The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-24
GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE.
c,oSg or THR SERIES or SKETCHES
or MS LIFE.
u,.Iast Military Success Joins the French
AGAINST the spanish Possessions - The
scheme Faiis-Resume OF His Career.
.,,meful Neglect of His Memory.


.,.mefui Neglect Of His Memory.
We left General Clarke suffering from
tie dissppointments Of unsuccessful eff
TITS 10 get at his command force sufi-
-;srt 10 attempt the capture OF Detroit
We had returned TO kentucky, inactive
It'll the year 1852, when the unexpected
aoS disastrous battle al Blue Lick Springs
cad terror over the whole country. AT
.bis famous battle many of the foremost
.rd best leaders in the Territory were
Gain. Fortunately, perhaps for Clarke,
10 was not present al the engagement.
We cannot but believe had he been there
eve rash and inconsiderate conduct of
come Of the officers which brought on
he action pIematurely would not have
ocrurfcd His rank and influence would
nave secured the command. Knowing
nv long experience, the Indians mode Of
sarfarc. he would have either declined
an engagement at all, or made such dis
c,sitions as suited the case BE this as
/, may. the effect of this disaster so de
oressed the inhabitants that no one could
he found upon whom they could look for
deliyerahce. Tie constant apprehension
~ An invasion of ssyages from the North
hooded over the entire community. 1t
uas known how easily such success as
,b,y had lust achieved would inspire
,bcm TO renew these attempts. Clarke
sav that the proper course was to gather
,o-eiher force and carry the war into
.br enemys country. IL this could be &C
complished with celebrity and boldness
,be sayages might be taken by surprise,
uould be put upon the defensive, and, II
rroperly punished. would forget for the
timc their late success. Accordingly,
esrly in the fall of 1859, he succeeded in
-alying quite large force of volunteer
r.hrmcn aud lead them 10 the banks Of
Nc Ohio near the mouth of Licking river
30 secretly that the enemy knew nothing
~ the movement So soon as his ar
rsnccments had been perfected, he sud-
denly crossed the Ohio and threw him
.ef upon the indian towns on the
Miami and Scott rivers. The sayages
we're taken by surprise and fed before the
uhiies Clarke Tavagel the country,
Earning their villages and destroying
their crops. The effect was as he had
anticipated, and ii was long time before
Che people of Kentucky had occasion to
fear another invasion from their neigh
t0r enemies.
so far as We know, this was the.last
military success in the career of General
Clarke. Some few years after this he was
connected with an expedition against the
Indians across the Ohio, but nothing
seerns to be known in regard to il, eX-
cept that from some unknown cause Il
ended disastrously. 1t is 10 be supposed
that state OF general tranquility follow
"a upon the troubles which, from its set
dement,, had kept Kentucky a constant
theatre OF war. Consequently We hear
nothing Of Clarke until he was induced
by citizen Genet to lead an expedition
against the Spanish possession on the
south Mississippi France and Spain
we're then AT war. and this oihciOus as
well as offensive representative of the
former country made an attempt TO or.
gsnize "a force in Kentucky, without au-
,hority from the Government OF the
United States, 10 march against New Or
leans. He had either discovered for him
self the peculiar qualifications OF Clarke
for this service. or had found the latter a
willing agent, ready for any undertaking
that should give employment TO his ener-
eies. The people of Kentucky were in
sympathy with their French neighDOrs
pho. hy reason Of Clarke COnquests had
lately become citizens OF the United
States. more than this, they were enthusi
a,iic friends of the French people, be-
cause Of the important events conse-
auent upon The late alliance between the
two nations Spain, in her treaties with
America had been dilat0ry in carrying
out her promises in regard to the free
navigation of the Mississippi. Although
these facts had weight with the inhabi-
tants q the West il was an unwarrantcd
act on the part If the French Minister
60 endoayOr 10 engage them in a war with
a friendly power He offered General
Clarke a commission OF Major General
in the French army, which was promptly
accepted His plan was 10 give commits
sions to well-known officers and citizens
Who had had experience in Western war
fare They were 20 enlist secretly as
many whites as possible, and then engage
the services OF such tribes of Indians as
they could. The scheme opened before
the adventurous Clarke new opp0r'
lunity for active service. But he was
once more 10 become prey TO adverse
fortune. For the third time in his
checque:ed career he was doomed to dis
appointment. Genet. meantime, had
been perfcciing his schemes, and imagin-
ed himself about TO become benefactor
to his country, and the agent OF power
ful ally. In the midst Of these events, a
sudden change Of Government at home
caused his immediate recall Clarke $
hopes expired with the fall Of the French
intruder. is commission was further an
nulltd, and with this last act, his puzzle
career closed forever.
Before bringing to an end these
,kotches OF one of the most remarkable
men that ever lived in America. We deem
it proper to add few facts pertinent TO
our subject. For time there seemed
20 be cause for doubt as to the mate.
rial of the heroic little army which Clarke
made his valuable cOnquests. his was
10 become an important consideration
when The time should arrive for writing
the history OF his achievements. 1t was
well known that he himself was a Nir-
sinian, and tina: as a Virgin ian he had