The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-04-05
CHAPTER XVII

Il 177e. Col. George Rogers Clark
led an army across the Kaska-
s,Exia River and camped. This was the
first step in his march toward the
wabash. An ARMY Do not smile.
<Fewer than two hundred men, it is
true, answered the roll call. when
Father Gibault lifted the Cross and
( blessed them; but every name told
4 of by the company sergeant belonged
to hero, and every voice making re
4 Spouse struck a full note in the chorus
+. Of freedoms morning song.
1t was an army. small indeed. but
yet an army; even though so rudely
Z equipped that. could we now see 1t
before US. we might wonder Of what
use It could possibly be in a military
way.
We should nevertheless hardly ex
pect that a hundred and seventy of
our best men, even If furnished with
the latest and most deadly engines OF
destruction. could do what those
pioneers cheerfully undertook and
gloriousIy accomplished in the savage
wilderness which was to be the great
central area OF the United States Of
America.
We look back with a SILVER Of awe
at the three hundred Spartans for
whom Simonides composed his match
less epitaph. They wrought and died
gloriously; that was Greek. The one
hundred and seventy men, who. led
by the backwoodsman, Clark. made
conquest Of an empires area for free
dom in the West. wrought and lived
r. -
we'll to bear in mind this distinction
by which our civilization separates
Itself from that Of old times. Our
heroism has always been of hfe-our
heroes have conquered and lived to
Zee the effect Of conquest. We have
fought ell sorts Of wars and have
never yet felt defeat. Washington.
Jackson, Taylor, Grant. all lived to en-
Joy, after successful war, a trium-
plant peace. These Americans"
said a witty F'renchman. ARE either
enormously lucky, or possessed Of
miraculous vitality. You rarely XIII
them in battle. and II you wound them
their wounds are never mortal. Their
history is but a chain Of impossibiuues
easily accomplished. Their under
takings have been without prepara-
ton, their successes in the nature Of
stupendous accidents" Such a state
ment may appear critically sound
from a Gallo point of view; but 1t
leaves out the dominant element Of
American character, namely, heroic
efficiency. From the first we have had
the courage to undertake, the practical
-gs,N f1r.
lack OF technical training. and the
vital force which never flags under
the stress Of adversely.
Clark knew, when he set out or his
march to Vincennes, that he was not
indulging a visionary impulse. The
enterprise was one shat called for all
that manhood could endure. but not
more. With the genius of a born
leader he measured his task by his
means He knew his own courage
and fortitude, and understood the best
capacity of his men He had genius;
that is, he possessed the secret OF
extracting from himself and from his
followers the last refinement OF de
votion to purpose. There was a GER
tainty. from first to last. that effort
would not flag at any point Of the
topmost possible strain.
The great star of America was no
more than a nebulOUs splendOr on the
horizon in 1879. It was a new world
forming by the law of youth. The
men who bore the burdens Of its eX-
acting life were mostly stalwart strip
Iings who, before the down OF ado
lescence fairly sprouted on their Chins,
could swing the ak. drive pillow, close
with a bear or kill an Indian. Clark
was not yet q when he made his IA
nous campaign. A tall. brawny youth,
whose frontier experience had en-
riched a native character Of the best
quality. he marched on foot at the
head Of his little column, and was
first to test every opposing danger.
Was there a stream to wade or swim?
Clark enthusiastically shouted, Come
orr and in he plunged. Was there
a lack of food? I'm not hungry"
he cried. s"Help yourself, men" Had
some poor soldier lost his blanket?
Mine is in my way" said Clark
Take It, I'm glad to get rid Of IT."
His men loved him. and would die
rather than fall short of his expecta-
lions.
The march before them lay over a
magnificent plain, mostly prairie. rich
as the delta Of the Nile, but extremely