My Genealogy Hound

GEN. GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE was a native of Virginia, born in Albemarle county, Nov. 19, 1752. When twenty-two years old he was captain of a company sent against the Indians in Lord Dunmore’s war. The following year he went to Kentucky, and was given command of the armed settlers there. He was so active and so successful in his conflicts with the Indians that his name became a terror to them. In the spring of 1778 he was intrusted by the state of Virginia with the command of an expedition against the Illinois country, then in possession of the British. Gov. Hamilton, the British commander, was a man of most cruel, barbarous nature. He continually provided the Indians with arms and supplies to enable them to operate against the American settlers. He offered high prices for scalps, but would pay nothing for live prisoners. Gen. Clarke organized his expedition at Redstone Old Fort, now Brownsville, Pa. He prepared boats, ammunition and supplies, and with about one hundred and fifty rangers, armed with rifles, he set sail down the Ohio. He received a few reinforcements at Fort Randolph, and other reinforcements in Kentucky farther down. His whole force consisted of less than four hundred men, but they were men of steel, inured to exposure, and sure shots with their rifles. Clark landed his men opposite the mouth of the Tennessee river, and concealed his boats among the bushes of a small creek. With his rifle and provisions on his back, he placed himself on foot at the head of his men and silently led the way through the wilderness for distant Kaskaskia. There were deep streams to cross and swamps to wade through, but so secretly did he move that the enemy were totally unaware of his coming. He was a stout, rather short man, with a high, broad forehead, sandy hair, blue eyes, and heavy shaggy eyebrows. With his personal prowess, hardihood and capacity for detail, there was always comprehensive wisdom in plan and purpose. The enemy knew of his coming only by his presence among them, and the American flag supplanting the royal standard of England. Hence his prestige and renown among the savages was of great value to carry on hostilities or dictate a peace When he was present the great Indian warriors never noticed any other general. In six days Clarke and his little party reached the Kaskaskia river, at night. They saw the old French mission building on the opposite bank lighted up, and heard the sound of music. It was a ball given by the British officers to the inhabitants of Kaskaskia. Taking with him a portion of his men he waded the river at the ford. Placing men quietly at each door, he gave orders to let no one pass. Wrapping himself in his blanket, he passed in, and, with his arms folded, leaned against the door-cheek of the ballroom and looked in upon the dance. An Indian who lay asleep upon the floor of the entry waked up, and gazing intently upon the general’s features in the light reflected from the room, suddenly sprang to his feet and gave the war whoop, exclaiming in Indian, “The great white chief!” The dancing ceased, the greatest confusion prevailed, women screamed, and all rushed toward the door. Without moving from his position or changing his grave expression, Clarke said to them, “Go on with your dance. The only difference is you dance now under Virginia instead of Great Britain.”

His next movement was against Vincennes. Gov. Hamilton was in command there organizing a force of British regulars and Indians to move against Clarke and cut him off. No time was to be lost. Clarke said, “I must take Hamilton or he will take me.” With 175 men he marched in cold, stormy weather. He traversed a wilderness and the drowned lands of Illinois, enduring every privation from wet, cold and hunger and suddenly, appeared before Vincennes. By marching his men along the crest of the bluff in sight of the fort, counter-marching out of sight, and again appearing in a continuous file, he made his force appear much larger than it was. After some sharp fighting, Hamilton surrendered and was made a pensioner. Clarke was strongly inclined to put him to death for his cruelty and uncivilized modes of warfare, but finally sent him to Virginia under guard. The power of Great Britain was ended in the Northwest territory, and from Fort Pitt to the Mississippi river the American flag floated in triumph. Clarke was anxiously waiting for money to pay his men and to enable him to make good his engagements on sudden emergencies for supplies furnished them. He sent many messengers urging relief, but was disappointed. The state of Virginia voted him a sword for his conquest of the Illinois country. The bearers of it met the grave and discontented hero on the bank of the Wabash. He took the sword, drew it from its scabbard, and placing the point to the ground thrust the blade deep into the soil he had conquered, and broke it off by the hilt. Throwing the glittering handle into the river, he exclaimed, “I ask Virginia for bread and she sends me a sword.”

In 1780 Gen. Clarke led a force against the Shawanese Indians, defeating them with great loss on their part. He established Fort Jefferson on the Mississippi. Learning of the disastrous battle of the Blue Licks, he started immediately on foot with one companion for Kentucky, rallied the people, and drove the enemy across the Ohio. He then proceeded to Richmond to procure aid. While there Benedict Arnold invaded Virginia, and Gen. Clarke served temporarily in a command against him, under Baron Steuben.

In 1782 Gen. Clarke made a successful campaign against the Shawanese towns in Ohio, and destroyed them, driving the Indians from that part of the country.

Gen. Clarke spent the latter part of his life with his sister, Mrs. Croghan, at the beautiful country seat, Locust Grove. He died there Feb. 18, 1818. His modest grave is in Cane Hill cemetery.

A plain stone with the initials G. R. C. engraved upon it is all that tells where the great-hearted leader sleeps. He who conquered for us the territory of five states, containing 160,000,000 of acres, has only six feet of earth. Congress moved last winter about raising a monument to him. He does not need it. “Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,” are his monument. It will stand as long as free government lasts on this continent. When the romance of American chivalry shall be written, the story of George Rogers Clarke will be linked with heroic, poetic members, immortal as the tale of Roland or that of the Cid Campeador.