Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-03-01
English Conquest Mt the Northwest.

English Conquest Mt the Northwest.
written for the Dispatch)
CONQUEST or THE COUNTRY
NORTHWEST OF THE RIVER OHIO,
177s-l7S3; and LIFE OF GENERAL
GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. In two
Volumes. BY william Hayden Eng
lish, President Of the Indiana His
torical Society. Published by Bowen
Merrill Company: Indianapolis. Ind.
and Kansas City. Mo. 1896.
A life. full of patriotic services ends
a fit termination In the two splendid vol
umes lying before me-a Christmas
gift from the author. While the news
papers were ringing with beautiful COM
ments upon his noble literary achieve
ments. William Hayden English-lawyer.
statesman, banker and scholar-passed
away from earth at his home. In Indiana.
He had served as Speaker OF the House
OF Representatives OF Indiana; as Demo-
cratic congressman. from 1853 TO 1861,
and is well remembered as the Demo-
cratic candidate for Vice-President on the
ticket with General Hancock In 1870. An
interesting character throughout life. 10
Is as the author OF this great work.
whose title is above. that he becomes
interesting 10 Nirginians.
The author. born and brought up on
the borders OF Clark's grant, OF a family
which furnished Clark three officers in
his campaigns against the British posts.
Kaskaskia and Vincennes, naturally felt
an interest in those great events, which
were so intimately connected with the
history of Indiana, and added an en-
pire 10 the boundaries OF the United
States. This interest. beginning In early
life, never abated. but finally assumed
4 l. ~.
formation In relation to the occurrences
themselves. and the lives OF the men who
participated in them, and found con-
summation at length in the present ex-
tended publication. whose successful de-
but into the world he lived just long
enough TO witness
While II is impossible 10 enter fully
Into the merits OF the work OF Mr. Eng
lish in a newspaper article, the follow
Ing account may serve 10 give the pub
lie some idea Of its general and leading
character He begins with sketch OF tho
ancestry OF General Clark, which Is
traditional back OF his grandparents.
Jonathan Clark, his grandfather. died
In us. in King and Queen county. Va
John Clark, his father, moved to AL
bemarle county, where George Rogers
Clark was born. November 10. l752 two
miles east Of Charlottesville, In a plain
house, which stood on knoll, near 20 and
overlooking the eastern bank Of the Ri
wanna river His birthplace is about one
and half miles north OF Monticello, the
home and burial-place OF Mr. Jefferson
His early teacher was Donald Robertson,
who. il is said, taught James Madison.
afterwards President. But Clark did not
persist in his scholastic studies like
Madison. and acquired only a common
lfut. 81.
some branches OF that
He soon determined to go West and
when only about 10 years old he crossed
the rnountons on an exploring and sur
yeying expedition. The first Journey was
in IN, and Clark's history from that
time became identified with the frontier.
In l776 he and John Gabriel Jones were
selected by the people OF Kentucky 10 de-
mant representation in the Virginia
Legislature for Kentucky. and Il was
through Clarks urgent representations,
aided by the sagaclous policy Of Virelnia's
first Governor. Patrick Henry, that the
needs Of the frontier were recognized, and
an order for 500 poSnds of gunpowder was
obtained. This powder was OF great
use in the warfare with the Indians,
which eternally ragged on the frontier
But Clark was led 10 holder and more ey-
eNANN0 Nf'ASL9s 1<htAE III lttt tllTh re-
PEELED the Indian attack in Harrodsburg,
sent out spies TO Illinois, and on their
return FASTENED on foot to Virginia TO
lay before the Governor and council his
plan for the conquest OF the territory
northwest OF the Ohio. His scheme was
approved by Governor Henry, and he was
made lieutenant-eoloncl, authorized 10
raise the necessary troops for an inva-
sion.
Mr.. English gives the fac-simile Of a
letter In his possession In the hand
writing Of George Mason, and signed
Jointly by Thomas Jefferson, George Ma
son. and George Wythe pledging their
influence TO secure 800 acres OF land for
each OF the soldiers embarklng In the
enterprise.
Mr.. English has spared neither expense
nor labor in locating tire officers and men
who hgured in this remarkable expedi-
ton. While IL was impossible TO give
the biography OF every soldier, Mr.. En-
glish shows that the claim advanced by
George Bancroft that most OF the troops
were from Western Pennsylvania Is tho
roughly disproved by the most stubborn
facts. All the officers. including Clark, are
proved directly TO have been Vlrglnians,
while II Is shown that the jealousy be-
tween the Pennsylvanians and Virgin
=.
account OF the disputed boundary line
must have prevented any great enlist
ment OF Pennsylvanians under a man
holding a Virginia commission In add
ton TO this, the payroll OF the men OF
Major Joseph Bowman, who was next IN
command 10 Clark. has a column ind!-
eating the distance or each soldier from
home which is so uniformly remote aver
aging 100 miles) that Mr.. English thinks
II can only mean Virginia
Certainly some Of the names are so es-
sentially Virginians as to place this mat
ter out of the pale OF dispute. ! refer to
such names as Mcclannahan. Honaker
Chrisman. etc.
The Illinois campaign originated with
Virginians; II was authorized. prosecuted.
and entirely paid for by Virginia. and
Congress afterwards recognized her SER
vices by reimbursing her for her ex-
pepses.
In speaking Of the recruits. Clark says;
"The officers only got such as had friends
In Kentucky, or those induced by their
own interest and desired TO see the coun-
try" Kentucky was then part OF Viz
ginia. and very largely occupied by Viz
g.nIans from the East looking over the
new country. and ready to enter into such
an enterprise as Clarks-"
have not time to enter into the details
of the capture OF Kdskaskia and VIM
cennes. There were no great battles like
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