

good

Many

artificers.

hundreds

stroyed and forty-three scalps are brought in.

sev-

were de-

of cattle

There

is

no

doubt can remain from the concurrent testimony of the prisoners that the

enemy

a copy of

my Lord

about the time

George Germain's

Colonel Clark was sent for

it is

not definitely

been a well-laid plan

I

received

circular letter/'

in great haste to aid in re-

pelling this threatened invasion, but exactly

took in

med-

received intelligence of the

itated attack against the Illinois,

known.

to attack the

what part he

There seems

to

have

Americans simultane-

ously in different places, as at about the time of the invasion of

made

the Illinois country a very formidable raid

into

Kentucky by a large

force

of British

was

and In-

dians, principally the latter, under a British officer

named

Byrd, which naturally created great excitement and alarm

among

the residents of the frontier, and caused some, in

despair, to desire to leave the country. that period, a formidable expedition, far It

more calamitous

was not only strong

was, indeed, for

and might have proved

Kentucky pioneers than

to the in

munitions of war, which,

It

if

numbers but

in

it

did.

cannon and

properly handled, would un-

doubtedly have been disastrous

to the

American

settlements.

After capturing, by overwhelming force, Ruddell's and

Martin's stations on the British

and Indians,

for

2

id of June, as before related, the

some cause never explained with

certainty, hastily retired from the country

by the same route

1

CLARK IN TURN INVADES THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY.

.

68

they had come, killing some of the prisoners and taking the rest,

with the plunder of the stations, which the prisoners

were made

to

cany with them.

Colonel Clark, realizing the bad

effect the terror inspired

was having upon the

settlements, vigorously

by

this raid

pushed forward

his

contemplated

enemy's country, not only

own

confidence to his

He

people.

Licking river as the place where

in

Kentucky,

the boys, very old

into

the

punish them, but to restore

to

selected the

all his

and there was a general turn out bearing arms

expedition

forces

of all the

mouth

were

men

to

of the

meet,

capable of

man)' instances leaving only

in

men and women

to

provide food for

From

themselves and guard the stations.

the interior

came volunteers under such well-known Indian fighters as Harrod, Kenton and John Floyd. Clark moved the troops which had been gathered skiffs,

some on

foot,

at the falls

and

six quarts of

river,

some

in

and some on horses marching and

riding along the river bank.

ammunition, each

up the

man

It is

understood that, besides

carried a quantity of dried

meat

parched corn.

The only mishap to any of the troops while on the way to the mouth of the Licking was to a small number of men

Hugh McGary, celebrated alike for his rashness and bravery, who were attacked, and roughly handled bv

under his

the Indians

on the north bank

Indiana, but the exact place

is

of the

not

river,

probably

now known.

in

Several

were badly wounded. Clark

left

the

mouth

of old Chillicothe

of the

with slightly

Licking for the Indian town less

than a thousand men,

and with one small cannon carried on a pack horse. About

t

682

INDIANS DEFEATED AND THEIR

forty

men were

left

TOWNS DESTROYED. a guard to the boats

at the river, as

and other property, not carried

wounded at the time by Hugh McGary.

these had been

the party led

The

and pushed on

the Indians attacked

Fie

burned the houses

to Piqua, not far distant,

where he arrived

on the morning

his arrival.

of the 8th of

Piqua was quite a

August.

town, with log houses stoutly

built,

house well constructed for defense.

and a strong block-

The

cabins were gen-

surrounded with "truck patches" used

The

corn, beans, etc. brother,

it

there were

is

Clark taking

The

celebrated

for raising

Simon Girtv and

were there with the Indians,

said,

of

his

whom

several hundred.

The American two.

of

Indians getting warning of Clark's approach, aban-

doned Chillicothe before

erally

Some

into the interior.

forces

were divided

command of two and was

latter

directed to

into

four divisions,

Colonel Benjamin Logan

make

a detour

and attack

the village in the rear, but unfortunately failed to accomplish it

The

time to be of service.

in

fighting

was mainly done

by the divisions under Clark and continued,

way, of a

for the

most

shelter

skirmishing

of the day; the Indians taking

grove of bushes and trees

and protection

cannon was

in a

finally

advantage

in the vicinity, as well as of the

of the block-house

brought into use,

in

an

and cabins. effective

The

way, and

the Indians successfulh' retreated, taking advantage of a six or eight

men, and the

whites seventeen and quite a number wounded.

The town was An-

ravine,

and losing altogether only

destroyed and also a large quantity of growing corn. other village

was

back

mouth

to the

also destroyed of the

and the troops then marched

Licking, most of them having

DEATH OF JOSEPH ROGERS. been out about four weeks. been beneficial

more men

to the

The

683

expedition

is

said to have

Americans, notwithstanding they had

killed than their opponents.

It

discouraged and

cowed

the Indians for a time, coupled with Byrd's singular

retreat

from Kentucky only a short time before, and the

rest of the

year they remained quiet.

DEATH OF JOSEPH ROGERS.

A most pathetic

and

tragic event occurred at the time of

the fight at Piqua, which

sorrow and regret: Rogers,

overwhelmed Colonel Clark with

Joseph Rogers, a brother of John

who commanded The Willing

in

campaign

the

against Vincennes, and a favorite cousin of Colonel Clark,

was a prisoner with the Indians his is

at

Piqua.

The manner

being made a prisoner, and the sad ending

thus related by his nephew,

Hon. Joseph Rogers Under-

wood, formerly United States Senator from Kentucky, a

Mrs. B. Kinkead, also a

letter to

relative,

he

The

is

in

a copy of

which has kindly been furnished the author, and which, far as

of

of his life,

as

aware, has never before been published.

letter of

Senator Underwood says, "there was great

my grandfather, George Ann Clark. After (her son)

intimacy between the family of

Rogers, and that of his

sister,

George Rogers Clark, had been

in

Kentucky some time,

he returned to Virginia, and in visiting his relations he

persuaded

my

Kentucky."

uncle, Joseph Rogers, to return with

to

This was the time the governor and council

of Virginia furnished

Clark with

powder which he undertook

to

five

convey

hundred pounds

of

Kentucky

its

to

defense in 1776, as related in a previous chapter.

44

him

for

DEATH OF JOSEPH ROGERS.

684

"On tinues

reaching Maysville, then called Limestone," con-

Mr. Underwood, "the powder was hid and the

party started for the settlements around Lexington and

General Clark raised a party with means to

Harrodsburg.

powder from

transport the

uncle, Joseph Rogers, his

show where

the

first

powder was

cousin, with the parts' to

This

hid.

pioneers was attacked by Indians on their

little

band

of

way to Limestone,

Joseph Rogers was made a prisoner by

and defeated. them, taken

my

hiding place, and sent

its

to their

homes north

of the

Ohio

river,

and,

according to their custom, initiated into one of their families, to

become one

Of course he was painted and

them.

of

dressed as an Indian.

"General Clark crossed the Ohio

and on the 8th

of

August

My

village at Piqua.

Indians, but

when

of that

in the

summer

of

17S0

year attacked the Indian

uncle entered the right with the

the Indians retreated, instead of running

away with them, he ran towards Clark's army, shouting as I am a white man!" he went, 'I am a white man! But, unfortunately, he was shot down as he went. The wound was mortal and he died

in a

General Clark might be sent

and they had a most told of

him

them

to

to

The

him.

affectionate interview, in

say to his soldiers that he

in the right,

He

few hours.

(

desired that

general

which Rogers

Rogers) hurt none

having purposely overshot them

time, and that he had lost his

life

came

in his

all

the

anxiety to join

them."

The

unfortunate Joseph Rogers died in the twenty-fifth

year of his age.

There was always some doubt whether

he was shot by Clark's

men supposing him

to

be an Indian

BAD CONDITION OF

FT.

who saw

or by the Indians

them.

It is to

JEFFERSON AND THE ILLINOIS.

be hoped

it

he was trying to escape from

was the

thing- horrible in the idea that

by

own

his

friends,

he was

whom

to

687

there

latter, as

is

some-

even innocently,

killed,

he was trying to escape.

Colonel Clark, naturally, would have

felt

intense sorrow

at the

death of any countryman under such circumstances.

What

then must have been his feelings

was the bright and beloved son

whom

he had influenced

when he

home and an unknown

to leave his

only to find captivity, death

realized

it

mother's brother,

of his

in Virginia,

grave

in the

western wilderness.

During the absence

of Colonel

Clark

in

on the Piqua campaign against the Indians going on very well, either in the Jefferson.

on account

Illinois

Kentucky and affairs

were not

country or

Fort

at

In the former the principal dissatisfaction was of the worthless

earlier inhabitants

by the

paper currency forced on the

"new

comers,"" and conflicts of

authority between the old order of things and the military authorities.

The bad

sented in the following

on the

1st of

condition of affairs letter,

written from the latter place

"The

few troops that are

here are too inconsiderable to guard themselves

are the inhabitants

main

forcibly pre-

August, 1780, by John Dodge, an Indian

agent, to Governor Jefferson:

now

is

much

;

nor

better, notwithstanding the}' re-

in great spirits in expectation of relief

from govern-

ment, and have with great bravery defeated a very large party of savages, at

who made

a regular attack on the village

daybreak on the morning

Clark has divided

his

few

men

so as to preserve the country.

of

the

17th

ult.

Colonel

in the best manner possible, The apprehension of a large

688

BAD CONDITION OF

body

of the

enemy

Ohio has

falls of

JEFFERSON AND THE ILLINOIS.

FT.

in

motion from Detroit towards the

called

him there with what men he could

well spare from this country, before he had well breathed, after the fatigues of

an expedition up the Mississippi; and

Colonel Crockett, not arriving with either visions, as

and

was expected, has

settlers in

much

or pro-

really involved both the troops

distress,

and greatlv damped the

which

of industry in the latter,

men

till

was

lately

spirits

so conspic-

uous. 1,1

our

of

no other alternative, from the present appearance

see

I

affairs,

but that the few goods

plying the troops, must to

keep

this

I

go

for the

have

left,

my

or acquit

credit,

after sup-

purchase of provisions

how

settlement from breaking up; and

ever support tions

all

I

I

shall

myself of the obliga-

have bound myself under, to those

of

whom

I

have

purchases for the troops before the arrival of the goods, I

know

not.

Our

credit

is

become

weak among

so

the

French inhabitants, our own, and the Spaniards on the opposite side of the Mississippi, that one dollar's worth of provisions or other supplies can not be had from

out prompt payment, were

by which you full

supply of goods

cies of in a

to save the

whole country

:

without a constant and

in this quarter, to

answer the exigen-

government, nothing can ever be well effected but

very contracted manner."

Matters grew worse as the of

it

will perceive that,

them with-

fall

advanced.

October Captain Robert George,

Jefferson, wrote Colonel

and imploring him said he,

Wk

puts

command

the 24th at

Fort

Clark, describing the situation

to return.

me under

in

On

"Our

the necessity of

present distress."

informing you by

BAD CONDITION OF

JEFFERSON AND THE ILLINOIS.

FT.

your presence

express, the absolute necessity of place

we

;

are reduced to a very small

number

689 this

at

at present,

occasioned by famine, desertion, and numbers daily dying.

We

have but a very small quantity of provisions

at pres-

way to New Orleans, Captain Dodge has purchased

Colonel Montgomery, on his

ent.

called

on

He

us.

says that

one thousand bushels flour,

which

of

that

all

is

corn and ten thousand pounds of is

show from

to

a cargo of eleven

thousand hard dollars' worth of goods sent by Mr. Pollock to you, together with

worth from

about

five or six

We

this place.

thousand dollars'

are informed they are entirely

expended.

"I expect Captain

Barbour up every day with a

Philip

quantity of goods for this state, and should be glad of directions

may

from you, that they

manner we have no reason

not be exhausted in the

doubt the

to

first

was.

It's

rather tedious to mention the conduct at the Illinois since

your departure, as nothing but your presence can If

necessity detains

soon as possible. the river,

The

us,

is

left

sets off to

is

very

Kaskaskia

much this

down

distressed.

morning

the certainty of the provisions being purchased.

appears there was a pirogue

it.

pray send an express as

inhabitants (are) chiefly gone

and what there

Lieutenant Clark

know

you from

rectify

sent

to It

down sometime ago, who deserted

loaded with corn and flour, with eight men, with

it

down

the river.

I

doubt the greatest part of

battalion will sure turn merchants,

presence here,

vent

it.

if

there

is

not

all

some

for the

want

of

this

your

steps taken to pre-

BAD CONDITION OF FT. JEFFERSON AND THE ILLINOIS.

69O

" Lieutenant Dalton

Montgomery,

is

gone down the

order,

in

Captain Williams

possible,

if

to give up,

lan

is

I

dered

to

borough

you

poor,

many

I

appears

it

other things,

remains

distressed

joins in prayers for

of

this

when little

your presence once more

at

place/'

same

later

Captain John Williams wrote him from

"On

place that:

at this post

the

of horses.

What's gone with them God knows,

them, as well as

of

The

Four days the

Major Har-

want

at a loss for

is

refused

I

believe there will be a very disagreeable account ren-

called for.

this

with Colonel John

command, which

the

the state horses at Kaskaskia, but

all

there (are) but few.

but

secure deserters.

without further orders from you.

out hunting, but

sent for

to

has arrived here

Montgomery, and assumed

river with Colonel

by order

the 23d of this instant

John Montgomery,

of Colonel

command, but from

I

arrived to take

the character he at present bears

Captain George did not think proper to give him or any other person the erly relieved

command

at this post until

by your order.

precarious, and

I,

for

my

he

(is)

prop-

part, seeing times so

what might ensue from the

least contest or

umbrage between Captain Robert George and myself, am determined

to

remain as retired

as possible until

your ar-

rival here.

