Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-02-21

en- from Vincennes, the real center of their pow
er In that region, his hold on Kaskaskia was pre-
cari0us at best and his chances for extending
his conquest were very slight. The only answer
to his problem was to attack Vincennes and
capture or drive away Gen. Henry Hamilton, the
British commander, and his force there. OF this
Roselli says:
CLARK, at Kaskaskia, was helpless until he
knew what was going on at Vlncennes, over 200
miles away through a muddy wilderness infested
by those ~scalping Indians of General Hamilton
whose prowess had brought upon that stern fight
err the nickname of 'Hair-Buyer.' No news had
leaked through since August LIST. (177S) winter
with its terrors was already upon them and
spring was bound to reopen the line of supply
between British Vincennes and British Detroit.
Vigo, at this time, already a prosperous mer-
chant who could not with impunity forego his
interests, and an Italian to whom the future of
this Franco-Anglo- Hispano-American continent
might have seemed immaterial, left everything,
and, with no remuneration whatsoever. started
upon his career as a gentleman-spy. He took
with him a single servant, and made for Vim
cennes.
His one chance to accomplish his mission
depended upon the following succession Of
events He must be taken prisoner-prevail upon
his savage captors not to scalp him-appear be-
fore Hamilton-manage to avoid not only i'm
prisonment or execution, but even expulsion
linger on In Vlncennes, seeing everything In the
fort and everybody in the settlement-then make
good his escape. Not an easy program; but one
which he followed according to plans and sched-
ule."
For vigo succeeded in doing just as he had
planned. He was captured by Indians, brought
safely to Fort Sackville at vincennes, questioned
by Hamilton. succeeded in allaying the British
generals suspicious enough so that Hamilton
allowed him to depart after he had been at
Vincennes for some time upon his signing a pledge
that he would return to st. Louis without doing
anything injurious to British interests" vigo
scrupulously kept his pledge by returning to st.
Louis, after which he Immediately departed for
Kaskaskia and made the report to Clark on the
condition Of the garrison at vincennes which
determined Clark's decision to march against
that post.
But this spying trip of vigo's was not his only
contribution to the success of Clark's expedition.
In fact, 1t was the least OF 1t, for far more
important was his financial help which made
the expedition possible. During the summer of
1878 Clark had only Virginia currency, which
was no good with the French merchants of that
town, for the purchase Of supplies until vigo
induced them to accept 1t. Now Clark was again
in need Of money-to pay his men, to buy arms
and supplies. Again vigo came to his rescue. On
December 4 he cashed a draft of Clark's on
Oliver Pollock, the Virginia agent at New Or
leans, for more than $4,000 and on January %
he cashed another for nearly $1,000.
"Forty-eight hours later, Clark and his party
Of 172, rapidly equipped with vlgo's cash and
supplies, were disappearing In the wilderness.
eastbound," writes Roselll. "A long time would
pass before the gallant colonel beheld Pollock's
sarcastic letter explaining his refusal to extend
further credit to the Americans: How Colonel
Clark and the State OF Virginia expect such
heavy sums to be paid by men without money, is
a mystery which only time can point out II la