Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-01

the daring of man who came in such
a flood to attack the fort and holding
MIN in awe on account of what he had
done at kaSkaskia, were afraid to a,l-
wise Hamilton of his peril, so they hur-
ried to their homes and awaited devel-
opments.
At nightfall Clark entered vincennes.
One section of his force surrounded the
town and the other proceeded to the
fort From some leading citizens Clark
got plentiful supply of powder and
ball, which he was in urgent need OF,
When Clark opened fire on the fort
Lleut-Gov. Hamilton and some OF his
officers were drinking punch along
with Capt. Helms. their prisoner Ham
ilton thought the shots were Cred by
registering Indians. who usually sig
nailed their arrival in town by a dis
charge of firearms. 1t was not until
news that some of his men were
wounded was reported to him that ne
understood the seriousness of his con-
dltion. The Americans had no cannon,
they were great marksmen and they
had taken protected positions thrt
commanded the portfolios through
which the people in the fort had 20
fire. 1t was death for one of the be-
sieSed to appear at portfolio.
Throughout the night the Americans
gave the British no rest.
VICTORY.
In the morning the attackers paused
for breakfast, the first regular meal
they had had in six days. Then Clark
sent n flag into the fort demanding It's
surrender. Hamilton promptly de-
clined. Firing thereupon was resumed
A little later Hamilton and his men
witnessed something that broke their
spirits. Some French and Indian ma
rauders. who had been sent to attack
settlers. returned with scalps and pris-
oners. Six of them were captured by
Clark, who ordered them tomahawked
and thrown into the river Two, hours
later Hamilton asked for truce Of
three days, Clark refused Then n
conference was agreed to. Clark would
grant nothing but that Hamilton shoul1
surrender at discretion, He made 1t
clear to Hamilton that he considered
him murderer and that the massncres
of whites by the Indians were due
TO the lieutenant governor.
Hamilton and his garrison of about
so men marched out prisoners of war
and Clarks men took possession Of the
fort. Thirteen guns. one for each OF the
states. were fired to celebrate the vic
tory, a victory as magnificent In its
result as almost any In the history of
the country. and one marvellous. in
ueSus III tne HBul or lne WOnucTIul
hardships the intrepid band of from
tiersmen endured to bring it about
A stern, bitter man Hamilton found
Clark to be. The Englishman was put
in chains and sent to the FANS of the
Ohio. Then he was sent to Williams
burg, Va. where he was kept in 4
dungeon for long time. Thomas JEFF
ferson. who succeeded Patrick Henry
as governor, had no sympathy or re-
f,r and latprrDlfoes1
to exchange him. but at last consented
after Hamilton had been a prisoner
nearly two years,
1t was Clark's cherished ambition to
attack Detroit. but he never fulflled It.
He went to Virginia and fought for
time against Arnold when the traitor
ravaged Virginia Then he returned to
Kentucky. AS result of his victory at
Vincennes the Indians had a wholesome |
fear of Clark. They had additional rea- |
son to fear him. for the terrific losses |
he inflicted upon them toward the close |
of the Revolutionary war In the battles |
of Piqua and Chillicothe. |
When the Revolutionary war closed |
the British peace commissioners were |
willing to recognize the 13 states, but |
claimed the territory embracing Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan ]
and the eastern portion of Minnesota
as a part of Canada Franklin and Jay
insisted that the land won by Clark and
held by him was American territory
and their contention prevailed. Without
Clark and without the victory of Vim
cennes the United States would have
been confined, for n time at least, to the
seaboard states Vincennes may be
said to have given to the nation a tor
ritory almost as large as the original
thirteen states.
DAYS OF DARKNESS
II the career of George Rogers Clark
had ended with Vincennes. 1t would
have been without blemish, but such
was not to be. Virginia made him a
brEgadier for his services, and then
when troubles embarrassed him, the
state dismissed him. Tho state was
burdened with debt and the cutting off
or his pay was considered an economy.
This action fnfurlated him, especially
as he had never been paid in full for
he claimbs he had against tho state. He |
became Incorporate, too. Possibly his
sufferlngs accounted for the growth OF
the drinking habit. Exposure In his
campaigns had made him a prey to
rheumatism and other painful Illness
.s. He bitterly resented the ingrati-
-ude of Virginia and the nation Once |
nc consented to aid Genet. tho French
in q fllibustering expedition to
conquer the trans Mississippi country
rom Spain.
He had never married and he lived a
onesome life in a home he built for
himself at Clarkville. IN sight of tho
Falls of the Ohio. There one night,
lfter party OF hunters had called
lpon him, he was stricken with parnl-
isis while he dozed in his chair. Ho
ell to the floor. ono leg falling into the
lying flre. Unable to move. he Law
here until morning. The leg, badly
'urned. had to be amputated That