"I commanded Mississippi,

till

at

Cahokia since the expedition up the

ordered to

this post,

and here

I

found both

the soldiers as well as the inhabitants in the most desolate situation imaginable; not so for the

want

of

much by reason

good provisions.

There

is

of sickness as

a

quantity of

provisions purchased at present, but the difficulty

we

labor

BAD CONDITION OF under here

FT.

JEFFERSON AND THE ILLINOIS.

getting any provisions

we

and lowness

sickness;

is

down

my

regard to

instructions

by the

by which reason

As I am convinced before government

are satisfied from

you

majority,

water prevents us

at this time,

are kept constantly starving.

the reception of this

of

69I

in

would be glad you would give me

I

opportunity in what

first

matter to

act," etc.

we

Captain George continued "to hold the fort," as

him writing from there on the i^th Colonel George Slaughter:

edge the receipt

happy

to rind )'ou are so

and large

The

supplies,

more

and

beg

supplies

I

come

hand.

and

am

as out

I shall expect to receive frequent

especially in the

commissary way.

to

may

we

look to vou for

The

beef

became wasted,

pickle

if

have

to

the Opost,*

will give

for six

me

fast;

The

to

yet

—

ill-

barrels being bad, the

stink,

wants

it

you the news in the

besides

I

am

little

of

it.

As draws away

to

it

send a supply

and Major Linitot has made a heavy

hogsheads and the half

of

of the place.

Illinois,

the use of the Indian department,

more

is

any had been put on, and though

purchase supplies

the liquor from

be of

will

but those

really of the poorest kind

is

meat does not absolutely

"Major Harlan

it;

be of a better quality than what

cured, and not half salted.

me

last,

you frequently repeat them they

if

singular advantage, as

I

acknowl-

to

you express,

as

to

small supplies you have sent us have been of infinite

services,

the

23d January

abundant

find

February, 1781,

"I have the honor

of yours of the

your great abundance

of

of

my

to

draft

on

ammunition

for

and three hogsheads

purchase eight months' provisions for twenty-five

*Vincennes.

COLONEL GEORGE SLAUGHTER.

692

men, which

have sent for the protection

command

under the

"The

I

Captain Bayley.

credit of the state

either there or at

when

of

our

little

bad that nothing can be had

so

is

Kaskaskia without prompt payment, and

stock

is

exhausted,

do except you take some care

whisky

you

as

to

uphold the honor

learned I

Miamis, so that the inhabitants

Opost have petitioned

...

plied with.

am

It is

it.

of

know not what we shall us. Send us as much

we are forced to expend our The enemy are approaching the Opost,

fortifying themselves at

of the

I

please, as

taffia for provisions.

and

of the Opost,

an

(for)

of the state there, I

so

me

and men

officer

which

I

have com-

have taken notice of your song and

good

wish vou had sent more of

I

under the necessity

it.

putting a stop to the men's

of

rations of liquor in order to purchase provisions.''

COLONEL GEORGE SLAUGHTER. Colonel George Slaughter to

whom

the foregoing letter

was addressed, and Major Harlan mentioned both

men

He was

in 1739.

probably Fields, after

in the

who was

that

in

killed in that battle.

and raised some corn

it is

said, as captain

dywine and Germantown

in

I

in

Ie

in

1774,

Colonel John

came

to

Kentuckv

there, but speedily re-

army under Washington, Muhlenburg's celebrated

He was

Eighth Virginia Regiment.

in 1778, in

Point Pleasant,

his father-in-law.

turned to Virginia and joined the serving,

of

Culpepper county, Virginia,

in the battle of

regiment of

were

George Slaughter, the son

of high standing.

Robert Slaughter, was born

therein,

in the battles of

Bran-

1777; a colonel of volunteers

Shelby's Chickamauga campaign j at Vincennes

MAJOR in

May,

1779, and at the

He was

that year.

Piqua

settled,

first

removed

to

that state

November

of

through

in service

in 1784.

Came

1

781-2.

member

of the

west again and

Charlestown, Indiana, where he continued to

Mary, but no in

in

Jefferson county, Kentucky, but finally

in

reside until his death,

June

alive in 1836, at

17, 1818, leaving his

She died

children.

extreme old age, and

was

Ohio

the

time to Virginia and was a

for a

legislature of

falls of

693

with Clark in the campaign against

and continued

in 1780,

Returned

SILAS HARLAN.

at

widow,

Warsaw, Kentucky, She

in the receipt of a pension.

which time she was eighty-five years

of age.

MAJOR

The Major Harlan lan, after

whom one of

''He was born of

in

SILAS

referred to in the letter

was

Silas

Har-

Kentucky was named.

the counties of

Berkeley county, Virginia, near the town

He came

Martinsburg.

HARLAN.

Kentucky

to

in 1774,

and took

a very active part in the battles and skirmishes with the

He commanded

Indians.

a

company

General George Rogers Clark in the 1

of

Illinois

779? an d proved himself a most active,

scouts

under

campaigns

of

energetic and

General Clark said he was one of the

efficient officer.

bravest and most accomplished soldiers that ever fought by his side.

About

the year 1778, he built a stockade fort on

Salt river, seven miles above Harrodsburg,

'Harlan's Station.' Licks, and

fell

the detachment ried.

He was

in that

which was called

a major at the battle of Blue

memorable

contest at the head of

commanded by him.

lie

was never mar-

In stature he was about six feet two inches, of fine

FORT JEFFERSON ABANDONED.

694

personal appearance, and was about thirty years old

he was

He was

killed.

when

universally regarded as a brave,

generous and active man," *

The

sickness which

to

be so universal

at that

day

Fort Jefferson; the difficulty of keeping

in the locality of it

seemed

supplied with provisions, because of the lack of families

in the vicinity to

need

cultivate the soil,

and the more urgent

of troops in other places, finally led to

This was probably some time

ment.

in

abandon-

its

1781.

Some

eighty-two or three years afterwards, the caving in of the

bank

of the Mississippi at or near the site of the fort ex-

posed a long iron cannon which had apparently been buried

when

the fort

sion of the

was abandoned.

owner

This was found

in posses-

of the land, during the Civil

War, and

was carried off by a party of

Union

soldiers, but the author

has been unable to learn what afterwards became of this interesting relic of old historic Fort Jefferson.

In the

fall

Moltin de

la

of

1780 a native of France, named Augustin

Balme, who claimed

have come

to

to

America

with Lafayette and to have been a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry in France and colonel in the continental army,

barked

in

an expedition from the

the British posts on the lakes, f forty or

fifty

Illinois

He

em-

country against

succeeded

in enlisting

followers at Kaskaskia and Cahokia.

The

number was slightly increased at Vincennes, but the whole number at no time exceeded one hundred. Thev succeeded in getting as far as the present site of Fort Wayne, * Collinti's

(•Early

Kentucky, Vol.

Chicago and

2, p.

3:0.

Illinois, p. 337.

LA BALME'S ABORTIVE EXPEDITION.

695

or near, which they plundered the traders at the In-

at,

dian villages of their goods, and not only exasperated the

HI Y'l$t$0vk

traders, Dut: the Indians as well.

«f«^^^a^tfS

hitter,

v Mf* ^tej^^i

under the

watched

!£^wnlili

which they found defeated,

-^$9iS

letter to

but

opportunity,

a favorable at night,

almost

and not only

La

annihilated

and disastrous undertaking.

to this rash

A

for

Balme's entire party, and thus put an

little turtle.

end

The Little

Turtle, the great chief of the Miamis,

^^.ns^^^Pfe

W^C

leadership of

Colonel John Todd, the county lieutenant of

the Illinois country, from his deputy, Richard Winston, gives

some information

of

Kaskaskia and Vincennes.

La Balme and his movements at The letter is dated Kaskaskia.,

October 21, 1780, and says:

"There passed Colonel de

la

this

way

Balme; he

a

Frenchman;

says, in the

look upon him to be a malcontent, Virginians, yet the Indians. the

I

called himself

American

much

service.

disgusted at the

must say he (did) some good, he

He was

Hebrews would

I

pacified

received by the inhabitants just as

receive the

Masiah

—was

from the post here by a large detachment as well as different tribes of Indians.

conducted

of the inhabitants

He went

from here

against Detroit, being well assured that the Indians were on his side.

Got

at this place

and the Kahos about

fifty

unteers; are to rendezvous at Ouia (Ouiatenon).

Duplasi, from here, went along with

him

there to lay before the French ambassador this

vol-

Captain

to Philadelphia, all

the grievances

country labors under by the Virginians, which

is

to

be

696

LA BALME'S ABORTIVE EXPEDITION.

strongly backed by Monsieur de la Balme.

'Tis the general

opinion that he will take Baubin, the great partisan at

Miamis, and from thence

to Fort Pitt.

.

.

.

He passed

about one month here without seeing Colonel Montgomery, nor did

Montgomery

see him.

*Virginia State Papers, Vol.

1,

7

p. 3S0.

'

*

—

CHAPTER

XVI.

CONTEMPLATED CAMPAIGN AGAINST DETROIT

IN

17S1

—

LOCHRY'S DEFEAT. Council of war to consider an expedition against the British at Detroit, or "the Floridians on the Mississippi"

and

— Early action delayed — Clark Virginia — Secures Governor Jefferson's approval of visits

aids in driving out the British

an expedition against Detroit

— Is

commissioned brigadier-general thereof

Letter from General Washington approving the expedition, promising military

— Letters of Jefferson and others on the subject — Promises not and expectations not realized — Country wean' of war — Troops and army supplies hard to secure — Draft made but unsatisfactory — Clothing scarce — Paper money nearly worthless— Letters of Clark upon the discouraging situation Bears up bravely under disappointments — Starts from Pittsburgh with but four hundred of the two thousand men expected — Events of voyage to of to join Clark at the appointed the Ohio — Colonel Lochrv's command disastrously defeated — Distress of Colonel time and place — Follows on and stores

and Continental troops

— Colonel Gibson's

regiment promised to Clark

fulfilled

falls

fails

is

Clark

at the defeat of

Colonel Crocket's

letter

Lochry and

failure of

campaign against Detroit

defending Colonel Clark's conduct.

^T will be remembered with what concern Colonel Clark

abandoned a campaign against Detroit ture of Vincennes. particular time, for

military

life

It it

one of the chief regrets

to consider

its

of his after life.

consideration on his return to the of

for that

continued to be a chief aim of his

during a long period, and

vened a council

after the cap-

was only an abandonment

war

falls

there, in the

was

He resumed

its

of the Ohio, and con-

autumn

important military questions

an expedition against the

final failure

in

of that year,

connection with

British, either at Detroit or the

(697)

'

?

:

COUNCIL OF WAR, NOVEMBER

698

1

6,

I

779.

The author

Floridas, then in British possession.

has the

and gives

original proceedings of that important council,

here, with a fac-simile of the signatures of the officers

signed

it

who

it

"At

a council of

war held

at the falls of

November, 1779, by order

Ohio,

this 16th

Colonel George Rogers

of

Clark, colonel of the Illinois-Virginia regiment, and com-

mander-in-chief of the western department, viz.:

"Present, Captain Robert George, president; Captain

Thomas Quirk, Captain Edward Worthington, Captain Richard Harrison, Captain John Baily.

"The

following propositions being presented from the

colonel to the council, to wit

The gentlemen

:

officers of

the Illinois regiment present are requested to assemble in council at Bachelor's hall, at twelve o'clock, for the consideration of the following propositions,

and give

in their

opinions thereon, to wit:

"

1

st.

What number of

troops would enable us to reduce

Detroit or the Floridians on the Mississippi

How

"2d. visions

?

are those troops to be supported with pro-

?

"3d.

those troops are to

If

the Illinois,

"4th.

If

what would

What

draw

in

sufficient

from

their subsistence

require annually

by tobacco lodged

what quantity would be "5th.

it

?

French or Spanish

posts,

?

fortifications necessary for the Illinois,

and

where, their strength, etc.? "6th.

What

provisions might be furnished

habitants of the Illinois

"Falls,

November

"(Signed)

by the

?

16th, 1779.

G. R. Clark.

in-

COUNCIL OF WAR, NOVEMBER

"Which came

6,

1

I

propositions being duly considered, the council

to the following resolves thereon, that

"In answer troops

699

779.

to the

1st

would enable us

on the Mississippi

?

'

proposition,

to say

:

'what number of

reduce Detroit or the Floridians

to

the council, considering the present

and the well-affected

state of Detroit

is

dispositions of

the

adjacent inhabitants, do conceive that that post might be

reduced by a few well-disciplined troops, but as these troops

have a long, tedious and fatiguing march through a hostile country, exposed tions

all

to frequent interrup-

and attacks from the savages, our natural enemy,

well as

man) unforeseen 7

of opinion that not

than one thousand troops would be requisite for

ing that purpose

amply

The

—which

as

accidents, consequently attendant

on long marches, they are unanimously less

way

the

effect-

number they conceive would be

sufficient, as well as for

holding the same.

reductions of the Floridians on the Mississippi the

council conceived to be

by no means

or dangerous a nature

as

either of so difficult

that of Detroit.

