The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-11-13
George Rogers CIark~
Story of Young Man Who Went
West For Uncle Sam...................

ended in 1863. It's result was 10
break the French power In America
for all time and 10 make English ter
ritory of the region between the Allie
ghanies and the Mississippi.
At that time the war between the
Colonies and the British Government
was still a dozen years in the future.
The colonsts-especial the Virgin
lans-at once planned TO settle and
occupy the conquered region, which
was then known as the Ohio country.
Companies were organized to go into
she new region and occupy 1t, settling
ihere with their families, clearing
away the forests. opening farms and
making homes for themselves In the
wilderness.
But these pioneers we're compare
lively few, and the difficulties they
encountered were very great. There
we're no roads anywhere. no bridges
across creeks and no secure means OF
communication except by way of the
rivers In the main, therefore. they
lettled upon the river banks. leaving
lhe vast interior country to the occu-
patton OF the powerful Indian tribes,
who viewed all white settlement with
Jealousy and hatred.
Meanwhile south OF the Ohio con-
siderable number OF adventurous Vir-
sinians and Carollnians had crossed
The mountains and made little settle
ments in what we now call Kentucky
md Tennessee. These included a num-
Der OF wandering hunters, like Daniel
Boone, Simon Kenton and George
Rogers Clark, whom the Indians
called the Long Knives because
hey always carried their hunting
knives in their belts.
Sometimes two or three families
settled near each other; sometimes
each family was far removed from
zach other, and depended solely upon
It's own members for the means OF
subsistence and for defense against
lhe Indian foe.
This sparsely settled Kentucky
country constituted a county OF Vir-
ginia
When the Revolutionary Wardrobe
nut the thirteen colonies lay east Of
.he Alleghanics. They had no secure
lold upon the great rich region west
of the mountains and north Of the
ohio River. That was held by the
British, with headquarters at Detroit,
20 which place a capable but very
cruel AND INSCRIPTIONS man named
Hamilton was sent as British com
mander of all that region, to hold it
securely.
There were a number Of French
towns and settlements in the region
Gorth OF the Ohio, and their inhabit-
ints had submitted themselves to the
British power in America The
French settlers in this country were
always loyal to the dominant power.
whatever IL might happen TO be, their
sole concern being to preserve and
profit by their trade with the Indians.
For the rest, the region was occupied
~ fierce tribes and confederacies of
Indians, who looked with jealous fear
upon the American advance across
The mountains.
During the Revolutionary War
Hamilton availed himself of this In
iian jealousy and hatred as a means
1f striking the Americans in the rear.
Disregarding all considerations OF
agents TO stir the Indians up to saw
age warfare that should drive back
he settlements over the mountains. "
lnder inspiration Of these agents,
who actually paid bounties TO the In
iians for such American scalps as
lhey should bring in TO the British
posts, the savages made war alike
upon men, women and children.
IL was then that George Rogers
Clark saw clearly what nobody o.se
had seen at all.
lie saw that although the colonists
might hold their own against Indian
attacks during the war. and might
ultimately win in their struggle for
Independence, the possession OF all
hat northwestern country by the
British, who already held Canada on
the north, would shut the young re-
pub!ic in and forever forbid the pos
jlbility Of its natural expansion west
ward.
a thought OF imperial proportions
Eas born in the mind of George Rog.
ers Clark, the backw oodsman. who
Mas only twenty-five years old. and
Who had lived from boyhood in the
wilderness. His thought was this:
Why not conquer all that region
now, while its conquest is possible ?
Why not make IL now and forever q
possession OF the young republic e
which OF right ir ought to belong?"
Full OF this idea Clark set out &c
travel on foot from Kentucky TO Vir.
sinia, in order to secure the men and
the means with which TO accomplish
his greet purpose. This journey wa,
made in the autumn OF 1777.
But although George Rogers Clarl
Vas always reckless of danger on hi
own account. he was never reckless
Of the results OF his undertakings
l.