We were now sensible
that St. Vincents [Vincennes] was in
possession of the English; and consequently we might shortly expect an Attact
though no danger at present, and had some time to make preparation for what we
were certain of. I had reason to expect a Reinforcement on the presumption that
Government ordered one on the Receipt of my first Letter; still encouraged each
other and hoped for the best: But suffered more uneasiness than when I was
certain of an immediate attact, as I had more time to reflect; the Result of
which was that the Illinois in a few months would be in possession of the
English except the Garrison which I knew would not be disposed to surrender
without the greatest distress. I sent off Horsemen to St. Vincents to take a
Prisoner by which we might get intiligence, but found it impracticable on
account of the high waters; but in the hight of our anxiety on the evening of
the 29th of Jan. 1779 Mr. Vague [Vigo]
a Spanish merchant, arrived from St. Vincents, and was there the time of its
being taken, and gave me every intiligence that I could wish to have Governour
Hamilton's Party confisted of about eight hundred when he took possession of
that Post on the 17th day of december past: finding the Season too far spent
for his intention against Kaskaskias had sent nearly the whole of his Indians
out in different Parties to War: But to embody as soon as the weather would Permit
and compleat his design: He had also sent messengers to the southern Indians,
five hundred of whom he expected to join him only eighty Troops in Garrisson,
(our Situation still appear'd desperate, it was at this moment I would have
bound myself seven years a Slave, to have had five hundred Troops) I saw the
only probability of our maintaining the Country was to take the advantage of
his present weakness, perhaps we might be fortunate: I considered the
Inclemency of the season, the badness of the Roads, &c., as an advantage to
us, as they would be more off their Guard on all Quarters. I collected the
Officers, told them the probability I thought there was of turning the scale in
our favour. I found it the sentiment of every one of them and eager for it. Our
Plans immediately concluded on, and sent An Express to Cohos [Cahokia] for the Return of Capt. McCarty & his
Volunteers, and set about the necessary preparations in order to Transport my
Artillery Stores, &c. 1
By the 4th day of Jan
(? Feby) I got every thing Compleat and on the 5th I marched being joined by
two Volunteer companies of the Principal Young Men of the Illinois Commanded by
Capt. McCarty and Frances Charlaville. Those of the troops was Captns Bowman
& William Worthingtons of the light Horse, we were Conducted out of the
Town by the Inhabitants and Mr. Jeboth [Fr. Pierre Gibault] the Priest, who after a very suitable
Discourse to the purpose, gave us all Absolution, And we set out on a Forlorn
hope indeed; for our whole Party with the Boats Crew consisted of only a little
upwards of two hundred. I cannot account for it but I still had inward
assurance of success, and never could when weighing every Circumstance doubt
it: But I had some secret check. We had now a Rout before us of two hundred and
forty miles in length, through, I suppose one of the most beautiful Country in
the world, but at this time in many parts flowing with water and exceading bad
marching, my greatest care was to divert the Men as much as possible in order
to keep up their spirits; the first obstruction of any consequence that I met
with was on the 13th, Arriveing at the two little Wabachees [Wabash] although three miles asunder they now make
but one, the flowed water between them being at Least three feet deep, and in
many places four: Being near five miles to the opposite Hills, the shallowest
place, except about one hundred Yards, was three feet. This would have been
enough to have stoped any set of men that was not in the same temper that we
was.
But in three days we
contrived to cross, by building a large Canoe, ferried across the two Channels,
the rest of the way we waded; Building scaffolds at each to lodge our Baggage
on until the Horses Crossed to take them; it Rained nearly a third of our
march, but we never halted for it; In the evening of the 17th we got to the low
Lands of the River Umbara, [Embarrass]
which we found deep in water, it being
nine miles to St. Vincents, which stood on the East side of the Wabache and
every foot of the way covered with deep water; we Marched down the little River
in order to gain the Banks of the main, which we did in about three Leagues,
made a small Canoe and sent an Express to meet the Boat and hurry it up; from
the spot we now lay on (it) was about ten miles to Town, and every foot of the
way put together that was not three feet and upwards under water would not have
made the length of two miles and half, and not a mouthful of Provision; to have
waited for our Boat, if possible to avoid it, would have been Impolitic. If I
was sensible that you would let no Person see this relation, I would give You a
detail of our suffering for four days in crossing those waters, and the manner
it was done, as I am sure that You wou'd Credit it, but it is too incredible
for any Person to believe except those that are as well acquainted with me as
You are, or had experienced something similar to it. I hope you will excuse me
until I have the pleasure of seeing you personally. But to our inexpressible
Joy, in the evening of the 23d we got safe on Terra firma within half a League
of the Fort, covered by a small Grove of Trees had a full view of the wished
for spot (I should have crossed at a greater distance from the Town, but the
White River comeing in just below us we were affraid of getting too near it.),
we had Already taken some Prisoners that was coming from the Town. Laying in this
Grove some time to dry our Clothes by the Sun we took another Prisoner known to
be a friend by which we got all the Intiligence we wished for: but would not
suffer him to see our Troops except a few. 2
If this narrative seems rather bland, it is because, as
Clark puts it, “it is too incredible for any Person to believe.” Lord willing, in my next post we’ll take up
the story from Capt. Joseph Bowman’s perspective and hopefully fill in the fine
details.
Christ, not man, is King!
Dale
1) George Rogers
Clark, Campaign In The Illinois (Cincinnati, OH: Robert Clarke & Co., 1907),
p. 53-5.
2) Ibid., p. 56-7.
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