When

they

consider that there are few or no savages to encounter with, the descent speedy

and rapid, without fatiguing the

troops,

the inhabitants being finally well affected towards us; the

great probability of the

want

of the necessary supplies

to all, the certainty of

and Great Britain, and narrowly watched all

the supplies

must come. unanimously a safe

enemy being much weakened

and

at

and re-enforcements.

for

Add

war being declared between Spain of the

enemy being blocked up

or

Mobile and Pensacola, from whence

and re-enforcements,

if

on the Mississippi,

These considerations induce them of opinion that the Floridians

easily conquest with five

to

be

would become

hundred troops, well

COUNCIL OF WAR, NOVEMBER

JOO

disciplined,

who would

l6,

I

779.

also be sufficient to protect a coun-

try , etc.

"In answer

to the

second proposition, 'how are those

troops to be supported in provisions

?

the council are of

'

opinion that supplies of bread kind can be furnished from the Illinois country

come from some

"The

;

but as to the meat species,

part of the

Ohio or waters

from the

tion,

Illinois as

mentioned

because they do not think the

sufficiency

meat

of the

must

east thereof.

council are unable to ascertain the

require annually in case the troops should sistence

it

sum

draw

it

would

their sub-

in the third proposi-

Illinois

can furnish a

besides the price of pro-

species,

visions, as well as all other necessaries in that country,

"The

is

so

and uncertain.

variable, fluctuating

fourth proposition,

'if

by tobacco lodged

in

French

or Spanish ports, what quantity would be sufficient?' has

been answered by the foregoing, as the council

no standard price

know of make

for either tobacco or provisions to

just calculations.

"To

the fifth proposition, 'what

and where,

Illinois

that

one

'tis

at

their strength, etc.?"

1

the council

the

(say)

their opinion three fortifications are sufficient, viz.:

Kahokia, one

and one

fortifications for

at or

at Post St.

Vincent, one at Auabache,

near the mouth of the Ohio,

in

the

most

convenient place on the banks of the Mississippi, each

be one hundred

fortification to

feet

square in the clear

within the walls, to be built of earth dug out of an en-

trenchment ten of said

with earth thrown upon the inside

entrenchment, must form a wall

and eight will

feet deep,

feet thick,

form a wall

of

of ten feet high

which with the entrenchment, which twenty

feet

perpendicular, on the top

COUNCIL OF WAR, NOVEMBER of

which they conceive

wooden wall

of

1

6,

I

necessary there

it

sawed or hewn timber ten

70I

779.

should be a

feet high,

twelve

inches thick, with bastions at each corner so proportioned that

one

shall clear another.

consist of

one hundred and

The

fifty

Post St. Vincent of one hundred and garrison at or near the

"The

mouth

of

to at

fifty

troops,

and the

Ohio, two hundred troops.

sixth proposition inquires, 'what provisions

be furnished by the inhabitants of the the council answer as their Illinois

Kahokia

and the garrison

garrison at

troops,

Illinois?

1

unanimous opinion

to

might

which

that the

inhabitants might supply five hundred troops in

provisions of the bread kind yearly, but as to the species they can not conceive that

placed on

them

meat

any dependence can be

for that article."

l'Ot

to the legislative

In the latter

it.

list

Clark and Evard Clark appear.

how

every

tory, will

man

voted on

be given

in a

the

names

The

of

full

George R. showing-

light vote.

It

At

was

carried

that time the tall)'

sheets

name of the voter, but how he voted. who published a journal of western travel,

not only the

Josiah Espy,

visited Clarksville

and General Clark

"At

what he says about them: is

thir-

question in Indiana terri-

this

viva voce system of voting prevailed and the

show

of gov-

and

it

list,

subsequent volume.

by a small majority on a very

territory to

form

Thirty-five voted for

of

the deserted

village of

and

this

the lower end of the

resides.

warrior

I

is

falls

Clarksburgh (Clarksville),

which General Clark himself of seeing this celebrated

in 180^,

in

had the pleasure

at his lonelv cottage seat-

ed on Clark's Point.

"This point

is

situated at the upper

opposite the lower rapid,

view

end

commanding

of the falls, particularly the zigzag

only navigated

much

at

and

delightful

channel which

The general commanding and

low water.

pains to improve this

of the village

a full anil

is

has not taken beautiful spot.

JOSIAH ESPY'S VISIT TO GENERAL CLARK IN 1805.

having only raised a small cabin, but

made one

of the

handsomest

it is

867

capable of being-

seats in the world.

"General Clark has now become

frail

and rather

helpless,

but there are the remains of great dignity and manliness in his

countenance, person and deportment, and

I

on seeing him with, perhaps, a fancied likeness

and immortal Washington. point

it

is

said the canal

is

was struck to the great

Immediately above Clark's to return to the river,

making

"There appears

a distance of about two miles."

no doubt," adds Mr. Espy, "but that

this

to

be

canal will be

opened."

Mr. Espy was not alone

in entertaining the belief that a

canal would be

made on

unfortunately

was not constructed, and since the decrease

of

water

it

in the river,

the Indiana side of the Ohio, but

and the advent

tance has greatly lessened.

an all-absorbing question in the

of railroads,

its

impor-

For a long time, however, at the falls,

it

was

and, to some extent,

Ohio valley generally.

The "lonely cottage situated on Clark's Point," where Mr. Espy saw General Clark in 1805, was an old-fashioned log^house, located near the river. fifty

years,

It

remained there for about

and was then taken down,

or, as

another account

says, was destroyed by the ground caving into the river.

The

spot

where the house stood

opposite the middle of it

Rock

was constructed were made

being hewed

to a line

is

said to have

island. to a

The

been about

logs of

smooth surface

which

either

bv

by the ax, or sawed with a whip-

saw, most likely the former.

The view was, no

doubt,

very fine, but the roar of the water passing over the

falls

GENERAL CLARK'S COTTAGE AT CLARKSVILLE.

868

must have been annoying, and the mist and fogs from the river

sometimes unpleasant.

In this humble, isolated

spent

home, the sturdy old

man} weary and lonesome days and

soldier

nights, at the

7

RESIDENCE OF GENERAL CLARK AT CLARKSVILLE.

very period of his

and solace

life

of pleasant

ship he had none,* * In his

when he most needed companionship.

Female companion-

and the men who were about Clarks-

researches the author has found no evidence that General Clark was

ever engaged in any affair of the heart.

was

the tender care

for a time fascinated with a

The

nearest to

Spanish lady in

the veil in a Catholic institution in

St.

it is

Louis

a tradition that he

who

afterwards took

New

Orleans, greatly to the disturbance of only tradition, however, and very vague at that. His

peace of mind. It is all married, as did his brothers Jonathan and William; but the brothers Edmund, John, Richard and George Rogers, seem to have remained his

four sisters

single.

IS

ville at that

STRICKEN WITH PARALYSIS.

869

time were generally of the free and easy sort,

and a good deal given

to dissipation.

In fact the habit of

drinking was general, everywhere, in that day, and

be admitted that General Clark, in

it

campaigns, and

and

by exposures

this

must

lie

had

his military

in

was now being aggravated by

living about the falls,

it

period, indulged

an extent that was wholly unjustifiable.

to

greatly impaired his health

tion,

at this

dissipa-

which was notoriously un-

healthy in early times.

The heaviest blow came of acquaintances

at last,

from Kentucky made him a

ing excursion, and, after spending in

a

jovial

way, departed on

alone in his humble cabin.

present to assist him.

lie

log fire-place, in such a

which brought him covered from

Some

its

it,

his leg finally

on a hunt-

some time with him leaving

him

time after their defell

to the floor

unconscious, without any one fell in

way

front of the old-fashioned

as to

burn one

consciousness, but

this stroke of paralysis.

about ten years after

burn on

to

visit

their hunt,

parture he was stricken with paralysis and helpless, and, for a time,

A party

with terrible effect.

of his legs,

he never re-

lie lived, however,

but in a helpless condition, and the

turned into erysipelas, which

made

amputation an absolute necessity. General Clark bore up, for a time, under

this terrible

The am-

infliction

with remarkable firmness and bravery.

putation

was performed by Dr. Ferguson amid surround-

ings that are probably without a parallel.

His namesake, Colonel George Rogers Clark

Floyd,

afterwards distinguished at the battle of Tippecanoe, and the son of Colonel

John Floyd, herein before mentioned,

AMPUTATION OF HIS LEG.

870

caused drums and in

fifes to

be played during the operation,

compliance with the request of General Clark

and the brave old

fect,

his fingers.

should be remembered that

It

is

He was

off?"

it

was before

this

Finally the music stopped, and

the advent of anaesthetics.

he asked, "Well,

to that ef-

music with

soldier kept time to the

answered that

was, and the dissevered limb was shown him, which to

have been the

The

is

well authenticated.

who was honorably

Sullivan,

drum and

prominent descendants, one

of

whom

left

Mr. Cauthorn

is

in this

young nephew

of

"Your uncle George wound healed up.

the

been

since he has

never

knew

the day to

it

men

fifes,

taken

man

in

was taken

come and

the

a

in

voung

Mr. John CFal-

General Clark, in which he said: is

I

with us and in high

have

staid with

town, that

my

off

life

is

about

to stand

it

he sent for the

him

and

spirits,

every night

five

weeks.

so well as he,

drummer and

I

and fifer

Flovd then took the hint and had

play.

of

work, was with

the 24th of April, 1809,

Sullivan wrote a letter from Louisville to lon, a

a long line of

and remained with him several

at the time,

On

during

identified with Indiana his-

Vincennes, several times mentioned

months afterwards.

fife

George Rogers Clark

tory during the territorial period, and

General Clark

it

said

left leg.

incident of the playing of the

the operation

is

all

placed around the house with two drums and two

and played off in the

and played

for

for

about two hours, and

meantime.

his

leg

was

In the evening they returned

about an hour, and then ten

elegant violins, two drums and two

fifes

at night four

marched around

the house for about an hour, playing elegant marches."

THE QUESTION OF THE SWORDS. But General Clark's elated certainly they

were

spirits

were probably assumed; His paralysis re-

of short duration.

About

mained and never

after

be no question.

was even established

It

testimony of

many

He was now

without

left

him.

this there

shown

can

by the

in a court,

witnesses, as will be

money

87 I

later on,

or resources and utterly help-

less.

THE QUESTION OF THE SWORDS. It is

a singular fact that

two swords were presented

George Rogers Clark by the

state of Virginia,

to

and there

have been numerous traditions upon the subject, and

much

uncertainty and conflict of statements, especially as to what

became

of the swords.

Why should Virginia present General

Clark with two swords, and or uncertainty as to

why should there be any mystery

what became

of

The author

them?

has investigated the matter as thoroughly as he could, and trusts

and

he has succeeded

at least

posed

lost

sister

of

up some

or destroyed swords.

possession

the

in clearing

of the mystery,

has been successful in finding one of the sup-

of

It

was

in

California, in

Mrs. Rodgers,* a descendant

George Rogers Clark,

at

whose house he

In this he was materially aided by William Esquire, of Detroit, Michigan.

A

of

the

died.

Hancock Clark,

picture of this

sword has

already been given at the close of Chapter XIII of this

work, and two larger pictures here, for the purpose of

of a portion of

showing the

it

are given

inscriptions

on

its

sides. *

Mrs. Serena Livingston Rodgers, wife of Augustus F. Rodgers of the United Commodore Rodgers of the

States coast survey department, and grandson of

U.

S.

Navy.

1

SWORD PRESENTED TO GENERAL CLARK By the State of Virginia.

SWORD PRESENTED TO GENERAL CLARK. (Reverse Side).

TRADITIONS ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF A SWORD.

874

But while the discovery

some

time, raises

of this

sword seems

and clear up some mysteries,

traditions

overthrow

to

it,

at the

some other questions which remain

to

same

be con-

The tradition is universal in the Clark family, author knows by direct inquiry, that at some time or

sidered. as the

other General Clark, feeling deeply aggrieved at what he

considered bad treatment by Virginia, destroved a sword that state

had given him, but

when, or how destroyed,

it

as to

varies

which sword

and

is

it

was, or

uncertain.

Outside of the family the matter has been related in different ways, but

all

The

a sword.

ending

statement that he destroved

in the

General Clark,

sketch of

American Biography, understood

Lyman

Draper, Esquire, says,

to

Appleton's

in

have been written by

'he

felt

keenly what he

considered the ingratitude of the republic in leaving him in

poverty and obscurity, and

when

the state of Virginia sent

him a sword he received the compliments in

gloom}

7

needed a sword, I

want bread!'

broke

it

I

He

some

of that

thrust the

sword

into the

ground and

is

that he said,

— a purse well

"Damn

rilled

the sword!

I

had

would have done me

service."

It will

case

committee

with his crutch."*

Another version

enough

of the

Then he exclaimed, 'when Virginia gave her one. She sends me now a tow

silence.

be observed that

when

it is

not definitely stated in either

this occurred, or which sword was destroved.

although from the reference to his being in poverty, and

breaking the sword with inferred that *Vol.

1,

p. 6J7.

it

his crutch,

it

would naturally be

was the second sword, which was not

pre-

THE FIRST SWORD PRESENTED. sented until 1812.

The

ured here would,

at first

view, as

an inscription referring

does

bears

it

875

finding of the sword that glance,

seem

to

is

pict-

confirm

this

1779, but

to

it?

