Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-03-21

destruction. The sole hope OF success
was in falling upon the post before the
British soldiers were aware Of their
approach. So skilfully did Clark
manage this, that as he relates with
succinot modesty: Surrounding the
town with one division of my troop
and breaking in with the other at
once secured the Governor, De Roch-
blame, and in fifteen minutes had every
street in my possession. BY daylight
the whole town was disarmed" The
soldierly account of the capture of
Kaskaskia is enlarged by the witnesses
of it into the following pretty little
story. Inside the fort the lights were
| lit, and through the windows came the
sound of violins. The officers of the
Fort had given ball, and the mirth
| loving Creoles, young men and girls,
were dancing and revelling within.
While the sentinels had left their posts.
Clark, having stationed his men round
about, entered the fort and advancing
10 the great hall where the revel was
heid, leaned silently with folded arms
against the door-post, looking at the
dancers. An Indian, lying on the floor
OF the entry, gazed intently on the
strangers face as the light from with
In fllckered across it, and suddenly
sprang to his feet uttering the unearth-
ly war-whoop. Instantly the dancing
ceased, the women screamed. while tho
men ran to the door. But Clark.
standing unmoved and with unchanged
face, grimly bade them continue their
dancing, but to remember now thar
they danced under Virginia and not
Great Britain"
Thus did Kaskaskia, the old historic
town in whose quaint streets and sun
ny squares fingers more romance, per-
haps, than in any other of the French
towns struggling along the Mississippi,
came into American hands.
In the confusion which resulted from
the capture, there appeared before Col
onel Clark from among the frightened
Creole citizens, singular, powerful
f1gure in the death robe of a priest--
rather Gibault. man ito whom next
to Clark and Frances Vigo the United
States is more indebted for the North :,
west Territory than to any 9TH
er man." In the wonderful band OF
priests sent by Catholic France for the
spiritual succor of her possessions in
the far away continent, he had a re-
markable authority both spiritual and
temporal in the ancient French villages
OF the Illinois. Like his brothers in the
work of redemption, which forms tho
most picturesque and noble chapter in
the sometimes commonplace events OF
American History, he was a man of fine
education and great strength of charac-
ter The volatile Creole folk came Ia
him readily, making the confession OF
their sins in their pretty soft patris
I then rising from their knees went their
light-hearted wayN with a great zeal
for doing as Father Gibault wished.
Even the Indians were swayed by the
charming, alien voice into something
like devotion and adherence to it's own
er. The good Father was at heart SO
little in sympathy with the British who
had so lately supplanted his own coun-
trymen as rulers that Clark had no diff
ficulty in winning him over to he Am
erican cause. Once won, Father Gi
bault, with all his people at his back.
x,f
the people together he queted their
fears and so inspired them with con-
fidence in their captors, that they
promised all sorts of allegiance and
aid to Colonel Clark.
No sooner had Kaskaskia thus fortu-
nately fallen into American hands
than detachment of thirty men under
Captain Bowman was sent to attack
the fortified villages up the Mississippi,
OF which Cahobia stood first in import
ance. AS in the case of Kaskaskia. the
success of the movement depended en-
tirely upon the secrecy and rapidity
with which it was carried out, so the
men without rest from their terrible
exertions, pushed. on swiftly, spending
three days and nights in the saddles.
The towns were taken completely by
surprise and were captured without the
firing of a gun. Now only Vincennes
and far away Detroit remained in Brit
ish hands. Father Gibault, with his
shrewd Gallo tongue, persuaded Colo
| 90
taken as well by words as by war; if
he were allowed to go to speak with
the people, who were under his charge
as well as the Kaskaskians, he prom
ised to reconcile them speedily to
change of rulers, thus making an expe-
dition against their town unnecessary.
1t was a time ripe for such an expert