The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-21
CONCERNING A PROPOSED STATUE.

The proposition to place n statue of
Gen. George Rogers Clark near the base
of the soldiers monument as q repre-.
sentative of one of Indiana's war pc
RODS is natural outgrowth of the
scheme to divert the monument from its
original purpose. Let us see what it
implies. Was there anything in the
character or career of General Clark to
entitle him to a monument, and if so
should the State of Indiana erect ita
The only public act or service of Gen.
Clark's life which it is claimed was
worthy of commemoration was the
capture of Vincennes from the British
in 1919. He was authorized by the Gov
ernor of Virginia to raise force of $50
men and attack the British post at Kas-
kaskia, Ill. His instructions did not
authorize him to attack Vincennes, but
remarkable exploit. The British garri-
son consisted of eighty men and Clark's
attacking force of 40 men. The march
through the wilderness from Kaskaskia
to Vincennes, 160 miles, was rough one,
but nothing compared with what many
soldiers have endured. The fight which
preceded the capture of the post was
spirited, but the attacking force suffered
but little. The capture was effected
without much trouble. The time was
ripe for the expulsion of the British
from American soil. and they would
soon have been forced to abandon Vim
cennes even if it had not been captured
when it was.
Clark YVES born in 1852, and was old
enough to have served in the war of the
revolution, but he did not. His military
service consisted in leading occasional
expeditions against the Indians and in
the affair of Vincennes. In 1776 he was
made major of the militia in Kentucky.
His later career was not creditable. He
was rash, headstrong man. apt to act
without orders and to do unwarranted
things. He was also heavy drinker
and considerable of a braggart. In sum-
moning General Hamilton to surrender
the fort at Vincennes he warned him
not to destroy any stores, adding "for,
by heavens, if you do there shall be no
mercy shown you" At one time he
caused much trouble by Selling and con-
fscating the property of some Spanish
merchants at Vincennes, an act which
the government authorities repudiated
and ordered the prosecution of the par
ties responsible for il. Subsequently
Clark had to pay for these goods. Later
he was the prime mover in scheme
to organize a filibustering movement
against Fort Natchez, in Mississippi.
under the pretense of opening the ravi-
cation of that river. Natchez was q
Spanish fort, and an expedition against
it would have been an act of war. When
Citizen Genest, French minister to
the United States in 1898. and who
caused SO much trouble by his polit-
ical schemes that President Washington
demanded his recall-when Genest un-
dertook To organize an expedition
against Florida and Louisiana. other
colonies OF Spain, General Clark &C.
cepted a commission from him as major
general, Notwithstanding he knew that
Genesis operations were In utter disre-
gard of Washington's instructions, and,
If carried out. would eTlbroil us in n
war with Spain. All this time Clark
was drinking heavily and constantly
and had the reputation of being "alw ay =