Let us examine the subject further: Vincennes was captured on the 2^th of February, 1779, and on the 12th of the ensuing June the legislature of Virginia ordered that the governor be requested to transmit to Colonel

Rogers Clark, by the hands

of

gant sword, in testimony of the merit of

A copy of a of this

George

Captain Rogers, "an eleservices/

his

1

portion of this law will be found on page 404

work, and the

Lieutenant-Governor John

letter of

Page, accompanying the sword, will

"Williamsburg,

now be

given:

in Council, September 4, 1779.

^Lieutenant-Colonel George Rogers Clark:

"Sir Rogers

— I

I

have the honor

to

inform you, that by Captain

have sent the sword, which was purchased by the

governor, to be presented to you by order of the general

assembly, as a proof of their approbation of your great and

good conduct, and gallant behavior. better could have

been procured, but

best that could be purchased,

man who had and

costly.

used I

it

but a

heartily wish a

it

was thought the

and was bought

little,

and judged

sincerely congratulate

and wish you a continuation to

I

of

it

of a gentle-

to

be elegant

you on your

successes,

them, and a happy return

your friends and country; and am,

sir,

with great regard,

your most obedient servant,

"John Page, Lieutenant-Governor." It will

not

be seen from

made S6

this letter that the

especially for

first

sword was

George Rogers Clark, but had

WHICH SWORD WAS DESTROYED.

876

been "bought tle."

It

gentleman who had used

of a

but a

it

lit-

was, therefore, a second-hand sword and, although

"elegant and costly," as the lieutenant-governor says, he took care to add, "

I

been

heartily wish a better could have

procured;" and no doubt Clark was not enthused with the idea that a second-hand

Virginia to give a In

all

sword was exactly the thing

man who had done came

probability Virginia

thirty-three years later,

so

much

for

for the state.

same conclusion

to the

and made reparation by sending

him a new sword, manufactured expressly

for

armory

and ornamen-

of the state,

with

all

the engraving

him

at the

tation suitable to the period of his great achievements, as

contemplated

the law of 1779.

in

had been destroyed by Clark

Nor

true.

for

Clark

is it

it

it

now

if

a

fit

of anger, or

known

she had

sword

lastly,

it

to

be

made gentleman who had

such engraving and

on the sword reproduced

is

would

it

sword, not

first

but bought from a

in existence,

by the its

And,

in

as stated, contained

ornamentation as

umes.

him

against

presumable that the

at all,

already used

not likelv Vir-

is

inquire whether the second-hand

ginia stopped to

have treasured

It

in these vol-

seems most probable that the sword

and pictured here,

is tlic

act of the Virginia Legislature of

sword ordered 181

2,

and

that

engraving and ornamentation was made to correspond

with the period of the Jirst sword, and as a substitute for

That law provided

it.

that,

"Whereas, The General Assemblv

of Virginia

have ever

entertained the highest respect for the unsullied integrity, the valor,

the military

George Rogers Clark,

ment (aided by the

enterprise to

and

whom, and

justice of their

to

skill

of

General

his gallant

regi-

cause and the favor of

LAW PROVIDING FOR THE SECOND SWORD.

877

heaven), the state of Virginia was indebted for the extension of her boundaries

from the Atlantic

to the Mississippi;

and, whereas, the general assembly have been informed

hand

that the chief,

of

misfortune has overtaken this veteran

and that he, whose name was once a

friends with confidence

and

host,

filling his

with dismay,

his foes

is

now

himself a victim of age and of disease, and a dependent on the bounty of his relatives: kt

Be

it

therefore enacted,

monwealth

shall

be and

have manufactured,

to

is

That the governor

of this

com-

hereby authorized and requested

at the

armory

of this state, a sword,

with suitable devices engraved thereon, and to cause the

same

to

be presented

to

General George Rogers Clark, ac-

companied with an expression

and friendly

of the gratitude

condolence of the general assembly of Virginia.

"And ers

be

it

further enacted,

Clark shall be and

sioners,

and

is

That General George Rog-

hereby placed on the

list

that he shall be entitled to receive annually

from the public treasury one-half

of the full

pay which he

received as colonel of the Illinois regiment; that diately after the passage of this act, the

sum

of every year, the

and the auditor

sum

of four

of public accounts

is

warrants therefor, payable out of any ury.

This act shall be

in force

is,

imme-

of four

dred dollars, and annually thereafter, on the

January

of pen-

first

hundred

hun-

day

of

dollars;

required to issue his

money

in the treas-

from the passage thereof.

"February 20, 181 2,"

Some

further interesting details in relation to the origin

and passage

of the bill directing the presentation of the

second sword to General Clark are found

in

a letter from

LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE LAW.

878

Hon. Charles F. Mercer, to a friend in

member who

the

Kentucky.

It

introduced

particularly valuable in

is

showing that the sword then ordered "was intended

had been given

place the sword which

many ginia

is

him by

to

to re-

this state

years ago, and which, under an impression that Vir-

had treated him with

be decisive as

he had proudlv broken

injustice,

This additional evidence would seem

and thrown away." to

it,

The

matter in question.

to the

following

the letter in full:

"Richmond, Virginia, February 21, 181 2. " 'Joseph II. Hawkins, Esq., Lexington^ Ay.: "I have

my

in

it

power

to

communicate

to

you one

of

me

in

the most interesting events which has occurred to

the course of

my

journed

morning, and,

this

short public

longest session which the

a

commonwealth.

bill, to

be entitled a

ers Clark.

My

we

life.

in

object

legislature ad-

so,

terminated the

have had since the foundation

Yesterday bill

doing

Our

I

asked leave

bring

to

of in

concerning General George Rog-

was

to secure to

of a colonel for the residue of his

sword which had been given

to

life,

him the

and

him by

half

pav

to replace the

this

state

many

years ago, and which, under an impression that Virginia

had treated him with thrown away.

injustice,

he had proudly broken and

Notwithstanding the nature

of

my

request.

the lateness of the session, the prejudices always operating

against appropriations of

money, the speed with which

law must be hurried through the two houses all,

I

had the happiness

to secure

its

it

passed

at

passage through both

branches of the legislature on the same rolled last night,

if

the

daw

It

was en-

and subscribed by our speakers to-day,

I

LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE LAW.

am

which I

have enjoyed, and

I

have

just enclosed to

General Clark.

draw from our hundred

which

and

therefore

of the satisfaction

communicate

Major Croghan a copy

and on the

amount.

him

to

when he

treasury,

It

it

of the

that he

sum

first

day

of

apprises

him

of the

his

law

commonwealth

of four

high sense

and ad-

have manufactured,

at the

armory

sword, with suitable devices engraved upon

of Virginia, a

when completed,

and,

skill

man,

informs him that the governor of

it

will

for

January, ever

undaunted courage and consummate

and

you.

entitled to

is

pleases, the

to

his native state entertains of his integrity as a

dress as a soldier; this

I

announces

It

dollars;

after, a like

it,

you some part

sure this event will give

879

will cause

to

it

be presented to

him, with an expression of the condolence of the general

assembly of Virginia for

his misfortunes,

tude for his meritorious services. will

meet with

it till

I

his approbation.

I

and

hope what

their grati-

have done

I

should not have delayed

I

so late a period of the session, but the calamity

which

have before mentioned, and other business, either en-

grossed

mind

my

time for the

last fortnight

any exertion,

for

or incapacitated

until yesterday;

and

I

my

could not

but resolve to avail myself of the only opportunity

I

might

ever have, of being instrumental in the accomplishment of so signal

an act of

justice.

might not be hurt by the half, I bill

That General Clark's

failure of such

implored the house to den)

which

I

7

me

read, on the motion, unless

we had a majority,

gave

it

would agree

Accordingly, on ever}- question

it.

which

rise

feelings

effort in his be-

leave to bring in the

afterwards to pass it

an

after the leave

to

was

17

4^

^

GOVERNOR BARBOUR INFORMS GENERAL CLARK.

>0

granted, of more than two-thirds of

the

all

members

pres-

ent.

"I could

not forbear communicating to you what has

me

interested

so

much,

from the grave

tion

of

even

as

my

to

withdraw

my

imagina-

poor brother. C. F. Mercer."'

""Sincerely yours,

This action of the Virginia assembly was communicated to

General Clark by James Barbour, governor of that

in the

following eloquent and appropriate

letter:

"Council Chamber, Richmond, October 29, The representatives of the good people

"Sir ginia,

181

—

convened

in

2.

of Vir-

general assembly, duly appreciating the

gallant achievements during yourself,

state,

the

Revolutionarv

War

of

and the brave regiment under your command, by

which a vast extension assigned to

me

of her

empire was effected, have

the pleasant duty of announcing to you the

sentiments of exalted respect they cherish for you, and the gratitude they feel at the recollection of your unsullied integrity, valor, enterprise

sincere regret that

7

Permit me,

friendly condolence.

my

Having learned with

skill.

have requested

of misfortune, they

discharge of

and

you have been doomed

official

me

to drink the

to tender

sir, to

you

cup

their

mingle with the

duty an expression

of

my own

feelings.

"The

engaged

my

have dwelt with rapture upon the

dis-

history of the Revolution has always

deepest attention. tinguished

part

I

you acted

always convinced that of

numbers

ples of skill

to

make

it

it

in

that

great drama,

being

only wanted the adventitious aid

amongst the most splendid exam-

and courage which any age or country has

1

GOVERNOR BARBOUR NOTIFIES GENERAL CLARK. produced.

I

name

that the

a conspicuous pride at the recollection

feel

Clark

of

is

compatriot with

most sincerely sympathize with

and deeply deplore

morning was

The

tune.

among your

88

)-ou in

my own.

I,

your adverse

that the evening of

your

too, fate,

whose

life,

so brilliant, should be clouded with misfor-

Virginia have placed

general assembly of

their archives

a

monument

of their gratitude for

services, and, as a small tribute of respect,

rected that a sword should be

made

in

have

di-

our manufactor}-,

with devices emblematic of your actions, and have also rected that four

hundred

paid, as also an annual

sum

dollars should be immediately to the

same amount.

I

lament

exceedingly that any delay should have occurred in

You

communication.

will readily believe

it

ployed

completing the sword.

sent herewith.

mands

I

It is

shall take pleasure in

as to the transmission of the

are entitled.

me when

arose from the tardiness of the mechanic

sure you in

You

will

di-

now

finished

this I

as-

em-

and

is

obeying your com-

money

have the goodness

to

to

which

3-011

acknowledge

the receipt of this as soon as your convenience will permit.

I

am,

sir,

with sentiments of high respect,

"Your obedient

James Barbour.

servant,

"General George Rogers Clark, Louisville, Kentucky.

"N. B.

— Having

been disappointed

calculated upon, for the present the for a

new

opportunity, or until

I

conveyance

in the

sword

will

be retained

receive your

commands. "J.

*

Journal of the House of Delegates of the

1S12, p. 30.

Commonwealth

B."* of Virginia,

:

MAJOR CROGHAN REPLIES FOR GENERAL CLARK.

>2

After General Clark was stricken with paralysis he was

taken to the residence of his

Mrs. Croghan,

sister,

in

Ken-

tucky, near Louisville, where he remained the rest of his

When

life.

Mr. Barbour's

was too much disabled replied to

by

to

General Clark

letter arrived

answer

his brother-in-law,

in person,

it

and

it

was

Major William Croghan,

from "near Louisville, Kentuckv, December

15, 181 2,"" as

follows

"Sir

—General

George Rogers Clark, by a paralytic

stroke he received about three years ago, being deprived of the use of his right side, and unable to write, requests

would inform Your Excellencv

that

by the

last

I

mail he re-

ceived your very flattering letter of the 29th of October,

where you do him the honor

manner

his

of Virginia

conduct as an

approving

of

highest

in the

officer in the service of the state

during the Revolutionarv War.

yours, with the very honorable

manner

This

letter of

name

his

is

men-

tioned by the general assembly in their law of last session,

have engraved on spect

him

his breast sentiments of the highest re-

and gratitude.

Flattering, indeed, he says,

to find that his exertions,

meet the approbation

when doing

of so respectable a

Your Excellencv and Virginia. The general flatters

low-citizens as

bly of

veyance will soon

offer,

his dutv.

body

it

is

of his fel-

himself that a con-

by which the sword, voted

to

him.

Should he

hear of any person coming from Virginia to this state.

by your

them

to

apply for

it.

polite offer of transmitting to

assembly voted him

last session,

-

the general assem-

by the general assembly, may be forwarded. says he will get

to

should

lie

him

is

Ik-

much obliged money the

the

and savs he

will

probably

GENERAL CLARK APPARENTLY NOT DISPLEASED.

The

take the liberty of troubling you.

me

make

to

883

general requests

a tender to you of his thanks for your very

am, with great

polite

and friendly attention

spect,

Your Excellency's most obedient

to

him.

