The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-02-23

III
Columbus, of course, would head the
ENn 1H list, and after him would come Amer
kk 4 igo Vespucci, for whom America was
E&&ME named, and John and Sebastian Cabot,
kZSNH who were Italians even though they
IN did sail under the banner of England
- in the era of discovery. You'd prob
ably include Henri de Tonti, the MAN With the
Iron Hand" companion in arms of the great
French explorer, La Sale.
But ,meres still one missing. He was one of
the foreigners who aided the American colonies
In their struggle for independence and thus had
part in founding this nation. Every American
knows of La Fayette and De Kalb, the French
men; Kosciuscko and Pulaski, the Poles; and
Won Steuben, the German-all of whom fit that
description. But how many of them know about
Francesca Vigo, the Italian?
He was soldier, banker spy, patriot, diplo-
mat and merchant prince; he labored nightly
in the cause of American independence and long
afterwards in the interests of the Republic;
he is not only entirely worthy of being included
in any list, no matter how small and select, Of
Italians who profoundly Influenced American his
tory, but he also deserves position of honor in
the remembrance of Americans with the French
men, the Poles and the German previously men,
toned.
If this Is true, why is Vigo so little known to
most Americans? Because he is one Of those
forgotten heroes" who by some strange turn
of fate have been denied the fame that is right
fully theirs. But fortunately for Vigo's fame a
fellow-countryman. who won renown a few years
ago by excavating the buried Roman city of
Leptis Magma in northern Africa, has turned his
talents from archaeology to biography and the
result is the first ful-length portrait of this
littleknown hero of the American Revolution
the book "Vigo: Forgotten Builder of the
American Republic" by Bruno Roselli, published
by the Stratford company of Boston.
1t is especially appropriate to examine this
portrait" at this time, for February 25 will
mark the one hundred ffty-ffth anniversary of
the capture Of Vincennes by George Rogers
Clark, one of the outstanding achievements of
the struggle for liberty because of it's later re-
suits Without the aid of francesca Vigo, George
Rogers Clark might not have that splendid
victory, nor from it have come those important
results.
Most of the school histories mention vigo's
name but they assign him minor role in the
story of Clark's conquest of the Old Northwest.
But Mr.. Roselli would revise that view of him.
In the foreword to his book he says:
"Was Colonel Vigo truly star of the first
magnitude in the armament of Makers of Amer
lea, inexplicably overlooked today against the
consensus of contemporary opinion In that Mid
west which echoed the statement of its first
governor, Mr.. Vgo is in truth the most dstin-
guished person have almost ever seen? The
present state of documentary evidence encour-
ages me to suggest that Vigo's career. now out
lined for the first time as whole from his
arrival in the New world to his death at Vim
cennes three-score years later, is even more sig
nifcant than was realized in his day.
And yet I am not nearly as interested In
vigo's greatness as am in his uniqueness. AS
psychological problem per Sc, and as prob
lem of italian malleability in meeting strictly
American poneer-day conditions, he is bound to
remain forever delightfully."- battling, irrespective
of the quantity quality of original documents
which may later come to light
! Mr.. Rosellfs quest for original documents
such as he mentions, took him into at least Is
states of the Union and in Italy, and although he
has brought to light much information about
vigo, there still are many untitled gaps in the
story of what Vigo was and what he did. OF
his early life this much can be said: He was
born at Mondovi, Italy, on December 3, 1747.
Early in life the spirit of wanderlust seized him
and he ran away from home, eventually arriving
In Spain, where he enlisted in the Spanish army
for service in the colonies as muleteer. driver
or caretaker of the long-eared animals which car
ried army supplies.
Vigo was first sent to Havana. Cuba, with his
regiment and after year there was sent to
New Orleans, where find him listed as
.fusilero" in the militia of that colony. Next
he became a member Of body OF irregular
troops and by some means made his way up the
MiSSlSslppl river 10 ST. Louis, WHERE H'eu MS
Excellency Don Fernando de Leyba. governor Of
Upper Louisiana, which had been coded to Spain
by France in 1872.
The post was small and presently the two
men came face to face" writes Roselli. "They
fully understood their mutual needs, and while
starting from the opposite ends of the social
ladder, they had the wisdom to find at once a
common meeting ground" So, a little later
"the two men entered into a secret partnership;
forming an alliance which their neighbors only
surmised at first but which became matter of
public record at de Leyba'S untimely death"
Thus vigo embarked upon tbs career which was
to make him famous throughout the Mississippi
valley at the time as the Spanish merchant"
contemporary designation which is largely re-
sponsible for later error in regard to his ma