I

re-

servant,

"W. Croghan."* This

letter

of

Major Croghan shows conclusively

General Clark was gratified legislature,

and

which

that the traditions

the destruction of the

sword presented

well founded.

much more

the

—

first

tives,

sick

at that

likely*

him

time are not

that he destroyed

him—that is the second-handed one

and

when,

suffering;

after

long years of

fruit-

appeals for a settlement of his account against Virginia,

he wrote

his brother,

swear b} ," but, T

lecting It is

C.

is

attribute to

about the time he was living on the charity of his rela-

at

less

It

sword presented

that

Virginia

at the action of the

it,

"that

at last,

it

book we

as just as the

in despair all

hope

of col-

saying he must look somewhere else for bread.

said that the second

sword was presented by General

F. Mercer," the gentleman

measure

was

gave up

in the

who had

introduced the

Virginia legislature, and that he

presentation in a graceful

made

way with some complimentary General Clark was then old

remarks befitting the occasion.

and decrepit, one leg gone, the other paralyzed, and energy and ambition of

the

his

Earthly honors could be of

all

the

younger days had departed. little

moment

to

him

then, as

he sat there in his invalid chair and listened to the polished

He

Virginian's eloquent words.

sheathed sword, and holding * Journal of the p. 101.

it

took the beautiful un-

before

him on

his

two open

House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia,

1S13,

HOW HE

S84

hands, looked at

moment

his

long and earnestly.

it

memory

and Vincennes, and

sword or received It is

is

broken by

true,

tears,

and the sword needed a sword,

you

my

it

it

is

not likely he either broke the

with insulting or bitter words.

and

that another version of the pre-

that he simply said, in a feeble voice,

"you have made is

I

Doubtless at the

dwelt upon the glories of Kaskaskia

much more probable

sentation

as

RECEIVED THE SWORD.

handsome

aver)'

very handsome, too.

gave her one.

see, to ever use a

I

am

When

address,

Virginia

too old and infirm.

sword again, but

I

am

glad that

old mother state has not entirely forgotten me. and

thank her friendly

for the

words."

honor and you

for

I

your kindness and

HIS DEATH.

At ble

this time,

and

however, General Clark was

failing condition that the

largely,

if

887 in

such a fee-

honors of the world had,

He was

not entirely, lost their value to him.

man; and

a paralyzed,

and, already, partially dead

that helpless

and hopeless condition he lingered on

the final

end came on Friday morning, February

when he

died at the house of his sister, Mrs.

in

until

13, 18 18,

Lucy Croghan,

THE HOUSE WHERE GENERAL CLARK DIED. Locust Grove, near Louisville, which had been his home

at

since his terrible affliction.

The house

in a fair state of preservation,

photograph,

is

and a picture

gloom over the whole community, and

taken

standing

still

of

it,

from

a

here given.

The death of General Clark, although a

is

at Louisville to honor his

not unexpected, cast steps were

memory by

promptly

general attend-

HIS DEATH.

888

ance and suitable ceremony of the

at his funeral.

day paid glowing tributes

The newspapers

to his merit

and gave

voice to the general grief of the public at his loss. Extracts

from only two

Western Courier of Louisville,

in

The

be given here.

of these notices will

first

its

issue after his

death, said:

"We

upon

are called

the death of another

to record

Revolutionary hero!

"General George Rogers Clark, with whose name should ever be associated the worth of philanthropv, the virtue of

and humanity

patriotism, the adroitness

He

no more! at

expired on Friday

Locust Grove,

last at

of a general,

is

his late residence

in his sixty-sixth year.

"Were we able to represent the hero as he really was, could we make known to his countrymen the dangers, the difficulties he underwent, as a sacrifice for the blessings we now enjoy, what a monument of unerring gratitude would raise to his

memory!

Could they

in

any degree be familiar

with the scenes of heroism and generalship which characterized

him on

his

and value

of

"Honored

command British (

of

achievement at

to

campaigns to

him

an army, destined

now) western

allies,

states,

as

in

the west,

second only

the

in skill

our immortal Washington.

an early period

and savage

ficulties that

military

would point

finger of justice

in

our history with the

to

operate

against the

then the sole occupants of these

undismayed by the dangers and

frowned upon him,

gallantly sallied forth, he

is

bling the pride of Britain,

to

as he

be seen

and at

his little

dif-

band

one period hum-

by subduing her disciplined

armies, at another routing the fiercer savages from

their

NEWSPAPER NOTICES OF haunts, preparing the

fertile

HIS DEATH.

regions of the west for the

who were proud

residence of a population

countryman, and were ready

889

to

him

of

as a

improve upon a purchase

with which his gallantry had blessed them.

''The

legislature of

his

native state testified

eral acts their high admiration for him.

by

sev-

was pre-

Fie

sented by them, on two different occasions, with an ele-

gant sword, and on the

'The

legislature

of

last

occasion were pleased to add:

Virginia have

ever

entertained the

highest respect for the unsullied integrity, the valor, the military enterprise

Clark, to

whom

and

and

skill

to

of

General George Rogers

his gallant

regiment (aided bv

the justice of the cause and the favor of heaven) the state of Virginia ries let

was indebted

from the Atlantic

for the extension of her

But enough;

to the Mississippi.'

the historian perform

his part,

and we

bounda-

will

have the

greater cause, in consideration of his character, to boast of

our being Americans."

The Kentucky Reporter nounced

his

"How "At

of

February 25,

1S1S, an-

death as follows:

are the mighty fallen.

the shrine of grief

sad devotion!

It

we must once more

becomes our painful duty

offer

up our

to record the

death of the father of the western country, the illustrious

General George Rogers Clark. .

Fie expired at his resi-

dence, at Locust Grove, on Friday, the 13th instant, in the sixty-sixth year of his age.

"Could our

feeble talents enable us to delineate the dis-

tinguished acts of patriotism, of valor, and philanthropy,

NEWSPAPER NOTICES OF

89O

HIS DEATH.

that characterized the existence of

what a spectacle would we present

While banqueting

this

illustrious

to the

chief,

admiring world.

sunshine of wealth and political

in the

glory, can we be unmindful that these are the proud

phies bequeathed us

man?

ous

Early

in life

toils

and valor

he embarked

tro-

of this illustri-

in the

cause of his

This western country was the great theatre

country.

Bold and

his actions.

mayed by by a

by the

the dangers

force in

numbers

and

difficulties that

far his superior,

threatened him,

and removed

to a

He

region never before trodden by a civilized American.

estimated the value of skill

favorable result; he relied on his

and courage; he knew the

associates, of

its

and

for

Spartans he

is

him

it

of

was not to be dis-

enterprising, he

fidelitv of his little

With

was enough.

band

this little

of

band

seen piercing the gloom of the seques-

tered forests, illuminating

them

in

quick succession with the

splendor of his victories, and earlv inviting his countrvmen to

a residence

The

them. will ever

"The

courage and

his

fall of

skill

had purchased

Kaskaskia, Cahokia, Yincennes,

remain a monument

of his skill

for

etc.,

and courage.

exalted standing he enjoved in the estimation of

the citizens of this

town was realized

in the grief

they dis-

played on hearing of his death, and the exertions they

made to honor the recollection of this The court of chancerv, which was

distinguished

then

ticipating in the general grief, adjourned;

in

man."

session, par-

and the follow-

ing resolutions were adopted by the bar: '

Louisville, Friday morning, February

'The melancholv intelligence

13, 1S1S.

of the death of the illustri-

ous and ever-to-be-lamented General George Rogers Clark,

LOUISVILLE COURT PASSES RESOLUTIONS. having been announced, the court

of

891

chancery immediately

adjourned for the day; and the members of the bar, having convened, adopted the following resolutions: 'Resolved, That the

members

of the

bar will attend the

interment of General Clark.

Rowan, Esq., one

'Resolved, That John bers of the bar, be and

mem-

of the

hereby requested

is

deliver a

to

funeral oration at the place of interment.

'Resolved,

mony will

That the members

of their respect for the

wear crape on the

left

arm

of the bar,

memory

of

as

a testi-

General Clark,

for thirty days.

'Resolved, That James D. Breckinridge and Frederick

W.

S.

Grayson wait on Major William Croghan, com-

municate the foregoing resolutions

Worden

approbation thereof.

'Minor Sturgus,

to

him, and request

Secretary.'

Notwithstanding the disagreeableness of the day interment, the crowd that assembled to pay this to his

his

Pope, Chairman.

remains was very great.

It

was

of his

last tribute

a source of melan-

choly gratification to those present to see mingling with the

crowd

a few of his old Revolutionary associates.

General Clark was buried on Sunday the 18th of February.

We

learn from the papers of the day that "the

Mr. Banks

officiated in his professional capacity

up an appropriate prayer

Reverend

by

to the throne of grace,

offering

and was

succeeded by the Honorable John Rowan, in a pathetic and impressive eulogy on the character of the ever-memorable hero.

The

peal of artillery

of the procession

renowned warrior 57

announced the commencement

which was

to escort the

to his last abode.

remains of

this

Minute guns were

THE FUNERAL.

892 tired

was

during the ceremony, and until the

raised

upon

that

country and the terror of her foes.' It is

sad to

lift

make

After that

but the requirements

necessarv, at least to a cer-

it

affliction

he was never again sound

body, nor did he entirely retain his usual vigor

On

of his

the veil covering General Clark's deplor-

of the truth of history

in

of earth

1

able condition after the paralytic stroke

tain extent.

mound

form which was once the shield

the latter point

of

mind.

Samuel Gwathmey, who was a member

of the legislative council of

Indiana territory, and other-

wise prominently connected with the early historv of both

Indiana territory and Kentuckv,

testified

k

that

'he

quently saw General Clark both before and after this

and

tion of paralysis,

memory

impaired and

same

witness in the

after said

case, testified that she

heavily

and

upon

afflictions

his

him incapable

many years before his

death,

had been so great, and bore so

mind, and had so impaired

Hinder him almost a child.

to

knew General

he was stricken with paralvsis, his bodilv

that, after

inrirmities

afflic-

mind was

his

Mrs. Clark, another

defective."

Clark "well and intimately, for

and

affliction

fre-

of

His

moving about.

.

became much impaired, so much

his faculties, as

afflictions also „

.

rendered

His speech also

so that his

most familiar

frends could scarcely and with difhcultv understand him."

Testimony

of other witnesses

So great was the wreck

mind his

was

of this

of like import.

once powerful bodv and

that for years before his death he could not

name.

It will

even write

be seen from the following paper. purMs

porting to be his will, that

it

is

signed "G. R.

X Clark." mark

WILL OF GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. dated

It is

his death,

November

letter, for

General Clark, because the gen-

was then unable to write

many

that, for

two or three years before

and about the same time Major Croghan answered

John Barbour's eral

181 5,

5,

893

himself, showing, conclusively,

years before his death, he was in a decrepit

and helpless condition.

THE WILL OF GEORGE ROGERS CLARK.

On

the 15th of

November,

which was intended

to

George Rogers Clark

181 5, a paper

bequeath a part

b}*

As

to certain of his relatives.

document was afterwards considered and mined

was drawn up

of the property of

the court of chancery,

it is

its

this

validity deter-

copied here in

full:

"I, George Rogers Clark, of Jefferson county, of the state of

make

Kentucky, being

this

"Item.

my

friend

my I

sound mind, do constitute and

and testament.

do by these presents give and bequeath unto

William Croghan, Senior, three thousand

hundred acres of

last will

of

of land situate, lying

Bracken, on Locust creek,

it.

and being

in the

six

county

being a part of a survey of

eight thousand acres surveyed in the

name

of

G. R. Clark

and John Crittenden the 13th of June, 1797, on a treasury warrant No. 15,147.

Also three thousand nine hundred

and twenty acres below Mayfield creek on the Mississippi, which

I

claim on an entry

November, 1781, "Item. Clark

all

I

to

in

Lincoln

and

his heirs

give and bequeath unto

my

the lands and claims which

entitled to northwest of the

and

made

him and

assigrhs forever.

Ohio

I

river, to

office the

24th

assigns forever.

brother William

may own him and

or be

his heirs

WILL OF GEORGE ROGERS CLARK.

894 "Item. Ion and

I

give and bequeath to

Benjamin O'Fallon,

branch

and entered 10th

hundred acre claim

me

for military

on Clark

of April, 1785,

Tennessee, said

of

hundred acres

fifteen

warrant No. 2,292, allowed

of land, part of

services

my

my nephews, John O'Fai-

to include a silver

river, a

mine; also

six

of land, a part of a fifteen

hundred acre sur-

mouth

of Little river, in

vey on Cumberland

river, at the

equal proportions to them and their heirs and assigns forever.

"Item. Clark,

I

my

friend

part of an entry of one in

brother William

Major William Croghan, Owen Gwath-

my

mey, and Davis Fitzhugh,

made by me

my

give and bequeath to

claim to the locator's fees or

hundred and one thousand acres

the surveyor's office of Lincoln county,

which lands are situated between Tennessee River Mississippi.

Also

all

my

and assigns

my

them and

their

forever.

"In testimony whereof affixed

and the

lands and claims of every

description not otherwise disposed of, to heirs

river

seal, this fifth

I

have hereunto

set

my hand

and

day of November, 181 5. his

"G. R. X Clark, [seal.] mark

"Signed, sealed and acknowledged Joel Carpenter,

John Croghan,

"State of Kentucky: "At a county court held

Wm.

in

the presence of

Christy.

for Jefferson county, in the state

aforesaid, at the court-house in the city of Louisville,

on the

fourth day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirty, the

foregoing instrument of writing purporting

to

be

the last will and testament of George Rogers Clark, de~

AMICABLE SUIT TO TEST VALIDITY OF THE WILL. was produced

ceased, late of said said county

proved b) the oath of T

and testament

said court to be the last will

George Rogers Clark and was

of the said

ordered to be recorded and of

court and

John Croghan,a subscribing witness

and established by the

thereto,

in

895

is

And

recorded.

on the motion

George Woolfolk, who made oath according

to law, ad-

ministration of the estate of said Clark with his said will

annexed was granted by said court

to the said

Woolfolk,

whereupon he gave bond with George C. Gwathney and

Samuel Gwathney, two thousand

his securities, in the penalty of thirty-

payable to the commonwealth of

dollars,

Kentucky and with the condition thereto annexed required by law. II.

copy.]

"August

10,

Pope, Clerk.

Webb, Clerk. By G. C. Roberts, Deputy

Geo.

"Attest:

"[A

Worden

Teste:

Clerk.

1894."

This will was probably not written by a person learned the law.

It

did not cover

all

the estate, but

made

in

specific

bequests of certain land claims, and was silent as to his personal property, which, in the absence of any provisions on the will

the subject

(if

be divided

among

all

would stand

his legal heirs,

of descents of the state.

that

it

was thought

at all), would

at the

be

left

to

according to the law

possible, but not probable,

It is

time that he had no other estate

than that specifically disposed of by this document.

His

brother, General William Clark, and other of the principal heirs,

understood

it

as only intending to dispose of the land

claims specifically mentioned in

That there was doubt about legal effect,

may

it.

its

validity as a will,

be inferred from the

fact that

it

and

its

was not

DECIDED TO BE INVALID AND SET ASIDE.

896

presented and proved

court until October

in

1830,

14,

nearly thirteen years after General Clark's death; but, as

was no

there

contest,

In the meantime

it

was recorded

as a matter of course.

had become known that large sums,

it

which General Clark always claimed Virginia owed him. but which she failed to pay

financial as well as physical distress,

by the representatives

of his estate.

to that of the claim of

when he was

in his life-time

in

might now be collected It

was a similar case

Colonel Francis Vigo, referred to

in

a previous chapter.

There was now a pressing necessity do substantial

as to

eral Clark,

brought

be

justice

in the Louisville

was

it

should be

money should be

divided so

and the

amicable

made

suit

which had

Chancer)- Court, asking judgment

if

estate divided

existed.

It

found not

among was,

to

to

be that

in

the

main, an

great

number

of the heirs,

Finally, at the

will

more

be found

much

and

which arose bv deaths, marriages, and

November

fully

in the

set

forth

appendix.

in

many

term, 1851, the court, on

the rinding of the jury, set aside the alleged will: is

it

the legal heirs as

intervening interests, kept the matter in court a great

which

be the

necessarv by the particular conditions

The

arisen.

the complications

years.

Gen-

heirs of

whether the paper, purporting

had never

it

that

between the legal

a legal will or not, and,

set aside,

though

this

and, to that end, in May, 1835, a siut was

of the court as to will,

how

determined

judicially

the proceedings,

all

of

which

These proceedings contain

valuable information as to General Clark's

life

and

condition after he was stricken with paralysis, and as to

who were

his legal heirs.

The author

is

under the im-

pression that they have never before been published.

CHAPTER

XXIII.

— Location of the graves of the Clark — Inscriptions on the grave-stones— Visit of the

Burial place of George Rogers Clark

family in Cave Hill Cemetery

— Reflections upon there being no monument to honor memory — Steps taken to secure one in connection with the great Indiana soldiers' monument at Indianapolis Successful efforts in that direction Description of the monument — Abortive movements of Kentucky and the United States to erect a monument — Opinions of eminent men of George Rogers Clark and his services to his country. author to these graves

General Clark's

—

—

{if ENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARK was buried Sunday, February

JpK;

ground

at

in-law and

Locust Grove, the country seat of sister,

Mr. and Mrs. Croghan,

miles above Louisville. ful

determined

to

remove

it

his brother-

situ?ted a few

His body reposed

but secluded spot for over half a century,

tives

burying

15, 1818, in a private

in this beauti-

when

to the great public

which had been established nearer the

city,

his rela-

cemetery

known

as

Cave

Hill.

Suitable preparations were teresting event,

made

and on the 29th

carried into successful execution. ever, without as the author

some

for the delicate

and

of October, 1869, It

it

in-

was

was not done, how-

difficulty in finding the bod)' at once,

was informed by Colonel Reuben T. Dur(897)

REMOVAL OF GENERAL CLARK'S REMAINS.

898

who was present on the solemn occasion. had neither monument nor head-stone to identify

rett, of Louisville,

The grave

there ever had been anything to

If

it.

had disappeared

had accumulated supposed

The

the grave

it

immediate

in the

localitv

where

his

was

to be.

he had

fact that

military clothes,

been a

mark

long lapse of years, and other graves

in the

difficult

made

lost a leg,

easier

and had been buried

in

what otherwise might have

or impossible undertaking.

It

proved per-

plexing enough, even with these unusual means of identifica-

A grave was

tion.

opened, and, as the body was reached,

present were filled with respectful expectation, but

all

it

be the remains of George Rogers Clark.

proved not

to

Grave

grave proved alike disappointing, and those

after

engaged

when fell

in

the

work were about despairing

the ninth grave

upon

all

that

was opened, and the

remained

of the

body

light

of the

of

success

once more

conqueror of

Kaskaskia and Vincennes.

The

military buttons

made

the knee

was nothing latter

and absence

of the left leg

of the

body

left

but the skeleton and hair, the

being of reddish gray, which,

it

was thought, might

have been partly stained by the earth or decaying

The remains were removed Cemetery

mony

in

in

his

the

to

ground gently sloping

same

brothers,

the beautiful

coffin.

Cave

Hill

October, 1869, and reinterred without cere-

inent drive, section P, lot

At

above

the identity absolutely certain, but there

to the north,

number

time, or about the

near a prom-

245.

same time,

the bodies of

General Jonathan Clark and Captain Ed-

PLACED IN CAVE HILL CEMETERY.

mund

some other members

Clark, and

899

of the family,

removed from other burying grounds and placed by

While

R.ogers Clark

was proper, there

city of Louisville

contemplating at

his side.

the removal of the remains of General

its

is

George

dead

to the great repository of the

were

of the

something sad

in

separation from the bodies of his kindred

Locust Grove, where

had so long reposed, and

it

es-

pecially from that of his sister, at whose home he died, and where he lived many years before his death. The house

standing as

is still

it

was

day, and a picture of

at that

from a photograph, has been given

The author was

previous chapter.

in a

told that the bodies of

and other members

family

of the

still

it,

Mrs. Croghan

remain

at

Locust

Grove, but whether from preference of the surviving relaor because the graves or the bodies could not be

tives,

identified,

These

he was not informed.

latter

reasons are understood to have prevented

the removal of the bodies of

and mother from Mulberry on a beautiful elevation

George Rogers Clark's father

Hill,

and they are

of the old

still

reposing

homestead, from which

the city of Louisville can be seen.

Several other

members

of the

Clark family are buried

the immediate vicinity of the grave of General George ers

in

Rog-

Clark in Cave Hill Cemetery, and a picture from a

photograph

gram

of the locality

is

here given

—

also a

rough

dia-

of the location of the graves, each grave being indi-

cated by a number.

The

six graves are

marked with head-stones

of the usual

i

.

.

THE CLARK GRAVES.

9oo

and construction, being about two and one-half feet ALLEY EUPHORBIA 17 10" high. The}- bear, re-

size

spectively, the following-

1

inscriptions:

Grave Xo.

7

al lo

1

o

Q

4

6

5

— Gener-

George Rogers Clark.

Born O.

Z

i

9;

ti>*'

ary

i

2,

November

S.

Died Februi

8 o.

Grave Xo.

i

— Cap-

Edmund Clark Born September 2 5

tain \

Died 181 7.

1762. Lot No. NO. OF

Grave

Grave

245, Section P.

August

S. 1.

Gen'l Geo. Rogers Clark.

2.

Capt.

3.

Gen'l Jonathan Clark.

4.

Mrs. Sarah Hite Clark.

5.

John Hite Clark.

6.

Isaac Clark.

7.

Gen'l Jonathan Clark's family monument.

Clark.

Edmund

Grave No. 6

3

— General Born O.

Grave

Died

1750.

1,

November

Clark.

Born September

Xo.

Jonathan Clark.

Name of Deceased.

.

25 ,

Xo

1

81

4

.

1

—S a

r

ah

e,

wife of Jonathan

Clark.

BornMav n, 1 75S.

II

i

t

Died October, 1S1S. Grave Xo. 29, 1785.

— IsaacClark.

5

—John Hite

Died spring

Born October 6,

1

of 1820.

787.

Died

February 27, 1868. In the square

marked

7

General Jonathan Clark.

stands a family It is of

medium

monument

size, of

of

reddish

Scotch granite, and inscribed on the several sides as follows:

South side his wife

— In memory

Sarah

I

lite.

of

General Jonathan Clan; and

THE CLARK GRAVES. East side

—William Clark.

Died February

North

side

—Eleanor

Ann

Clark,

Born November

13, 1795.

Born July

Francis T. Clark.

3, 1879.

Died September

1807.

903

4,

10, 1852.

E. Temple, John

Pearce, William Clark,

II.

Clark, Isaac

George

W.

children of Jonathan and Sarah Clark, erected

Clark,

by Isaac

Clark.

The west side has no inscription. Some distance east of General George Rogers

Clark's

grave are two graves with head-stones, marked "William Clark and F. T. Clark." * '

The author the

fall

spent several hours, of a bright afternoon in

of 1891, in this beautiful cemetery; but, with all

attractions,

found no spot

humble grave

of

in

it

its

so full of interest as the

George Rogers Clark, who rendered

his

country great service, without adequate reward while living, or a is

monument

in sight

of

to

mark

his

when

the city he founded,

conquered from a foreign little

grave

foe.

dead, although

and the

it

territory he

There was nothing but a

head-stone, costing less than one hundred dollars, to

mark

the last resting place of the

man who had

so largely

contributed to the conquest of the great territory northwest of the

Ohio.

Recalling the generosity of Kentucky in building a monu-

ment

to

Boone, the thought naturally followed

Clark had not been similarly recognized but reflection brought the realization that

by this

as to

why

that state;

was an ob-

* Immediately north of these graves, the drive-way only intervening, the author found the grave of Lovel H. Rousseau, another general connected with Indiana history, he having been a member of the legislature of that state several

years.

MOVEMENT FOR A STATUE OF CLARK AT

904

ligation resting quite

The

much on Indiana

as

principal event of his military

cennes, occurred on Indiana

one

of her citizens,

of country

and her

soil;

life,

felt

as

Kentucky.

the capture of Yin-

he had for a time been

territory -was

which he captured from the

thor as an Indianian

INDIANAPOLIS,

composed

entirely

The

British.

that Indiana should, at least,

her share in honoring the

memory

of

au-

do

General George

Rogers Clark. Fortunately, the state of Indiana, at that time, was en-

gaged one

in the construction, at the center of

monuments make an effort

of the finest military

author determined to tion with

it,

its

capital city, of

in the

world, and the

to secure, in

connec-

the erection of a bronze statue of General

Clark, as a representative soldier of the Revolutionary

War

period, in connection with similar statues of three other

representative

men

of other

important military epochs, as

hereafter explained.

The movement was inaugurated February one hundred and thirteenth anniversary

25, 1S92, the

of the capture of

Fort Sackville, in an address by the author before the In-

diana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Some

extracts

from

this

address and the proceedings which

appendix. will

The

in the

statue of General Clark, a picture of

which

The the

will

be seen on the opposite page, was placed on

February 25,

tal

movement

be found

led to the success of the

artist,

pedes-

1:895.

J. II.

Mahoney, Esq., "represents Clark

supreme moment, when

triotism of his stern

complish

its

all

the

lire,

energy and pa-

and earnest nature was aroused

his purpose.

at

to ac-

I.S./IAL

gtJlJNYRY 3M THS ?iJHh£H

,5^99 9

THE GEORGE ROGERS Monument Place

T™

PT

amrV STATU 3m E

THE INDIANA STATUE OF GENERAL CLARK.

907

"Stepping rapidly forward and upward from the

last

flooded prairie that he had to cross to reach Vincennes, his left

sword drawn and grasped firmly

arm and hand

flung

up

hand, his

in his right

with a beckoning gesture, call-

ing and urging his followers up and on to victory; the

head turned a face

full

to left,

of

looking in the direction of his soldiers;

courage and determination

is

turned back-

ward, and, looking downward, hurries on the forward

movement

of the figure.

''The face

is

a thin, determined aquiline visage, express-

ing a vehement will that drags onward whatever

it

seizes

upon.

"The is

event and the action are well depicted: the figure

that of a typical pioneer soldier of the colonial period,

the uniform and

The its

figure

attitude

The

itself

accessories is

full of

being simple and

life,

action

realistic.

and movement, and

suggestive of leadership."

is

statue

is

of

standard bronze;

three inches to top of hat,

and

is

its

height

is

mounted on a

eight feet

pedestal

twelve feet high.

A

bronze plate, donated by the author

set into the

face of the pedestal

to the state,

and bears the

in large raised letters:

General George Rogers Clark, Conqueror of the Country Northwest of the River Ohio From the British, 1778-9. 58

is

inscription

908

FAILURE OF OTHER ATTEMPTS TO ERECT A STATUE.

The for the

Kentucky many years ago provided

legislature of

removal

that state,

and

memory, but

General Clark's body to the capital

of

for the erection of a it

was not

monument

of

there to his

carried into execution because, as

understood, of the unwillingness of the family to have the

remains removed to that place.

With ?f

the profuse expenditure by congress for the

all

adornment

Washington City and the

of

capitol building

with paintings and statues of historic characters, one will look in vain for Clark,

one

else, as far as

pecially

Bowman, Vigo,

Gibault, or any

can here be recalled, that would be es-

commemorative

of the acquisition of the territory

northwest of the Ohio river, which was certainlv one of the

most important events which has occurred

in the historv

of the country.

In 1888,

when

the attention of the country

was

called to the great value of the acquisition of the

specially

Northwest

Territory by the centennial celebration at Marietta, Ohio, in

July of that year, the senate of the United States, appar-

ently inspired

bration

was

nition of the

by the occasion, passed a

in progress,

while the cele-

which provided, "That,

eminent services

George Rogers Clark

bill,

in the

to

his

in recog-

country of General

occupation and conquest of the

northwestern territory during the Revolutionary War. the

sum

of twenty-five

thousand dollars be, and the same

hereby, appropriated out of any

money

in the treasury not

otherwise appropriated, for the purpose of erecting city of Louisville, in the state of to his

memory,

to

is

in the

Kentucky, a monument

be expended under the direction and

control of the secretary of war.

And

said

monument

shall

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE be located on a suitable

This meritorious

by the secretary

went

bill

GENERAL CLARK. 909

in said city; said site

site

thereto to be approved

title

SAID OF

to the

of

and the

war."

house and was referred

committee on the library, and reported back favor-

to the

able on the 24th of the month,

had adjourned which seemed sided,

as

the

five

to

to

centennial celebration

days before, and the patriotic impulse

move congress

bill,

and was then referred

The

the committee of the whole.

it

for a time apparently sub-

appears, has never been heard of

since.*

The and

upon George Rogers Clark

favorable estimate placed

his services

by Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and

men who were contemporary with has already been stated, and a few opinions of men of character of later periods will now be given, showing

other of the leading

him, high

that the favorable impressions have

time,

and indicating that which

been strengthened with

will stand as the verdict of

history.

Judge Jacob Burnett,

in his notes of

ment

of the

lates that

"The Early

Settle-

Northwest Territory,"

re-

he visited General Clark in

the latter part of December, 1779, at

Locust Grove, Kentucky, and that time

that

much

the

at

was

general's health

impaired, "but his majestic per-

son, strong features and dignified de-

portment gave evidence gent, jacob burnett.

mand and *

fitted

resolute

appearance

by nature

Vol. 19 Cong. Record, Pt.

7,

of

mind. a

an

Congress.

intelli-

He had

man born

for his destiny.

1st Sess. 50th

of

to

the

com-

There was a

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

9IO

demeanor resembling

gravity and solemnity in his

which so eminently distinguished

A person familiar

his country.'

ter of the military veterans of

greatest

that

'the venerated father of

with the

Rome,

lives

in the

and characdays of her

power, might readily have selected this remark-

able

man

them

in his

to his

GENERAL CLARK.

SAID OF

specimen

as a

own mind;

extreme

model he had formed of

but he was rapidlv falling a victim

sensibility,

and

to the ingratitude of

his

whose banner he had fought bravely

native state, under

and with great

of the

success.

"The time will certainty come," adds Judge Burnett, "when the enlightened and magnanimous citizens of Louisville will

memory

remember

the debt of gratitude they

of that distinguished

the pioneers

who made

the

first

its

its

Yet the

greatest danger.

site

He was

city.

the

the leader of

lodgment on the

covered by their rich and splendid tector during the years of

He was

man.

owe

its

now pro-

infancy and in the period of traveler

who

has read of his

achievements, admired his character, and visited the theatre of his brilliant deeds, discovers

place

where

his

go and pay a

nothing indicating the

remains are deposited, and where he can

tribute of respect to the

memory

of the de-

parted and gallant hero."

Colonel Reuben T. Durrett, in the "Centenary of Louisville," said of Clark:

"He was

a

man

of

quick perception

strong mind, unmeasured courage and untiring energy;

and

his capture of the British posts in the Illinois country,

with an inadequate number of undisciplined troops, ranks

him among the

first

tary genius of the

captains of his age.

first

None

but a mili-

order could have planned and exe-

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

SAID OF GENERAL, CLARK.

9 II

cuted the capture of Vincennes in the winter of 1779.

mind

required a bold and comprehensive military

and determine Hamilton

at

Vincennes during the winter

of

same Governor Hamilton would capture him

had

drowned lands

march one hundred and

to

at

Having reached

so soon as the spring opened.

to

to see

he should capture Governor

that, unless

sion, neither the

It

1779, that

Kaskaskia his conclu-

of Illinois, over

sixty miles

which he

from Kaskaskia

Vincennes, nor the disparity of numbers could swerve

him from

He

his purpose.

and

had

his soldiers

to

wade

through overflowed lands breast-deep and swim rivers raging with icy waters until they reached their object.

was one

of the boldest,

most trying, most

difficult

It

and most

hazardous expeditions ever undertaken and pushed to a successful conclusion.

Louisvillians are justly proud to be

of a city

which can assign

such a hero.

.

.

.

its

origin to

He was

not only

the founder of the city of Louisville, but

arms conquered that vast

his victorious

territory out of

which the great

Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wis-

Illinois,

consin, and

that part of

Minnesota on

this side of the Mississippi,

reuben acter

t.

durrett.

won

on

this

War when

were made.

His wonderful insight into Indian char-

hostile tribes to the

Revolutionarv cause,

of the lavish gifts of the British; and,

tary genius

states of

had had the support

side of the Alleghanies

of the Revolution.

.

.

it

if

in spite

his splendid mili-

deserved, his victories

would have shortened the .

The time must come

a grateful people will recognize his glorious deeds

erecting to his

memory

a

monument worthv

of his

by

fame."

>

;

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

912

John B. Dillon, the father ggl

SAID OF

of

GENERAL CLARK.

Indiana history, savs of

Clark's campaign that '"with respect to the magnitude of

its

design, the valor

and perseverance with which ried

it

was

and the momentous

on,

which were produced by

car-

results

the expedi-

it,

without a parallel in the

tion stands

early annals of the Mississippi."

"His

and services," says Gov-

life

ernor John Reynolds of JOHN

DILLON.

and

lution,

the

B.

latest

and

will

styled

be

posterity

handed down

the

"stands

with

to

honor

with great

He may

glory.

be

Illinois,

unrivaled in the west during the Revo-

propriety

Western Washington

monument

and, as such, should have a

erected in the west, to express the grati-

tude of the people for his distinguish-

ed and

efficient

Mississippi

the tion,

1-)

defending

services in

valley

in

the RevoluIHN

%

John Fisk,

in

his

American Revolution,

REYNOLD

"In the

says:

gallery of our national heroes,

Rogers Clark deserves

and honorable place.

It

a

conspicuous

was due

boldness and sagacity that,

commissioners

engaged

work

of

French John fisk.

in

George

at Paris, in

their difficult

when our 178:2,

and

were

delicate

thwarting our not too friendly ally,

while arranging terms of

peace with the British enemy, the

Historical Magazine, 1S57, Vol.

to his

1,

p. 170.

forti-

•

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

GENERAL CLARK. 913

SAID OF

fied posts

on the Mississippi and the Wabash were held by

American

garrisons.

Possession

in the law, and, while

keep us out sion of

said to be nine points

of the Mississippi valley,

The

it.

is

Spain and France were intriguing to

we were

military enterprise of Clark

by the diplomacy

of

in posses-

was crowned

Jay."

Judge Henry Pirtle, of Kentucky, says in the Ohio Valley Historical Series No. 3: "September 3, 1783, the definite treaty of peace

and boundary between the United States

and England was signed

Paris

at

by Hartley

for

Eng-

and Adams, Franklin and Jay the United States. Surely all that

land, for

had followed the campaign

of Colo-

had been well debated and

nel Clark

considered, and but for our holding the country under military and rule, as

much

ritory,

a part of the United

any other portion

States as

civil

of

its

ter-

we would have had our bounbank

dary, not the east

Mis-

of the

HENRY PIRTLE. sissippi,

but

the

east

Orleans and St. Louis, and

all

let

of

the

In contemplat-

Ohio, or the ridge of the Alleghanies. ing the depth of our gratitude,

bank

us think whether

New

the great country of Louisi-

ana, would, in any reasonable probability, have been pur-

chased of the

first

consul,

Jefferson, but for this not.

campaign

now

might

us through Mr.

to

of Clark.

This magnificent country, made

purchases, cine,

and come

No,

of this

certainly

and other

extending as one with us to the north Pa-'

to this

hour have been broken from us

mountain's summit or the river's shore."

at the

\ I

914

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK.

work recently issued, West, Mr. Roosevelt, the

In that interesting and valuable called

"The Winning

"Much

author, says:

most belongs

it

'

credit belongs to Clark's

The

to their leader.

and the resolute followed

1

of the

with which he

skill

out, his

boldness

_

perseverance

through the intense hardships

men, but

of his

plan

.

y

of the

midwinter march, the address with

which he kept the French and In-

way

dians neutral, and the masterful in

which he controlled

his

own

troops,

together with the ability and courage

he

displayed in

combined

to

the

make

actual

attack,

his feat the

most THEODORE ROOSEVELT.

memorable

of

the

all

done

deeds

west of the Alleghanies in the Revolution arv War. likewise the most important in defeated, all

we would

probability

J James

its

It

was

had he been

results, for,

not onlv have lost the Illinois, but in

Kentucky also."

A. Garfield, the twentieth president -,

H

States,

said

of

of the

United

General Clark,

"The

public address:

in

a

cession of that

great territory northwest of the Ohio

under the treaty

river,

of

1783, be-

tween Great Britain and the United States,

was due, mainly,

and the endur-

sight, to the courage,

ance of one man,

from ames

a.

garfield.

nition

man was George Rogers

his

to the fore-

who

never received

country any adequate recog-

for

his

Clark."

orreat

services.

That

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE "There was no hero John \V. Daniel,

in a

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK. 915

of the Revolution,

1

''

said the

Hon.

speech in the United States senate,

"who

cleaner or

did a

piece of

better

work than George Rog-

ers Clark;

and there

is

none who

can stand by him, or be mentioned on

who

the

same page with

much negThe same speaker said of him, in an address at the Marietta Centennial: "No monuhim,

has been so

1

lected.'

joHx w. daniel.

no biography is

universally

achievements.

of

ment

him has

as yet

him has been

erected;

been written; but

his merit

to

acknowledged by those who have studied

his

1 '

United States Senator George F. Hoar, of Massachusetts, said, in favorably reporting a bill

to the

United States senate for a

monument

in

Clark, "It

is

by one

honor

enough

of the

gallant exploits history,

of

General

to say that

most daring and in

our military

where General Clark not

only risked his

life

to capture a

superior British force intrenched in a strong fortification,

but also

took the responsibility of raising upon the country the supplies

needed

for his expedition,

our boundary as against

the British possessions in this country instead of the

Ohio river."

was made the lakes

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

91 6

"He knew," to

SAID OF

says Collins's History of Kentucky,

—when

be mild and conciliating

and uncompromising.

stern

GENERAL CLARK.

to

The

"when

be

tact

and promptitude with which he adapted his

conduct to the exigency of the oc-

casion has dress

become

proverbial.

was wonderful

—the

resources inexhaustible.

Lyman

C. Draper

His ad-

fertility of his

1 '

"Appleton's

in

Cyclopedia of American History," says

+

''Clark

and

was

full

LEWIS COLLIN:

and commanding, brave

tall

of resources,

men.

fidence of his

possessing the affection and con-

All that

the

rich

domain northwest

Ohio was secured

of

to the republic, at

the peace of 1783, in consequence of his

prowess."

John Law, an eminent Indiana

jurist,

statesman and historian, whose portrait is

a previous chapter,

in

says,

colonial history of Vincennes, ""It

conquest LYMAN

C.

made under the most

was a

trying and

adverse circumstances, and with a

DRAPER.

and bravery unsurpassed

in the

his

in

skill

most glorious triumphs

of

refer to the conquest of 'Post Vincennes,'

the Revolution.

I

and the capture

of

Hamilton and

his troops

on the

memo-

rable 24th of February, 1779, by General George Rogers

Clark.

To

him,

in

my

opinion, considering the results of

that conquest, the vast addition of territory acquired

and the incalculable advantages occupy

it,

and

to the

people

by

it,

who now

to the country at large, the United States.

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE are

more indebted than

lution

to

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK. 917

any other general

of the

Revo-

—Washington alone excepted."

Honorable Samuel Merrill, Senior, long prominently connected with early Indiana history, said:

"There

are few

names among the

Revolution, so

of the

for meritorious

fertile in

and arduous

soldiers

heroes, that,

can

services,

preferred to that of George

claim to be

Rogers Clark.

Others were placed in more

conspicuous situations, and they did not to

perform

brilliant

friends, the public

grateful country

Their SAMUEL merrill.

achievements.

and history gave them

remembered and repaid

offices

and honors.

ploits

was then a

fail

But the theatre distant

of

full credit,

and a

their services with

General Clark's ex-

and unknown region.

Other

exciting occurrences at the time occupied the public mind,

and

as he

was never disposed

to

be the herald of

his

own

fame, so, though he gained an empire for his country,

without any other resources than his merits are even

now

great mind, his

but imperfectly understood and appre-

He had sacrificed

ciated.

own

his private fortune for the public

good, and as his services were too great to be repaid, they could not well be acknowledged, and therefore the remnant of his

life

was spent

in poverty.

In a

new

country, rapidlv

improving, and amid the hurry and bustle of care and business,

when

merit and service did not claim their reward,

they were sure to be neglected.

These circumstances are

mentioned, not as an apology, but

memory

of

serves.

He

in

explanation

why

General Clark has not been honored as

it

the

de-

has long since gone where neither the praise

91S

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

nor censure of

owe

generation to serve

this

world

to

it

SAID OF

any value; but the present

of

is

GENERAL CLARK.

themselves and to those

who

attempt

them, that well-deserved honor, however

layed, should at last be rewarded."

Professor

Burke A. Hinsdale

long- de-

1

in

his historv of the old

northwest truly says that

'

*

it

would

not be easy to find in our historv a case of an officer accomplishing

were so great and

results that

far-

reaching with so small a force. Clark's later credit, but

gotten

it

that

life

little

is

his

should not be for-

he

rendered

American cause and

,:,,,;:,.;

to

the

civilization

a very great service."

Jacob P.

Dunn,

the author of one of the latest and best

histories of Indiana, published in the

American Commonwealth series, under the

title

of ""Indiana, a

Re-

demption from Slavery," says

it

was "a most memorable campaign, by which the northwest was brought into the possession of the I

and

Americans,

secured Union,

to the

in the

con-

J ACOB

PIATT

DUNN

-

duct of which General Clark had fairly

earned the West," john Randolph, ius,

1

title of

'the

Hannibal

of

the

and which was afterwards be-

stowed upon him by that eccentric gen-

John Randolph,

of

Roanoke.**

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

;

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK. 919

James Partem, in his life of Thomas Jefferson, said: 'Virginia had in the field, at that time, two eminent heroes;

known to all mankind that he need not be named; other now almost fallen out of memory; one at the head

\one so the

of the armies in

America, the other

hundred miles from the

hundred and

fifty

capital of Virginia, with a

kindred

spirits,

of his single will the Indians

band

of

one

holding back by the force

from the

frontier of his native

state.

George Rogers Clark was the name

hero.

He was

calls

of this other

own county

of

Albe-

him, a neighbor

of the

a native of Jefferson's

marle, 'Our Colonel Clark,' he

twelve

in the far west,

governor; not twenty-six years old when

Governor Henry sent him

into

wilderness in the spring of

1778, to

This hero

protect the border. as

famous

as

is

the

not

Leonidas or Hannibal only

because he has not had such historians as they.

homes

But he defended the western

of Virginia precisely as

Hannibal

...

would have done."

:

~ ~~ —

In sum-

i

1

^—^

james parton.

ming up Clark's campaign, which

re-

suited in the capture of Kaskaskia

on the Mississippi and

the Post of Vincennes, Parton says further: "It audacity, fortitude its

and

skill that

won

was Clark's

his victory,

which

in

consequences was one of the most important of the war;

for besides relieving the

whole

from the Indians,

it

country, and had

due weight

short,

its

frontier

of

apprehension

confirmed Virginia's claim

to

in the final negotiations.

George Rogers Clark was lord

of the west, vice

chief officers, to the

governor of Virginia.'

In

Henry

Hamilton, deposed, and sent as a prisoner of war, with 1

the

his

/

920

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

"For

this great

pire that

we

came

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK.

and measureless em-

to us in the

are indebted, in

my

^;

northwest,

judgment,

to

George Rogers Clark alone" said the eloquent Senator Daniel of Indiana,

on the

W.

Voorhees,

floor of the

United

States senate. D.

In an address delivered by U. S. Senator

David Turpie

of Indiana, in

W. VOORHEES.

Nov., 1889, he

"Gen.

said:

George Rogers Clark ranks second onlv to

Washington among

and statesmen

of

the great soldiers

our Revolutionary area.

Indiana, the scene of his exploits labors,

may

vie with the other states as

the theatre of historic action DAVID TURPIE.

years before

its

During the contest close,

and

for

Clark had added

and

interest.

independence and

to the

dominion

of

the United States an area almost as large as the organized

portion of the original thirteen colonies.

Bunker

Hill,

Saratoga and Yorktown were notable victories but their effects

were immeasurably enhanced by the capture

The conquest

kaskia and Vincennes.

of

of

Kas-

Clark touched and

included the region of the great lakes as well as the rivers,

and

laid the

further west

"One

foundation of the vast empire of the

very marked

trait of his

In his case the deed speaks for the

A silence which of

new and

which we have since acquired. character was modesty.

man,

the rest

is

silence.

can hardly be broken with adequate words

admiration for the singular wisdom, valor and fortitude

that achieved for us the conquest

northwestern territory."

and possession

of

the

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK. 92 I

John Sherman, a distinguished senator of the United States, paid a high tribute to

General Clark, both on the

floor of the senate

and

an address

in

before the Northwest Centennial at

Here

Marietta, in iSSS. brief

and eloquent

are a few

"He

extracts:

was a great Virginian, and among the illustrious

names

that have

been

furnished by that magnificent state to the history of

our country there

no one among them

a greater or a more poetic

"This

renown

„ ~ „,. ,, than George Rogers Clark.

JOHN SHERMAN.

is

who will have

all

.

,

.

.

distinguished in the neglect and injustice done

was as him by his

countrymen

of his serv-

ice to his

drafts

and founder

typical hero

as in the brilliancy

His native

country.

drawn by

of five great states

and importance state

was unable

their order for supplies.

to

pay the

They were

pro-

tested and the private property of Colonel Clark was sold to partially

pay

for public supplies,

and impoverished and

ruined by his spirited achievements he lived and died a

dependent

.

.

.

My

countrymen, there ought

feeling of gratitude to a hero like Clark that his

be a

would cover

grave with monuments and preserve his

story

to

memory

in

and song."

Scharf's History of St. Louis City

and County

says:

"He

prevented Spain and Great Britain from making a partition

between them (

He

of all the

country west of the Alleghanies.

rescued Kentucky from the Indians.

He

took Kas-

kaskia, Cahokia and Vincennes, forcing the British frontier

\

92 2

-Yback first

WHAT EMINENT MEN HAVE to

SAID OF

GENERAL CLARK.

He

Mackinac, Detroit and the lakes.

American

fort

planted the

on the Mississippi, founded Louisville,

and by the sheer force

of the terror his prowess, military

genius and stern character inspired the Indians of Ohio, Indiana their alliance with the

and

among them compelled

Illinois to

English in Canada.

withdraw from

In

some

respects

he was the greatest general produced during the Revolutionary

War,

achieving the most positive results with the

slenderest means,

and always able

and original methods

to novel

to invent

and apply new

and unexpected contingencies.

His marches have never been excelled, either by Frederick the Great, Napoleon, or 'Stonewall' Jackson,

ever had so \

chiefly

to

character,

much power

presence

personal

—a power due

and knowledge

and one which, on these great and

sions, enabled him \

over the Indians

to save

and no man

of

Indian

critical

occa-

armies and prevent wars and

massacres."

This chapter could be enlarged with numerous similar quotations but

it

is

deemed unnecessary,

those most competent

to

as the

judgment of

determine seems to be incorporated

in the extracts here given.

—

CHAPTER XXIV. ADDITIONAL SKETCHES OF MEN WHO SERVED UNDER GEORGE ROGERS CLARK.

— Captain Richard Brashear— Lieutenant — Lieutenant John Gerault— Lieutenant Michael Perault— General Robert Todd — Captain Levi Todd — Ebenezer and John Severns Edward Bulger— Captain Abram Chaplain —James Currv, Levi Teall and Joseph Anderson — Colonel William Whitley —John Paul — Buckner Pittman.

John Sanders— Major Thomas Quick Richard Harrison

JOHN SANDERS. be remembered that when George Rogers Clark

It will

was about

to leave the

Ohio

river on his

march

across the

wilderness to attack Kaskaskia, he happened to meet a party of friendly hunters familiar with that place, and

ployed one of them, John Sanders by name,

There were no established roads try to

was

entirely wild

know

officers,

at that

em-

to act as guide.

day, and the coun-

and unsettled; but Sanders claimed

the way, and Clark, after consultation with his

employed him.

but the third dav,

when

All went smoothly, for a time, far out in

the wilderness, poor

Sanders became confused, then bewildered, and finally entirely lost.

His condition was much aggravated by

the distrust which speedily arose of

whom

spy, and

among

Clark's men,

some

boldly declared that they believed him to be a

was purposely misleading them.

that he

It

was

a very serious and alarming condition for Clark's forces to

be

in,

and Clark

tainly be killed

59

if

told Sanders, frankly, that he

would

cer-

he did not prove himself innocent by (9 2 3)

JOHN SANDERS, THE BEWILDERED GUIDE.

925

Sanders held up, under the

speedily finding the way.

trying circumstances, as best he could, and at last recog-

nized

some

natural objects which enabled

He

proper route again.

him

to get in the

not only proved faithful as a guide,

but throughout the campaign; and he became so

much

at-

when that officer returned to made his headquarters there,

tached to Colonel Clark that the

falls

of the Ohio, and

Sanders settled there lines, quite

a

man of

also,

and soon became,

business for that day.

and with other surroundings, with

in his peculiar

In other times,

his peculiar attributes,

he

probably would have become a merchant prince, or a great

There was much

banker.

undertakings, and teresting, aside

some

from

military operations. cult thing to

and enterprise

them were so novel

of

in his

as to be in-

their connection with Colonel Clark's

At

that da)'

it

was an exceedingly

diffi-

supply the soldiers with meats, the chief reliance

being game, and as the difficulty increased this

originality

game grew

scarcer

and became quite a

dilemma Sanders, ever fruitful

and wilder the

serious matter.

In

of expedients, contracted

with his old commander, Clark, and another, to establish a hunting

agency "for the purpose

of

sumably buffalo), bear meat, bear's and

for curing

contract

who

is

them, "

The

etc.

in possession of

has kindly permitted

procuring beef (pre-

oil

and venison hams,

original of this curious

Colonel Durrett, of Louisville, it

to

be copied into

"Articles of agreement entered into this

this

work:

18th day of

October, 1784, between General George Rogers Clark and

Alex. Skinnor, physician, on the one, and John Saunders of the other part, all of Jefferson county, in the state of

Virginia, and county of Kentucky, witnesseth that the said

gzG sanders's curious contract with general .clark. General G. Rogers Clark and Alexander Skinnor are to furnish on their part three salt

and ammunition

men and one purpose

for the

procuring beef, bear meat, bear's

and curing them fit

for use

making

part

his

a hunt,

and venison hams,

oil

proper manner of keeping sound and

during the winter and spring.

Sanders on

means

in a

pack-horse, with

of

That the

said

as a hunter, to use every possible

is,

to procure the said meats,

etc.,

by pitching upon

good hunting grounds and being assiduously industrious,

and the said Saunders

to see that the

is

meat

properlv

is

camp and send it from time to time to the falls Ohio. The bear's oil properly cured and the hams

salted at the of the

properlv dried, the meat to be delivered to the said Skin-

nor at the

falls

of the

bulk or dried as

Ohio

—

be disposed

to

may be most

convenient.

ders, in consideration of this duly

formed,

is

to

be entitled

and

or put in

of,

The

to one-third of all the

Saun-

said

faithfully to

be per-

meat and

so to be procured, which third part shall either be sold

a market offers on

with the

rest,

ing that

may

arrival

its

he paying

at

the

falls

his proportion of

be necessary when

it

oil

when

or preserved

any further cur-

arrives at the falls, or

shall be delivered to his order at the aforesaid falls.

it

The

said Saunders further to assist in building such boat or boats as are necessary for the business,

horse and engages not to

spend

curing skins unnecessarily.

and

to furnish

his time in

But such

procuring and

as he

may

without any interruption to the other business he clear to himself.

To

the just

the above from the ist of of

January, 1785,

if

and

faithful

one pack-

is

procure to

have

performance of

November, 17S4,

to the

middle

the hunting season should continue so

SANDERS

S

CURIOUS CONTRACT WITH GENERAL CLARK. 927

The

long.

parties

aforesaid

jointly

and severally bind

themselves in the penalty of one hundred pounds. ness whereof they have hereunto set their hands

the day

In wit-

and

seals

and year above written.

"G. R. Clark.

[seal.]

"Alex. Skinnor. [seal.]

"John Sanders, "Signed, sealed and delivered

in

[seal.]

presence of Benjamin

Roberts, Daniel Rhoads."

This fac-simile

/?

•y *S.

c

"\

signature of

'^ *-^-U/?j[

of the

Sanders

was taken from

his sig-

nature to the foregoing contract.

Sanders executed other interesting papers, and a simile

is

here given

tj

one he executed

of

to the

fac-

celebrated

"

/) c"/v^'

-

pioneer Daniel Boone, whose signature

^

„

rj u v

' is

on the back

of

the certificate.

The for

it

original of this specimen of earl}- pioneer currency,

was used

Durrett,

who

and system

"A in

of

as

money,

explains

banking,

it,

is

also in possession of Colonel

and Sanders's banking house,

in this interesting

way:

crude kind of banking was conducted

early times

in Louisville

by a man named John Sanders.

spring flood of 1780 a large flat-boat was floated to a the northeast corner of

made it

the boat fast to a

rested

In the lot

on

Sanders Main and Third streets. tree, and when the water subsided

on dry land. Sanders then put a roof on the boat,

and prepared

it

with doors and windows for a kind of

?e

.

^

/~-»

^

0/

Qt

Q,

o

•xJ

*3 -Q £

* +>

^>

**^

,->

+*-»

^